For Jemma

[hot_water]

[OOC: From here.]

The second the door to his room shuts behind them, Tahno's kissing Jemma, his hand tightening around her wrist. He lifts her hand above her head, gripping her chin gently and forcing her to look at him before pushing her back against the door. His lips are warm and pliant and hungry; he nibbles and sucks on her lower lip before covering her mouth with his.

Comments

[protect_and_survey]

"It is showing proper intellectual rigor who wouldn't be intrigued by the idea of visiting a whole different world who knows if the physics even work the same it would be a scholastic imperative to follow up on I don't know what you're talking about." She protests voluably, blushing all the while.

...

And tragically, water does nothing to hide blushing.

[hot_water]

Tahno chuckles deeply, drawing his tongue across his bottom lip. "Oh, no, now yer even cuter," he rumbles, kissing her ankle. "What am I gonna do with ya?"

[protect_and_survey]

Her gaze fixates on the path of his tongue, and she blinks, distracted.

"What? No, not cuter, professional, it is my professional opinion that travel to other worlds would be highly educational."

[hot_water]

"Highly educational," Tahno repeats, a touch dry. He returns to rubbing her foot. "Well, if that's how ya wanna put it. I think it'd be fun."

[protect_and_survey]

"Educational is fun." She retorts. "Well, I think it is, anyway, it's the best part of my job."

[hot_water]

"Course it is," Tahno drawls playfully, tweaking her toes. "If it weren't fun, I can't imagine ya doin' it for too long."

He rubs small circles along her ankle. "Though it males me wonder why ya didn't just say it'd be fun in the first place."

[protect_and_survey]

Jemma busies herself with the soap, the water making it terribly slippery.

"It isn't necessarily the most important consideration, after all."

[hot_water]

"Oh, yeah?" Tahno drawls, switching to her other foot. "Mind tellin' me what is?"

[protect_and_survey]

"Lots of other things." Jemma shifts, shaking out her hands so she can braid her hair back and keep it mostly-dry.

[hot_water]

Tahno snorts. "That don't tell me nothin'," he drawls, massaging between her toes. "Are ya hungry, by the way?"

[protect_and_survey]

"Oh, definitely." She latches on to that lifeline, smiling. "It's been a busy day, I'm sure I've missed a meal or two."

[hot_water]

"Well, awright then. Ya don't need me ta tell ya that missin' meals ain't good for ya, right?" he drawls, stroking down the arch of her foot down to the heel. "Hungry for anything specific?"

[protect_and_survey]

"Oh, no, just food, of course." She considers this answer, and not-quite-idly twirls her braid around her fingers. "And then... not food."

Someday, she's sure, she'll be able to do that and not be horribly awkward.

[hot_water]

Tahno smirks. "I think," he drawls softly, leaning forward to cup her cheek, "that can be arranged."

He busies himself with the soap, quickly cleaning himself off before rinsing off in the water--with bending, naturally. Then he exits the tub, drying off with a flick of his wrist--out, out, and back--causing the droplets to explode in a warm mist off his nude form.

"I'm thinkin' somethin' warm and hearty. Seafood soup okay?"

[protect_and_survey]

Jemma manages to stop gawping after a moment.

"Warm. Hearty."

Hot damn.

"That... that sounds great."

[hot_water]

Tahno's smirk becomes less that and more a smile, lopsided as it is. He turns slowly, heading to the front door to order their food. When he returns, he offers her a hand. "Need help dryin' off or do ya wanna stay in there for a bit longer?"

[protect_and_survey]

"I think it's about time I got out - getting a bit pruny." Sure, she knows it's not actually bad for her skin, but it's still weird.

[hot_water]

Tahno helps her out and dries her off with the same out, out, and back flicking motion of his fingers. The warm water explodes off of them, and he offers her a crooked smile. "Shall we eat naked or do ya wanna robe?"

[protect_and_survey]

That is still terribly cool, and she marvels at her perfectly dry hand before answering.

"Oh, a robe, I think." Casual nudity isn't exactly something she grew up with.

Decontamination chambers notwithstanding.

[hot_water]

Tahno laces his fingers with hers and leads her to his closet. "Cotton or silk?" he asks, fingering the sleeve of a black silk robe for himself.

[protect_and_survey]

"Oh, I... I don't really have a preference, I guess?" Guess how many silk things she owns.

It's not exactly easy-care, now is it?

[hot_water]

Tahno nods and selects a deep purple silk robe for her, and helps her into it. He shrugs into his own robe, and the rats ring the doorbell. "Right on time," he drawls, and strolls to the front door to pick up the tray of spicy seafood soup bowls, which he carries to the dining room.

[protect_and_survey]

It's a bit... large, swamping her frame, but she tries her best to pull it properly closed anyway. She has to hold up the hem as she walks to avoid sprawling across the floor in his wake.

"It smells lovely."

[hot_water]

"Good," Tahno drawls, setting the bowls out on the table. "That's prolly 'cause yer starvin', though, y'know? I'm tellin' ya, ya have ta start takin' better care of yerself. Here, dig in."

He offers her a spoon.

[protect_and_survey]

"Yes, mother." She rolls her eyes at him as she takes a seat and the offered spoon. "It wasn't as if I did it on purpose, you know."