Desdemona didn’t say anything at first. She pursed her lips together in a fine line, stepping gingerly into the shower at Ax’s gentle coaxing. She lingered some inches away from him, tracing the fingertips of her free hand slowly along the line of his shoulder and up to the base of his neck. Her gaze was intent and calculating, although what of was anyone’s guess.
“You didn’t tell me you were hurt,” she finally said, and made sure to pour every ounce of disapproval she had into those simple words. Desdemona needed him to know, thoroughly and soundly, that whatever else came in the day, she was Not Happy with that turn of events. “That is important. You should have told me.”
A prickle of agitation has settled into the pit of her stomach, less at him and more at the thought that someone had damaged something belonging to her. Had it been one of the senshi? - had it been someone on her side, not knowing he was claimed? “How did this happen? Who did this?”
He wanted to draw her in against him, chase away the worry from her face and the stern set of her lips with a kiss to melt her down to her toes. His hands ached with the need of it, but her expression stilled him, even as his head tipped with the upward brush of her fingers along the side of his neck. If not for the warmth of the water cascading over his shoulders there’d have been goosebumps at that small, simple touch.
“I wasn’t keeping it from you,” he assured her, smoothing the pad of his thumb along the side of her wrist. “It happened last night, and I didn’t want to tell you over the phone.” Had she not woken him up with her call that morning he’d have gotten a hold of her later in the day. There was always a phone call, or a text, or snap. Even if contact was minimal, a day didn’t go by when she didn’t hear from in him one way or another.
His free hand came up to trace the tips of pale fingers along the outer curve of her hip, upwards towards the small of her waist where his palm rested against soft skin. How much about the incident did he tell her? Obviously not the part about fighting off the youma, or being a squire, but the rest? He could probably get away with that…
“I was walking a friend of mine home after work and we were attacked by one of those weird monsters that you hear about from time to time. It had some pretty serious talons.” A flicker of a smile as he looked down at himself. “I don’t know what chased it off, but after it left we went to the ER. It’s really not as bad as it looks.” Which he wasn’t certain was true or not. “I’m alright.” He lifted the hand he was still holding so he could lay a soft kiss against the back of her knuckles.
Although the answer immediately satiated her, Desdemona did not immediately let on. She wanted to leave him hanging for a minute more, a few more precious seconds, just to really make it stick before she eased up. She gave a sigh that seemed to resound throughout her body before she leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to his collarbone, neck, and then finally to the corner of his lips.
“You’re lucky I think scars are hot,” she teased gently, shifting the hold he had on her’s so she could drag the pads of his fingertips across her back, along the lines of the old scars from her last days as an order senshi. Not that he knew the whole story behind them, but - “I suppose I’ll have to be gentle with you today,” she purred as she eased closer, her motions as fluid as the water falling around them. “Handsome.”
She brushed herself lightly against him, not pressing firm, as much to tease as not to hurt him. “Turn around.” Her offer was still on the table.
Since there really wasn't much else he could to to placate her displeasure at the knowledge that he'd been hurt he could only wait for that unhappy tightness to leave lovely features. When it did he smiled, instantly relieved, dipped his head to lay lips against her temple when she loved to kiss along his collarbone. Fingers curling in against her side as the kisses climbed higher.
Her comment had him flashing a grin, but it didn't stay bright, not as she lifted his hand to trace his fingers along the soft lines of old scars. They didn't bother him at all, just another part of the whole, but he didn't like knowing she'd had to endure something awful to get them, even if the events of it had happened long before she'd entered his life.
As she leaned in closer to finally close that little distance he shifted his arm to curl over her shoulders, holding her gently against him. “How about I just let you know when it hurts?” Was his counter to the promise of gentle handling, colored with obvious innuendo.
But he turned as requested, hands sliding over her shoulders and side as he did so.
Gentleness wasn't something he typically expected or desired from Dessy, but he was in no way doing to turn down a bit of extra attention and care.
Desdemona didn’t bother to bite back a laugh. “Deal, handsome, “ she purred in agreement, winking at him and pressing another kiss against his damp skin before easing back a little.
The closeness and the brush of fingers against skin were thrilling as he turned. She slid her own fingers along the length of his spine, from the base of his neck all the way down to his hips. “So you missed me?” she remarked, questioning tone although it hardly seemed to be a question at all. She peppered a few kisses along his shoulders, fingers gliding now along his sides. “I wonder how much, hm?”
Pressing herself closer against him from behind, it was easier to wrap an arm around in earnest, hand shamelessly slipping right down between his legs.
frayedflower
Fade to black fin for this part!
