[ it's good that mort braces himself. the last thing itto would've wanted to do was drag the other guy in and leave the baths completely empty: the only evidence of anyone being there in the first place being a lone scrub floating on the surface of a slightly fuller pool. that possibility leaves itto's head immediately as he thinks about breathing, trying to catch his breath, trying to not panic about what just happened. the last thing he expected was for something to fight him back when he's weaponless. ]

Yeah, I... I don't know man, that's not the kind of friend I wanna make.

[ the kind that only grabs and squeezes but not in the tender and gentle way that someone should treat him with??? he might look like a big, scary oni but that doesn't mean he deserves to be throttled all the time! just some of the time. ]

First time I've ever had to deal with anything kinda like this. I think. If I did, then I guess I forgot.

[ now that he can pull himself back onto the ledge and not be in the water, he can just. lie there for a while. ]

Okay. Safer here for now. But that doesn't mean I can lie here forever. You got any ideas?