Tandem
13 March 2010
They wasted no time.
Maia was already peeling out of her clothing as they closed the door of their flat; Harry was already bending over to unlace his boots as she turned and locked it. They both shivered; no fear, just the comedown from the adrenaline rush that had accompanied the monsters into the Marketplace.
Both were cold, and so they stripped.
"I'll get the water," Harry said, stepping out of his boots and putting them neatly aside.
"I'll put the tea on," Maia said, as much an acknowledgment as a separate statement.
They moved in easy tandem; she slipped into the kitchen, taking a moment to put the kettle on. Harry moved into the bathroom, turning the taps and getting it at the proper temperature to wash off the destruction and chaos. They both kept peeling out of their clothes, and when he went to find her and she came to find him, they came together unadorned and shivering.
"Fancy meeting you here," Harry said, quietly, his smile in his eyes.
"It seems to be a popular destination."
He never tired of her eyes; pale and sharp and when they had that light in them, they were his very favorite color.
He didn't waste any more words. One moment, they regarded one another; in the next, he cradled her against his body, her toned legs wrapped around his waist, and Harry had been in this position enough times that he had no trouble getting them into the bathroom safely even with a cascade of chocolate hair around him like a veil. The water was scented with jasmine oil, a favorite scent of this home, though it was kept light and unassuming after all of the powerful reeking stenches that had assaulted the senses of everyone below.
He eased her into the water; she held his forearms to steady him when he crawled in after.
Both were cold; they sunk themselves as deeply as they could into the tub, and used a pitcher to pour hot water across one another's shoulders. They fought that post-adrenaline chill in other ways, too; kissing, stroking, reaching for something powerful that did not require going out and killing nasty things.
He felt her skin slide against his, felt her lips under his; she felt his hands, reverent and sometimes teasing and often kind, tasted his mouth on hers. They moved from the bath, drying as they went. Tandem, again; natural, easy motion that came from years of experience.
As they went, they took the tea pot off the stove, a short side trip. It would still be warm if they were awake, after.
Both had been cold, but they knew their dance well enough to know how to get warm again.
And knew that they would.
13 March 2010
They wasted no time.
Maia was already peeling out of her clothing as they closed the door of their flat; Harry was already bending over to unlace his boots as she turned and locked it. They both shivered; no fear, just the comedown from the adrenaline rush that had accompanied the monsters into the Marketplace.
Both were cold, and so they stripped.
"I'll get the water," Harry said, stepping out of his boots and putting them neatly aside.
"I'll put the tea on," Maia said, as much an acknowledgment as a separate statement.
They moved in easy tandem; she slipped into the kitchen, taking a moment to put the kettle on. Harry moved into the bathroom, turning the taps and getting it at the proper temperature to wash off the destruction and chaos. They both kept peeling out of their clothes, and when he went to find her and she came to find him, they came together unadorned and shivering.
"Fancy meeting you here," Harry said, quietly, his smile in his eyes.
"It seems to be a popular destination."
He never tired of her eyes; pale and sharp and when they had that light in them, they were his very favorite color.
He didn't waste any more words. One moment, they regarded one another; in the next, he cradled her against his body, her toned legs wrapped around his waist, and Harry had been in this position enough times that he had no trouble getting them into the bathroom safely even with a cascade of chocolate hair around him like a veil. The water was scented with jasmine oil, a favorite scent of this home, though it was kept light and unassuming after all of the powerful reeking stenches that had assaulted the senses of everyone below.
He eased her into the water; she held his forearms to steady him when he crawled in after.
Both were cold; they sunk themselves as deeply as they could into the tub, and used a pitcher to pour hot water across one another's shoulders. They fought that post-adrenaline chill in other ways, too; kissing, stroking, reaching for something powerful that did not require going out and killing nasty things.
He felt her skin slide against his, felt her lips under his; she felt his hands, reverent and sometimes teasing and often kind, tasted his mouth on hers. They moved from the bath, drying as they went. Tandem, again; natural, easy motion that came from years of experience.
As they went, they took the tea pot off the stove, a short side trip. It would still be warm if they were awake, after.
Both had been cold, but they knew their dance well enough to know how to get warm again.
And knew that they would.