This one's a touch more on the serious side so I hope you guys like it! As always, thanks for reading!

Chapter Rating: Light M
Chapter Warning: Some implied sexual content
World: Nothing in particular. AU where Black Star and Kid live together, established relationship.
Word Count: 804

Four: Bath Time!

The light was still on, though the clock was steadfastly creeping past midnight, as Death the Kid flipped the page of his book, feeling entirely too distracted but continuing on anyway. He glanced at the clock for the third time in five minutes and silently scolded himself for it. He gets here when he gets here, he reminded himself.

But it was no use. Kid's worry had eaten him now, swallowed him whole, and he spent the a expanse of minutes simply staring at the same page, unseeing.

Finally, after what seemed like years, the front door clicked open and Kid could hear footsteps on the stairs. He couldn't help his sigh of relief but he quickly quelled the urge to jump to his feet and rush to the hall. Instead, he feigned disinterest, turning his eyes to his book and flipping the page leisurely just as Black Star opened the bedroom door.

"You're home," Kid commented dully, not looking up.

Black Star simply stopped and leaned against the doorjam, not saying anything until finally Kid looked up at him. "Try not to sound so excited," Black Star quipped back. He tried to adopt Kid's infamous deadpan but Kid thought he sounded just a bit too offended and fell a little short.

Kid simply shrugged. "Sorry." He was a bit angry with himself. Why couldn't he just show his true feelings? Stupid question. He knew why. Pride. He and Black Star were rivals before they were lovers and unfortunately, they carried that past with them to this day.

Black Star didn't respond, simply entered the room and began taking off his clothes. Kid tried to pretend he wasn't looking but he was fairly certain he failed. Black Star was too perceptive.

Only when Black Star pulled his shirt over his head did Kid really notice the state of him. His clothes were nearly soaked through with sweat, and dirt fell away as he peeled them off. Underneath, the blood was more obvious than it had been on the black fabric.

Kid had to still his muscles as they twitched, eager to rush to Black Star's side and fuss over him. Instead, he simply said, "You should take a hot bath. You'll feel better."

Black Star only grunted in response, his now-nude form disappearing into the adjacent bathroom. Kid hit his head against the headboard behind him, groaning almost silently. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Kid sat and wondered just how rough Black Star's mission had been. It couldn't have been too bad if he and Tsubaki went on their own, could it? But Black Star certainly looked a bit worse for wear.

Kid sat up and waited for Black Star to return, but as ten minutes passed, then twenty, Kid was beginning to wonder. Worry pinched his brow as he closed his book and set it on the bedside table, standing and venturing to the bathroom door.

He debated simply entering, but the strain of their few exchanged words made Kid raise his hand to knock on the door. "Black Star?" he called softly. "Is everything alright?" This time, he let a bit of his concern creep into his voice.

There was no response and Kid frowned. "Black Star, I'm coming in," he said before he pushed the door open.

He was surprised, frankly, by what he saw. He shouldn't have been, but he was. He had not been expecting to walk in and see Black Star sitting in the bathtub, which by now was full of slightly murky water, head leaned back against the edge and hand wrapped around his cock.

And really, he shouldn't have been surprised.

Kid wanted to sputter but he forced himself not to, simply stood there quietly in his tee shirt and boxers, observing. A moment of deliberation passed before Kid was slipping out of his underwear and gracefully sliding into the tub, straddling Black Star's hips as he did so. The water was warmer than Kid had expected it to be at this point.

For his own part, Black Star didn't appear even remotely surprised, moving his hands to Kid's hips automatically. The two shared a silent moment of eye contact before Kid leaned in to press his lips against Black Star's not caring that he was getting his shirt wet.

A bit later, when Kid lay in a slumped mess against Black Star's chest and Black Star's hands mindlessly wandering up and down Kid's spine, Kid mumbled against Black Star's shoulder, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Black Star said immediately, not even having to ask what Kid was talking about.

"I just get worried about you," Kid said, absently tracing a figure over the tattoo on Black Star's bicep.

"I know," Black Star said as he pressed a gentle kiss into Kid's hair.

The water had finally gone cold.