Night was coming earlier every day. The fall was setting in and the cold and snow would follow soon. There was only so much time left for outings like this one, the tall man mused as he gazed at the ignited evening sky.
"Soubi."
The tall blonde looked over his shoulder at the slim boy following him. Even now after all their time together, Soubi found Ritsuka's insisted lack of suffix on his name enchanting. "Mm?"
"You still haven't told me where we're going. It better be close! I only have until six to be home." Ritsuka muttered. The young teen had balked when Soubi had come to his window to invite him on an adventure, but those pleading eyes and beckoning hands had the curious boy intrigued. Now he found himself following his partner to some unknown place as the sun sunk low. Walking for some unknown length of time was making him testy.
"I said it's a surprise, Ritsuka-chan." The fighter slowed his gait to let his young liege catch up. "We're almost there, I promise."
He noticed Ritsuka do a tiny eye-roll at the P-word. Even he knew his promises were less than reliable, but on this occasion he was certain to follow through. He hitched up the satchel he had lugged along and turned the corner to reach their destination.
"In we go!" he crooned happily to his charge. Ritsuka took one look at the sign and yelped.
"A bath house! Soubi, I have a shower at home! I don't want to use a bath house!" He tried to step back but his escort tugged at his elbow and pulled him into the gleaming lobby. Porcelain and ceramic ruled here, giving the place a squeaky-clean but cold appearance. Soubi paid no attention to the boy's whines as he handed over sufficient funds for their admittance, and the old lady behind the front counter directed them to the men's side.
Ritsuka moaned the whole way inside. "What if someone I know sees me here? These places are for old men!"
Soubi pouted at the accusation. "I like these places. They're communal and sacred... I come here very often, in fact." Soubi led his sacrifice to a locker and set down his satchel.
The two disrobed until they were covered only in small towels (Ritsuka with reluctance which gave way to resignation) and Soubi revealed what had been in his satchel all along- soaps and shampoos as well as a rubber ducky "To keep you entertained, Ritsuka-chan".
At such an odd evening hour there weren't many men besides them. Two older gentlemen soaking in the almost swimming pool sized bath, and a couple of gents using the sinks. Soubi invited his muse to join him at one of the taps as well.
"It's common courtesy to wash yourself before you soak. That way, the water stays clean." He purred.
"I know that, Soubi. Don't talk to me like I'm a child." Ritsuka huffed, betraying his youth even as he denied it.
The blonde grabbed a bucket and filled it with warm water, dumping it over the adorable boy's head. Sputtering, the youth shrieked and then proceeded to do the same to Soubi, who reciprocated by playfully throwing the rubber ducky at the boy. The two snickered and the fighter glowed upon seeing a smile on his unwilling date's face. For him, that was what he'd hoped to get out of the boy for this experience all along. Not wasting time to let the moment fade, he pushed Ritsuka's stool with his foot to make the boy jolt, almost falling off.
"Aah, Soubi no! Haha!" a small flush crept onto the man's face as the boy giggled. It was his favourite sound the sacrifice made.
'So far...' a small voice in his head whispered. Yes, favourite sound so far.
He insisted on shampooing Ritsuka's hair, massaging his fingers over the scalp and around the base of the boy's ears. Ritsuka's eyes drooped then closed, making small noises in his throat at the feeling. Soubi adored the little contented noises his love made. He wished he made those noises all the time. Too soon he had to rinse the lather he'd worked up and applied the same treatment with the conditioner.
"That was nice, Soubi." The teen admitted. "Sh- should I do the same for you?" he turned his questioning indigo irises on the blonde, who was hypnotised by them.
"That's up to you, Ritsuka-chan." He gently rubbed his thumb over the boy's soft ear. Ritsuka considered, and gave a tiny smile.
"Sit where I am now Soubi, I'll do it to you!"
Ritsuka's ministrations were more pain than pleasure. The boy's fingers caught in Soubi's tangles, and pulled the shampoo through harshly. Soubi said nothing, merely enjoyed the attention.
"How do you clean it way down here? Your hair is so long!" The young one huffed as he added more and more shampoo to the tangles of straw coloured hair.
"I never noticed a change;" Soubi bit back a small sigh of pleasure as Ritsuka's fingers brushed the curve of his ear. "I just got used to it as it grew out."
When both were clean, the older man suggested a soak in the tub.
Ritsuka went ahead as Soubi put the soaps and shampoo away, and when he turned to make his way to the soaking area he froze. The raven-haired boy was pulling off his towel, letting it fall on the tiles beside the tub. He stepped up the single step that led to the tub's ledge and then over it, into the warm water inviting him in. The sight of Ritsuka's small shoulders and bottom, all canvassed by beautiful moonlike silken skin made gooseflesh arise on the man. God, the boy was beautiful. He watched as Ritsuka sank into the steaming water, enveloping him in a way Soubi wished he could.
