Um. My brain really isn't working tonight, which is why could really do with a beta. Any offers?
Disclaimer:The character's aren't mine, they're CLAMPs and you know they are.
Reviews adored.
Hot Springs
sugahcat
The woman who is letting us stay with her smiles fondly at the kid. She's already told us that he reminds her of her own son who is away in the army, so her affection isn't a surprise. The princess has fallen asleep. It's because she's been trying so hard to stay awake, our mage tells us, and she hasn't fallen asleep for a few weeks now. It shouldn't be anything to worry about.
The kid is staying by his princess's side today, and the magician and I have offered to go and look for her feather.
"We worked so hard to get the feather in the last world," the kid says. "You can just relax for today, if you want."
"That's right," our host says - she has introduced herself as Mrs. Valo. "You should relax if you've been working hard - otherwise you'll just end up ill and then you won't get anywhere!"
I have no intention of getting ill and though the last world was a pain in the ass it wasn't really what I'd call hard work.
"Oh! I know," Mrs. Valo says and rushes out of the room before returning with fluffy white towels that she thrusts at the mage. He takes them, blinking in surprise and I smile inwardly at seeing his mask fall at such a stupid little thing. "There's a hot spring just a little way from here - why don't you go there? It's wonderful for relaxing."
My heart aches suddenly as I remember hot springs near Shirasaki castle. It's been a long time since I felt homesick like that and I think that I would very much like to go to these hot springs.
"I think that's a wonderful idea! What about you, hmm, Kuro-pi?" The mage has his smile back and looks at me. I'm surprised to see that there's real delight in those azure eyes of his.
"Why not?" I find myself saying.
It's me that ends up carrying the towels as we leave the house and head off, following Mrs. Valo's directions.
"It's been a long time since I've been to a hot spring," I say quietly, remembering the quiet joy of a bath taken in solitude.
"You have hot springs where you come from?" He asks, looking at me, slightly surprised.
"Yes. There was one near Shirasaki castle."
"The castle where your Tomoyo-hime lived?"
"Yes."
"There was one near the castle in Celes, too..." he says softly, a faraway look in his eyes. "Oh! There it is!"
I look over and see an empty spring, steam rising and looking delicious. The mage races off, stripping as he goes and I catch a glimpse of slim hips and naked buttocks before he jumps in. I lick my own lips, trying to ignore the effect seeing him unclothed has on my body.
"Aaaah," he moans softly, his eyes closed and lips parted slightly and that doesn't help my situation one bit. Putting the towels on the ground, I take off my cloak and top and then look at him. He's resting against the bank of the hot spring and has his eyes closed, a smile curving his lips. I'm not sure if I trust him not to look, but let him if he wants to do so. I'm not ashamed of my body. I've spent many, many hours training and fighting and my muscles are sleek and hard because of it and I know I look good.
Slipping into the water, I too sigh in pleasure. It feels amazing, especially since the weather on this world is so cold.
"If you come over here, there's a seat cut into the wall," the magician says and I move beside him and sit so that I can relax fully.
We both sit there for a few moments, only the sound of birds interrupting the silence. It's nice to sit in comfortable silence with him. I open my eyes and look at him. His eyes are closed and he's smiling lazily, cat-like, and his breathing is deep and even. I take the opportunity to look at him. He's too slim, though as I look I see he isn't as slim as he seems. He has good bones, a sweeping, elegant collarbone and a beautiful long neck. His limbs are long but comfortably lanky rather than gangling and awkward. He is very beautiful and I've wanted him for a long time now. Sitting back, I sigh.
"Everything alright, Kuro-min?"
"Hmmph." Why don't I say anything to him? We've been travelling together for nearly a year now and it's been getting more and more difficult to keep my hands off him. Admittedly for most of that time we couldn't talk and I didn't trust the little Japanese he learned to communicate to me if he didn't want me. That was why I stayed away from him for six long months in Yamano. And other than that, I don't trust the way I feel about him, either. I don't know enough about him to feel I know him properly, but I trust him. He's saved my life several times, but he won't talk to me. Is what happened in his past really so terrible, or perhaps does he not trust me enough to tell me?
"Are the hot springs in Japan like this one?" He asks, lifting an arm out of the water and watching it drip from his fingers.
"Pretty much. What about the ones in your country?"
