R36

[with_my_teacup]

[Shortly after this thread, Riddick walks out of his breakfast shift and back to his room. He will not be answering network communication. His door is locked but his friends' access is still active.]

[OOC: drop me a line before coming in if we haven't discussed this on plurk or IM]

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[fridgetothefire]

[Afternoon, new years eve. Five days into her toll. She feels mostly human again. She's heard, from Ben and Arthas, waited until she knew she had the reserves to deal with him without projecting like a petulant child. She knocks crisply.]

It's me.

[She'll come in anyway, if she doesn't get an answer. But she waits first, anyway.]

[with_my_teacup]

[Anya. He rouses himself, rolling wearily onto his side and disturbing Partner (who was laying on top of him.)]

Come in. S'keyed to you.

[fridgetothefire]

[She lets out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, and slips inside. There's something - not wary, but nervous to her movements. She knows she shouldn't, but she can't help feeling a little bit to blame. She comes and sits next to him anyway.]

Hey.

[with_my_teacup]

[It hasn't been too long-- he hasn't built up much of a bedridden funk-- but his chin and scalp are both stubbled, and he's still in the same rumpled clothes he went to bed in. He heaves himself up to half sitting on the pillows and looks at her, eyes gleaming in the low light. He at least got his goggles off at some point.

Partner, keyed in to her nervousness, butts her roughly with his long muzzle, worming it under her armpit in what to him is probably a comforting gesture or something.]

Hey. Sorry I didn't come see you in the infirmary.

[fridgetothefire]

It's alright. I mostly just holed up in my room and slept a lot anyway.

[She pets Partner idly. The cold makes her think of stone walls and tiled floors in the fortress, the mountains in winter. It's a little strange, but he's comforting in his own way.]

[with_my_teacup]

Yeah, that's how I usually handle the death toll, too.

[He leans back, still tired-- always tired, for the past couple days-- reaches out for her hand.]

How you doing?

[fridgetothefire]

I'm...good.

[This is true, and she offers it to him, a little gift, maybe a lifeline, squeezing his hand in hers, holding on tight, with a tired but real little smile. She didn't feel great, the first few days, but she does now. Sylvanas made her live one of her worst nightmares, waking up in that dryer. But she didn't panic and she didn't break and now she's out again.]

You know me, Riddick, I always come back stronger.

[with_my_teacup]

That's my baby. You always do.

[He grips back, his thumb going to her pulse point. The rhythmic thump is reassuring-- he picked up the habit of checking after Arthas got his heart back.]

Is it New Years yet?

[fridgetothefire]

[Her smile widens at the endearment, reflexive as a flower turning toward the sun.]

Tonight's the night.

[with_my_teacup]

[He hisses through his teeth, winces, almost sits fully up, thinks better of it when his head swims a little.] I shoulda done something-- shit, I'm tired.

[fridgetothefire]

I don't even know what people do on New Year's.

[So: between that and being outside-of-time, she's not it's a huge deal. She scoots closer, leans against him.]

It's alright if you don't.

[with_my_teacup]

Get drunk, if I remember my youth right, Depending on what calendar they followed.

[He would have cooked something. Later. He'll cook later. He makes a playful little growl and loops an arm around her.]

Gotcha. What are you gonna do now?

[fridgetothefire]

[She giggle-shrieks, squirms without actually attempting to get away at all, mostly just burrowing closer against him, eventually settling in to cuddle.]

Guess I have to stay.

[with_my_teacup]

[He tucks his chin over her head, flopping the blanket over her a little. Only a little tickling, the irritating rasp of his stubbly chin, before he settles down.]

Love you, kid.

[Verbal fencing takes a lot of effort and he's only got so much of that right now. But he does. He's not sure if he'd mentioned in so many words-- probably, maybe.]

[fridgetothefire]

Love you too.

[She sighs, a soft, warm animal sound of simple contentment, comfort, trust. She's confirmed what she came here only hoping for, assuaged the worst of her worries. He's worn out, but he isn't out of sight, out of reach, resistant and irrevocable the way Magda had been. She thinks they'll be okay. And he's got her, after all.]