Kinan pushed himself up on his arms, though their legs were still tangled together. His face brightened. “I can bathe!”
Cormal almost laughed, but then he remembered that it had been almost seven years since Kinan had been able to do any of these common, everyday things that Cormal took for granted.
So he just smiled at the man, helpless in the face of his infectious enthusiasm.
“Yes, you can bathe.”
Kinan practically leaped out of the bed, but then he grabbed Cormal’s hand. “Come on, let’s go.”
Apparently, they were bathing together. Cormal had no objections.
They wiped the worst of the mess off while the tub was filling. As far as he could tell, Kinan looked exactly like he had whenhe’d been intangible, just with an actual solid form now. Had the Life Magic and Elemental Magic made that body because that’s what he thought he looked like? Had it done it because that’s what Perian, Trill, and the others who’d directed it thought he looked like? Or had his energy, even when it was just in energy form, somehow retained a sense of body?
However it had happened, Kinan retained the broad chest, trim waist, and strong thighs. He was so beautiful—especially with his evident happiness practically lighting him up from the inside.
Once the tub was full, they lounged together with Kinan lying back against Cormal.
“This is the best,” he said enthusiastically. “I definitely didn’t appreciate baths enough when I was younger.”
“I certainly think them improved with company,” Cormal agreed.
Cormal could hear the smile in Kinan’s voice, even though he couldn’t see his face. “Agreed.”
Reluctantly, Cormal conceded, “But… we should probably get out before everyone shows up again.”
Kinan’s stomach rumbled.
Cormal continued, “And we should find you some food.”
“Ooh, food!” Kinan exclaimed joyously.
Cormal laughed, his own stomach joining in the chorus.
Yes, there was a great deal to be experienced once again now that Kinan could touch everything. Cormal had to admit that he was pretty flattered that the first thing Kinan had seemed to want to do was, well, Cormal.
They emerged from the tub, dried off, and got dressed. Whoever had put them into Kinan’s bed together had apparently thought of everything. Cormal found his own clothes in what Kinan assured him was a new wardrobe.
And then he realized that Kinan was just standing there, stark naked, staring down at his hands and arms, looking at them like he’d never seen them before.
He sounded a little lost. “I, uh, tried to get dressed by thinking about it. The way that I used to with you, you know?”
Cormal came over and drew the other man into an embrace.
“We’re going to figure all of this out. You had almost seven years to get used to how your life worked when you couldn’t touch anything. Of course it will take some time to get used to being solid again.”
Kinan was staring at him, eyes huge.
Cormal teased, “And I promise not to laugh too much the first time you try to go through a wall.”
Thankfully, this made Kinan laugh.
“That’s very thoughtful of you, thank you.” He poked at Cormal’s ribs and grinned when the finger made contact. “Come on; we don’t want my sister to find us naked.”
Cormal grimaced, because he really didn’t want that, and Kinan laughed at the alacrity with which Cormal got dressed.
Thankfully, they were indeed both clothed and in Kinan’s sitting room when they were inundated with visitors once more, and this time they’d had the foresight to bring food.
Perian winked at them. “It was pretty clear you were going to work up an appetite.”
