[for Meredith]

[missingthekeep]

It's long past late by the time Sean weaves his way around Doc and pulls himself through the front door, battered and sore but feeling on top of the world in spite of it all. A few drinks to calm his nerves had unfortunately had something of the opposite effect, making him more jumped up and energetic than ever and turning into a few more, which wound up costing him half the evening. Either way, he's home now, no matter the shape he's in. And anyway, he hadn't meant to get in a fight, he'd been more curious than anything when he turned up to the little gathering, but then he wasn't exactly given a choice and that had been that. He certainly can't regret it, at any rate, not when coming home to Meredith has been the perfect ending to far worse days than this one.

Hopefully she's still awake.

Comments

[drownondryland]

"Not to me." Meredith sighs and drops back again, looking away. He let her decide when she was ready when she was far worse off than this, but that doesn't make her feel any better about his being hurt. "I don't see why you think this shouldn't bother me."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"'Cause it's a few lousy bruises, Meredith" Sean protests stubbornly, shaking his head. "So I'll be sore f'r a few days, what's the big deal?"

[drownondryland]

Meredith looks back up at him, petulant but uncertain. She can't put her finger on just why this bothers her so much, let alone put words to it other than the ones she's already used. "I don't know," she says and shakes her head. "I — whatever. Nevermind. I said I'd let it go for now."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Ye did," Sean says, a little more snidely than he intends to, his expression softening apologetically a moment later. "Are ye actually goin' to, though? Or should I jus' quit while 'm behind?"

[drownondryland]

Meredith lifts her hands and lets them fall, looking up and away from him for a moment. "I don't know," she says, impatient because it's the truth. "I am not trying to annoy you here, Sean. I just care and I can't — I can't see you hurt and not react to that." Looking back, she reaches for his cheek again, not sure she can hold her tongue the way he'd like, but maybe there's no harm in declaring peace for a night. He wanted to come home to her. She never promised not to say it all again tomorrow. "I'll try, I will try. Don't be mad at me for caring about you."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

When she puts it like that, there's not much Sean can say that won't make him seem like the bad guy here, so he makes a face and bows his head. "'M nae mad at ye," he mutters, shaking his head. A little annoyed, sure, but far from mad. "An' I- I want ye ta care 'bout me. 'M glad ye do."

[drownondryland]

"You don't seem that thrilled," Meredith says wryly, but she pushes herself back up again, ready to kiss him and hesitating at the last. Just because she's trying not to say anything doesn't mean she's not still unsure. "I do care. Always. If you say you're okay, you're okay. I'll leave it."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Good. Then leave it," Sean says, closing the gap between them to kiss her again, no hesitation on his part until he wonders if he should maybe elaborate more. "'Cause I am. Okay, I mean."

Nope, that probably wasn't necessary.

[drownondryland]

"Okay," Meredith says, slipping her arms around his neck. "You know I'd believe it more if you stopped saying it, right?" She does that all the time, she's always fine. She knows better than to take it at face value, especially from him.

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

Sean makes a slightly confused face at that, although he catches her meaning quickly enough. She does it to him all the time, after all. "I guess," he says, wrapping his arms around her as he sits back to pull her into his lap despite the protests of aching muscles.

[drownondryland]

In spite of her reservations, Meredith laughs, settling against him and kissing his neck. "I thought maybe you were gonna quit while you were behind," she says lightly. Given the state he's in, she almost wishes he would; she doesn't have it in her to push him away, not for long. "Call it a night."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Didnae say that I would, did I?" Sean murmurs, tipping his head to the side as his eyes slip closed. "Ye gave me reason nae to."

[drownondryland]

Meredith scoffs, nipping at his neck. "Because I stopped arguing?" she asks. There doesn't seem like all that much reason not to back down for now, but that doesn't mean she's just going to let that one go.

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

Sean sighs, too relaxed to be annoyed this time around. "Foine. Several reasons, then."

[drownondryland]

Meredith leans back to look at him, brow raising. "I'd hit you, but I think someone beat me to it," she deadpans, still uncomfortable with it. Sometimes making jokes is the only way to get around it. "I didn't realize there were other reasons, though."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Kiss me again an' that'll be another righ' there," Sean says, a smug edge to his voice as he runs a hand through her hair. "Please dinnae hit me."

[drownondryland]

"Are you trying to make me mad at you?" Meredith asks, but she kisses him, light, not wanting to hurt him any. She smiles and gives him another. "How many reasons do you need?"

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Many as ye'll gimme," Sean says, carefully enunciating as much as he can really be bothered to right now and chasing another kiss. "As if I need ta try."

[drownondryland]

"I know, you're so good at it naturally," Meredith says dryly. Hands moving over his back, she kisses him again, grinning in spite of herself. She said she'd try not to mention it, not that she'd stop being irritated, but it comes out a frustrating mix of annoyed and entertained. "Don't remind me."

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"Mmm, but 'm so good at that, too," Sean says even as he reaches down to toy with the hem of her shirt. There may not be much to have a sense of humour about these days, but if there's one thing he can be right now, it's self-deprecating.

[drownondryland]

Huffing out a laugh, Meredith tips her head to kiss his neck again. "You're good at a lot of things," she says. "Getting in trouble is one of them, yes." That much is a little too obvious tonight, her hands still tentative, unsure of where's safe to touch.

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

Sean smiles at her reply, baring his throat to her further, but when he replies, a note of despondence creeps into his voice. Not enough to bring the mood down any, but noticeable. "Jus' nae the kind I like gettin' into."

[drownondryland]

"You didn't seem too disappointed by tonight's trouble," Meredith says dryly, then pulls back, expression turning apologetic, if only mildly. "Stopping, I'm stopping." Still, whatever she might have said about letting it go, it bore mentioning.

[missingthekeep.livejournal.com]

"It's a... poor substitute fer the real thing," Sean explains, the way he pulls a slight face the only sign of his annoyance. She dropped it quickly enough, he supposes.

[drownondryland]

Meredith looks away, closing her eyes as she steels herself against saying anything rash. "Well, I can't pretend I'm sorry about that," she says stiffly. It didn't stop him anyway. It's selfish, if not hypocritical, to be glad he can't do the work he misses, but she always has been.