River Rock Hotspot overplayed a little bit

fit vibes

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As promised, they carved out a date to see the hot springs. While a pass had needed to be bought for them to have access to their own, he had skipped all the fancy spa things offered. The last thing he needed was for her to get the wrong idea about this, about him. Yet he had informed her that something to swim in would be ideal for this trip, if she wanted to fully experience the hot springs.

Now all he needed to do was wait for her!

It would be easy enough to tell when another bear was approaching, even if he did not have the magical keenness of a King.

over fit with thisunder

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Something to swim in.

Haven had only ever gone swimming in the nude, so to be told she should wear something to swim in felt a little ridiculous. But she’d had enough access to the real world to understand that in most places, swim suits were common practice. It felt a little like defeating the purpose to her, but rules were rules.

So she took to the internet, and after embarking on every girl’s worst nightmare that was bathing suit shopping, she settled on one that didn’t just look like pointless pieces of fabric. Whatever, it didn’t matter to her, she was going to a hot spring!

With a boy!!!

Man. Bear. Um. Whatever!

Haven had decided she absolutely was not going to allow herself to be nervous. So, naturally, she was almost crawling out of her skin with anxiety as she pulled her rickety van up to the luxurious looking building. Osa grumbled within, pent up on her nerves and sensing the nearness of another bear. Then she spotted him waiting at the front, and her guts did a little dance, nearly making her miss the open parking space she approached.

Whipping in awkwardly at the last second, Haven then had to slam the brakes to avoid clipping the car beside her, the squeal of the worn brake pads nearly defening. Her body prickled with sweat as she then awkwardly backed the van up, readjusting to pull slowly into the space, horribly crooked. Haha! What if she just drove away now?!

Not having it in her to make him witness her straightening out, Haven collected her things and climbed out of the busted van, door slamming behind her as she opted for pretending that none of that had happened. She put on her most cheerful smile, lifted a hand in greeting, and headed to meet him at the front.

The squealing of brakes was more telling than any bear sensations. He could not stop himself from looking at the vehicle that had produced the sound. Nor could he stop himself from the little grin that split his features as she readjusted the van, then crawled her way out of it.

His own hand raised and the bear felt the familiar budding sensation of curiosity. Perhaps he should have took them out into the woods to let the beasts properly meet. Oh, well. It could be for a second meeting — or for later depending on how well they got on.

"Are you ready? I got us a private spring, so you don't need to worry about sharing or keeping voices down."

Which he was sure sounded...questionable! But what if they wished to talk about bears and the group? The privacy for that was worth any monetary amount.

Embarrassed? Her?! Never!!!

Osa mooed curiously at the other bear as she closed in, but she kept her hands to her sides, focused more on what he was saying for now. There would be time to let the bears meet later. In. Um. The private spring!

”Oh! Okay, cool.” Haven said brightly, nodding along. ”Lead the way?” She had no idea where she was going, and no idea what to expect, really!

"Of course."

His grin lingered, content to take the lead. Show their passes on his phone to get them inside. The directions to which spring was theirs had been clear enough. He would do his best to make sure she stayed near so she would not get lost.

Or too distracted!

"Anything like you imagined it might be?"

As someone who’d spent the first eighteen years of her life rarely ever leaving the confines of the acreage her family lived on, there was always something new for her to see. Graupel Canyon had proven to be an incredibly beautiful but overwhelming influx of new experiences for her. Maybe it seemed silly to be daunted by just one city while her littler sister seemed to have no problem finding the courage to strike out and explore other places around them, but she chopped that up to Millie not having spent so many years cooped up in one place. For Haven, the change was bigger, and so she took it slower and in tinier pieces.

All of this was to say, she was absolutely, utterly floored by the springs. From the fancy interior resort, to the outdoor space that sprawled out through incredible scenery, she wasn’t sure where to look first. It was good that Lydus kept close, and that Osa reminded her to follow the other bear, or else she might have wandered off to ogle one thing or another.

But they made it to their destination, a private pool set into a little cove of rocks. Haven blinked in fascination at the steam that rose from the water’s surface. It was much colder in Colorado than New Mexico, even in the summer, so the thought of submerging in warm water was appealing. Not like swimming in the lake, which seemed to always be cold no matter the season.

It took her a moment to realize Lydus asked her a question. She jolted and looked up at him with a grin. “Whoa.” Was all she really could say.

