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"You are. I'm very pleased by your appearance."

Moving his wrist then, he looked to the water in the tub and guided a portion up into Zishu's hair. Careful to keep it from getting in his husband's eyes, he made sure all the strands were wet before reaching for soap as well so he could start cleaning his hair. Slender though he was, he still had plenty of strength to give the man a fine scalp massage.

And it was a fine excuse, despite not needing one, to keep playing with his hair as well.

Oh. He sighs under the gentle ministrations, eyes fluttering closed to enjoy both the washing itself...and the massage.

Slender doesn't mean weak. Besides, his husband is an immortal dragon. He's already enjoying that subtle strength of body and vibrant intelligence.

Eventually he starts rubbing the soapy cloth over Runyu's back, along his sides and up his arms, smoothing his free hand after the cloth for the simple pleasure of touching as he rinses the soap off.

Runyu smiled more as he watched the way Zishu melted under his attention. That was something he would remember for the future. For now he used his powers to rinse the soap from the long hair, threading his fingers through the strands to ensure there were no tangles.

Only then did he sit back so that way Zishu could take his turn to clean him, reaching back so he could pull his hair over his shoulder and let the man scrub his back more easily. Watching the attention taken to his skin, he sighed happily. He could really get used to this, he decided.

"Should I move so you can get my legs as well?" he asked as he shifted to offer his other arm to him for cleaning.

He doesn't mind showing what he's weak against, not with Runyu. He'd meant what he'd said, about feeling like they are soulmates. And that means unconditional trust, to him. Devotion. And complete acceptance. His husband doesn't have to be perfect, to be perfect for him.

Zishu happily settles into his self-appointed task, smiling at that sigh as he works. With that lovely hair over a shoulder out of his way, he makes sure to pay special attention to Runyu's back before moving on.

"Lift up, that's all I will need to reach." He starts on rubbing that soaped cloth over his husband's rear first though. Maybe a little mischievously, but he's gentle just in case the dragon is a little sore from their passion.

Honestly, the easiest way for him to let his husband cleanse what he wanted was to slide off of his lap and lean over the edge of the tub. It was a vulnerable state to be in just to expose himself this way but Runyu realized that this was the only man he didn't mind being vulnerable for to begin with. So he made sure that Zishu had easy access to clean him, gasping softly as the sensitive skin was touched.

Sore? A little. But certainly not enough for this to be unpleasant. Runyu dropped his head forward onto his arms while he let the man work, a delicate arch to his back to make the position easier on them both.

"You are very thorough in your care of me."

Easiest this way, yes. Zishu recognizes the answering trust Runyu gives him with this position that leaves him almost breathless.

He takes extra care in answer, and after rinsing his husband's back and rear, leans in to press a tender kiss to that lower back.

"I might be an assassin, but you are my husband. You have nothing to fear from me." Another kiss and he coaxes Runyu into resting against him again. "And I like being thorough in tending to you."

Letting himself be coaxed back, he settled his back against Zishu's chest. His head fell back against his shoulder and he closed his eyes to just bask in the attention he was getting. Never would he have imagined that everything he'd wanted his entire life would be found in a man he'd been forced to marry.

Life was strange but a blessing sometimes.

"I fear nothing from you. I know that you know enough to harm me but I trust you." Turning his head, he nuzzled into his neck. "You make me feel safe and wanted for the first time."

Zishu wraps his arms around Runyu again and nuzzles his temple a little. Just content to hold him. He'd never have expected something more to come from an arranged marriage - hoped, yes. But not expected.

The nuzzle in return has him tilt his head a little, out of the way to welcome it as he hums quietly. "Just as you have the strength and power to harm or control me." Dragon.

"I don't fear your power. It is too beautiful to observe. It's part of you." He smiles and drops a kiss to a wet shoulder. "I've only treated you how I feel you deserve to be. And I won't bother pretending I don't want you."

"Power yes. But as an Immortal I can't do as much as you think without consequence." Not on his own. He didn't mind that so much though really. It wasn't like he had a desire to harm all of the mortals around him for no reason. It was one thing to aid with assassinations as part of their duties here and another to simply murder.

"You treat me like I'm valuable. No one has ever done that before."

"It doesn't matter to me," he murmurs. "You could be powerless and I would treat you the same."

No one else? That has him raise a brow before snorting quietly. "They are fools. You are valuable to me."

Fools? He'd never heard them called such before by anyone. After all, people didn't rush to his defense. This protectiveness was new and he opened his eyes to study Zishu with fascination.

"Are you upset by that? That they never treated me with value?"

Most probably didn't have the gall to, not against such powerful immortals.

Zhou Zishu is not among them. He's only mortal, but he simply doesn't care if he dies.

