Quality time → Rachel & Raleigh
Characters → Rachel Berry & Raleigh Winters
Location → Medical Wing
Time Frame → Wednesday Night { Nov. 20th}
Comments → Raleigh goes and pays Rachel a visit while she is in the medical wing.Â
Rachel had been bored, and loopy on pain meds. As far as she was concerned, this was the true torture. Nothing Sebastian could ever dream of doing would make her suffer as much as being stuck in bed while her back worked to heal itself was doing. She had slept off and on thanks to the meds, and at points when the meds were the strongest she'd just stared at the wall, dulled brown eyes tracing the cracks. She knew Vivian couldn't visit. That Matt was probably stuck with Sara, or that one of the two Masters she was found of probably weren't wasting the time to think about her. But some company would have been nice. She was being reminded of her high school days, and that was bad. That crushing loneliness before she had her three friends to keep her company and even her out. Sighing again, she ignored the footsteps she heard. Probably just Sam, from what she had heard, Quinn had been badly abused by a master. She was probably somewhere close. Her head cocked as she heard the familiar voice, perking up a bit at his presence. "Hello, Raleigh," she smiled shifting as much as she was able to see him better. "How was your day?" Maybe he'd done something shocking like left his room. Something that would give her a good story to listen to.
Raleigh let a small smile slip on to his lips. "Hey," he breathed softly. Slipping in to the room before closing the door behind him. "It was alright," he answered as he moved to stand next to her bed. "I actually just kind of work up.. so you know.. it didn't really start yet." he added his hand raising to rub the back of his neck. Raleigh wasn't at all good with this shit. He wasn't comforting or all that kind. Well at least he didn't think he was. Pushing the thoughts aside, he grabbed the near by chair pulling up to the side of the bed. "So how're you feeling, Tiny?" he asked sitting down and leaning back in to the bed. He hoped the doc was taking good care of her. Raleigh had a thing about battered women.. it kind of tweaked his nerves. In the early years he has smack Cora a few times while he was drunk and each time he felt like an ass. This.. this tiny girl being beaten up by someone he was supposed to call brother.. it just didn't sit well in him. Which was probably why he was here now.
Rachel smiled, she felt good knowing that he had worried about her, especially since he didn't have any reason to. But it was still nice. This was the last place she expected to find someone to worry about her. "I'm good," she assured him. "Sam is nice enough. He's a good doctor. I can't say much else except that he was very understanding when I got here and molested his face because it 'looked soft'," she laughed making air quotes with her fingers. "Mostly he keeps me drugged up so I don't get all achy." She resisted the urge to shrug her shoulders, that would hurt, she learned the hard way. Laying back down, she let her hand reach out to grasp his, giving it a light squeeze. "You slept all day! You are supposed to move around for me, since I can't. Annoy Sebastian with Christmas songs or something!" She winked to show she was teasing, though the mental image was amusing.
Raleigh leaned forward as he listened to her. Letting her take his hand with out protest. "I'm sorry.. I wasn't feeling up to annoying anyone." he breathed lifting her hand to his lips he brushed them lightly against her knuckles. "I am sure someone annoyed him enough for you .. I didn't have to do it." he added with a light chuckle. "I actually only came out to get more booze.. but then I remembered that you were here and I wanted to make sure you were okay before I went back in to my coma state." he stated shifting the chair closer to the bed as he did.
Rachel continued to smile, she suspected that might have been the case. Really. Why come down to visit her for the pure sake of visiting? What could they talk about? She was seventeen, he was twenty-seven. She was mature for her age sure, but their common ground revolved around the shitty situation she was in, and the fact that she'd seen him naked. She still blushed lightly when he kissed her knuckles though, that was sweet. He always seemed to be sweet. "Well...I'm just happy you thought about me at all," she offered. "But you still seem to be a bit down..." Gently, so as not to upset her back, and in turn make Sam upset, she made enough room for him before she patted the mattress. "It's not the most comfortable spot in the house but it has me. And I feel that after what, two days? I should cuddle you...because..you know....its good for your health."