He allowed her the silence of examining it all. If he had had to explain hot springs to her, it made sense this was all new. The kind of thing you took for granted after having been here for years or made multiple trips to it. What was a normal but nice experience to him was otherworldly to the bear he softly guided.

His grin returned, a bit wider this time, at her one word response. It was a very good response. One he'd privately take some pride in!

"What are you waiting for?" He asked with warm humor.

Eagerly he removed clothing, shorts the only thing kept on. Prepared to settle himself into the hot waters.

And maybe preparing to gear up a splash towards her once she was in, but that was more bearish nature than man.

You know? Good point, Lydus!

Haven laughed and set her bag down, following suit in removing the outer layer of clothing and stuffing them into the bag to keep dry. It felt so stupid to keep the bathing suit on, but she also knew the difference in getting nude for a shift and being straight up naked in front of someone. Even if swimming with garments on was dumb, there was a level of privacy they had to maintain here.

Lydus was a boy!!

That last reminder made her flush a little as she stepped toward the edge of the pool, but hopefully it could be blamed on the steam that curled up to meet her. She stepped in, not expecting it to be as warm as it was, which was a pleasant surprise as she carefully picked her way down the gradual steps. Osa grumbled her pleasure as she ventured further in.

“I wonder how hot it is?” She questioned aloud as she made it waist deep, hands stretching out to rest on the steaming surface as she looked over her shoulder at the other bear.

It was a nice bathing suit, but that was neither here nor there. A thought he held onto entirely for himself. He wasn't here to compliment or make things awkward.

Her question was the only thing that could have halted his gearing up splash. Maybe because he didn't want to upset her, in case the water was too hot?! Overthinker extreme.

"Too hot to...splash you?"

Childish, but that's what bonding was! He assumed!

Haven twirled in the water at his question, teeth flashing wide as she took it as a challenge. ”You tell me.” She quipped before cupping her hands in through the surface and sending a wave his way.

She beat him to it!

Yet for all he scrunched his face up in mock disgust, it was a very very wide grin that settled permanently on his face. He rather liked this one! Although perhaps he was biased in thinking Levka would never let a bad bear into their fold.

Quickly, he smacked the water's surface in her direction.

Then echoed her own words — "You tell me!"

It was a very natural form of play for both bear and woman alike. The warmth of the water was new, but otherwise she fell right into thrill of the game, scrunching her nose and squealing away from the splashing water.

She shoved more his way as she drifted backward, sinking further into the water, up to her neck in a matter of moments. These pools weren’t especially deep, but she was especially short!

Taking that as an advantage, she pulled her toes off the rocky bottom and sunk!

When was the last time he had felt like this?

Boyish, playful, delighted. Good company with a dumb game. Only she cheated at their game by going completely underwater.

It would not be an easy feat for him as it had her, but he was determined. Dunking himself under the surface as well. Now intending to turn this into some kind of underwater breath holding game between them instead.

He wanted to win. >:(

He doubted he would. :(

It was probably a bad idea to open her eyes under this water, so she kept them shut. Thankfully, due to the small size of the pool, she felt the shift in the water as he sunk down to join her. Smiling despite herself, Haven scooted carefully in a half circle around where she thought he was, trying to get semi-behind him before she reached out and tried to jab her fingers playfully in his ribs, hopefully fast enough to leap out of the way of retaliation!

Retaliation was not in his mind when he felt the jab into his ribs.

Mainly because he sucked in water from the surprise. Then shot upright out of the surface. Heaving in a way that likely looked rather bear-like. If only he had the grace of an ursine fisher instead of a man clearing the hot spring water from his lungs.

He'd be fine.

He just needed like...a minute or two. Mainly to sound like a person who smoked a pack a day.

Oh!

Haven drifted back in the water as she felt him jolt up, pushing up to join him over the surface. Water plastering her short hair to her face, she reached to wipe her eyes quickly before blinking them open in panic. Oh no! Oh! No!

“Oh crap are you okay??!” She gasped, instinctively reaching out to pat his back while she looked over her shoulder, part of her prepared to have some Adult come and get onto her. No! Stupid, you were the adult!

“Oh my god, um! Deep breaths?” She tried to soothe, worriedly looking back at Lydus. Osa warbled in concern, snooting the white bear in the shoulder.