your hands are scarred from murder

MAEA

Oh, he wasn't happy. Maea could see it, hear it on the way he breathed, feel it in the very energy he radiated. Still the storm was looming overhead, and she quieted, a little afraid to say any more. To perhaps set it off, accidentally.

He stood, and reached for her to help her up. Maea wanted to protest that she could stand on her own, but... there wasn't really room for refusal in the way he waited, she thought, and so she took his hands. Stood, with some effort, and shook her head to answer the question. So short they were... so very precise. There was no room for explanations, really.

"No," she admitted quietly. "But he did take me to someone who could. I didn't even have to pay for that part..." Which still made her feel suspicious, and caused a little frown to appear on her brow, in quiet concern.

Lost in a world full of non-believers
Searching for smoke in a still water pond

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

SUNJATA

the flood

with every breath and every intake
tip toe further away

He wasn’t happy, not in the slightest. But he’s trying to be better and his emotions are too much on display as of late to really deal with all of it in the manners he used to. That and the light buzz to his mind from both the alcohol and the nicotine likely take a bit of the edge off, keeping him somewhat in the middle when it comes to his feelings on the manner. But he offers his hands to help her stand, no debate in the stance he takes or what he expects her to do – and she takes them, thankfully, wondering how much more wounded he can be internally if she were to refuse.

“I’m glad you’re healed.” He says softly at first, searching her face before he lets go of her hands and moves them to try and help her peel the rest of her clothes off. The steam has thoroughly added enough heat to the room that Sunjata’s own shirt sticks to his chest and his sides. Carefully, he tries to unwrap her from the remaining clothes before he pauses to turn the water down a fraction so it wasn’t scalding hot.

A muscle feathers in his jaw again. “When you told me to never leave you, I imagined it went both ways.” He doesn’t look at her when he says it, but there’s something about the hoarseness of his voice that seems to suggest he’s thinking of Peter and Adam, of deaths that could have been prevented had they been smarter – had he been smarter about it. "Does it?"

further away from this mistake
i'm no savior, i'm no saint

MAEA

Well, Maea was glad for that too. Because if she hadn't been, she wouldn't have made it home for the night, nor been standing in the bathroom with Sunjata peeling her clothes off. It hit her all the harder when they got her tacky breeches off, and she saw the large contusion that stretched along the side of her leg, from hip almost all the way down to the knee. It was dark purplish in color, and in places blood had pooled under the skin to form black blisters. From the ice, as much from the manta, she supposed, and gritted her teeth against the pain of even touching anything near the abused area.

She was busy examining it to see if anything would begin to actually bleed, when Sunjata spoke again, his face turned away from her. Maea straighened with a shocked look; the suggestion she thought he tried to make was like a blow to the stomach. As did the tone; she swallowed. Torn between annoyance - was he in any position to call her reckless? - and pain.

"... yes. Of course it does. Sunjata, I..." But she didn't know what to say, and the words caught in her throat.

Lost in a world full of non-believers
Searching for smoke in a still water pond

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

SUNJATA

the flood

with every breath and every intake
tip toe further away

He lets her examine the rest of her bruising, internally wincing against the sight as his question hits her. He can feel her gaze on him and he still refuses to look at her, instead focusing on gathering the clothes that need to be cleaned, the clothes that are full of dried blood and other things. He sighs heavily to her response as she trails off, words caught in her throat, and he finally looks up to her with a break through his stormy gaze.

“Good.” He begins, taking a deep breath to focus on her face a bit more clearly. “Because I don’t want to lose you either.” His voice grows a bit quieter here, and he steps toward her, remaining inches away from touching her because of the bruising. “But you have to be more careful. For me?” There’s a hint of a whine of desperation in the tone of his voice – that even when he’d gone to fight the dragon, she’d known where he’d be, knew the possibilities.

This? This was sheer surprise, sadness, a terrible dread coiling in his gut.

further away from this mistake
i'm no savior, i'm no saint

MAEA

Oh, it was wholly unfair. This had never been meant as something dangerous, that needed pre warning. It was just a hunting trip, albeit one that went slightly askew. It was downright common a thing compared to what she did in class, and Maea realized she would never be able to tell him about some of the things she'd done, what she exposed herself to. Because if she did, Sunjata might never let her go back.

"And does that apply to you too?" she asked him very quietly. "You don't get to go off on your own either if you plan to know my whereabouts every time." Maea looked up at him, an arm held up across the chest, grasping the upper arm on opposite side with fingers not quite as clean as before.

"I... this... this was supposed to be a surprise," she went on, and looked away from his eyes. Jaw suddenly tight, hating the tension that hovered uselessly between them. "A nice one, for once, after everything. Not this." He stood so close, Maea could feel the heat radiating from his body even in the steam, in the damp air. She wanted to reach for him, to close the gap, but... but she couldn't. Wouldn't accept this if it meant she was to be kept in a glass box while he ran rampant as he pleased.

Maea refused to be caged. Even by him. Especially by him.

