The Conductor (Jolteon x Vaporeon)

Chapter 68 - Past

"For being fast, you sure are a slowpoke. Hurry up already!"

Vanessa tapped against the wall she leaned against impatiently, using her hips to bounce softly against the solid surface, unable to sit still. She was waiting outside the bathroom door, the muffled sound of running water coming from around the corner.

"Relax! I'm just trying to fix my fur!" Tempest called back, his voice somewhat drowned out by the crashing water. He was currently back in the shower, trying to make himself look nice again after Vanessa completely drenched him with water pulse not once, but twice. "It's your fault I'm in here in the first place!" He added playfully, half laughing as he slipped the jab in.

"If you don't hurry up, I'm coming in there!" Vanessa called back, matching Tempest's tone as she tried to suppress a giggle. The bathroom didn't exactly have a door on it, so she had to just wait outside in the hallway between the den and the garden. That said, it also meant she could go in any time she wanted..

"Please.. don't?! That would be really weird!" Tempest said, the confusion in his words evident as he tried to ignore the vague implications. Vanessa couldn't help but snicker, imagining Tempest's face glowing red with embarrassment as she teased him. She loved that she was able to mess with him so easily.

"Aawh, c'mon! It wouldn't be any different than the time at the pond-"

"Hey! We don't talk about that! That goes to the grave, Vanessa!" Tempest hissed, panic in his voice as he hushed her. Vanessa only found herself laughing at his reaction, despite the fact that she'd rather keep their little bath at the pond a secret as well.

"Alright, alright, fine, j-just don't take much longer."

Tempest huffed loudly in response. Just to keep her from teasing him any further, he made haste with his scrubbing process, until he was happy with how his fur felt once more, trusting that it would fluff back up to original luster, like before Vanessa had doused him.

"I don't even understand why you need to take another shower anyways.. I-isn't it just more water?" Vanessa asked curiously, amusement in her voice as her voice fought over the volume of Tempest turning off the water, handle squeaking as he turned the valve shut.

"I.. yeah, but.." Tempest began, stammering as he tried to explain himself. Truthfully, he hadn't even thought about that - he just felt freezing cold after being splashed, and didn't like the feeling of his fur being matted. "This way, I can sort of.. control it.. I guess..? It's weird to explain.. you don't even have fur, anyways, how would you know!"

Tempest was drying himself off with one of the pieces of cloth hanging from the wall, unable to see Vanessa walking in behind him. She promptly slapped him lightly across the back of his head with her paw, rolling her eyes with a giggle.

"I've had fur before. I was an Eevee like you were, y'know."

Tempest yelled and rubbed the back of his head with one paw, holding his towel with the other as he shot a shocked glance towards Vanessa, surprised that she was already in the bathroom with him. His face felt hot with embarrassment, both from not realizing she had to evolve, as well as the simple fact that she hadn't waited for him to leave the room before entering. Not that there was anything to hide, but sharing what was normally a private sanctuary with someone added an odd, subtle tension that he couldn't place his digits on.

"Oh.. right.. that makes sense.." Tempest muttered, looking down at the floor. He'd spent so long as a Jolteon that he often forgot that he'd also been an Eevee at one point.. Or at least.. he preferred when he didn't remember.. it was strange, though. He could only recall one instance of Vanessa mentioning her youth - that being her explanation behind the pink star clip she wore on her head, given to her by Maya, a friend of her father. "You just don't talk about it very often, so.. I guess I just didn't think about it.."