You Set My Heart Aflutter (Dad/Tavros)

"I'd believe it," Tavros smiled, leaning forward and rubbing the bar of soap over his legs.

"Do you find me to be a caring parent?" Robert asked with a smile.

"Well, you, um, certainly have me fooled, if that's not what you're trying to be," Tavros answered, bringing the soap as far up to where the end of the swim trunks met his knees.

"Do you need me to leave so you can wash your other places?" Robert asked kindly.

Tavros shrugged, avoiding looking at Dad. "I'm wearing shorts, so, it should be fine, right?"

"If it makes yo uncomfortable, I have no problem with leaving for a few moments." Robert stated gently

Tavros scratched the back of his head, watching the birds bob up and down on the toy duck. "Okay, I'll finish washing and let you know when I'm done."

"I'll be right outside" Robert smiled, pushing himself up and walking out, closing the door gently behind him.

Once Dad left, Tavros unfastened the swim trunks and got to cleaning the "other places," which was kind of weird when he could still hear the birds chirping around on the fake duck while he had his hands down his shorts. Yup, just washing your naughty bits in a tub with birds. Nothing to see here.

Robert went and sat on his bed. The bird's cage wouldn't need cleaned until tomorrow, so there wasn't anything for him to do while he waited but read the magazine on his nightstand. Martha Stewart was one of his favorites after all.

Tavros hurried up and cleaned the rest of his body parts while Dad was gone, deciding to take this time to finish up since he was no longer distracted by conversation. When he was done, he carefully scooted to the end of the tub and unplugged the drain, startling the birds off the fake duck from the noise it made and perching on the shower rod.

Robert lifted his head when he heard the drain all of a sudden. "You done in there?" he asked cheerfully.

"Uh, yup!" Tavros answered, scanning the bathroom for a towel. Oh wow, Tav. Way to forget about grabbing the most basic of all items when taking a bath.

"Would you like some help getting out of the tub?" Robert asked, getting up off the bed and stepping towards the door.

"Um, I just need a towel, really. I'm pretty sure I can get out okay by myself," Tavros called back, holding his shoulders and shivering a bit as the room temperature began to chill his skin in contrast to the much warmer blanket of water fleeting down the drain.

Robert opened the door and immediately the birds took off again, fluttering between the rooms with loud and happy chirps. Robert made his way over to the Linen closet and pulled out a large towel. He opened it and crouched down in an offer to help Tavros out.

Tavros held onto the edge of the tub as he propped himself up on his knees, reaching forward to take the towel from the human. He didn't register that the man was offering to pull him out of the tub, not just hand the towel over.

Robert carefully wrapped the towel around Tavros and lifted him from the tub. He didn't mind if he was getting his shirt wet, he just hummed happily and carried Tavros to his bed. "Would you like me to get you some pajamas or clean clothes?"

Tavros jolted when Dad lifted him up, clinging to his shirt in fear of falling when he was hoisted into the air. "Oh, wow, y-you didn't have to, uh, carry me," he insisted, gripping onto the human even tighter. "I was just going to get ready for bed after this, so, um, if you put me back, in my chair, I could go upstairs and... yeah."

Honestly, he really didn't like being too far away from his chair as he had learned it was not a wise thing to get in the habit of. Gamzee used to carry him around all the time, but the only problem with that had been when he would be plopped down somewhere and then couldn't leave that spot until Gamzee remembered he left Tavros there. And with Gamzee the way he was, he rarely ever remembered.

"I'm not so sure I like the idea of you trying to get up the stairs while you're all wet" Robert stated. "You could really hurt yourself if you slip. Would you mind terribly if I carried you and brought your chair up separately?"

"Or, I could dry off first, then go upstairs," Tavros suggested, starting to wonder why Dad was so persistent when it came to carrying him around.

"That is an idea as well." Robert nodded "I really just don't want you to hurt yourself" he admitted.

Tavros let go of Dad's shirt and papped him soothingly on the face, though he was mostly doing it to tease him, not in a mean way of course, just to be playful. "I never, uh, thought, that such a tough guy, could be such a worry-wart."

Robert laughed. "It comes with being a father." he smiled. "Who knew someone who's race is known for violence would be so gentle and have such a dislike of violence." he countered playfully, tilting his head to trap Tavros's fingers with his lips.

Tavros's pulse quickened at the older man's actions. Was Dad flirting with him? He must have been if he was putting his lips where Tavros's fingers were now. Where did this come from? Why? Why was this happening? What did you do, Tavros? You had to have said something or done something for him to start doing that. Okay, just let him down gently that you aren't interested. Yeah. Because you aren't interested. At all. Right?

Right???

"Uh..." Tavros gaped, his hand frozen where Dad's lips met his fingers. He could not pry his eyes away from those lips. "Wha-what are you...?" He asked in an incomplete inquiry, just letting it hang there as his brain struggled to pick up the pieces.