#resplendence

He sighed as her enthusiasm ground them together, and froze for a moment, as if thinking; but after a moment he made a sound of resignation, and began walking her backwards toward the stone bench.

Until now, Andromeda hadn't understood why different sections were at different heights, the bench rising and falling like a wave, all around the edges of the pool. But when a real wave of sloshing water lifted her off her feet and up into a high stone seat near to the surface, she understood - her hips were now almost perfectly aligned with his. Instincts surged within her, and legs spread, knees bracketing his hips excitedly. Perhaps he intended to begin again?

But then he pulled himself of her loose hold, stepping back and making Andromeda huff in disappointment.

“Impatient,” he scolded lightly, giving her a crooked smile as he sat on a lower portion of the same stone bench she rested on. “We have not even begun to bathe yet.”

Andromeda sighed, turning sideways. The bench was smoothly sloped, and if she sat like this, then her feet would rest in his lap. “If we are only going to get dirty again, then it does not make sense to bathe twice,” she said, trying to flutter her eyelashes like the kitchen girls had.

Perseus laughed, and picked up one of her feet, lifting it out of the water. He dropped a kiss on her ankle, and she caught her breath as he nuzzled her calf. Smirking up at her, he reached his free hand back, into a niche on the wall, to grab a clay jar of oil that sat there. Pouring a little of the sweet-scented liquid into his palm, he lifted her foot higher and began to rub the oil into her leg. “I rather think you will enjoy the washing process enough to repeat it,” he said blithely, eyes dancing. “And even if you don't, I will.”

Andromeda bit her lip, fighting the reflex to giggle and jerk her foot. She may have just learned that he was ticklish, but that did not mean that she was eager to reveal a similar weakness. But when his thumb dug into the pad of her foot, she couldn't quite suppress a flinch - which he noted, immediately. Lifting his head, he gave her a very wicked smile, and redoubled his grip. “Stop struggling,” he chided gleefully. “If you know where best to dig your clever fingers into me, surely it is only fair for me to have equal knowledge?”

“My knowledge of those places is still rather limited,” Andromeda squeaked, practically vibrating as she tried not to kick him. He would deserve it for tormenting her, but she did not know how he would take a blow not meant entirely in jest...