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Showers are a relief for Hajime.
Standing underneath that warm spray of water with the cold tiles beneath his feet, they’re the one place Hajime can go to just…think, by himself, and reflect on his day with absolutely nobody to bother him.
Today has been long and exhausting - he’s been out and about with his classmates, collecting resources in the jungles and doing the usual island field work that normally calls for more physical labor than the rest of his chores. Which, he finds he doesn’t mind so much, especially because most of it’s just busy work. But because of it, he’d come home sweaty and dirty. He could hardly wait for the reprieve of being underneath the familiar stream of water.
So, he’d thrown off all his clothes, practically ripping them off and leaving them all over the floor of their cottage before leaping into the shower.
He sighs, as he runs a hand through his cropped, brown hair, absently wondering when his boyfriend will come home. What he will do when he gets back. What expression he’ll be wearing on his normally apprehensive, yet so handsome face. He thinks about him, often, and he’s not bothered by it. Not like he was in the past.
And it wasn’t Gundham’s fault more so than it was his. Of course, the Overlord of Ice was to blame for being so sweet underneath that cold exterior, so graceful and confident in everything he did. But Hajime was the one who had fallen for it all. That was on him.
He huffs a little, wrapping arms around his body and so desperately missing his boyfriend.
He knows Gundham is a busy man, and normally doesn’t return from his farm until sometime farther into the night. It meant that they didn’t always see each other as much as they wanted to, but they made it work. They always did.
Because no matter how busy either of them got, they’d be reunited once again in the comfort of their own sheets, and they’d hold one another, cuddle and smile and tell each other about their day and-
And suddenly, the shower curtain is being pulled aside.
Hajime doesn’t sense it, not right away, but at the sound of Gundham’s low voice, which utters a sweet if it hadn’t been so terrifying, “Good evening,” he lets out a scream . One that is much higher, and girlish than he would’ve liked it to but embarrassment be damned - the man is terrified.
Gundham widens his eyes, not having expected Hajime’s outburst and Hajime only has half a second to process the fact that Gundham is just standing out there - naked. Without another thought, he yanks the curtain back in their place.
“W-W-What the HELL, Gundham?? What are you - why would you - WHAT?!”
A pause, before he hears a small chuckle that makes the heat creeping up his neck spread even further up. “It seems I have frightened you, dark prince. Not to worry, my paramour, for it is only I, who has come swiftly to your protection from the isolation of-“
“GUNDHAM.” Hajime cuts him off, his face burning red and his mind still reeling from the absolute jumpscare from moments ago. “You can’t just - waltz right into the shower with me! I didn't even know you were home! You could’ve been anyone!”
“…Have I never seen the full indecency of my beloved before?” Gundham questions, and Hajime can practically see the tilt of his head as his eyebrows furrow.
“N-No, NO. NO. That’s not the point, I just - can you not just greet me by opening the curtain?!” He sputters incredulously.
“You could’ve said, ‘Oh hey, Hajime, I'm home! Can I join you in the shower?’ - and you know, then I'd be like, SURE! And then - and then you could’ve come in.” Then almost mindlessly he adds, “I - I already know you’ve already seen me naked.” He blushes and crosses his arms over his chest.
A long stretch of silence passes, the only sound being the pitter patter of the water from the shower hitting the marble underneath his feet. He bites his lip, and begins to wonder if Gundham had just left, guilt already beginning to build up in his chest before he hears,
“I've come home, Hajime. May I join you?”
Hajime releases a short, breathless laugh, and he can’t help but break into a wide smile. Classic Gundham. Fondness for his boyfriend grows and blossoms and his cheeks still feel so warm.
“Yeah. You can come in.”
He sees the shower curtain shy open before Gundham emerges from behind it, and his breath catches. He delicately steps into the shower, his face void of any stress or contempt. It's almost shocking to think that just moments prior, he had been yearning to see his boyfriend again and then just like that, Gundham had appeared like magic.
When their eyes meet, Gundhams’s lips curl into a small smile. He steps closer to Hajime and Hajime’s breath catches in his throat, feeling shy all of a sudden. Soon enough, he’s sure Gundham will lean down and capture his lips in a kiss, before wrapping firm arms around him and whispering kind words as he did when he knew Hajime needed it.
Hajime breathes out slowly and opens his mouth, about to say something but then his eyes land on Gundham's left hand. He frowns when he notices it’s still bandaged.
“Um? Gundham? Why do you still have your bandages on…?”
“Ah.” Gundham lifts his arm and pulls it to his chest, cradling it as an adorable blush suddenly appears high on his cheekbones.
“I wanted to inquire whether you could assist me in removing them.”
Hajime tilts his head, genuinely confused and a little concerned. Has Gundham managed to hurt himself today? “You can remove them fine though, right?”
“I can.” He nods. “However it - it appears I have exerted too much force upon my unusually fragile vessel tonight. I tremble when I even attempt to rid of these bandages. And only you are immune to the effects of my poison, so…”
Gundham trails off and if Hajime lets him ramble for any longer, he’s sure he’ll implode on himself, emerging an even larger awkward, blushing mess.
