Unknown Heritage

[Maira]

As he watched, first the redhead then the little girl both changed into felines and dove deeper in the water. A tiger for the boy and a snowleopard for the girl. What the hell? "I didn't think children could shift that early?" Rune asked softly to Carmine.

At the same time he was asking Carmine about the kids he heard Bella asking the other Custos something about his state of dress. Carmine's answer caught Rune totally off guard and he looked at him with surprise. He didn't have a chance to question him at all because then Carmine was slipping through the water chasing the leopard and tiger.

From his place by the pool's tiled wall, Rune watched the underwater antics for a moment then he turned his attention to his sister and asked, "So who's are they? Only the little girl looks like family but I don't see why the others would be here if they weren't family somehow too."

[Demeter]

Bella grinned and sat down on the edge of the pool, dipping her legs into the warm water. "Oh, they are all related in some manner or another. The girl, Lani, is Saiyuri's daughter, Dion's granddaughter. You're probably wonder just what she is..." Bella trailed off as the subject of their conversation reared up out of the water and pounced on Carma's back, claws sheathed, to push him deeper into the water. Carma just slid away from her. "Lani is our mutt. Part Custos, part angel, part Pard, and part fire vampire."

Bella next pointed to Rowan. "The tiger is Demeter's boy. He's like Lani, except for the angel part. Custos, Tiger, Fire vampire. The reason those two can shift so early is because of their mixed up heritiage. Believe it or not but Lani is only two. The other two boys are Lani's step-brothers, or they eventually will be her step-brothers if Saiyuri ever gets her ass in gear and marries the boys' father. They kinda travel around as a pack."

Carma left off chasing the two cats, who mewled their disappointment. That was quickly forgotten though as Lani pounced on Rowan. He slid along under the water and popped up right in front of Rune. "Relaxed yet?" he asked, breathing heavily as he leaned in towards Rune. At Bella's sigh, he looked up at her. "What?"

"No seducing people, especially the new guy, in front of small children." she said and then flicked a small wave of water at him with her foot.

Carma just rolled his eyes and turned to look at Rune. "Ignore her. I wait until the third week until I start seducing people and never in front of the children. Though, tell me, Rune, where do your preferences lie?"

[Maira]

Considering all the things Carmine had told him about his family already, Rune wasn't really too surprised to learn that all the children were indeed family. Hearing about the mixed heritage of the two felines though, Rune was very curious. If the two of them could shift so early, what other powers might they have come into early? They would be fun to train for an army... He wouldn't use the methods his father had used by any means but there was nothing that said they couldn't be started young.

Rune's brain was working in overdrive thinking about just what uses hybrids could be put to in an army of Hell when Carmine popped out of the water right in front of him. The question he asked just made Rune smile as he answered, "Yes, i think I finally am." If his brain was plotting training up little warriors, it obviously wasn't stressed anymore.

Bella's sigh followed by her teasing just made Rune's smile turn wicked. Carmine had a habit of seducing people huh? Somehow he'd always wondered about that part of the rumors that were circulated about the wet Custos in front of him. Then, as if reading his mind, Carmine essentially confirmed for him what Bella and those rumors had said. His question regarding Rune's preferences didn't really even bother him either.

With a quick wink at his sister, Rune then turned his wicked grin on Carmine and said simply, "I'm not picky Carmine." Then he slipped around the man, trailing one hand dangerously low on his waist before pushing off the wall toward the children in the other end of the pool. He wanted to go play with the hybrids and see if they were as agile as he thought they were. And in the back of his mind images of Carmine swimming naked in the training complex pool floated around....

[Demeter]

Carma laughed and watched as Rune swam away. He leaned back, hands gripping the edge of the pool, tilted his head towards the ceiling and just laughed. He turned and watched as Rune playing with the kids. So, the young Custos wasn't picky. Carma filed that bit of information away.

Rowan paused in chasing Lani and the twins around the shallow end when the strange man swam over. He waited a few moments before rushing forward and banking off of his chest with all four paws and shooting across the pool. Lani, always one to copy Rowan, did the same, just to Rune's back.

