(alskdfj noted. they are in State of the Art tents)
"Mm," Bel hums into the kiss, his eyes closing. "I'll have you know that I have never made disgusting food in my life. I'm the jack of every trade–well, except sword fighting, but that's always been Miran's subject." He smiles and pulls away, already moving to stand. "If I don't have to do anything but look pretty at your side, I suppose I can get started on those brownies. I missed Treya's birthday granted we were in different kingdoms and I was being kidnapped, so I owe it to her." And I owe a proper dessert to you.
A slightly warm, slightly mischievous look crosses his eyes. "Love, you know I'll always love to join you in whatever you'd like."
Nico watched as Bel began to stand, keeping one hand clasped with his. "You can do whatever you would like to by my side." If Bel wanted to be apart of his war meetings he would let him. If he wanted to sit on politics, he could. If he wanted a job, Nico would give him whatever job he wanted. Bel had freedom to do as he wanted here. Nico wasn't going to force him into a role he didn't want. "I can't wait for those brownies then."
He laughed softly. "Go start the bath then. It's right through there," he pointed in the direction of the bathroom. "I'll be right along."
Bel gives Nico one last kiss before letting his hand go and heading towards the bathroom. "Oh, wait–" Bel stops and turns. "Do you think you could get my bag from Elora's tent? I don't know which one it is." A pause. "They all look the same." He offers an apologetic smile and a shrug before turning back into the bathroom.
It's a quaint thing, proportional to the rest of the small tent. The tub sits against the back wall. There's a small rack of soaps, but nothing entirely indulgent. When they arrive in Blakkast, Bel's going to request only the finest bubbles for him and Nico. Perhaps ones that smell of roses–Bel's always loved the smell of roses. He doesn't even care that it's considered cliche.
Bel sits on the edge of the tub, starts the water, and tests to ensure that it's warm before he plugs it. It takes a moment, but Bel doesn't mind. He looks out the bathroom door to see if he can spot Nico.
Nico laughed at the words. He supposed all the tents did look the same to an outsider. "I'll be back in a couple of minutes." It was early still and very few people were out. There were soldiers guarding along the perimeter and a few walking through camp. The cooks were already set up in the mess tent starting on breakfast. Breakfast was more of a first come first serve kind of deal. It wasn't like dinner where they all ate together.
He found Elora's tent and ducked in, hoping to go unnoticed. He found the backpack and shoved all the belongings inside it. But as he made to leave the tent something, or rather someone, got hold of hos ear. "Ow ow ow." He was being pulled down to her height. She had her eyes narrowed him, looking at him with distaine. "You better treat that boy right, boy. And you owe me. I better be set up in a nice room in the palace with a good view and all the books I want."
"Yes, of course. Anything you want, mom." Because the woman did insist being called mom by their group. Most of them didn't have any family left so she took up the role of all of their moms. "Mhm, now run along. Don't keep your prince waiting." And when he released her, he was out the tent with his tail tucked between his legs.
As he entered his tent, he took the backpack with him to the bathroom. He pulled the flap away to the bathroom, revealing the small room. But the only thing he cared about was Bel. He set down the pack and strode over to the prince, bracing his hands on either side of him on the tub. "Did you miss me?" He asked even though he was only gone a few minutes.
While he has a moment alone, Bel allows himself to fully recap on everything that's happened in the past day. It's been a lot–almost too much. Bel's back with his siblings, he's learned the truth behind all Nico's lies, he's forgiven Nico anyways. It's understandable. It's a second chance for them to be honest and true. A second chance where they're on the same team after the same goal.
Bel's busy testing the water, the faucet to loud to hear Nico come in. He startles when Nico's suddenly caging in him, nearly falling back into the water if he hadn't grabbed the front of Nico's shirt to keep his balance. He takes a moment to regain himself and then smiles, holding back his embarrassed laugh. "Yes," He says, leaning in close. "I missed you terribly." He kisses Nico softly. "Thank you for getting my stuff."
