Raff nodded sincerely to Red's question and wondered how she couldn't know she was beautiful--she had a mirror didn't she? 

Grateful that she had decided to accept his company, he grabbed her hand to ensure that she was actually there with him. He couldn't spare a lot of time with her with the new schedules and every moment was precious. And every fuckin moment was interrupted by kids! At least he had the brief contact until he could sus out and confirm that Cady was at the party. 

He turned to Red while he smiled and whispered back,
"I gotta check that she's there first. Then she'll know I'm around and won't try anything coz she'll have no idea if I'm hanging around watching. It's passive control so she can't confirm my presence always. Then Cady will behave with the mere idea of me knowing exactly what she's doing and where. She'll enforce her own good behavior and make her think twice about lyin ta me. And when she gets home, I've got a nice big punishment fer her!"

In reaction to the small sudden sting, the boy smacked a hand over the back of his head and said in outrage,
"I think a bug bit me!"

As if on cue, Cady shouted back with her usual refined eloquence,
"Ain't no flying bugs in Heims ya fuck wit! Oh shit--it must be Raff!"

Jynnie peeked her head out the window to look around and the boys scattered back the way they came from. 

"Mission complete." he whispered to Red, clearly trying hard not to laugh out loud.

She listened to what his plan was and she felt her eyebrows lift toward her hairline. That was way more subtle than she had expected…not that Raff behaved like a human sledgehammer, but he’d seemed very upset about Cady lying that she’d expected something more direct. Apparently that was coming later though…what in the world was Cady going to do as a punishment? She wasn’t about to ask.

Instead she said, “How devious,” she was still whispering, but she worried that her words came out as more of a purr. She didn’t want him to think she was trying to seduce him while he was trying to terrorize his sister into good behavior, “My brother probably would have put me in a headlock and noogied me until my hair was a rat’s nest,” she shook her head at the memory of those noogies. Her brother’s form of affection had always erred on the side of ‘haha, this will make my sister mad!’ and it had irked her to no end. In a way, she missed it.

“How many times do you think you have to pelt those boys with rocks until—“ her question was answered with the confused shouts of the teens followed by Cady’s declaration that it was her brother, “Oh just the one time,” she snorted then covered her mouth in an attempt to muffle her laughter. The timing of that! She found it so amusing that she ended up leaning her head on his arm as if her neck needed the support against her giggles.

Something about Red's tone had him look her in the eyes and he saw the sadness. 

"I could always give ya a giant noogie, but it won't end in playing... " he winked at her, trying to keep that smile on her face. "Won't be any more noogies for Cady though. This morning she declared that she was a woman and a 'growed adult,' so my punishment when she returns, is gonna help her with that... interesting idea."

Still making sure he held her hand, he walked stealthily to the other side of the house, watching from the shadows. 

"If he's out there, ya know he's listening Jynnie. He can't see and hear everything--he's not ominpontent."
"Omnipotent?"
"Shut up!"
"I didn't see him though."
"Yea that's his whole stupid point. He's such a pain in my arse."

The voices receded as they moved further back inside the house and Raff walked away slowly, looking thoughtful. He kept his stride slow and easy until they turned the corner so they could stop.

"So we got options Red. First--your place which has Bette, a tavern which costs money, another sexy alley near garbage or my place which is empty for now. They're all at friend's houses but it's my life, so any could return back at any time. Lady's choice."

She pictured Raff giving her a noogie and she snorted at the image. She couldn’t picture it ending in any other way than her hair being a mess and her mouth turned down in an irked frown. Rhedara nearly asked him, even if it was to see if he were serious about it not ending in playing, but then he might just show her…which would be interesting she wasn’t going to lie…and he’d be touching her…albeit in a very uncomfortable, mildly irritating way. But there were far more pleasant ways for him to tangle her hair.

