Warning: SHAL/EMMA PAIRING!! :D
AN: Challenged a while ago to write a shower scene. I know these things are supposed to be sexy, and yet somehow I always end up with angst. sigh The events mentioned are based around what Shal told us about her childhood institutionalisation (long word) by her parents. (see Lest He Become) Think the femslash group have seen this already, tho I can't for the life of me remember why Oh well
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The water was gentle on her skin, soothing as it trailed in rivulets, casting line after line, only to disappear as the next overwrote it. The water was gentle, but the body was harsh. The lines were sharp and edged. She reached out, but her hand stopped before it touched, uncertain. She didn't want to cause pain, and those lines spoke of pain. Red and angry they burned to her eyes and she winced in sympathy. Her eyes moved upwards from those lines and found waves, silken waves darkened by the water seeping through them. Reaching out she found those silken waves thick and heavy, the lower layers still dry as the water failed to reach them. A hand reached up and pulled the waves to one side, lifting them so that they were soaked and heavy right through. As the hand let them fall once more the waves faded, weighted by the water that they retained, and straightened as it dripped from the ends. Emboldened, she reached out her hands and drew a finger lightly down one of the lines that had first held her attention. The back that held the lines shuddered at her touch and a face turned to meet hers, laughing.
"That tickles." Shalimar grinned.
"What happened to your back?" Emma asked, feeling far away with the steam filling her lungs, the heat soporific. The laughter didn't fade from her smile, but a falseness filled it and Emma felt ashamed for asking. It was private.
"They only show up when I'm in the shower." Came the reply, slightly strained. "It must be the heat."
"You don't have to"
"It was where they beat me." She answered flippantly, interrupting. "It marks after a while, if it's regular enough." The lightness in her tone faded as she added. "And it was regular." She shuddered once more, not in pleasure this time, and turned away again.
Emma moved forward to embrace her under the steamy torrent that continued unchecked. She rejoiced in the knowledge that she could feel every inch of contact their bodies held. Moving away only as far as she had to, Emma bent and kissed a soft line of affection along each damp line. Though it seemed unlikely it almost looked as if those lines faded a little under her touch. Looked a little less angry. Following a lash that led long around her side, Emma came across a bruise - recent, she remembered hearing Shalimar complain about missing the blow - and plied her affections on that as well. Eventually she reached the deep red blush of her lips and found that this was a wound that needed considerable attention.
Opening her eyes again Emma found Shalimar's eyes closed tight as if warding away some vision she didn't want to see. Only the redness of her eyes betrayed the tears who's presence was masked by the falling water. Gently she kissed those reddened cheeks, those tightly shut eyelids. A harsh breath released was followed by a softening in the lines, the creases that the frown had formed. Emma smiled, pulling her close once more.
"It's kinda hot in here." She murmured.
"Cooler in the bedroom."
"I like that idea."
Past pain forgotten in the heat of the moment, they stumbled away together, leaving only steam and salty puddles in the shower.
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Review if you liked, review if you didn't. It's enough to know someone read the damn thing.