[michime]

The King lathered up Tobias' long arms then ran the claw over the skin from wrist to shoulder. He even did Tobias' arm pits then gave a little lick. "You taste so sweet," he teased with a smile.

"I should lick you all over when this is done. You can tell me how it feels for my tongue to taste all this skin."

[Regifortis]

Tobias already knew how that tongue felt on his hairy skin. But feeling it bare left the coarseness of it to stimulate every inch of flesh across which the giant muscle dragged. Mild, but invigorating. But it was still soft and warm. Just like the rest of his King: the harsh spikes and cool scales belied a gentleness and vigor to his affections. He was made for love just as much as for war.

"I would love for you to lick me, my King." He felt inexpressibly at ease...but he lightly shook his head and pointed to his soap-lathered face. "But let's take care of this first."

[michime]

"Just one pass over the face," the King explained before he slowly dragged the claw over the cheek making sure he applied only the softest amount of pressure. He didn't want to nick his mate at all. Along the cheek, over the plane, under the chin. He repeated the action on the other side then rinsed off the claw.

"What do you think?" He snapped his fingers and the mirror appeared. "You have a very handsome face, cherished."

[Regifortis]

Tobias squinted.

He could see himself perfectly well, but that was exactly what took him by surprise. He really did have a face under all that hair. He liked the machismo of a full, fluffy beard...but seeing the square jawline and thick neck of his, unobscured, immediately left an impression on him. He was a good-looking fellow. Having it clear to see was a pleasant surprise.

"It's just as you say, my King." Tobias felt his voice settle deep in his chest. It was the same pride as when his beard first grew in, that same calmness of identity coming from looking like a real man. "I look good. Your work is impeccable, and I understand why you wanted to see my face." He smirked and raised his eyebrows, cupping his stubbly chin in his right hand. "I'll have to get used to not having my big ol' beard...but you tell me what you think, for once, my King. Or if you prefer, show me. What about this look do you prefer to your cherished's bearded face?"

[michime]

The King rubbed his thumb over Tobias' chin with a wide grin. "I like seeing your lips a lot." He admitted as he ran his thumb over those pink lips. "I like scruffy but not a full beard. I would rather see you with just a bit of facial hair but not a full grown beard like you had." To prove his point he leaned in close and kissed Tobias' lips. "I want you to have some hair on your chin."

[Regifortis]

Tobias chose to respond in the way that felt best. He pulled up some of the soap-and-hair free water to wash his face. And then he pull his King back in, with just a few fingers gently urging him, to have them kiss more earnestly. Caressing tongues with a dragon, snout and all, was a bizarre experience that he came to treasure. It almost felt like he were a warrior that tamed a mighty king of beasts, only to spend time with him instead of the usual fate of conquered animals. But the possessive way his King kissed him very strongly implied that it was, in fact, the other way around.

That would make Tobias a king, though. He supposed he was. He and his mate certainly were rich enough to be kings of just about anywhere. They could buy the world. But it felt far more ideal to just spend time together and reclaim the faith of humanity in how dragons could protect them and love them, if only given the chance. But that was a bit far away for now. And if Tobias were a king, then he was certainly big enough to look like one. Except he was fat with whelps and eggs rather than gluttony. And he indulged a greed for love rather than greed for its own sake.

[michime]

"Let's get you dried off," the King finally said when they parted. "You look so good to me. I can see your face and that smile."

He picked up his mate and carried him to the side of the pool. He eased himself out then found a soft towel and started to dry off the man. "Your skin is so smooth." He kissed Tobias' cheek then tweaked a nipple. "All nice and clean."

He tilted his head. 'Did we put away the food before we took a bath? I don't remember and you still need to be fed."

[Regifortis]

Tobias faltered, even as his King dried him off. And his stomach growled softly. "I don't remember, either. We seem to have a bad habit of getting distracted, my King."

But that raised an odd question. How did his King store food, anyway? Did he have a hole somewhere to keep food chilled, like Tobias did back in his village? He supposed parts of the caves were cold enough to keep food preserved. He supposed he would find out soon, though.

[michime]

The King wrapped a dry towel around Tobias' body with great care. He picked his mate and carried him out of the spring cave. "Let's go find the food."

[Regifortis]

Tobias made a point to remember how it felt to be wrapped in a towel and carried by his King. He'd probably feel this same exact sensation of scales against cloth against skin, and it was such a tender display that he never wanted to be complacent to it.

"Let's just retrace our steps: we probably set it down and just forgot about it. What with, erm, other priorities..." Tobias felt embarrassed at how easily his mate could distract him, for all the best reasons.

They went back down the tunnels they came through, and sure enough, the saddle lay on the ground with supplies in tow. The King would have to put it back on, but that was no trouble. Tobias wasn't so burdened with pregnancy that he couldn't help lift everything and secure the saddle. He put a hand close to his shallowing navel. Not yet, anyway...

[michime]

The King snuggled his mate for a few minutes just enjoying the feel of the shaved skin against his. "I really like your skin like this," he admitted with a happy grin.

"We should get this put away," he eased Tobias into his arms. "I'm going to carry you this time. It's more fun." He padded down the mountain path following the curves and twists. "Word of advice. The top of the mountain is very cold. Make sure you're dressed if you need to go up here."

