restinglichface

[Normally, Barry's nervousness is just one of the things that Lup finds completely adorable on him, how his shoulders quiver or his breathing quickens without notice, how all of the sudden the smell of him on the air shifts to something just a touch tastier.

Being a kelpie suits him fine, just like being a snake seems to fit Lup.

But when she's this deep into her shed, five days of this constant itch and complete discomfort, of rubbing her long body up against every table corner and wall in their home, everything about Barry's anxiety just hits all of Lup's nerves in the worst of ways. She's moody, flopped out across the whole of the living room with her long tail twitching this way and that, unable to keep still. Both of her eye scales aren't ready to pop out yet, but they're white and cloudy, blurring her vision just enough to leave her with a splitting headache.

Missing her legs? Ha! That hasn't been that difficult honestly. It's the shed that makes being a snake suck the most.]

Two seconds away from cutting myself out of this thing. [She's not great. But Barry manages to sweep in at just the right moment, switching out an old towel for one that's perfectly hot and damp and soothing with it comes exactly the relief she's needed.] Oh fuck...

[Lup melts into the couch at that, some of the tension in her shoulders disappearing immediately, her whole body going limp under him. If only their tub was big enough for her to fit in, they'd be just fine.]

I know, I know, you-- you're gonna be out of it in no time at all, okay? Before y'know it, lickety split.

[Seeing her deflate against the cushions from the warmth of the towel, Barry gets straight to work, flinging the old ones off of her and replacing them with new ones, straight off the rack. There's not a lot he can do for her right now, until her old skin is ready to come off, but he can do this. Make sure it's as warm and humid around her as possible.]

Got ya a washcloth for yer face, here...

[He touches it to her hands, knowing she can't see very well right now and not wanting to spook her. If she wants a cloth over her brows and ears and cloudy eyes, she'll take it.] Think y'can handle some food today? Or water? I'll getcha anything, okay? Just holler.

[The actual shedding part is kind of weirdly satisfying and surprisingly comfortable, like the world's biggest face peel. It's just the wait until her scales actually start to peel that kills her.

Lup quietly shakes her head at the offer for food, the irritated flick of her tail already stilling beneath the new towels draped over her. She hasn't been able to eat since she began to shed, but thankfully, hasn't had much of an appetite for it either. She'll make up for it after.]

Rub my shoulders? And like, my whole long ass?

[Barry's so sweet and patient with her, always has been, but especially so now. He hovers over her for days on end while she just bitches and snaps at him, offering his wife snacks and water and warm, damp cloths, whatever she needs to ease even a fraction of her current discomfort. His constant sweetness and devotion don't elude Lup, there's just not much she can do to reward him for it now. Not till this hell is finished.]

It's either that or warm up the lake so I can go for the world's longest soak. [Whichever is easier for him to do.

The towel that he places in her hands goes directly on her face, right up against her scaled brows and long ears, the naga sighing deeply into that beautiful, soothing warmth.]

Y'know, if I knew how t'swing that, I'd make it happen for ya. Easy. Make Lake Dala into th'biggest hot tub this side of Bavan.

[As tempting of a business venture as that is, Barry likes the lake and the ecosystem within the way it is now, thanks. Guess he'll just have to settle for giving his gorgeous wife a body massage. A real shame.

Barry takes a seat next to her, starting to rub his hands over the warm towels covering her bristly scales. Friction must help, right? The gentle squeeze and rub of his hands, the fibers of the towels, surely it must help the shed loosen from the brand new skin underneath, right?] Lemme know if I go too hard, okay? Or not hard enough. Or if y'need another towel. O-Or a mister, I could go get a spritz bottle, make ya a little water mister...

Barry - [Lup groans out from from where she's dropped her face right into the couch cushions, the woman lifting her chin and the edge of the towel so she can peer over her shoulder at her husband.]

Just shut up an' rub me down, dork.

[No more fretting, just delicious massages.

Barry's hands work wonders - just as they always do - along Lup's tanned skin, traveling down to the bristling, dull scales along her body. Fifty years together and Barry knows his wife's body better than anyone, even this new one that Lup's still learning to adjust to. But his hands press into and squeeze in all of the right places, with just the perfect amount of strength to leave the naga moaning out filthily with every pass of his hands, not caring to censor herself in the slightest.]

Love you... [Her chin's tucked in her arms, body as flat as possible beneath him, like he's just left her melted into a puddle.] Love you, Barry. You're so friggin' good...

R-Right. Sorry. I'll zip up.

[He's not kidding anyone - he'll keep making neurotic little suggestions the whole time if not stopped. Probably after that, too.

But he tries to keep his word for now, instead pressing his hands into her body and pushing, rubbing, squeezing along every inch he can reach. When he's massaged somewhere long enough, he moves down the length of her tail, continually rubbing her itchy scales through the damp towels.

Even though the noises she makes are anything but PG. Barry blushes, looking around. For once, he hopes Taako or Lucretia wander into the room, so they can see there's! nothing filthy going on! No nasty business, just a massage!!]

Y-Yeah? I can tell y'like it. Is this good? [He moves his hands back and forth over her tail, alternating directions, watching for her reaction.]

[Lup's used to it, knows it's how he tries to cope when he's forced to sit back and watch a situation unfold with no way to fix it. She saw the way he was hovering anxiously over Taako when her brother's scales started to come in the other day, saw how he tried to stuff Lucretia full of comfort food and booze when she grew her second pair of eyes. And it'll be just the same when Taako's comes in, just like how Barry went through at least seven panic attacks while Lup grew her own.

