Bathing Seduction - CONTINUED The soft, almost soundless padding of bare feet on the smooth tiles woke Kyo out of his pleasant slumber. Confused he blinked his eyes open and stared up at a tall, slim figure standing at the opposite rim of the pool. Red and black, chin length hair framed a handsome face with full lips and a firm jaw. Brown eyes treated Kyo to an openly, curious gaze, while the young man posed in a cocky stance, one thumb hooked behind the waistband of his low riding, tight, black trousers. His smooth upper body was naked, specks of colored light dancing over the pale skin. A jolt of alertness ran through Kyo's body, dispersing the pleasant sleepiness that had wrapped around him. The other man's cocky pose held a challenge to him. "What d'ya want? I said I didn't need no help!" Kyo snarled, aggression making his black eyes sparkle. Always show them right away that there was no way they could screw with you. He'd feel much more certain of himself though if he hadn't been chin-deep in water and stark naked. The other man's mouth twitched slightly. "Ano... you're the little bugger to whom Kaoru-san devotes so much of his attention." He had an astonishingly gentle voice, but with some smooth, hidden power to it. Kyo felt how that voice made a prickly sensation run down his spine and he frowned irritated. But before Kyo could retort any insults for the 'little bugger' comment, the redhead's full lips spread into a grin and the young man strolled leisurely towards him along the rim of the pool. Kyo noted his lithe, silent walk. Like a big cat's... //A fuckin', grinnin' big cat, who looks like he found a mouse to play with.// Growing completely tense Kyo gave the redhead a warning, gap toothed snarl. Unfortunately it only caused a warm chuckle from the other man. "Don't get too worked up, aggressive, little rat, or you'll be drowned by the waves of your own rage." He teased, very obviously enjoying himself. Kyo fumed low above the water, trying to kill the bastard with his gaze, while he fought to keep his precarious balance on tiptoe. The sight sent the redhead off laughing, a warm, pleasant laughter, but because of the circumstances Kyo wasn't able to appreciate it. His fingers clenched around the wet sponge lying on the rim beside him. Suddenly he flung it at the redhead, hitting him squarely in the face with a satisfying, wet thud. "Eat that, ya bastard!" he scorned. "Itai!" the young man wiped his face. "You're a venom spitting, sponge throwing little devil, aren't you?" Currently the devil was coughing up some water he'd swallowed, as the wave he'd caused by his violent movement, had rebounded from the wall of the pool and splashed against him. Smiling again the redhead sank lithely down at the rim of the basin, observing Kyo. "You're from the Far-east part of the slums, ne?" he asked as the boy stopped spitting water. Distrustfully Kyo glared up at him. "What makes ya think so?" "Your slang." The redhead mimicked the particular Far-east slang quite well, then he grinned. "And I've heard that that's the part of the town where they found ya." "Ah, yes, smart guy." Kyo muttered dryly, though he'd inwardly raised an eyebrow at the casual imitation of the slang. He'd spoken like a hightowner before. "Pretty rough part the Far-east Side. Actually the worst I'd say." The redhead continued. "I'm from the Middle-north District. My name's Die." Kyo pricked up his ears //The Middle-north District, huh?// It was infamous for its shady business. Not really part of the slums anymore, but not yet the Hightown. He gave the redhead a new once-over gaze, a more careful gaze, trying to judge his opponent - Die - anew. //Extremely lithe and stealthy... smooth muscles. I bet he could have dodged the sponge, if he'd really cared to.// Curiosity rose inside Kyo, which he couldn't help. "So, you're one of 'em Saints?" he hazarded, noticing annoyed that he'd almost added 'too'. "Hm... yes, I guess so. I've been here at the temple for about five years now." Casually Die trailed a hand through the water, feeling the warm current run between his spread fingers. "You've got a name?" He asked in a by the way tone of voice. Kyo hesitated keeping a suspicious eye at Die's hand in the water. "Kyo." Die smiled contented. "You mind if I join you in the bath, Kyo?" "Well, it's big enough." The smaller man said, though he didn't sound very inviting. But Die didn't seem to mind the lack of enthusiasm. With a fluid motion he got up, undid the lacings of his trousers and then peeled them off, displaying his naked body unabashed and with natural ease. Kyo turned his attention back to his bath, faking to ignore the other man, but he observed Die's every move from