“God, I'm exhausted,” he yawned, somehow still managing to sound irritated about the whole thing. About what it'd turned into and how bad it could have been for them.
Shoulder against the door jam, eyes heavy, he reached out thoughtlessly to tuck fingers into Dessy's front pocket. Contact that wouldn’t compromise her ability to open the door for them.
“What do you think about playing hooky tomorrow?” Chase probably wouldn't like it, but they did have personal time and sick days. And it'd been so chaotic since she'd come home. Him being hurt, being brought into the Negaverse. All the crossing if ‘t’s’ and dotting of 'i's’ that came with that. The convention. One thing after another in rapid succession. Maybe it wasn't just having his energy drained that left him feeling like he was running on empty.
Desdemona had been mostly quiet since the clinic - which was probably the most telling sign that she felt the same as Otto, beyond exhausted. In her case, though, even if she still had to slap a bandage on her arm where the nurse had gotten a little stab happy, it was more mental than physical.
It frustrated her that she’d put them into that situation. It frustrated her that those kinds of situations still got under her skin. It frustrated her that she’d lost her head. It frustrated her that it had been such a gloriously bungled Negaverse operation with no communication. It frustrated her that the mere sight of Leucite still got to her like this. She was an eternal now. This whole mess was years behind her. It shouldn’t have still been this - she was so far removed from the girl chained to the chair, but even now -
“Best idea I’ve heard all night, “ she said honestly, taking a cue from his book and hooking both index fingers into the belt loops of his pants, coaxing him forward with a tug. “Come on handsome, unless you’d rather sleep in the hall.”
He put up no resistance as she hooked a finger through the loops of his jeans and pulled him through the door. Long legs a little less than perfectly coordinated, but he was chuckling as he followed along.
“Yeah?” He'd half expected her to put up a little more resistance to the idea considering they were both still pretty new at Argent Inc., and she was by nature quite dutiful to her job. Be it the one she did for Chase, or in the Negaverse as a whole. That she didn't was surprising, but pleasantly so, and Otto caught up to her in two quick strides to circle her shoulders with strong arms, molding himself against her back.
For as quiet as she'd been on the ride home he knew something was bothering her–likely a lot of somethings. Even outside the ******** of a bungled Negaverse operation they'd stepped into at that clinic. He'd seen the look on her face in the hall, that brief flicker of intense fear. He didn't know why, but maybe he could add that to the list of heavy questions that'd been shelved for 'later’, whenever 'later’ actually was.
Hugging her to him, Otto drew in the scent of her hair before dipping to lay a soft ghost of a kiss against her shoulder.
“Undeniably.” She half-snorted, then, because honestly, “when I tell Chase what happened, somehow I don’t think he’ll blame us. Especially not you, considering,” although he might not be totally thrilled to hear why they’d had to go to urgent care in the first place. Desdemona didn’t say that, but there was no denying that’d come up somewhere along the line.
He was a doting thing, huh? - certainly not a bad thing, even if he had to learn when and where to dote on her. The door clicked open and she tugged him inside, kicking off her shoes and rubbing her hands over her face. “Think I’ll start some tea, “ and she was saying it to herself more than him, “Or clean up first? - no; start the water, then clean, “ and seemingly resolute on this, with or without Otto in tow, she took off for the kitchen. But she did make sure to add, “Make yourself comfortable handsome, but not too comfortable. I still want to get something on your wound before we go to sleep.”
Hands sliding over her shoulders with lingering reluctance he let her step free from the circle of his arms, but he trailed after her as she made her way to the kitchen, eyes sliding slowly around the apartment. It was different than his, than anyone else's he knew, really. Still nice, comfortably furnished and obviously taken care of, but it lacked the sort of personal touches you usually found in people's homes. Something he could have attributed to having been away for a large stretch of time, but didn't think that was the real root of it.
More things to ask and learn in time.
Leaning back against the counter hands folded over the edge of the granite, his gaze followed her around the kitchen as she set about getting water on to boil for tea. Otto thought about asking if they could make a small pot of coffee as well, he didn't like tea as much, but if the idea was to head to bed soon ish he probably shouldn't load up with an abundance of caffeine. Still, with as tired as he felt, it might not have made a difference.
“Yes, ma'am.” It was a low rumble, agreeable and obedient.
It sent a pleasant little chill up her spine. She did love the obedience, although her smile was hidden as she set to work preparing the tea. Desdemona glanced back over her shoulder at one point, canting her head lightly to a side as her eyes trailed over Otto. Her gaze was unreadable, and she got back to it.
He looked good like that, leaning against her counter. A surge of raw want welled up in her despite the exhaustion. Soon. Clean him up first, then let it lull him to sleep. He wouldn’t want to do anything else after that.
