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* Jewel is tallying accounts and seeing to a few small tasks before going home, just having closed up shop. Isa stands at the door as an additional emphasis to the small "Closed" sign. Jewel is, for a change, outside of her little cage, doing a bit of interior redecorating on the items for sale. * Dawn approaches, a medium-sized wooden crate tucked under his left arm. His hair has had the burnt, ragged bits trimmed neatly, and the burns on his face have already faded. <Dawn> ::He winces as he lifts his right arm to open the door, however. He lets it drop again, and knocks on the bit of door he can reach without moving his arm.:: * Isa looms forbiddingly at the door, until she sees who it is. She glances over at the counter and clears her throat to get Jewel's attention. "Dawn. Let him in?" <Jewel> ::one hand goes to her bruised cheek, and she looks alarmed. After a moment, she sighs tiredly and nods. "Let him in." She looks wry. "Lost the toss this time." * Isa nods, looking almost sympathetic, and unbars the door for Dawn, holding it open. * Dawn nods to Isa as she opens the door, and heads for the nearest table. He gingerly lowers his crate, then sighs with relief, moving the arm in wide circles to relieve the aching muscles. "I swear, that shit doubled in weight every block I carried it... How you doin' today, gorge-" He breaks off as he turns to look at Jewel and spies her bruised face. "What the fuck happened to you?" <Jewel> ::moderately flip:: I cut myself shaving? <Dawn> ::snorts:: You sound more like him every day. ::pauses:: On second thought, no. He'd just have said, 'None of your damned business.' <Jewel> That's because he's not allowed to show his sense of humor in public. ::smiles a little, and winces:: It's alright, Dawn, really it is. <Dawn> ::eyes her briefly, then nods:: All right. Let me know if it becomes *not* all right, though. <Jewel> ::nods:: Thank you. And I will, but honestly... ::touches her cheek again:: This is nothing, compared to what he's endured to save *my* life. It was the least I could do, for his. <Dawn> ::closes his eyes for a moment, then looks at her again:: Do I need to know? <Jewel> ::firmly:: All you need to know is that Angel's back. <Dawn> If you say. ::he nods toward the crate:: Some stuff for my favorite estate reseller. There's three more boxes, back at our- my place. * Jewel nods, moving towards the crate to peer inside. "And my favorite evil inventor? How are *you* doing?" <Dawn> ::takes a breath only slightly deeper than the one before:: Some hours run longer than others. Bie's taking care of me. ::in a gesture weirdly reminiscent of Jewel's, his hand steals to his throat, to touch an amulet hidden under his shirt:: <Jewel> ::studying him:: I'm glad. Time will heal, Dawn. ::her look turns mischievous:: When you have a moment, you might want to stop in and talk to Andrial, too. I think she misses her... friend. ::the pause is just long enough to be significant:: <Dawn> So they say. We'll see. ::he raises his eyebrows at her:: You talked to her? <Jewel> Oh, yes. We had a *long* talk. ::the teasing light goes out of her eyes, and she looks sad:: <Dawn> ::considers her expression, then nods:: I'll go see her. She could probably use a friend, if you had that sort of talk. <Jewel> ::blinks, and comes back to herself:: Oh-- not... well, I don't *think* it was quite the sort of talk that *you* mean. ::sighs:: I was pretty horrible to her, wasn't I? But I can't be, now. Still... she *could* use a friend. ::smirks a little:: If you can contain yourself that long. <Dawn> Contain my- ::he takes in her smirk, and snorts:: Told you that, did she? So much for "too embarrassed." ::he half-smiles, amusement briefly cutting through his melancholy:: <Jewel> ::snorts:: She nearly had to beat me over the head with it. I *never* would have believed it. ::pokes him in the chest:: You, sir, are the most outrageous, contrary, *perverse*-- ooooh! Just you be nice to her, Dawn Firehand. <Dawn> ::blinks at her sudden vehemence:: What did I do wrong? <Jewel> ::shakes her head ruefully and grins again, with another wince:: Apparently, nothing at all. <Dawn> ::smiles, pleased:: I'll see her. And be a *friend*. Whatever that might happen to mean, at the moment. <Jewel> Heh. ::shakes her head again:: I would have sworn that a friendship of any sort between you and Andrial would be a carriage-wreck waiting to happen, but... ::reaches up with a grin and tousles his hair:: I am most pleased to be wrong. ::winks:: You may now make note of the date. <Dawn> ::grins briefly, then looks sad:: She deserves for someone to be nice to her occasionally. And the boy... ::he frowns and shakes his head at himself:: Calis. Sharper'n Angel's knife edge, that one. <Jewel> ::raises an eyebrow:: Oh? Are you taking a... professional interest? <Dawn> I might, aye... He's got a talent for extracting the useful information from anything he sees or reads. ::rubs gingerly at his face:: Might make a mage, too. <Jewel> Hm. ::thoughtful:: That'd give Andrial that much more of a