[ The woman smiles wryly. Nina is making sharp note of both her and the Captain. They pay for this kindness with coin, but she's smart enough to always be wary of everything. Her smile doesn't falter, nor does her playful, cheerful demeanor. She keeps hold of Matthias' hand as they're led deeper into the ship.
She quietly memorized all the paths and exits. She chuckles up at her husband. She doesn't answer because soon they stop at a door. The woman opens it to reveal the modest room with a single bed. ]
You have our deepest thanks. [ Nina gives her a beautiful curtsy and steps into the room. She doesn't release a breath until the foot closes behind him. ]
If they are, I'll know it. Hard for heartbeats to lie.
[ At the end of the day, that's what makes Nina dangerous. It's impossible to hide from the heart.
Matthias doesn't let go of her hand as he takes in the room. It's smaller than the room at the inn (which isn't a surprise), and it bobs with the water (which isn't a surprise), but it seems cozy, a little escape from the rest of the madness on the ship. A wooden table sits beside the bed, and the oil lamp glows brightly. There's a small window where the ocean spray spits against the glass. ]
What do you think? Are you suspicious about why they gave us this room?
[ The drüskelle drummed it into him to always be paranoid. Brum, for his confidence, was a man with a deeply buried paranoia. You could never tell who was Grisha by looking at them, not unless they wore one of those pieces of jewellery that indicated them more powerful than the rest. ]
[ Nina drops herself down on the bed. It's not very big. It's only big enough for the two of them barely. It'll be a tight fit. She'll be practically on top of him, not that he'll have any complaints about that. She sighs and offers him her hand to tug him down with her. ]
A little, but not enough to refuse. There's Grisha on this ship too, so I doubt they're discriminatory. Greed though, that's the real motivator for most people.
[ If she didn't offer him her hand, he'd remain standing awkwardly in the room. It's only inevitable he'd cross his arms and take up even more of the limited space.
Dropping down beside her, he doesn't try and keep any distance between them like he would if they were still in Ravka. His thigh rests against hers. ]
Hm.
[ Matthias sighs, back slouching, and looks ahead. ]
We should probably enjoy it, especially if we stay in Novyi Zem for a long time.
[ They'll only be able to pretend to be newlyweds for so long, especially if Novyi Zed happens to be the city for them to settle in. He hopes it is. Matthias knows he was never really meant for travelling all over the world, not even as a Grisha hunter .
He lifts the corner of his mouth up in an attempt to not appear too obvious that he's smiling. ]
I hear it's lovely in Novyi Zem. Sunny and by the water. They call their Grisha 'blessed'. [ The prejudice that extends to other countries does not include the Zemeni. Their only concern will be any Drüskelle or Second Army that might be passing through that could recognize them. With time, they can alter their looks and grow away from the people they'd once been.
Nina leans against her big wolf. She's tired, but she's content. The sway of the ship speaks of the freedom they're heading towards. ]
He doesn't shift away from her when she leans her weight against him. He takes comfort in it, liking that she's still there, a constant, warm reminder that he's not alone in the aftermath of all of this. They may be back on a ship, but she's not in shackles, and he's not walking away from her.
Weighing his words, he furrows his brows, and after a noticeable moment, he tries to speak without too much worry lacing his words. He fails. ]
Would you be safe?
[ They may refer to their Grisha as 'blessed', but even Matthias knows that may not mean much. ]
[ Her tone is rueful. There's truly no place for Grisha that's fully safe. In Fjerda, they're burned. In Shu Han, they're experimented upon. In Kerch, they're indentured servants. Even in Ravka, they are at the whim of the greedy, incompetent Tsar just as much as the Darkling is.
She hopes their destination will be different. It's easier to hide as a Corporalnik than Etheralnik. Her small science is much more subtle. She takes his hand and brings it to her lips for a kiss. ]
We'll take care of each other. We're safer together.
[ Watching her handle his hand, he exhales roughly through his nose and dissipates most of the tension lining his shoulders. He'll have to make sure that she's safe. Like how he'd kept his ears peeled for news of Grisha nearby, he'll need to do so for witch hunters and those who wouldn't take kindly to her.
Novyi Zem needs to be different. He hopes for it to be different.
He squeezes her hand before bowing toward her, a small smile playing on his lips. ]
I won't let anything happen to you again.
