Page 116 of Love Limits

Ash must have noticed something, because they quickly changed course. We could do the bath first. My tummy can wait.

Zhong patted their belly, loving how free he felt to be affectionate. There was something about the way that Ash acted sometimes that wasn’t quite regression to a younger age, but had the playfulness of a kid. A kind of innocent enthusiasm that was a bit silly. Zhong found that he enjoyed it.

Your tummy can’t wait. You need lots of good food to stay healthy. He gave them a little tickle.

Ash fended off his hand, laughing and squirming, but not getting much farther away. It was a horribly inefficient method to avoid tickles, but that didn’t seem to be the goal.

Zhong tickled them again, delighted with the laughter on their face. He tested out knees, armpits, toes, and even Ash’s neck before he decided to give them a break so they could catch their breath.

Ash rolled into him, panting and bright eyed. No more tickles.

Nope. He agreed. Then he thought of a perfect idea for his silly love. What if we do bath time and breakfast together?

Ash, of course, was enthralled with the idea. They met a few minutes later in the bathroom, which gave Ash time to take care of their morning business and Zhong time to grab the smoothie and a straw.

He expected Ash to get into the bathtub on their own, so that he could just focus on washing them. But he couldn’t exactly sign through the closed door to see if they were ready, so he hovered outside the bathroom nervously, the glass chilly in his hand.

Finally, he opened the door, slowly so they would know he was coming, and peeked in. They were sitting on the closed toilet seat and waiting. Fully dressed.

So… apparently undressing them was Daddy’s job, too? He set the smoothie down by the sink, hoping that he didn’t look as nervous as he felt.

For a moment, their pasts and identities seemed to fill the bathroom like a cloud. Ash’s gender. Zhong’s asexuality. Neither of them took their clothes off very easily around other people.

But Ash’s face held only adoration and awe. They probably cared more about the smoothie-in-the-bathtub idea than anything that was holding Zhong back.

He stepped up to them and loosely caught the bottom of the two shirts Ash was wearing, his larger one that Ash liked to sleep in and the fitted undershirt. Can I take this off?

Ash lifted their arms and he pulled the fabric over their head. He could see why Daddies enjoyed this. There was something satisfying about making a show of doing something for Ash that they could so easily do on their own. It was a little symbol of the larger dynamic between them.

He wasn’t sure whether it was better to look or pretend not to, but he was fascinated by the small beads of their nipples and the slightly raised mounds behind them. There was a light dusting of hair just in the middle of their chest.

He quickly averted his eyes, not wanting to look like he was staring. Stand up, he urged. Ash was wearing baggy pajama pants, so all he had to do was hook his fingers under the waistband and push down everything together. That wasn’t so bad.

The little trail of hair that painted a line down Ash’s belly terminated in a soft thatch that didn’t quite hide everything. It wasn’t quite like Zhong’s body or the other men he ended up seeing in locker rooms. There was definitely a small shaft, but more tucked up into other parts.

He was curious, but Ash hadn’t asked to be his scientific experiment. This was something special between them. Their body looked vulnerable there, soft and exposed. He hoped they weren’t feeling too nervous.

He moved his gaze back up over Ash’s belly and chest. He wasn’t aroused but he was… pleased? Ash was strong and graceful, with slender limbs and just a touch of curves at their hips and waist that was offset by their more masculine chest with its soft hair.

Ash was put together well and they were healthy. He liked the way that they moved and the way that they stood. They were, objectively and maybe a little bit subjectively, gorgeous.

He especially liked that they were his.

He offered one hand to help them into the bathtub, but they gave him a questioning look. Aren’t you getting in with me?

Zhong blinked. His plan had involved kneeling on the outside of the tub. He even had a folded towel ready so that his knees wouldn’t get sore. He was wearing comfortable clothing that could survive a few splashes.

Ash had trusted him, though. Ash was standing in front of him now, naked and proud, and they wanted him in the bathtub. He felt a frisson of worry, but he pushed it back. Ash knew his limits and said they accepted them.

He had to return that trust and believe that Ash was telling the truth. He shucked off his own clothing, leaving everything in a pile.

Ash’s eyes lingered appreciatively over his body and he tensed at first, then forced himself to relax. They were bathing together. They were getting to know each others’ bodies. Ash wouldn’t push for anything more.

He held out his hand again and Ash took it, stepping carefully into the tub.

Zhong saw immediately that there was way too much water and let some of it out before he allowed Ash to settle down. When he was satisfied, he moved around to the back of the tub and eased in.

The hot water felt surprisingly good. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d taken a bath. He raised a hand and Ash sat in front of him, facing the other way.