Welcome to Gaia! ::

A loud voice could be heard from the hallway. It was decidedly feminine, obviously annoyed, and rose in volume each second that passed. The techs that passed the room seemed to scurry past, giving the room a wide berth.

"I can walk fine. I don't need help - and if you touch me again, I'll castrate you."

A lower, more muffled masculine voice.

"You don't think I'd do it?"

The same muffled male voice as before.

"Come on, then. Try and keep me here."

There was a sharp metallic clank - one that would be familiar to anyone who had sparred a certain dark-haired life trainee. Nona's blades tapping upon one another.

Two seconds would pass before a rather harried-looking man burst from Sasha's room. He looked pale, annoyed, and slightly shaken. He also might've muttered crazy b***h, psychopath, and lunatic beneath his breath as he stalked away from the woman's room.

"I told you to leave me the f-- oh."

Sasha's entire expression brightened when she caught sight of Wash.

"I was just getting ready to leave."

She slipped Nona's silver chain around her neck, looking incredibly pleased. Pale, uncomfortable, even - but incredibly pleased. When she finished, she turned her gaze back to Wash, black brows lifting slightly.

"Have you come to walk me home?"

"I think you might be right," Sasha purred softly, pushing off of the bed, "but then, I think you like it."

She rose to her feet, heels tapping against the floor. Only after she snatched up a small duffle did she twine her arm through his, fingers snaking around his bicep to deliver an approving squeeze.

The smile faltered only slightly.

"Lets find a private spot, mm? I have a few things to tell you."

"Yours," she replied quietly, alert gaze ever watchful. She felt on edge. The sooner they got to his dorm, the better.

As they walked, Sasha leaned in to press her lips to his shoulder, nipping at the cloth of his shirt.

A polite way of saying hurry, I want you naked, please.

Sasha gave a low laugh at his hum, enjoying his instant reaction to her teasing.

"Mmm. Much better. Eye on the prize."

Her tone made it perfectly clear that the prize was just within reach. There would be time to talk later - first things first, as far as Sasha was concerned. Her ribs were still in slight discomfort, green bruises fading to yellow, but they were easy to forget when he was touching her jaw, her lips.

It didn't take long for them to reach the dorms.

She busied herself with the curve of his back as she waited for him to open his door, teeth and nails teasing, digging, nipping along the smooth muscles that bracketed his spine.

"Faster."

Sasha let out a low, rumbling purr that echoed Wash's sigh.

"I've missed this body," she murmured against the curve of his collarbone, fingers idly tracing circles along his damp skin. The thought that a sinister, deadly red-runed axe might carve into his contoured, warm body -- the thought made her sick to her stomach.

"It was Rep," she began, a good a start as any. "He did this."

She was silent as she turned her head to n** at Wash's thumb, pressing a kiss to the skin she'd abused.

"No. We.. have history together. I've landed him in the infirmary a few times."

Sasha paused as she slipped her hand to curve over his shoulder.

"He's reckless - no control. He tried to kill me, really kill me, back when everyone was weaponless. I'm.. concerned he might come after you."

Was this going to get awkward?

The old Sasha would have blushed and buried her face in her hands. The old Sasha might have wept at the thought of something happening to this man, the one who had protected her, held her in his arms - the man who, with a simple touch of his fingers against her skin, could ignite a flame within her that burned so hot it threatened to consume them both.

The old Sasha would not be here, nude, enjoying the brush of his hand against her neck and the press of his body against hers.

It was a good thing the old Sasha was dead.

She didn't break eye-contact with him - if this changed things, she'd rather get it over and done with.

"He knows there's someone I hold dear to me," her voice was strong and unpretentious, honest and straightforward. "I was careless and reacted more than I should have when he came for a little visit."

It was no admission of love by any stretch of the imagination - just a simple acknowledgment of the time they'd spent together, the things he'd done for her.