[ It's something he wishes to make up for. Being beneath Brum's thumb and Fjerda's hate is something Matthias knows he'll spend the rest of his life making up for. ]
[ Nina wouldn't have it any other way. She's always thought the Grisha were her family. Perhaps they still are, but in a distant sort of way.
Matthias is her family now. She'll protect him against everyone and everything. He is hers just as she is his. They've given up everything for one another. ]
I hope you don't regret it.
[ She says it quietly. It's a fear she has. Walking away from his country and people and his religion that's so ingrained into the thread of his being can't be easy. He's not free spirited like she is. She's afraid he'll wake up one day and realize she's not worth it. ]
[ He flushes furiously and glances away, pressing his lips together to unsuccessfully try to fight his small, embarrassed smile.
For all his love of Djel and Fjerda, Matthias knows Djel would never have put him on the path to meeting Nina if he wasn't supposed to be here. He wants to believe that his god had something to do with it, that straying from the Drüskelle was always in the plan for him. It's what makes the most sense now, even if he'll pull it apart differently much, much later.
Matthias tilts his chin up slightly before he looks at her, letting the corners of his lips curve upward. ]
[ She's delighted by his words. It's sweet and romantic. She reaches up to cup his face and brush her thumb along his cheekbone. She wonders what things would be like had they met sooner. She wonders what would change.
She leans in, kissing sweetly. No, the Saints have made sure that she met him at exactly the right time. They're ready for each other now. ]
[ Which he suspects won't discourage her at all. He's learned quickly that Nina cares about those around her. She'd cared about the Grisha on the ship despite not knowing many of them. He's sure not knowing their fates since the sinking has weighed heavily upon her. Matthias has chosen to wear their loss on his shoulders now that he understands that some people have a looser interpretation of what Djel wants.
He smiles lopsidedly—a sign that he's about to say something dorky. ]
Why would you want to worry about me when I am here? And we are newlyweds…
[ She raises a brow at him. There's a delighted smile tugging on her lips. He's her dork, and Saints, does she adore him for it. Coyly, she starts unbutton the front of her dress. She has so many layers, but she's adept at peeling them off. Now they don't have to rush or fumble or worry about staying warm. ]
Then come do your duty to your wife, Mattias. She has need of you.
[ She lets her dress fall to the floor. She's left in her slip and bloomers as she lounges on the bed with an inviting look. ]
[ Matthias may regard her with a lopsided grin, but his fingers work deftly at untucking his tunic from his pants and pulling it up and over his head. Unlike her, he doesn't wear many layers to keep him warm. Perhaps it's all part of being a wolf, being a little invulnerable against the cold. ]
You will always be your own.
[ And Matthias, for all of his conservative beliefs, doesn't think it's right for anyone to claim her. Birds are free. They're not meant to be in cages.
But that doesn't stop him from climbing over her and burying his face in the crook of her neck, taking his time in kissing her skin. ]
[ She can be her own but his as well. She enjoys the sight of him undressing. She likes the way his arms flex with the movement of tugging off his tunic. He treats her to the sight of his gloriously bare chest. She likes the sprinkling of hair there too. She likes running her fingers against it.
A breathy giggle escapes her when his broad body covers her. His lips are warm and soft against her throat. Her fingers move more impatiently to get herself naked and bare.
She gets distracted as she always does with him. Her fingers leave her buttons and stays to trace along his sides and down his back. Turning her head, she kisses along his temple and tugs at his head. ]
He'd think himself running more cold than hot, but Matthias doesn't find it strange. She makes him flush until the snow has melted off his bones and reveals soft flesh beneath the sharp icicles.
Although his heart pounds, confidence climbs his spine. She makes him brave enough to be vulnerable and playful. The drüskelle would think it such a sin. ]
Am I hot here?
[ Staring at her with his lips parted, Matthias taps his fingers against the pulse of his neck. ]
[ It's always a breathtaking sight to see him grow more comfortable with mischief and playing. His stoicism has melted away more and more. She giggles and leans in to brush her lips against his throat. She scrapes her teeth along his skin, but it's her tongue that traces at his pulse point. ]
Mmm, you're burning up. Hot enough to keep me warm in a whale hut.
[ Nina can act with the best of them. It's her way to tease that she's so exaggerated with wide eyes and emphatic nods. She bites her bottom lip as his fingertips trail down her arm. She wants him to touch her more. All over. His touch elicit gooseflesh along her skin. ]
[ It's a quiet murmur. He'll never be as good of an actor as she is—and he's poor at it now, his expression too pinched, his words not worried enough—but he doubts she cares.
He continues trailing his fingers along her arm, although he replaces his nails with his fingertips. Eventually, he palms her bicep before pressing his hand against her back. ]
[ She presses her lips together to keep from laughing. Mirth is dancing in her eyes. She gives a convincing nod of agreement. Nina lifts her body slightly to let him slide it off of her. ]
You're probably right. You Fjerdan men know all about the cold and how to warm up from it. I defer to your authority.
[ His cheeks warm and his body flushes, and Matthias hopes Nina doesn't see it. (Of course, she does. She sees everything, hears everything.)
With her assistance, he tugs her slip up her body, although he does so slowly. He suspects she's eager to be stripped of it (and he is, too); he takes his time.
Up and over her head, he places it off to the side. This isn't the first time he's seen her naked, but it's the first time it's been intentional. There aren't any furs; the ship isn't frozen. They aren't desperate to keep themselves alive. She's beautiful, pale skin blemished with pink. Nina is everything he's ever wanted. ]
You're beautiful.
[ He looks up at her, lips curved upward softly. ]
[ She's smiling up at him even as he strips her bare. He puts a smile on her face so easily like he's made to do so. Djel, the Saints, the Making. Whoever. They'd made him for her.
She stretches out and lounges with a hand behind her head while her other traced fingers up and down her flat abdomen. She's on full display for him. She wears nothing but a smile. Looking at him with his earnest gaze and awestruck grin as he gazes upon her, how can she not? ]
[ He flushes hot at that, immediately flustered. ]
Nina—
[ He grins toothily, shaking his head. Thankfully, he busies himself with stripping after he's rendered her naked. His gaze lingers on her body, cheeks red, his ears following suit. She really is beautiful. All pale skin and curves. It's different seeing her now. They were trying to survive in the whale huts. Here… they get to be them.
Boldly, he crawls up the bed to lie beside her, mimicking her pose, even though he trails his fingers along her arm rather than his abdomen. ]
It would be best if you did not say untrue things.
[ He's more than beautiful. He's gorgeous. Breathtaking. Never has her heart been so overcome with feelings until he frustrated her to no end. She watches him as they lay together. His fingers leave a trail of gooseflesh in their wake. She feels herself warming and aching for him.
Slyly, she covers her hand with his and boldly guides him to cup her soft breast. ]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2023-09-07 05:20 pm (UTC)She quietly memorized all the paths and exits. She chuckles up at her husband. She doesn't answer because soon they stop at a door. The woman opens it to reveal the modest room with a single bed. ]
You have our deepest thanks. [ Nina gives her a beautiful curtsy and steps into the room. She doesn't release a breath until the foot closes behind him. ]
If they are, I'll know it. Hard for heartbeats to lie.
no subject
Date: 2023-09-08 04:51 am (UTC)Matthias doesn't let go of her hand as he takes in the room. It's smaller than the room at the inn (which isn't a surprise), and it bobs with the water (which isn't a surprise), but it seems cozy, a little escape from the rest of the madness on the ship. A wooden table sits beside the bed, and the oil lamp glows brightly. There's a small window where the ocean spray spits against the glass. ]
What do you think? Are you suspicious about why they gave us this room?
[ The drüskelle drummed it into him to always be paranoid. Brum, for his confidence, was a man with a deeply buried paranoia. You could never tell who was Grisha by looking at them, not unless they wore one of those pieces of jewellery that indicated them more powerful than the rest. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-09-09 12:26 am (UTC)A little, but not enough to refuse. There's Grisha on this ship too, so I doubt they're discriminatory. Greed though, that's the real motivator for most people.
no subject
Date: 2023-09-09 09:10 am (UTC)Dropping down beside her, he doesn't try and keep any distance between them like he would if they were still in Ravka. His thigh rests against hers. ]
Hm.
[ Matthias sighs, back slouching, and looks ahead. ]
We should probably enjoy it, especially if we stay in Novyi Zem for a long time.
[ They'll only be able to pretend to be newlyweds for so long, especially if Novyi Zed happens to be the city for them to settle in. He hopes it is. Matthias knows he was never really meant for travelling all over the world, not even as a Grisha hunter .
