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[mnt_raph]

*It had been a long night. The kegger out by the lake seemed to rage on for hours. He should have gone down and at least gotten a drink. Instead he did what he always did on his birthday. He sat up on a rooftop watching the world go by him. Force of habit? Or plain old fear? Raph was trying not to think about either, truth be told.

He rolled out of bed, counted to 25, and watched as the bed remade itself. The process wasn't complete until the Death stuffed toy was prominently placed against the pillows. He'd tested this a few times. No matter where he put the thing, it somehow always got put back in the exactly same position. Raph found it a little disturbing.

Something catches his eye as he makes his way from the main room to the bath room. It's that blasted VHS tape Mike left. The one with the obvious "men in suit" version of him and his brothers. Raph wrinkles his nose at the cover and keeps walking. There's a hot shower with his name on it.*

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[locks_it_up]

It's a good shower. A long shower. In fact, it may be one of the nicest showers ever. There is warmth, and steam, and cleansing. And soapy suds.

(Somewhere in there the bathroom on the other side of the glass is full of emptiness. Just for a moment.)

When it is over... there is no towel.

[mnt_raph]

*As is his habit, Raph turns on the cold water before shutting the shower off all together. Then, as per usual, he reaches for his towel...which is once again missing.

Not a-freakin'-gan, he thinks to himself. His hand gropes for the towel he knows his brother has taken from him, which the other goes for a waterballoon he filled and left in the tub for just an occasion.

With one swift motion, he leans out of the tub and throws the waterballoon in the direction of his brother...*

[locks_it_up]

There is a splash. And a sopping wet Death. Holding a towel.

"You are so lucky I like you."

She looks like a bit like a wet dog, her white nose poking out from the wet black mop that is her hair sticking to her face.

[mnt_raph]

*Raph recognizes the voice before he even has a chance to register what he sees. Oh he's in for it now....*

yipes

*and that's when he loses his balance and falls back into the bathtub.*

[locks_it_up]

"You're still never getting this towel back."

She's grinning underneath the hair, which she flips back and shakes out, sending water pretty much everywhere.

Then she steps over to lean on the wall, fold her arms, and look down at him with a twitch of a grin.

"Happy birthday, by the way."

[mnt_raph]

*There's no real way to keep one's pride when one is drench, naked, and sprawled out on a shower floor...but he tries anyway.*

Uh...thanks.
So uh...never huh? That' like...never ever? Or just, never wait five minutes or so?

[locks_it_up]

One gets the distinct sense that she's enjoying this.

"Depends on how nice you are to me in the next five minutes."

Now she's drying her hair with his towel.

[mnt_raph]

*He slumps backwards into the tub, as if defeated.
There's a minor shrug. Then one moment he's on his back, the next he's on his feet, with an arm snaked around her waist pulling her closer.*

missed you

[locks_it_up]

She smiles, a little, and leans up to kiss the tip of his nose, almost primly, which is a little absurd considering that he's dripping wet and naked and holding her.

"Silly turtle."

[mnt_raph]

guilty as charged.
Seems to me we're at a crossroad here.

[locks_it_up]

"Really? How do you figure?"

See Death. See Death be a little bit sarcastic.

[mnt_raph]

Well, it'd be a shame to see you catch cold on account of wet clothes. So, you could either give me the towel, and let me dry off....or lose the clothes.

[locks_it_up]

She looks up at him, and there's a momentary flash of hunger. For just an instant, he can see the family resemblance to her androgyne sibling. It's a little disconcerting. Her eyes trail lingeringly down his body.

Then she stops. And blinks. And is herself again.

"Don't tempt me, sweetheart."

[mnt_raph]

*He's terrified and drawn to her at the same time. Images and sounds from Dream flood his mind, and for a few moments, he doesn't care. He tries to find his voice.*

Me? Never.

[locks_it_up]

It would be so easy, to pin him to the wall and kiss him until she swallowed him whole. To, in effect, eat him alive.

She reaches up, to let her fingers hover above the elegant shape of his throat... then presses the towel to his chest, taking a half-step back.

"Dry yourself off. I've got something for you."

[mnt_raph]

*She doesn't touch him, but it sure felt like she did. It isn't until he feels the towel against his chest that he realizes he's holding his breath...and he could have sworn that his heart stopped for a second.

Without breaking eyecontact, he takes the towel and wraps it around his waist. He takes a step back, slides the shower door shut, and then shakes his head much the same way a dog would. The door slowly slides back open.*

[locks_it_up]

She smiles at the small courtesy.

Somehow, it's worse with the towel around his waist. She takes a few steps back, still fairly sopping from the water balloon.

Without preamble, she turns on her heel, stips off the black shirt she was wearing, and squeezes it out over the sink before shaking it out and throwing it over the towel rack to dry.

"So. Yeah. Birthday present. I got you one. You want it?"

[mnt_raph]

*He really wants to reach out and touch her, but somehow he restrains himself...and it hurts.*

Uh, yeah. Sure. You didn't have to, you know. It just the day I chose afterall.

[locks_it_up]

She shrugs, and pulls a pair of fingerless gloves from... somewhere.

They look like leather. But they're not. They're softer, and thinner. And they'd protect his hands from just about anything. There's strange symbols tooled into the not-leather, decorative in a rough, elegant sort of way. She offers them almost shyly.

"For your hands. So you don't have to pick brick out of your skin."

[mnt_raph]

*One hand holds the towel up, the other reaches for the gloves. He's never felt material like this before. A small shiver makes its way up his spine.*

Wow. Thank you.

*Almost nervously, he takes a step closer and kisses her gently on the cheek*

[locks_it_up]

She looks up and makes a very small sound as he kisses her.

They're not quite touching. Not closely, anyway. Just the parts that stick out. She presses her cheek against his for a moment.

"You're welcome."

[mnt_raph]

*He closes his eyes and exhales slowly, and leans into her. At that moment the silver pendent around his neck bumps her shoulder.*

[locks_it_up]

She doesn't move. Very carefully, doesn't move.

Things crackle between their skin. Nothing concrete, but definitely palpable. It's almost painful. She's thinking about how miserable she's going to make her sibling's life.

Her voice is choked, husky. "Do you have any idea what this does to me?"

He really doesn't. He never could.

[mnt_raph]

*he's trying not to move, really he is, but his body is so tense from trying not to that it can't help but do so.*

doubtful, but i know what it does to me.
the voice is low, strained, and on the verge of shattering.

[locks_it_up]

"I shouldn't be here."

He can feel the movement of her lips on the corner of his jaw. And she can feel the tension running through him. And she's not being smart.