the corner of his eyes. So he saw how the tall, slim man slid slowly into the warm water, his eyes half closed with delight. The muscles at his upper arms and chest rippled beneath the pale skin as he held his weight braced on his arms at the rim of the pool. He exhaled in a soft sigh as he lowered himself completely into the basin, the sigh carrying just enough voice that it almost was a small moan. Unsettled Kyo noticed that the water seemed to grow somewhat hotter and he felt his lower belly tighten slightly at the sound of Die's sigh. "I've heard you've made quite a mess before they found you." Die's uncommitted remark startled Kyo out of his contemplations. Carefully he shrugged. "Could be." He hesitated a bit then added, trying to sound casual, "So...you can do things with your voice?" A curiously wicked smile played on Die's lips. "Yes, I can do... things with it." He purred softly. There was some spellbinding quality to the redhead's gentle voice that made Kyo's eyes widen. It gave the small man a vulnerable, uncertain _expression, like that of a little, lost boy, Die noted, enthralled by the glimpse behind the other man's aggressive attitude. Kyo shuddered slightly involuntarily and licked his soft cupid lips. "Aha... and ya think that's cause the Sun God sorta choose ya and gave ya that power?" he asked doubtfully, trying to sound cynical. Die shrugged and smiled. "Could be." Slowly he started to move closer to Kyo, a predatory glimmer in his brown eyes that made the smaller man grow alert. "I just know that here at the temple I've learned to get control over what I can do with my Voice." An annoyed frown creased Kyo's forehead. "Did that fuckin' priest send ya?" he accused Die with a sneer. "Kaoru-san? No, I'm here completely voluntarily and hap-hazardously." Die sounded rather amused about Kyo's suspiciousness. Then he gave the smaller man's face and hair a critical gaze, leaving him no time to further ponder on his suspicion. "You've thrown that sponge away far too early. You're still pretty dirty. 'Specially your hair." "That's none of your business." Kyo glowered, fixing the approaching redhead with a warning glare. It didn't help at all to see that the water just reached up to Die's chest. There was no danger for him to be inundated by any quick movement he made. Small wonder he seemed so much more at ease in the water. The mischievous sparkle in Die's eyes as he gazed down at Kyo, betrayed that he was guessing the other man's thoughts. Unable to resist he pushed his hands through the water, causing a small wave that lapped against Kyo's face. "I wanna see what you look like without the dirt." He announced cheerfully. "One can't even tell the color of your hair!" Kyo spluttered, closing his eyes against the water. Then suddenly he dragged his arm through it with a snarl, splashing Die, not caring that he half drowned himself in the process. Die laughed delighted by the reckless attack. With one arm he shielded his face, while he used his other arm to splash more water against the cursing and coughing Kyo. "Now, that's not quite the way to get you clean, but it's a start." He teased, the infuriated little demon offering too tempting a target. But after a few moments he noticed that the other man began to have trouble breathing and went under water a few times, so Die reached out and slid an arm around Kyo, holding him up. He almost got smacked by a flailing, splashing arm, but he smoothly blocked it and tightened his hold around the wild, thrashing creature. "Hey, Kyo... calm down! It's all right. I won't drown you!" he said soothingly, his gentle voice sounding close to Kyo's ear. Kyo felt how that Voice made him relax... made him calm down. Angrily he snarled. "Let me go!" He commanded. Die's arm twitched involuntarily and he loosened his grip on the smaller man. Astonished he blinked and stared at Kyo. "Oh, my..." he whispered impressed, but then he covered his surprise by a grin, regaining control. "You don't really want me to let you go here." He teased and pulled Kyo along to the rim of the pool, from which they'd drifted off quite a bit in their fight. "Here, get a hold." Kyo gripped the rim, coughing water and then kicked back against Die. "Fuck ya!" Chuckling Die evaded the kick and rested his lower arms at the rim, a safe distance from the other man, propping his chin on his crossed arms, while he observed Kyo. The small man looked like a drowned, infuriated rat, spitting water and curses, some of which Die didn't even understand. //But his Voice is really strong. Now I believe what I've heard about his Revelation...