As for his sister, it sounded like she’d hit that age where she thought she was an adult, but didn’t quite grasp what it meant to be an adult. Rhedara remembered when she’d hit that age. What a weird time! She looked like an adult, everything functioned like she was an adult, but she had still been very much a child. At the mention of a punishment, she thought back to what her mother had resorted to when she made grand declarations like that before getting herself into trouble. It’d ranged from things like cleaning out the fireplace or something equally filthy, to standing with her arms straight out while she held her mother’s heavy spell book, “Well now I’m curious,” she said.

He took her hand again and tugged her to the other side of the house and listened to the two teens chatter. She followed along as quietly as she could since he still seemed to be wanting stealth. Rhedara wondered how much sass Cady would give Raff when she got home. After a time, they stopped and Raff gave her some options on where to go next.

“A sexy alley, huh?” she grinned, “Well, it is hard to beat the floral scent of garbage,” as had been proven from his brother’s interruption, an alley was out…and if things got warm again, she preferred it be somewhere with four walls and a locked door. Her place would be more private and much quieter than a noisy, crowded tavern, and neither of them needed to spend the money. However, as he said, her place had Bette who was normally out on the boat. She’d hear every word that they said, too, the nibby nose.

“Let’s go to your place.”

"Yer curious about Cady's adult punishment huh?" Raff answered, once they were walking away from the place, taking her hand again. 

"I bought a stove coz we needed one. It was expensive, and I was gonna put it together tonight. But nah. Cady's a 'growed up' now so that means doing growed up work too. If I got to hang around doing as much nothing as she does, then I'd be a kid. Go figure." He smirked at Red, feeling that the best cure for wanting to grow up fast was to expect kids to do unpleasant and hard boring stuff all on their own. 

"When she gets home, she's not going to get to sleep like growed ups do until they've finished their work. She can put together the stove-as long as it takes. I'll miss out on some sleep to supervise, but I was going to anyway to rig up the stove...Now I get to sit there and just smirk at her."

"Yep a very sexy alley... Floral...?!" he started to repeat her and ended up laughing loudly. "Ok then, my place it is. I installed a new lock on it so we'll get as much privacy as we like. At least till 22:00 about--not sure when lil miss 'growed up' feels like coming home knowing she's busted."

He slid his hand to her waist instead as they neared the door and he opened it. The old stove was taken apart and sitting in a heap by the outside of their place. On the left were gleaming metal parts of stove that needed only to be put to together and the rest of the space was clear of anyone but them. Raff closed and locked the door behind him. Taking a look over his shoulder, he checked the window was mudded over and opaque for total privacy. 

Using a pompous tone like a waiter at a fancy restaurant, 
"Now Madame we have a lovely cot here, here, here and there or a spacious floor for tonight's comfort in sitting. With pillows and blankets too." 

As a teen, he'd been ashamed to have anyone see where he lived. Now he knew that with supporting that many kids, he was lucky to have that roof, so Raff didn't waste any breath over vanity. As long it stayed a roof and four walls, he'd be grateful because there was always someone out there who had it worse.

Rhedara made a face at the thought of putting a stove together. She didn’t know if she’d prefer doing that over cleaning out the fireplace, but it probably came close in tediousness…probably wouldn’t get as filthy putting a stove together though. She remembered how watery and painful her eyes got when the soot and ash got in her eyes, “Good punishment.” She almost said that she hoped Cady didn’t stay out too late in that case, but with the luck the two of them had been having, Cady would choose an inconsiderate time to return so she prayed the teen stayed out late.

He put his hand on her waist and she moved in close enough that she was touching him, nearly leaning on him as he unlocked his door, but when they started moving aging she moved away from him just enough so they didn’t trip over each other while walking through the door. Her eyes went right to the stove parts, but other than that new addition and the lock, his home was as she remembered it. It wasn’t the most ideal circumstances of living, but a lot of commoner Nevermerans didn’t have a roof over their heads at all. The more troubling aspect of it was that there was a lack of privacy if everyone was home, but at the same time they were protected from the elements and the room was warm. It could definitely be worse. And she was in no position to judge. She hadn’t managed to save up enough to get her own place before she was discharged and was renting a room from an older lady that used to be friends with her father. An older lady who loved to gossip and get into everyone’s business. She might as well have lived in a place that just had one big room.

