#grabs him and puts in a bathtub filled with bubbles and rubber ducks

[piplicious]

otter pip...

look at this specimen

o hmyGod,,,, otter pip,,,,,,,,,, whos the bear then........

[frankenkyle19]

can you write about frankenkyle and fem reader giving him shower and comforting him because he was scared of water 🥹

Absolutely! This was a quick little one because I leave to get on my plane in less than 48 hours and should be packing but am instead writing… oh well

——————————————————————————

Rubber Ducky 🧼

Kyle didn’t put up a fight much if at all really. He let you do as you pleased to him. Dressing him, helping him eat and even tucking him in at night. But there was one thing Kyle absolutely hated and let it be very very known.

Baths. Showers. Water. He hated it. Maybe it was a result from his trauma, or maybe it just didn’t feel comfortable on his scarred, sewn together skin. Maybe a mix of both. But one thing was for sure- Every time he needed to get washed up, he put up a fight.

You tried to console him. Telling him it would be over soon, but he still cried and groaned, shaking his head as his doe brown eyes begged for you not to do it. You hated seeing him upset, but he really did need a wash. It had been far too long and he didn’t exactly smell pleasant.

You had tricked him into coming into the bathroom under false pretenses, saying that there was something cool you wanted to show him. You felt bad about this too, but it did work. You quickly shut the door behind him and stood in front of it, blocking his path if he tried to escape.

Now realistically, if he wanted to leave, he could. He was a lot stronger than you and could easily overpower you. Luckily, Kyle was a gentle giant and tried his best to be as careful as possible, not wanting to hurt a hair on your head.

His eyes widened in fear as he saw the bathtub half filled with water, soapy bubbles and a rubber ducky catching his eye. The bright yellow of the duck intrigued him a bit and he glanced back at you before nodding.

He clumsily took his shirt off before he looked at you for help with his pants. He trusted you completely, and though at times he was a bit jumpy, he knew you’d never do anything to hurt him. He trusted you. Loved you even, if his mind could understand and comprehend exactly what that meant.

You smiled softly and helped him slide off the rest of his clothing, leaving him stark naked in front of you. His body was a mismatch of parts, slightly varying in skin tone, scars lining each different piece of him. He still looked perfect to you though.

He tensed as he stepped into the tub, sitting in the water and looking back up at you for reassurance. You smiled softly and grabbed the rubber ducky in hand, showing it to Kyle who quickly took it, smiling a bit as he watched it float on the soapy water.

Once he was distracted, you carefully reached over and turned the shower head on, the spray startling Kyle who’s eyes went wide as he tried to back himself up into the corner of the tub away from it.

You turned it off as quickly as it had been turned on. Okay. He didn’t like that but seemed to accept sitting in the bath, so that’s what you’d do.

He calmed once again and played with the rubber duck, covering it in the soapy bubbles before splashing around it to make it appear again. His small laughs and mumbles made your heart ache (in a good way) seeing how much more comfortable he was becoming with everyday activities such as bathing.

Soon enough you had taken a washcloth and washed him off, handing it over to Kyle as he wanted to use it. But instead of using it on himself, the sweet boy began to wash off the rubber duck, wanting it to be just as clean as him. You then worked on his hair, which was the easiest part of this whole experience by far. He loved the feeling of your hands in his hair, nails massaging his scalp. It was heaven.

After the bath, you wrapped him in a towel and dried his damp curls with a blow dryer. He ran back to the tub, which confused you until you saw what he was doing. He carefully grabbed the rubber duck out of the water and used the edge of his towel to dry it off, smiling proudly at himself and holding up the duck triumphantly.

Each action from the zombie boy made your heart melt a little bit more.

[iguessweallcrazyithinktho]

𝐵𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑑, 𝑏𝑎𝑡ℎ

Summary: before bed you gave your daughter a bath because she really wanted one with her favorite bubble soap

Genre: fluff

Warning: none, just cuteness

Pairing: Chris Evans x wife/ mom reader

I DON'T GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO POST MY CONTENT ANYWHERE

Comment and reblogs welcome

→ Masterlist

The sound of the tub water running filled the bathroom. Right along with it was the sound of Luna's giggles and feet pattering against the floor as she ran around the spacious master bathroom with nothing on.

"Luna, be careful. You don't wanna fall."

You turned to see her smiling a pushing her curls out of her eyes as she stopped. You turned back to the tub and grabbed the bubble bath. It smelled like strawberries which was Luna's favorite. It always put her in a good mood with all the bubbles and also helped her fall asleep at night faster than she usually does.

"mommy, is my bath ready?"

"almost. Just have to wait for the bubbles to form ok?"

Luna nodded, "ok."

Luna stood over the bed and watched as the bubbles grew. She can't help but bounce on her toes as she watched. "Now mommy?"

She turned to you. "Yes, now you can."

You lifted her up and placing her in the bathtub. She began to play in the tub with her toys. "Look mommy, I have a beard."

She showed you the bubble beard she had made out of bubbles. You laughed as you want booped her nose.

The sound of footsteps could be heard out in the hallway. You got up and opened the door, Chris stood there. "Hi babe." You said looking at him.

"daddy!"

Luna squealed with excitement.

Chris walked into the bathroom and kneeled down to the tub. He pressed a kiss to Luna's head and she laughed.

You and Chris stayed in the bathroom and let Luna play in the tub. Chris washed her hair and played with her rubber ducks. He made her laugh so hard it was quite adorable.

After a while the water started to get cold. Chris took her out and wrapped her up in a towel. He brought her into her room, Luna picked out her favorite princess pajamas and Chris helped her put them on.

After brushing her teeth, Luna ran into your room and climbed into bed where you currently were.

"mommy, we watch a movie?"

She snuggled under the covers and looked at you. You laughed, you of course couldn't say no to her. "Yes we can. What do you wanna watch?"

Luna told you what she wanted to watch and you put it on. Chris joined you both as you watched it together. Within 15 minutes Luna was out against Chris' side. Maybe it was the bubble bath that put her to sleep, but regardless she was fast asleep and that was all that mattered

[hypmic-writings]

Can I get a scenario where Hifumi and fem reader are like having a nice relaxing bubble bath and Hifumi is just being suuper affectionate,,,just make it wholesome waaah 🙏🙏

I AM TOTES SORRY FOR THIS DUMB REQUEST WAHSAUD 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

━━ ∘◦ ☆ ◦∘ ━━

Pairing: Hifumi Izanami x reader

Genre: Fluff

Warnings: None

Word Count: 852

A/N: Not a dumb request at all! It was super cute and fun to write! Soft Hifumi is honestly v wholesome and I’m always here for it Hope you enjoy~

⋘ ──── ∗ ⋅◈⋅ ∗ ──── ⋙

You rummaged through the drawer of the bathroom, humming along to the relaxing music that was already playing through the speaker on the bathroom countertop.

