somethingwithturquoise | That Space Spa That Summer Never Shuts Up About; Dimension FH-001, Thursday [02/10].

Breezing right past some sort of blow-up at reception with a small group of Gromflomites that seemed to have had an issue with their reservation that clearly had absolutely nothing to do with Summer at all, "~WinterBlade~" and her party of four were welcomed into the Luxureon spa that definitely knew your face, Summer, you weren't fooling anyone with that alias, but also, Summer did bring them pretty good business and they dealt with a lot weirder (even today, in fact, they were handling a situation with a mostly-liquid entity that kept merging into one of the soaking pools on accident by expertly modifying the viscosity so that it didn't keep just dissolve into it), so whatever.

And thus, the moddable and extensive facilities of said space spa were open to the group entirely, everything from your standard massages and pedicures, to special space crystal treatments and space seaweed wraps, tentacle treatment for those willing to take a very particular risk, and bioluminescent manicures.

Summer herself would be spending a ridiculous amount of time in the strawberry-scented mineral soak, because honestly? Still her absolute favorite, and she can relax while sipping space drinks and making any last minute changes to her plans for jello for the party tomorrow.

Sure, she was supposed to be relaxing, but you could relax and work at the same time. M U L T I T A S K I N G!

[[ for those dragged to the space spa for all that sweet space spa goodness! ]]

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"I'm used to strange," Stark said. "This is a new strange. I'm still not sure what to do."

"Sure you do," said Summer, her grin a little soft and maybe a touch apologetic, as if to promise she wasn't going to hammer this in, really, but if the opportunity to mention it showed up, she was totally gonna seize it. She shrugged a shoulder. "You just...let go."

"You want me to just...sit here all day?"

He was going to smell of strawberries forever. Not that there was anyone to notice that fact anymore.

"I feel like I should do something."

"And that," Summer said, sagely, and ignoring the ghost of one of her bosses doting on her proudly over what was about to leave her mouth, "is exactly the problem. We're always feeling like we have to do something to the point where we can't enjoy just doing...nothing. And sometimes? You just gotta enjoy nothing."

"I," Stark said, "do better when I have things to do than when I have nothing. And I'm here, with all of... whatever it is they do."

And he didn't expect to ever be invited back so he figured he ought to try at least one thing.

"I have a million jobs and twice as many hobbies," Summer noted. "I definitely do better with something than nothing, but...that's why these kinds of nothing are so nice, it's just a time to recharge and relax before you get back to the something."

"I think I need more somethings. And it seems like I ought to at least try one of the somethings here. As long as I'm here."

"There is a lot of somethings, too," Summer noted, and then tilted her head in a musing, thoughtful way, trying to think of what kind of something might be best suited for Stark....and his current mood.

"Bet you've never had a mani-pedi before," she ventured. "The hot rocks massage is pretty nice, too. The stones they use....I don't know exactly what's up with them, but they feel uh-maze-zing."

"I've never had any of it," Stark reminded her. He'd never been near a spa before today. "Why are there rocks involved?"

"For the weight and the pressure," Summer explained, "and they retain the heat so it's nice and warm without getting too hot. Sounds crazy, maybe, but I mean, so does a lot of things until you try it, and then you're just all...yes, okay, I get it now."

That was absolutely something that Stark would benefit from if only he were more comfortable with the idea of other people touching him right now. Maybe someone ought to introduce him to the idea of weighted blankets later. He'd benefit from that, too.

"Maybe. Or maybe just the hands. The...manicure."

"No pedicure?" Summer asked, almost with a gasp.

But the manicure definitely had to happen, yes.

There was a hint of 'don't push it' in Stark's expression. Just a hint.

"I don't think so. The hands are enough for now. Maybe another time."

He did not think there would be another time.

That hint of a 'don't push it' expression seemed to just be defiantly met with a 'don't tempt me' expression right back.

You knew what you were getting yourself into by agreeing to do anything Summer right now, Stark. Being mopey and sad and cliny would not save you, especially since they were on her turf now.

"I'm going to remember you said that," she warned him.

He was mopey and sad but Stark was definitely not clingy at the moment. There was no one to cling to. Hence the mopey and sad.

"I'm sure you will. I'll remember I said maybe. We can both remember."

He hadn't been bedazzled yet. Being subjected to spa treatments seemed unlikely as well.

There was such a thing as emotional clinging, Stark! That was what she'd been on about this whole time, with all the metaphors! And the squeezing! And the squished imaginary jello!

"We can," Summer agreed, and then grinned. "I cannot wait to see those nails when they're done!"

All he was clinging to was his own hurts and there were enough that he barely needed to hold on anyway!

"Annie said they don't have to be colored," Stark said quickly.

Uh-huh. Yeah. That totally sounded very healthy, too! Really.

"They don't," Summer assured him. "But..."

Of course there was a but.

"It would be more fun."

Stark wasn't going to claim to be emotionally healthy. Far from it. Maybe someday there could be more sangria and Summer could get a drunken rundown of all the layers of hurt he'd built up. Or maybe not.

"Maybe another time," he said again. When fun was back in his vocabulary.

That Space Spa That Summer Never Shuts Up About; Dimension FH-001, Thursday [02/10].

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