Carma smirked while he watched the two felines run Rune around the pool. The twins stayed out of the way, content to let the two cats play with Rune. Carma waited until Rune stood at the edge of the shallow end, pondering which taunting feline to chase after. Rowan hovered in the deep end, twirling around in lazy circles while Lani did the same in the shallow end. He swam up behind Rune and trailed one hand, in an exact imitation of what Rune had done to him, along Rune's wet flesh. He took it one step further and leaned his chest up against Rune's back. "Remember, Rune," he whispered into the younger Custos's ear, "that I'm just across the hall from you." He swam away from Rune and over to the edge of the pool. He boosted himself up, balancing for a moment on the pure strength of his arms before climbing from the pool. He knew that the water caused his boxer breifs to sag in some areas but cling in others. He also knew that the weight of the water caused the waist bang to slid down a few more inches. He picked up towel from one of the lounge chairs and slung it over his shoulder before walking out of the room.

Bella looked after her adopted brother as he sauntered from the room. "show off" she muttered under her breathe but she turned her eyes towards Rune to see his reaction.

[Maira]

He'd been taking a beating from the two feline children and he was enjoying every moment of it. They were deffinately agile in their feline forms, even in the water where most people got sluggish and clumsy. He would have to talk to his sisters and his neice, who was older than him if he remembered right, about possibly getting to spend some time training the two...

And then his body tensed and flared with sensation all at once. Carmine had snuck up behind him, had trailed his hand along Rune's waist, and was now leaning against Rune's back with his bare wet chest as he whispered to him. What Carmine said to him provoked Rune and if there hadn't been an audience he very well might have acted on his instincts to turn and face the man. Instead he just watched as Carmine finally made his way out of the pool and out of the room. The show the older Custos put on of his strength and how the water made his boxers cling had Rune biting his lower lip with contemplation.

He didn't have much chance to contemplate what to do about the other man because he was suddenly being splashed from behind and he heard a musical little giggle. When he turned, he saw the little girl now naked as can be, swimming in her human form. Rune's cheeks flared crimson and he called out to Bella, "She needs a new swimsuit, she lost hers!" Then he scampered up the stairs in the shallow end and gathered up his own things before bolting from the room.

Being hit on by an older Custos, who he had slightly idolized growing up was one thing. Being confronted with a naked little girl, a shamelessly naked little girl, was something else entirely.

*****

He was dry and dressed and back in his own room now. He felt infinately better than he had earlier in the except for one little thing... His nearly non-existant libido was suddenly alive and well and the focus of its attention lived in the room across the hall. When he'd told Carmine he wasn't picky with his preference for his bed partner's gender he had been telling the truth so he wasn't even bothered by the fact that he found Carmine incredibly tempting. What did bother him was that the man was his father's bodyguard and assistant. If he pursued Carmine and things got beyond teasing caresses in a pool full of children, Darius likely wouldn't appreciate his bodyguard being distracted.

This was one of those times Rune wanted to just say "fuck it" to his sense of honor and responsibility but he hadn't been trained that way and he had learned long ago that more often than not following his training was much better than doing what he wanted.

When his stomach gave a loud obnoxious rumble, Rune decided he would just have to ignore his libido and go find food. At least if he managed to find the kitchen he would be able to calm one appetite. With a soft growl, Rune stopped pacing and left his room. He wasn't exactly stalking down the hallway but still, the first time one of the servants in the house flinched from Rune, he made an effort to remove any hints of a glare from his face and tenseness from his body.

Just a he got himself in what he hoped was a more genial state, Rune turned the corner and walked right into Carmine. The scent of the pool still lingered on Carmine and Rune's nostrils flared a little at the memory of fingers and bare chest on his skin... Then, before he really knew what had come over him, Rune had Carmine pinned against the wall. Once he had him there he didn't know exactly what to do with him. So as not to seem like a complete brainless fool, Rune quicky leaned in and planted a hard, frustrated kiss on Carmine's lips. When he pulled away it was only so he could lean closer, pressing his body all along the length of Carmine's, to whisper in the other man's ear, "I may be able to find you just across the hall but you have keys to my room."