“Y/N, I found the lighter!” Hifumi exclaimed, happily as he slid past you, kissing your cheek as he did. He quickly lit the candles that were scattered around the bathtub as the water continued to pour into the tub.

“Should we do bubbles or a bath bomb?” you asked, holding up both in each of your hands. Hifumi hummed and reached out for the bubbles.

“Let’s do bubbles and but some salts into it too! This brand is supposed to be really good for you skin,” he nodded, reading the back of the tube of bubble bath liquid. You closed the drawer and nodded at him to start pouring in the bubbles, watching as he excitedly began to pour it in.

“Do it slower! And put it under the running water so they bubble faster,” you exclaimed, tugging on his arm in childlike excitement.

“Okay, okay! But the salts in too!” Hifumi told you with a grin and you reached over for the salt, sprinkling it into the bathtub before the bubbles began to take over.

The two of you waited a bit longer, making sure there were towels at the ready until finally the water was filled up. Hifumi shamelessly dropped the towel that had been loosely wrapped around his waist and slid into the bathtub with a happy sigh. He leaned his head back and laid back against the side of the tub with a grin.

You peeked at him and touched the water with your finger, poking through the bubbles.

“Is it warm enough?” you asked, fiddling with your towel as you stared at him.

“it’s perfect! Come on in,” he chirped, motioning you to come in.

You knew that he was looking at you, so you looked away as you dropped your towel, quickly shuffling over and sliding into the bathtub along with him. You sat across from him, sinking into the water as the bubbles covered all but your head.

“Ooo, this is the perfect temperature,” you sighed, happily, leaning back and letting your body relax as you rested your hands on the side of the tub. Hifumi nodded happily, placing a small towel over his head as he reached over to rest his hands on the side of the tub as well, effectively putting his hands over yours.

“Why are you so far away from me?” Hifumi pouted, sinking further into the water and splashing his feet, that were on either side of you, ever so softly. You rolled your eyes and smiled at him, reaching over to take a drink of the water you had filled before you got in.

“So impatient,” you laughed as you watched your boyfriend pout. “I’ll come over in a minute, just enjoy the water, would you?”

Hifumi reached over to grab one of the rubber ducks that you had bought specifically for this occasion, patting it gently before releasing it into the water.

“Be free,” he whispered to one of the smaller ducks as it floated over to your side of the bathtub. You couldn’t hold back a laugh, swiping the duck the floated close to you and squeaking it gently.

“Thank you for the gift,” you laughed, shaking your head at the silliness.

The two of you continued to play together in the bath, jokingly turning the ducks into your children and sending them back and forth, narrating their voyage as they made their way through the bubbles. The soft piano music make the warm water feel even more soothing, and slowly but surely, you found yourself getting more and more light-headed and sleepy.

“Y/N, you shouldn’t fall asleep in the bathtub, it’s dangerous!” Hifumi said with seriousness on his face as he leaned in towards you.

You didn’t answer him, but instead pushed your way through the remaining bubbles to drift over to his side of the tub. You turned around and sat in between Hifumi’s legs as the water and bubbles covered your body.

“It’s okay…you’ll make sure nothing bad happens, right?” you mumbled, leaning back against Hifumi’s chest and getting comfortable in the tub. Hifumi brought on hand to poke your cheek.

“Of course, but if you’re getting sleepy then we should go sleep on the bed,” he teased, pulling you closer into him. You groaned in annoyance, taking his arms and bringing them to wrap around you tightly.

“Noo, I don’t want to leave. It’s nice and warm in here,” you sighed, resting your head on his firm chest and feeling it rise and fall softly. There was a brief moment of silence before Hifumi leaned down to press a kiss onto your cheek gently.

“Alright then, kitten, just relax. I’m here with you,” he said, reaching for your hand and kissing the back of it chastely.

You let out a small, content hum and relaxed yourself once more. Hifumi smiled down at you and held you closely in his arms, not wanting to let go any time soon.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

[atths--twice]

Bathing Baby

My contribution to the #XFFluff2020 fanfic exchange. For @danceswithcybermen who wanted a story about Scully taking a bath with the baby. I hope you enjoy this fluffy little family fic I have created. 

The first time the baby was given a bath, it was Mulder doing the washing under the careful eye of the nurse. She showed him how to hold her along his forearm, explaining how to wash her, raising her voice above the baby’s loud cries. 

The small pink plastic wash basin was filled halfway with warm water, to just below her belly button, as she rested on Mulder’s arm. He held her tiny head in the palm of his hand and despite her nearly ear piercing screams, he remained calm and spoke softly to her. 

Scully watched him carefully wetting the washcloth and wiping the baby’s face, neck, ears, arms and legs, tears running down her face, her hormones running rampant. He nodded, taking his task seriously, as the nurse showed him how to wash the dark hair on the baby’s head. His fingers rubbed gently, taking care when he touched her anterior fontanelle. 

“You’re a natural at this,” the nurse said and he grinned, glancing up at Scully. His expression changed as he saw her tears, his eyes asking her hundreds of questions. 

“I’m fine,” she sobbed and the nurse chuckled softly. 

“She is, I promise, but the hormones she’s experiencing right now are a real son of a bitch,” she laughed again, smiling kindly at Scully, who nodded with a sniff. “She’s okay, Dad. Really.” He nodded and his attention returned to the baby as Scully reached for the tissues. 

Dried, dressed, and wrapped in a blanket, Mulder handed the baby to Scully and sat beside her on the bed. She was calm now, well, they both were. 

“My two Scully’s,” he said softly, smiling at the baby and Scully. “Scully squared. Mini Sculls.” He laughed as she shook her head with a smile. “Oh, I like that. She looks so much like you. She is your Mini.” 

And it stuck. So much so, that when the mountain of paperwork came for them to sign, she nearly put down “Mini” instead of her proper name. Laughing at herself, she looked over at Mulder as he slept on the couch bed, his mouth hanging open, and shook her head. 

Driving home from the hospital the next morning, she stared at the baby in her car seat. Her eyelashes were so long, they rested against her cheeks as she slept. Her skin was like perfect porcelain, though soft and warm. Mulder was correct; aside from the dark head of hair, she did greatly resemble her. 

“How’s Min doing?” Mulder asked from the driver’s seat and Scully smiled, running her thumb softly across the baby’s perfectly shaped eyebrow. 