// Die's gaze lingered on Kyo's shiny, black eyes. Despite his anger they looked confused and scared and he remembered how overwhelmed he himself had been when he was brought to the Temple. //For someone coming from the roughest part of the slums it must be still worse.// As Kyo started to edge along the rim towards the stairs and made to get out of the pool, Die straightened up. "Wait Kyo! I'm sorry, don't leave." He said gently, though careful not to use any power with his Voice, just plain old friendliness. Kyo hesitated half way out of the water. //Curse that guy! He meant to drown me...// Though suddenly Kyo didn't feel that threatened or challenged anymore. //I guess he just wanted to play, like a cat. Bloody big grinning cat.// As Die saw Kyo hesitate he smiled. "I gotta little bit carried away, ne? I promise I'll behave now." He went on openly. "So please come back in, otherwise Kaoru-san will get really annoyed with me, if he finds out it was my fault you left the bath before you were finished. And you don't want Kaoru-san annoyed with you, or then he'll make you practice your Voice for hours no end." To emphasize how dreadful such extensive practice sessions were, Die rolled his eyes meaningfully. Kyo's eyes suddenly sparkled and he grinned. "Great, that means I'll kill two rats with one stone. I'll be rid of ya and of that cursed priest." He said nastily and made to get out of the pool again. But he just climbed two more steps and was still grinning at Die over his shoulder, watching the other man's reaction with fiendish delight. For a moment Die only gaped at Kyo. There were two reasons for the redhead's open-mouthed stare though. One, he was somewhat offended by the blunt denial of any sympathy. And two... two, that little devil had the cutest smile he'd ever seen. Even though the smile meant to be malicious, it was just downright cute, the gaps in the teeth, the sparkling eyes and the ruffled, still rather dirty hair. Suddenly Die couldn't help it but grin back openly, flashing off his own teeth. "I see, that's what I get for showing mercy and not drowning you!" he complained, but rather unconvincingly due to his beaming face. //Yeah, that's what I get, an adorably cute smile.// he thought happily. Kyo sat down on the stairs, while he watched the grinning redhead with growing confusion. It startled him how Die's open smile made him ease up and answer it. As he grew aware of how he smiled back, Kyo's smile faltered. Regretfully Die saw the sweet expression on Kyo's face fade and return to a sullen look. "What about a deal?" Die suggested impulsively, ignoring the air of suspicion that radiated from the smaller man in answer. "What about I wash your hair and you scrub my back?" "Better than the other way round I suppose." Kyo remarked with dry humor, gazing skeptically at the tall redhead. Die burst out laughing. "Well, I could sit down. But I take that for a yes." Contentedly he waded through the water to fetch a glass vial from a merman launching beside the pool. Kyo's eyes followed the other man, noting the smooth movements as he slid through the water. He could have been a thief or an assassin. The Middle-north District was infamous for them, though Die's teasing and easy going, open attitude was slightly at odds with Kyo's image of assassins. He shrugged off his distrust and got completely back into the pool. //I guess he won't try to harm me. For one thing that priest would get annoyed about it and give him extra practice.// Kyo smiled slightly to himself, but then had to raise his chin as small waves announced Die's return. "Our little water fight was just fine, for now your hair is already completely wet, so I don't have to duck you under." Die pointed out optimistically, while pouring some scented, oily liquid on Kyo's head. "Don't ya dare." The smaller man snarled warningly, thus tempting Die to do just that. With a soft sigh the redhead suppressed the urge and instead started to massage the shampoo into Kyo's tangled hair. For safety's sake and to steady himself Kyo held onto the rim of the pool with one hand, while Die's strong fingers gently massaged his scalp. It felt good and Die took care that no soap got into the smaller man's eyes. Still Kyo felt a little tense, staring uncertainly at the other man's smooth chest so close in front of his eyes. "It's not easy, ne?" Die's gentle voice interrupted Kyo's contemplation. "What?" Die smiled as Kyo squinted up at him. "It's not easy to stop feeling that you've got to be alert all the time and ready to fight for your mere existence." Kyo shrugged, a stubborn glint in his eyes. "It's the only way to survive in the slums. And I don't intend to stop feeling like that. I'm not going to stay here at the temple." "Why not?" Die inquired curiously, while kneading the