Kazien stopped. He turned, truly not understanding Allen's train of thought which seemed ambiguous.
"If you don't hate me, why do you act as if you are angry at me? Why did you slap my hand away?" asked Kazien gently but demanding an answer. "Also, for what reason would I hate my own cousin? That doesn't make sense."
"Can you sit next to me again?" begged Allen, with his head bowed deep as if hiding his nervous expression.
Hearing his sincere request, Kazien sighed. He went back into the water and sat next to him. He looked at Allen with a gaze full of wonder towards him.
He doesn't hate me. He isn't angry at me either. But, why is his attitude like this towards me?
Awkward silence struck again. However, a few moments later, the bathroom door opened. Alvin entered the bathroom wearing an apron.
"Hey, how long are you two going to soak like that?" scolded Alvin cheerfully. "I've finished cooking, you know. The food is ready."
Hearing his words, Kazien immediately reacted. He started to move out of the bathtub for the second time.
However, Allen still sat silently there. He didn't move, still hugging his knees in the water because his condition hadn't subsided.
"Just go ahead!" exclaimed Allen without turning his head. "I... I will join you guys in a bit!"
Alvin became puzzled looking at Allen. However, as a sensitive Elf, he could realize from the expression, body gestures, and way of speaking. He was sure that currently, Allen was falling for his future husband.
He wanted to ask, but Alvin decided not to press. He chose to leave the bathroom first.
"My dear, bring Allen with you! Don't let him stay too long!"
After saying that, Alvin closed the bathroom door again.
Kazien, who was already outside the tub, saw Allen still curling up. He didn't have the heart to leave him. Kazien walked back to the bathtub and sat on its outer edge, facing Allen.
"Come on, Allen, finish your bath." coaxed Kazien. "You'll get sick if you soak like this for too long. The water is already getting cold."
"I'm fine." answered Allen stubbornly. "Go to the room first, I will join you later."
Kazien chose to remain seated in front of him. He didn't budge. He didn't leave Allen who wouldn't move from his seat.
A sincere worried look was shown by Kazien to him. However, Allen only bowed silently in front of him, avoiding eye contact.
Feeling frustrated at being ignored, Kazien moved closer, then sat right in front of him.
"Forgive me!" said Kazien suddenly.
Without permission, Kazien ventured to hold Allen's chin and lifted his face forcibly but gently.
Allen flinched. Their gazes met at close range.
Kazien was stunned in shock when he saw Allen's facial condition clearly. Allen's face was bright red, his eyes droopy, and even his breathing was irregular and panting.
So cute! thought Kazien spontaneously. Then he shook his head inwardly. No! That's not what I meant! Wake up, Kazien! Why is his face like this? What happened to him?
Allen, caught red-handed in that embarrassing condition, instantly panicked.
"Why are you lifting my face like this?" protested Allen weakly. "Do you want to laugh at me? Laugh at my weird face?"
Kazien returned to reality and immediately answered his question firmly: "For what reason would I laugh at you? On the contrary, I am very worried about you! Allen, let's get out of here."
Allen remained unmoving from his seat. He lowered his face again, staring at the water surface.
"Why are you acting like this?" asked Kazien urgently. "If I am wrong, just say my fault to you so I can introspect and not repeat my mistake again. Don't just stay silent!"
With his face still staring at the water surface, he answered in a quiet voice: "You are not at fault, Kazien. But... I am the one at fault here!"
Hearing that confession, Kazien stood up from the edge of the tub, then entered back into the lukewarm water. He sat back next to Allen while leaning his back against the tub's edge, trying to align himself.
"Listen!" said Kazien seriously. "I don't feel like you have wronged me. Whatever it is. Instead, I feel happy because I still have a brother like you when I am far from my family. You make me feel accepted."
Allen remained silent without a voice. He just listened to what his cousin said, absorbing every word that actually made him fall in love even more.
"I don't want to make you scared of me." continued Kazien honestly. "I know maybe my orientation makes you awkward. I do like cute boys, but I couldn't possibly do bad things to you who clearly is my own cousin! I have moral boundaries."
Hearing that, Allen looked up slightly. A bold question crossed his mind.
"So... if I were not your cousin, would you do untoward things to me?" asked Allen innocently but provocatively.
Kazien fell silent for a moment, then...
"Hahaha."
Those words made Kazien laugh out loud. His laughter broke the tension in the room, making Allen turn and look at his cousin's face in confusion.
"Why are you laughing like that?" asked Allen pouting. "Is there something funny?"
"Your words made me laugh!" said Kazien while wiping the corner of his eye. "What kind of question is that?"
Kazien suddenly fell silent, his laughter stopped. His eyes stared at the bathroom ceiling, gazing into the distance.
Allen became puzzled and at the same time felt worried if his words earlier had offended Kazien's feelings.
"Allen..." said Kazien seriously. "It's impossible for me to do depraved things like that carelessly. I respect others. I also... honestly, I haven't done anything to Alvin."
Gasp!
Allen's eyes widened. "You must be lying, right? You two are always together, sleeping together, right? Have you really never been intimate with him? You guys are already engaged!"
Kazien shook his head slowly while smiling thinly. "I don't want to do it because he and I are not married yet. I only want to do it when we are officially married. If you don't believe me, you can ask him."
Allen was surprised to hear his confession. His heart trembled. He could feel the sincerity in Kazien's voice, that this young man wasn't lying to him. Kazien was truly a man of principle.
Allen's respect and admiration grew. And strangely, his wild passion slowly receded, replaced by warmth in his chest. He looked back at the water surface in the bathtub and realized that the "problem" down there had subsided. His erection was gone.
"I believe you!" said Allen finally while smiling with relief. "Let's finish this bath and have dinner together immediately."
Kazien nodded in agreement and finished his bath. They both got up and dried their bodies with their respective towels.
However, when Allen was rubbing his hair, he felt a warm breeze.
"Let me help!" said Kazien.
Attentively, Kazien dried Allen's hair using wind magic combined with warm fire elements. Kazien's fingers combed Allen's hair gently.
Allen stood still, enjoying that touch.
Does he always treat Alvin like this? thought Allen, envious yet happy. I can feel the sincere affection and attention coming from him.
Allen closed his eyes for a moment.
I don't know what I'm thinking about my cousin that I could fall for him. This is wrong! But clearly, I don't want to ruin their relationship. They are a perfect couple. And what I can do right now is try to bury my feelings deep down.
Allen looked at their reflection in the mirror. Kazien, forgive me for presumptuously having feelings for you.
Kazien did not know about that inner struggle. He absolutely didn't know that currently, Allen was harboring feelings for him, although he actually misunderstood that Allen's wariness had increased again like when they first met.
And now, Kazien only focused on drying his cousin's hair with the sincere smile of a brother.