[ This is uncharted territory for Carver, the sort of game he never played even before the world ended and certainly never this close to sober. In those days he’d either been with Riley or still in love with Riley after that door slammed shut and made him the kind of lonely that hung out in dive bars for a fight or somebody to yank him into the back alley; either way, the only kind of collision he could stand. He fears, quietly, that he’s got no talent for this sort of thing anymore. That he’ll only ever be a wound to other people and the least courtesy he can do to the ones in his orbit is not to infect them with his bullshit.
The thought is there. So are others, chief among them that he likes Root’s smile and the way she walks with her feet firmly planted in front of her, how every step is certain and she means to hold her ground against all challengers. And then her hands are on his shoulders, small but strong, and she kisses him almost gently. Not the way he’d expected, or maybe been braced for. Not with teeth.
Funny, that.
He’s still for a moment, considering that, and then his hands settle on her hips, squeezing faintly. It doesn’t feel awkward, not like he’d thought it would. He kisses her back because he can, because it feels good, and so little does these days. Well aware that Shaw’s watching and this both is and isn’t a game, so they might as well give it a good showing. ]
[Shaw wants to kiss him with teeth. Even more than that, she wants him to kiss her with teeth; she wants him to leave bruises on her skin with his mouth and his fingertips. She wants to run her hands over his chest, the way she sometimes imagines doing when she spars with him or watches him train with his whip - and the way that, she can't help but notice, Root is not doing. Yeah, sure, his shoulders are nice too, but not giving his chest even a little bit of attention is a damn tragedy. What a wasted opportunity.
She makes a small sound in the back of her throat - impatience, discontent, and okay, yes, a tinge of interest too - and paces closer, approaching from the side and circling them like a panther. Once she's gone about three-quarters of the way around, facing Root's back and Carver's front, she worms her way in a little more, bumping Carver's knee with hers and digging an elbow into Root's side. Move it. Let her in.]
[ Carver is also much sweeter than she's expecting, in a way that makes Root a little tender. Awww. Tough macho guy who could put her on the ground in a split second, and he likes her being sweet with him? That's definitely appealing in a way men usually aren't.
She feels Shaw ungracefully elbowing her and breaks off the kiss with an exhalation of laughter. ]
Don't look now, [ she murmurs, purposefully ignoring Shaw as she maintains eye contact with Carver and smirks. ] Sameen thinks I'm not kissing you right.
[ That's easy enough to tell in the impatience, and Root's assumption that Shaw is not out there looking for fuck buddies to have tender merciful sex with. ]
She wants to mark you up, [ Root whispers like it's a secret. ]
[ He can feel Shaw's movement like a physical weight settling over the room, even though she's quiet with how she places her feet. Deliberate about it. A good soldier, he thinks, even with Root pressing close and distracting him. He grins as Root breaks and Shaw comes in, her knee pressed against his. In a different moment it'd feel crowding, he thinks, uneasy, but it doesn't here.
Funny, that.
He squeezes Root's hips again, one eyebrow cocked. ] Not where people can see, [ is all he says. He doesn't mind carrying bruises. It's a reminder of the real.
Then he reaches out a hand, risking it, and touches Shaw's elbow. Tugging her closer. ]
[Stop reading her for filth, Root; it's annoying. She very deliberately gives Root her back, but in a way that's only meant to be a caricature of a rebuff; she'll play at ignoring her to make a point, but only because she trusts that Root won't actually feel rejected.
And maybe also because experience tells her that Root can do some very interesting things with her back, when she has the opportunity.
Carver, on the other hand, gets her full front as she lets him reel her in with that brief touch. Running her fingers lightly over the collar of his shirt, she wonders out loud:]
[ Root does not feel rejected. Root feels the self-satisfied amusement of someone whose ploy has worked perfectly, and now she gets to reap the rewards.
She steps back to let them have their first encounter without her muddling things up too much, wants to let them have a chance to find their physical dynamic on their own. Although she's more than happy to direct things or harass either of them, she does actually want them to enjoy themselves, which means she needs to pay attention first. Sex isn't something she does just to pass the time, despite what she'd said earlier -- and it isn't something she approaches lightly.
That doesn't mean Root is investing emotion into it, it means she's investing skill. Why do something if you're not going to do it well?
For now she presses up close against Shaw from behind and slides the fingers of one hand beneath her shirt at her hip, fingertips burrowing into skin over the iliac crest. ]
[ And now Shaw’s in front of him, all coiled strength and dark hair, her eyes watchful and focused. He’s always liked that about her, Carver thinks, but he never let it drift further than that. Sometimes he let his gaze linger for a moment but never any longer. Professionalism matters. Those lines, drawn ever so carefully in the metaphorical sand, matter. You have to know what you are. What your role demands and denies in turn.
But it’s been a long time since he’s let himself touch anyone like this, longer than he’d care to admit even if asked, and it feels good to reach for Shaw in turn. To know that Root’s gaze is on both of them now too, catlike and satisfied. He hadn’t realized he’d like that.