back of Kyo's head and down his neck. With a hidden smile he noticed how Kyo's eyes drooped slightly at the pleasant, relaxing feeling without the boy really being aware of it. "Cause I'm not going to play their screwed game." The small man insisted though the sentence lacked the vehemence Die knew by now Kyo was capable of. "Hm...so it's not cause there are people waiting for you at the slums?" Slowly Kyo blinked. "Sure, that too." He said evenly. "My dear parents will already be worried sick. And I've got to get back to my beloved wife and my pretty little child will be crying for its daddy." Die raised an eyebrow rather skeptically. "Ah, yes." A little uncertainly he searched the other man's face, then shook his head with a crooked smile. //So he's basically been all alone.// "They won't let you go just like that, you know." "Makes it one reason more to leave as fast as possible." Then Kyo stopped himself and gave Die a distrusting glance. //It won't do to tell him all about my escape plans. Why not draw him a map.// But with some astonishment he noted that the tall redhead looked somehow regretful and even worried. It made Kyo shift nervously and then anger welled up inside him about his own feeling of insecurity. //Fuck it, he has no business looking like that. Noone is going to give a damn if I get killed!// But luckily Die didn't press the point any further. He looked away and began to rinse Kyo's hair, nudging him to tilt his head back. Gruffly Kyo cooperated, closing his eyes so no soapy water would get into them, while Die's strong fingers carefully slid through his hair to untangle the ruffled strands. Die took his time to do so, slowing down till his fingers lingered buried in Kyo's wet hair and Kyo felt suddenly stared at. Annoyed the smaller man opened his eyes to find Die's face hovering very close above his... the full, sensuous lips and the sparkling cat-eyes. Kyo swallowed involuntarily, then he almost jerked back, but suddenly Die grinned and the tension broke. "Who'd have thought it!" the redhead exclaimed cheerfully. "Thought what?" "That you've got really fair hair beneath all the dirt." Teasingly Die tugged at some strands of the smaller man's hair. "Like the Sun God himself. I can't wait to see it dried up." Annoyed Kyo raised his arms to bat Die's hands away. "It ain't." Die laughed, happy he had been able to distract Kyo so easily. //What was that all about? For a moment I almost kissed him... just like that. Not that I would mind kissing him, but I haven't seen it come at all.// He shook his head and suddenly pushed Kyo under water, holding him firmly at the shoulders. "It is! Fair like the Sun God's." Startled Kyo flailed with his arms hitting Die's ribs; the redhead let go of him again almost immediately. Still Kyo spat some water after he surged up and broke the surface with a gasp. His rage didn't flare up like it had done before though and he seemed to feel less threatened by Die, but he definitely had enough of bathing. "Bastard!" he hissed, splashing water against the other man's face. "Scrub your back yourself!" With that he headed for the stairs again and this time really made it out of the pool. "Hey!" Die stared after him, hands on hips. "I thought we had a deal!" he protested. Kyo grinned nastily, while he picked up his robe from the floor. "That's your problem now. I'm not going to swallow any more water." "Ahhiie... so it's my own fault!?" the redhead complained, his gaze lingering on the smaller man's lean muscled body. Then he hung his head, as Kyo slung the oversized robe around himself, even though he was still dripping wet. "Stop complaining then, Die-sama." Kaoru's calm voice carried through the steam filled air of the bathroom, holding a fair amount of teasing smugness. Kyo jumped startled and frowned annoyed that he hadn't heard the priest sneak up on them. Curse the water that still filled his ears. Die on the other hand just grinned, seeming not surprised by the priest's sudden appearance. "Kaoru-san, is it too much to hope for that you'll take up where Kyo left off?" He asked, sounding almost coy, causing Kyo's eyes to grow wide in disbelief. And beside the coyness there was a touchable quality to the redhead's gentle voice that trailed invisible fingers slowly down Kyo's spine. Kaoru smiled amiably at Die, but a nasty sparkle glimmered in his hooded eyes. "You ought to know that I've got a lot of practice resisting your special Voice, Saint Neko." "Hontou ni. So it's a challenge to try it on you. I'm just straining to improve myself to please you." Die's voice was practically a purr. The impression of a big cat was further enhanced by the way the tall redhead moved slowly through the