What could possibly be taking him this long? Was what Brady wanted to know. He'd been waiting for almost an hour now, wearing one of the traidtional yukatas of that realm while standing outside the main hub of the hot springs park.
The trip there had been grueling and cold, even with the caravan his partner had arranged, and even if the bathrealm was a land of relaxation, getting there was another tale entirely.
It was ironic that they had to pack thick furs to even get there, as the path through the snow was a long one. Having arrived there, however, Brady had hoped the facilities there contained would relieve the stress away… If Owain ever came back from setting their travel packs in their cabin, that was.
Another oddity in the place, was that everyone who seemed to exit the main hub had the same hair color - a deep blue, with an almost purple hue… "Family trip thing," Brady muttered, figuring that it couldn't be a coincidence.
"Oh, are we expecting?" one of the blue-haired individuals asked. Brady was about to yell at them for the rude comment… until he realized it was Owain who stood before him.
"Make like my pants and split! What business do ya have surprisin' me like that, jerkface?" the priest said, his face now reddening. "And wazzat makin' yer hair funky?"
Owain chuckled at Brady's reaction, before passing a hand through his own hair, before declaring. "This, my friend, is the fabled Twilight Gloaming! Given only to those of pure heart brave soul! Yet another mark that foretells my auspicious destiny!"
"Owain, everyone's wearing it that color, ya dumb cat!" the priest exclaimed, pointing at a whole bunch of visitors who had it dyed that color.
"Argh! Well… It USED to be reserved for only the most select few, y'know?" the myrmidon eplained. "I was chosen to bear it, last time as well."
"To be fair - though even I can't believe it at times - yer a prince," Brady noted, slouching even harder.
"Says the noble born who speaks like a street rat!" Owain retorted, but before Brady could flare up again, he inched closer, wrapping a necklace around his neck.
"I got this for you… see? We match!" he declared, opening the chest area of his yukata, showing that he, too, had a necklace just like the one he'd given Brady, with what looked like to be a bear claw wrapped between golden leaves that had small details resembling pillars of flame on them.
"Owain… thanks!" the man noted, leaning closer for a quick kiss, at this point not caring anymore about what others 'might think' of their affections, before pulling back to check his gift with more attention.
The necklace was honestly very gaudy, unwieldy, and too heavy, but it was a gift from Owain, and thus Brady would wear it with pride, giving the awkwardly-designed piece a small smile before looking back at the other man.
"So… about that whole 'hot spring' deal. I just… I'm not sure I'm ready to prance around the hot water in the buff… not when there's other melvins watchin'…" Brady admitted, hoping his boyfriend would understand.
Inching closer once again, Owain ruffled the priest's hair, making it even messier than before, and then spoke. "Hush now, Brady of the thousand worries… I know you. That's why I got us a special place near our cabin… For us and us alone! Well, by which I mean, for us together."
Taking his mumbling boyfriend's hand, the priest was then led to their cabin, and subsequently into the small but cozy hot spring they had outside of it. Both boys took of their clothes, now used to each other's modesties - although Brady did get a small laugh out of the mismatch of colors between the hair Owain had on his head and elsewhere, now that he'd dyed it.
Sinking themselves in the warm water was just as good as they expected; specially so after the rough trip and the waiting around. The warmth seemed to ease their soreness and relax their muscles. Brady could almost let himself float away, as he leaned against the stony border, enjoying the peace and quiet of the coming night… almost too quiet for sharing a hot spring with Owain.
…And then it came. "Secret Technique: A New Typhoon of the Emblem!"
Brady was now completely soaked, caught by surprise by the other man's special move. He knew he could never take Owain on… but this was not a real battlefield, and so he couldn't let this go without a fight.
"Ya want some?!" he yelled, splashing water about with his arms. The myrmidon, however, would not be beaten at his own game that easily. "Forbidden Art: Whirlpool Whiplash Supreme!" he exclaimed, kicking about the water around him in arcs.
Brady then simply gave up on their waterfight, deciding to just simply tackle Owain, which he did, ending up with both of them soaked, but caught in a wet pseudo-wrestle.
Owain was the first to get up, and he then pulled Brady close to him, in a different kind of embrace… before they realized the warmth of the water added to their own was just too much, and separated, yet remained close.
"Heh, fun n' game aside, there's still something I wanna know," the priest noted.
"Speak freely, my bosom companion!" Owain replied, with his usual smile.
"How did ya get 'em, those tickets? Musta costed a ton!" Brady said, and noticed that Owain looked away from him when he responded.
"I acquired them from the last mercenary job I did. My clients ended up not having the money," he explained, adding, before the other man could interject. "Yes, again."
The healer sighed and shook his head, before asking. "Ya already knew they didn't got the money, didn't ya?"There was a pause, before Owain could admit it. "Well… in a certain manner of speaking, I… wasn't expecting much retribution for that job… I-I'm sorry."
The sound of wading was heard, and before the myrmidon could repeat his apology, Brady's lips met his for a tender and slow kiss.
"W-Wait… You're not mad at me? Taking up jobs without payment?" he inquired, but Brady simply bopped him on the head..
"A hero's never idle… or so I hear from a certain someone. A certain someone what gives me funny feelings in my stomach," Brady explained with a short smile, gaining one from Owain in return.