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The water was peacefully running and the surface of it was covered with roses all over the water, its petals or the entire flower, in the bathtub where Veritas Ratio was taking a perfectly peaceful bath while reading a book most likely based on mathematics. It was all going so very nicely, a comfortable bath in his place, no disturbances and nothing to ruin his mood. It was all the most perfect evening to him in all the universe. The light from the window gave him the most beautiful lighting, it captured the beauty of his face he chooses to hide because of how much of a nuisance it causes his students, really it was quite insufferable. The smell of the roses in the bath smelled amazing and it helped him get his mind off of everything. In a few days he and his companion would have to go to Penacony, the land of festivities. It would be an interesting place to be in, and maybe such a place where he would be the witness to even more idiocy. While the doctor was leaving his mind wander in thoughts that were still ones of extreme knowledge, there was a knock on his door, “Who could be here at a time like this.” The doctor had said to himself.
As soon as he was going to get out of the water to open the door, it had then unlocked, Veritas was suddenly on edge. “Who could have opened it? Unless…”. There was a man with a sage green vest, his lightly golden hair disheveled and he looked bloodied, aeons know what Aventurine had been up to, really Ratio had even forgotten he had given the gambler a spare key to his home. Aventurine said he would only ever come if it was only necessary but the doctor kept on noticing how frequent the gambler would come to his home, to the point he would end up staying here to sleep; and Aventurine did not have his own bedroom in Ratio’s home so he would sleep with him all the times he would stay long enough in his house to be in that sort of state. “Doctor! So nice to see you right now.” Aventurine had the same old neutral smile he always had even when he wasn’t in the best state of being, just like how he is looking right this instance. He did just also conveniently come inside Veritas’ bathroom to see him for whatever reason as well if that wasn’t another sign of his urgency, “What are you doing here, gambler, and what happened to you that your appearance is now a messy one, even I know you wouldn’t let yourself get up to that sort of a state over some bet you made.” Before Veritas could scold the gambler on his appearance even more, he saw how much Aventurine was in a dire state, he had bruises and cuts over him and he did nothing to cover them up, even his own attire was almost looking destroyed. “Get undressed.” Ratio looked straight at him. Aventurine was; rightfully so, very confused. “I didn’t know you were into all that doctor-”, “What I meant was for you to take your clothing off since it already looks bad and come into the bath with me, since it seems like you have clearly gone through enough on your assignment today with how messed up you are right now. So do not go twisting my words for your amusement, dear gambler.”
As much as Aventurine could try to argue he was fine, “nothing escapes your eyes does it doc…” It was clearly hard to hide such evidence he was, in fact, not doing well. The gambler sighed and had started taking his bloodied and dirt covered clothing off, after this bath he would most likely wear one of the nightgowns he insisted on Ratio to keep in his home for him to use whenever he came over. Really, he wouldn’t put it past people if they thought the two of them were roommates with how much Aventurine doesn’t live in his own house and come into Veritas’ home even more regularly. Ratio was polite enough not to look at the gambler while he was undressing but that didn’t stop Aventurine from taking glances of the doctor; admiring him and complementing him while the other was still reading. “You know doc, the dawn’s light really does make you look exceptionally ethereal right now. I bet anyone who admires you so deeply would be jealous I get to see you in such a sight.” Ratio couldn’t see him but he knew he had that same sly grin he loves to wear on himself. Aventurine, now undressed gets inside the bathtub with where Ratio currently is in, the gambler sliding himself so perfectly in between Ratio it catches him by surprised. He thought the peacock of a man would have sat himself on the opposite side in front of Veritas. Aventurine catches the doctor’s face and makes a comment, “If you were so insistent of taking care of me the moment I showed up in front of you looking like a beat up dog, you shouldn’t have thought of me to be in a position where you can’t take care of me”. Aventurine had said as he laid his head on Veritas’ shoulder and relaxed himself onto him. While it wasn’t weird per say, it was not common to see the gambler this vulnerable and relaxed with someone. Usually no matter what Ratio had come to a realization Aventurine was on his guard in every moment of his life, especially since this man himself would put his own life over a bet. The doctor put his book to his right hand and put it on the counter close to the bathtub. Ratio would disagree in the gambler’s manner of comparing himself with a dog, all he is merely doing is looking out for the man, he’s done so ever since he ever knew Aventurine, “You put yourself in dangerous situations, it is not hard to not not want to make sure you are alright.” the doctor passes his hand through Aventurine’s hair just to make it a bit more loose before he ends up washing it for the gambler, but as he did, Aventurine leans more into the touch than he expected. Aventurine did a low purr to the touch but then ratio had turned him around to clean up his face. There bruises and slight scratches on his face as well as some cuts by his neck, “It really is a miracle you were able to survive.” Ratio’s tone never faltered from seriousness but there was a hint of worry and relief in that tone. He was using some soap and other ointments to make sure it doesn’t burn and cause uncomfort to the gambler, he didn’t want him to complain about being hurt by the doctor and cause a ‘unnecessary scene’ which would usually consist in Aventurine making some questionable noises for the sake of being dramatic.
