This was spawned from a conversation with Tangerine Catnip.

It, ah, almost got really dark there for a moment. But this was supposed to be a hedonism fic, not a suicide fic. Soo... I present the non-dark version.

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Long day. Far too long.

Vlad Masters padded barefoot across the pink marble floor. His hair flowed freely over his shoulders as he let the fuzzy bathrobe fall to the floor. He inhaled, the sweet smell of roses and steam soothing the headache that threatened to bloom. His eyes drifted shut as he stepped one foot into hot, salted, scented water. Even just that was enough to make his breath hitch in anticipation. He wanted to just hop in and let the steaming hot water dissolve the tension away but that would be cheating. Half the pleasure was in forcing himself to go slowly.

Vlad sat on the edge of the tub, one leg submerged beneath a blanket of steam, the other still anchored to cold, hard marble. He let one hand dangle just to the surface of the water, fingertips brushing that hot wetness. A shudder went up his spine before he let his arm fall in, heat engulfing him up to the wrist.

It wasn't enough. With a sigh he pulled his hand out and brushed his water-warmed fingertips down his chest. The steam was coaxing sweat from his pores, awakening his skin, making it want the water's touch. He brought that hand back to the water's edge, splaying his fingers to try and float his hand just at the surface for a moment. Just a moment then the water closed in around his wrist again, creeping up his arm as he let his hand sink.

Oooh. It definitely wasn't enough. Vlad stood up, bringing his other foot into the water. He let this one go slowly, first dipping in a toe. He leaned against the marble wall as he let the water lap eagerly around him as he eased his foot down to rest on the bottom of the tub.

The water reached just under his knees. It wasn't enough, not nearly enough. He splayed his hands against the marble wall and let his feet slowly slide along the bottom of the tub. Muscles strained as they tried to keep control over their descent, didn't want to slip and just fall in, no, didn't want to ruin it. Didn't want to miss the feel of hot scented water creeping up his legs, sloshing with his straining movements, splashing as though it could just grab him and pull him the rest of the way in.

Oh he wanted it to. But now he needed to keep control as the water's heat seeped into his muscles and sapped from them their tension, their strength, their control...

He gasped as the water first hit his backside. His hands slid an inch. He bit his lip to keep from making any noise as he slipped in almost to his hips before catching himself. A groan rumbled from him as the water wrapped around him, submerging his legs completely, grasping his hips, lapping against his manhood.

Vlad shifted his hands to the sides of the tub, gripping them to control his descent. The water rose up his belly, flowing into his navel, engulfing his torso. Steam wet his hair, mixed with sweat to drip from his forehead, glistened on his chest. Roses filled his senses, overshadowed his mind, dampened thought.

Finally his hips touched porcelain, his legs stretched out before him. Vlad sighed and pulled his arms in, letting them sink gently into steaming hot water. Mmm. He leaned back against the side of the tub and let hot water lap at his shoulders.

This was nice...

It wasn't enough.

Vlad pushed himself out into the middle of the bathtub. It wasn't enough. He could feel drops of sweat and steam hanging from his hair, rolling down his face, trailing down his back. He wanted, no, he needed to feel the water everywhere. He slowly started to lay back.

Water lapped around his shoulders again before wrapping up his neck. His hair grew heavy as thick gray strands sucked up the water and pulled him down faster. He let it, that soothing heat creeping up on him. Suddenly the world grew quiet and loud as his ears filled with water. Every breath was amplified as he gazed through heavy eyes at the ceiling through a haze of scented steam. He let his eyes drift shut and took one deep breath.

The world was gone as that oppressive heat wrapped around him, engulfed him. Nothing mattered here, not really. Nothing but the sound of his pounding heart and the lapping of water against the sides of the tub. Nothing but the taste of roses and salted water seeping past his lips. Nothing but the blossoming burn in his chest as his lungs remind him they needed air.

A gentle request. Vlad ignored it, bringing his hands up to run his fingers through his hair. Strands flowed with the water, drifting gently along nonexistent currents like a gray halo.

A demand. Vlad ignored it, letting his hands drift down his neck, over his shoulders to his chest. He idly played with his own nipples for a moment before letting them wander lower.

An order. Fine. Vlad's hands stopped their foray and reached upward, into the air. He grabbed the sides of the tub and pulled, lifting himself back above the water and steam to take a deep breath of painfully cold air.

Vlad pouted. He laid back against the side of the tub, letting the water have him up to his neck. His hands went back to their meanderings but it wasn't quite right anymore.

One breath never lasted long enough.