mnt_raph | (no subject)

(no subject)

*Raph sits on his newly expanded and re-comfortized bed. Seems someone was amused by the prank and decided to ease up a bit. Or maybe, they're just comforting him before battle. Who knows? Anyway, the bed is covered in lists and drawings of pranks to come, but Raph isn't paying any attention to them at all. Instead he's holding a pristine edition of the Death: The High Cost of Living graphic novel.

He hasn't cracked the spine yet...it feels too much like cheating somehow.*

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And then it's Sexton. And Billy. And the garbage dump, and helping Sexton out from underneath the refrigerator.

...Death remembers breathing.

She leans a little bit closer to Raph.

*It doesn't hit him at first...seeing Death flesh toned instead of the normal bone white. Raph knows there's something odd about the picture, but maybe...it's her hair? No, that can't be it at all. Wait...did she just introduce herself as Didi?

He wraps an arm around her*

And then there's Mrs. Robbins and apples. And the apartment where she fixes Sexton's jeans for him. And Slim and Wandsworth. She laughs a little when Sexton slams the door and stalks down the stairs...

She's even doing voices by this point.

*He raises an eyebrow when she starts reading, and silently chuckles when the voices start. Not to be outdone by this lovely companion, Raph takes the roll of soundeffects.*

And Mad Hettie, looking for her heart and threatening Sexton with a broken glass bottle. Then there's a hot dog. A perfectly peachy keen hot dog. And hailing taxis.

...and then comes Theo and the blind man.

*Raph listens as Death narrates the conversation between Sexton and Didi.

Didi: Sexton, is the chemical aftertaste the reason why people eat hot dogs? Or is it some kind of a bonus?

Sexton: look, let's get a few things straight. If I'm going around with you, it's not because I like you or anything. Or because I'm scared of that crazy woman you left in your apartment. It's because I don't have anything else to do tonight and there's no point in going home until dawn. You got that?

Didi: You want the rest of my hot dog? I'm not sure that I can finish it.

Sexton: Look, I don't like you, okay?

Didi: No reason to turn down a perfectly peachy keen half-a-hot dog.

Death: So, where do you think we're going to find a really good party, then?*

So wait a sec. Did you...er...Didi really just shang-hi this kid for?

"Yep. For a given value of shanghai."

There's a slight rustle from the pages, though she hasn't turned any of them. It's as soft as a baby's breath, but it's there.

Her hands are shaking just that much.

Heh, true enough. I mean, he he really didn' like her he coulda just bolted...

*He smiles when he hears the pages turn, and is just about to make a smart alec remark about how it's cheating to skp ahead, when his eyes scan down to see the pages haven't been flipped at all...and the book is not stable in her hands.

*Raph, who up until now was propped up on an elbow, sits up completely. One arm goes around her, the other rests on the book itself.*

we don't have to do this.

She leans back against him and sighs. The book sinks to the bed, her hands still on it.

"I want you to know..."

it ain't worth it if it's gonna make you upset.

"Will you read it, though? Please?"

*he nods*
yeah...promise.

*After sliding the book out from under her hands, he closes it and lets it drop slowly to the floor.*

but not right now.

*Raph tightens his hold around her, slowly moving her from where she sits on the bed onto his lap. He doesn't say anything. And aside from a tender kiss he places on her temple, he doesn't try anything. He just holds her.*

The Endless in his arms seems somehow small. She lays her head on his shoulder after he kisses her temple, and feels the thrum of his heart and his breath, and is comforted.

*Silence. It's a good silence...a bit awkward, but still good.*

my brother stopped by today.

She smiles a bit, her forehead resting against his neck.

"Yeah?"

*He nods.*

Yup. Left me a candle. Lilac...he must be worried about me.

*The smile is apparent in his voice.

"That's sweet. It really is."

A pause. One hand goes up to rest on his shoulder.

"Should he be?"

Meh, no more o'less than he usually does. I'm okay, really.

*he combs his fingers through her hair, finger tips barely brushing her skin.*

Been keepin' busy.

That gets a happy sigh from her, along with a sound back in her throat that almost sounds like a purr.

"Mmm. Busy is important. Just... let me know if you need me. You can always call."

*There's a small smile. It's not flashy or grandiose, just simple. It reflects contentment distilled.*

Better watch it. Might just take you up on that.

"And that'd just break my heart."

She's calm enough to be sarcastic. To tell the truth, if Death made a regular habit of sleeping, (and not just for special occasions) she could do so here.

Oh well, we can't have that, now can we?
*well placed overly dramatic sigh*

"It'd be tragic. Too tragic to bear."

And with that, comes the tickling.

NO! NO nononononono.
*he just can't move fast enough to block the tickling attacks.*

It's a miracle. She stops.

"Don't suppose I could stay here tonight?"