Lost in a world full of non-believers
Searching for smoke in a still water pond

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

SUNJATA

the flood

with every breath and every intake
tip toe further away

Oh this isn’t at all how he expects it to go, but just like everything else he should expect it to go the opposite. His jaw clenches and he nods once, conceding. He considers his bout with Loren and how that had gone down — the scars along his side, and he looks away from her as he sighs quietly. “I’m… trying.” He says weakly, quietly, knowing it’s ridiculous of him to expect that she stand idly by and fine while the world falls around them.

Did he really want another Phoebe? Untrained enough in weaponry and fighting aside from words to worry about? No. The answer is no. And he shakes his head to himself mostly as he finally lets his gaze land back on her as she mentions that it was supposed to be a surprise. A nice one. His gaze shudders for a moment, realizing now why she hadn’t asked him to go and he exhales quietly through his nose.

Was he overreacting? Slightly? He can’t find it in him to want to keep arguing, not in the mood or mindset to keep himself from saying things that weren’t true — or were. Loose lips never did get him far in life.

So he searches her face, her gaze again. “I’m not saying that you have to tell me where you are. I just want you safe and whole.” Not like he’d been unable to protect Lusea (not once, but twice), unable to protect Peter and Adam, unable to protect his mother. His gaze shudders again as he blinks. “It’s hard for me, especially right now.” Please understand. It’s me and always will be.

further away from this mistake
i'm no savior, i'm no saint

MAEA

Again with the trying. Was it so impossible for him to give himself wholeheartedly to a task, even when it meant this much to the both of them? Maea bit back a sharp retort, her own jaw muscles clenching as she fought against a temper brought on by pain and weariness.

"I want you to stay safe and unharmed too, Sunjata " she told him, looking up. She had to look so very far ehen he was this vlose, and her whole back screamed as it strained the muscles. "But you have to understand, it will never be possible for either of us to be unscathed all the time. How would I learn anything if I'm always protected? When would we ever accomplish anything, if taking risks is not an option?

"I do understand what you're saying, but... I can't just sit on my hands when there is so much to be done." If it's really all you, then don't chain me down with your fear. Please!

Lost in a world full of non-believers
Searching for smoke in a still water pond

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

SUNJATA

the flood

with every breath and every intake
tip toe further away

And there it is. “I know.” He admits quietly, leaning down a small amount to ease the burden of their height difference. “I don’t… I don’t expect you to be unscathed. But you just came home looking as though you’ve been through hell, didn’t even look for me when you got here.” He finally manages to say, sighing quietly before he steps away from her again to pull back the curtain from the shower before the hot water runs out.

“I know that I’m overreacting.” He also admits, focusing on the stream of water as it leaves the shower head, testing it with his hands before fiddling with the temperature again. Wearily, he turns his head to look back at her. “So how can I help?” An effort, an attempt to try and not be a cage just as he had asked her not to be.

Internally, he wars with himself on it all, trying not to pick a fight and failing regardless. Wanting nothing more than to hold her and prove to himself that she’s okay, that she’s whole, but he can’t — not with how she flinched from his touch earlier, not with how his hands are too big and his dexterity with them hadn’t been great aside from writing.

further away from this mistake
i'm no savior, i'm no saint

MAEA

Maea searched his gaze, wondering. Was that the real reason why he was upset? Not because she'd gone off or come home with bruises, but because she'd tried to hide it from him? Her expression softened, and she let out a small sigh. Relenting, if only a little.

"For that, I am sorry," she said earnestly. "I guess... I'm not used to it anymore. Having someone who actually cares where I am, what I do... " It was only half true, because Maea knew there vad always been people around. Her father, her brother, Jigano... even Peter, at times. But she'd kept them all at arms length, desperate to make her own way. Needing that independence. But it was true she'd gotten wilder lately too. Free from the need to inform anyone of anything. And if she couldn't let Sunjata care for her when something went wrong, then... that was something she would have to work on. "I'll try to do better in the future."

Then he asked what he could do, and Maea held her arms out for him, sighing wearily but with a little smile. "Just don't treat me like I'm made of glass," she pleaded. "I'm not going to break, and you can't hurt me." She didn't care if his hands were a little rough, a little scarred or if it hurt should they touch her skin. It was him and that made everything alright.

Lost in a world full of non-believers
Searching for smoke in a still water pond

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

SUNJATA

the flood

with every breath and every intake
tip toe further away

Arms length wouldn’t work for him, not like this especially, when they were supposed to be more than that. But she tells him she’ll try, an echo of him mentioning that he too is trying, and it’s enough for him. Enough because trying was at least attempting and it was better than nothing in the end. Still, his gaze flits to her, when she tells him to not treat her like glass when that was what she was to him.

But everyone had been like that, in a way, to him.

His eyes linger on her open and outstretched arms for a heartbeat or two before he abandons the shower preparation to step toward her, opening his own to pull her as gently as he can into his embrace. “Okay.” He agrees quietly, another attempt at him trying, before he lingers in her touch briefly. He pulls away to gesture to the shower, however, offering her a somewhat somewhat knowing look after her appearance. But she might need help washing away everything or at least some support, and he begins by taking his shirt off.

