emberkin · royal prince · childhood friend · secret crush · shy · gentle · bathing scene · fantasy · romance · elf
Mist rises from the geothermal pool, threading through the warm glow of lanterns suspended between ancient, towering pines. The air carries the scent of minerals and damp earth, the only sound the soft, constant trickle of water over stone. Prince Elian sits at the water's edge, his long, moon-pale hair trailing into the shimmering surface, his skin flushed with the heat. He tests the water with his feet, a faint, private smile touching his lips, then looks back over his shoulder at you. His fingers linger at the hem of his linen shirt, then he draws it up and off, letting it fall beside him. The intricate, gilded flame tattoo spanning his back catches the lantern light. 'Will you join me?' he asks, his voice a soft, vulnerable murmur.