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I mean I don't want, but if you really have to roll around in gore with somebody I'm not going to hold you back.

[ Kate isn't really taking that bit of faux-distress seriously judging by the angle of her smile, but her answer's also a genuine one. So's her laugh. ]

There are things I'm willing to try at least once, but I'm pretty sure that isn't one. Hopefully one of these days we'll find them and you can test that theory. In the meantime, showers. How have we not done that yet? [ Other than that whole debacle with the bath tub, that is. ]

Because I don't take showers for no reason.

[She leans back, stretching her arms over her head with a probably falsely contented sigh, sucking in air in one go and then letting it out with a huff.]

I could take a shower now.

No reason?

[ Kate arches one dark brow and drops her mouth open like she's been terribly offended, which she definitely hasn't. It doesn't stop her reaching up as Johanna stretches to pinch a nipple. ]

I don't actually need one, but sure, why not.

Hey--

[It's not a yelp, really, but that audacity has to be acknowledge. She gives Kate a somewhat indignant look before she turns--quite pointedly--away.]

You're the one that suggested it. I could care less.

[ Kate's smile is perfectly innocent. What? ]

You're the one who suggested right now. If you want to, let's. If not, later.

[ Maybe she should be more decisive but Kate really doesn't want to push her if there's any chance it'll turn into another hour of screaming and self-administered stitches. Besides, if Johanna's going to look away it just gives her another opportunity to mess with her and she darts a hand up to flick the other. ]

Stop.

[If you don't want screaming, Kate, flicking Johanna's nipples is the wrong way to go about it. She rolls her eyes, sharply, as she throws her legs over the side of the bed and hauls herself up.]

It sucks that you aren't as funny as you think you are. Come on, get up.

[ Kate wasn't actually aiming to really annoy her (just this once), so when told to stop she sits back on her heels and lifts her hands away into the air with no repeat of the teasing. It does suck that she isn't as funny as she thinks she is.

There's an impulse to beg off as she gets to her feet, to jump back into pants and shoes and nope on out of there. But she's trying to beat this sour, sulky mood, not give in to it, so she leaves her clothes and just follows. ]

[Maybe it was a little funny. Or it would have been, if it was Johanna doing it. But it's not, so it isn't.

Naked, still, and totally untroubled by it, Johanna strolls out into the corridor, without waiting for Kate. Not directly, anyways; she hangs back a little.]

How hot do you like it?

So hot.

[ It's out of Kate's mouth almost before she's even aware she's thinking it, complete with cheesy porn voice. So much for being done bothering with jokes. She shrugs and gives a real answer. ]

Hot but not scalding, just comfortable. Too hot is bad for your skin. How do you like it? Boiling?

[Johanna snorts at that answer, and shoots Kate an amused glance over her shoulder. Congratulations, maybe you're a little funny.]

I like it boiling. Obviously. But I'm willing to make allowances for you.

[Loftily, she adds:]

You're welcome.

I knew I could count on you to find a way to make even washing your hair hardcore. [ This is dry, as amused as that glance she got. She'll take what she can get. ] Thanks.

[ She even smiles a little, a brief, sincere little curve at one corner of her mouth. She's brought her bow along despite (because of?) bare legs and Johanna's nakedness, and has both thumbs hooked behind the strap against her chest. ]

You could turn it up boiling at first so it steams everything up and then turn it down a little for me.

[She lifts her eyebrows a little, lifts her chin, challenging. Naked though she is, she's also brought along a weapon, of course: an axe. No one is surprised. With casual ease, she swings it onto her shoulder.]

So you do like to watch.

What, you're just now figuring out I like looking at you?

[ Kate laughs and rolls her eyes, but her smile tugs wider and she drags a slow, obvious look down to Johanna's toes and back up. It's a deliberate gesture, but there's nothing forced about the way her gaze lingers. It ends in a smirk. ]

Bullshit, you know you're hot.

[And Johanna doesn't mind one bit. Rather, she basks in the attention, tips her chin up a little, lets her hair swing over her shoulder. She gives Kate a smirk in return, as she lets her walk shift to a bit of a saunter.]

Well, yeah. I knew both of those.

[Like, duh, Kate.]

What I didn't know was how into watching you were. Guess I started to figure it out when you asked if you could watch me being sketched, but this takes it to a new level.

All I said was you could run the shower hotter for a minute before I get in! How is that--??

[ Kate's protest is still laughing, bemused more than defensive this time. She throws up a hand in surrender. ]

Fine, yes, I think the-- mental image, idea, whatever-- of the two of you together is hot. Why would that not be hot? But it wouldn't work in real life.

[Why would it not be, indeed. And the answer is: it would be, very. Image and actual event. And doesn't she know it. But, still, she raises her eyebrows at Kate, in another kind of challenge. Please elaborate:]

Why wouldn't it?

[ The look she gets back from Kate is her head tipped to one side and a flat look, like, really? ]

First of all because I really doubt that he's going to sleep with you. And even if he did I don't think he'd be cool with someone watching. And even if you talked him into all of it, I think the awkwardness would still totally drown out the hotness.

[ duh. ]

He'd get over it.

[She lifts her shoulder at Kate, coy, with a smirk.]

I'm very distracting when I want to be. [As well you know, which she does not say, but implies, heavily.] Anyway, who says he'd know you were watching? It can be fun in secret. Or so I've heard. I don't bother much with 'secret'.

Now see, that wouldn't be awkward. That would just be straight up creepy.

[ Kate collects a towel as they pass them and twists it between her hands. ]

He's like-- I don't know how to explain it and you don't care anyway, but he's a really big deal. I mean, the older version of him in my world is. It's like some combination of your most intimidating uncle and your childhood hero. I can joke about how hot he is and picture arms and pretend they're someone else's but more than that seems wrong.

Hm.

[She listens, at least--which is more than she would usually offer to someone, especially in a circumstance like this. But she really does listen, almost politely...

And then she tosses her hair over her shoulder, with a dismissive air.]

I'm so glad I've never cared about anything like that. Now or ever. I guess you'll just have to let me have him.

[ Of course she hasn't. Kate sort of wants to sigh but also knows that was about the nicest possible response she could've hoped for. Johanna tosses her hair, and Kate shrugs back at her. ]

Maybe I'll just make friends with Nick, instead. He's just like a scruffier, less wholesome version.

[ so there. ]

I thought we were sharing Nick.

[She goes to one of the showers without the slightest of hesitations. She's got this now; she doesn't so much as flinch, just turns the tap all the way to the right. The water gushes down immediately, and the steam is quick to follow.]

Or watching him fight. Or whatever.

[ There's a pause and a twitch of Kate's head in response, a sort of full-body oh that's like a flinch, minus the negativity.

She hangs her bow on a towel hook just outside the cube Johanna picks, and quickly strips off t-shirt and underwear to leave beside it. She avoids the spray for the moment, skirting around it through the steam. ]

Those are two very different options.

[Determined, and set not to care, Johanna steps right into the spray of water, and turns her face up toward the spray, pleased. Her eyes shut a moment; her hands held curled at her sides. The water is so hot it's nearly scalding, and she doesn't flinch away.

After a moment, she gives a brisk shake of her head, scattering water every which-way, before she turns a smile over at Kate.]

The fighting one is better, right.

[ Kate leans against the wall, already flushing red in the heat, even with only her feet directly in the water's path. She pulls her hair up off her neck with both hands and holds it at the top of her head. When she smiles back it comes with a significant percentage of smirk. ]

You don't seem like you'd be very good at sharing.

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