[Demeter]

When Carma found himself pinned against the wall of the hallway outside the guest quarters he took a moment to process exactly what was going on. He smirked when he saw Rune's face inches from his own. When Rune kissed him, Carma kissed back. He broke free from Rune's grip and twined his arms around the Custos's neck and hauled the man closer so that there were touching along their chests. He was never one to pass up such an oppertunity.

When Rune growled up the comment about the keys, Carma chuckled and nipped at Rune's chin. "Yes, I have keys. Is that an invitation , Rune? Would you like for me to join you later tonight? Do you want me to slip into your room when the rest of the house is sleeping? Do you want me to slide into your bed, glouriously naked and willing? All you have to do is tell what you want and I'll do it." He said into Rune's ear, fully aware of how the man's body was touching his. Carma arched his body, bending his back away from the wall and towards Rune.

He used the motion to push Rune across the hall, pinning him against the wall. He leaned in close. "I'm going to tell you a little secret. Rune, that very few people know about me. When I choose to sleep with someone, and I would very much like to see just how you move in a bed, I prefer to be the submissive partner. I enjoy recieving instead of giving. In short, Rune, you'd be in control of me. Whatever you wanted, I'd do. "

Carma kissed Rune then. A slow, tantalizing kiss instead of that earlier example of Rune's skills. Carma pulled back, just a hairs breath so that his kiss-swollen lips feathered against Rune's mouth with every word he spoke. "So, what shall I do, Rune? Shall I sneak into your bed, joining you for a night of sinfully wonderful pleasure? Or do i wait for you in my own room with the doors unlocked while I lay, naked and wanting, in my own bed? Or will I do anything at all?"

Carma brushed another kiss across Rune's mouth while he pushed his body flush against Rune. "Tell me, Rune," he practically purred, "what shall I do?"

[Maira]

Between Carmines actions and his words, Rune was ready to drag Carmine back to his room right at that moment. He had to force himself -not- to do that, had to force his breathing back to normal and his heart race to slow. Going from pinning Carmine to the wall, to being the one pinned to the wall had done a number on Rune and it took a lot for him to be able to speak coherently. "Use your keys Carmine," Rune finally managed, his voice gruff from trying to control himself.

After speaking, Rune realized that he really wasn't that good at controlling himself after so long a drought. He didn't want to let Carmine get away just yet so he pushed himself off the wall and flipped the other man against it again. As he did so, he tangled his fingers in the hair at the base of Carmine's neck and held the other man's head still while he kissed him once again. As he kissed him, slower this time but still with urgency, Rune pressed his lower body up against Carmine, one knee slipping between Carmine's thighs putting pressure where it mattered.

When he finally tore his mouth away from Carmine's, Rune begged breathlessly, "Don't make me wait till tonight Carmine, please don't make me wait." Then he nipped the older Custos's lower lip before pulling back just far enough to be able to look him in the eyes. His own eyes were smouldering and his breathing was heavy again, his skin was flushed and he was shaking just a little bit from keeping himself from taking Carmine right there in the hallway...

[Demeter]

Carma groaned. "You are too tempting," Carma pushed Rune away and tilted his head back against the wall to catch his breath. He made a snap decision, highly doubting that he would come to regret it. "Why wait? Even if waiting would make the main event so much sweeter there are times when waiting is pointless."

Carma grabbed Rune by the shirt sleeve and pulled him along through the maze of hallways. He stopped in front of his own doors and slowly, delibrately, unlocked the double doors. He opened them and pushed Rune inside. He closed the doors after crossing the threshold himself and leaned back against the dark wood. He flipped the lock with a quiet click.

He undid the top few buttoms of his hsirt, along with the buttons the lined the cuffs. "So, Tell me, Rune, what would you have me do? You're the one in control here."

[Maira]

Carmine's words were music to Rune's ears, and kindling for the flame that was Rune's body. Carmine had said the only thing that could make Rune both relieved and more excited and urgent. If Carmine hadn't grabbed him and dragged him back down the hallway, Rune would have done so in the next instant. As it was, Carmine didn't have to drag hard at all.

