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"I have no idea whether this terrifies me or turns me on more." you muttered, gazing into the darkness where two bright yellow points were boring into you.
"Just try..." he almost threatened you, seeing how close your hand was to the light switch.
"Chill out, I'm just teasing you."
Your hand dropped to your side as you stepped deeper into the bathroom, now a space that looked like a cave harboring a dangerous beast.
He was that beast; wild, essentially, though let's just say you had tamed him somehow. And now so, that lovely 'beast' was soaking in the bathtub in some rose oils—oils that were most likely yours.
You groped blindly for the sink, then pulled a candle and matches from the drawer beneath it to get some light; just because he functions perfectly in the dark doesn't mean you have to live that way too.
The tip of the match flared up brightly, then the flame transferred to the wick of the candle you had placed on the washbasin—positioned so it wouldn't get in the way too much.
One might think it romantic to be alone together in a bathroom surrounded by candles... well, it looked more like a survival chamber than a seductive encounter considering how hard he was staring at you.
"You're staring." you admonished him.
"And you're interrupting my relaxation."
"But you still missed me, texting from the early morning," you started undressing, removing all your layers of clothing and then your underwear, to join him in the water that was still warm "-and besides, I’m not going to bring up the countless times you barged into the bathroom while I was washing."
"Somehow, from what I recall, the sounds you made afterwards weren't necessarily caused by dissatisfaction."
You didn't even have to look at him; you knew anyway that he had that little smirk on his lips.
"I'll leave that without comment."
The last piece of your clothing fell to the floor, and you walked over to the bathtub, stepping in carefully to avoid slipping. You sat down across from him and sighed, feeling your body that was weary from the long day, relax in the warmth.
"You look tired. Rough day?" he looked at you, closely observing your facial expressions and body language; it was obvious that this day hadn't been pleasant for you.
"Yeah, don't even get me started... nothing is going my way this week." you looked at his face, illuminated on one side by the warm light of a candle.
He didn't look his best, either; his tense shoulders and the furrow between his brows betrayed the fact that he had been agitated just moments before. You nudged him with your foot, tracing a path from his knee, up his thigh, and to his hip as you stretched out underwater.
Zeno reached into the water, grasped your foot, and massaged the tense muscles of your sole. He watched you relax and melt under his touch, leaning against the side of the bathtub with closed eyes.
"I missed you." you said softly, recalling the lonely months that had passed.
He just hummed in response but smiled to himself, initially saying nothing to you.
"I. Missed. You." you repeated more firmly, looking straight at him now and waiting for those three simple words in return. He was just teasing you.
"It’s impossible not to notice, given that you’re writing to me practically every half hour." he keep on doing that, even laugh for a second as you kicked him in the side with your free leg—which he caught as well.
He pulled you by the legs, causing the water to ripple as he drew you closer until your chests were pressed against each other. His hands were found on your lower back, as you wrapped your arms around his neck, feeling the warmth feeling of his heart beating close to yours.
"I missed you too." he finally said, planting a soft kiss just below your eye and then on your lips.
You returned the kiss, lightly tickling the back of his neck where his silver hair ended. Finally, you felt as though a long-lost part of you had returned.
"What took so long? You were supposed to be back month ago." you cupped his face, rubbing your thumbs over his cheeks, feeling the slightly rough texture of his dark scars on the one side of his face.
Zeno took your hand (the one resting on the scar), nestling against it and then kissing its inner side "Complications arose, and consequently, further problems."
"You want to talk about it?"
A silence followed, during which he wondered whether to break this quiet moment or let the matter occupy his thoughts later on.
"Later. Now I want to rest by your side."
You didn't even know when you ended up in the bedroom—damp, with towels covering your bodies.
"Will you at least let me change into my pyjamas?" you asked, amused, as he immediately—without further ado—laid you down on the bed and removed the towel from your body, unwrapping you like some kind of gift.
"Not today." he murmured, lying down beside you with his head at the level of your stomach.
He kissed your hip, then began showering your warm body with kisses along your side that was still damp from the water; as if those last lingering droplets offered a precious, soothing relief for his throat.
Suddenly, he rose above you, gazing down at you lying beneath him—so exposed, with trust in eyes—to then lay down on top of you.
With hands rested on your sides and head on your chest, he listened to the steady beat of your heart. Slowly his eyelids closed and his body relaxed, molding itself to yours.
You couldn't suppress the smile that spread across your lips as you saw how peaceful he looked now. You ran your fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp with your nails; something he clearly enjoyed, as he let out a low, contented murmur.
And so, later wrapped in a soft blanket, you fell asleep in each other's arms.
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✨ART TIME✨
I have nothing normal to say about it...