#lucathorne

"Cherry should be inside, señor Dellamorte." Shella said.

"Thank you, Shella," She heard Lucanis say. And then his hand on the doorknob.

Kiraz sat herself on the bed, putting a sultry smile on her face.

Lucanis entered the room and shut the door behind him quickly. Her smile faltered just a bit when she saw he was completely wrapped up in a heavy cloak. She schooled her expression and cheekily crossed her arms.

"It may be rainy season here, but you still must be sweltering under that." Kiraz teased him.

Lucanis gave a soft laugh before he pushed the cloak off of himself. The entirety of his armor and most of his face was covered in a layer of blood and gore. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hands.

"They job went a bit left." He said, hanging his cloak on a hook in the wall. "Instead of stabbing there was... exploding."

Kiraz leapt to her feet and went to him. "Are you hurt?"

"Not at all," Lucanis assured her. He began to loosen the straps around his gauntlets. "This is all the target."

That should not have made her stir deep down like it did.

She started to help him undress. "I can run you a bath?" She suggested, trying not to sound too eager. "Help you get rid of this mess?"

Lucanis's hands paused momentarily, his eyes running over her, taking in the silk she was wrapped in. "That sounds lovely, actually."

Kiraz didn't bother hiding the smile that broke over her face. She left him to his armor and went to the stone tub on the east side of the room. She activated a rune that brought in hot water and gathered some of the soaps and bath oils from the cabinet and brought them to the tub. She helped Lucanis finish undressing and set his armor and underclothes by the door and pulled the rope on the bell to call one of the housekeepers.

When she turned back to the room she saw Lucanis's back, completely naked, a pile of knives and daggers on a towel on the floor. He must feel her eyes on him, as his head tilted just slightly over his shoulder before he stepped in the already steaming tub.

Kiraz bit her lip and tangled her fingers in her dress. She was suddenly shy, something she hadn't felt it what seemed like years. But she was excited and curious, so she walked to the tub, shedding her dress as she did.

Lucanis looked at her for only a brief moment before turning his eyes stalwartly on the wall. Kiraz couldn't help but laugh at him as she sank into the warm water.

"You don't have to do that, you know," She said to him gently. She grabbed a cloth and some of the soap and began lathering them together. "You've technically seen me naked."

Lucanis blinked then let his eyes wander back to her. Their gazes met and he held her there for a few heartbeats. Kiraz handed him the soapy cloth and he washed his face thoroughly. She scooted closer to him, a fresh cloth at the ready.

When he set the bloodied cloth aside, she took his wrist and ran the fresh cloth up and around his arm. "Let me," she purred.

Lucanis went still and watched her hand as she worked. His face, already flushed from the heat of the water, turned a shade darker. She didn't bother turning her smile coquetteish. "Relax, Luca, let yourself enjoy this."

Lucanis looked up into her eyes and she saw his shoulders loosen. He smiled gently at her. "No one's called me Luca in many years. Illario doesn't speak quite that fondly of my anymore."

"Your brother, right?" Kiraz asked, running the soapy cloth over his chest a few times before starting on his other arm.

"My cousin, though we were raised like brothers." Lucanis said. As she finished with his arms, he sank lower into the water and let his head rest in the corner of the tub. "You were right. This does feel nice."

"I am very good at my job," Kiraz said, refreshing the cloth.

She methodically washed the rest of his body, carefully is avoiding his rather impressive private parts per his request, and set aside the used cloth. Kiraz scooted closer to him again, their bodies nearly touching. He cracked an eye open to look at her, an amused glint in his eye.

"Can I wash your hair?" She asked hi quietly, already reaching for the shampoo.

"Do you have anything scented?" Lucanis asked opening both of his eyes this time.

"There's lavendar oil to put in after." She replied, quirking her eyebrows at him.

"You remebered?" He smiled.

"Of course," She grinned at him. "I'm going to get very close to you." She said as a warning.

"Okay," he replied.

Kiraz moved toward him, sitting herself in his lap. His eyes popped open wide and his hands gripped the edge of the tub tightly.

"Good?" She asked

"Good." He agreed after a few heartbeats.

Kiraz smiled at him and began to lather up his hair. Lucanis's eyes slid closed again, melting under her touch. He sighed softly as she used her nails on his scalp. She then grabbed the small bucket next to the tub and rinsed his hair out.

When she settled back into his lap, his hands came to rest on her hips. She watched as his eyes finally, hungrily took in her body.

"Cherry," Lucanis said quietly. "Thank you."

She smiled gently and cupped one hand around his cheek. "My pleasure." She cooed.

Neither of them moved, though their eyes never strayed from each other. Kiraz ran her thumb across Lucanis's cheek and his tumbs rubbed small circles into her hips.

Before she fully realized what she was doing, Kiraz leaned in, tilting her head for a kiss, but she paused barely a breath away from him.

"I--" She started, an spology on her lips, but Lucanis leaned up and closed the space between them.

The kiss was barely more than the brush of their lips, but it awakened something hungry in the both of them. The next kiss was almost desperate, like both of them were starved and the only sustenance was the other's lips. Their bodies pressed together, hotter than the water surrounding them.