When they finally got back to the hallway that contained both of their rooms, Rune started for his room but Carmine went to his room instead, luckily Rune wasn't feeling overly particular as to which room they went into so long as they went together. Carmine was taking his sweet time unlocking the doors but once he did he pushed Rune inside.

The wicked grin he had worn earlier in the pool suddenly resurfaced as he turned and watched Carmine shut the doors behind him and flip the lock. When he older Custos undid a few buttons on his shirt, Rune stared blatantly at the sliver of chest he could see under the fabric. Sure, he'd seen Carmine completely topless earlier but there was just something very exciting about the sight before him.

The question Carmine asked next of Rune only threw him a little. If Carmine hadn't mentioned before that he preferred to be submissive, Rune likely would have balked at being told so now. Rune walked over to where Carmine was still leaning against the doors, hooked a finger in his shirt where he had unbuttoned it and dragged him further into the suite. Once he found the bedroom, Rune turned and walked backward toward the bed still pulling Carmine after him. When his legs bumped the edge of the bed, Rune's grin grew.

Pulling Carmine closer Rune started to unbutton his shirt even more and he finally answered Carmine's question. "What I want you to do Carmine," he started, then pushed Carmine's shirt off over his shoulders before starting on the laces of his pants, "is to show me what you like." There was a slightly rebellious look in the older Custos's eyes and Rune paused in the unlacing of his pants to press a finger to his lips to shush him. "I want you to show me so I don't do anything you don't like. I want this to be more than a one time fling, I think, and if you don't find it enjoyable you wouldn't want me in your bed again." And with that, Carmine's pants slipped down past his hips and to the floor. "Show me Carmine," Rune said as he pulled his shirt up over his head and dropped it on the floor.

[Demeter]

Carma smirked. He may prefer to have been the submissive but he was capable of pulling of a decent dominate...just not at the importent parts of the program. He shoved Rune down on the mattress and crawled up over Rune's legs. "Oh, I'll show you what I like...by Custosstrating on you." While he spoke, Carma divested Rune of his pants. He smirked down at Rune before appling his lips to Rune's chest.

***

Carma lay on his favorite side of his bed, the left and glanced over at Rune. The younger Custos was flushed, panting and sweating. Carma himself was in a similar situation. He reached down and twined fingers with Rune. "Well...that was enjoyable and I would be very disappointed if we never got to do that again. And, now that you know what I like, the basics at the very least, next time should be even more enjoyable."

Carma rolled onto his side, facing Rune, and curled against the warm body next to him. "For now, though, I think it is nap time. When we wake up, we can experience round two."

[Maira]

((ooc: playing with the timeline just a smidge))

He was still half floating in dreams when he heard the door open somewhere in the suite. The dreams were too pleasant to leave though. They were playbacks of not just the first time with Carmine but each subsequent time as well, their night had been very eventfull and fulfilling for both of them.

Unfortunately, his dreams didn't get to last more than a few moments more because the voice he heard calling out was -not- supposed to be in those dreams. Shaken from his dreams with a sense of dread, Rune opened his eyes and looked around for the source of the voice that didn't belong.

And in strolled Darius.

Rune knew it was too late to hide under the bed or somewhere else, the Custos Lord hadn't seen him yet but if he moved, the man likely wouldn't miss it. When Darius realized just who was in the bed, he stopped and gave Rune an undecipherable look and then said plainly. "Well, I was looking for you and I was going to ask Carma if he knew where you had gotten to."

After Darius spoke, Rune realized that Carmine wasn't in the bed anymore. Curious, he looked around the room quickly and didn't see him. Faintly he could hear the water from the shower running. Oh how he wished Carmine would hurry up with that shower! Unsure of what to say to Darius, Rune just lay in Carmine's bed looking rather uncomfortable and he waited for the older man to say something or for Carmine to come rescue him from the man, whichever happened first.