“She’s absolutely perfect. Her mother on the other hand…” She shifted uncomfortably, her body exceedingly sore. “She would love a soak in the tub.” 

“A tub!” Mulder yelled out and the baby stirred, her eyes opening and then closing again. “Scully, we don’t have a tub for her.” His voice was quieter when he spoke, as he turned to look at her over his shoulder. 

“Well, we can get one. But, she won’t be needing it today.” 

“No, I can go out and get one. We’ll go home first, you’ll have your bath and we’ll get her to sleep, and then I’ll go get one. Can’t believe we forgot that,” he said with a shake of his head and she smiled. He had done so much and she knew he had wanted it all to be perfect. 

“Mulder, it’s okay. We -” 

“Scully.” He turned his head to look at her again and she smiled, knowing his mind had been made up. 

Pulling up to the house, she waited for him to come around and open her door. She was in need of a little extra help, and she was not ashamed to admit it. He reached a hand out to help her, making sure she was steady on her feet before he took the car seat out, and they all walked inside the house together. 

She sighed as she breathed in the familiar scent of home, even as her body, especially the lower half, ached tremendously. She glanced up the stairs, knowing that if the porch steps hurt a little, this would hurt a lot. Upstairs was where the bathtub was though, and if she stayed downstairs, she would not receive the relaxing bath she craved. 

“All the way up those stairs,” she sighed, steeling herself. 

“Come on, Scully. We got this,” Mulder said quietly behind her, the car seat in one hand. the other on her lower back. She sighed again and nodded, the lower half of her body screaming as they began to slowly walk up the stairs. 

Setting the car seat on the bed, he walked straight to the bathroom and turned on the tub. Carefully sitting on the bed, Scully sighed, ready for that soak in the tub and then a nap if possible. However, it would not be long before her little Mini would be in need of a feeding. 

“The bath is almost ready,” Mulder said, as he walked out of the bathroom with a smile. “I didn’t add any bubbles or oils, not wanting to bother anything… down there.” 

“Down there?” she repeated, raising her eyebrows with a smile. 

“Yes, and we’ll leave it at that,” he said with a grin. “Come on, I’ll help you and then I’ll keep an eye on Mini here. Nothing I can’t handle… well apart from that feeding she’s about due for.” She laughed as he helped her undress, careful when she moaned a little. “You okay?” 

“Just sore. Really sore. The bath will help and then maybe a nap after she eats,” she breathed, the last of her clothing tossed onto the bed. Naked and shivering, she went to use the toilet and then with Mulder’s help, stepped in and sank down into the tub. 

“Ohhhhh,” she sighed, closing her eyes as the warm water stung her stitches and sore body a bit. 

“Too hot? I can…” he said and she opened her eyes. 

“No, it’s the perfect temperature. Just stings a little, down there,” she teased and he laughed softly with a nod, shutting off the water and staring at her. 

“It’s okay?” he asked and she nodded. “I’ll get a rubber band. And a washcloth.” He stepped away from the tub and grabbed the items, returning and putting her hair up into a messy ponytail. “Two women in this house now, I’m going to need to learn to get better at this kind of thing.” 

“You’re pretty good already and you have plenty of time to practice.” She sighed again as the baby let out a small cry and she felt it in her breasts. 

“Hey, I’ve got her. Your towel is right here. Call me when you’re done and I’ll help you out. No argument.” He stared at her as she began to protest, but relented with a nod. “Good. Now, take your time.” 

He left and she closed her eyes, relaxing in the water, knowing she would not take long, but wanting to enjoy this small moment. She heard Mulder singing softly to the baby as her cries subsided, and she smiled. He was so good with her, as though he had been doing it all his life. 

Washing her body, she laid back and relaxed for a few more minutes before calling him back into the bathroom. He came in and carefully helped her out, reaching for her towel and drying her body tenderly. When she was dressed, she picked up the baby from the bassinet and sat on the bed to feed her. Mulder sat beside her, speaking quietly as he stroked the baby’s head. 

“She really does look so much like you, Scully. Especially with that one raised eyebrow. My little Mini-Scully- you are so beautiful.” He kissed her forehead and Scully smiled. 

When they were both situated, the baby asleep in the bassinet, Scully in bed with a glass of water, her phone, and some ibuprofen taken, Mulder left to buy an infant bathtub. Before he had even driven down the road, Scully was asleep, exhaustion taking over. 

She woke to the sound of the front door closing and she sat up quickly, not sure of the time and how long she had been asleep. Pushing the covers back, she stood up and checked on the baby. She was still sleeping, wrapped securely in the swaddle wrap the nurse had shown them. Smiling at her, she left her sleeping and went slowly down the stairs to see what Mulder had brought home. 

“Hey! What are you doing down here?” he asked in surprise, as she walked up behind him. “You should be resting.” 

“I was. I just woke up. What did you find?” 

Excitedly, he showed her the bathtub and the special features it had. Then he showed her the bath toys he had purchased: a pink rubber duck and a set of sea creatures. He also bought a set of soft polka dotted washcloths in rainbow colors, a pink hooded towel, and soaps and lotions. 

She knew that telling him they already had everything but the tub and toys would be a waste of her breath. Instead, she smiled and happily listened to him discuss each separate item. Putting everything in the tub, he smiled at her. 

“Now when it’s time for that first bath at home, we’re ready.” 

__________________

Time. That was something they began to measure in naps and feedings. 

“When did she eat last? Has she been sleeping long? Is she sleeping too long?” 

Collapsing into bed, as Scully cried and he held her, it was hard to believe that it had only been a week. 

Seven days. 

They were both exhausted, often smelly, and she could not seem to stop crying. Everything set her off and she hated it. She apologized constantly and then cried because she did not feel she needed to apologize. 

Mulder was wonderful, calm and caring, but she still snapped or pulled away from his touch, apologizing once again as she cried harder. 

“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed as they lay there. He said nothing, simply holding her and letting her cry. “I’m so sorry. So sorry, Mulder.” He shushed her quietly, humming in her ear and rocking her gently. 

A sharp cry sounded across the room and she drew in a deep breath, waiting to hear if she would continue crying or if it was a false alarm. Another cry and she sobbed against Mulder’s neck, not knowing if she could face another near sleepless night. 

“Okay,” he breathed. “Okay. I think I know what to do.” He kissed her temple and pulled back from her. “Stay here. I’ve got an idea.” He left the bed and she cried into his pillow, trying to ignore the rising volume of the babies continuing cries. 

“Come on,” he said a few minutes later and she raised her head from his pillow. “It will help, I promise. Come on.” He pulled her gently from the bed and into the bathroom, where the tub was almost full, steam rising from it. She looked at him and he nodded. 