“You’re awfully gentle right now, doc.” Aventurine said while he was playing with a rubber duck that looked slightly similar to him, ratio was still cleaning his face with the ointments he had to his right where he had placed his book. Aventurine’s neck would be an uncomfortable place to try and clean as the cut was slightly deep and was near the mark he had. “You never did say how you got that mark.” Ratio brushed his hand by where his mark was and slightly where the open cut was, making Aventurine wince in slight pain. Ratio only muttered a regretful ‘my apologies’, he took his hand off of Aventurine’s neck; he didn’t intent to make the man uncomfortable. The same serious yet regretful face came onto the doctor but Aventurine only giggled at it, “I really didn’t expect you to be so gentle towards me today, doctor.” Aventurine put his hand to where Veritas had it on before, as if lingering on the cold feeling of him not holding him there anymore. “This mark on me, the thing that somehow binds me to the ICP’s control has been with me for a while. The story on why its on me is not one I would discuss with anyone.” Ratio expected as much; no matter what relationship the two have, even the one right now being of confusing closenessless, Aventurine would never reveal his past to almost anyone. Ratio went back to trying to at least relieve Aventurine of the pain the cut would give him by his neck, the most vulnerable place on a person.
While Aventurine would still wince at the bits of pain it would cause him, Veritas would say it was partially healed now until he could be able to cover it up so it would not get infected anymore. Aventurine turned himself to not be faced towards ratio and put his back against him, slightly propping his legs up so his knees would stick out of the water. “Your hands on my hair do feel quite nice.” As secretly Aventurine tried to whisper it, Ratio could still hear it. He got the shampoo from the counter of things he had next to his bathtub; you could never have enough things for good self care, and had started to wash Aventurine’s hair. It even seemed like it was a long overdue thing for him to do as well. “Do you really not take care of yourself enough to even wash your own hair?” Ratio had questioned him, but he was more focused on washing the gambler first and foremost. In the end even Aventurine wasn’t as responsive, only doing a passive ‘hm’ to the doctor, really signaling to him that he wouldn’t answer the question to begin with. Ratio sighed at the answer he ended up getting, he felt like Aventurine was falling asleep on him since he almost felt like his body felt even heavier on him’ he didn’t mind it but just like how he came to the bath before, was extremely unexpected. He continued to wash the gambler’s hair while he other was playing a bit with the rubber duck that was in the bath, Ratio could even hear a chuckle from him while Aventurine was messing with the rubber duck. “What’s so funny, gambler?”, “You have a rubber duck in your bath, its quite adorable coming from a man I could never imagine liking something like this.” He said it as if he found it hilarious that Ratio would enjoy such mundane things when he was so strict and calculating, but Aventurine was enjoying himself more with all the decorum Ratio did for his bath. While Ratio finished up on washing Aventurine’s hair, he dumped a bit of water to cleanse off the shampoo before putting on conditioner to his hair and by a random impulse, he decided to move a bit of Aventurine’s hair and put a light kiss on Aventurine’s bare neck. Aventurine turned his head to face Ratio and looked at him with surprise, Ratio had instead turned his head to look away from the gambler; he seriously didn’t know what part of his brain made him think that was a good idea to do. “Doctor that was-” before Aventurine could even finish the sentence Ratio had cut him off, “Stupid I do know, just pretend I have never done anything.” Veritas looked almost angry at himself, how could he think of doing something so… stupid. He hadn’t done something like that since amber years ago he tried to get the approval of Nous to be in the genius society.