reason to stay, too. <Dawn> Yes. ::he nods toward the crate:: You going to look and see if you want the rest of it? It's all pretty much the same stuff. <Jewel> ::nods, looking into the crate again:: I should warn you, I probably can't handle his, er... professional things... ::pokes through the box gingerly:: <Dawn> There's nothing in there that's really his. I can't... Not yet. That's all - camouflage. <Jewel> ::nods:: I understand. ::glances back at him:: There's nothing wrong with holding on for a while, if it helps. ::shakes out the dress coat Dusk was wearing when the two of them came to see to her after Bastian's death:: I think I can find a home for these. <Dawn> Good. ::he lifts his right arm without thinking, hisses, and switches to his left again. He picks up a rather elegant small statue of a woman dancing and turns it over with detached interest:: Oh, and a tip for you, if you like. <Jewel> ::raises her eyebrows and holds out her hands for it:: Where-- no, sorry, bad question. ::smiles a little and studies it:: <Jewel> ::glances at him as he misuses his arm again:: What happened? Is that from... then? <Dawn> Are you familiar with Enafi M'tar? Exiled Anaurochian prince, keeps a summer home here? * Jewel raises both her eyebrows. "Anauroch has princes? And they'd want to live *here*?" <Dawn> ::nods, prodding at his shoulder:: The dart-wound. Perfect placement. Good thing we had the trap set, or- ::he breaks off and half-smiles:: Prince is a not-altogether correct translation, but when one has as much money as he did... <Jewel> ...you don't notice if a few small trinkets go missing? <Dawn> Oh, a grander scale than that, gorgeous. His Highness is not coming back. ::Dawn's eyes are haunted, though his expression remains neutral:: In... another month, I'd think, the estate manager will receive word to sell the place and most of its contents. ::his eyes are on the statue:: Don't bid on any of the furniture. But the jewelry is all good. <Jewel> ::opens her mouth to say something and leaves it open, staring at him:: ...oh. <Jewel> ::softly:: Doesn't the prince have an... an heir? <Dawn> ::shakes his head:: Just his faithful servant. Anyhow, His Highness has become bored of Marsember and is moving... elsewhere. The estate manager will, of course, forward the proceeds of the sale to the appropriate accounts. ::half-smiles at her flummoxed expression:: You should have seen Bie's face when she saw the shop. <Jewel> ::blinks:: You mean... there actually *was* something upstairs? <Dawn> ::actually laughs:: More than that. You'll see, next time you're in. <Jewel> ::tries to stop gaping like a codfish, with little success:: But... I thought... Mace told me... ::blinks:: He said once never to try to go in the front door of your shop, and that there wasn't anything there, anyway. <Dawn> You think we told him everything? <Dawn> Going in the front door *is* a bad mistake, but if you go up the stairs from the office... that's where we- I- live. <Jewel> ::raises an eyebrow:: Unreported income, was it? ::grins:: Ow, dammit. ::touches her lip:: <Dawn> ::looks offended:: We reported every damn copper. We just didn't report exactly where we *spent* it all after we'd paid our tithe. And ::he nearly-smiles, mischievous:: - don't tell anyone, or I'm ruined - some of it was even earned legally. * Jewel gasps in mock-horror. <Jewel> ::smiles a little:: And no, I didn't think you told Mace *everything.* ::a wicked glint in her eye:: I just thought he knew it anyway. <Jewel> Hmmm. I don't think I've ever seen upstairs. Is it... ::chews the good side of her lip a bit:: Does the shop look very different? <Dawn> ::nods, sadly:: The shop was where he put all the strongest illusions, because it's what everyone sees. <Jewel> So, are you... ::eyes widening at a sudden thought, she puts her hand on his (good) arm in concern:: You're not leaving, are you? <Dawn> Oh, no. ::he looks touched by her concern:: Not by any means. There's just a few... personas that absolutely will not work, without him. So they have to be dismantled. ::he gestures at the crate:: That's what I'm working on now. But you can tell Angel I think I'm about ready to work again. I need... things to do. <Jewel> ::nods:: I will. ::pauses:: I sent a message to Snowman, when it happened, but we haven't heard boo from him yet. Still, I expect he'll be down for the... memorial. <Dawn> ::closes his eyes and nods:: I expect Whistle will come in, too. * Jewel nods again. <Dawn> I hope he won't be too... ::sighs and shrugs:: Ow, dammit. ::he opens his eyes, grumbling as he carefully rolls his shoulder:: Anyhow, I should go. I'll have someone cart those other boxes over here soon. I'll trust you to keep the books on it. <Jewel> ::nods, standing awkwardly, the statuette still in her hand:: ...Dawn? <Dawn> Aye? <Jewel> Would you take it very badly if I hugged you? ::eyes his arm:: Er, carefully? * Dawn wordlessly puts his left arm around Jewel's shoulders. * Jewel hugs him back, carefully. "I'm sorry." <Dawn> ::quietly:: Aye. Me, too, gorgeous. |
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