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[withintenfeet]

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[withintenfeet]

He is, very pointedly, not looking in Bruce's direction.

Somehow he can feel that gaze anyway, even doing his best to focus on the dull ache in his thighs and shoulders, the uncomfortable pull of deeper, thicker scars.

He could easily be flushing from exertion. The gambeson has been just a little too tight on him for a while now, blood has dried in inconvenient places, the leather has gone too stiff in others -

"I can manage that." His tone is mostly neutral, at least. Mostly.

He has to crouch down out of sight to wrangle his legs out, so that also helps.

[knightbynight]

"Can you?" He sounds amused, but in a way that's still at least fairly gentle and with some... teasing? humor. Almost. It's not even awkward. Like the only kind of play he understands at all is either sexual or violent. "Are you sure? I am available to help."

[withintenfeet]

...Yeah, that tracks. It should probably worry him more than it does, and he definitely shouldn't be encouraging it even though Bruce clearly needs more teasing in his life -

"That really depends on the size of your showers."

[knightbynight]

There are a very limited number of acceptable ways for him to connect to other people, and that's been true for a long, long time.

It's a dare now, though he's pretty sure he's the one issuing it - Zerxus is just trying not to take it. He walks to the bathroom door and pushes it open, resulting in the lights coming on.

Not only is there a sunken tub big enough to host an orgy in, the shower stall is the size of a small bedroom and all the walls (save the glass doors) are covered in showerheads.

He looks back at Zerxus and lifts both his eyebrows.

Next objection, sir?

[withintenfeet]

...Considering the vast opulence of the rest of the mansion he really shouldn't be surprised about this, and yet -

"That's so much water." He's being actively seduced by a devil prince, naked save for boots and boxers, and this is the thing he's fixating on?

Yes.

[knightbynight]

"...I can see how that isn't something you'd have seen much of in the recent past." He almost feels bad about that. Would if he let himself, does somewhere far away from the surface, anyway, in a way that's nearly all physical unease.

Then fixates on his own thing. "Take off the boots." It's a terrible look. That one is an order.

[withintenfeet]

Zerxus is kneeling down again before he even thinks about it.

That's exactly as unsettling as it should be, but he focuses on unlacing his boots instead of letting that show on his face, or letting himself dwell on it.

He even manages to sound casual when he says, "Even before the war, that much running water was rare outside the richer cities."

[knightbynight]

It's even a little odd for Bruce, though it shouldn't be. It's short lived. He really just could not tolerate boots and nearly naked. The combination is terrible.

He rolls his eyes at that remark, and then lets (or makes) them flare back to red. No threat this time, just smart-assery of a pointed sort.

"Then you can enjoy the benefit of a richer individual while you are here."

[withintenfeet]

Zerxus rolls his eyes in turn, and the tension eases from his soldiers before he starts on the second boot.

"In my experience, the benefits do not outweigh the obnoxiousness." There's a reason he took Elias away from Avalir once Evandrin was no longer in it.

[knightbynight]

Bruce lightly, casually, and apparently without a single thought in his head slides his fingers through Zerxus' hair when he relaxes - if only physically - on the eyeroll.

Good boy.

"The obnoxiousness of wealth does not outweigh the benefit, even amongst mortals, and you've come here to deal with me, instead." Interesting choice.

[withintenfeet]

Zerxus almost tilts his head into the touch, on sheer yearning instinct, before he stops himself. His fingers feel thick and clumsy on his bootlaces, and it takes him a second to trust his voice.

"I take my work very seriously."

Work. Yes. That's what they're doing.

[knightbynight]

"You're naked, on your knees, and headed toward a shower with me."

That's all. Just a direct statement of exactly what the situation at the moment is. While turning his touch heavier, letting his fingers close a little tighter so there's a faint tug when he repeats that stroke through Zerxus' hair.

[withintenfeet]

"...Almost naked." Well he has to find something to argue about, shivering until Bruce's hand.

It's getting harder and harder to pretend his reaction is a fluke born of exhaustion and vulnerability.