And they were alone. They were free to talk, or cuddle, or frolic together as much as they wanted…at least until his siblings returned home. It was a little troublesome needing to work around them…but he’d have to work around Bette when she wasn’t on the boat so she figured it leveled out somehow. His siblings at least had not kept her waiting in the cold at the door while they spewed gossip about Raff. At least, they hadn’t done that yet.

She laughed at his mimicry of a fancy waiter. She let go of him long enough to give him a curtsy that was only a little clumsier than the one her mother had managed to drill into her. No one would call her curtsy elegant, but they might call it pretty if they were being nice. Her mother had tried, having some idea that Rhedara should have the manners of a noble, and Rhedara had really tried at the time…but there had not been many occasions for her to practice, and it had been far more practical in her military gear to bow.

She considered the cots, but remembered cuddling with him on the floor the last time and would try to tug him in that direction, “The floor looks comfy to me.”

He laughed at her comment and replied,

"It ain't very comfy but it's roomy enough for the both of us."

He brought a couple of blankets and pillows over to make a cozy little nest for them and sat down with his back against the wall. She was hot stuff, there was no doubt, but there were important things that needed saying. Raff knew she was young and he didn't wanna push either aspect on her. War was looming, she was without a job, they'd only had sex once and they had so little time together that every minute was a war of attraction and necessity. Raff wasn't sure if he had any right to ask what she planned to do for work or what her plans for the future were. What was their future? Did they have one?

"How 'bout ya join me and we talk fer a bit huh?" 

“Alright,” she said cheerfully, sitting next to him on the blankets and pillows he’d piled for the two of them, snuggling into him.

Talking would be good. With the new scheduling, she didn’t get to see him a lot—especially since she couldn’t even go to the military wing of the castle anymore. It made the time they had together special, but also short. The physical stuff was great, and they always seemed to get there somehow—not that she’d complain about that! However, there were things to talk about. Stuff that they hadn’t had a chance to address. Like, what exactly was it that they had going on together? Was it just physical to him, or was he also feeling a little something more? Was what they had going to go anywhere?

“What do you want to talk about?”

"A couple of things actually." he answered her, thinking as he did so. Raff made a point of not getting all cuddly and touchy feely when there were some obvious things that needed mentioning. It was more than a little awkward but boundaries kept the world on its axis and that was how Raff thought about it. He let her settle where ever she chose to but didn't make any affectionate gestures whatsoever. His dark blue eyes caught and held hers with a very serious expression, all trace of his previous humor removed, his posture upright and soldier straight.

"First thing will help me decide if I should ask the second one. I ain't never brought a girl home here and ya can see why. Too many fuckin kids everywhere and only a damn curtain for privacy. While I got no right ta make demands of ya, I'd like ta know that since ya stuck it out this far-even AFTER meeting Brent, Are we together or are we friends with benefits?" He paused and added, "There's no pressure fer one or the other, I just think it's a good thing ta know when I got siblings in the picture that yer presence affects. Ya can say neither too, I need ta know this so I can adjust where I take ya. And if ya do say we're together, then we can fairly ask about each other."

His tone was serious, no hint of the playfulness that usually found its way in their banter. Realizing this was a ‘facing each other’ for of conversation, she straightened up and shifted around so she could hold his stare.

She nodded along to his buildup to his first question to show that she was getting where he was coming from. Friends with benefits did not appeal to her in the slightest. She liked a little stability in her life, and that arrangement would only end in heartbreak for her sooner rather than later…and she didn’t want anyone snatching him up because she was too shy to say that she wanted to be with him. He didn’t appear to care one way or the other, which stung a little since she definitely wanted more with him…but she appreciated that he wasn’t trying to make her feel like he was cornering her all the same.

“I would say that we’re together,” she said in an equally serious voice.