Raleigh watched her as she moved a light shrug took over his shoulders. "Don't worry about it, I get like this." he breathed. Though he didn't refuse her as he stood up. Carefully he moved on to the bed with her. Draping an arm over her, making sure not to adjudicate her back. "Oh yeah.. the cuddling is just for me.." he breathed with a chuckle. "Really, you don't have to worry.. I get down it passes and I am good for a while. I've been dealing for a bit now.. I can handle it."
Rachel leaned into his chest, pressing her ear against his chest, he smelled like himself the warm, spicy musk that was all his mixed with the sting of alcohol. His heart beat in a steady rhythm under her ear. These were the small things that were going to keep her sane. "Oh yes, the cuddling is all for you. It is a prescribed medical treatment that is recommended to extend your life span, reduce stress, help with depression and even make you feel closer to another human being in short periods of time," she finally breathed, he was correct. She didn't have to worry. But it was going to stop her from doing it. "Besides, if I don't worry about you, I have to worry about me. And taking on that topic is a bit stressful at the moment, if you know what I mean."
Raleigh shifted a bit as he got comfortable. And eye brow raised as he listened to her go on about cuddle. "Whatever you say, Little Siren" he breathed light heartedly. Licking over his lips he figured she had a point. A bit of human contact was nice, especially since he had gone so long with out it. "Well in that case you're allowed to worry about me. I don't want you being stressed more then you already are in this place. I would feel personally responsible." he added pressing a light kiss to her forehead.
Rachel smiled her eyes closing briefly before she nodded. "Then I will worry." She missed being able to actually cuddle. To move freely, even just get up and walk, but Sam told her it would be a couple of days before he recommended that kind of movement. He'd had to stitch parts of her pack that weren't healing correctly, going on about how he'd just gone to a seminar for this, and was she okay? He was nice. Creepy nice, in the same way that Ryder made her antsy, so did Sam. Too nice. "I had to get stitches. A day after the fact, it really wasn't pleasant," she sighed, nuzzling her forehead against his chest. "I'm worried," she added, going silent for a while. "Will I even still be pretty with these kinds of scars?" She asked, wetting her lips. "Because I'm...not sure...that I will be."
Raleigh frowned when she talked about what she had to go through. "I'm sorry I wasn't better at patching you up." he breathed, his fingers lightly playing with her hair as they laid there. His brow knitted together when she spoke again. "Shh..you'll still be beautiful. Scars and all.. remember you have an amazing body. Don't loose that confidence. I'd still get you naked with them" he reassured her pulling away enough to look at her. "You'll still be pretty, Rachel."
Rachel shook her head quickly as he apologized. "No! Really if it wasn't for you I'd probably have died from some weird infection. You did the best you knew how, and I'm grateful, I really am..." She exhaled heavily, her eyes dropping to his chest again. That was one thing, he'd still think she was pretty. that was a comfort. She ignored the way her eyes stung, she hadn't cried in front of anyone yet, she wasn't going to start now. "Well if you'd still get me naked with them," she mused, making herself smile. She was getting good at faking it. "And I do suppose as long as I don't wear gowns that are backless, I'll be okay..."
Raleigh gently pulled her closer to him. "You know when your famous you can get them removed. They have really good surgins that can help you out won't even have to worry about backless gowns." he tried his best to keep her positive. Which was hard for him He wasn't a positive person after all. But she was still young, things like scars weren't what she needed to be worried about. "And hell people might like them.. shows you have character. Suffering builds it right.. or at least that is what they say to make you feel better about suffering."
Rachel appreciated that he was trying so hard to be positive for her. It was amusing because he described himself as 'a drunk' he seemed pessimistic. From what she had read about the time leading up to the divorce, all of the rumors and he said, she said she figured she would probably be a pessimist too. "I hadn't thought of that," she smiled, wetting her lips. "Maybe I'll cater to my equally scared friends. For all I know it might look good on me, a few scars. I might think of them as a badge of honor when I finally get to leave." Gently leaning away from him so she could reach his face she pressed a kiss to his cheek, ignoring the sting of movement. "Thanks, Big Guy."
