Work Text:
For the absolute bibliophile Dr. Ratio is, he’s quite the narcissist!
Now, don’t get it twisted, Aventurine knows that geniuses having less than savory hygiene is a stereotype, but he’s familiar with the various genres of people across the universe— and his opinion is that if someone is street smart, they allow their clothes to speak for them, so any money talk spilling from their lips is muffled by and coated with a rosy tint. Let’s be real, it’s hard to get pissy with someone doused in the sweetest of scents or when their smile is painted bright.
As for those who are book smart, they tend to not care as much about how their appearance affects others, despite knowing the effect of first impressions. They rely on only their tongue to do the work!
(Which, in Aventurine’s personal experience, Ratio has a finely working tongue. . . )
Anyway, this gibberish psychoanalyzing is all to say that he is still at a loss for words when he catches Dr. Ratio flexing in the mirror. It’s a habit he indulges in when he thinks no one is watching. Sometimes it’s subtle, like a forlorn glance when passing shiny surfaces, other times like now for instance, he’s half-nude and nearly hard at his own reflection. That thin towel leaves little to the imagination, how lovely.
Aventurine is no creep, by the way, no, no! He had stopped by on a whim, and decided to peek in the crack of the doctor’s bathroom door when he heard a noise!
He bites down on his bottom lip, raking hungry eyes over Ratio’s figure. You know, he likes to style his hair with marble combs, he dry brushes his pearly skin to perfection, and he dons shirts that will highlight those buff biceps of his.
‘I’m merely a mundanite’, he says. ‘I only seek knowledge and nothing else’, he says. ‘I am not fond of the hedonism you love so dearly’, he says.
And yet!
There he is: submerging himself in a luxurious bathtub, and picking up a book from his side table adorned with treats and a candle. Aventurine smells the lavender, crisp mint, and a hint of tonka bean. His bathwater is milky, and swirls with bluish foam and purple shimmer. Did this man, a rigid, uptight scholar, seriously buy a damn bath fizz?
Aventurine is sick of being a voyeur. He briefly vanishes from the shadows, and just as quickly, he’s opening the bathroom door without a warning. This intrusion has Ratio glaring at him, and just as perplexed.
“Have you heard of a term called privacy, gambler?” Ratio notes the thin, sheer robe that is… definitely his.
Aventurine shrugs. “Hm, it sounds familiar. Care to remind me what it means?”
Ratio doesn’t lunge for the bait. Instead, he sighs and returns to his book. It’s an odd title, one Aventurine doesn’t recognise, although he’s never been much of a reader to begin with. He knows the classics, and he skims the news every once in a while, as anyone does.
“Anyway, I’ve been so busy lately, Doctor! I’ve really wanted to sit back and enjoy a steaming hot bath. How ever did you know?” Aventurine toys with the loose tie of the robe, and checks out his reflection in the wide, vanity mirror. Who needs such a large mirror? Oh, it doesn't matter! He can think of a few ways he can put it to good use.
He unwraps the bow like he's a gift, and the silky robe pools around his ankles. He spins around in all of his naked glory. When he hears a soft gasp, he beams from ear-to-ear, except—
It drops instantly upon seeing Ratio’s attention solely on his stupid book.
“Veritas!” he chides.
He doesn’t even glance up. “Yes?”
“I said, I’ve really been needing a steaming hot, lush bath. How did you know?”
“I didn’t.”
Aventurine is this close to whipping a poker chip right into his mouth and down Ratio’s throat so he hopefully chokes to death. He’s joking, duh!
“Well, what a coincidence!” he recovers and saunters over the clawfoot bathtub.
Ratio’s eyes start at Aventurine’s softened cock and travels upwards to the snicker he wears. He acts unimpressed, sure, but he can’t hide the pink hues spreading across his cheeks. Aventurine dares to point it out, though he knows Ratio will cite the steam as an explanation.
“Have room for one more?” he purrs.
Ratio now stares at the lustrous colors in the water. “If I said no, I’d be lying. So, by all means, come on in.”
Aventurine carefully steps into the tub, taking his time so Ratio gets a full frontal view, before sliding down and interlocking his legs with Ratio’s. Ratio frowns, yet doesn’t shy away from the affection.
This doesn’t satisfy Aventurine though, not when his face is still shoved inside the damn book. His face should be between his legs! Read my body language, idiot.
He scoots closer, their thighs sliding against each other’s. For a tantalizing moment, their dicks kiss, but Ratio shifts his bottom, either out of annoyance or he’s acting his part of a teasing brat. It’s truly difficult to discern which when it comes to the Doctor. He’s as immature as he is intelligent. There’s something tucked deep inside of him Aventurine has yet to unlock; some luscious little secrets he can surely fuck right out of him.
He flicks water at his bathing buddy. You’d think he’d be smart enough to not read in a precarious place like this— seems like an accident waiting to happen!
“Watch it, gambler.”
“Whatcha readin’?”
“You wouldn’t know it.”