(Hdhsjs yes bc he totally got dressed before going out in only his underwear haha)
Nico hadn't meant to startle Bel but he couldn't say he minded it as Vel grabbed onto his shirt to steady himself. He responded to the kiss, groaning as it was over all too soon in his opinion. "Of course, my love." He looked down at the bath and then at the soaps he had. "I don't have anything here for you to wash your hair but we'll pick something up on the road alright?"
He didn't want Bel to be uncomfortable to ask him for certain things, and this was one of them. He stood to his full height and grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling it off of his head. Standing there shirtless, Nico grinned down at Bel. "Come on. We have a bath waiting for us. Don't want to ket it get cold."
(laksdjf i strike Nico as the confident type, but I doubt he'd march through the camp mostly naked)
"It's alright; I don't mind," Bel says. He still has a few more days until his hair absolutely requires washing. At least he doesn't mind the dry hair he inherited from his father. When Nico moves away, Bel has to move to grab the lip of the tub so he doesn't lose his balance again. Bel looks up at Nico with a small smile. The scars coating his chest hold a different meaning now–the healing ones from a dreadful event. He isn't sure if Nico's ready for Bel to touch them, especially with Ronan so fresh in his mind, so Bel keeps his hands at his side, just looking up at Nico.
He waits for Nico to step away before Bel stands, quickly undressing and folding his borrowed clothes to set on the sink basin. He quickly shuts the faucet off and submerges his hand into the water, testing it and making sure it's not too hot for him.
(Maybe if he was drunk ajdbdb)
Nico watched, still clothed in his pants, as Bel stripped away his clothes. Technically they were Nico's clothes but he liked them on Bel. "You should wear my clothes more often. They look good on you." There was soemthung about Bel wearing his clothes and being covered in his smell that made Nico smile. It wasn't him "staking his claim" necessarily. More like Bel telling everyone that he had chosen Nico. Even if the prince didn't wear the clothes outside. That was alright.
Finally, he finished stripping off the rest of his clothes and stepped into the bath. He offered his hand to help Bel in and settled down in the water. He sat there for a few minutes, just smiling lazily and stroking his side. He knew he was on a time restraint and that they would come hunting him down if he didn't show up soon but he couldn't force himself to go any faster. He was home and with the man he loved. Everything else coukd wait a little while.
"It's okay to touch them." It hadn't escaped Nico that Bel had looked at his scars. He didn't mind the touch, at least not from Bel. Anyone else and he would have likely tried to break their wrist, at least after warning them. But Bel was different and he loved his touches.
Bel's sure that he at least smells like Nico's clothes after wearing them for the night. He managed to pin the smell back to when he had first met Nico and his men. He had always wondered whose clothes he had borrowed for the first two weeks, and it makes him unreasonably happy that it had been Nico's clothes he was wearing.
He accepts Nico's hand and slowly gets into the tub. It's too narrow to sit side-by-side, so Bel rests his back on the opposite side of the tub, staring at Nico. It's still short enough that it's hard not to brush up against each other. "I don't want to invade your space," he says carefully.
Nico only smiled. He looked terrible still, those dads circles still present under his eyes, shades of purple. His cheeks had hollowed in, from days without eating or sleeping. His body was still slumped as though he was ready to drop. And he was ready to. He was so tired but he had things to do. Sleep would wait. Sleep riddled with nightmares. He had a small bit of hope that Bel's sister could create something to help him Sleep but he couldn't hold onto that.
"It's okay, you're not." He took Bel's hand and placed it on his chest, over one of his scars. "You can touch them. I want you to."
Bel's careful, almost hesitant to slowly begin running his finger down a large slash across Nico's chest. His skin is rough, torn, and healed over more times than Bel can count, all of it stretched over strong muscle. Nico may be lean, but his figure is deceptive. Bel knows knows that the man can easily throw the prince's weight over his shoulder like it's nothing.
"They're… beautiful," he says softly, and not because of their appearance. They vary from mangled to jagged to crisp and purposeful–none of them appealing to look at. But Bel knows that their signs of Nico's strength. It's him surviving, living, staying alive another day for the good of his cause and his people. "And don't deny it or I just might try to drown you in this tub." He smiles and leans forward, kissing Nico's lips before moving to kiss his jaw and neck. "You're beautiful."
