Bathing Later
by Kate of Kintail

Gimli was walking stiffly, even for a dwarf. It was more of a waddle than a walk, as he didn't seem to want to bend any part of his body if he did not have to. They'd been on the move for days now and his muscles ached terribly, though he would not admit it even to Legolas. In contrast, Legolas seemed tired but moved with his usual gentle smoothness. He was the one to open the door to their home and head straight for a chair. He sat and shook small rocks from his boots, casting accusatory looks over at Gimli who had made them return home by way of caves rather than the normal above ground routes.

"It is not my fault you are too light and slide down the inclines instead of climbing down like the rest of us," Gimli said in defense of his caves. "Besides, you cannot deny that it was a shorter route in the end."

Legolas smiled pleasantly as he watched Gimli trudge over towards their bed. "I suppose it was, but not by much. And I certainly would have preferred walking out in the open with the fresh air." Though their differences were obvious and many, neither really meant their bickering any more. What had once started as annoyances had turned endearing, and the playful arguments became as dear to them as the best bouts of lovemaking. Especially when they were too tired to handle the latter. "You should bathe, Gimli," Legolas called over as Gimli neared their bed. "The warm water will do your muscles some good."

"I would much rather sleep," Gimli told him, shedding a few layers of clothes and trying not to wince as he moved. He climbed up onto the bed and collapsed upon the feather mattress at once. "Sleep first. Bathe later."

Barefoot, Legolas padded over to the bed. He folded the blanket on his side of the bed over Gimli and tucked it around him. So exhausted was he, that Gimli fell asleep before Legolas had finished the task, and his only thank you was a resounding snore. Legolas kissed him softly, then drew back with a squint and scrunched nose. It seemed not just a bath but ample amounts of scrubbing would be required. Nonetheless, Legolas lay down on the bed and took the dwarf in his arms for a bit of rest. His initial reaction aside, he much preferred to hold the dwarf close in any condition, rather than do otherwise.

Partly because elves require far less rest than dwarves and partly because Legolas was not as tired to begin with, Gimli woke hours later to an empty bed. No longer was it dark outside, but glowing softly with the break of day. Content to spend the entire day in bed, Gimli briefly considered going back to sleep. But instead he pulled himself up and headed out for an aforementioned bath. The elf had probably been right; a bath would do him good.

When he reached the hot spring, with the morning sunlight bursting through the trees enough to make him squint, he spotted the elf already occupying it. Legolas had lowered himself in and was sitting on a ledge just a few feet down from the surface, as though it had been placed there as a convenient seat. He sat with his arms stretched out on the ground above, and with his head tilted back to take in the sunlight. It was as much sunbathing as anything else, and Legolas practically glowed there. His hair was unbraided, and there was a flush to his cheeks from the heat of the natural hot spring. But his eyes were closed and he seemed not to have noticed nor heard Gimli's approach.

Gimli meant to speak at that point, but Legolas moved and words caught in Gimli's throat. The scene felt too serine to disturb. Legolas took a hand down and brought it to his chest. With his eyes still closed and his mouth opening slightly, he ran his fingers lightly over his pale chest. Then his thumb and forefinger pinched at a nipple. The tips of his ears twitched at the sensation, and Gimli knew well that was a sign Legolas was getting excited. He longed to go over and pinch the other nipple for him or lick at Legolas' ear and neck but, again, he did not want to disturb so beautiful a sight.

Legolas' hand slowly slid down, beneath the warm water. There were ripples upon the surface, indicating movement below, but Gimli could only imagine what was going on there. However, having known and lived with the elf for a number of years, he had a good imagination about such things. He knew Legolas was hard. He knew Legolas was stroking himself. And he wondered how often Legolas did this in the morning. He wondered if many elves ushered in the day by touching themselves to a sunrise and the soft songs of birds. The act seemed to fit so beautifully, so completely, that Gimli dared not disturb him.

He continued to watch only as Legolas' arm moved up and down slowly, then a little faster. His other hand played at his nipple one moment more, then stretched out along the ground again. His fingers scratched at the dirt, digging in as though trying to grab hold of something to steady himself. With quick, shallow breaths, he rocked back and forth. Beneath the water he still pulled and stroked, though now he did so in time to the rocking. His head tilted back and his face turned upwards, nose to the sky. His jaw hung open, his eyes were closed, and a look of pure relaxation showed on his face.

Almost impossibly, he sped up more. The stroking and pulling. The gasping for breath. The thrusting forward. The warm water hid his lower half, though his movement made water lap softly against his chest.

It took another minute, perhaps two, before the elf had worked himself up completely. The quick movements of his arm and the expression on his shining face was enough to reveal this. Gimli watched as Legolas gave one last gasp before grinding his teeth and exhaling sharply. His back arched, head tilted back even more, ears wiggled, and his body shuddered with pleasure.

