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[mnt_raph]

By this point the fighting has all but ended, and the tending of the wounded by according to their injuries has begun. Raph, who refuses to admit that the injuries he has sustained during the seige are anything other than cosmetic in nature, has been sorting and relocating the dead by alliegence. Mostly people stay out of his way, but one of the King's Own notices that his hands have begun to shake, his fellow warriors take it upon themselves to get him the medical care he needs. In the end it takes two knights and a healer to corral Raph to triage, and even then it's only after someone's promised him that they will find Abigail and assure him that she is okay.

Comments

[mnt_raph]

Blink.

Blink-blink.

His eyes narrow.
Raph opens his mouth to retort, but decides that it's better to just continue eating rather than give her more fuel for her fire.

[becareful_boyo]

Still smirking, Abigail leans in and kisses his cheek. Then, once he's swallowed -- an important hesitation, as he is clearly prone to choking -- she places her fingers under his chin and turns his head enough to kiss his mouth.

The crackling logs on the fire remain the only sound as she stretches out behind him, watching his back.

Oh. That feels nice.

"Out of that shirt, now."

[mnt_raph]

Maybe it's the warmth of the fire. Maybe it's the full belly of food. Maybe it's the beautiful woman sprawled on the bed requesting him to remove articles of clothing. But for the first time since their arrival at the Swoop Raph is totally relaxed, and the happy sigh that escapes him is proof of that.

He nods silently as he fumbles to pull the collar of his shirt over his head, mindful of the bandages protecting his still arms.

Tortall would really benefit from the invention of adhesive tape.

Slowly Raph rolls himself backwards onto the bed next to Abigail. He winces slightly as he does so, but there's no further protest than that.

"oh yeah, that's the stuff."

[becareful_boyo]

Abigail turns sideways, resting her head on her arm, and frowns at the bandages and the bits of red skin they don't quite cover. Her free hand comes to rest near his heart.

She wants to ask if it hurts, but thinks that's a question she doesn't want the answer to and one he'd rather not address at all. It's best to ignore his wounds, for now.

"Carthak must be a wretched place."

[mnt_raph]

Without a word he takes her hand in his, and holds it to his chest.

"ain't places that're wretched. jus' the folk that live in 'em."

Unless, of course, Carthak is like New Jersey. Then all bets are off.

[becareful_boyo]

"We've got 'em runnin' scared now," she declares, sounding fierce.

Right?

"Don't think even they'd be foolish enough t'try again."

[mnt_raph]

"here's hopin'. for their sake."
The smile playing at his lips can be heard in his voice.

After a moment of pause, Raph turns his head to look over at Abigail.

"you got no idea how relieved i am that you're okay. that we're all okay."

[becareful_boyo]

They aren't all okay; she can't agree with that after what she saw on the field, but Raph and the children and the blessed queen are all alive, which is what matters most. She nods, wriggling closer and looking him in the eyes.

"You were worried about me? Don't be ridiculous," she scoffs, smiling slightly. "I had a good blade-"

(somewhere)

"-and a ninja Shang warrior from New York of my very own."

Beat.

"And a pirate."

And a rather fit pirate, at that. Still, he had nothing on Raph's moves. Goddess, she's never seen anyone move that way, and now he looks as if he can't move at all. Figures.

"That was clever, what he did. With Jamie. Whatever it was. Not sure I can rightly say," she finishes, brow wrinkling.

[mnt_raph]

Well no, it's true. They didn't emerge from the fighting unscathed, but those that fell did so while protecting their loved ones, their homes, and their queen. There's no greater sacrifice. And with the surrender, they didn't fall in vain.

The mention of Jack earns Abigail an eyebrow raise.

"I've known Jack for a while now, an' I can't rightly say I ever know what he's doing. He ain't right in the head, that one. He's got a talent for gettin' himself into trouble. 'Specially with pretty blonde ladies."

[becareful_boyo]

Abigail raises an eyebrow, lowers her chin and gives him a pointed look.







Pot, meet kettle?

[mnt_raph]

Raph blinks at her several times as confusion slowly sets in.






"What?"

[becareful_boyo]

Oh for...






"Did those nasty creatures knock you about so much you've forgotten how we met?"

She holds up a finger, because that isn't strictly accurate. They met, then Raph watched her for weeks, then he lunged over the bar and got in an ill-advised brawl with her brothers.

"Should I whack you over the head with another stool to refresh your memory, then?" she asks, grinning.

[mnt_raph]

...
OH!
That.
right.

Heh.

"That an option?" he asks grinning "'Cause, I distinctly remember likin' the way things went after that."

She'd kissed him that night.
Well...once he'd regained consciousness.

[becareful_boyo]

How could she not? It was a delightfully stupid and needlessly gallant thing to do.

It's safe to say that never before has a customer made such an impression on Abigail.

"Wasn't bad, I suppose," she says, shrugging one shoulder.

[mnt_raph]

Someday Owen will forgive and forget. Of course, not if Thomas keeps bringing it up...

"Wasn't bad, huh." He deadpans.

[becareful_boyo]

Ah ha! He's learning.

"T'was a passable kiss," she allows, studying his face. "Once you could see straight enough to find my lips."

[mnt_raph]

Everybody's a critic.

"I had just been hit with a chair, you know. Guy don't get no slack for bein' concussed?"

[becareful_boyo]

Abigail laughs.

Right in his face.

Then she kisses him, and it's clear that whatever she truly thought of the first time they locked lips, she has no complaints now.

"Rest up, Raph. You'll be needin' it."

She'll let him decide what she means by that.

[mnt_raph]

"Is that right..."

Abigail might find it a little difficult to pull too far away from Raph by this point. When she leaned in for the kiss, his other arm made its way around her, and is now in the process of holding her close.

[becareful_boyo]

"Well. I'm rarely wrong," she replies, breezily, helping him hold her closer by wrapping her own arms as tight around him as she can manage.

Goddess, she's thankful he's alive. The thought results in another kiss, this one a bit more intense. He might have died, after all.

[mnt_raph]

Nah, death was never really an option.

The Goddess doesn't want him, and the Dark God's afraid he'd take over.
(Not to mention that they kind of sort of used to date...in a strange way that only makes sense if you cross your eyes and squint.)

"Never doubted you for a second."

Now it's true that he's exhausted, and that a good portion of him hurts when he moves. But...it's amazing all the sorts of shenanigans that folk can get up to with minimal movement.

After all, he did say all he needed was her and maybe a nap.