Nico inhaled sharply at the touch. Even though he had guided the hand it was still a surprise to him. He had to close his eyes at the sensation, taking deep breaths. It was Bel, it was alright. He leaned into the hand, finally opening his eyes. His cheeks turned red at the compliment but he shook his head.
He returned the kiss Bel gave to him, his hands settling on Bel's hips. He tilted his head to the side to give him more access to his neck, sighing softly at the contact. "If I'm beautiful then so are you. You're a thousand times more beautiful than I am."
With one hand, he traces the lines of scars down Nico's chest, but with the other he gently caresses his jaw. He loves this, just being with Nico and being able to be in his presence. He's warm, with both the water and the close proximity of their bodies. Bel hums, nibbling softly right below Nico's ear. "Thank you, but we swore no more lies." He smiles. "Stop degrading yourself, love."
And Bel means it–Bel's no stranger to his own beauty. There's been plenty of comments made by diplomats that makes it nearly impossible to forget. Bel knows that he's pretty, but he knows that Nico is handsome. Very much so. Bel kisses his way back up to Nico's lips, spending extra time to savor the sweet contact.
Nico ran his fingertips along Bel's side, an almost ticklish touch, before clasping around his back. "Thank you my love." His lips brushed on his ear as he spoke. He finally recaptured Bel's lips, kissing him softly and sensually. He was going to make uo the few days they had been apart. Make up for the lies and deceit.
With a tug, Nico pulled Bel into his lap, his arms circling tighter around him. He was going to take this slow. He was going to show Bel the love he deserved. Another time they would resume the scene that had been interrupted.
Bel hums into the kiss and moves his arms to encircle Nico's neck. Gods, it had only been three days, but Bel had missed this. He had missed this before he even knew Nico. There was always a hidden yearning he harbored when he had been alone at the palace with nothing but the evasive servants and his father on the imposing throne. He played croquet and wondered what it would be like to play with another. He cooked candlelight meals at midnight for one, unable to reason why he felt so empty doing so.
And now it all makes sense. "I'm glad we can do this," he mumbles against Nico's lips. "I'm so glad you chose me."
"I will always chose you " Nico said. "In this lifetime and the next. It will always be you." And even in the short amount of time that they knew each other, he knew that was true. He knew there would be no one else for him other than Bel. They would live together or Nico would die alone. He didn't care about heirs, there coukd be several ways around that. Adoption or surrogacy. He was sure he coukd find soemthung to please Bel. And if Bel didn't want kids they would never have them. And if Bel wanted a hundred they would have a hundred. Bel was all that mattered to him.
Nico pulled back just far enough to look at his face. He cupped his cheek, smiling at him. Gods, he was so in love. He had never been happier.
The bleeding heart within Bel's chest does loop-de-loops at the words. He's entirely unexperienced with the whole idea of love, but that doesn't mean he's not sure this is it. Nico has fully helped Bel realize an entirely new side of himself. He's helped Bel through more than Nico could ever know–his father, his kingdom, the history, himself. Gods, where would he be if it weren't for that terrifying, fateful day four weeks prior.
"You're a sap," Bel says simply when Nico pulls away, though his smile is just as big. He finds himself closing his eyes and leaning into the other man's touch. There's a slight bit of commotion outside of the tent that startles Bel from his daze. "As much as I love your sappiness, I believe you have places to be and people who are waiting on you."
Nico titled his head back as he laughed at the words. A sap. He was a sap wasn't he. He didn't care. It was only for Bel. But he still stickied his sides for a moment at the words anyways. He looked lighter, happier, even if he was low on sleep. Being with Bel did this to him. It made him happy even on the worst of days.
"They can't do anything without me. Nothing is going to happen. And if it's that desperate, Ambrose will come get me." He shrugged his shoulders. "Let's finish this bath."
Bel laughs softly, sliding away from Nico so they can have their space to wash. He's reluctant to leave the contact but it's been a few days for them both and Bel would like to be relatively put-together for when he makes another public appearance in front of a crowd that despises him and his bloodline.