[knightbynight]

He slides his fingers around to grip Zerxus lightly under the chin, fingers pressed lightly against his pulse, and with a faint smile.

"Then finished getting undressed and get into the shower."

That one does not carry any weight. It's a... test.

[withintenfeet]

His pulse is already pounding beneath Bruce's fingers, but it's the palpable absence of compulsion that makes his heart skip.

It's more stunned relief than true surprise - he hasn't forgotten that the obedience wasn't even part of the original deal - but it shakes him all the same; for a few moments he just sits with that, leaning into that gently dangerous grip.

Then he pulls back just enough to do what he was told.

[knightbynight]

He gives Zerxus room to move, lose the boxers and get into the bathroom and shower. Once he's inside the water - all the jets and shower heads - turn on.

Only once there's some steam on the door does Bruce step in with him, but he does join the mortal, and he certainly isn't clothed when he does. "Back to me." Please, not 'now'.

[withintenfeet]

He's expecting it, but it still makes him gasp, almost stumbling; he really is tired, and aching, and so acutely vulnerable that it should make him feel nauseous.

Instead, he turns his back with barely a second though, all of his focus on not slipping in the water.

[knightbynight]

Bruce says not a single word, just puts one hand on Zerxus arm, slides down to his wrist and puts his hand against the wall. Then repeats the motion with the other hand. Implicit instruction: lean into the wall and don't fall.

He brushes a kiss across Zerxus' neck, from behind.

Then simply gets the soap and gets busy determiedly removing sweat, grime, and blood from Zerxus' skin. He does the back and hair first, then presses against Zerxus' back and does the same for his front.

As far down as he can reach, anyway. On his knees to complete the job is too obviously an act of service, instead of a sexual tease and taking advantage of an exhausted man.

[withintenfeet]

That, he can do; it takes very little active thought to adjust his stance in a way that keeps him rock-steady, or as close as he can get in this situation.

The kiss is such a fleeting thing, and yet it makes him shiver amidst the water and steam, beneath those uncannily warm hands.

It feels good in a way that he knows is dangerous. His thoughts are already going hazy by the time Bruce leans into him, and the only thing that jolts him out of it is the fingers brushing against his necklace. It's not a flinch, exactly, but there's a ripple of tension.

[knightbynight]

He sighs softly, and huffily when Zerxus tenses. "You really need to stop that," he murmurs.

Then hooks his fingers around the necklace and pulls it around so he can look at the pendant.

Does he want to? No.

Is he going to not take advantage of something that overt, given his father's interest to this point? Also no. There are rules. This is one he breaks more than most, but he's not prepared to break it this overtly or soon.

[withintenfeet]

Raggedly soft, "So I've been told." There's no resistance; Bruce already knows that he's a widower.

It's simple enough, on the surface; a smooth oval stone, charmed to be unbreakable, inscribed with an eternal script. The front of it reads, in Elvish, Evandrin Alterra.

The writing on the back is smaller and finer:

First Knight
City of Crowns
EK / B / A

[knightbynight]

Then why did he have to tell you, and risk even giving a warning being a problem?

He looks at the stone, flips it over to read the back and then flicks it back around to settle back where it had been without further commentary.

And goes back to washing Zerxus' front, as though none of it had happened.

"I'm leaving you to finish." Rinse, do the parts Bruce couldn't reach. "I'll be waiting with pajamas. I've decided you're sharing my room for the time being."

[withintenfeet]

Slowly the tension ebbs away again, though not entirely; he doesn't quite reach that dazed level of comfort again, and he should probably be glad about it. He can't forget what he's meant to be doing here, or what's at stake. He shouldn't be disappointed when Bruce pulls away.

...Only to tell him -

"You've what - " He turns around....entirely too quickly, it turns out, and his feet skid beneath him.

[knightbynight]

He catches Zerxus under the elbows and hoists him back upright, to keep him from landing face first into glass or onto stone. "Did I stutter?"

[withintenfeet]

He is entirely too dizzy to be this close to a sassy devil right now.

"What changed in the last - " ...How long has it been? Fuck, he doesn't even know.