// won't you breathe with me? //
Ah, well then, if he said it was alright, it must be. At least her frown smoothed away under his fingertip, and with a slightt nod she took him up on his offer. Maybe a not so small part of her wouldn't mind if he stole at least a small peek... but no. Let's not go there. The urge to be near him at all times was strong enough without playing with fire.
Keeping her own back turned for good measure, Maea began peeling off her clothes. The blood had begun to dry in the heat, glueing the cloth to her skin; with a grimace the dress was dropped on the rim of the pool, followed by shoes, and the trousers worn beneath, and finally the rust-stained shift. Cool, damp air sent goosebumps down her arms. Folding them over her chest, Maea glanced over a shoulder to make sure Liam was as busy as he sounded - indeed laying out bedrolls and decidedly not sneaking peeks, damn him - and when she was satisfied, a pale foot was dipped into the pool.
"It's freezing!" she exclaimed, shocked by the bite of cold like a pike had nipped at her toes. "And here I was, hoping for a long soak. If I'm not out in five minutes, you may need to save me." It was only half a joke; if it was as cold as it felt to her, then she was at risk of petrifying at least a few fingers. Still, she had to get clean, so with a steely determination the ancient reached for the soap and stepped into the water, breath catching as an ache shot up her shins, seeping into her muscles, to settle in the marrow.
Keeping her own back turned for good measure, Maea began peeling off her clothes. The blood had begun to dry in the heat, glueing the cloth to her skin; with a grimace the dress was dropped on the rim of the pool, followed by shoes, and the trousers worn beneath, and finally the rust-stained shift. Cool, damp air sent goosebumps down her arms. Folding them over her chest, Maea glanced over a shoulder to make sure Liam was as busy as he sounded - indeed laying out bedrolls and decidedly not sneaking peeks, damn him - and when she was satisfied, a pale foot was dipped into the pool.
"It's freezing!" she exclaimed, shocked by the bite of cold like a pike had nipped at her toes. "And here I was, hoping for a long soak. If I'm not out in five minutes, you may need to save me." It was only half a joke; if it was as cold as it felt to her, then she was at risk of petrifying at least a few fingers. Still, she had to get clean, so with a steely determination the ancient reached for the soap and stepped into the water, breath catching as an ache shot up her shins, seeping into her muscles, to settle in the marrow.
Maea
// won't you take me to your heart? //