[Regifortis]

Tobias indulged in his King's cool scales, belying the warm and welcoming heat from behind them, as they moved along. He wondered if the way he felt was dependent on his mood? Perhaps a red-hot temper would lead to him being scalding to the touch, even burning the silk that he put back on. But for right now, Tobias was content to admire the sinews and musculature of his Dragon King. Along the neck and leading down to his chest is what he could see...he planted a kiss along the base of his mate's neck. It felt like he had kissed raw power...as strange as that seemed, it was undeniably fitting to him.

Tobias noticed the air getting just a little bit thinner as they moved up the tunnels. Nothing troublesome - his lungs could inhale enough air to bellow like a bear even before his body started changing - but he knew he had never been this high aside from flying with dragon dicks inside him just earlier today. He started seeing stalactites and stalagmites of ice around him. Some black and ancient-looking, some light blue and newer, others shining mysteriously with every color he could imagine. His King's ebony scales against the chromatic splendor seemed to make him glow just a little.

[michime]

"I like this part of the caves," the King admitted as he took in the colors of the scenery. "I don't come here often but it's very pretty."

He eased Tobias onto his feet then they reached a small alcove with frost and ice around the mouth. "You can put the food in there."

[Regifortis]

Tobias noticed the caves getting darker and darker as they climbed up to the top of the mountain. The effervescent light coming from the now sprawling and merging ice structures was all they had to see what was in front of them. But it turned out to be more than enough, with all of the floor and walls aglow in a rainbow of entrancing light. He had seen glowing mushrooms in caves before, but nothing so colorful as this or as visually striking.

"This is where we'll keep the food, huh?" Tobias eased himself out of his King's loving hold. "Very nice. That means we'll get it see it more often." He started unloading it all and placing it where it would be easy to find in the dark room as well as nowhere in the way of a walking path. He sneaked out a few bites of vegetables before he was done.

"Is this the end of the tunnels up here?", asked Tobias, looking to a dark patch at a corner of the room. He couldn't tell if it led to a tunnel extension or not. "Or I guess a better way to put that is whether or not there's anything interesting past here."

[michime]

"You wanna go see where it leads?" The King teased as he shifted into his human form. "Come on. We'll go see." He held out his hand and wiggled his fingers. "I'm not going to tell you what you'll see but it'll be fun." He picked up some of the cheese and bread.

"We'll need this."

[Regifortis]

Now Tobias had the unique pleasure of seeing Darius bathed in the spectra calmly coexisting in this part of the caves. Every bulge and curve of muscle and skin on his naked body was highlighted, and his King's eyes stood out boldly against the softer colors around them. He would enjoy seeing his mate like this more often...He even imagined making love up here. But then again, so much vigor and passion would raise the temperature of the place enough to melt the ice. Oh well.

He took his King's warm hand and let himself be led down the dark path. The guiding ice was more sparse here, but he trusted his mate to lead him right. The weight of his growing body felt surprisingly light as they walked, even as he snacked on a piece of cheese they brought. Perhaps his muscle was already starting to rebuild...But that sort of thinking could wait until after he saw what was in store.

[michime]

Darius pulled Tobias close as the path narrowed. "Just stay close," he whispered into his mate's ear. He slid his hand up and down Tobias' big belly. "I promise you'll enjoy what you see."

They walked for a bit then Darius tugged Tobias down a right fork. He smiled at the sight of white brightness then pulled his cherished into the light of an icy day. "It's cold but it's very pretty." He smiled as the cave opened up to soft white snow.

[Regifortis]

Tobias had to process the sight for a moment. He had seen snow before, but very sparsely, and even then mostly on the limbs of trees. This place was covered in it: soft and wet, like a thick blanket leeching heat from everything around it. He spied patches of white, glowing moss that only barely stood out from the snow frozen onto the walls. At first glance, the room was a gentle, pure white all around.

His feet were freezing, but he couldn't help pulling his King along to enjoy the soft and mushy feeling under and between his toes. His footprints were deep, the snow was clean. The ceiling had bright, white ice in partially melted patterns staring back down at them. It was like a year-round winter stored up here in his new home. With his husband by his side...

Speaking of, thank goodness he was there. As endearing at the sight of the room was, the chill on his feet quickly became too much for comfort. He leaned in close to his King and brushed off the snow clinging to his cold skin.

[michime]

Darius gave a little chuckle before he scooped up his mate. "We need to get you some boots," he announced as he playfully bounced the man in his arms. "Now that you know this is here, come anytime you want."

He loved the ice and snow of the high tops of the mountains but while his body was made for the cold, his cherished wasn't. He would need to find some warm clothes or have some made.

[Regifortis]

"I'm sure I will, now and then." Tobias let his right hand rest on his King's left cheek. "But I'll mostly stay where it's nice and warm...!"

He faintly recalled the angry King of Dragons burning off his clothes, thinking how that decision wasn't in their favor anymore. But the clothes he would get to replace them would surely be better. Certainly more appropriate for such a heavily pregnant woodsman.

Tobias looked over to his mound of belly. He had definitely gotten bigger since before they got here. It made sense that his belly would grow faster with both eggs and whelps inside him, but it was still surprising how aggressive it was all happening. Tobias would live for untold years now...and he honestly couldn't say how many children he and his King would have together. Especially if carrying warriors and mages in the same pregnancy became commonplace!

"Winter clothes would be nice, too," conceded Tobias. "As much as I love cuddling up to a warm dragon that gropes me all day, it'd be nice to have an alternative."