[ That's encouragement and invitation, too. Root likes to think she knows how to read her darling well enough that she doesn't need to ask -- and wouldn't, lest she force Shaw to break out of the relaxation and surrender into mustering up some grandstanding. Like she'd told Charles, other people should probably have a talk about limits, but she truly feels they don't need to. That's a large part of why she's so intensely attracted to Shaw.
Their limits are mutually a few steps past where anyone else wants to go.
She pulls up and whispers, soft and caring, ] Poor little Sameen. Everyone is either scared of you or wants to take care of you, don't they?
But what you want is for someone to pry you open with a crowbar. [ Root curls her nails into one of the welts. Shaw has probably had enough by now, but-- one step farther feels so seductive... Root wants to push and push. ]
[This time, Shaw's instinct is twofold, and contradictory: first she flexes away from the pain, and then just a millisecond later, she flexes into it, her muscles tensing and twitching in a way that begs her to stretch them. She throws an arm out into the air and dangles it over the side of the table, fingertips straining outwards, reaching for nothing in particular.]
Root.
[Her breathing is ragged and juddering. This means keep going.]
[ She absolutely understands that it means keep going. She starts scratching at the welt, merciless strokes of her nails against the swollen skin at her inner thighs. ]
You're too strong for them. Everyone else gets tired out before you've had enough, don't they, [ she coos, pressing in harder. Blood begins to well up, beading along the skin with the broken capillaries seeping through to the surface. ]
But I can go as long and as far as you want, sweetheart.
[In other situations, a comment like this might ignite Shaw's competitive side - earning Root a teasing You'll tap out before I'm even half done, or even an attempted tackle. God knows Root has seen both from her often enough.
But she's not wrong: Shaw does want to be pried open, and there's a big part of her that likes that Root can really, honestly wear her out, leaving her lying still and unable to push back. And as much as she also enjoys the competition and the push and pull, there's no need for genuine pretense or denial here: she is spent.]
How many marks?
[She asks - her head thrown back, her eyes closed.]
[ As promised, Root takes her time. She isn't trying to get one over on Shaw, isn't trying to prove any kind of superiority. There's a caretaking element to how tenderly she nibbles on and scratches the welts, narrating as she goes, taking inventory as asked.
She's never felt like she needed to say I love you because she feels certain this is closer to Sameen's native language, and will mean more this way.
Eventually she grabs a fuzzy pink couch blanket and crawls back onto the table with her, draping it over them. Root knows how fast someone can get cold lying naked on a table once the fun's over. She curls up around her and whispers, ] How'd I do? You doing okay?
[ Maybe they don't need to have the before conversation, but it would be irresponsible not to at least check in after. ]
[Her voice is slurred and sleepy, as if she's been lulled into a trance by Root's attentions. But she's clearly not completely out of it, because after a moment or two of them lying there together, she suddenly sits up, loosely clutching the blanket.]
[Shaw grumbles, and reaches for the shirt that's nearest at hand, pulling it on without bothering with a bra. (The fact that it's Root's shirt doesn't seem to be a problem for her, either.)
Leaving the blanket with Root, she hops off the table and makes her way back over to the couch, retrieving the little gift bag she'd brought with her. Inside is a small object wrapped in tissue paper that, once unwrapped, turns out to be a fist-sized pewter carving of an elephant, in mid-step with its trunk held aloft. Without further ado, she places it on the mantle. There. A single decor item has been contributed by Sameen Shaw.]
[ In response, Root scoots to the sit at the edge of the table and puts on Shaw's discarded tank top. Swapping clothes is cute and wholesome and she also thinks it's the kind of thing that Shaw is likely to find attractive.
When Shaw reveals the elephant knick-knack and triumphantly places it on the mantle, Root bursts into short giggles that she muffles into the fuzzy pink blanket. ]
I'm sorry to tell you, but you're the man in this relationship.
[ Oh no. Oh no. It's a personal memory about her parents. That makes her abandon the teasing-- mostly.