[Demeter]

Darius stared down at his son, sprawled as he was, in Carmine's bed. He raised his eyes the ceiling and sighed. This nearly mirrored the time he'd discovered Carmine and Trey together. Though that event occured in Troy's room and he'd caught the two at a rather involved moment. He glanced towards the bathroom and shook his head. "I knew it would happen. Carmine has this effect on people. I mean, it's not like I don't already have grandchildren and it's not like the Delorme family will forever lord over the fifth layer. I mean, I took out my own father rather then waiting for him to die. And it's not like I don't have other full Custos children..." he said more to himself then to Rune.

When Carma waltzed out of bathroom with a towel wrapped around his face, Darius scowled at him. "Is it not possible for you to keep your hands off my sons?'

Carma just smirked. "Just like with Trey, he came to me. Besides, unlike Trey, this one actually likes women." He turned to look at Rune. "I didn't mean any offense by any of that." He kneeled down on the bed and ran a hand down along the curve of Rune's face. "Just ignore the Custos lord, he'll leave in a minute."

Darius rolled his eyes. "My office, Carma, in two hours. There's been some sort of uprising along the borders. The holders along there are coming in to complain." and he turned on his heels and exited the room.

Carma grinned at Rune and leaned down to kiss him. "Darius won't care what we do. He only cares that we remain happy...otherwise he will take one, or both, of us into the training room to beat the crap out of us because we made the other unhappy. It's what he does." Carma kissed Rune again and crawled, backwards, off the bed and walked over to the closet. "I suppose this means I have to wear the actual Elite Guard Uniform. I can't stay. I have to go make sure Darius doesn't do anything stupid."

[Maira]

Rune's face flamed at Darius's words and he wanted more than anything to pull the covers up over his head and hide. His father had found him in the bed of a man that apparently his older brother had also shared a bed with. There was just something very wrong with that...

Luckily Carmine exitted the bathroom shortly and at least sort of straightened out Darius's worries on his son's sexuality. He would have done it himself if it hadn't been so damn embarrassing a subject. Then, when Carmine kneeled down on the bed and ran a hand down his face, probably to soothe the redness in his cheeks, Rune leaned his cheek into the older Custos's touch. He couldn't help himself, he had come to truly appreciate the strength in Carmine's hands and having them anywhere on his body was enough to soothe and thrill him all at once.

At Carmine's instructions to just ignore Darius, Rune finally smiled again and gave a soft laugh. Then, as if Carmine had snatched Darius's intentions straight from his mind, Darius proceeded to order Carmine to his office in two hours and then he left. This caused Rune to laugh even more until he heard the door to the suite close behind the Custos lord on his way out.

Much like with Carmine's touch, Rune was addicted to his kisses and when he finally crawled back off the bed after kissing him twice, Rune grabbed at him trying to stall him from the inevitable. Unfortunately Carmine was quick and his reasoning was sound. From the little bit he'd observed of his father, Carmine's presence was probably a necessity...

As he lay watchig Carmine get dressed, Rune finally said something. "Much as I loathe to let you leave this room, let alone this bed, I know how valuable are to Darius. If it would be permitted though, I would liketo go with you and see how he runs things around here." Then he flipped back the blankets and climbed out of bed. Still completely naked from their night's activities, Rune walked over to Carmine and added, "My only problem is that today will be my third day in this house and I didn't bring any clothes with me aside from the ones I was wearing upon my arrival. They've now been worn two days and I hate to wear them a third without a washing yet somehow I don't think I can waltz around the house like this either..."

As he'd been speaking Rune had been distacting Carmine, trailing little caresses down his chest and up his back. He was standing so that their bodies were nearly touching and he had positioned himself slowly between Carmine and his closet. If Carmine wanted his clothes he would have to reach around Rune which would likely cause their bodies to brush against each other and if Rune had his way they'd wind up back in bed for at least one more round. After all, Carmine had two hours until Darius expected him.

[Demeter]

Carma smiled at Rune and then slid around him. It was a practiced moved and it succedded in getting into his closet. "Two hours until the guests arrive, not two hours till Darius needs me, I have plenty of other things to do. Talk to the spys, go over the family histories of the border families, heckle the guards into looking somewhat decent. Brief Darius on how not to act like an idiot."

