(no subject)

[shelley_winters]

Shelley is shivering almost nonstop as they make their way back inside. The coat worked fine for a while, but the cold crept in eventually, faster after the snow soaked through her gloves and shoes, and she lost her hat in a furious duel to the-

Well, not to the death, apparently. It had felt a little like that at the time. She can hear her shoes squishing as she gets inside. Hear, but not feel. The cold has numbed her enough that she doesn't notice the wetness, thank goodness.

Clumsily, but no less fastidiously, she peels off the wet gloves to rub her icy hands together. Cold. Very cold.

The girl shudders, and begins peeling off her coat as soon as the door closes behind them. She suspects there is snow inside it.

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[shelley_winters]

Shelley considers for about half a second before giving in and twisting around to smack his wrist away.

"Stop. That."

She curls her knees up in front of her again, and glares, cheeks flaming. She won't let him- Well. Anything.

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

Creeping forward, Ishamael smiled softly as his hand caressed her back. A wary inquiring tone in his voice as if he were afraid he was. His dark hair shadowed his face.

"Am I hurting you?"

[shelley_winters]

"Not yet."

She pushes his hand away from her again, expression stony. Don't give in, not even a little bit.

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

Leaning in closer, Ishamael put his arm behind her back, hand planted firmly on the floor. The other stroking her skin through the thin silken robe.

"I am... to say the very least, highly disinclined to hurt you."

His breath whispered in her hair as spoke.

"Tell me if I start to hurt you, and I will stop."

[shelley_winters]

"Stop."

There's all kinds of hurting.

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

His head tilted as his hand froze. In the darkness outside the window, the wind stirred the still white snow.

(Desire itself is movement)

"...I mean you no harm, quite the contrary."

(Love is itself unmoving)

[shelley_winters]

Shelley grits her teeth, fighting panic. He's too close again, and she shifts back, heat of the fire uncomfortable on the side of her face and one arm.

"And yet."

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

Shaking his head slightly, Ishamael rose to his feet.

"And yet the hour is late, and we both ought to rest lest our tempers turn foul."

Glancing over to the fire, Ishamael pressed index finger to his thumb as if snuffing a candle. The blaze extinguished soundlessly, leaving the room in chill darkness.

"We cannot leave it burning overnight, it is a hazard."

Offering a hand to her to help her up, he spoke softly.

"It will soon be far too cold to remain here."

[shelley_winters]

Well, thinks Shelley, sitting in the sudden dark, it will now.

"Fine."

She ignores the hand, getting to her feet slowly - a little slower than she had to - making sure the end of the robe doesn't trip her, and not looking up.

[always-a-liar.livejournal.com]

Without the warmth and light of the fire, the room was shrouded in cold darkness. Silent as the tomb, they wandered through that darkness to their appointed rest.

Somewhere, Vashti was humming to herself as she undressed in the dark. Praying by her bedside to the Great Lord for allowing her to serve still, she took a deep breath and went to her appointed rest.

Somewhere, a servant was crawling, bleeding across the stone cold floor, his eyesight failing. He had to escape from... whatever those were... He had to... And there in that cold darkness, he found his appointed rest.

The soft moonlight gleamed on the still white wasteland outside. Empty and harsh, the snow burying all in its thick white shroud.

Between the footsteps and the soft sound of her robe trailing along the floor, Ishamael heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead.