(Untitled)

[river_meimei]

In a clear stretch of lawn outside Milliways' back door, three figures fade into sightOne is River Tam, disheveled and only slightly blood-streaked, with guns on her hips and one arm looped around Galadan's waist

Comments

[mmquitecontrary]

"Galadan!"

'Worry and guilt' promptly sink down on top of the mix of confusing emotions (relief, inadequacy, gratitude, sulkiness, and utter embarrassment) that Mary has been toting around with her ever since her rescue.

She stares from River to Galadan. "What is --"

[river_meimei]

River has, meanwhile, dug a crumpled and mostly forgotten handkerchief out of a pocket.

So Galadan is kind of cleaner! But one dry handkerchief isn't really enough; the handkerchief is now mostly red, but much of Galadan's face is still likewise.

The moment before Mary reemerges, River's head lifts slightly, and her eyes flick towards the door.

[wolflord_andain]

Galadan presses his eyes more tightly shut for a moment, then takes a breath and attempts to shift his weight off of River.

He achieves limited success.

Ah, well.

"Perhaps I ought to have requested two towels."

Were there less pain in his head, Galadan's voice might have approached dryness -- as it is he merely sounds rough and tired.

It will pass. He'll make sure of it.

[mmquitecontrary]

"I brought two," says Mary, managing to announce in a whisper.

(She is talking about towels, although the count is also accurate when applied to extra Tams.)

She advances towards Galadan, holding a damp towel menacingly.

[simon_doctor]

One of the extra Tams is approaching simultaneously, although for the moment he's inclined to let Mary do her job as she is so clearly determined to do.

(He may also be interested to see how she does.)

A quick glance at River: you're all right? do you need help with him?

[river_meimei]

"I'm fine," River assures her hovering family members, in an undertone and with a faint smile.

She also doesn't budge to pass off any of Galadan's weight to anyone else.

Partly because she really is fine; partly because she knows full well that the main result of that would be to have Galadan attempt to immediately stand upright through sheer force of will.

[gabriel_tam]

"So I see," he observes, quietly.

His glance moves back and forth between River and Galadan, taking in their appearance.

Gabriel's own expression is very grave when he says to them both, just as quietly as before,

"Thank you."

[wolflord_andain]

"Thanks are hardly required."

Galadan chances lifting his head at the same time that he reaches out to forestall any potential attempts on Mary's part to start cleaning his face for him.

"Nor is medical attention. Now, if you would be so kind -- "

That last is directed toward Mary, very clearly.

" -- the towels?"

[mmquitecontrary]

Mary maintains a firm grip on the towels.

"Only if you promise to go straight in and lie down after."

[river_meimei]

River's eyes flick sideways, and her free hand snaps up to snag the towels from Mary's grip -- which is firm, but not firm enough to stand against a very swift and targeted tug.

"The patient," she says, gentle and friendly, "is released to self-directed recuperation."

[simon_doctor]

Simon very carefully muffles a laugh.

[mmquitecontrary]

For just a few minutes -- the first few minutes in quite a long while -- Mary had felt as if she might be in control of a situation.

Then River snatched it away.

Of course, Mary doesn't know that this is the reason why she has a sudden flash of burning red rage; she only knows that she feels it, and it frightens her. How can she have room to be angry, with so much else to be concerned about?

(And it should not surprise her that they do not take her seriously, that they patronize her, she tells herself. There is no reason for any of them to; they have known her as nothing but a child, and a child who just now needed to be rescued from an absurd situation. She has done nothing to earn it.)

She grits her teeth, and takes a step back. "Very well," she says, "as it pleases you."

[wolflord_andain]

"Thank you," Galadan says. He is the very soul of politeness, apart from a slight sardonic twist to his words. The Wolflord is not overfond of laughter when it may so easily be at his expense, for one. And for another, he, too, places a particularly high value on being in control.

Still. There are other, greater concerns at the moment.

His gaze, winter-grey if a little hazier than is his wont, is locked on Mary's face.

"Both of you."

Then he gets down to the business of scrubbing away the blood on his face. It would have been quicker work before the blood started drying.

Ah, well.

[simon_doctor]

While Galadan is thus occupied, Simon takes the opportunity to move a little closer to River's free side.

Quietly: "You're all right? Everything ... went well?"

(This still feels so strange, sometimes; the awareness that River has gone and put herself in danger, and the understanding that she can come through it having taken care of herself.)

[river_meimei]

River smiles up at him, small and reassuring and real.

"Everything's shiny."

"Plan went smooth."

This last is just the truth, but there's always a bit of underlying joke in half-quoting Mal like this.

[gabriel_tam]

Simon is speaking to River; Galadan is focused on washing up.

Gabriel draws a couple of steps closer to Mary and speaks in a quiet undertone.

"Are you truly all right? They didn't hurt you, did they?"