He lifts the corner of his mouth up in an attempt to not appear too obvious that he's smiling. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-09-10 10:44 pm (UTC)Nina leans against her big wolf. She's tired, but she's content. The sway of the ship speaks of the freedom they're heading towards. ]
I quite enjoy being your little wife.
no subject
Date: 2023-09-23 11:56 am (UTC)He doesn't shift away from her when she leans her weight against him. He takes comfort in it, liking that she's still there, a constant, warm reminder that he's not alone in the aftermath of all of this. They may be back on a ship, but she's not in shackles, and he's not walking away from her.
Weighing his words, he furrows his brows, and after a noticeable moment, he tries to speak without too much worry lacing his words. He fails. ]
Would you be safe?
[ They may refer to their Grisha as 'blessed', but even Matthias knows that may not mean much. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-09-24 02:52 am (UTC)[ Her tone is rueful. There's truly no place for Grisha that's fully safe. In Fjerda, they're burned. In Shu Han, they're experimented upon. In Kerch, they're indentured servants. Even in Ravka, they are at the whim of the greedy, incompetent Tsar just as much as the Darkling is.
She hopes their destination will be different. It's easier to hide as a Corporalnik than Etheralnik. Her small science is much more subtle. She takes his hand and brings it to her lips for a kiss. ]
We'll take care of each other. We're safer together.
no subject
Date: 2023-09-24 09:32 am (UTC)Novyi Zem needs to be different. He hopes for it to be different.
He squeezes her hand before bowing toward her, a small smile playing on his lips. ]
I won't let anything happen to you again.
[ It's something he wishes to make up for. Being beneath Brum's thumb and Fjerda's hate is something Matthias knows he'll spend the rest of his life making up for. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-09-27 03:24 pm (UTC)[ Nina wouldn't have it any other way. She's always thought the Grisha were her family. Perhaps they still are, but in a distant sort of way.
Matthias is her family now. She'll protect him against everyone and everything. He is hers just as she is his. They've given up everything for one another. ]
I hope you don't regret it.
[ She says it quietly. It's a fear she has. Walking away from his country and people and his religion that's so ingrained into the thread of his being can't be easy. He's not free spirited like she is. She's afraid he'll wake up one day and realize she's not worth it. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-09-30 10:28 am (UTC)[ He flushes furiously and glances away, pressing his lips together to unsuccessfully try to fight his small, embarrassed smile.
For all his love of Djel and Fjerda, Matthias knows Djel would never have put him on the path to meeting Nina if he wasn't supposed to be here. He wants to believe that his god had something to do with it, that straying from the Drüskelle was always in the plan for him. It's what makes the most sense now, even if he'll pull it apart differently much, much later.
Matthias tilts his chin up slightly before he looks at her, letting the corners of his lips curve upward. ]
You don't need to worry about that, my love.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-03 02:25 pm (UTC)[ She's delighted by his words. It's sweet and romantic. She reaches up to cup his face and brush her thumb along his cheekbone. She wonders what things would be like had they met sooner. She wonders what would change.
She leans in, kissing sweetly. No, the Saints have made sure that she met him at exactly the right time. They're ready for each other now. ]
I care about you. Of course I'll worry.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-03 08:54 pm (UTC)[ Which he suspects won't discourage her at all. He's learned quickly that Nina cares about those around her. She'd cared about the Grisha on the ship despite not knowing many of them. He's sure not knowing their fates since the sinking has weighed heavily upon her. Matthias has chosen to wear their loss on his shoulders now that he understands that some people have a looser interpretation of what Djel wants.
He smiles lopsidedly—a sign that he's about to say something dorky. ]
Why would you want to worry about me when I am here? And we are newlyweds…
no subject
Date: 2023-10-04 05:59 pm (UTC)Then come do your duty to your wife, Mattias. She has need of you.
[ She lets her dress fall to the floor. She's left in her slip and bloomers as she lounges on the bed with an inviting look. ]
Make me yours.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-04 09:43 pm (UTC)[ Matthias may regard her with a lopsided grin, but his fingers work deftly at untucking his tunic from his pants and pulling it up and over his head. Unlike her, he doesn't wear many layers to keep him warm. Perhaps it's all part of being a wolf, being a little invulnerable against the cold. ]
You will always be your own.
[ And Matthias, for all of his conservative beliefs, doesn't think it's right for anyone to claim her. Birds are free. They're not meant to be in cages.
