[He stayed that way for a bit, relaxing into the hot water and the company and the strange but welcome sensation of a hand holding his. He still wasn't sure if this was how people were supposed to do things. He rarely even knew how people lived day to day without patrols and training and killing at least one rebel samurai, so this was uncharted territory for him. All he knew of affection came from teasing and watching people go to Shimabara - and knowing of Akesato and her relationship with Yamanami. But those were all bought women, certainly Akesato and Yamanami were in love, but they were women of the redlight district. It wasn't how...relationships worked.
And at that moment, Souji realized he had no idea how relationships worked. Was this normal? Was he being strange? What if he was moving too quickly, already willing to touch Cliff? What if it was too slowly and it was unsatisfactory? What was supposed to happen in relationships that weren't one-sided semi-dysfunctional co-dependence? He'd been following after Hijikata for so long, that he'd never really learned what to do if he'd ever found anyone else.
The realization punched him in the gut and Souji loosened his grip, not sure if he should have even come here in the first place. Baths were normal, yes, but holding hands in one? Definitely not. He panicked and tried to swallow it down, succeeding only by sheer willpower as he asked Cliff what he hoped sounded like an innocent question.]
Jan. 10th | 3pm | Hot Springs
And at that moment, Souji realized he had no idea how relationships worked. Was this normal? Was he being strange? What if he was moving too quickly, already willing to touch Cliff? What if it was too slowly and it was unsatisfactory? What was supposed to happen in relationships that weren't one-sided semi-dysfunctional co-dependence? He'd been following after Hijikata for so long, that he'd never really learned what to do if he'd ever found anyone else.
The realization punched him in the gut and Souji loosened his grip, not sure if he should have even come here in the first place. Baths were normal, yes, but holding hands in one? Definitely not. He panicked and tried to swallow it down, succeeding only by sheer willpower as he asked Cliff what he hoped sounded like an innocent question.]
...Is this normal? For your world, I mean.