But hopefully he won't pass out this time.

For now, he's doing his damn best and Lup is completely grateful, her whole body stretched out flat for him, hips wiggling a little when he presses down just right against a particular itch that's been killing her for hours. Both of Lup's long, hooded ears are drooping down against her shoulders, her body shuddering and trembling with every pass of his hands.]

Fuck, this is so good, Bar. You have no idea. Maybe a little to the left. That spot's been driving me crazy.

[listen, he passed out for a completely legitimate reason, the anxiety was maybe only 75% of it??]

Little t'the left, got it...

[Barry repeats the motion again and again, moving according to Lup's instruction, hoping he gets every spot and then some. Seeing her writhing with discomfort on the couch has been unbearable. He hates the thought of Lup being uncomfortable in any way, and by the looks and sounds of it, she's been miserable.

Halfway down her tail, he starts wrapping his hands around her tail as well as he can, squeezing and kneading and rubbing and stroking, hoping to feel some of the shed loosen around the smaller scales towards the tip.]

Whaddya wanna do after? Wanna nap under th'heat lamp for a while? I could bring Matilda in, if y'want some company. I know y'haven't seen the chickens in a couple days.

[Now all of Lup's writhing and wiggling is at least for a much better reason, a delicious shiver slipping up the very long length of her spine as Barry massages into her scales, working away all of the discomfort with the magical press of his hands. Once his touch moves down her tail, to where he can nearly wrap his hands around her, kneading and squeezing with just enough strength to make the end of Lup's tail flop around madly, that's when her shed starts to break off from her new scales, loosening around her tail. Without access to the lake to let her soak, it's unlikely she'll have quite as satisfying as a shed as she has in previous months, but as long as it gets the fuck off of her, Lup doesn't mind in the slightest.

It just feels so damn good to finally feel even a touch of relief.]

Nap sounds great. Wanna cuddle with me? [Getting to wrap up all nice and tight around her husband under the heat lamp sounds like heaven.

Barry asks after the chickens and Lup's skinny shoulders shake with a laugh, like she's going to scoff off the suggestion, but he's not wrong. Lup hates how much she adores their little chicken family, but they're just so cute, bubbling with unexpected personality. And Matilda is one of her favorites.] If you want.

[which is Lup for please yes but i dont want to say it]

Edited 2019-01-18 20:46 (UTC)

That sounds real nice. Think I'm gonna make good on that water spritzer idea though, so we don't dry out.

[Yeah, Lup can't fool him. He knows she adores the chickens. It had kind of been a big joke when they'd first started taking in animals, that they'd never be able to tell them apart, that they'd just end up eating them whole if they were hankering for a snack. But they've both grown so attached to the chickens. Funny little ladies, so full of personality and spunk.

Barry knew Lup would take a shine to them. And the chickens completely worship her in return.]

I think I do. Think Matilda misses ya too.

[He keeps rubbing at the very tip of her tail, then starts working his way back up her body, squeezing and kneading.] Think she's gonna gossip to the other girls when she gets back into th'coop? How she got t'hang out under th'lamp with us?

[It's not a bad idea, after all, Lup isn't the only one here in danger of completely drying out. Sitting under a heat lamp as intense as hers can't be very good for a kelpie, but Barry's been right there with her anyway every single day, sacrificing some of his own comfort just to be near his wife.

Springtime just can't come soon enough. Lup can't wait for them to spend their mornings swimming in the lake together instead.]

Most def. [His strong hands massage back upwards along her tail, moving against her bristling scales, and Lup flattens against the couch again, finally pulling the towel off of her face completely, letting it drop to the floor. The start of that peeled away shed continues with his movements, loosening her old scales against her new, getting the snake nice and ready to just start peeling it all away. Just a little more...

The naga peers over her shoulders, still managing to look back at Barry, even when her eyes are so clouded over.]

Maybe we should just bring 'em all in. Y'know, just to keep all the ladies from fighting.

[That's all!! She just doesn't want fights!!]

[Right. No fights. Just a gaggle of chickens clucking in their living room. Taako is going to have a fit when he comes in - but honestly, Barry couldn't care less.]

That's a good idea, Lup. I'll get'em a tray of feed and let'em hang out in here for a while.

[Lup sounds like she's doing a lot better now, with Barry's hands squeezing and rubbing all the way back up again. While he can't feel her shed loosening from her scales the way she can, he can tell she's enjoying this, calmed by having her itch sated for now.

He can't wait for her eye caps to fall off, so he can see her bright beautiful eyes again.]

Gettin' ready for nap time, dear?

[Lup can't wait for her eye caps to fall off either, but that's mostly because there's so much hot horse in front of her that she'd like to be able to see.

But as incredible as Barry's hands are, the heat lamp and a nap sounds incredible after a long night of discomfort, of barely being able to close her eyes without some part of her tail needing a scratch. And hopefully once she's settled, Barry will be able to rest his eyes with her. Lup knows he's barely been sleeping, half out of his own nervousness over her shed and half out of Lup just not settling into bed properly all night, her tail flopping this way and that, always in motion, shifting the mattress under her all night long.

And yet he's still right here, rubbing away at her bristling, but soft scales, never complaining. She loves him so damn much.]

Only if you promise to keep rubbing me down once all the old ladies are settled. Dunno if I could nap without your healin' hands on me.

inbox.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, LUP. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 025.90.004.712 * HotterTwin has joined 018.07.154.55 <HotterTwin> hey fam <HotterTwin> its chagirl lup <HotterTwin>** leave me the deets or whatever