“Come on, let’s get you in and cleaned up.” He rumbles to her, willing to help her step in, to climb in after her to ensure she’s supported and gets herself clean. He’s grabbed a comb from the vanity to try and untangle her hair, soap and shampoo within the confines of the shower that are ready to be used. He stretches out his arms to her, letting her use him how she may need, to get into the shower and get warmed up and clean.

further away from this mistake
i'm no savior, i'm no saint

MAEA

Peace offerings, mutual agreements to be better, to work on their issues, to work on them. Turns out, this whole 'being together' was more complicated than Maea had expected, and perhaps for the first time she understood what she really asked of Sunjata. The extent to his wounds, how much he had to care to risk doing this again, so soon after it had gone to pieces before. For a moment Maea felt very guilty. Then he agreed with a single word and put his arms around her, in a gentle embrace. Closing the distance.

She had to bite the inside of her cheek hard to neither wince or flinch as being touched actually did hurt. Breathing through the agony, the girl just refused to acknowledge it, knowing everything she just said would come into question if she reacted. Not glass. Not clay. She would not break.

When he withdrew again to help her into the shower, Maes simply nodded. Gave him än impish, rueful smile in return for the stink look he gave her. Accepting an arm, she slipped into the shower and Sunjata's waiting arms. "I'm in your capable hands, good sir. Light on the water, heavy on the soap, as they say," she told him, mouth quirking in a lopsided smile. Trying to lighten the mood a bit, for all that she was still tired and aching and sad that her happy surprise had led them into an argument.

Lost in a world full of non-believers
Searching for smoke in a still water pond

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

SUNJATA

the flood

with every breath and every intake
tip toe further away

The first of many arguments, misunderstandings, he assumes. Because every one of them had something to do with it, a fight or fear of his deep down that he knows he needs to work on but having no tools to get there. So he concedes instead, shifting to ensure the water is fine, to helping her into it. He removes the rest of his clothes, imagining it's easier than craning himself over the edges to help her when he’d end up getting soaked anyway.

So he helps her in, steps in with her, hears her jesting tone and it manages to ignite a small smile along his face. “You certainly need the heavy on the soap part.” He says with some part amusement, reaching up to angle the water with a hand to run through her hair, turning her to face him so her back is to the water. He uses the comb at first to try and get rid of most of the debris, focused hard on trying to get the pale hair to its usual color and definition.

further away from this mistake
i'm no savior, i'm no saint

MAEA

Maea made sure to set the precious crystal aside where it would be safe and easy to find again. Then she admired the view as Sunjata undressed, trying to keep her lingering looks mostly to herself - or at least somewhat discreet - before succumbing to his ministrations. They were quite needed; her arms wouldn't lift over elbow height, and though she did make sure to lather the hematomas on her thigh in her own, she couldn't reach the back to clean the rest of her battered frame. Just stepping in under the water was rough; Maea bit back a hiss as the water beams began to patter at her skin, enduring it with quite the stoic expression... at least the heat made some of the tension drain away.

"What can I say... being reckless is dirty work," she responded, and closed her eyes as he began to comb out her hair. Luckily for both of them she was not sensitive about getting her hair pulled; rather the opposite. Before long her eyes were closed and her head come forth to lean against his chest, with quiet hums of appreciation to show how content she was with this arrangement. Maea's arms came up to wrap loosely around his waist, both for support and comfort.

"Hello fishboy. I'm back home now," she mumbled, in a very belated greeting. The one she'd foregone, the one she owed him.

Lost in a world full of non-believers
Searching for smoke in a still water pond

BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3

SUNJATA

the flood

with every breath and every intake
tip toe further away

She’s not too discreet with her lingering gaze, but it doesn’t bother Sunjata at all. They’d seen plenty of one another, most of the scars — though a part of him wonders if she’s noticed the scar on his wrists and the ascended bite scars around his neck and thigh, but says nothing of it. Instead, he lets her clean the spaces she wishes to so he doesn’t have to attempt it. But when he begins to run his fingers and the comb through her hair, knocking lose sand and dirt, sweat and blood, her comment surprisingly elicits a quiet chuckle from him.

“I suppose it wouldn’t be fun if it wasn’t?” He hums to her, still focused on her hair but there’s a break in his mood, a small amount of the humor returning to the tones of his accented voice. But her head dips forward to rest along his chest, right over a tattoo as he runs his fingers along the base of her neck, reaching for a bit of soap to begin to lather it into the pale tresses there. Her quiet hello does grant a small pause from his work before he cradles her head gently.

There’s the hint of a smile in his voice, the ghost of one along his face as he goes to hold her close and let the water run over the both of them. “And all in one piece.” He says softly, before his voice drops a small amount, words only for her. “I missed you, liefling.”

further away from this mistake
i'm no savior, i'm no saint