Desdemona didn’t say he was the first to ask about her past. That would be giving away too much - and it would probably give away that it was the first time she’d talked about it like that - and that it hadn’t felt so bad, sharing that with someone. Instead, she remarked, “What a night.”
Pale eyes tacked her movements through the kitchen as she set about preparing tea, but they lacked focus. Following her without really watching her. At least until she’d looked back at him. He met that unreadable expression with a questioning look, brows arching curiously, but she turned back to her task without commenting and Otto was left wondering what sort of thoughts had just circled through that pretty head of hers.
What a night. He chuckled, head shaking agreeably. “That’s the biggest ******** I remember ever being a part of.” Which honestly didn’t mean much. Who knew what sort of craziness he’d encountered as a knight.
"No, no, you didn't make it worse, you... you tried to help. You didn't set me free, but you did loosen the chains."
The comment Dessy had made at the clinic pop back into his mind and once again he found himself wondering just what she meant by that. If she’d been speaking literally or in metaphor. They were home now, but after everything they’d just been through he doubted that was a subject he would be eager to broach again, and for as curious as he was Otto was inclined to agree. It was late, unbelievably late, and there was still much to do before they got to climb into bed.
And it was with that in mind he pushed away from the counter to come stand beside her. “Do you want any help?”
Desdemona considered him as he came to stand beside her, and she turned to him, fingers curling down into the hem of his shirt and tugging upwards. “This needs to come off, “ she commented. “Actually, all of it should. You should shower. Alone, “ she added as a warning, shooting him a look, although there was a hint of a wicked smile on her face. It didn’t hurt that much to tease a little. “I’ll clean you up when you’re done. And maybe if you’re an especially good boy, I’ll put you to bed nicely.”
Never mind she was going to do it anyway. She wanted him to think there was something on the line, as if she wasn’t already aching for that sort of reprieve and attention. “That would help me immensely, handsome.” Throughout all of this, she seemed to be paying the bloody patch on her arm from that rough needle treatment - thanks, nurse - literally no mind at all.
She was used to pain; it honestly didn’t even phase her anymore.
If she wanted to strip him down Otto was definitely not going to complain but the upward drag of the shirt across his chest as he lifted his arms to make it easy on her made him wince. A hissing sound he bit off early because he really didn’t want Des to change her mind about skipping urgent care in favor of spending the morning in bed. “If you wanted me naked…” he started to say, grinning deviously, before trailing off as shower was followed by alone.
Oh. That wasn’t what he thought she had in mind, but instead of complaining he tucked a finger under her chin to tip her head back so he was looking down into her face. “Whatever you say.” There was no question, no defiance or disappointment to note. Just a small dip of his head to brush her lips in a soft kiss before his tanned face lit up in a grin. “Just point me towards the bathroom and the towels.”
He lowered his hand, but it went for her arm and the bloody patch she’d barely acknowledged all evening. “We’re taking care of this after you take care of me, though.” The tips of his fingers brushed the edge of the bandage before falling away.
Desdemona was ready to poke her tongue out at him and tease him before he rather… intimately assured her that he would do as she asked, no argument, no anything. And beyond a game, she was relieved: she would not admit to being as tired as she was, but god, she was, the kind of tired that made bones ache (although she didn’t believe for a second that the sleep would be dreamless; perhaps she’d take something tonight after Otto was asleep?), and it was nice to just be listened to at a time like that. “You’ve got it, handsome - good boy, “ she added warmly, patting him on the arm.
Then she kind of lightly batted his hand away from the bloodied patch, although the smile remained. “If you want to play doctor later, that’s fine. I wouldn’t mind an injection from you.” Then she took him by the hand and led him off to show him the bathroom. “I hope you’re not too gender specific on your toiletries.” Not that it was super feminine, per say, but, “Usually Poppy’s the only one that comes over.”
Something low in the pit of his stomach flipped pleasantly as she praised his obedience, and Otto was struck with a sudden deep urge to drag her in close for a far more intimate kiss than the soft peck he’d just given her. But...he’d already told her he’d listen, and if he got distracted now he didn’t know when he’d actually make it into the shower, and it was already so late.
But as she took his hand, leading him off to the bathroom with promises of heat and skin and sex for after, he couldn’t quite help from hooking a finger into her belt loop at the back of her jeans so he could drag her back against him. “I don’t see how smelling like you is even remotely a bad thing, gorgeous.” Lips brushed her neck, trailing up to the base of her ear before he lifted his head again to look around the bathroom.