Raleigh listened to her quietly, nodding is head in agreement. "See.. no need to worry about them." he offered a light smile slipping on to his lips when she kissed his cheeks. "No problem, Tiny." he stated in a slight affectionate tone. "So how long do you have to stay trapped in this boring room?" he asked pulling her closer to him as his chin rested on the top of her head. "I'm kind of in need of a personal concert from my favorite siren.. and you know i may want to get you naked again." he teased as his fingers danced up and down her arm.
Rachel laughed lightly with a shrug. "I don't know for sure, you'd have to ask my doctor," she snuggled into his chest, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the feeling of his fingers skating over her skin. "I feel like he probably told me at some point, but I was too high for it to stick...that's been his attack plan I think. Keep me drugged up and sleeping so I don't do something silly like sing or try to make him talk to me." She shrugged lightly. "I hope soon though. I feel personally obligated to fulfill your need for Siren contact and naked time."
Raleigh licked over his lips. Making a mental not to talk to Sam about it when he left her. Which he wasn't sure when that was going to be now that he had gotten comfortable. "Well, the sooner the better you're one of the only people i can stand in this house." he breathed. "So you know I can't not be a hermit if I hate everyone around me. You're just needed." he added with a nod of his head.
Rachel smiled, letting her fingers grip the fabric of his t-shirt, the cotton soft to the touch. "You could hang out with Vivian. I think she is still being forced to wear a muzzle thanks to crazy-mc-grumpy-pants. But she would probably love to get out of the cage and stretch her legs. She's good company," just because she had to be in bed until she could move without tearing her stitches didn't mean he had to be a hermit, or that her friend had to be stuck in her cage. "She'd probably even agree to bake for you. I think she's decided you're agreeable..."
Raleigh shrugged. "I could be in her company, she isn't annoying and she did say she was naming a cupcake after me." He offered lightly. "I am a bit curious as to what it would taste like. Maybe I'll bring her to the kitchen tomorrow.." he mused as he let his eyes close. The relaxing feeling of having someone next to him washing over him as they laid there. "Also I think it about time she got out of the muzzle." he added a bit more firmly then the rest of his words had been.
Rachel nodded in response, he seemed to be getting relaxed and comfortable where he was, not that she minded. She was bored and alone before he'd arrived, and when he left it would be the same story. She couldn't say she was happy about the prospect of being alone again. Letting her hands wander down his chest, she dipped them uder the hem of his shirt, her fingers lightly playing against his abdominal muscles, tracing the ridges as she let her mind wander. "She'd like to be out of it I think. Just make sure Sebastian knows you did it, otherwise I'm afraid she'll get punished again.."
Raleigh stayed quiet as they laid together. His muscles flexing and contracting under her touch as she spoke. "Don't worry I'll make sure he knows it is me. I don't want her punished against because of me either," he offered in a low soft tone. "And If I have her bake I will make sure to have her make one for you so I can bring back here for you. I feel sweets help healing." he added shifting enough to press a light kiss to her forehead.
Rachel felt herself perk up at the prospect of cupcakes. She liked sweets, and cupcakes would be good, it was a nice idea, but unless Vivian learned how to make vegan cupcakes over night she'd just have to thank him for it and give it to Sam or Quinn later. "Thank you," she smiled letting her thumb gently stroke over his skin. "Put in a special request for pink frosting," she laughed. "I feel like eating pink will activate my super healing powers."
Raleigh shifted a bit in his place as she thanked him. "No problem, Little Siren. Only fair you get cupcakes too since it was your idea." he stated with a small smile. "I will try my best to remember that the frosting should be pink. It suites you.." he added. Brushing his fingers along her arm and up to her cheeks he brushed a bit of her hair back behind her ear. "How about you get some rest huh.. I'm feeling sleepy again. I could use a nap.. and you know you make a pretty good sleep partner."
Rachel truly felt that Raleigh was the sweetest man in the house, without any competition what so ever. Maybe he was just really good for his ego. Whatever it was though, she was happy he had come to visit. Nodding lightly, and minding her back she snuggled into him, removing her hands from under his short, she pressed her cheek against his chest, inhaling his scent. "Alright you twisted my arm, its nap time," she yawned. "Or maybe it's the morphine..that could be it..." either way. She wasn't going to pass up a nap with him. "And I mean, as long as your willing to cuddle with me, how could I say no to sleep?"