“Alright. Off the bandages go.” Hajime chuckles, and gently takes Gundham’s arm.
Gundham makes a small noise in the back of his throat, allowing Hajime to run his fingers over each groove of the bandage, before finding where it all ties together and gradually undoing it.
It is a melodic and practiced movement, one that he's done plenty of times before in the past, and he can feel his boyfriend’s eyes tracking his hands as he slowly unravels the bandages. Scarred flesh is quickly revealed underneath. Hinata has long since been exposed to them, but it’ll always make him breath hitch and his heart squeeze.
Once the bandages are off, he places it on the shower caddy, before turning back to Gundham.
“Better?”
“Better.” Gundham assents, a soft smile gracing his features. The look is enough to make Hajime's knees weak out of pure adoration - he is so in love with him. His smile. His everything.
Said love of his life tilts his head a little. “Have you cleansed yourself yet?”
“Oh - no.” Hajime says, snapping out of his love struck daze and shrugging his shoulders. “I was just kind of standing underneath the water before you came in.”
“Then allow me to care for you, Hajime.” Gundham says, before suddenly stepping forwards and putting freezing cold hands on his shoulders. It’s enough to almost make Hajime yelp in surprise - but he doesn’t have time to before he’s being forcefully turned around. Gundham’s grip is firm, yet kind all the same.
“It does not take a fool to see that you’ve been working hard. And although I admire it, I implore you to rest on behalf of both your physical and mental health.” Gundham says, deep voice ghosting over the shell of hajime’s ear.
Hajime blushes madly, and leans into his boyfriend’s touch before Gundham releases his shoulders, cold touch disappearing as fast as it had come. He sags a little in disappointment.
The cap of their shampoo bottle pops, and Hajime fights back a laugh when he hears the noise it makes as Gundham squeezes the substance out on his hands. They really need to stock back up on all this.
“Mortals should not be staying up into the dead hours of the night as you do, so often.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. But…I’m not a mortal, am I?” Hajime grins.
“Hm?”
“I'm the ultimate hope. So…out of all the talents in the world, there’s gotta be one that gives me the ability to stay up 24 hours, huh?” Okay, the joke comes out a lot less clever than it had been in his head. He bites his lip in embarrassment just as he feels Gundham’s fingers thread through his short, brown locks.
“Indeed, that would be useful.” Gundham muses. “However if you did hold such power, you would not be in possession of eye bags as sunken in as these.”
Hajime squirms in place as Gundham lightly reprimands him, closing his eyes to stop the suds from falling in. Gundham stays quiet as he so gently washes Hajime’s hair, moving his head underneath the spray of water and working through every bubble.
Once his hair is all cleaned, his boyfriend coaxes him out of the water and rubs his body down with a soapy loofa. He relaxes into the sensation.
But just when Hajime had thought Gundham decided to drop the topic of his horrible sleep schedule, he says softly,
“You need rest, my paramour.”
Hajime sighs quietly, gaze landing on his feet. “You’re right. Sorry. I was just trying to lighten up the mood…”
“Do not feel the need to apologize.” Gundham says immediately, before leaning a light kiss on the back of Hajime’s tan neck. “I take great value in everything you have to say.”
“G-Geez, Gundham…you really just think of all these…things?” He splutters, as Gundham moves him back under the water to clean off the soap clinging to his skin.
“When I'm with you, yes.” Gundham laughs a little, and the sound makes Hajime’s heart soar in his chest. As much as Hajime has grown to love his loud, voluptuous laughter that can practically be heard from across the room, his small chuckles just do something else to him. Fall harder, deeper in love.
Gundham’s arms wrap around his waist and he sighs as he leans back into the embrace. He cranes his neck back to look up at his boyfriend, eyes lidded. Gundham stares right back at him.
“Why are you perfect…?”
“I - what?” Gundham clears his throat, breaking their eye contact nervously.
“You’re perfect. I can’t believe there was a time when I didn’t…” He trails off, feeling the burn in his ears as he says, “Didn’t love you.”
He rubs the myriad of scars on Gundham’s arm, and mutters,
“I love you.”
Gundham’s cheeks grow red, a beautiful flush growing on pale cheekbones as he pointedly clears his throat again.
It had been just hilarious for everyone when they first started dating, considering how awkward both of them are when it comes to anything and everything…romantic. And despite how in love Hajime was with Gundham, saying the actual words proved impossible for the longest time, until finally, he knew that if he didn’t say something none of them would.
He told Gundham he loved him after six months of being together. Gundham hadn’t said it back until a week after Hajime’s confession - and that was okay with Hajime. He would wait forever for Gundham to say it back to him if that was what it took.
Even now, it was still difficult for Gundham to say it back. He didn’t always have to though, for Hajime to know he was indeed loved and protected.
But today, he leans in and kisses Hajime on the lips. Moves their lips together in a synchronized dance Hajime is all too familiar with, before pulling back and whispering,
“…I love you too.”