Raff's posture relaxed and he slouched his back against the wall with a relieved sigh. He tried to keep things neutral and not pressure anyone into doing something, especially someone as young and naïve as Red. He was still very conscious of the age gap and the ordering rank mentality between a cadet and an officer. From the start, even with only the most casual implied mention of rank at the tavern from saying he used to be paired, had her quick to obey, react and speak to him. He couldn't be entirely sure if their dynamic was based on age, previous military training or if she simply liked him back in the normal way of beginning relationships. He wouldn't even know where to begin as he'd never allowed himself the option of a steady girl in his life.

But now all at once, there was a girl he'd brought home when they were on the brink of war--a girl with a shitty dishonorable discharge hanging over her head, and the job market was empty with all the stupidly dismissed and culled soldiers just before a fuckin war. He could see if they slapped outa few guys coz it took about eight guys to match the fighting power of one witch, but this was ridiculous!

"Well in that case how 'bout we do a question fer a question Red. What kinda work ya been doing ta stay afloat? I can't imagine that the old bag's letting ya stay there free in exchange fer gossip..."

He relaxed and she assumed the serious part of the questions were over. She also relaxed and moved around until she was sitting like she was before the ‘what are we?’ question. She was glad he brought it up because she had had no idea how to breach the subject herself…she’d not been an any kind of romantic relationship before so it was new territory. It was nice to know for sure that he wasn’t just playing around with her.

Not that they’d made any promises that their relationship would be permanent—it was too soon for that kind of talk—but knowing that she was in what was appearing to be a steady relationship made her feel a little less alone.

“A question for a question?” She asked, “Alright,” she agreed to it even as she thought that she wasn’t sure what she’d ask him. He’d been fairly transparent with her and she usually wasn’t one to pry.

His question had been something she’d been asking herself for nearly a week, “No she’s not that generous,” she smiled without much humor, “I got some money I saved back to buy me some time on that front, but otherwise I’ll try to sell some potions, although there’s so many other witches that do it and also have shops for it that I’ll need more time and resources than I have to actually make a profit,” she shrugged, “I’ve been advised that I should go look for work with Lord Keelan Morrigan. I guess he’s always looking for ex military to work on his ships.”

“What made you join the paired program?”

Just like Merk had taught him. If things might get too personal, give a cost and analyze why the other might ask that question. It was a neat trick of a game that gave far more insight than the actual questions. And keeping your info personal from your own paired partner was a tricky dance made even harder when you worked as a Red Right Hand.

She'd answered the question easily, her relaxed posture showing truth in every line and muscle. When Red shrugged, he thought she was done but that's where he was dead wrong. 

'work with Lord Keelan Morrigan ..' seemed to echo off the walls and he swung the privacy curtain around them so any other words didn't seep through the cracks, even by accident. The fact that she said the name so carelessly and with no fear at all, told him all he needed to know on her knowledge of his boss. At that moment he looked down and to the side, keeping his initial surprised, concerned and apprehensive expression from anyone's direct line of sight.

"Hmm. Saved money's good to keep ya going fer now. There's not a lot of info about that name around Nevermere." Raff answered noncommittally, sounding almost bored with her answer. He slowly worked his left hand over to pry up the floor board beside him and lift out a bottle of whiskey. He took a long swig of it, the fire searing a trail down his throat to his stomach and offered the bottle to Red if she wanted some. When she either took a sip or refused, then he'd set it beside them on the floor.

He moved his large right hand around her, holding her waist easily and replied honestly to her question,

"Career track to promotion and higher pay. Had ta feed those kids some how." 

And it was literally the day before he started making better money. But if he suddenly lived above the meager pay of Lieutenant, people would ask questions and that was never welcome. Speaking of questions, hers was insipid and she was either entirely uninterested or maybe working her way toward asking a harder question. He hated the question game, but it kept things fair when people had to talk. He listened as she replied, and hoped he could steer her far the fuck away from Keelan. 

"So when's yer birthday Red?"