The adoring gesture sent a thrill of something rolling up and down her spine, and she shifted her shoulders to account for it, flashing him a sly smile as she trailed fingers along his arm. “Flatterer, “ she teased before blowing him a kiss and taking her leave from the room. She’d need to pop into the shower too, but it’d be a quick thing, and there were a few things she had to prepare first. Finish up the tea, maybe force a small snack into him - it occurred to her that there was really nothing for him to change into here, so she had the foresight to throw his clothes into the laundry. Arguably, he might not need them for tonight, although she thought to herself it wouldn’t hurt if he left a few things there.
Or maybe it would? She didn’t know. She had some stuff she kept there, but… it wasn’t like her apartment got a lot of use.
Her medicine cabinets were basically bare spare the essentials: a lot of first aid, some medicine, toothbrushes - the real basics, the only real tell of anything remotely unusual was that she had sleeping pills in the first place, but odds were from having slept next to her, it wasn’t much of a surprise at all.
Before long, she’d be back in the bathroom again, getting ready for a shower herself and to get Otto properly cleaned up. “So you might be stuck in a towel for awhile.” She really didn’t sound very sorry though.
The man was all grins as turned to take her leave back to the kitchen, leaving Otto to hunt down a towel and navigate the faucet for himself. Easy tasks. Towels were in the first place he looked for them, and he grabbed a washcloth as well. The faucet was straightforward and and the water pressure was a happy medium between skin peeling and trickle. He lay his clothes, more or less folded, on the edge of the sink before stepping into the inviting heat of the spray with an appreciative sigh.
Then another hissing wince as the water hit the wound on his chest, but it only stung for a moment.
Head back and eyes closed, he let the water beat down on his head and shoulders for a long moment, and once again felt the weight of the evening settling over him. It wasn’t just the late hour, though that certainly didn’t help, but the energy drain that nurse had done at the clinic. There was still more that needed doing before he could slip between the sheets and sleep, but he absolutely wasn’t going to turn down having Dessy play nurse with him. Or what would come after.
By the time Des had returned to the bathroom Otto had washed his hair and the majority of his body,but he paused at the sound of her voice, chuckling. “There are easier ways to keep me naked in your place, Des. Less elaborate.” He grinned to himself. “Have you considered rope?”
Desdemona couldn’t help herself: she laughed, a little harder than she expected to. “Of course, handsome - I just left it in the wrong apartment, “ she teased, peeling off the last layers of clothing to slide in with him. Had to do her part to conserve water and all, but, “Remember, be good, “ she chided again, “Or I’ll have to improvise with that rope.”
Good god did that water ever feel amazing though.
She made a mental note to herself, not for the first time, that yes - hospitals were garbage and this whole thing had done literally nothing to change that opinion.
He was grinning as she stepped in to join him, wide and mischievous, but he kept his hands to himself, which was the only way he was going to continue being a good boy as she’d requested. Though he did make a show of reaching around her for the washcloth and the soap, lathering it up before putting the one back. “Improvise with what, I wonder?”
Otto scrubbed at his face, down his neck and across his shoulders, his sides and lower, but he saved the unhappy wound for last. Working the lathered washcloth along the edges gingerly. As he did so he flicked a look up at her, eyes sliding from the top of her head and down to her toes.
“Do you want me to scrub your back?”
“Try me and maybe you’ll find out.”
Desdemona was doing her best to seem like she was ignoring him entirely, even if that was a bold faced lie. She ‘accidentally’ bumped his arm as he reached around her and shot him a look that was more sultry than scolding.
She did watch him, though, when he began to clean his wound, a flash of something like… well, it was something, anyway. He really did need to take better care of himself. It was coming along nicely enough, true, but it’d be even better if he saw to his own health more.
The offer made her brows arch her brow, and she seemed to mull it over for a moment before, “Okay. Since you’re offering, handsome.” An image of him pressing her against the wall of the shower, suds everywhere, flashed in her mind, and her gaze flickered downwards before she said again, “But be good.” As much as warning to herself as to him.
“Another night.”
Were it a different day, a different hour of the night, a different situation he’d have tried his luck. Curiosity getting the better of him, but it would have been more than just that. Pushing meant she’d push back, and Desdemona was a clever, creative woman. But it was obscenely late, and there was still much to do before they had the luxury of crawling into Des’ bed for the night.
That didn’t mean the same thought didn’t flicker through his mind as well, but he managed to control himself. Mostly.
The curve of a knuckle touched her lower back, resting there for a heartbeat before he drew it slowly up the line of her spine and the back of her neck before fingers uncurled to rest there lightly. There were a lot of things he
would have liked to do, but instead he lifted the still soapy washcloth up to rub suds in small circles across her shoulders.
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