He stepped into the black slacks that compromised the lower half of the offical uniform and did up the zipper and single button. "You're welcome to come with me," he said after pulling on the button up shirt that made up the top half. He tossed the coat, complete with shoulder knots and the various markings on his rank, out of the closet and onto the bed.

What Rune had mentioned about needing new clothing, Carma glanced at the man. "We're about the same size, go ahead and take whatever you want from my closet." He passed by Rune, give him a quick kiss on his way, while heading for the bathroom to take care of his hair.

[Maira]

The older Custos was slippery and Rune fought a sigh as Carmine got past him and back toward the closet. He listened intently as Carmine laid out everything that needed to be done before Darius's guests arrived. At the last bit, where Carmine said he had to tell Darius how -not- to act like an idiot, Rune couldn't help but smirk. His father must be even more hopeless than he'd thought...

As Carmine pulled out each piece of his uniform from the closet, Rune watched. He was curious just what Darius required of his guards to wear because in the long run, he figured that he would be switching which Lord he served. At least, that made a certain amount of sense didn't it? How could the son of one Custos Lord of Hell serve another?

He had just been contemplating how to tell Marrus and Rhystic about leaving their service when Carmine's voice brought him back to the situation at hand. He needed clothes to wear and Carmine had just offered him free run in his closet. He nodded his head by way of thanks, the smiled when Carmine kissed him on his way out of the room. Rune watched the other man leave before turning his attention to his closet.

Rune had never been overly flashy in his clothing preferences, in fact he was fairly set on only a few colors in his wardrobe. Conveniently enough, Carmine had plenty of one of his staple colors in his closet. Black. It only took him a little while to pull out a long sleeve black silk shirt, and some black leather pants. Simple but somewhat formal just so he would look like he sort of belonged as he hung back on the outskirts of the meeting.

He gathered up his clothes of choice then wandered into the bathroom to snag a quick shower. He kissed Carmine's neck as he passed, set his clothes down on the counter and turned on the water. "I can be outta this in four minutes so don't leave without me okay?" he asked as he then quickly climbed in the shower to wash off.

Good on his word, Rune was out of the shower in four minutes, and he hurried to dry his hair as much as he could before getting dressed. His own boots were black and polished so he pulled those on as well and he was ready to leave with Carmine on his rounds. Once he was dressed, he turned to Carmine and asked, "So, am I presentable?"

[Demeter]

After putting his own boots on, Carma glanced up and down the length of Rune's body and grinned. "You'll do. People will probably think you're a new trainee or something." Carma led the man out of his rooms and traveled the length of the house until he reached Darius' office. Stopping at his own desk, he sat down and picked up the phone. He quickly dialed and while waiting for someone to pick up, he motioned for Rune to sit down somewhere.

Six hours and a headache later, Carma slumped over his desk and groaned. "I hate border disputes. He says this, he wants repayment, he doesn't want to give repayment, they fight and so on..." he muttered with accompaning head gestures. He sat up and rotated his neck around his shoulders, using one hands to rub at the kinks. He turned to look at Rune. "As you can see...I basically run the fifth layer. He just makes educated descions and signs stuff and looks pretty. I get the headaches." He turned to Darius. "Do you need me?"

The Custos lord shook his head and Carma lept from his chair, grabbing Rune's hands in the process. He hauled the man down to the pool room and opened a door set in the side of the room. They went down a short hallway and he pushed open another door to reveal a lush, tropical room filled with heat and water and plants. Carma stripped down to his skin, seeing as how Rune had already seen his private bits, and stepped into the sunken hot tub.

"Join me, Rune, I need to relax."

[Maira]

The morning had been insane and it had dragged into the middle of the afternoon as well. Even though all he had done was watch Carmine save Darius's ass, Rune had somehow managed to wind up with a headache of his own. He had his eyes closed when Carmine groaned. Opening his eyes, he watched the older Custos try and rub his own shoulders. He was about to walk over and give the man a neck rub when suddenly he was on the move.

Before he knew what was happening, Rune's hands had been grabbed and he was being dragged through the big house. After a few moments he recognized just where they were and a small smile crept onto his lips. Swimming. That pool was what had sparked the eventful evening with Carmine in the first place, he would definately enjoy going back to it. Only, they didn't get in the pool...