Or, more accurately, didn't care if he died. Now, he wants to live as long as he can stay with Runyu. So he meets his husband's gaze intently.

"Yes. You deserve to be treated with care and respect, not just for what you can do for others. But for yourself."

A good man. That was who he'd married. Runyu could only marvel over that fact as he watched how serious the man became just at the idea that others hadn't shown him respect or kindness in the past. It touched him so much to know that he could not only have everything he'd ever wanted but that he could also have someone who wanted to protect his body, soul, and heart.

Bringing a hand up, he guided Zishu's face to turn towards him. All so he could press a soft kiss to his lips. Brief but so grateful.

"Thank you."

Protect and cherish, that's what he wants to do with his husband. He looks forward to hearing all of Runyu's desires and dreams, and work to make them reality.

He softens as he's pulled in for a kiss, and it relaxes the intensity of his gaze.

"Thank me by continuing to be yourself."

"I'm still discovering who I am now that I have the freedom for it. You'll have to be patient with me." Which he knew the man would be. He'd already been nothing but patient and kind with him since they'd finally had the time to be together to know each other. It was a nice feeling really. A safe one.

"Do me a favor and do the same for me. Tell me what your dreams and desires are. I want to do the same for you and try to make them all come true."

Zishu just smiles at that and shakes his head a little. "I will be right there with you along this journey." Every step of the way. However long it takes, he doesn't care as long as his husband is happy and safe.

His smile grows at that added request and he nudges their noses together. "I won't keep anything from you. I am a simple man. My desires usually involve the safety and comfort of others." Like his dragon's pools that will be built soon.

In that moment, Runyu knew that if anyone ever harmed this man he would destroy them with his own hands. No matter what that meant for himself, he would never tolerate his husband coming to harm. He'd said he was falling for him but the reality was that he very much already had. Completely.

"Having simple desires doesn't make you a simple man." He leaned up to press a kiss to his cheek, loving how good it was that could do that anytime he wished when they were alone like this. "But I do like that you won't keep things from me. I'm tired of secrets. Having one person where there are none is just what I want now."

Zishu would do the same to anyone who tries to hurt Runyu. Living without this dragon is no longer an option - he'd far rather die than be without Runyu. It doesn't scare him, either. He's always been someone to give all of himself to whatever he's put his mind to. Sometimes (rarely) he comes to regret something he's done, and shifts back to try and find a way to remedy it.

As he intends to do with his service to Prince Jin. He'll find a way that won't take him from his husband. He smiles at that kiss, and denying him a simple man.

"You never need to doubt me. You can ask me anything and I will tell you the truth as I know it."

"I will offer you the same in return. Always."

Because that was something he could do for him to keep the secrets out of their relationship. For each other there would be no lies, no secrets. Only acceptance and honesty. Openness and understanding. It made him hum softly as he reached to snag the cloth and soap for himself.

"You've taken care of me. It's time for me to finish taking care of you."

"I believe you," he softly reassures. It wouldn't matter to him as much anymore if Runyu did try to keep some things from him. He trusts his husband to tell him things when Runyu is ready.

Zishu finds himself grinning and releases the cloth.

"I like taking care of you."

"It shows. But now you have to let someone take care of you."

Runyu waggled his finger at him as if he were scolding him then set about his task. Most of the body was underwater but that hardly bothered him as he manipulated the water to help him clean him, scrubbing him down everywhere, shifting how he sat on him when he needed to.

"Is it possible to have a large fire in here? To get the room as warm as possible for when we sleep?"

He laughs at that scolding finger and relaxes in the hold of Runyu's power. He also shifts as needed to let every bit of his body be scrubbed to his husband's satisfaction.

"Are you attached to these rooms? I can have such a fire built in my rooms that can be ready fairly soon. It would give us time to move you in, so they will be our rooms."

The thought of a nice hot fire to sleep near was delightful. Easily enough to make him want to abandon these rooms immediately. He smiled at him as he settled into straddling his lap again. All the easier to kiss him lightly.

"I would like that. Then we can sleep in the warmth of our rooms together. I haven't unpacked yet so it will be easy to have my things moved."

Zishu hums into the kiss, immediately answering it just as softly as he curls his arms back around Runyu's waist. He nudges their noses together.

"Then we will need to dress, at least enough for the short walk."

As if sensing that eagerness, he lifts his husband up so they can leave the bath and dry off.

The fact that Zishu constantly seemed ready to pick him up never failed to amuse him. But he didn't resist it and only shifted closer to make it easier for the man to get them out of the bath. In fact, he only moved to put his feet down when it was time to dry off.

"I can handle having clothes on again long enough to get to our rooms."

They could just put their wedding robes back on for the walk then abandon them once they were sure they were alone again.