But they stopped almost as quickly as they started. Lucanis pulled away, looking a little schocked at himself.

Kiraz's stomach turned, hoping she hadn't forced him to do something he didn't want. She wanted him, badly, but wouldn't allow herself to hurt him by moving at a pace he wasn't ready for.

"Let's get you dried off," She said, keeping her voice light and sweet.

She pushed herself off of his lap, but before she could get out of the tub, Lucanis's hand found her wrist. It wasn't angry, but like he didn't want her to go too far away. She smiled down at him and laced their fingers together.

They both stood and stepped out of the bath, not letting the other go. Kiraz grabbed them towels with her free hand and they worked together to dry each other, their joined hands never letting go. Lucanis used his free hand to grab the silk robes, and they switched which hands held the others' to get them on.

Kiraz led him to the bed, holding fast to him, and pulled him down into the plush covers. Lucanis settled himself among the pillows and Kiraz snuggled into him, resting her head on his chest and throwing her arm over his middle to hold him close. She quietly listened to the beat of his heart while his hand ran gently along her back.

"It's ah...." Thorne hesitated.

"A coffeemaker?" Lucanis said, a smile lighting up his face.

Thorne shifted his weight, his face flushing. "I know there's already one in the kitchen...."

"But that one is form Minrathous!" Lucanis exclaimed, his smile widening. Thorne felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of it; he was so beautiful. "This one... you got it from Treviso, yes?" He walked over to the table Thorne had gotten to hold the coffeemaker and the water heating rune.

A smile wormed its way onto Thorne's face as well. "Yes, from the cafe you took me to. The barista told me you'd appreciate it."

Lucanis ran his thumb across the back of her hand and watched her for a few moments, fighting internally with his next words. But she was being vulnerable, expressing what they had been denying themselves for months. "That's what I think about, too." He told her softly.

A warm smile spread across her face, lighting up her eyes. She put her hands on either side of his face and leaned down to kiss him.

He smiled against her lips and raised a hand to cover hers. He kissed her back, her sweet cherry blossom scent surrounding him. "Ask it of me, and I'll find a way to make it happen." Lucanis said when they broke away.

Kiraz laughed again. "What is there to think about?" She said, sitting up straight. "Can't you just buy me and we could fuck off to somewhere and forget about this place and being first Talon?"

Lucanis shuddered. "The thought of purchasing you makes me physically ill. And getting away from the Crows is no easy task."

Kiraz sighed and folded her arms across her chest. She was silent for a few moments and then spoke again, "You'd really leave the Crows? For me?"

Lucanis stared at the ceiling and truly thought about it. Was that really something he was willing to do? Leave everything he's ever known, his money, his status, his chance at power?

"For you, yes." He admitted to her quietly.

Tears welled up in Kiraz's eyes and she leaned down again to kiss him. "You're an utter fool, you know that?"

"And so are you, for thinking we could actually pull it off." Lucanis said, mirth in his voice.

Kiraz frowned at him playfully. "All right," she said. She put her fist in his face and poked out her pinky. "Swear it."

Lucanis watched her for a moment, waiting to see if the punchline was coming, but her expression grew serious. Despite the voice in his heard screaming that it was a mistake, his heart rushed forward and curled his pinky with hers.

"Would you let me wash you?" Thorne asked him quietly, hands still surrounding the other man's.

His eyebrows rose in a look of quiet surprise. "You want to...?"

"Yes," Thorne said. He took the soap fully from Lucanis's hands. "If it makes you feel better, you can wash me after."

"Okay," Lucanis agreed slowly, watching as Thorne picked a washcloth from the shelf as well.

"Even after everything, the feeling of soap and warm water on my hands is still soothing." He told him quietly. "It's not like you're ordering me to do it and I'd like to make you feel nice." Thorne looked up at him, a glimmer of mirth in his eyes. "Besides, I promise I'm good at it." He added cheekily.

Lucanis blanched at that. "Thorne--" he choked.

Thorne chuckled lightly and stepped closer to him, kissing him on the forehead. "Lucanis, it's fine. Really."

"You're sure?" Lucanis asked, shly.

"Do you want me to?" Thorne checked. He watched as Lucanis's face darkened with a blush.

"Yes," He finally said, meeting Thorne's eyes.

"Great," Thorne said with a smile. He set the soap and washcloth on the edge of the tub and placed a hand on Lucanis's shoulder. "I'm going to take your robe off."

"Yes," Lucanis said, his voice low.

Thorne's hands deftly untied the belt around Lucanis's waist before coming back up to carefully, pull his robe off of his shoulders.

Thorne took him in as Lucanis shivered, naked in front of him for the first time. Similar to himself, Lucanis's body was a record of a life hard lived. There were scars from battles won, burns from chemicals, remanats of enemy spells, and, lighting a brief flame of anger in Thorne, whip scars. Intentional. He put his hands on Lucanis's shoulders and under his fingers were the newest scars, dug in with fingernails in a prison underwater. Thorne squeezed his shoulders before letting his hands trail down his arms.

Carefully, gently, he pressed kisses to the scars on Lucanis's shoulder and the other man sighed beneath him.