Ciel hadn’t expected George to be so casual as to strip and get into the bath in front of him. That bronzed, strong back was so sexy that Ciel nearly caught fire. He remembered that day when he returned George’s jacket; when he had seen him half dressed. That had been stimulating enough and he didn’t even look closely. This time Ciel managed to have a partial view of his front as he took of his robe before he turned his well-muscled back to him. He only had himself to blame. He’d unconsciously followed George behind the screen before he realized what George was doing. He had made a hasty retreat but while he was trying to collect his wits, George had called out to him.
“Ciel?”
“Hmmm?”
“Are you all right?”
“Yes.” I just need to stop seeing your naked back in my head.
“Really?” Before Ciel could reassure him, there was the sound of splashing water, as if George was getting out of the bath.
“No!” Stay where you are!
“What?” George sounded confused.
“I, I mean don’t come over. Take your bath first.” If you come out half naked and dripping wet, I might die from embarrassment... or something else...
“Are you sure?”
“Yes!” The blood was surging up his face. He could rival his mother’s hair in terms of colour.
“I don’t believe you. Come here and let me see.” You rogue!
“No!”
“Should I go over then?” Ciel could just see the sly smile that would make George’s face absolutely bewitching.
“Bully!” he couldn’t take it anymore and ran out the room, slamming the door in his haste. He ran out into the garden and hid in the bamboo grove, willing the red in his face to recede. Why, oh, why did he have to fall for a rogue? He was so gentlemanly at the club. A knight in shining armour, so to speak; who stepped in whenever unwitting guests happened to accidentally cross the line. Just his presence would make him feel safe and secure. It turned out that the knight was the biggest scoundrel of all.
The breeze that blew in the garden caused the bamboo in the grove to rustle and sway. In the almost quiet, he felt his erratic heartbeat slow down and he took several deep breaths to further calm himself down. How could he call himself lovers with George if even the sight of his bare back could cause Ciel to overheat? He was nothing more than an overaged prude he thought ruefully. He would have to take this step by step and hopefully, they would be able to share a comfortable if somewhat sticky relationship.
Ciel could not see George disentangling himself from Ciel. That man’s greatest joy was staying as close as possible to Ciel; taking whatever opportunities he could to steal a kiss or cuddle. Ciel didn’t mind, not really; he felt safe and loved in those arms. What he did mind was that George was shameless enough to do it whenever he felt like it. While he had not done so at the club, he was now being rather blatant, even being possessive in front of his uncle and grandmother. This bit of news was going to reach his father for sure…
He sighed and decided that he would just pretend to be ignorant if his father did not ask. His father would get over it… eventually… after he turned a thousand, maybe… the less being said, the better. But speaking about George, the man was taking his time. Ciel was sure he would have finished his bath and come look for him by now. No matter, he had calmed down enough to go back to the room. He needed to get used to that man’s presence in that room anyway; they were sharing a bed later tonight.
The blood was rising again at the thought but Ciel decided that since they’d slept next to each other before, he would not, should not be so unsettled about it anymore. After all, he slept really well when he was in his arms. Using both hands to smack both sides of his cheeks, Ciel mentally psyched himself up to return to the room. It was somewhat quiet inside.
“George?” there was a splash.
“Hmmm?”
“Are you all right?” it seemed like something was wrong.
“Yes.” Why did this seem so familiar?
“Really?” he walked over to check on him. His footsteps echoing on the stone floor.
“No!”
“What?”
“Don’t come over. I’m almost finished with my bath.” There was a pause. “Or would you like to come over?” you could almost see the smirk on the end of the sentence. Ciel flamed at the teasing but something was wrong with George. He didn’t know why he knew, he just did.
“Yes.” He continued to walk over.
“Ciel.” There was warning in that voice. This confirmed that something was wrong. Without answering, Ciel walked to the other side of the screen. He gaped when he saw a grim but pale-faced George, with blood trailing down his neck, little rivulets of red making their way down both his chest before blooming and dissipating in the water.
