Sharing baths is romantic, even if the reason you have to do it is because water rates are ridiculous and one of you is an archangel without a concept of time and would simply let the water run and run, flooding the apartment and quite literally flushing money down the drain. They have almost nothing to their names. All of Kate and Adam's bank accounts have been declared inactive so even if Adam wanted to he couldn't claim the money he'd saved from every part time job he ever took. He's missing, presumed dead, and trying to reactivate the accounts would just lead to a lot of questions he doesn't want to answer.

He won't commit fraud like his brothers either. Michael is undocumented, a no-one without a history or a paper trail. The only jobs they can get are cash in hand, under the table jobs where the owners know they're desperate and take advantage of the fact. Money is tight and everything has to stretch to breaking point. Michael isn't human but he's been damaged in their escape from the cage. He needs things like food and sleep now. He needs baths because otherwise he'd walk around dirty, forgetting that he can't just become clean with a click of his fingers any more. He has to conserve the grace he still has. He has to use it to keep himself and Adam hidden.

Adam isn't the only one who doesn't want to answer awkward questions. There are any number of angels about who would love to restart the apocalypse, who would welcome their glorious leader's return to earth as a sign that they should kick things off again. They'd probably kill Adam. He failed at being worthy when he and Michael fell into the pit together. He is weak, an imperfect vessel.

Michael loves him in spite of that. They've been together for over four hundred years. Sometimes Adam thinks that it was inevitable they would fall in love and other times he thinks that he's crazy for ever having given his heart to Michael. He doesn't like being away from Michael now. He's so used to his warmth, his presence, that even the few hours a day they spend apart from each other, working at their separate jobs, makes him feel anxious and sick.

When he gets home he runs the bath, filling it half way and pours in a little bubble bath – half a cap full and swirls it around with his hand, building up a head of foam. It reminds him of being at home, of the baths his mother used to run when she got off a long shift. It calms him down as while he waits. Michael returns from his job half way through this process. He undresses in the hallway, throwing his clothes left and right with little care and later Adam will find that aggravating when he's the one left to pick up after Michael, but Michael is eager to get to him and Adam can forgive him that.

Michael always finds him on his knees beside the tub. He tugs Adam up and kisses him, tearing hurriedly at his clothes till they're pressed together, naked skin on naked skin. It hurts Michael as well to be apart from him. Neither of them feels completely whole till they're pressed together. Both of them know no matter how dirty they are, no matter how tired, they won't feel right until Michael is inside Adam.

Michael sinks down into the tub first. It's a tight fit. It's a little tub and there's hardly any room for him to move about but that suits them just fine. Adam climbs in on top of him, wiggling around in Michael's lap until he's comfortable and Michael is rock hard.

One thing Adam does spend money on is shampoos and lotions. It's one area they can pamper each other. Michael reaches for a bottle of shower lotion and a flannel. He pours a little of the lotion into it and starts to rub at Adam's shoulder in small circles. Adam relaxes with a little moan. He can feel Michael's cock rubbing between his cheeks but there'll be time to take care of that later. Both of them know they don't have any reason to rush.

Michael moves on to Adam's chest, the rough flannel harsh on his sensitive nipples and it doesn't take long for them to harden under Michael's ministrations. Michael wraps an arm around him, kisses his shoulder and plays with Adam's nipples until Adam's cock is half-hard and he's whimpering, bucking into the water in search of some friction. Finally Michael takes pity on him. His hand skims lower, under the water and he wraps the flannel around Adam's cock. Nothing about this is gentle, the rub is rough but Adam craves that, needs it. He bucks up into the tight grip on his cock and comes.

Michael murmurs sweet nothings to Adam and finishes washing him. By the end of it Adam is squeaky clean. Michael drops the flannel over the side of the tub, ready for Adam to wash again for the next time they need it. He coaxes Adam up, getting him to grip on to the edge of the tub and then reaches for a little bottle of lubricant. Both of them know that the water will wash away most of it, but they don't care. Adam enjoys it rough and there's always just enough to make it the right amount of pain.

Michael coats his fingers in the lube and works Adam open with practiced fingers. He has Adam hard again in no time. Adam clenches on the fingers inside him, willing them to go deeper, babbling nonsense words. Michael draws his fingers out slowly, leaving Adam to wiggle desperately. He strokes his fingers over his cock, spreading the lubricant as far as it will go and the grabs hold of Adam's hips. They sink back into the bath together and Michael drags Adam down onto his cock, impaling the boy in one long, sudden movement that has Adam gasping for air.

For a moment Michael holds Adam there, kissing his neck and willing Adam to relax around him. Finally, Adam can't stand to be still any longer and he starts to fuck himself on Michael's cock, raising up a little and then sinking back down. He doesn't even try to keep his voice down. The walls of their apartment are paper-thin. The neighbors know all the secrets of their sex lives now. There's no point in trying to hide what they're doing and Adam knows Michael likes to hear him. That's when Michael begins to thrust up into him in earnest. The bath water around them is tepid by this time but neither of them really notice it. They're too lost in the feeling of each other.

Adam will never be Michael's vessel again. This is as close to that fullness, to the connection that they used to have, as it is physically possible for them to get without Michael reverting to a residency inside of Adam's body. It's a path that they're unwilling to go down again, besides which both of them enjoy sex. Adam has always enjoyed it. He's always been a willing bed partner. It took longer to convince Michael who viewed sex as something so very human and as such beneath him. Adam had enjoyed showing him how very vital it was. Now every moment together is connected by some sort of contact – kisses taken, fingers entwined together, bodies pressed side by side.

Michael doesn't rush towards orgasm. He moves them together slowly, letting the water grow cold around them as he fucks Adam, working at every last one of Adam's nerves. When Adam comes again he is close to sobbing, his cheeks bright red, his body shuddering as he spills. Michael fucks him through it, slow, deliberate thrusts. Adam slumps back against Michael's broad chest, gasping for breath. He keeps gasping, minutes ticking by, Michael's pace as steady as ever. Just as Adam began to grow restless, as the thrust of the hard cock inside of him stops being pleasurable and starts being something else, Michael stiffens and comes without a word. His fingers dig tight into Adam's hips and Adam sighs softly, pleased.

Michael shifts, his soft cock slipping from inside Adam. He wraps his arms around Adam, cuddling him close as the cold water splash around them. They stay there till their fingers and toes start to wrinkle and then finally get out. Michael wraps Adam up in the one towel they have between the two of them. He kisses Adam's cheeks, his nose, his lips and whispers how much he loves the young man.

Eventually they both dry off, Adam drains the bathtub, they get dressed and make dinner, staying close together as they move, never more than a few steps away from each other at any time.