But that doesn't stop him from climbing over her and burying his face in the crook of her neck, taking his time in kissing her skin. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-10-16 02:12 pm (UTC)[ She can be her own but his as well. She enjoys the sight of him undressing. She likes the way his arms flex with the movement of tugging off his tunic. He treats her to the sight of his gloriously bare chest. She likes the sprinkling of hair there too. She likes running her fingers against it.
A breathy giggle escapes her when his broad body covers her. His lips are warm and soft against her throat. Her fingers move more impatiently to get herself naked and bare.
She gets distracted as she always does with him. Her fingers leave her buttons and stays to trace along his sides and down his back. Turning her head, she kisses along his temple and tugs at his head. ]
You're always so hot.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-18 09:03 am (UTC)Am I?
[ It's innocently asked.
He'd think himself running more cold than hot, but Matthias doesn't find it strange. She makes him flush until the snow has melted off his bones and reveals soft flesh beneath the sharp icicles.
Although his heart pounds, confidence climbs his spine. She makes him brave enough to be vulnerable and playful. The drüskelle would think it such a sin. ]
Am I hot here?
[ Staring at her with his lips parted, Matthias taps his fingers against the pulse of his neck. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-10-20 04:22 pm (UTC)Mmm, you're burning up. Hot enough to keep me warm in a whale hut.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-21 04:35 am (UTC)[ He smiles, titling his head up to elongate his neck. He remains still; his pulse pounds. ]
But we're not in a whale hut, are we? We're on the sea.
[ And hadn't that been when everything began to change for them? Matthias trails the fingers of one hand along her arm. ]
I remember it being freezing. [ His purrs. ] Are you cold, Nina?
no subject
Date: 2023-10-23 12:24 am (UTC)[ Nina can act with the best of them. It's her way to tease that she's so exaggerated with wide eyes and emphatic nods. She bites her bottom lip as his fingertips trail down her arm. She wants him to touch her more. All over. His touch elicit gooseflesh along her skin. ]
See? So cold.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-24 08:55 am (UTC)[ It's a quiet murmur. He'll never be as good of an actor as she is—and he's poor at it now, his expression too pinched, his words not worried enough—but he doubts she cares.
He continues trailing his fingers along her arm, although he replaces his nails with his fingertips. Eventually, he palms her bicep before pressing his hand against her back. ]
I think we need to take this off.
[ He pinches her slip. ]
I think it's what's making you could.
no subject
Date: 2023-11-02 08:46 pm (UTC)You're probably right. You Fjerdan men know all about the cold and how to warm up from it. I defer to your authority.
[ Now that makes her grin. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-11-13 08:55 am (UTC)With her assistance, he tugs her slip up her body, although he does so slowly. He suspects she's eager to be stripped of it (and he is, too); he takes his time.
Up and over her head, he places it off to the side. This isn't the first time he's seen her naked, but it's the first time it's been intentional. There aren't any furs; the ship isn't frozen. They aren't desperate to keep themselves alive. She's beautiful, pale skin blemished with pink. Nina is everything he's ever wanted. ]
You're beautiful.
[ He looks up at her, lips curved upward softly. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-11-16 06:19 pm (UTC)[ She's smiling up at him even as he strips her bare. He puts a smile on her face so easily like he's made to do so. Djel, the Saints, the Making. Whoever. They'd made him for her.
She stretches out and lounges with a hand behind her head while her other traced fingers up and down her flat abdomen. She's on full display for him. She wears nothing but a smile. Looking at him with his earnest gaze and awestruck grin as he gazes upon her, how can she not? ]
I was thinking the same about you.
no subject
Date: 2023-11-18 09:52 am (UTC)Nina—
[ He grins toothily, shaking his head. Thankfully, he busies himself with stripping after he's rendered her naked. His gaze lingers on her body, cheeks red, his ears following suit. She really is beautiful. All pale skin and curves. It's different seeing her now. They were trying to survive in the whale huts. Here… they get to be them.
Boldly, he crawls up the bed to lie beside her, mimicking her pose, even though he trails his fingers along her arm rather than his abdomen. ]
It would be best if you did not say untrue things.
[ He's completely flustered! ]
no subject
Date: 2023-11-20 08:42 pm (UTC)[ He's more than beautiful. He's gorgeous. Breathtaking. Never has her heart been so overcome with feelings until he frustrated her to no end. She watches him as they lay together. His fingers leave a trail of gooseflesh in their wake. She feels herself warming and aching for him.
Slyly, she covers her hand with his and boldly guides him to cup her soft breast. ]
I will always be honest with you, Matthias.
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