"You're- alive!" The innkeeper said with shock when he saw his guests return. "How?"

Artemus breezed past the man without giving him an answer. He was too tired to deal with the questions that would barrage him if he allowed the innkeeper to have a word. Luckily for the anti mage, Lucien was willing to take the baton from him.

"We killed them. Thank us later," Lucien said to the innkeeper. "Just get me some hot water and soap. And I mean no offence to the deceased, none at all, but make sure the water isn't from the well."

A flurry of emotions crossed the innkeeper's eyes. A part of him suspected they were lying because it seemed too good to be true. The villagers had suffered for so long under the terror of Nurhia and now they were free? How could it be that easy? He'd already learnt the hard way that free lunches were the most expensive.

"We don't want payment," Lucien told the man when he sensed his fear. "I know it's hard to believe after what you went through. We just want to rest for a few hours and then leave this village."

"Yes sire," the innkeeper mumbled. "It'll be done." His son's death had been avenged by the guests. The fact that they came unescorted by the killers proved their words. For the first time in many months, the man felt the heavy weight of unending fear leave his spirit.

______

"Sire, I've brought the biggest tub I own, and hot water, just like you asked for," the innkeeper told Lucien. His no tub policy had changed since the guests had done the village such a massive favour.

"Thank you," the redhead said to the man as he began stripping himself of the dirty clothes that he had been wearing for days. He would have changed into cleaner clothing but then they'd found the head in the well and then Nurhia had happened. The redhead barely registered the sound of his door slamming shut, courtesy of a fire mage who couldn't bear to see the innkeeper witness Lucien's lack of modesty.

"Lulu, you can't just strip in front of random people like that," he said to the redhead who was shimmying out of his pants.

"Yeah I know," Lucien responded as he tugged his pant off. "But that's hardly my concern right now. I feel so nasty I can't wait to get in the water. Sorry about this, Magnus. I promise I'm not trying to seduce you."

The fire mage believed him.

"But if you feel like it, you are welcome to join me." Saying so, Lucien side-eyed the man who was glued to the door, looking ready to escape if the situation warranted it. "Don't worry, your virtue is safe with me."

It wasn't his virtue that Magnus was worried about.

Lucien wasn't in the mood to tease him so the moment he got inside the tub, the redhead was seated and resting his head on the edge of the tub. He sighed in satisfaction and closed his eyes. The hot water was like a balm to his body. It was after a while that he heard the rustle of clothing being removed. The redhead kept his eyes closed and felt the water lap against his skin when another body entered the tub.

"Keep the water hot, please," Lucien told the fire mage. "I'm just gonna fall asleep inside here."

"Your skin will wrinkle, Lulu."

The tub wasn't big enough to easily accommodate the two of them if Lucien intended to sleep comfortably. But it felt good this way having Magnus' bare skin brush against his in the water.

Lucien languidly opened his eyes and blinked at the fire mage. How interesting that the man had responded so willingly when the teasing stopped. The redhead's legs were curled on one side of the tub while Magnus occupied the other side. They were like a pair of carps squeezing together inside a small pond.

"What am I to you, Magnus?" He asked, smiling in a way that seemed sad but also curious.

The fire mage took a long slow breath as he thought about the question. It was an immutable fact that Magnus cared about Lucien. But ever since his return, the lines were blurring and it was getting harder for him to deny what they both suspected.

"You're Luci, and Red, like a little brother to me, or so I thought. Now-" his dark eyes were conflicted as he returned Lucien's unwavering gaze. "I don't know anymore. And I'm ashamed of it."

That wasn't what the redhead had expected to hear. It upset him that Magnus felt ashamed when it was Lucien who had instigated everything.

"There's no need to be," he gently told the fire mage. If anyone was going to be ashamed for their actions, it should have been Lucien. "It was me putting you in an awkward situation with my advances. You've tried so hard to take what you've thought is the moral high ground, and I am grateful for it. I know this might stupid but- your efforts have made me fall harder for you, Magnus."

Lucien's heart hurt just a little bit but he understood that feelings couldn't be forced. Lust, a man could not control, but the actions following it determined the character of a person. Even if Magnus' physical reactions showed signs of wanting Lucien, it didn't mean that his heart felt the same. The redhead sank into the water, feeling sorry for himself. Was he destined to belong to Traxdart? It was better then for Magnus that he stay away from Lucien.

A cycle of internal negative reinforcements began to punish the redhead but it was interrupted by a callused fingers brushing against his soft palm.

Lucien's gaze flickered up to Magnus' eyes, and the fire mage gazed back at him with something akin to tenderness. Surprised by it, the redhead almost pulled his arm away but Magnus captured his hand and entwined their fingers, letting his warmth flow through the skin of their palms. It was an unspoken confession to the teen. Words were lodged in the redhead's throat, silenced by the knowledge that the quiet place they were taking refuge in would shatter into shards of disappointment if he said a single word.

A soft sigh was all he allowed as he closed his eyes and savoured the fire mage's touch. Lucien wasn't a psychic who understood what went on in Magnus' mind. But he hoped that one day, the fire mage would realise that the potential of a relationship between them wasn't a betrayal of the bond they shared when Lucien was still a child, and Magnus his guardian.