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[noburden]

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[rosarianoath]

He meets her with open arms, folding them around her tight, burying his nose into her damp hair. She smells nice. A pity he doesn’t. He kisses her scalp.

“Bathing without me?” he murmurs, with a squeeze.

[noburden]

He stinks. She's used to it. It does nothing to deter her from returning the embrace tightly, always pleased to be in his arms.

"I took care of me so I can take care of you."

The scissors are on the bathroom counter.

[rosarianoath]

“I thought I was coming home to ravish you,” he says, but maybe that can be after a shower.

He kisses her temple next.

[noburden]

"You are. But I can barely see your eyes under all that hair, and... you reek, Clive."

She laughs and squeezes him regardless of the smell.

[rosarianoath]

“I had a mishap with a monster corpse,” he says, amused. That’s a common occurrence, at least. He peels himself from her. “I’ll undress, then.”

[noburden]

Jill steps back, arms crossed over her middle. She gives him a smile. She'll watch.

"I'm sure Torgal enjoyed that."

[rosarianoath]

"He's in the backyard still rolling in it."

He starts on unbuckling his armour, leaving it on the floor where it lays so it doesn't contaminate their laundry. He'll haul it all downstairs once he's down to his underclothes.

"Did you enjoy the rest of your evening?"

[noburden]

Jill makes a face--Torgal will get a bath next--but doesn't let that detract from the view. She'll never tire of watching Clive.

"I did. I always enjoy my time with Joshua."

Joshua, who is hopefully long asleep by now.

[rosarianoath]

Clive unlaces and shucks off his vest. Underneath, his white undershirt clings damply to his skin, and he sticks a thumb in his shirt laces to loosen them, too.

“Good,” he says, pleased. “He went to bed, did he?”

He could be out with Dante.

[noburden]

She can see the line of his muscles through his shirt. It's great. As much as she misses him while he hunts, he needs to get out and burn off his energy... and at least it often means she gets to see this.

"He did. I made sure he had a big dinner."

A little food coma in their favor.

[rosarianoath]

“Perfect,” he says, and he pulls his shirt off over his head, back stretching out and abs flexing as he does. “Thank you for always taking such good care of him.”

Boots next.

[noburden]

Jill admires him openly, though his thanks has her shaking her head.

"You don't need to thank me, Clive. He's family. Having the opportunity to take care of him is truly my pleasure."

And looking after him in Clive's absence is a very important job.

[rosarianoath]

“I’m grateful just the same,” he says, and he unlaces himself out of his trousers. That always takes a minute, the loops parting bit by bit to reveal his braies and his sweaty thighs.

[noburden]

"Then I can tell you that I'm grateful for you, Clive. For taking care of us."

And letting her watch him undress whenever she pleases. Truly, a gift.

[rosarianoath]

He beams at her, stepping out of his trousers and dropping them aside with the rest, nude save for his socks and braies, the latter of which sits so sloppily on his hips that they reveal dark hair trailing upwards. He smiles.

“I’ll shower quickly, then, so I can be with you sooner.”

[noburden]

His smile still makes her heart stutter. At the mention of a shower, she steps forward with a click of her tongue, hands setting on his hips.

"Let me trim your hair before you wash it." Less shedding in their bed.

[rosarianoath]

Before? He’s never done more than lazily take a knife to it, but she’s tended to his mop of hair enough over the years to trust her judgment.

“Where do you want me, then?”

[noburden]

The fact that his hair is a happy mess on a good day is why Jill feels comfortable to give it a trim at all. Unless she takes out a good chunk, it's nearly impossible to mess it up.

She takes his hand to lead him to the bathroom.

"Just a trim," she promises. "It's getting long. I like seeing your face and it's been getting in my way."

[rosarianoath]

He follows, his gaze drifting down her arm to settle on his hand in hers, and he curls his fingers around hers in turn. His heart swells.

“Just as long as you keep the ugly part hidden,” he says, mildly joking. “And if you are to look at me, I’d sooner have a trim than start tying it back…”

[noburden]

"No part of your face is ugly," she tells him, having him stand with his back towards the sink and mirror. She cups that scarred cheek with a smile. "I'd cut your hair shorter if you'd let me."

[rosarianoath]

He makes an amused sound under his breath, resting his weight against the counter’s edge and letting his head fall forward, sinking the weight of his cheek into her hand.

“Perhaps someday,” he says. “And as long as it grows out before we go home.”

[noburden]

Her smile grows, thumb brushing over the edges of his scar.

"I hardly see this when I look at you, you know," she tells him, full of fondness. "I'm glad to live in a place where you don't need to hide."

[rosarianoath]

“It still gets looks,” he remarks. This house is the only place it doesn’t, and his eyes droop closed lazily just so he can focus on the sensation of her skin on his — where it passes over living nerve and drifts into dead space and back. “Fortunately your opinion is the only one that matters, at the end of the day.”

[noburden]

"And I'm of the opinion that you are the most handsome man there ever was," she says, to the surprise of none. "I thought so even when this wound was fresh."

[rosarianoath]

He chuffs quietly, and opens his eyes again just enough to gaze into her eyes.

“To think I could end up with such a beauty, who could see so much at me even at my lowest,” he murmurs.