Disrobing and tying up her hair, she stepped in; sighing as the warm water pulled her in, welcoming her like an old friend. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as the baby stopped crying and she breathed a sigh of relief. 

“Yeah… there we go, my love,” Mulder murmured as he walked into the room, causing her to open her eyes. He had removed his shirt and was holding the baby with a blanket wrapped around her. 

“What…” 

“Skin-to-skin,” he told her, swaying slowly. “I want to try something I read about online.” She nodded, too tired to ask him more about it. Closing her eyes again, she listened to him singing and humming, letting that and the water calm her down. 

“You feeling better?” he asked after a few minutes. She nodded, not opening her eyes. “Good. Now for the next part of the plan.” At that, she opened her eyes, finding him walking towards her. 

He took the blanket off of the baby and Scully saw she was completely naked. Looking at him in surprise, he smiled. “I told you, I have an idea.” He gently laid the baby face down on Scully’s chest, her head at her throat. As she was placed into this new position, she began to cry again. 

However, once handfuls of warm water were poured slowly over her back, she relaxed, audibly sighing as the water trickled down her neck. Scully felt her own sadness and stress wash away as the weight of the baby pressed into her and she rubbed her hands up and down her tiny back. 

“There we go,” Mulder whispered, his hands scooping and pouring the water, softly rubbing her back as well. “See? You are two peas in a pod. My two Scully’s, lovers of water and happiest together.” She nodded as she cried again, though her tears were happy this time. The love he felt for her, for both of them, rang out louder than the quiet of his voice. 

For twenty minutes they sat with the door shut to keep out the chill, adding warm water to the tub, as together they softly caressed the tiny human they had created. Looking up at him, she hoped to convey her love to him with her eyes, as she was unable to speak around the very large lump that had taken up residence in her throat. 

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her forehead. “I know,” he whispered, as tears ran down her cheeks. 

He gently picked up the baby and wrapped her in a soft fluffy towel. She barely made a sound as he left the room to diaper and redress her. Scully sighed as she closed her eyes, calming her tears, as she prepared to leave the tub herself. Wiping her eyes, she stood up, and reached for a towel. 

Dressed and back in bed, Mulder pulled her close, the baby wrapped expertly and already sleeping contentedly in her bassinet. 

“Thank you,” she whispered, sleep pressing at the edges of her entire being. 

“Hmm,” he answered, sleep heavy in his voice. 

“You really are a dark wizard, Mulder,” she said with a quiet laugh. 

“If she sleeps for longer than two hours, I will gladly accept that title,” he said with a large yawn and she nodded against his neck, already half asleep. 

Three glorious hours later, a cry woke them from the exact position in which they had fallen asleep. Scully blinked her eyes and pulled away from him, standing to collect the baby and bring her back to the bed and feed her. 

“So, I’ll have a trophy made for you. Or a plaque. Which would you prefer?” she asked, as the baby latched on and began to feed. He chuckled with that deep rumble she loved so much and she closed her eyes with a smile. 

“Let’s wait on that order just yet. Maybe after two nights of sleep,” he breathed. “Three hours, Scully. Never have I been so happy to get so little sleep.” She laughed softly and nodded. 

“But it feels so good. I feel like a new person. Still tired, but so much better,” she said, opening her eyes and looking down at him. “Thank you. I don’t think I would have made it through another night with such limited sleep.” 

He looked up at her, shifting the pillows to see her better. Yawning with a nod, he put his hand behind his head and smiled at her. “Yeah, you would have.” He yawned again and she nodded, looking down at the baby as the sun began to take the night from the sky. 

_______________

And so a routine was established. 

The little bathtub Mulder had purchased was used, with Scully acting as supervisor as he bathed his Mini. He soothed her as she cried when she was set in the tub, the first few seconds always a shock. He made silly faces and used funny voices, his touch always so extremely sure and gentle, it made Scully cry nearly every time. 

Twice a week, and also when the exhaustion became too much, the bathtub was filled and Scully had a few minutes to herself as Mulder walked shirtless with the baby against his chest. She was then placed on Scully’s chest, both of them sighing as she snuggled in, with Mulder scooping warm bath water onto her back as Scully massaged her tiny body. 

Those baths became something Scully greatly looked forward to, for many different reasons. The warmth of the water which had always relaxed her, was made better by the closeness with the baby and the calm it brought to both of them. Her little Mini always slept better after those baths, which meant they all were able to sleep. 

What she loved most, though was the quiet time spent with Mulder. During the bath, they did not speak much, but his love was expressed by his touch and the elements he had added to the room. An essential oil diffuser was in the corner on a shelf, filling the room with wonderful calming scents. New soft towels were hanging on the towel racks beside the baby’s pink hooded one. Candles were lit around the room, the lights in the bathroom kept off. 

She had always loved taking baths, but now, it was at a new level. Sharing the love of the relaxing water with her Mini, as Mulder sat quietly beside them, she felt complete and exactly where she was supposed to be. 

Where they were supposed to be. 

“You ready for me to take her?” he asked softly, and she shook her head, her hands running gently up and down the baby’s back. 

“Nearly, but not yet,” she whispered and he nodded with an understanding smile. “Is she sleeping?” 

“No,” he said, with a different smile as he tilted his head to check and be sure. “Mini is awake, but definitely reaching that point. God, she has such beautiful eyes. How am I supposed to not give her everything she wants when her eyes are the exact same color as yours? I’m at a huge disadvantage here.” She laughed quietly as he shook his head in mock sadness. 

“I love you,” she whispered and he raised his eyebrows with a smile. “I love you so much, Mulder. Thank you for taking such good care of us. All of us.” 

“Scully…”

“I mean it,” she said softly, touching his face, her other hand on the baby’s head. “Having you with me this time…” 

“Scully…”

“Mulder… I know… but I want to tell you. I had my mother to help, but I wanted you,” she continued. “I know I told you to go, and you had to, but I missed you and needed you so much. How different things would have been…” 

“Scully…” 

“I just… I know you would’ve been just as wonderful then, but I’m not entirely sure if my heart could have taken it. I would have been so in love with you, it would’ve disgusted every single person around us.” She smiled and ran her thumb across his cheek. 

“Would’ve been?” he asked in mock shock, and she smiled. He turned his head to kiss the palm of her hand and her heart raced. 

“Would’ve been, continue to be, take your pick,” she whispered. 

“Both is good,” he whispered back and leaned forward to kiss her gently on the lips. “Now, let me get this little one before she falls asleep in the tub.” He stood up with a groan, stretching his back as she scooped water onto the baby one last time. 

