>:\

[fitzroyal]

It's getting uncomfortably close to dawn, and Henry is up still, sitting at his desk with his face in his hands, brooding. He doesn't like doing it, particularly, but he can't really help it. He lifts his head and one hand goes to his face, wincing as his fingers brush the raw, pink-red skin of a painful blister, just one of a smattering of them

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[phedre_25]

Well, Anita wouldn't come over at such a weird hour - she would be there at sunset, not at sundown.

But Phedre, however, was awake, and as she is his neighbor, heard the laughter, felt the sick note in it, and could not help but come by - since the events with Sugar, she has been uneasily worried about Henry.

She knocks on the door, softly. "Henry?"

T: Because we really can't leave Henry like this, now, can we? If that's not alright, do tell.

[fitzroyal]

The laughter stops but he has a smile when he opens the door, the burns difficult to see at once in the subdued light, but the strange distraction of his eyes harder to miss.

"Phedre," he says.

[phedre_25]

"Henry." She looks at him, eyes creased in worry. "What is is, love?"

[fitzroyal]

He shakes his head. "It's no grave thing. I'm just - preoccupied."

[phedre_25]

"So I see." A pause. "Might I come in?"

[fitzroyal]

He steps back. "Feel free. I can't be awake for much longer." And there, Phedre, as he lifts one hand to rub his forehead automatically, there's a wince.

[phedre_25]

"Of co... Henry? What happened?" She enters, closes the door.

[fitzroyal]

He shakes his head quickly, turns away. "An accident. Don't worry about it."

[phedre_25]

She frowns. "We already had this conversation." She moves to the kitchen, prepares a compress. "What happened?"

[fitzroyal]

He sighs, goes back to the chair. "I upset someone."

[phedre_25]

She comes back, holds the compress, silently asking permission to apply it.

"That's a feat," she says softly. "I can hardly imaginne you... " She pauses. "Not Miss Sugar, do tell? She promised me..."

[fitzroyal]

He shakes his head. "Oh, no. Not Sugar. One of ...my own kind, more or less."

[phedre_25]

"Oh." Before she was worried. Now, she's WORRIED. "Don't move." She applies it, gently. "Tell me, love."

[fitzroyal]

He holds still, sighs for relief, the coolness feels good. "It's not much of a tale. I thought she was a friend, it seems I was mistaken. I'm rather too sensitive to fire."

[phedre_25]

She frowns. "She burnt you?"

Pan: I'm SO sorry........ ILU Henry.

[fitzroyal]

"Yes," he says and there's a touch of impatience. "She did. But only a little. It'll heal soon."