"Alright, if you insist." He studies the rack of soaps beside him. There isn't much. There's a few bars and a large vial with some clear-ish liquid inside of it. There could easily be more hiding in some cabinet somewhere. He pops the cork and takes a careful smell. "Is this a three-in-one?" Bel inquires, holding up the vial. "My gods, Nico, don't tell me you use a three-in-one to get clean?"
Nico made a face at the loss of contact but ultimately let Bel go. He would have preferred to stay in the tub but if Bel wanted to wash and get out he supposed he coukd oblige. But tonight, tonight they would have their time together. When there wasn't a time restraint and he didn't have somewhere to be.
Nico rubbed his back, looming rather sheepish. "No?" It was more of a question than a statement. It was in fact, three-in-one. He had never had a strong desire to separate all the different washes. He was a man and a solider and he had never really cared what he washed with as long as it was soap. Not until Bel with his separate body and hair washes. Now he wanted to look his best at all times.
"I can't believe you," Bel shakes his head, though a laugh prevents him from being too serious. "Oh my gods, how has your hair not fallen out yet?" To prove his point, Bel sets down the vial and reaches forward to card his dampened hands through Nico's hair. "You should be calling that a miracle, sir." He laughs again and shakes his head. "I'll let this one slide, but honestly, when we arrive in Blakkast, I'm making sure that you know the difference between it all and understand their crucial separation."
Granted it's the only thing they have, Bel hands the vial over to Nico and grabs one of the bars for himself. He dunks it beneath the water and works it up to a proper lather before washing himself with it. He doesn't need his hair washed and he'd rather die than use bar soap or three-in-one to wash his face, so Bel is done very quickly. "I'm going to get dressed," he says, leaning forward to kiss Nico's nose before standing and stepping out of the tub.
Nico's cheeks were flushed bright red at being caught. It was bad, he knew now, bit it had just enever been anything he cared about before. Perhaps it was a miracle all of his hair hands fallen out yet. It was still firmly attached to his head and falling past his shoulders. He needed to get it trimmed. It was getting a little too long since he had been on the road. But it didn't look like he had time. He would have to wait until after they reached Blakkast.
Nico began ti wash himself as Bel did, taking a little longer to do so. He was a little distracted watching Bel wash. He was enchanting. He coukd be doing anything and Nico would want to stop and watch. He watched Bel get out and only finished up after he had dressed. He pulled the friar in the tub and got out, drying quickly and moving ti his bedroom to get dressed.
Bel's wraps a towel around his waist and ducks out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, searching for something to properly wear. He finds just a casual tunic and dark slacks that would be at least semi-elevated. He is still a prince… Well, it's his best bet. Bel's drying himself off and putting on his daywear when the suit he bought back in the first village catches his eye–hanging up right in Nico's wardrobe beside his own clothes. Now that he's here and he knows of the magic lingering everywhere, Bel knows one of the kind shopkeepers had been a mage and trasported his suit all the way across the lands to Nico's bedroom. It's sweet. He's going to have to make them a card.
Bel's standing with his back to the door, shirtless, and still staring at the suit when Nico enters from behind.
Nico wrapped the towel around his waist after squeezing rhe water out of his hair best he could. He stopped just past the entrance as he saw Bel staring at the suit he had hanging up. He smiled, remembering the image of Bel wearing it back at the shop. "You should wear it today," he said. "It looks good on you. It would be a waste for it to just hang there."
He walked up behind the man, kissing the side of his head. He pulled on a pair of black trousers and tied them. He sat down on the bed as he put on his socks on. He paused before putting on his shoes, watching Bel.
"You don't think it's too fornal?" Bel asks, tilting his head as he stares at the suit. It's fine, well made and even better tailored. It's an expensive purchase, one that Bel still plans on paying Nico back for, in money or another form of currency. "I don't want others believing I'm stuck up and above them all?" With what he can see of Nico's closet, he doesn't have anything nearly as formal as Bel's blue suit.
It's funny how the new suit is considered casual for Bel's former life. There's no real gold in its fabric, no expensive drapery, no luxury brand to its label–yet Bel knows its too fine for this casual atmosphere. "Should I wait for Blakkast? From what I remember, my cousin dies have a knack for grand dinners."
