Drabble Challenge Entry #14: Temperature
Title: Ignoring the Chill
Rating: T
Summary: Susan takes a bath after the battle against Telmar and finally releases all her anxieties.
A/N: Drabble Challenge Entry #14
Susan slowly unbraided her hair, careful of the snags and tangles she had accumulated during the battle. It had been long and bloody and for the first time in many years she had feared for not only Peter's life, but Ed's, Lucy's and her own as well. And Caspian's… a small voice reminded her. Yes, she had feared for him too. It had been a physical knot in her stomach only slightly remedied by the adrenaline each shot she fired fueled her with.
Grimacing as she lifted one arm and then the other, Susan undid her tight, leather bodice and laid it on the vanity before slipping her dress over her head. Examining her cuts and bruises in the mirror, she determined they were nothing too serious and grabbed a robe from the bedchamber. She draped it over the back of the vanity chair and turned to the steaming tub behind a screen in the corner.
Susan pulled the screen back a bit and carefully stepped into the tub. She hissed as the hot water came in contact with a few especially painful cuts and gripped the edges of the metal tub as she sank all the way down. Placing an elbow on the edge, she rested her head against her fist, willing herself to relax.
"It's all over. There's nothing to worry about. Everybody's fine. We're all okay," she whispered reassurances to herself. Susan closed her eyes at a knock followed by the scratch of the door opening. "Who is it?" she called hoarsely.
"Caspian. I just wanted to be sure you were all right." The Telmarine's voice filtered over the screen and she sat bolt upright in surprise. "Where are you?"
"Ah… I'm in- the bath," she stuttered.
"…Oh."
"That's all right, though. There's a screen. I'd like the company," Susan offered. She heard him shuffle into the room and pull out the small, vanity chair to sit on.
"I just wanted to make sure you were all right."
"Yes, I'm fine. Why?" Susan picked at her nails as she talked, hoping her voice sounded confident and sure.
"You seemed a bit shaken after the battle."
Susan bit her lip, trying to think of the right words to say. "I'm just tired."
"Well, please, don't let me disturb you then." Caspian scrambled to his feet and made to leave.
"No, wait!" He stopped with one hand on the open door and glanced back over his shoulder at the screen. "Stay. Please," her voice cracked and Susan choked back tears.
Caspian slowly shut the door and came around the covered screen, chivalry and older brothers be damned. She looked up at him with wet eyes and chapped lips and something in him broke. He knelt at her side, taking her face in his hands and gently pressed his lips against hers. Susan moaned against him, bringing a hot, wet hand up to twist in his hair. Caspian pulled away just enough to drag kisses across her face.
"I haven't been that scared since the Witch tried to kill Ed," she confessed in a whisper.
"I've never been more scared than when I thought I'd lost you," he mumbled against her wet skin.
He stood to fumble his tunic off and she caught his hand, tugging him down into the water with her. The tub was barely big enough for the two of them and the now-tepid water splashed unceremoniously over the side but they hardly took notice. Their heat would keep them warm for a little while.