Carmine had dragged him past the pool and to a door he hadn't even noticed previously. There was a short hallway that led from the main pool room to wherever they were going and as soon as he entered it, Rune could feel the heat.. Because of that, he wasn't overly surprised to wind up in a room with a hot tub, the lush greenery was a bit of a surprise though. They gave the room a very laid back yet luxurious feel.

When Carmine stripped down to nothing, Rune eyed the other man appreciatively and quickly followed suit. He didn't even need Carmine's encouragement but he was happy for the invitation all the same. Folding his borrowed clothes carefully and setting them aside, he took his time walking over to the hot tub. He examined a few of the plants, none of which he was familiar with, and then finally slipped into the tub next to Carmine.

The temperature of the water smarted his skin but he sank down up to his neck anyway. It didn't take long for the heat to start working and his headache started to ebb in moments. Through the steam rising off of the water, Rune eyed Carmine. After a moment of silence, he asked, "So, would a rubdown help with that headache of yours?"

[Demeter]

Carma grinned and rolled in the water so that his back was to Rune. He crossed his arms against the tiled floor and rested his head against his folded arms. He looked back at Rune. "Rub away, my friend, Rub away. You're father is a master at creating a headache. And he wonders why he has to buy me extravagent gifts every few years."

Carma settled down and allowed himself to be rubbed down. He groaned every once in a while and rolled whatever body part currently being touched into Rune's hands. Eventually, Carma slipped away from Rune, half floating, half walking across the hot tub to lean against the other wall. "Thats enough. If you keep on doing that, I'm gonna fall asleep and then I'll drown."

[Maira]

Rune smiled wickedly when Carmine presented him with his back and gave him the go ahead to rub him down. When the older Custos informed him that his father was a master at giving headaches Rune laughed and answered, "So I'm learning." The part about why Darius had to buy Carmine extravagant gifts was confusing but rather than dwelling on it he decided to put all his energy into making Carmine relax.

Just before Rune was about to pronounce Carmine all loosened up, the other Custos pulled away from him much to his dissappointment. Once he was leaning against the opposite side of the hot tub, Rune watched him carefully looking for any signs that the headache was still bothering Carmine. He had just decided that the man looked mostly better when he spoke again.

Carmine's words made Rune smirk and he answered, "Asleep wouldn't have been a problem because I wouldn't have let you drown." Then, floating after across to him, Rune continued, "I just would have had to wake you up." And now he was smirking. He had reached Carmine and had placed a hand on either side of his shoulders, was close enough that the length of his body was nearly brushing Carmines. He leaned his face in close enough that he could feel Carmine's breath on his lips and he added softly, "Waking up to your friend who rubs you down wouldn't be so bad would it?" Then he gently nipped Carmine's lower lip once, the kissed it by way of taking away the sting.

[Demeter]

Carma smirked at Rune. "As much as I'd like to continue this conversation, this isn't the best place. The hot tub is also prone to small munchkins randomly invading and the accpanying adult would box our ears." Carma spoke, his lips brushing against Rune's lips as he spoke.

He levered himself out of the tub, sitting on the tiled edge for a moment his legs dangling in the water. "Why don't we continue this line of...conversation else where. Like your rooms. Or mine. Or one of the spare guest rooms." Carma stood and snatched up his clothing. He pulled on his pants but didn't bother to zip or button them. He glanced over his shoulder at the younger Custos still lolling around in the hot tub. "Are you coming, Rune, or do I have to talk to myself?"

***

Later, Carma layed on his stomach and propped himself up on his elbows. He was on Rune's bed, his modesty barely covered by the top sheet. The duvet was bunched down at the edge of the bed, one part spilling onto the floor. He toyed with the ends of Rune's hair. "You can call me Carma, you know. Most everyone does."

He leaned down and dropped a kiss onto Rune's mouth before rolling onto his side and snuggling back against the younger Custos. Despite the hot tub and his relaxful afternoon activies, his headache was creeping back up on him. Sleep was the only thing that honestly cured a Darius Induced headache.