Disclaimer: Do not own the characters... do own the bad writing. =p

Anon requested - NoeHopu Taking a Bath Together

"Explain to me again why I'm here?" Hope sighed as his companion rushed ahead of him to set up a stool in front of one of the water taps aligning the wall to wash off. With some convincing, Noel had managed to pull Hope away from work and take him to one of the few bathhouses that had a private area in Yusnaan. "I can bathe just as easily back home."

"Your home is your office." Noel grabbed at Hope's arm, pulling him over to sit down in front of him, both men already undressed and wearing towels around the waist for modesty, at Hope's insistence. "That's not the point."

"Then what is the point?" This whole endeavor was putting Hope on edge, especially Noel's enthusiasm. The younger man quickly sat down next to him and filled his own pail with water, splashing it all over his body and starting to soap up. Hope hated the fact that there were mirrors all along the wall facing them. Noel was incredibly unaware of just how good looking he was and it made Hope nervous at just how obvious it might be that he was staring. He didn't want Noel to think ill of him.

"The point is for you to relax." Noel dumped the pail over his body again; water running down his body to wash the suds away. Hope turned his head away just in time for Noel to notice he hadn't even gotten started. "Hope, you okay?"

"Yeah. Just thinking about…" Dammit. "Stuff."

"Stuff, huh?" Noel smirked and Hope could have sworn he saw something in his eye twinkle before the younger man got up, set his stool behind Hope and splashed him with his refilled pail. "You really do work too hard."

"What are you doing?" Hope asked as Noel began to wash his back with the soap he'd been using on his own body previously.

"Washing your back." Noel shrugged. "It's no big deal; back in my village, bathing like this was pretty common since water wasn't always abundant."

"Okay." Noel's logic made sense even though it also made Hope more than a little anxious at Noel's touch. He ran complex theorems through his head as soapy calloused hands ran their way down his back and across his chest; touching everywhere manageable though just barely missing touching him any where that would be considered inappropriate; only lending the soap to Hope to cover those areas himself while Noel worked his hair, instantly turning Hope to gelatin.

By the time Noel began to help him rinse off, Hope truly had begun to relax. Leave it to Noel to have magic hands on his scalp. If they survived all this, he would have to recommend Noel give up a life of fighting and become a masseuse.

"All set." Noel nudged Hope lightly from behind with his hand as he settled back where he was washing up previously before pointing at the large tubs nearby. "Go settle in. I just need to wash off a bit more." Not even remotely feeling like arguing anymore Hope stood and made his way to the steaming waters and lowered himself in, allowing himself to sigh out loud as the heat worked out any additional kinks Noel had missed during their activity on his body. "Good, right?" Noel's voice echoed off the walls a bit from where he was still washing off but Hope nodded, not caring if the younger man was paying attention as he closed his eyes and let the waters soothe him.

It was a small splash that first alerted Hope to Noel joining him in the same tub. "There are other tubs in here you know." Hope pointed out.

"I know." Noel laughed as the touch of his skin at Hope's side made the older man force his eyes open, blue eyes beaming as they gazed into his own green ones.

"We also could have done all this in the public bathing area." Hope pointed out. Why was Noel touching him again? They had already washed off and he was relaxed just like Noel wanted. Job well done.

"Not all of it."

"Oh?" From the other man's expression and the hand now trailing up his thigh he knew something was up.

"Yeah, I can't fuck you in the public one."

Fin.