water towards Kaoru. "It's not me you ought to please with your powers, but the Sun God, Divine Ray." Kaoru corrected ironically, but his smoldering gaze hung at Die. The priest's outward calmness was betrayed by his heaving chest, which could be well seen in the tightly fitting bodice of his robe. With a predatory grin Die braced his arms on the rim of the basin, the unsteady light making his pale, wet skin shimmer like the marble mermen's. "Preaching doesn't suit you, Kaoru-san." Kaoru raised an eyebrow mockingly. "Indeed? I'm a priest though." Die sighed, but his sensual smile didn't vanish. "What a loss." He mourned huskily. Completely astonished Kyo stared at the two men, the colored specks of light dancing between them in the sensuality charged room. It got hard to breath the moist, sultry air and he felt how the subtle cloth of the robe clung to his wet skin, which grew sensitive and tingly whenever Die spoke, even though the words weren't directed at him. The sight of those two sharply beautiful men dancing around each other like graceful predators, playing with each other and the tension between them, thrilled Kyo. Entranced he noticed how his body reacted to it, his belly tightening and heat building between his legs. He swallowed and shortly looked around. They seemed to have forgotten about him and the priest had brought no servants along, so perhaps... //Ano... don't mind me, just screw each other good and hard and give me a nice head start...// With some difficulty he tore his gaze away from Die and Kaoru and silently sneaked towards the door. "It's not very polite that you don't stay for the show. You'd get a special performance of my Voice for free... even though you refused to scrub my back." Die teased, watching Kyo's attempt to retreat with his chin propped onto one palm. //Silly little rat, you'd never find your way out of the Temple just like that. You need to lay low and explore first! And if you're determined to escape, you should take some trinkets with you, so you can move up a little in the slums.// Kyo gave an angry snarl low in his throat. //Fuck it! That stupid redhead!// But then he forced himself to relax and look bored. "No thanks, I'm not interested in watching how the two of ya get it off with each other." He remarked dryly. "Ah, just Die-sama's little fantasies. I only came to pick up Kyo-sama and see to it that he got clean and returns safely to his quarters. But I'll send you some servants, Saint Neko, to attend to you and scrub your neglected parts." Kaoru said generously, smug amusement sparkling in his eyes. With that he strolled over to Kyo, giving him a scrutinizing look. The bath had done a small miracle to the dirty street rat, the priest decided contentedly, while watching the pretty, boyish face framed by the still wet, fair hair. And he seemed a little more relaxed, too, no longer radiating that desperate rage, though he still had a rather bad attitude. "Well then, Kyo-sama, let me guide you to your new chambers." The priest's inspection and his polite request to follow him freaked Kyo out and he kept sullenly silent. //At least the redhead hadn't given me this reverential crap. I'm rather drowned straight forward.// He hesitated, but then decided he'd go on cooperating for now, till another good opportunity to make a run for it turned up. Perhaps it would be wise to get a picture of the Temple first too. It didn't suit Kyo's temper, but he turned around and made to walk along with the priest. Before he left the room though he gazed back at Die, who still soaked in the pool. As Die saw Kyo look at him, he gave him a broad grin and waved teasingly. "See ya, Kyo!" Annoyed about the guy's cheerfulness and about himself for having looked back, the small man squinted and stuck his tongue out. "Screw ya." Die laughed out loudly. "Mad rat!" he announced and pushed away from the pool's rim, shooting gracefully through the water and then diving under with a back roll that was all slender, pale limbs gliding just beneath the water's distorting and reflecting surface. "Show off." Kaoru muttered softly, but evidently he couldn't take his eyes from what was shown off so temptingly. Impatiently Kyo huffed, diverting himself from the bathing seduction by being annoyed with the priest. "Are we goin' to 'em damned chambers or will ya come in your robes first?" he remarked nastily. Kaoru pursed his lips and gazed narrow-eyed down at the smaller man, looking like he considered biting his head off. //That malicious little fiend with his pretty cupid-face...// "It needs more for that." He remarked wryly. Then he walked on with Kyo in tow. End Part Two | Part 3 | | Tavernroom | Tales | Hosted by www.Geocities.ws