Love Springs (Sleepily)

Business at the hot springs had been getting slower in recent months, not only because the weather was warming up but their speciality had not come into play for a long while. The people that ran it infused the waters with their unique quirks in such a way that the waters perfumed the entire town when someone that was truly in love bathed there.

Unfortunately, true love was in short supply these days, it seemed... or those folks simply didn't visit. Today, however, a few had noticed a scent pervading the air, catching them unguarded and causing them to smile.

"Oh, it's so wonderful!" A passerby stopped, then another... and another. Soon a gigantic crowd was piled in front of the entrance, staring at the beautiful water display and enthralled by the indescribably beautiful scent.

Inside, the attendants were scrambling to find the person responsible.

"It's not the public areas!"

"The newest one, the cat hero -"

"Her? Oh! Private area!"

A younger woman heard this and dashed down the halls, screeching to a stop before she reached where Elly was relaxing. She drew a level of calmness about her and stepped in. "Excuse me..?"

Elly glanced up, ears pricking toward the sound. "Yes?" She lay half in the water with the white regulation bathing suit this hot spring required reflecting brightly in the clear water.

"I've been told that you can stay as long as you like - no time limit," the girl smiled. "And this will be on the house. You've gotten the spring active, you see."

She raised a hand to her mouth. "Th - the ... I did?"

"Yes! It's absolutely incredible. You must really be in love. Enjoy, and if you need anything at all to be more comfortable, let us know."

She chuckled, the blush from the water turning a brighter red. "Ha," she said softly. "If I could have him hold me - only that would be better." She shook her head, then. "Oops. Sorry, dear. That's... yes, thank you."

The younger woman paused. "Did the front staff tell you about the steam? And the visions?"

"I'd almost forgotten. Yeah, they did. So I might still get my wish, huh?" She sighed, staring intently at the vapors curling out of the pool. "Oh, Shota."

Back in the main room Aizawa himself had showed up, tired and desperate to try a rejuvenating dip in a spring - any spring. He had picked this one because he heard the teachers talking about it the other day. Little did he know that it had been the subject of discussion because one of their own wanted to try it.

He made his way through the growing crowd outside irritably, not understanding why everyone was standing around with vacant looks on their faces. When he got to the desk he immediately asked if the private room was available.

"I'm sorry, sir, but it's not at the moment. Someone is activating our quirks within the room, so we like to keep them as long as possible. It attracts more customers so we can stay in business."

He sighed. "I understand."

"Wait, is your name Shota?" The woman had checked his card. "Stay a moment, please... ah. Do you know someone by the name Elly Sketchit?"

He frowned at the lack of privacy being demonstrated. "Ches? Is she here?"

"I'm sorry." She pulled him aside, speaking in a low voice. "I can see that upset you, and I normally wouldn't interfere or invade anyone's privacy, but she's here. She's the one making the smell, and she mentioned your name."

"Uh..." He truly did not know what to say to this.

"It seems I can let you have the private room after all. Step in here and get changed, I'll explain later."

Moments later he was walking beside the attendant down the hall.

"Is it okay to walk in on her like this?" He nervously grasped the robe front, very aware that he had on a pair of white swim trunks on underneath and nothing else.

"This is why we require the bathing suits. She's covered as well. And there are security checks so nothing untoward can happen."

"Practical, and yet... I'm still unconvinced this is the right thing to do."

"If you're worried, just don't speak," the attendant cautioned him. "You can let her think you're a vision or show her you're real. It's up to you, of course." She left him at the cloth entrance and bowed herself away.

He waited anxiously for perhaps a full minute to gather up enough courage to slip inside. The steam was even more powerful, in a good way, up close. The laconic man breathed in deeply, feeling as if a huge weight had been taken off his shoulders.

Elly was still half immersed in the pool. Her eyes were closed tightly and she was talking quietly to herself. Aizawa drew closer, his soft sandals making no sound on the ground.

"Please," she was whispering softly. "If I could just see him, just once. Just for a little while. I know it's illusion, just... please."

His heart felt near-broken in his chest at her plea and he hurried to kneel at the edge of the water.

She opened her eyes and slowly took in her surroundings. When she turned and noticed him nearby, she jerked back, the water rippling with her quick movement. She climbed out, dripping, and he stood to face her.

Elly saw him, clad in a robe from the spa and those sandals they gave out on his feet. He looked just like he did every day but in different clothing, and his dark wealth of hair had been tied back in a messy ponytail. His legs were hairy, she noticed with amusement, and she could see a mat of black in the open section of his robe as well. She wondered how much her imagination paralleled reality.

"Wow," she gasped, reaching out with trembling fingers to caress his scruffy chin. "They said your image might show, but - but I never thought it would be so real..."

He held his breath, astonished that she would ever look at him this way. Her purple eyes were wide and dark, shining with unshed tears as she ran her hand across his cheek, cupping it gently.

"I can feel it. Your stubble. On your dear, sweet, scruffy face." Her fingers lingered, tracing everywhere she could find the spartan hair. When she reached his upper lip she faltered and dropped down to lightly touch his mouth. His lips were dry. Amazed at the sensations, the cat woman mewed in emotional distress. Elly blinked, and the tears fell, splashing down in sudden twin waterfalls. She threw her arms around him, shaking, and her bittersweet laughter resonated within him.

Aizawa couldn't leave her this way. He squeezed back, his hands clasped around the flushed skin of her lower back. "I'm here, Ches," he murmured. "It's me."

She jumped, her striped tail smacking on the pebbled ground under them and spraying water about. "Y - you ... Ai-za-wa...?" His last name fell from her numb lips.

He winced at the drop in casual naming. "Shota," he insisted firmly.

"Uh, I can't ... I'm so sorry!" She drew her hands back and covered her face with them. "I didn't mean to embarrass you like this!"

He blinked. "Cheshire, I came here fully informed about what was going on. I'm not..." He coughed, paused slightly, then went on. "Untrue. I am feeling shy," he grudgingly admitted. "Perhaps not what you thought, however. Am I correct?"

She had raised her head to stare incredulously at him as he spoke. "Aren't you going to tell me you don't feel the same?"

"I'm not sure," he hedged, suddenly and shockingly breaking out into his infamous grin. "Exactly how do you feel about me?"

"Shota!"

"Ahh, that's better."

"I'm not going to say it." She crossed her arms and bit her lip, looking so adorable in her pout that he swallowed very loudly. "You know, anyway. This," she waved one hand about, "is all proof!"

He stepped close and nestled against to her back, placing his hands carefully around her midsection as he held her. Elly choked when she felt his bare skin; he had let his robe fall. "I love you too, little one," he murmured in one furry ear. "Now," he added sleepily, "if you don't mind..."

"Hey!"

He picked her up and carried her into the water. "I need a long, relaxing soak," he sighed with contentment. "After that, Ches, we can talk. Among whatever other things you might desire."

Speechless, she laid back on his powerful chest and stared up at the sky, amazed at this wonderfully strange turn of events.