Claire and I entered an elevator as I saw an embedded microphone on the frame. I bent over a little bit as I gave what I'd expect to be the right voice command.
"Fifth Floor."
The microphone gave a ping as the elevator's door closed and we began to go up. While this was happening I noticed how the blood droplets began to stop as my wound had finally clotted. However, one thing this suit did not do was clean me of my blood. The fabric itself began to absorb the blood on it, but anything on my body was not cleaned, I guess I couldn't expect this suit to do everything. Claire had glanced at me before giving a little grimace.
"I think you should probably take a bath when we get to our room."
I just nodded silently as the door then opened. Walking in the hallways, I noticed the same black tile design and walls that I was welcomed with at the entrance room. Before long we found room 531. I scanned my bracelet on this black box that seemed similar to a hotel keycard machine. It illuminated green as the door slid open.
As I walked in, I felt a warm welcoming feeling back in. It was a pretty close replica of my studio apartment. What I had noticed instantly were the windows. My normal apartment had the windows opposite the entrance where I could view parts of the neighborhood. However, this room had a balcony. Walking into the room further I saw advanced versions of the typical appliances: microwave, fridge, stove. Claire stepped and as she immediately went to see the view of the balcony before gasping in amazement.
"Faust! Come out here, look at the view!"
I walked towards her as I felt the cooler atmosphere hit me from the room-temperature apartment. From our view, we could see the street-side and a broader view of the city. Seems that the fifth floor was about a hundred feet above the ground. Looking at the direction the balcony pointed we could only see the urban area, no bodies of water or parks anywhere, just illuminating cooler colors gracing the city with its presence. However, the lights became more and more scarce the further in the distance they were. Seems the unsanctioned areas were very impoverished, or rather crime-ridden to the point of electricity not functioning in many structures. Claire glanced at me, eyeing me up and down.
"Faust, go clean yourself already, you are ruining a possible romantic moment with those bloodstains."
I rolled my eyes as I got up and began walking inside, as I entered into the bathroom. A sliding door automatically closed behind me. Glaring around it seemed everything was roughly the same in a bathroom. The sink had a motion sensor and a thermostat for water temperature. The old porcelain throne seemed just as I remembered it, except for one feature. A little hose head could be seen pointed right where your ass crack would be. I could only guess that's how you washed it in this day and age. Although it was better than three seashells. Last but not least was the bathtub which seemed remotely the same. Except there was no dial to change the temperature, rather another holographic display to change the temperature of the water, and also able to make bubbles like a hot tub. Now that I thought about it, the tub was much larger than the one I had owned, it looked like it could hold two people fully stretched out.
I played with the display as I initiated the water to start as the tub began to fill up. I went in front of the mirror and removed my suit coat, tie, and dress shirt as I hung all of it up. Looking back at the mirror I saw my chest, which was more defined than yesterday when I was still on Earth. Did the Baron somehow bless me with more muscle definition with my psychic power? I also traced the scab of my wound and placed pressure on it. It still hurt as I winced a bit. There was one more thing I wanted to try when I was alone. I extended my left arm a bit forward and faced my palm upwards. Closing my eyes I concentrated with my mind to imagine a flame appearing at my palm, eventually, a flame equivalent in size to one of a torch appeared in my hand. I looked at my arms as I saw strings of orange-red energy illuminate under my skin, it was my nerves. I didn't notice this before as the suit covered most of it, but I suppose whenever I use my psychic powers my nervous system is put under some form of strain. I then clenched my fist as the flame was quickly snuffed out, feeling no pain in the process.
By the time I already did all of this the tub was ready as a bell sound played from it. I then stripped all of my clothes as I entered. My fatigued body began to feel more rested as I relaxed there. I began scrubbing myself and washing my hair with a tune in my mind. My eyes closed without a bother in the world to disturb me. This went on for a few minutes before I heard the bathroom door open and I saw Claire blankly stare at me, our eyes soon met as I sat there in shock before she quickly threw a towel in my direction and looked away. I grabbed the towel as I quickly stood up and wrapped it around my waist tightly before sitting back down.
At times I forgot that even while we lived together, neither of us saw one another naked, we were both a bit slow when it came to that stuff, but neither of us opposed the pace of our relationship. She then took a towel and then exited the bathroom, the door closing right after. I sat there a little confused and a few minutes later she came with a towel covering her. She then proceeded to go into the tub with me and sit on the opposite side as she slowly eased into the water with a relieved sigh. I just sat there blinking at her with a tingling sensation around my cheeks as she closed her eyes and relaxed. A minute later she opened her eyes before tilting her head at me.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine Claire, but are you okay? You came in here all flustered and surprised, but you are calm now?"
"Well, you were naked! Plus what's the big deal, it's like this is a hot tub that we are sharing, nothing too weird with that!"
"Claire, this is a bathtub, I was literally washing myself a few minutes ago before you entered."
She looked at me as she slowly processed with that dense mind of her. During this, she began to get extremely flushed and quickly get out of the tub.
"I'm so sorry Faust! I'll get out right now, I didn't mean to do anything of that I swear!"
She slipped as she fell right on top of me, elbowing me right in the gut as I got winded. Her head was laying right on my shoulder as her back was flush to my chest. I ended up bursting in laughter as I wrapped my arms around her as she turned and faced me with a pout before breaking out of the hug and sitting across from me again.
"It's no big deal for me honestly, I just didn't know if you were comfortable with sharing the tub with me."
She shook her head lightly.
"It doesn't bother me at all, I was more concerned if you were comfortable or not, but I feel it was stupid for us to both worry."
I grinned a little bit.
"Especially since we are technically married in this world now if you think about it."
She gave a light giggle that she covered with her hand.
"I suppose you are officially my husband, Faust."
We both began to laugh and smile as we washed our worries away.
"Claire, you're more than a lover to me, you are my best friend."
She began to blush a bit more before splashing me.
"I thought that was abundantly obvious. The reason I began to love you may have been cause you were that best friend to me. I felt like all I needed was you in my world, and I felt that why not get two birds with one stone by having my best friend be my lover."
I smiled at her as I lightly splashed her back.
"Maybe more than that. With this whole mention of fate and another world, I am beginning to think we may have been soulmates, destined to meet one another and fulfill this mission. Sorry if that sounds a bit childish or cringy."
Claire giggled a bit as she waved it off.
"It may be a little cringe, but it is hard to deny such a possibility when we are here in a foreign land."
"Yeah... anyway. You should start washing, I'm going to get out and get ready for bed."
I got out as she blew a kiss in my direction. Exiting the bathroom, immediately across the room was my closet as I opened it up. Nothing in here was provided other than bathrobes and empty coat hangers. Right after my stomach began to growl.
Crap. Did I expect to be provided with clothes and food in this world?