[audio]

[70ftandcounting]

Is...is it over?

[A soft, quiet noise. Not a whimper, not a cry - but maybe the tiniest of sniffles]

Is he gone?

[Bartimaeus was RIGHT.]

Comments

[70ftandcounting]

What does it have instead of grass?

[drinkuntilidie.livejournal.com]

[Kevas just smiles at her.]

It be joor hair, joor magic, and joor choice. If dat be whatchu be wantin' to do den I won't tell jah no.

[likesfootnotes]

[Rapunzel, it's a roundabout compliment to assume that you know nothing. See, Uruk was a thriving place... five thousand years ago. If you'd been there, you'd be OLD and did you want him calling you OLD?]

That's the risk of the world! Sad, but true; there's always someone out there to take advantage of you if you show the slightest worth.

[This is what plagues him. ALAS, HOW TERRIBLE.

...but, you were very helpful and rather nice about it, so Bartimaeus might be feeling a bit like he could be nice to you (since there are no pentacle or silver signs that he can see offhand - and, by offhand, he means on the seven planes).]

Buck up, you have a year before HE comes back. Plenty of time to prepare against it.

Plus, you have me on your side - in a sense.

[icnfly.livejournal.com]

*He takes the package with a smile.*

You didn't have to, but thanks.

[lightwithin]

Sand.

Or rocks, but sand is better. You can dig in it or build sand castles. Heh, or bury your friends if thye fall asleep.

[70ftandcounting]

Oh, it's okay!

[She beams at him.]

Open it!

[70ftandcounting]

[ENRAPTURED]

What color is the sand? The water?

[70ftandcounting]

Really? Is the outside world really so bad? I thought…that maybe…
 
[It wasn’t. Or, at least maybe it wasn’t as bad as Mother made it out to be. She’d met so many wonderful people here and made so many amazing friends, that Rapunzel had really begun to harbor a sliver of hope for the world outside her tower.
 
…She’s also learning not to believe everything people tell her. Or at least, she’s trying that on for size. She’s tired of being perceived as naïve and stupid.]
 
At least next time the…octopus Santa comes, I’ll be ready.
 
[She smile brightly, and perks a little.]
 
Well, you have me on your side, too. So at least we’ll never be alone.
 
Oh--!
 
[She holds out the package, wrapped up in a pretty velvet covered box.]
 
Merry…um, Christmas?

[70ftandcounting]

....Really? You'll let me?

[Scurrying over]

[drinkuntilidie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but just don't go strainin' joorself Sunshine.

[70ftandcounting]

Oh, it'll be okay! You worry too much.

Which part is the worst?

[drinkuntilidie.livejournal.com]

It be my job to worry too much.

[He nods over to his right arm.]

Da right arm.

[He'll just keep how broken it actually is to himself.]

[70ftandcounting]

[She gathers her hair all up and treks over to the right side, and carefully starts to cover his arm with it.]

I...I can't do everything, because...well. I get tired, but I can fix this. Okay?

[drinkuntilidie.livejournal.com]

[He does his best not to wince, but that arm received the worst of it during the punishment.]

Wouldn't ask joo to do everytin' Sunshine. Dis be more den 'nuff.

[icnfly.livejournal.com]

*He nods and opens the package. What could it be~?*

[70ftandcounting]

[She winces too, and mumbles.]

Sorry...

[And then -- she sings, and her hair glows from root to tip, odd healing magic ftw.]

[70ftandcounting]

[It's a quilt that Rapunzel made - maybe not his color scheme but she tends to focus on bright, happy colors.

She DID try to tone it down though.]

I...I hope you don't hate it...

[drinkuntilidie.livejournal.com]

Hush now, joo be fine. Ain't notin' gonna keep it from hurtin'

[He watches as her hair glows like a lamp. In all his days he never thought he would see anything like magic hair.

The bones in his arm stitch themselves back together as healing magic courses through. Some ache remains but it's nothing that it was before.]

[70ftandcounting]

[It fades and she pulls it free, looking a little tired but happy.]

...How does that feel?

[drinkuntilidie.livejournal.com]

[He rolls his shoulder a few times and flexes his arm. It's stiff but it's good.]

Be feelin' a whole lot bettah Sunshine. T'anks.

[With a smile, he pats the top of Rapunzel's head.]

Now joo rest. It be lookin' like dat wore jah out some.

[70ftandcounting]

[She smiles brightly, looking very happy.]

Good. I...I hated...to see you hurt, Kevas...

[drinkuntilidie.livejournal.com]

And I hated to let jah down.

[He sighs, then puts his good arm around her in a tight hug.]

I'll nevah snap at jah like dat evah again Sunshine. I promise.

[70ftandcounting]

[She hugs him back just as tightly.]

It's okay, Kevas -- I forgive you.

[drinkuntilidie.livejournal.com]

I know, but I needed to say it.

[Slowly he lets her go and cups her cheek in his hand.]

Joo be a good girliemon joo know dat? And joo make me proud.

[70ftandcounting]

[She brightens, smile widening if that's even possible.]

I--really? I do?