The more things change...

[mnt_raph]

It's a mild night, all things considered. The weather is as even keeled as the Scotland of the Wizarding world is this time of year, and Raph is glad for it. He's glad for the partly cloudy skies, and the chill-yet-not-cold air that breezes past him...and the wounds newly opened on his knuckles.

Yes, he truly wouldn't be Raph if he metabolized his rage using completely healthy means. And there are fewer things less healthy for knuckles than being used to punch brick walls.

They tend to be unforgiving, brick walls.

Kind of like some blondes he knows, Raph muses to himself with a dry chuckle.

"'Least with walls you know where you stand," he says to no one in particular, before lifting the pilfered bottle of Jack to his lips and downing a sizable gulp. He wipes the corner of his mouth with the part of his free hand that isn't currently bleeding, and gives his surroundings a good once over.

It's been a long time since he's been up on this roof. His roof. Even longer since he's sat, legs dangling over the edge, with a bottle of his favorite spirit close at hand.

"fuck."

Comments

[the_lioness]

He's on the roof.

Of course he's on the roof. Where else would one go with a bottle of strong alcohol and wounds to lick? Because high up is where one should be when one is drunk, stupid and hurting.

Alanna gives the green bottle from Mike a disparaging glance and sighs heavily. Chasing a soon to be drunk, stupid and hurting Snag-Ninja up a ladder with a bottle of one's own: nearly as idiotic.

"I'm coming up," she shouts at the legs she sees dangling overhead.

[mnt_raph]

It could be worse, the drunk and stupid and hurting Shang-Ninja could be chasing you.

His eyes don't stray from the horizon.
"Don't need no babysitter."

[the_lioness]

That's assuming Alanna would run from a drunk, stupid and hurting Shang-Ninja. She wouldn't, mostly because 'stupid' factors into the equation.

At the moment, however, she does rather wish he'd come to her. Using the ladder, of course. She's in no mood to break his fall.

"Didn't offer my services as one," she barks back.

Not to him, anyway.

Alanna tucks the bottle into her shirt and grabs ahold of the ladder, starting her climb.

[mnt_raph]

"Or a peptalk," he sighs before taking another drink.

[the_lioness]

Halfway up, Alanna turns her face toward Raph and scowls.

"Maybe I just feel like hitting you over the head."

She continues climbing, eyes locked on his legs.

[mnt_raph]

"Oh well, by all means then, keep climbin'."

Oh how the sarcasm, she drips.

[the_lioness]

Soon she's close enough to give his leg a good tug for that, but she manages to resist and says nothing else until, with a good grunt for the effort, she's standing beside him looking out at the lake and woods from this unfamiliar vantage point.

"Long way down," she notes, intelligently.

[mnt_raph]

"Been higher."

He's about to offer her a drink, when he notices she's one of her own.

"'Sides, it ain't the fall that'll get ya. It's the short sudden stop at the end."

[the_lioness]

Alanna scrunches up her nose.

"I think Jack said that to me once." Speaking of Jack... Alanna glances at the bottle now back in her hand and does a quick, forceful switch for Raph's Jack Daniels. "Try that."

[mnt_raph]

There's a split second there where Raph considers putting up more of a fight, but...well, living with Alanna has taught him that sometimes it's best not to argue.

"Dare I ask?"

[the_lioness]

"Compliments of the house," Alanna says after a long pause.

Another grunt and she's beside him, sitting cross-legged, still frowning, still watching the lake. "You're bleeding."

[mnt_raph]

"Water is wet," he pauses only to pull the cork from the bottle using his teeth. "An' the sky is blue."

He gives the bottle a sniff before throwing caution to the wind and taking a swig.

[the_lioness]

Continuing in the same vein: "You're an idiot."

Faintly curious, she watches him take a drink, then adds, "An idiot with a very good heart."

[mnt_raph]

"Knew I was forgettin' one. Thanks, Cap'n Obvious."
Already his tone is lightening, so great is the power of the cider he's started drinking.

[the_lioness]

"Sir Obvious, thank you very much."

She's quite certain she's earned it.

"So."

[mnt_raph]

Raph salutes Alanna's promotion from Captain to Sir.

"So," he echoes. "How's your day?"
Because his is going swell.

[the_lioness]

Alanna ignores this.

"Did you apologize?"

She doesn't care for Jack Daniels, but that doesn't stop her from taking a drink. And then immediately regretting it, expressed best through a full body shudder.

[mnt_raph]

"For all the good it did me."
He takes another drink from the bottle before offering it to Alanna. People who don't respect Mr. Daniels should really drink something else.

[the_lioness]

She holds up a finger. It takes a moment for the warmth spreading down her throat and through her stomach to turn more pleasant than burning hot like fire.

"What happened?"

The bottle is accepted, though she doesn't immediately relinquish Jack. She sniffs the cider -- huh, a slightly sweeter scent than Adam's -- and chases the Jack with it.

Much better.



He didn't think it was from Adam, did he? Alanna shrugs to herself and fixes Raph with an expectant look.

[mnt_raph]

So what if he did? It's not a HUGE stretch considering the information readily available. Alanna offering cider as compliments of the House? Come on, now.

"I apologized. She didn't accept it. Then Thomas pulled a katana on me."

You know, the usual.

[the_lioness]

Point.


But Adam uses different bottles.




"He threatened you with your own sword for apologizing to his sister?" Beat. "Thomas?"

They've met.

[mnt_raph]

"I might'a been tryin' to keep her from walkin' out on me at the time..."

But the fact remains, Yes. Thomas.

[the_lioness]

"Goddess."

She takes another drink; hands the bottle back.

"Did she say she needed time?" Alanna suddenly asks. "Because when a woman says she needs time, give it to her."

[mnt_raph]

Raph accepts the bottle with a nod.

"No. But apparently I do. To think 'bout what I've done, an' not come to her with scripts from you."

Oh, yeah, did he fail to mention that Alanna's kind of in the doghouse too? Whoops?

[the_lioness]

She looks insulted.

"I did not tell you what to say. Just to say it."

Beat.

"Also possibly how not to say it, but I'm unclear on whether that took."