The elf remained in that position for a few moments more, then he relaxed with a sigh. He lifted the hand which had dug itself into the dirt and dipped it in the water, then he rubbed it against his face. He took a deep breath and let it out. Then he glanced over his shoulder to see the dwarf. "Nice to see you are finally awake. Good morning." He beckoned him over.

"Good morning," Gimli replied, undressing and taking Legolas' hand to get into the hot spring as well. He turned his body to the side so Legolas would not see how hard he was having watched the elf. Gimli had slept well the night before, but he could barely feel the aches and pains that remained in his body once he slipped into the water. The warmth soothed him and his skin tingled with it. His limbs moved more freely. He felt invigorated and sighed deeply.

Then he tilted his head and pressed his lips to Legolas, kissing hard and soft at the same time. When he pulled away, Legolas had a hand on his shoulder. "Let me wash you."

Gimli smiled but nodded in agreement. "I still stink, I take it?"

Legolas wrinkled his nose but shrugged. "Not for long." Gimli closed his eyes. He could still feel the sun warming his body as much as the water. He could also feel Legolas' hands rushing over him, gathering water in cupped hands and splashing it against his skin. The fingers caressed him as much as cleaned him, and if Gimli had not been hard already, he certainly would have been now. He let himself relax fully and let Legolas touch him everywhere.

Everywhere included his face, which Legolas kissed dry after wetting it, and his loins which Legolas petted enticingly. Gimli gave a pleased grunt and eased his crotch forward, encouraging more of the same. Legolas moved himself closer, boldly placing one of his thighs between both of Gimli's. Gimli reacted instinctively, clinging to the elf and rubbing himself to full arousal.

Legolas' arms hugged Gimli close, stroking thick, damp hair while Gimli buried his face into the elf's wet chest. His breathing was heavy but shallow. With the water around them, their skin was slick, and Gimli slid against Legolas effortlessly as he grinded himself into the elf's thigh. His hands gripped Legolas to keep him in place until he finished. He was well aware that this was the most primal of urges that had come upon him, with the humping motion and desperate grunting as well. But he only thought of how good it felt to be in Legolas' arms and how incredible Legolas had looked a moment ago all alone and touching himself. After that, Gimli needed this.

"Ahhh!" Gimli cried as he came and Legolas held him all the more tightly until it had passed. Gimli then pulled away, sighing deeply. He had taken care of himself a few times a day while they were on the move, but had not been able to lie with Legolas properly in days. The touch of the elf's skin against his and the sweet, woodsy smell of the elf had done him in completely. "Thank you, Legolas," he whispered, feeling somewhat ashamed for his instincts. It had not been proper love-making but an animalistic pleasure he had not been able to fight against. "I needed that badly."

Legolas placed a kiss on his forehead. "Then you should have joined me earlier, my dear dwarf, instead of standing back and watching."

Tensing, Gimli pulled further back and looked up at him incredulously. "You knew I was there?" Legolas nodded. "For the entire duration?" Legolas nodded again. "Why did you not say something?"

It was the elf's turn to look slightly confused, though this emotion registered only in his eyes. "You were silent as well, just watching. Why was that?"

Remembering all too well, Gimli smiled. "You looked far too peaceful to be disturbed. You were so beautiful."

"As are you," Legolas replied softly. His voice was so kind and sweet that it filled Gimli with warmth.

Remembering how breathtaking the sight of the elf had been, immersed so naturally in the water and the sunlight, and then remembering how he had been just minutes ago, humping the elf's thigh with grunts, Gimli shook his head emphatically. The images of Legolas in his mind were enough to make him half-hard again, if not for the embarrassment the memory of himself filled him with. "No. Not like you."

"No," Legolas agreed. "Not like me, but beautiful just the same to my eyes." His lips found Gimli's forehead and kissed, while his hands found Gimli's sides and drew him close again. "That is why I was thinking of you in here with me. That is why I did not touch myself until I smelled you, heard you, sensed you."

"Want you," Gimli echoed, his whisper warm and moist like the hot spring itself against Legolas' neck. Well acquainted with dwarven stamina and resilience, Legolas closed his eyes pleasantly and nodded in agreement. As he had wanted to do before, Gimli nibbled at the elf's ear and pinched his nipple. Beneath the surface of the water, they touched, and above they kissed. This time Gimli would make it tender and loving. This time he would make it last.

"But I have not yet finished washing you. I should scrub--" Legolas began to protest playfully before Gimli cut him off.

"Sex first. Bathe later," Gimli growled just as playfully as Legolas' arms wrapped around him, holding him close again.