He held the towel against his chest and then lifted the baby, holding her as he wrapped her securely. “I love you too, Scully. Take your time.” he said, bending to kiss her head before he left the room and closed the door. 

She smiled with a sigh as she slipped a little further into the water. Closing her eyes, she imagined how it would have been to have his attention on her then, as it was now. Would she have responded in the same way, accepting it without a fight, or would it have been a struggle? Laughing, she shook her head, knowing she would have been absolutely stubborn and fought against it, while also yearning for it at the same time. 

Well, it would have led to some interesting and quite enjoyable make-up sex, she thought with a chuckle. 

Swirling the water around, she heard Mulder singing softly to the baby and she sighed with happiness. Even if she had fought against his attentiveness in the past, she still would have been so over the top in love with him, it would have disgusted everyone. Herself included. 

Laughing softly, she shook her head, knowing that she was just as disgustingly in love with him then as she was now, even more so with his care for the both of them. 

“Both,” she agreed with a nod. She smiled as she breathed in the scent of lavender from the diffuser, and basked in the flicker of the candlelight he had placed around the room, her heart nearly overflowing. “Both is most definitely good.” 

[karaliswrites]

Knights and Princesses

This is way too similar to something I read once

~~~~~

It was summer and the skies were yellow, the world taking a moment to enjoy itself before locking down again for the next winter.  Summers meant one thing for Eren — baths. ��And that meant time to spend with his best friend.  Being four years of age, Eren was not yet exposed to the boundaries that would be later recognized in his life.  What personal space was, the fact that not everyone wanted to be your friend, what was and wasn't considered normal.  But the innocence and ignorance of youth, as it often does, poured its bliss and happiness all over the young boy.  He didn't have a care in the world.  

The only things he really cared about were his parents and his best friend, Armin.  Armin lived just down the street and they often visited each other's houses to play.  You never saw one without the other.  It was like they were joined at the hip.  Parents and other onlookers would smile as they ran past, recognizing the purity of love and hoping it would last through everything else.  Eren however, still four years old, didn't know what love was.  He loved his parents, surely, but he didn't fully recognize the connection he had with Armin. The boy was his only friend, anything he'd ever known, so anything they did was normal. It was just how friends were.  So in the following years when he would go to school and meet new people, he would begin to realize that the bond he shared with Armin didn't fit under that category of “normal” as others said it was supposed to be.

But hidden from the opinions of others, oblivious to the guidelines people would later expect him to follow religiously, Eren nagged his mom to let Armin over so they could have a bath together.

Carla, Eren’s mother, always let the blond come over.  She told him he was always welcome and could visit any time he liked.  But still Eren always asked.  And she always said yes.  

She didn't want to spoil the joys of her son’s youth, so she didn't stop the bathing.  She knew one day they wouldn't want to do something like that together, but figured they could reach that decision on their own.  But for now, they were just kids and didn't need to worry about that just yet.

Carla made a call to the Arlert residence, explaining the situation to Armin’s mother, as per usual in the summer.  One word and Armin was over in minutes, a timid smile on his face.  Eren waved from his place behind his mother and the boys ran off while Carla invited Armin’s mother in to talk over a cup of tea.  Eren had learned how to turn on the water himself since he spent so much time in the tub and didn't hesitate to pull the handle, watching the water gush from the faucet.  Armin watched the bath slowly fill, the steam and warmth from the water rising in the air and filling the limited space between them.  He had already begun to pull off his shoes, peeling off his socks along with them.  Eren slipped his shirt over his head, throwing it blindly on the floor.  As the amount of water increased, the amount of clothes did the opposite.  Shirts, shorts, underwear, until they stood naked in the bathroom and the tub was full.  After turning the faucet the opposite way, the boys climbed in, settling into the warm water and feeling it stir gently around them.  Eren grabbed his rubber ducks and toy boat from next to the tub, dropping each item into the water.  “What do you wanna play?” Eren asked his friend who furrowed his brow.  “I dunno.  Knights and dragons?”

Eren smiled, grabbing a nearby duck.  “Okay.”

He put on what he thought was a brave face, but it didn't appear that way because Armin giggled as he put a fist to his chest.  “I, Eren Jaeger, the brave dragon slayer have come to rescue —” he cut off, looking to the blond.  “Will you be my princess?”

“Why do I have to be the princess?”

Eren took a moment then.  It was the first drops of youth beginning to slip away.  He didn't know why Armin had to be his princess, in all honesty.  “Uh, well . . . every knight has a princess.  And he has to like her because he's saving her all the time.  And I like you, so . . . .” Eren shrugged, leaving the sentence hang, like a noose for the line between friendship and something more.  But Armin seemed satisfied with his response and gave him a gentle nod to signal his continuation.  Eren gave him a quick smile before putting on his “brave” face again.  “I, Eren Jaeger, the brave dragon slayer have come to rescue the beautiful Princess Armin” — the blond giggled at that — “from the terrible beast that has taken him!”

Armin became the best damsel in distress he could muster.  “Oh save me, brave knight!  Save me from the dragon!”

He raised his arm out of the soapy water, the bubbles running down his skin.  “Don’t worry, princess!” he exclaimed.  “I’ll save you!”

Eren jabbed his fist at one of his rubber ducks, making triumphant sounds as he repeatedly attacked the bird.  When the duck had floated away from Armin, he cried out in victory, basking in the imaginary glory.  “The dragon is dead!”

Armin laughed.  “You saved me, Eren!” he smiled, tucking a strand of blond hair behind his ear.  “I must give you something in return.”

“It’s alright, princess.  I don’t need anything in return for my bravery,” he said, striking another knightley pose.  Armin giggled before leaning forward and giving him a quick peck on the cheek.  Eren’s face fell into one of surprise as Armin pulled away, his cheeks beginning to darken.  “Thank you, brave knight.”

Eren gave a sheepish smile and together they continued to giggle and pretend in the confines of the bathtub while friendship and romance began to blur into one.

[katiebug445]

Bath Time

Jean felt incredibly stupid.

He sat in his bathtub, warm water up to his chest and the room dead quiet save for the occasional splash when he moved. He felt like the world’s biggest idiot. He’d been getting more and more stressed out the closer graduation got, and it finally came to a head when he had a meltdown in the middle of his English Lit class. Since then, his mental health had been on a steady decline, to the point he didn’t have it in him to snap back at Eren anymore.

