Tally wasn't sure why she was nervous to just take a bath with her, she literally saw her naked this morning. Maybe it's because she was the one naked and vulnerable and not the both of them. It'd only been almost two days since this new unexpected yet very much wanted arrangement happened.
She sat on the edge of the bed waiting while Sarah drew the bath, she could already smell the mixture of oils wafting from the bathroom. She shivered at the coldness of the room, Sarah had started a fire before tending to the bath, but it hadn't quite reached her yet.
Turning to stare at the flames she let herself be lulled by them until a fear and sadness not her own came over her. Her breathing picked up as she started to hear screams of pain and she choked out a sob clamping her hands over her ears.
Startled from whatever it was that she was experiencing by warm hands wrapping around her wrists and pulling them down, "Tally?"
The feelings, the voices, all disappeared when she looked up into those blue eyes and she quickly wiped away her tears, "I'm sorry, I don't know what that was. I was watching the fire and suddenly I felt a sadness not my own and heard screams. I...that's never happened before," she shivered and rested her head against the other woman's stomach.
Sarah gulped down a bubble of emotion before she wrapped her hands around her and kissed the top of her head, "I'm sorry, perhaps it's from our connection. Perhaps you were experiencing one of my memories, something I wish you hadn't felt. Nobody should have to feel my grief."
Tally popped her head up with furious tears in her eyes, "You shouldn't have had to experience it either. It isn't fair, all of your pain and suffering...I, I'm sorry that I ever added to it."
"It wasn't all pain and suffering, there was the good too. But in times of war you don't get the luxury of always feeling it, if anything. All of the horror and all of the glory, it can almost make you forget you're human."
Tally stood fast and hugged her tightly, "You're human, you're the most human of all of us. You have a big heart, Sarah, you just haven't been allowed to share it."
Sarah let out a shaky breath to calm her nerves as she hugged the redhead back, "Enough crying, the water will get cold."
Tally noticed the low lighting in the bathroom and the various candles lit around the room and the cozy looking bathtub big enough for two. Getting caught up in all of the emotions Tally didn't even realize that Sarah was wrapped in a robe and she blushed. She swears one of these days she won't be so flustered around her like this.
"I really hope you don't ever stop, you're too cute when you blush."
"Oh, goddess, you heard that?"
The older witch nodded and turned to face her and immediately dropped her robe in front of her unprepared wife. Tally drank her all in and forgot how to form words as Sarah waltzed over to her and tilted her chin up so she could kiss it, "Now strip."
Sarah left her standing there to submerge herself in the hot herbal bath, raising her eyebrow at the young woman still standing there. Tally snapped out of it and fumbled to undress, like the eager newly wed that she was. It took everything in her not to cover herself up as she walked over to the bathtub and gulped as she looked down at the smoldering gaze that awaited her.
Licking her lips Tally paused, "Um, how do you want me?"
Sarah sat up and crossed her legs as much as the tub would allow, "How about you come sit in front of me and I'll wash your hair."
While Sarah grabbed her shampoo's Tally got in and settled herself in front of the older woman and sighed at the warmth of the water. Her body immediately thawed out from the long day she had. A hand came around and gently tilted her head back and before she could say anything a pitcher of warm water was coming down on her head. The scent of lavender and cloves enveloped her as the shampoo was massaged into her scalp. Tally moaned and leaned back into those hands she was coming to love so much.
The whole experience had a nostalgia to it, it reminded her of when she was little and her mother would give her baths and she felt safe and knew nothing of fighting. Water was poured over her head again, washing away the soap and her worries along with it. Being here now, she felt safe and loved, it felt like home.
Home.
Sarah sensed that and smiled to herself as she pressed a kiss to her shoulder, Tally sat up straighter at the contact.
"Um, would you like me to wash your hair? Only if you want."
Sarah smirked and Tally could feel it, "Any excuse for you to get your hands in my hair, huh?"
Tally fought a smile and just nodded, "I walked right into that one, you are never going to let that down."
Sarah hummed and turned around, "You're so easy to tease and I think it's becoming one of my favorite things."
Tally laughed and turned towards her, taking the offered bottle of shampoo and pitcher from her hands. And much like how Sarah had done for her, Tally washed her hair for her, "When was the last time you shared a bath with another person?"
Sarah thought about it for a while, "Well, I've shared hot springs with others before but if you're asking when was the last time I let someone get close enough to wash my hair...I'd say when I was a child. Much like you. My mother."
Tally sat the pitcher and shampoo to the side and just stared at her back, she seemed so small and fragile to her like this. But the scars on her back painted a different picture and Tally reached a hand out and traced them, startling Sarah before she relaxed into the touch.
"Some scars don't always heal. Those were before I acquired biddies. They're a reminder of what I lost and fought for," Sarah turned and stared back at her with unshed tears.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stir up more sad memories for you," Tally cast her eyes down to the soapy water.
Sarah's hand reached out and grasped hers and brought it to her lips, "'I just miss you, in a quite simple desperate human way. Oh my dear, I can't be clever and stand-offish with you: I love you too much for that. Too truly. You have no idea how stand-offish I can be with people I don't love. I have brought it to a fine art. But you have broken down my defences. And I don't really resent it.'"
Tally smiled at the poem, "Vita Sackville-West?"
Sarah smiled and motioned for her to turn around so she could pull her flush against her as they soaked up the remaining warmth of the bath.
"A lover of poetry as well I see."
"Well, I do love to read anything and everything. I'm pretty sure I've read everything there is to know about you."
Sarah laughed, "No wonder you get into so much trouble, you're too smart for your own good."
Tally frowned, "I don't know if I should take that as an insult or a compliment."
"Take it as a compliment, my little knower."
Tally filled with pride and contentment at the praise like she had just been called a good girl and if she were a puppy her tail would surely be wagging happily. The thought of bathtub sex with Sarah had not escaped her immediate thoughts but her eyes were getting heavy and the water was getting warm and before she knew it she was yawning.
"Come, we should dry off and you very much need sleep. And before you protest I know where your mind went just now and all in due time but for now you must sleep. You are not allowed to miss classes tomorrow, understand?"
Tally yawned again and nodded, "Okay, that's fair, you win."
Sarah slipped out from behind her hand out of the bath to grab a towel, Tally following not far behind, "I was expecting more of a fight from you, so I know you really must be tired."
Tally smiled sleepily as she let herself be wrapped in a towel, Sarah putting on her robe and grabbing a smaller towel to dry Tally's hair with. She brushed out her hair and threw a nightgown over her and sent her to bed while she dried herself up and dressed for bed.
As soon as she came out of the bathroom, having picked up Tally's clothes she had left on the bathroom floor in haste, a reminder of how young and almost carefree she was. She set her folded clothes on the top of her bag and smiled at the already passed out Tally snuggled into her pillow.
They were really going to need a bigger bed soon, sighing she turned out the lights and crawled in behind the younger woman. Pulling her flush against her and kissing her on the back of the head. It didn't take her long at all to fall asleep right beside her.