Root springs to her feet, leaving the blanket behind and wearing only a tanktop, utterly uncaring of it leaving her lower half bare. She strides across the room to Shaw with a smile that's Root's particular brand of mixed earnestness and mischievousness. ]
As long as this elephant is here, you can definitely say it's your apartment.
[The sudden change in demeanor only makes her more suspicious, and her eyes narrow further. In truth, it had been a lot less personal than that: remembering her parents' elephant hadn't been about sentimentality as much as it had been about confirmation that it was a solid choice of decor. Her parents had had good taste, and her mother in particular had liked art. If elephant figurines were good enough for them, then surely they were good enough for Root, who thought way lamer stuff was cool.]
Don't make it weird. Anyway, I thought you being here was what made it my apartment.
[ Just because Shaw isn't sentimental about it doesn't mean it's not personal. Root knows the facts and outline of her life but she doesn't know the color that fills in those lines. Even this little tidbit feels sweet. Root likes lame stuff with a playful irony; and she likes anything that demonstrates Shaw's sincere commitment. Even a silly elephant figurine. ]
After what we just did on that table, I hope this is our apartment, [ she says teasingly, reaching out to draw her in. The sight of her covered in marks and wearing Root's shirt is very appealing. ] We should clean you up.
[Shaw grumbles something inaudible under her breath, fussily adjusting the figurine in its spot. The very pretty and not at all lame figurine, thank you very much. It's aesthetically pleasing; she knows she picked well!!]
Hot water would be painful on these welts.
[She does not necessarily mean that as a bad thing.]
Hey, if you want your shower to hurt, don't let me stop you.
[ Root walks away with an intentional sashay to her hips, letting the hem of Shaw's shirt frame the top of her bare ass. She's deliberately seduced people plenty of times and she knows how to put on a show. ]
I thought of you every day, [ she says over her shoulder, and then disappears into the bathroom. ]
[Shaw makes a small sound in the back of her throat - half-amused, half-disbelieving - and follows right behind Root, giving Bear a hand motion to stay put.]
[ Root has an impossible amount of energy, a capacity to keep going almost tirelessly as long as there's something to do. Occasionally she crashes and crashes hard, but her default is go, and maybe that's why she's able to actually wear Shaw out. Even now she could keep going if it was called for, or pivot to violence on a split second's notice.
She realizes Shaw does not even want more sex at the moment, but she's not so lust-addled that she can't appreciate the physical intimacy without the promise of an orgasm. She doesn't pull away, just looks over her shoulder at Shaw with an appreciative look, grateful to have her here. ]
Don't be silly. They're not ready to double date with us. [ Root smirks. ] Charles said they hold hands and cuddle. It's so wholesome.
[ She loves them really, it's very adorable, but it's about a million light-years from what she and Shaw are like together. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
expiationnet
torture and edging have a lot in common ok
Their limits are mutually a few steps past where anyone else wants to go.
She pulls up and whispers, soft and caring, ] Poor little Sameen. Everyone is either scared of you or wants to take care of you, don't they?
But what you want is for someone to pry you open with a crowbar. [ Root curls her nails into one of the welts. Shaw has probably had enough by now, but-- one step farther feels so seductive... Root wants to push and push. ]
no subject
Root.
[Her breathing is ragged and juddering. This means keep going.]
no subject
You're too strong for them. Everyone else gets tired out before you've had enough, don't they, [ she coos, pressing in harder. Blood begins to well up, beading along the skin with the broken capillaries seeping through to the surface. ]
But I can go as long and as far as you want, sweetheart.
no subject
But she's not wrong: Shaw does want to be pried open, and there's a big part of her that likes that Root can really, honestly wear her out, leaving her lying still and unable to push back. And as much as she also enjoys the competition and the push and pull, there's no need for genuine pretense or denial here: she is spent.]
How many marks?
[She asks - her head thrown back, her eyes closed.]
