but we can patch it up good

Neither of them run. They stay planted right here. Their roots having grown stronger since their first confessions last season because that's when this really all started. That night on the beach. While they might not have been fully committed or even really trying, that's when the seed was sown. They've been tending to it carefully now, watering it and feeding it, makig sure to give it proper attention. They weren't fucking around this time. They meant it. Her eyes drift up to his as they flutter open and her fingers tighten at his shoulders. She's so tired. Bone weary exhaustion weighing heavily on her, but she's trying hard to push through for him. Until they can both rest. Just a little longer.

Her expression softens and she does reach up to cup his cheek this time, brushing her thumb across his damp skin as she smiles gently up at him, [say]"But nothing happened to me. I'm okay and you're okay."[/say] Mostly. His hands were fucked up, but they could heal. They would heal with time. She sighs as he gives her one final kiss before withdrawing from her embrace to dry himself off. Maeve follows after him, wrapping a towel around her body before rooting around in the cabinet for the first aid kit. She finds it after a moment, setting it down on the counter and opening it up, grabbing the antiseptic and bandages along with a bit of gauze to sterilize the cuts.

Carefully she wets the gauze, [say]"It's going to sting, but I doubt I need to tell you that."[/say] Maeve murmurs, pressing it to his skin after a moment, carefully cleaning the woods and waiting for majority of the bleeding to stop before she moves on to bandaging him up. She goes slowly, making sure to handle his hands with care as she wraps them, applying a bit of tape to hold it all in place once she's finished. [say]"There.."[/say] Maeve brings them up to press a kiss against his hand before tugging him out of the bathroom and towards the small bedroom. It takes only moments to dress, pulling on one of his loose shirts as her pajamas before she's crawling into bed. [say]"Come lay with me."[/say]

He doesn't think nothing happened to her. Not really. Maybe nothing physical but he felt the pain in her voice when she recounted what happened. He doesn't know what's going on between her and Hotaru but he knows the other woman is important to Maeve. Maybe as much as he is, maybe more. He likes Hotaru though and as far as he knows, she's done nothing to hurt Maeve so he's not no beef with her.

He watches her clean and wrap his hands with some degree of detached amusement. Her telling him that it might sting is silly but he smiles back at her anyway. Soon enough she's done and he can attempt using his hands again. Carefully anyway. She doesn't do a bad job at it either.

He pads after her, watching the way she moves. Even bone tired, she reminds him of a cat or something slinky. She pulls one of his shirts on and for a moment he thinks of just getting in bed but decides against it. Shorts will do for now. He slips them on as carefully as he can before crawling in after her. His arm slips around her waist as he buries his face into her neck. [say]"You don't gotta ever ask for cuddles, just so you know."[/say] She's probably figured it out by now but just in case she hasn't.

He slips into the bed beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist and drawing her close as he presses his face into her neck, a sigh pushes past her lips. Her whole body relaxes for the first time in hours as her eyes slip closed already, [say]"That's good... I was worried I might have to demand them."[/say] She wasn't really. She knew that he likely would give her them no matter what. Even when she didn't want them. Maeve snuggles back against him, her hand sliding along his arm to find his hand, lacing their fingers together as she tightens his arm around her.

[say]"You should rest.. We both need it."[/say] Maeve murmurs, using her free hand to pull the blankets up around them, covering them both with the soft fabric as if it will shield them from the outside world. [say]"I'm not going anywhere."[/say] Her voice is quiet in the dimly lit room, drifting around them as her accent grows thicker with her exhaustion, sleep around making the edges of her mind fuzzy. He's warm and solid against her back, reminding him that he's here and they're both safe, nothing can get them here. It's with that final thought that she already finds herself drifting off in his arms.

He curls up next to her, taking a deep breath and barely registering what she says. He's already out, falling asleep easily for the first time in years probably. His sleep is restful because it has no other choice. He'd been up for well over a day at this point. He doesn't dream but when he wakes, it feels like maybe he had been all along. They share an easy meal and Maeve leaves to find Ru. He settles in to wait, not too keen on going anywhere. Like always, he'll be here when she gets back. That's kind of his thing at this point.

_FIIIN_