cactusy | IC contact for lastvoyages

[ It definitely wasn't going to be any easier getting Shaw up into their bed, so, you know, Root's doing her best here.

There's just... not much to improvise with. The couch legs are too wide to get the other cuff around. Getting both of Shaw's wrists cuffed doesn't have que the same effect if both her hands are in front of her. Or she could just leave it as it is for now. ]

We don't need one.

[ She lets go of the handcuffs and ~~chooses violence~~ uses the taser again, intent on moving them to the bed, where there are more options for restraining one another. ]

[Godspeed in getting her up that ladder, Root; you've got your work cut out for you.

Shaw all-out shudders as the electricity crackles against the sensitive skin of her bare stomach, her eyes rolling back in her head. She drops heavily back against the couch cushions and her fingers lose their grip on Root's shirt, though she does somehow manage to dig her hips up against her.]

[ Consider: cushions on the floor, hands cuffed around one of the pillars ~~don't @ me idk what they're called don't look at me orz~~ of the bed. No climbing, all the benefits. Which is exactly what Root does after allowing herself a second or two to relish the way Shaw's hips grind against hers.

So there they are, Root getting Shaw settled upright on a cushion, hands cuffed behind her, with at least a little back support from the bed frame. ]

How's that? I think you look really pretty like this.

Get down here.

[Shaw growls, with performative annoyance and very real arousal. She jerks her wrists, rattling the cuffs.]

[ Root sinks down to the floor in front of Shaw, an impish glow in her eyes. ]

No. You're not asking very nicely.

[Shaw's grin widens, and she stretches a leg out and scoots her back down a little - testing how far she can reach.]

Sorry. I don't do nice.

[ Root pins Shaw's leg with a hand just above the knee. She leans forward so their noses are almost touching. ]

We can work on that.

[ She kisses Shaw, biting down hard on her lip. ]

[Ah, but while Shaw's hands may be tied, her mouth is in full fighting form. That means that when Root is close enough to kiss, Shaw enters full attack mode: not just biting back, but also pressing hard enough to bruise, tangling their tongues.]

[ Now it's Root who gasps, delighted by the aggression, the pain that will linger, reminding her of these moments. She pushes back with equal force, then breaks away abruptly, breathless, licking her aching lips. ]

Hm. That all you've got?

[She bears her teeth, and bucks her hips up hard against Root's. How's that?]

Cute. [ Root all but coos. ] But still not very nice.

[ She trails a finger down Shaw's nose and climbs off of her, kneeling by her side. ]

By the way, you lost. You're here, and nobody noticed it was a kidnapping. What's my prize?

Oh, you think you get a prize? That wasn't a contest. It was a challenge.

[As soon as Root moves off of her, she frowns, wiggling impotently against the cushions.]

Come here, come here--

[It's half cajoling, half order - but it's not quite niceness. Not yet.]

You're in no position to tell me what to do.

[ Root crawls behind her, on all fours like a predator, exaggerating every movement. Once out of Shaw's field of vision, she slides a hand up Shaw's back, up her neck, and grips just hard enough to put pressure on her windpipe. ]

[God, but Shaw has missed this. The fact that she can't see Root is kind of infuriating, though, and she swallows hard against her palm, the movement involuntary.]

You gonna make me beg?

[She murmurs, craning her neck to try to see Root behind her.]

You gonna break me underneath you?

[ Beg, yes. It's been too long. As Shaw tries to look at her, Root tightens her grip a little, for just a second. But break--

For a second, it's just part of the game, a violent but loving way they show each other affection and understanding. And then it's not that. Then it's close to a year tied up and forced to live thousands of lives with the intent to shatter the strong, beautiful spirit that stole Root's heart. ]

N-no.

[ Her hand falters, jerking back to Shaw's shoulder. Is Root... recreating that right now? Because if she is, even if Shaw doesn't mind, Root does. it's all Root can think about, suddenly, chest tight and breath shaking. ]

[Uh-oh. Something is happening here and it's weird as fuck.]

Root?

[Shaw can't really sit up in this position, at least not very well, but she tries anyway, twisting her upper body in another, more determined effort to get a look at Root's face.]

[ Shaw's voice ground Root enough that she can move again, starting with moving to undo the handcuffs. It takes almost no time at all, so Shaw will see the terror leave Root's face to be replaced with the shakiest, most short-lived smile. ]

Sorry, baby. I guess I'm not really up to this right now.

[Shaw's brow creases, and now she sits up fully, rubbing her wrists as she scoots back to sit at Root's side. God, she'd looked... scared. No, more than that; she'd looked terrified.]

Hey. Hey, look at me - what the hell happened?

[She hesitates just briefly, then reaches out a hand to touch her arm.]

Nothing. [ Another forced smile. Root shakes her head and does not look at Shaw. If she looks at Shaw, she will lose it. ] Just-- I'm just out of practice.

[Shaw is quiet for a good long moment, feeling very much like she's in uncharted waters here. She doesn't know how to deal with this. She's crap at dealing with this, and Root deserves someone who isn't crap at dealing with this; Root deserves someone who won't look at a situation like this and be completely out to sea.

Shaw isn't that person. But the least she can do is try.

Gently, she puts a finger to Root's chin, lifting it up to meet her worried gaze.]

[ Root keeps her eyes closed for as long as she can, even as tears build behind her eyelids. Eventually, though, after just a few seconds, she meets Shaw's gaze and loses her grip on her composure. She throws herself against Shaw and hugs her tight as the tears break free. ]

Root.

[She murmurs it quietly into Root's ear, wrapping both arms around her and holding her tightly enough that she will, hopefully, not interpret her next words as any kind of rebuff. ]

You're kinda freaking me out here.

I'm sorry. [ Root isn't sobbing, which she's grateful for. Being able to talk right now is kind of important.

A deep, shaky breath in. ]

I can't... do this. Not today. I just-- can't tie you up and--

[ Breathe breathe breathe. Root has been through literal surgery without anesthetic before. She can get her thoughts together and talk to the person she trusts most. ]

I can't stop picturing you tied up for months and I can't do that to you, I'm sorry.

[Oh. Okay, in retrospect, that being the issue should probably have been obvious: the circumstances are just so different in Shaw's mind that the clear parallel honestly didn't occur to her. She curls her one arm tighter still around Root's back, and then shifts to lean Root against her side rather than holding her from the front.]

You don't have to apologize.

[She nudges her chin into Root's hair, tucking Root's head into the crook of her neck.]

But, uh, for what it's worth? I like doing this stuff with you because-- okay, honestly, yeah, because you're really good at it. But also because I trust you not to harm me, even when you're hurting me.

You're nothing like they were.

[ Even as she curls up into Shaw's embrace, Root's cheeks burn with shame. ]

You're the one who went through it, and I'm the one who's upset right now.

IC contact for lastvoyages

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