Do some inventory.
more timeskip
She's never felt like she needed to say I love you because she feels certain this is closer to Sameen's native language, and will mean more this way.
Eventually she grabs a fuzzy pink couch blanket and crawls back onto the table with her, draping it over them. Root knows how fast someone can get cold lying naked on a table once the fun's over. She curls up around her and whispers, ] How'd I do? You doing okay?
[ Maybe they don't need to have the before conversation, but it would be irresponsible not to at least check in after. ]
no subject
[Her voice is slurred and sleepy, as if she's been lulled into a trance by Root's attentions. But she's clearly not completely out of it, because after a moment or two of them lying there together, she suddenly sits up, loosely clutching the blanket.]
Root, we can't lie on the table.
no subject
Not with that attitude we can't.
[ She's just saying that to be sassy. Root sits up when she does and reaches out to affectionately brush Shaw's hair out of her face. ]
no subject
Leaving the blanket with Root, she hops off the table and makes her way back over to the couch, retrieving the little gift bag she'd brought with her. Inside is a small object wrapped in tissue paper that, once unwrapped, turns out to be a fist-sized pewter carving of an elephant, in mid-step with its trunk held aloft. Without further ado, she places it on the mantle. There. A single decor item has been contributed by Sameen Shaw.]
no subject
When Shaw reveals the elephant knick-knack and triumphantly places it on the mantle, Root bursts into short giggles that she muffles into the fuzzy pink blanket. ]
I'm sorry to tell you, but you're the man in this relationship.
no subject
[She asks, turning around and squinting suspiciously at Root. Are you making fun of her elephant? How dare you.]
no subject
You tell me. What inspired this?
no subject
[Shaw crosses her arms stubbornly over her chest.]
People decorate their apartments. My parents had an elephant carving when I was a kid, but ivory is bad now.
no subject
Root springs to her feet, leaving the blanket behind and wearing only a tanktop, utterly uncaring of it leaving her lower half bare. She strides across the room to Shaw with a smile that's Root's particular brand of mixed earnestness and mischievousness. ]
As long as this elephant is here, you can definitely say it's your apartment.
no subject
Don't make it weird. Anyway, I thought you being here was what made it my apartment.
no subject
After what we just did on that table, I hope this is our apartment, [ she says teasingly, reaching out to draw her in. The sight of her covered in marks and wearing Root's shirt is very appealing. ] We should clean you up.
no subject
Hot water would be painful on these welts.
[She does not necessarily mean that as a bad thing.]
no subject
[ However hot or not hot she wants it is good with Root. She steps away and turns to stride toward the bathroom, calling out, ] Bear, vrij.
no subject
[And speaking of-- he trots over, and Shaw reaches out to give his ears a good rub.]
Hey, buddy.
[She murmurs quietly, just barely loud enough for Root to hear.]
You glad Root is back? You missed her, huh. It was weird not having her here.
no subject
[ Root walks away with an intentional sashay to her hips, letting the hem of Shaw's shirt frame the top of her bare ass. She's deliberately seduced people plenty of times and she knows how to put on a show. ]
I thought of you every day, [ she says over her shoulder, and then disappears into the bathroom. ]
no subject
What kinds of thoughts did you have about me?
no subject
Charles's boyfriend works at the sandwich place, it turns out.
no subject
[Shaw is worn out. Shaw wants a shower, and then she wants to lie down. Shaw absolutely does not need more sex right now.
Absolutely none of this stops her from trying to lift up the back of Root's shirt.]
no subject
She realizes Shaw does not even want more sex at the moment, but she's not so lust-addled that she can't appreciate the physical intimacy without the promise of an orgasm. She doesn't pull away, just looks over her shoulder at Shaw with an appreciative look, grateful to have her here. ]
Don't be silly. They're not ready to double date with us. [ Root smirks. ] Charles said they hold hands and cuddle. It's so wholesome.
[ She loves them really, it's very adorable, but it's about a million light-years from what she and Shaw are like together. ]