“What happened?” he rushed forward to get a better look. George looked at Ciel helplessly before he lifted and opened his hand. In it were several scales, all brown green and covered in blood. Some of them even had bits of flesh stuck to them. The scales looked cracked and bent and his palm was scored and cut from when he clenched his fist too tightly. Ciel didn’t have to ask, they were dragon scales.
“You…” he grabbed George’s face and turned to look at his neck. There were several gaping holes where the blood was pouring through. Elsewhere, Ciel could see more of those scales, covering mostly the back of his neck. Without thinking, he hugged George, smothering the man’s head to his chest.
“Stupid fool… what were you thinking?” an emotion he couldn’t identify surged through him and he blinked back the tears that were fighting to escape. He felt George’s arms come up, at first grasping on the sleeve of his robe but soon his whole waist was encircled and with a splash, Ciel was pulled into the tub. As he sputtered and gasped, blinking the water out of his eyes, he felt his face being held before being pulled into a searing kiss.
Ciel could only close his eyes and reciprocate. George was upset now and if kissing and holding Ciel gave him comfort, then Ciel would gladly be held and kissed. He circled his arms around George’s neck, only to falter when he heard George’s hiss of pain. He pushed the other man back to look at him. The lost desperate look was there, along with loathing; Ciel couldn’t tell what it was that he hated; the dragon that had cursed him to become like this or the fact that he had those dragon-like traits. Ciel could only look into that blue eye and raise himself to kiss his forehead.
George closed his eyes and clung to Ciel, like a drowning man clinging to a lifebelt. The stayed like that in the cooling water, George’s face buried in Ciel’s bosom while Ciel stroked George’s hair. After a while, Ciel finally spoke.
“Let’s get out of the water first. We can ask my uncle or grandmother about your condition.”
George did not reply but Ciel could feel him nodding against him. He stroked George’s hair and bent down to kiss his forehead again. But George had raised his head at this time and the kiss on the forehead had been diverted to the lips. After that desperate, almost animal kiss, this one was tender and gentle; if the first was to seek comfort, to reaffirm oneself, this one was healing, to remind that one was loved. They stuck to one another for a while before George finally released the breathless Ciel.
“Let’s get out then.”
A slightly dazed Ciel allowed himself to be helped out of the water. But when he felt George’s hands on the lapels of his robe, he came out of his stupor and looked at him.
“Just helping you out of your wet clothes.” He looked so innocent.
“They wouldn’t have been wet if you hadn’t pulled me in.” He grumbled, turning around to take them off. He gasped when he felt the other man’s weight against him, his arms circling his waist again.
“I know… thank you.” That husky voice should be illegal… especially when it was used in close proximity of his ear.
Looking down at the watery bloodstains on his robe, he turned to look at George again. “Are you still bleeding? Let me see.”
George stood still as a puppet and allowed Ciel to examine him. He breathed a sigh of relief when he noted that the bleeding had stopped and the holes where George had pulled the flesh out with the scales mending.
“Don’t ever do that again.”
“Yes, dear.” George pecked him on the cheek before turning away to grab a towel; showing off a chiselled back that was bare from head to foot. It was then that Ciel realized that he had been in close proximity with a very naked George. With how he was heating up, he wanted nothing better than to jump back into the tub to cool himself off. He quickly turned around again, hoping that his boyfriend wouldn’t see his flushed face. Now the thought of striping while George was so nearby was also embarrassing. He couldn’t even move his fingers properly to do undo his robe as his everything was focused on the sounds made as George dressed himself.
“Your hands aren’t moving, do you need help?” the rogue was back.
“Just go away and let me change in peace…”
There was a laugh. “All right.” Before long George’s receding footsteps left the room. With his senses finally returned to him, Ciel quickly changed, tossing his soaked robes on top of George’s pile. He took his time to dry and redo his hair as he settled his jittery nerves yet again. There were so many concerns to take care off right now; the missing Kou and Yue, his grandmother’s antagonism towards George, George growing dragon scales… but to Ciel, the biggest problem right now was how was he supposed to sleep next to George tonight? He gave himself another sigh before he stepped out from behind the screen to go and look for George.