Aventurine rolls his eyes. “Uh huh, yeah, I don’t know it, so that’s why I’m asking. What’s it about?”
Ratio leans back, and Aventurine immediately captures this opening to scoot further, trapping him on one side of the tub. There’s that delicious friction again, and poor Doctor has nowhere to run!
He sighs, his flawless skin flushing by the second. “It’s about string theory.”
“Sounds lame. So, do you need any help washing up? Any nooks and crannies that need a hand?”
“No, I’m perfectly fit to clean myself. I’m not a child.”
With that attitude and pout, could’ve fooled him! “Are you sure? Well, okaa~aay. Can I at least watch? Make sure you don’t drown?”
“Why would I drown in a bathtub? ”
Aventurine shrugs. “You never know! That book is boring enough to put anybody to sleep! They rest their eyes, slide down, and bam! Just like that, they drown.”
“That is a hypothetical scenario with ignorant, implausible reasoning.”
“Someone drowned in Penacony,” he points out. He’s aware he’s pushing buttons, but frankly, with a man like the Doctor, any attention including negative is good attention.
“That is nowhere near the same scenario! Penacony is an outlier to any statistics dealing with accidental bathtub drownings. I imagine a drunkard might drown, a beatnik might drown, an actual infant. I, on other hand, will not suffer any fate related to your poor attempts at conversation, unless I perish due to a burst blood vessel brought on by stress.”
That sounds like words he should be listening to, but Aventurine tuned him out about a good thirty seconds ago. He might end up being the one to close his eyes and drown, at this rate! Besides, this is going nowhere. Any semblance of an erection he had circled the drain and vanished. This sarcastic mister-know-it-all can’t take a hint, apparently.
“Are you unaware that a pretty boy is aching for you, Doctor?” he pushes another button, except this one is a long one between Ratio’s legs.
He twitches, and peeks over his book, pointedly searching the bathroom. “Is the pretty boy in the room with us?”
His patience has finally evaporated. Aventurine snatches the book— he might’ve heard a small tear, but oh well— and he chucks the book across the bathroom. It lands clumsily on its open pages upon the tiles, and that tortuous sight has ratio scoffing.
“That was a limited edition.”
“I'll buy you a new one,” Aventurine voice drops an octave, and is laced with venom. “I'll buy you the very first, original copy— Hell, I'll have it dipped in gold and studded with blue diamonds if you goddamn want me to.”
His words actually silent Ratio. His expression is flat, nigh unreadable, but remember, street smarts have a cute silver lining! And that’s catching the flicker of lust across Ratio’s chiseled features. Ironic how a man like him needs to be talked down to and tugged on his leash to make him obey.
“… That sounds rather tacky.”
“Does it now, doctor? too tacky for a dream boat like you, huh?” He tilts his head, his ethereal irises challenging him to look elsewhere.
Ratio purses his lips and maintains eye contact to win this battle, having lost the war. He fails that too, shocker, so his hands dip below the water to caress Aventurine’s soft thighs. Jackpot!
“Should I really have to crack you open every time I want something? This hard exterior, gooey center routine is getting stale.”
Ratio huffs in exasperation. He has nothing to say, nothing clever anyway. He relinquishes control and allows Aventurine to cuddle up next to him, wet skin pressing against wet skin.
“Listen, if you don’t want something extra, that’s fine.” Aventurine tosses the ball back in his court, out of courtesy. He’s no monster.
“I—,” Ratio clears his throat when his voice is hoarse, “I just want to relax, right now.”
“Okay, okay.” Aventurine cautiously leans on him, his back flush with Ratio’s plush chest. His slightly erect cock juts up the gambler’s hip, but for the sake of enjoying this quiet time, Aventurine ignores it. He can admit he can be overbearing, especially today, and he can rectify that with letting silence and bubbles fill the air. So, it’s uncharacteristic for Ratio to pop one of those bubbles first.
“You already bathed today,” he whispers, matter-of-factly.
Aventurine turns his head, his lips mere inches from another set of full, moistened lips. Hold back, Vasha, hold back. “What?”
“Your hair— you usually use a honey vanilla shampoo. You smell of it.” Ratio dips his head, taking a tiny sniff.
Aventurine hums, pretending to also ignore how his heart kicks at his ribcage. “You like it? It’s a newish one.”
Ratio nods.
“They have a body care line too. Think I should’ve bought it?”
Pause.
“Since you suggested it, yes. It would be a good choice.”
What a funny man! Aventurine relaxes, his head rolling back onto strong shoulders, savoring the aroma of lavender and milky peppermint, as well as the sensation of Ratio clasping and unclasping their fingers together. The chastest kiss is placed atop Aventurine’s hair, then behind his ear. This isn’t so bad, oh by no means .
Ratio wraps his arms around a lithe waist and trails more gentle kisses along wet skin. A massage would also be nice, but they’ll warm up to that. Aventurine loves the idea of squeezing and fondling those muscles of his. But for now, he’ll act his part of the spoiled brat and the Doctor’s golden boy .