Suddenly he was aware of the slight tent that had appeared under his own towel, and he covered it with the bag holding their bathing supplies. A few deep breaths to calm down later he approached as well. Usually he tended to keep his towel on, but he couldn't resist the urge to remove it this one time. He had to turn away once again when he caught Ritsuka's eyes flit to his nether regions then away hastily, a bright blush glowing on his cheeks.
"So, Ritsuka-chan- are you having fun?" He inquired, stepping in and sitting down beside the teen.
"Yeah," they boy sighed, leaning back against the wall. "I like baths. I could sit in a bath forever- just me and the water and peace." He looked at Soubi. "But usually I'm alone, and I like that. I don't have to deal with anyone when I'm in a bath. Not my mother or my teachers or-"
"-me?" The man cut his gaze to the boy.
"Well... no." The boy's ears went back, embarrassed. "But I don't mind you like this Soubi. Being here is different."
Soubi smiled. "I hope so. I'd hate it if there were other men in your bath at home."
The two laughed.
They soaked until Ritsuka pointed out his curfew again, and when they left the building it was dark. Streetlights hummed and cast an orange glow over the two.
"Maybe next time you come here, you'll take me again?" the flushed and still damp sacrifice probed as they leisurely strolled back.
"I was thinking maybe instead, we'd bathe at home next time, Ritsuka-chan."
The cat boy thought about it. "But why? I had fun. I can't splash so much at home." In fact, last time he'd left a puddle after bathing he'd paid the price. Unconsciously his fingers traced the spot on his chest that the bruise had been.
"No. But we can do other fun things, when it's just us."
Ritsuka looked up at his protector, but Soubi didn't meet his gaze.
"Like what, Soubi?"
"I can wash you. Or you can wash me. Have you ever felt another person when they're lathered, Ritsuka-kun?"
The boy felt the shift in his tone and meaning. The playfulness was gone, and the hot, weird feeling that the older man's probing and invasive questions usually incurred was creeping into the pit of his stomach. It was like guilt and regret and shame and... Something else. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he was sure it had something to do with how low the warmth appeared in his navel. He huffed a bit, wishing they could've ended the evening without this- without these complicated feelings.
"Yes. I think. There's a picture of Seimei and I, when I was younger and he's helping me in the bath." Although, he supposed, it didn't count as "feeling another lathered person" if he didn't actually remember the feeling. He wished he did. When Seimei had touched him, it always calmed whatever was upsetting him. Seimei's touch was warm and caring. When Ritsuka looked up at Soubi, he guessed that maybe the older man was having the same thoughts. That distant look was set on his angular features, as it often was when their conversation turned to the older Aoyagi. A small feeling of familiar jealousy tugged within him. "But that was the other Ritsuka. I wonder, if I ever fade and that Ritsuka comes back, if he'll remember bathing with you?"
There was silence for a while, and the boy wondered if he'd offended his companion with his question. Their footsteps seemed loud and the rustle of autumn leaves at their heels gave him a chill. Though the silence was thick, it was better than Soubi's searching eyes and intimate questions. The knot in his stomach was subsiding, and yet he regretted his small passive aggressive sting.
The pair reached Ritsuka's residence with just minutes to spare and they stood in the shadows in front of the door. Soubi, not wanting to leave Ritsuka, and Ritsuka not wanting to go inside.
"Th-thank you Soubi," Ritsuka murmured "For tonight." He'd had a better time than he was letting on. He wanted to tell his partner that, but couldn't find the right words. Instead, he took a small step towards the older man and fiddled with the fringe of Soubi's long coat.
"I'd do anything for you Ritsuka-chan." He leant down and pulled the youth into his arms, pressing him firmly against his chest.
Ritsuka gave an inaudible sigh and relaxed in the embrace. He was getting used to Soubi's affection, but only in the secret shadows like here in the doorway. He didn't see much point in fighting when it was just them. Soubi let go after a moment and the flash of remorse on the blonde's face at the lack of contact didn't escape Ritsuka's attention. They took a step back from each other, and Soubi slowly turned to walk away.
"Goodnight, Ritsuka-kun."
Loneliness stung the boy even as their gaze broke. How was it that this man, this infuriating man, could make him feel so lonely yet so suffocated. Isolated and intoxicated. Without meaning to he reached out and gripped his protector's sleeve.
"Ritsuka-kun?" The blonde cut his gaze back to his love and let the tugging pressure the teen was putting on his wrist guide him back down to the boy's eye level. Ritsuka looked around them, checking the street for peering eyes then slowly tilted his head up and placed the gentlest, most chaste kiss upon Soubi's stunned lips.
"Go straight home Soubi. That's an order."
The blonde returned home and went straight to his room. Kio couldn't get him to answer the door for the remainder of the evening.