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A cold and gloomy day like today calls for a dip in the baths.
They hadn't planned to meet--things just worked out that way.
Martin's face is blank as he stares ahead through the changing room, his eyes locked with a stunning pair of blues. Standing there shirtless, Ares looks shocked to see him.
"Martin! You're here too?" he sputtered, both happy and a little embarrassed to be caught in such a state. Silly, really, since this isn't exactly the first time they had bathed together.
"...And you. I'm surprised we both thought of the same thing."
Ares swallows, carefully peeling off the rest of his clothes and trying not to be too self-conscious about it. "That's kind of nice..."
Martin quirks a brow at that, but otherwise doesn't comment. He doesn't see what's so 'nice' about them coincidentally thinking to take a bath at the same time. There's nothing particularly remarkable about two guys bathing together, is there?
Soon Martin is silently stripping as well, and they both step into the bath together.
Over the trickle of the water spout, they can hear the gentle pitter-patter of rain hitting the rooftop. It's been drizzling all day, making doing patrols quite tedious. People are grumpier when it rains, especially light sprays like this one that don't exactly warrant closing up shop for the day. Martin certainly didn't skip work, of that, Ares can be certain. Which makes him wonder...
"What made you decide to come to the bathhouse today?" he asks, curiously tilting his head. He's trying quite hard not to stare at the firm, bulging pecs half-submerged in warm water.
Martin sighs. "I'm not sure..." Then, strangely, his cheeks tint a slight shade of red. A flash of something passes in his sharp gaze, and suddenly he's a whole lot more flustered than before. "I think... I wanted to remember our first time."
"F-First time--" Ares has to splash himself. Of course Martin wouldn't be referring to anything untoward. He's just talking about their first 'sort of' date that wasn't really a date but totally felt like one. Ares takes a deep breath to calm himself, his heart already racing. "Yeah, that was fun, wasn't it?"
"Fun..." Martin turns the word over in his head. Was it fun? What is fun. Ah, well, he supposes if Ares says it was, then it surely was. Martin's feelings about it have been a bit... mixed. Embarrassed, relaxed, contented, nervous--all words he could have attributed to that day. Is that fun? If so... his eyes flick toward Ares, and in his usual intensity he says, "I want to have more fun with you, Ares."
Ares chokes on air.
Why is it every other sentence out of this man's mouth sounds so suggestive?? The worst part is, he's sure Martin isn't even aware of it.
"Do you not want to?" There's a hint of disappointment in his voice that Ares simply cannot abide by.
Ares shakes his head wildly, flinging water droplets everywhere. "What?! No way--I mean--" he clears his throat, a flush staining his cheeks as he boldly scoots a bit closer. Just enough that they are shoulder to shoulder, to look his crush in the eye and make it clear that, "I want to do more fun things with you, too, Martin."
"...Really?"
Ares nods, a bright smile on his face.
He is rewarded with a small, soft smile. The softest expression he's ever seen on Martin to date. "Then we should do this again soon."
Ares nods again. We should do this every day. And more. A lot more.
If only Martin knew the kind of dirty thoughts he is having just breathing in Martin's scent, the blacksmith probably would rescind his open invitation on the spot.