That had been the biggest red flag to their group.

Marco had been trying to get him to open up about his problems, Connie and Sasha had told his mom to keep an eye on him, and Armin… out of all of them, Jean was the least irritated with him. Armin never bugged him to talk, he never ran and told anyone what was being said, he usually just tracked Jean down at lunch, or on the way home, and talked with him. About anything and everything. Jean quickly found out that Armin could be quite a chatterbox when he wanted, and it was nice.

Armin didn’t treat him like a timebomb ready to go off. Yes, he did occasionally ask how he was, and occasionally suggested things to help with his anxiety, but didn’t push it. Jean really appreciated that.

Not even when Jean had his biggest anxiety attack to date.

They’d been at Armin’s house, enjoying the spring sun, and taking turns reading a crappy novel Jean had gotten from the library. He sat there on Armin’s small front porch, happily listening to the blond read, when a stupid, trivial thought hit him: you don’t sound nearly as good reading as he does. Jean blinked, trying to figure out where that came from, when another one hit. Armin sounds bored when it comes to you. Jean shifted his position a little, trying to pay attention to what Armin was saying, and swallowed. You flubbed a line last time. Don’t you know how to read out loud? He swallowed again, shifting again, and beginning to feel the pinpricks of panic creep up the base of his skull.

Armin thinks you’re stupid.

That was all it took. His hands started shaking, and his chest began to constrict. The world was beginning to tilt, and his head felt like it was being shoved through a bottleneck. “A-Armin?” He stuttered, looking at the other boy desperately, “Can - Can we s-stop for a bit?”

The blond looked up, immediately seeing something wasn’t right with his friend, and shut the book before scooting over to him. “Hey, hey, Jean, look at me. Look at me.” Gently, he took the taller boy’s hand in his, hoping to shock him enough so he’d meet his eyes, and squeezed it when he felt how bad it was shaking. “Jean…” Finally, the hazel-eyed boy met his gaze, and Armin held it, sitting up to his full height, and said calmly, “Breathe with me, okay?”

“I - I don’t… I can’t…. I - Help.”

“I’m trying.” He said calmly. Armin tried to get the taller boy to breathe with him, but Jean was too far lost in his panic to focus on it. Instead, Armin scooted up flush against his friend, putting his arm around Jean’s shoulders and holding him tightly as he could. Jean’s entire body shook violently, and Armin just held him tighter until, very slowly, he began to calm down again.

Once he was thinking somewhat rationally, he put his head in his hands, his cheeks scarlet, and began apologizing. “God, I’m so sorry.” he kept saying. “I’m sorry, man.”

“Ssh,” Armin soothed, “It’s alright.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Armin smiled at him and stayed by his side for another few moments before getting an idea. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere!” He got to his feet and sprinted inside, leaving Jean sitting on his porch alone. He was back in minutes, a notebook and pencil in his hand, and reclaimed the spot right beside his friend again.

“What are you doing?” Jean asked, eyes on the paper.

Armin didn’t say anything for a few minutes, just furiously began scrawling something down, and then ripped it out and handed it to Jean. “If you ever start feeling anxious at home or something, this is some stuff I do to help calm down.”

“You have anxiety?”

Armin shot him a sad smile and nodded, tucking a piece of hair behind his ear. “Since I was little. But those should help. If they don’t, you can text or call, I’ll see what i can do.”

Jean clutched the paper a little tighter in his hand and thanked the other boy for it. After Armin was sure he was okay, they went back to reading for a little while, before the blond started getting eaten alive by bugs. They said their goodbyes, and Jean walked home.

So far, no dice.

He’d worked his way down the list, feeling awkward and self-conscious with all of it. He knew he was being too self aware for anything to have an effect, but he couldn’t help it. Meditation, breathing exercises, counting, nothing helped. All it did was make him feel weird, which made him aware that nothing was working, which made his anxiety spike even higher, and then the cycle continued.

No matter how bad it got, though, he couldn’t actually bring himself to call Armin for help. He was too embarrassed the first and last time it happened, he couldn’t handle putting the blond through it again.

A bath had been the last thing on Armin’s surprisingly long list. And yet, it was the most awkward of all of them.

Jean had no clue what to do with himself in there. He had maybe taken a total of three baths in his entire life, and that was when he was young and rubber ducks were his favorite thing. Maybe that’s what he needed, a rubber duck, or a boat, or something to occupy his mind a little. Yeah, right. His phone was charging on the sink, and he thought to himself that maybe if he grabbed it and scrolled around online for a little bit, it might help, but Armin had specifically told him to leave it alone.

Fuck.

Feeling dumb, Jean let the water drain and stepped out onto the floor, figuring that he’d have better luck laying down in the road and getting hit than getting a handle on this crap.

After dressing, he text the blond to tell him the news.

Jean Kirstein Hey, Armin, nothing on your list worked.

Armin Arlert You tried everything? Yes, I’m sure it works, they’re all techniques I’ve used myself in the past. I’m sorry nothing helped.

Jean Kirstein I just finished with the bath thing. How do you stand that? I’ve never felt so awkward in my life. Don’t be sorry.

Jean watched the three dots appear and disappear and appear again while Armin typed, but nothing ever came from it. Sighing, he spread out on his bed and set his phone by his pillow, drifting off after a little while of waiting for the blond to get back with him.

His mother woke him up an hour later.

He had a text waiting for him.

Armin Arlert What did you do? This will sound weird, but you can’t really just sit there or else you /will/ feel really weird. Maybe try it again, but add bubbles, or an aromatherapy gel, or hell, even a bath bomb. That’s what I usually do. It helps a bit.

Jean Kirstein Aren’t those things usually for girls?

Armin Arlert Only if you think they are. Believe it or not, they’re kinda fun.

Jean wasn’t sure if that were true or not, but he wanted to believe the other boy was onto something with all of this. Armin was smart, and he had taken the time to write out that insane list for him on a whim. The least he could do was try again, right?  

Jean Kirstein Do you have an extra bath bomb or something?

So, there he was again, a week later.

Armin did not in fact have an extra bath bomb, in fact, he’d used his last one over a month ago. He did, however, have a bottle of lavender scented bubble bath that he promised would do something for anxiety. Jean decided to go for it.

With a shaking hand, he turned on the faucet and began filling the tub with the weird smelling soap, and eased himself into the water. He kept his phone on the toilet this time, though, just in case he needed it, and sat there staring at the wall.