He watches Root’s hands on Shaw, holding her close, and thinks, all right. He hums and leans in to kiss Shaw briefly, testing the waters more than not, and then he leans back to shrug out of his jacket and then his shirt. Letting both fall. ]
[Maybe he's aiming for a brief kiss. When he starts to pull back, Shaw chases after him, stealing a few more kisses as he works his way out of his jacket and shirt. She's not particularly soft or gentle about it - her fingertips press into his skin, her mouth is hot and insistent against his - but she goes slow, savoring the experience. And once his chest is bare, she presses her palms flat against it, giving him a little push to tilt him back.
[ Root has never seen a line she didn't want to joyously, callously smudge into oblivion. Why do people keep limiting themselves? They only live once, and they're putting boundaries on it. It's a waste of time.
Being dead, Root can't stand to waste time, now more than ever. ]
Uh-uh, [ she whispers. ] Whatever you do to him, I'm going to do to you.
[ Maybe not in a perfect symmetry, but close enough. Root starts pushing her hands up, aiming to peel Shaw's shirt off of her, toss it to the side carelessly and set her teeth at her neck in tantalizing warning and promise. The tall line of her body curves over her like a vulture waiting for a chance.
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no subject
The thought is there. So are others, chief among them that he likes Root’s smile and the way she walks with her feet firmly planted in front of her, how every step is certain and she means to hold her ground against all challengers. And then her hands are on his shoulders, small but strong, and she kisses him almost gently. Not the way he’d expected, or maybe been braced for. Not with teeth.
Funny, that.
He’s still for a moment, considering that, and then his hands settle on her hips, squeezing faintly. It doesn’t feel awkward, not like he’d thought it would. He kisses her back because he can, because it feels good, and so little does these days. Well aware that Shaw’s watching and this both is and isn’t a game, so they might as well give it a good showing. ]
no subject
She makes a small sound in the back of her throat - impatience, discontent, and okay, yes, a tinge of interest too - and paces closer, approaching from the side and circling them like a panther. Once she's gone about three-quarters of the way around, facing Root's back and Carver's front, she worms her way in a little more, bumping Carver's knee with hers and digging an elbow into Root's side. Move it. Let her in.]
no subject
She feels Shaw ungracefully elbowing her and breaks off the kiss with an exhalation of laughter. ]
Don't look now, [ she murmurs, purposefully ignoring Shaw as she maintains eye contact with Carver and smirks. ] Sameen thinks I'm not kissing you right.
[ That's easy enough to tell in the impatience, and Root's assumption that Shaw is not out there looking for fuck buddies to have tender merciful sex with. ]
She wants to mark you up, [ Root whispers like it's a secret. ]
no subject
Funny, that.
He squeezes Root's hips again, one eyebrow cocked. ] Not where people can see, [ is all he says. He doesn't mind carrying bruises. It's a reminder of the real.
Then he reaches out a hand, risking it, and touches Shaw's elbow. Tugging her closer. ]
no subject
And maybe also because experience tells her that Root can do some very interesting things with her back, when she has the opportunity.
Carver, on the other hand, gets her full front as she lets him reel her in with that brief touch. Running her fingers lightly over the collar of his shirt, she wonders out loud:]
Why are you still wearing this?
no subject
She steps back to let them have their first encounter without her muddling things up too much, wants to let them have a chance to find their physical dynamic on their own. Although she's more than happy to direct things or harass either of them, she does actually want them to enjoy themselves, which means she needs to pay attention first. Sex isn't something she does just to pass the time, despite what she'd said earlier -- and it isn't something she approaches lightly.
That doesn't mean Root is investing emotion into it, it means she's investing skill. Why do something if you're not going to do it well?
For now she presses up close against Shaw from behind and slides the fingers of one hand beneath her shirt at her hip, fingertips burrowing into skin over the iliac crest. ]
no subject
But it’s been a long time since he’s let himself touch anyone like this, longer than he’d care to admit even if asked, and it feels good to reach for Shaw in turn. To know that Root’s gaze is on both of them now too, catlike and satisfied. He hadn’t realized he’d like that.
He watches Root’s hands on Shaw, holding her close, and thinks, all right. He hums and leans in to kiss Shaw briefly, testing the waters more than not, and then he leans back to shrug out of his jacket and then his shirt. Letting both fall. ]
no subject
If he goes, she'll come along for the ride.]
no subject
Being dead, Root can't stand to waste time, now more than ever. ]
Uh-uh, [ she whispers. ] Whatever you do to him, I'm going to do to you.
[ Maybe not in a perfect symmetry, but close enough. Root starts pushing her hands up, aiming to peel Shaw's shirt off of her, toss it to the side carelessly and set her teeth at her neck in tantalizing warning and promise. The tall line of her body curves over her like a vulture waiting for a chance.
Perfect symmetry is boring, after all. ]