He continued to wash Aventurine’s hair, albeit in a weird type of awkward silence. It wasn’t a bad silence, but he felt like Aventurine was about to not trust him anymore in a moment’s time. Though he felt as if the gambler was leaning himself more onto the doctor than before. Once Ratio had finished washing Aventurine’s hair and rinsing it off with water once again, “Let’s stay here like this for a while.” Aventurine said before Ratio had even a second to tell him they would dry off. Veritas was confused, was he not mad he has kissed the nape of his neck without any sort of warning, without even knowing. Aventurine puts his head on Ratio’s shoulder and closes his eyes, “If you’re so worried about that kiss, just know I’m not angry. I’ll tell you more later.” So they did, ratio had picked up the book he put down to take care of Aventurine and read it again, Ratio’s hand enveloping Aventurine’s, and the two stayed there for a while. Silently enjoying the other’s company, cuddling withing the water and letting the dawn’s light envelope them in this moment. At times what Veritas looked away from his book, he would see that Aventurine’s face was towards him, his eyes closed but he never did realize how the gambler looks. Verita would always call him a peacock for being so flamboyant and over exturting his style whenever and wherever he can, but peacocks use that beauty they have to attract people to them, their natural beauty is what they use to attracts a person or other birds to a peacock; that was exactly how Ratio felt as he saw how the dawn made Aventurine’s face look even more soft even with how rugged it looked because of the light scars that still haven’t healed. He really couldn’t deny that Aventurine, his most natural beauty did attract Ratio to him just a bit. There was a beauty to him in every way that made Ratio feel like there’s an odd feeling in his chest he needs to figure out when he is with this peacock. They have been close together for who knows how long and he could still not explain the feeling he gets from being with him. They are close companions, but there a different sentiment that comes along that he has no clue what it is. Perhaps today he’ll be able to figure it out.
They both had gotten out of the bathtub and dried up, Aventurine had convinced Ratio to dry his hair for him even though he could very much done it himself. “Why not get you to spoil me even more, hm?” That’s the answer Veritas got when he asked him why he even did that in the first place. Veritas was already laying on his bed, reading yet again a book while Aventurine was putting on the night robes and shawl before walking up to the bed. Ratio put his book up on the nightstand while Aventurine dropped himself onto the bed, he then properly laid down on the bed next to Ratio. Way before, they would both sleep on the opposite sides of the bed and not disturb another; Ratio had thought of getting an extra bed before but gave up on the idea since he had no spare rooms to even put in some kind of guest room for a person that would at this point become a roommate.
Though when morning came to be, the two found themselves intertwined with one another, constantly waking up to the sight of the other close to them. At first both would end up getting embarrassed and then immediately getting ready for yet another hard day, but now it was common sight. If Ratio didn’t wake up first Aventurine would gaze at him for a while and then go back to sleep until the doctor woke up; if Ratio woke up first he would end up getting out of bed immediately but then turning around to look at the gambler and making more comfortable in his sleep. “I love you.” What. Those were the words that escaped Aventurine’s mouth when he laid next to Ratio. “What we do isn’t exactly what any normal companions would do with each other and I have finally figured out the feeling I have kept on getting we have moments like this.” It could have also been the same feeling ratio has been getting, and he realized it even before; the things they both do are not what people would consider ‘normal’ companion behavior at all. By far they were both much intimate with each other than what you could normally expect. “So I’ve figured this weird, comforting feeling in my chest when I’m next to you is-” Ratio interrupted him while Aventurine’s face looked almost lost on what to say, “Love. It is love. That is what we have both been running around each other for so long now.” Aventurine laughed, “Was I wrong instead?” Ratio looked at him with slightly disappointed puzzled look. Aventurine opened his eyes to him after he had a good laugh and shook his head, Veritas was right, they were in love. Suddenly Aventurine got up and placed himself on top of Ratio’s lap and pulled Ratio into a kiss. Ratio didn’t pull back but leaned more into the touch, grabbing Aventurine’s back and pulling him in while Aventurine gently grabbed onto Ratio’s hair to position his head upwards to kiss him even more. In a few moments they both part for a bit of air, “Does this mean we’re together?” Aventurine asked the doctor, though Ratio pulled him back onto the bed to lay down beside him even closer. “That conversation can wait a bit longer, just know that I love you as well. That should be enough, gambler.” the gambler laughed as he pressed his face onto Ratio’s neck while Ratio covered them both with the blanket. To sleep they go, a peaceful, lovely sleep before a trip that they both have no clue of the end outcome. Perhaps ratio should still write Aventurine a note, he knows while they will both be working together in Penacony, he can’t help but know that the gambler will risk his life once again; and so Ratio whispers to him, “Do stay alive in Penacony. I will end up mourning you if you do not come out of this mission alive.” He holds Aventurine even more closer. He knows naught what will happen but all Veritas knows is that he cannot lose what he has now gained and forever love.