This is stupid. He thought to himself. This isn’t going to work and you know that. All you’re doing is wasting time in here. “Shut up.” he muttered to himself. Oh cool, now you’re talking to yourself. You panic over nothing and you talk to yourself. Mom’s going to throw you in the hospital for this crap. “Fuck.”

His hands began to shake and the room began tilting again, and Jean knew he was about ready to have a panic attack. “Fuck. Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.” he muttered, slinging water off of his hand while reaching for his phone. He hated doing this, he hated to bug Armin, but he didn’t know what else to do. It was the only thing he hadn’t done yet.

He’s not gonna answer. You know he didn’t mean it when he said to call him. He was just being nice. He didn’t mean it, so don’t bother. He can’t stand you. Jean made himself take a breath while he unlocked his phone, continuing his steady stream of “Fuckfuckfuck,” Luckily, Armin’s name was the first in his texts, and he tapped it open, quickly typing out a message.

Jean Kirstein Are you able to ft?

Five agonizingly long seconds ticked by before the blond answered.

Armin Arlert Ft?

Jean Kirstein Facetime. Sorry.

Armin Arlert Um, yeah, but I don’t know how to.

Jean Kirstien Hang on.

Jean tapped the button, hating that he could visibly see his whole arm shaking as he held his phone out, and part of him wished Armin wouldn’t answer. He began telling himself that this was a terrible idea, and almost hung up when the call was accepted. He could see the anxiety in his own eyes, and felt incredibly dumb for calling Armin right now. Suddenly, there was the blond, sitting out in his backyard.

“Hey,” Armin greeted, giving him a small wave. He was quiet for a second, eyes scanning over Jean’s face, and frowned. “Jean, are you alright?”

Jean let out a single, breathy sigh and replied, “N-No.” He replied.

“What’s going on?”

“I’m - I’m panicking. Bad.”

Armin was quiet for a few seconds, no sound but the water sloshing around him to break up the silence. “Where are you right now?”

“Bath?” He said nervously, suddenly realizing how weird this had to be for Armin. You fucking idiot pervert. He thought to himself. “I - I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called--”

“Jean, it’s okay! What’s going on?”

“I don’t know. I’m talkin’ to myself and I feel crazy, and my mom’s gonna drop me at the hospital if she hears it, and this is so stupid. I shouldn’t have called you.”

“Hey.” Armin said, shifting his position a little. “Listen to me. You’re not crazy for talking to yourself when you’re panicking. That’s actually pretty normal to do when you’re trying to calm down. I’d be lying if I said I never did it. Am I crazy?”

“No, but--”

“Then neither are you.” the blond interrupted. “Your mom isn’t going to put you in the hospital, Jean. I promise. And yes, you should have called me, because I told you to if you needed it.”

Jean could feel heat rising up his neck, suddenly embarrassed with himself for doubting Armin’s friendship. “I probably sound so dumb right now.”

“You really don’t.” the other boy said. “You should hear some of the things I say mid-panic. Compared to that, you’re perfectly rational.” And there it was: that smile that made Jean’s face burst into flame. “Do you want to talk about it?”

No, he really didn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t want to ask Armin if he thought he was stupid, or if he secretly hated him, or if he was totally disgusted by the idea of going out with a boy with anxiety, or a thousand other questions. He really, really didn’t want to. So, he just shook his head. “No, I - I know I’m being stupid.”

“You’re not stupid.”

Jean didn’t know how to respond to that, so instead, he asked, “What are you doing right now?”

Armin turned towards the sunlight for a second, and off screen, Jean could hear something close shut. “Well, I was trying to read a book outside, since it was so nice today, but I kept trying to fall asleep. I was actually nodding off when you text me.”

“I’m sorry, we don’t have to--”

“No!” the blond replied. “No, I need to stay awake anyways. And you need a friend.”

“I need a lot of things. What book were you reading?”

“It… Just a book on marine life. Nothing special.” The blond shrugged. “My grandpa got it for me.”

Again, he didn’t know how to reply to that, so he just nodded. “You’ll, uh... Can I see it the next time I come over?”

Armin’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion at that, and he glanced at the cover of his book before answering. “You don’t have to humor me, Jean.”

“I’m not.” he said honestly. “I think… it’s kinda cool. You’re kinda cool.”

If he caught Armin’s blush, he didn’t say as much. The smaller boy shot him a quick smile, and cleared his throat. “This isn’t about me right now, though. This is about you. How’s the bath going?”

“How do you think?”

“Well, I think you’re doing a bit better than before, so I think it’s doing something.”

That’s you. Jean thought to himself. “Maybe. I can’t stop thinking. I feel dumb.”

“Isn’t thinking too much supposed to be my job?”

Jean didn’t know what to say to him, so he just shrugged. He shifted his position just a little to get circulation back in his arm, and a bit more of his body and a lot less of the bubbles were visible in the camera. Jean didn’t think too much about it until he caught sight of himself and flipped his phone up, causing it slip out of his hand and clatter onto the floor. “FUCK!” he yelled, lifting himself half out of the tub to reach for it.

“Jean? Is everything okay?” Armin’s voice came out of the speaker.

“Yeah. Yeah, everything’s fine. Just... It’s fine.” He reached for it, and just managed to get his finger on the very edge of it. He pulled the phone closer to him and grabbed it, his face scarlet as his head came back into view. “Sorry, I…”

“I didn’t see anything, if that’s what you’re afraid of.”

“You noticed.” he replied, his blush deepening.

“I really didn’t see anything. I looked away.” Armin lied.

Jean could have kissed him for trying to preserve a bit of his own dignity. “I… Next time I’ll leave my camera off.”

“You have plans about future Facetime calls from your bathtub?” the blond asked jokingly.

“No - I - no, i didn’t mean that. I - I -”

“I’m kidding!” Armin laughed. “But if you do, maybe consider more bubbles.”

“I’m so sorry.” Jean moaned, scrubbing his free hand across his face.

“Don’t be. Give me a head’s up next time, and maybe I’ll do it, too, in solidarity.”

That really shut Jean up for a moment, and he cleared his throat, trying to force his eyebrows to go back to their normal position, but it was hopeless. He couldn’t shake the mental image of Armin, sitting in his own bath, calling him from his, from his mind, and all of the implications that came from it. “I, uh, okay.”

“Okay.”

The two spoke for a few more moments, but Armin had to go back in to check on his grandpa, and Jean was left sitting there alone with the blond’s words still going through his head. He didn’t know how to process it, and wasn’t entirely sure he could go through with it in the end. Armin never failed to surprise him, that was for sure. No matter what was going on, the blond always managed to say or do something that left him floored, and made him like him that much more.

