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Delicately, a branch of light blue forget-me-nots was woven into the shimmery black locks of Asterius' mane. The petals had a hint of lilac to them, which Theseus kept pausing to admire as he twined them into his partner's hair. The minotaur struggled to dress himself and tailor his own hairstyle. He did not care much for his appearance, but Theseus always insisted on taking care of it for him. Timidly, the bull snorted and let out a small question. 'Is something wrong, my king?' Two bronzed hands began stroking his hair and trailing down his back. 'Not at all, friend! I was just admiring your delicate pelt.' The sudden flicking of Asterius' tail gently whipped between the king's inner legs.
Theseus was rather jealous. Although he had the most golden, most luxurious curls of any being in the underworld, Asterius was covered head-to-toe in gorgeously dark silken fur. After a moment of deliberation, Theseus leaned close to Asterius' cheek and kissed the back of his ears. 'Can I ask you something, my bull?' No reply, only a gentle nod. 'How do you groom yourself so finely?' No reply again, Asterius was silent for a moment. 'I do not recall cleansing myself before, even in Crete. But I am not fond of the idea.' The fear of water was not uncommonly heard, but Theseus was shocked to hear a phobia of bathing. 'Did someone else maintain your cleanliness for you in Crete?' Theseus inquired softly, trying not to strike a nerve. The bull shook his head softly. 'Not even a change of clothes, my king.'
Such a fine and gentle creature deserved to experience the luxury of a bath, did he not? Theseus seemed rather upset about hearing Asterius' response, twining the remaining flowers into his hair in a slightly more clumsy manner. A budded forget-me-not fell onto the lap of Asterius, gently descending down his crossed legs. Another almost silent snort escaped Asterius' muzzle, blowing his nose ring softly upwards. The silence continued as both parties focused on the intricate styling of the beast's lustrous mane.
‘How about I treat you to a bath Asterius? Tomorrow morning.’ A gentle question rose from behind, making the bull’s ears twitch. ‘Well.. alright.’ Asterius was hesitant. He knew not of the feeling of water upon every inch of skin. Besides, minotaurs had no concept of bodily hygiene, but Asterius developed a brief understanding from Theseus’ fixation on appearance. Besides, he still appreciated the fondly placed flowers in his braided, black hair.
Shortly after, both men had found their way to their chambers to rest. The bed was rather large, decorated with velvet pillows and linen sheets, and the frame had decorative images carved into it. Asterius laid delicately on his side, trying to avoid ruining his styled mane. Beside him, Theseus laid, looking up at the bull admiringly. Their eyes were locked in a glistening and tender gaze. ‘A rather long day it has been, don’t you think bull?’ A loving whisper escaped the king’s mouth. Asterius nodded, wrapping a large hand around the king’s waist and pulling him closer. The mutual cuddle slowly loosened as both sides began falling restless. Theseus’ words were almost hypnotic, putting the creatures mind at ease instantly. And before he dozed off, he felt the warm kiss of Theseus perched atop his cheek.
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Awoken by a sudden ruffling of bedsheets, Asterius sat up to find Theseus half-naked with a robe wrapped around his waist. Gentle eyes fell upon the tanned, muscular chest of his king. ‘Why are you up so early Theseus?’ A sheepishly tired voice pried as Asterius scooted carefully off the mattress, planting both feet on the rugged floor. ‘Your bath awaits, bull.’ Theseus announced proudly, holding out a hand to guide Asterius to his place of honours. Palm in palm, the bull followed his king into the richly marbled bathroom. A large, circular tub was perched in the corner of the room, filled to the top with crystal blue water. Flowers of teal and white were floating on the surface, and petals were scattered along the tile brimming.
Asterius was rather taken aback. It was such a beautiful sight. ‘Is all this really for me?’ He asked, a little puzzled. Theseus nodded and reached over to gently undress the bull, putting aside his robe. Both men stood beside each other, completely bare. A hand rubbed Asterius’ back softly and beckoning him to step into the bathtub. He did so willingly, sinking his body gently into the water. It was warm and tender, consuming his tufts of fur one by one as he lowered himself down. His behind and feet were planted at the bottom of the tub, his head and shoulders resting comfortably above water.
Theseus smiled warmly as his partner reacted well to the new experience. He stepped in as well, letting himself sink down to a comfortable level in front of Asterius. ‘Is it pleasurable?’ Asterius nodded softly. He looked around, at Theseus’ dampened body. At the small buds of flowers surrounding them. At the generously tiled floors. This was beyond comfortable for him. Theseus reached for a porcelain bowl, taking a small handful of salts and sprinkling them into the bath. The surface of the water began to froth slightly, and an aroma of earthy salts began tickling the bull’s nose.
‘Turn around, Asterius.’ A soft-spoken command came from Theseus as he reached for a woven cloth. The bull did as he was told, gently turning himself around and facing the wall. Theseus stood up and began washing Asterius’ back with a dampened cloth, wiping softly between his muscles. Water droplets trickled down the beasts’ spine and back into the bathtub, splashing lightly and making his ears twitch. He closed his eyes and sighed, lost in a state of relaxation.
Before long, the king had moved onto grooming Asterius’ hair once again. He ran a silver comb through the bull’s wet tufts, slicking his hair back. The feeling of a comb gliding against wet fur was sensational, making Asterius tingle slightly. ‘I’m not hurting you, am I?’ Theseus cooed out gently, kissing along the minotaur’s wet back. He shook his head. ‘No my king, not at all.’ Asterius had his head hanging down, eyes drawn to the gentle waves rippling through the opalescent water beneath him. This was complete bliss.