"Mmm. Yes. This seems quite a bit like Celes. The weather and the landscape are quite similar. But the people are nicer." He laughs without any humour at all and his eyes are almost cold. He looks down at the steaming water and the far-off look in his eyes is back. "I suppose it wasn't all bad, though. This hot spring brings back some good memories."
"Yeah?"
He laughs. "It's very relaxing, isn't it?"
I frown, annoyed. "Will you ever stop avoiding my questions?" He just laughs again and I close my eyes, trying to relax. After a while he speaks again.
"You know... I might tell you something. You have to play a game with me, though."
I open my eyes and look over at him. He's still smiling but it isn't his usual inane smile. There's something else behind it now and I can't quite put my finger on it.
"What game?" I ask warily.
"Well, in Celes teenagers play a game called kiss and tell. So you kiss me and then I'll answer a question."
I can only stare at him. One of the reasons I've stayed away from him is because I didn't think he felt the same way about me. It looks like I may have been wrong because I can recognise that look in his eyes now. It's desire.
"But that's not fair," I say slowly. "You should give payment after a service has been received. Otherwise you might not get your money's worth."
There's shock in his eyes. I don't think he was expecting me to agree to it. He get over it pretty quickly and starts to bargain.
"Mmm, I suppose that's true." He looks thoughtful. "We could do it your way, and you kiss me after... but you'll have to make it worth my while."
"I will."
We look at each other and it seems that the mage's desire overcomes his love of secrecy.
"Go on. Ask your question."
Tilting my head I wonder which of the many questions I have about him to ask. He's so very secretive it's hard to choose just one.
"Alright," I say slowly. "Tell me why you got that tattoo you gave to the Witch."
Sitting back he looks into the distance, perhaps remembering. Hair, dampened by the steam sticks to his forehead and I almost reach over and wipe it away. Instead I stay still and wait for him to speak.
"That's a good question," he says eventually. "And the answer... I suppose it starts when I was a little boy. When I first became aware of my powers I was... ten, I think - strange how I'm not sure... Well, I couldn't control them. I ended up hurting a lot of people and killing my best friend and his sister." There's so much grief and guilt in his eyes that I'm almost sorry for asking. "Eventually the Royal Mage sent for me and tried to train me. But whenever I lost my temper or got upset, someone around me inevitably got hurt."
"That's why you smile so much..."
"One of the reasons, yes. I was getting desperate for a way to control my Power. I was only fourteen and perhaps I would have grown to be able to control my magic, but I got offered a quick fix. The King came to see me." There was a soft smile on his lips now and I realise he was in love with his King. I try to fight down a wave of jealousy. "He was very beautiful. And there was something about him - his grace, his smile, his manner - I just felt like I wanted to go along with whatever he said. He suggested that he mark me with a tattoo that would contain magic to constrain my power. And as I was so powerful and likely to be the next Royal Mage there would also be magic to make it so that I could not hurt him. It made sense at the time and besides, the promise of being able to control my power was too great. I let him mark me. It took almost a month to finish it and over twenty hours. But it was worth it."
"Is that why you won't use your powers now? Because you're afraid you can't control them without the tattoo?" It seems foolish to me. He was a child back then.
"That's another question," he points out, grinning. "But yes. It is. And now, you owe me something."
"So I do," I say, recalling our deal. I look at him, hardly able to believe that I'm about to do something I've wanted to do for so long now. He's still smiling slightly, looking at me seriously. Licking my lips a little nervously I lean forward a little so that my lips brush his. He has such soft, luscious lips and I kiss him again, harder this time and position myself so that it's more comfortable. He too moves, an arm wrapping around me, long fingers playing with the short hair at the base of my skull. My own arms reach out to him, making me aware of how slim he is, and his mouth opens, tongue darting out to stroke mine in a deliciously deep kiss. Pulling back, I grin at him.
"Was that payment enough?"
He looks thoughtful. "I'm not entirely sure... It depends whether you'd do it again if I say it was."
"I would. I'd like to do all sorts of things to you," I say honestly, desire coursing through my veins.
"Then it was more than enough payment. And," he adds with a wicked smile, "I'd like you to do all sorts of things to me, too."
I laugh and move forward to kiss him again, limbs entwining in a promise of what else is in store.