After the water began to cool down, Jean unplugged the tub and stayed in for a moment, watching the water drain out, before finally stepping out and toweling off. He couldn’t help but think that, with Armin’s help, maybe he could get a handle on this anxiety thing after all.

[emmerrr]

pynch + ♤ if you're up for it :)

@crumplelush said: If you’re still taking prompts can I please request pynch+taking a bath together?

I’m totally up for it :) I sort of got ridiculous with this I hope you guys like it!

taken from this list of the softest prompts ever if anyone wants to send me more! and here’s the one I wrote yesterday in case anyone missed it.

A bath’s not something Adam has all that much experience with to be honest. They never had one at the double-wide, and there’s just a shower in his apartment at St. Agnes, too. So whilst he’s had the odd one throughout the years, a bath is not an indulgence he’s overly familiar with.

At the Barns, there is a fantastic bathtub.

It’s enormous, for starters.

It’s a curved one so it’s comfier to sit in, and the faucet is at the back and in the centre rather than at one of the ends, so Adam can sit at whichever end he likes and doesn’t have to worry about a tap digging into his spine. 

It’s a pretty deep bath, and at the minute the water is swirling blues and pinks and purples and more, glittery bits dotted about like stars, thanks to an intergalactic bath-bomb that Ronan dropped in the water for Adam.

“That’s incredible,” Adam had said in awe. “Did you dream that?”

Ronan snorted. “Fuck no, Parrish. I got it from Lush.”

But the point is that now Adam is bathing in what looks like space water, and it’s awesome, even if it is going to leave a glittery mess behind in the tub, and probably all over Adam. Which sort of negates the point of having a bath in the first place, but he’s not thinking about that right now.

He’s relaxing. Which is also a novel concept.

A knock at the door jerks him out of a daydream and surprises him, making him lurch forward and splash the water.

“Fuck, Adam,” comes Ronan’s voice and then the door opens and Ronan rushes in looking alarmed, which soon turns to confusion when he sees Adam just sitting there. “I heard a splash…” 

“Your knock made me jump,” Adam says with a scowl.

“Shit, sorry,” Ronan says, but he starts to laugh which makes Adam scowl even more. “I thought you were drowning or something. Thought you might have fallen asleep.”

“No, I was trying to relax,” Adam says pointedly. “What are you doing here anyway? I’m in the bath.”

“Yes, I can see that, Parrish,” Ronan says cheerfully. He shuts the door behind him again, then comes and sits on the edge of the bath, running his fingers through the water. He grins. “I’m gonna show you something.”

“Show me what?” Adam asks warily.

Ronan grabs a bar of soap off the side of the sink and starts rubbing it between his hands. “When me and Declan were little, mom would put us in the bath together. A proper bubble bath with fuckin’ mounds and mounds of foamy bubbles.” He starts to smile as he tells the story and it tugs at Adam’s heart. “And she’d do this, she’d get the soap and rub it between her hands until they were really good and soapy, and if there’s just enough…” He trails off and inspects his hands, puts the soap on the edge of the bath, then rubs his hands together once more. He clasps his hands together, brings them to his mouth and blows. 

As Adam watches, a soap bubble starts to grow out of the small gap Ronan’s created between his hands. It grows until it’s about the size of a lime, and then it pops.

“Aw, man,” Ronan says. “That was shit, the ones mom made used to get so big before they popped.” He pouts for a second then picks up the soap to try again. When he glances up, he notices Adam watching him.

“What. Why are you smiling at me,” he says suspiciously.

Adam shrugs. “You’re cute.”

“I’m not cute, I’m terrifying.”

“Terrifyingly cute,” Adam says.

Ronan stares stonily for a moment, then he smirks and drops the soap in the water from high enough that it splashes Adam.

“Hey,” Adam says indignantly, and pushes some of the water so it splashes Ronan. 

Ronan splashes back, obviously. And Adam’s already wet, so it’s not like getting splashed will do anything to him, but it’s the principle of the thing.

He leans forward, seizes Ronan’s shirt and yanks him off balance and into the tub.

Ronan’s all legs akimbo, his ass and torso in the tub as the galaxy water soaks into his clothes. There’s nothing worse than soaked jeans and Adam feels guilty for all of a second before Ronan’s momentarily shocked surprise transforms into a mischievous smile.

“Ronan,” Adam says, unsure of what’s about to happen. “I didn’t mean it, and you started it, and– Ronan, wait–”

But Ronan’s already moving; he pulls his legs in from where they’ve been dangling over the edge so that he’s now properly in the tub, then starts rocking backwards and forwards. He’s making a tsunami.

“Ronan stop,” Adam says, but it’s hard to get the words out because he’s giggling so much. Water is steadily rocking up the edges of the tub, getting higher and higher until it’s got nowhere left to go. It starts cascading over the edge of the tub and spills onto the tiled floor. “You’re–making–a–mess!”

“How am I making a mess? It’s soap and water,” Ronan argues, but he settles down and the waves he’s made start to recede.

“It’s space water. There’s gonna be glitter all over the floor. And your clothes are soaked now.”

Ronan stands up and takes his shirt off, scrunching it up and squeezing it over Adam’s head so the water drips all over him and down his face.

“You ass,” Adam complains, but Ronan laughs and steps out of the tub.

“If you wanted me to take my clothes off all you had to do was ask, Parrish,” he says, and Adam pointedly doesn’t look while Ronan strips his jeans off; he doesn’t want to give him the satisfaction.

“You certainly think a lot of yourself,” he says instead.

“I do. I really do.” Ronan starts rummaging about in one of the cupboards, and then says, “Aw yes! I knew they were still around here somewhere.”

“What?”

“Matthew’s old bath toys.”

Adam looks up and Ronan holds a box in one hand, rifling through it with the other. He comes back over to the edge of the bath and starts dropping things into the water, which is nowhere near as full as it was, not to mention the temperature’s dipping. Adam turns the hot tap back on to fill it up more.

“We’ve got… a wind-up crocodile, wind-up frog, a boat, rubber duck, aaaand a wind-up shark,” Ronan says as he chucks them all in. He tosses the box aside and gets back into the water.

Adam holds up the frog and raises his eyebrows. “What do we need these for?”

“Can’t have a bath without bath toys, Parrish.”

“I was doing just fine before you showed up.”

“No. You were having a bath wrong, is what you were doing,” Ronan says, and he grins sharply. “You’re so lucky I came to bother you.”

Adam can’t help but smile back. “Yeah, I suppose so.”

Ronan’s smile turns tender, just for a second. And then he reaches for the shark and he winds it up and sends it down the opposite end towards Adam.

That’s how they spend thee next fifteen minutes or so, two grown boys in a space-water bath, sending wind-up toys from one end to the other and intermittently trying Ronan’s mom’s soap trick to blow bubbles.

It’s not long before they’re both sporting pruney fingers and have to think about getting out, but with their legs entwined under the water and cheeks that hurt from laughing so hard, Adam thinks there are worse ways to spend an evening.

Much, much worse.