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Leon groaned. "Luis." His husband hummed in response. "How much longer on the bath?"
"Patience, mi principe. The water is still warming up."
"I'm freezing."
"I know you are. You aren't wearing pants. Besides," he called, "I can see the goosebumps on your arms from here."
"There's a wall between us," Leon grumbled matter-of-factly.
"I'm well aware."
Leon clasped his hands together and exhaled hot air onto them. They peeked just over the throw blanket that was draped over his shoulders and wrapped around the upper half of his body. The warmer comforter sat on the lower half of his body, and offered just enough warmth to appease his legs. "Hmph," he breathed, the volume exaggerated. Then, when he didn't get a response, Leon let out another exaggerated huff and begrudgingly rolled out of the bed he and Luis shared. Bare feet pitter-pattered on hardwood flooring as he approached the bathroom, still not wearing pants.
"Mi vida." Leon groaned in response and sat on the toilet.
"Cold," he said simply. The porcelain was cool on the back of his legs, and he shuddered.
"Because you're not wearing pants."
"I overheat in anything other than my boxers."
"But you always wake up so cold."
"Because you," Leon hissed, "always steal the blankets." He pointed a finger at Luis, who was seemingly unaware that he was doing so, as he was bent over the tub and splashing the water around in an attempt to gauge its temperature.
"The water's warm enough now, cariño. Stop your fussing and let me help you undress." Luis, already stripped to his own boxers and a tee shirt, approached Leon and outstretched his hand. Leon took it.
"I'm an adult, darling, I can undress myself."
"I know you can," Luis said, and tugged at the waistband of his boxers. "But isn't it nice to be doted on every once in a while?"
"I guess so." Leon stepped out of them and stumbled a bit. With just one foot on the ground, of course, it was hard for him to keep his balance. Luis was one step ahead, though, and he snaked an arm around his husband's waist. "Thanks," Leon said, sincere.
"Of course," Luis replied, as if the caring action was simply a compulsion. Awkwardly, Leon shivered while Luis removed his own clothes. Then, the two of them stepped into the bathtub.
"Oh, my god, Luis," Leon groaned. "You're a fucking wizard." The warm water enveloped them and settled around their bodies, and Leon's cold skin met Luis'.
"Not quite, cowboy." Luis draped his hands over Leon's stomach, and the slight pudge in his husband's abdomen made him smile. They'd both been eating so much better since they left Valdelobos.
"A mind-reader, then." Luis laughed, and Leon could feel the rumbling of his chest against his back.
"Just a house husband, I'm afraid. Don't be too disappointed." Playfully, Leon splashed some water onto his face.
"You are not just a house husband."
"I should hope not." Luis' stubble tickled against Leon's neck. "I do have my own job, you know."
"Of course I know, silly." Leon sighed and melted into Luis' touch. "What would I do without you?"
"Die," Luis replied flippantly.
"You joke," Leon laughed, "but seriously. You save my sorry ass every day of the week."
"Someone has to."
"Yeah, well... I'm glad it's you."
Luis hesitated, but only for a moment. "As am I, mi vida. Relax." Leon closed his eyes and Luis gathered some water in his hands, then set about massaging his scalp. Thick fingers combed through blond hair, and Leon let out an appreciative hum as old gel was worked out of his hair. "There we are," Luis cooed when the stands softened in the water. A loud pop permeated the air, and the earthy smell of sandalwood followed soon after. It was so him, so Luis, that Leon couldn't suppress a grin.
"You swear by this stuff, huh?"
"It stimulates your scalp, Leon."
"Still upset that I cut my hair?"
"I was never upset with you, cariño. It's your hair, not mine."
"I thought you liked my hair long."
"I do. I think you look dashing with your hair tied back."
"Incomparable to you."
"Flattery will get you nowhere, Leon," Luis chided. He began to rub cool shampoo into Leon's scalp.
"It's gotten me this far," Leon quipped and leaned back into his husband's touch. Luis' nails were trimmed, but just long enough that he could feel them dragging along his head. Precise circles grounded him.
"Time to rinse, mi principe. Lean back for me." Leon did as he was told, and the warm water was filled with suds and bubbles. His hair flowed around him in short ribbons as Luis set about cleaning it further. Leon just laid back against his husband, the back of his arms flat against warm, full thighs. His ears filled with water, and he groaned softly at the relaxing motions of Luis' fingers against him. A tap on the shoulder alerted him that it was time to sit up again. "You need another shampoo," Luis murmured.
"We have all the time in the world." Luis pressed a kiss to his crown.
"We do," he agreed, and went about washing his hair again. This time, he paid extra attention to the ends of his hair, which Leon habitually tucked behind his ears. Despite the fact that he had just awoken, Leon fought sleep as the water gently sloshed around him and he was enveloped by the familiar scent of Luis.
Luis noticed the slowing of Leon's breath before anything else, and gently lowered his husband's head into the water after he was finished with the second shampoo. Careful not to wake him, he grabbed the conditioner and slathered it onto his now clean hair. Then, he lathered soap on a soft cloth, and gently cleaned every part of Leon's body.
He started with Leon's face and traveled down to his neck, then his collarbones. Gently, he pulled at his pale arms, and washed underneath them and down his skin. Toned muscle was covered in white foam and batted away by clean water, only to become outlined in bubbles once again. Luis gently rubbed the cloth across Leon's chest, above his scars and then down towards his stomach. Despite the amount of times that he had seen Leon's body, he was always taken aback by just how beautiful he looked. There was something about his skin, the way hair settled here and there, the freckles peppered across his face and body that grew more prominent in the sun, and the totality of it all that Luis would never be able to convince himself that he truly earned the sight of. Leon's thick thighs were next, and though the angle was a bit awkward, Luis managed to clean them without waking him. Finally, conditioner was rinsed, and Leon's wet blond hair was soft to the touch.
"Leon," Luis whispered against the shell of his ear. "Mi vida, it's time for us to leave the bath." When he didn't wake, Luis chuckled and shook him delicately. "Come on, you're pruning up."
"Mmph," Leon protested.
"Up now," Luis insisted. His voice was soft but steady. "We can't stay here all morning."
"We could."
"I would fall asleep, and we would both drown." Leon huffed again, but began to stand in the bath. Luis pulled the plug at the bottom of the tub and followed behind him. Leon handed Luis a towel and the both of them dried their bodies between groggy kisses. Leon planted another on Luis' jaw, then one on his cheek, and finally one on his lips. Luis entertained him, but marveled at the time Leon was spending in just a towel, considering that he was freezing right before their bath.
"Luis."
"Hm?"
"I need to let the dog out."
Luis chuckled. "Dress yourself first, Sancho. I think you'd freeze in just a towel." Another soft kiss on his crown. "I'll light the fireplace for you and let out your little friend. I put out some clothes for you, on the counter." He smiled. "Wear pants this time."
Leon rolled his eyes and removed the towel from his waist. "Coffee?"
"Of course." The bathroom door closed behind Luis, already dressed, and Leon tugged on a fresh pair of boxers. For a moment, he sat with the warm feeling in his chest, and then pulled on the matching shirt and pajama pants that Luis had set aside for him. He was looking forward to cuddling up with his dog, his husband, and his favorite warm blankets in the living room of their quaint cabin and sipping bitter coffee— but, for now, he should see to his messy hair.