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[Karen's not expecting him to turn up that fast. She hastily throws a long cardigan on over the sleep shorts and oversized tee she's wearing, then opens the door.]

Oh my God, Alfred!

[She lets him in, locking the door behind him as she turns, one hand lightly touching his cheek so she can get a look at his injuries. Leaning in, she wraps her arms around him in a hug.]

Are you okay?

[Frankly he's a little surprised by her reaction, in the grand scheme of things he's barely hurt. Especially compared to the men who decided to try and fight him, but he's happy for the hug and he wraps an arm around her waist. Very aware of how warm she feels and the outfit she's wearing.]

I'm fine, it's just a little cut. Head wounds always bleed more than they're worth.

[That's just how Karen is - she sees someone she cares about hurt, and she immediately wants to hug them and start sorting out the injury. She leans back just enough to get another look at the gash on his forehead again and shakes her head.]

Go sit on the couch. Head wounds bleed a lot, but it's still going to heal better if you let me clean it up and put some steri strips on. How's Martha?

[Her hand pats against his shoulder before she lets him go, and she disappears just around the corner for a moment to get her first aid kit out of the bathroom.]

Yes ma'am. [He says, although again with his accent it sounds like Mum but he does go sit on her couch. Looking around her place as he does so.]

She's fine, not a scratch on her and back home safe.

Good job.

[She means it. She flashes him a quick smile as she moves through to her kitchen. Finds a bowl and fills it with warm water while grabbing two clean dish towels. Getting settled on the couch, one of her legs folds under her, her knee leaning against the side of his leg. Her eyes flick between the bowl of water and his face as she gets one of the towels wet.]

What made you want to come over?

[He tilts his head into a good position for her to dab at the blood, his grey eyes watching her.]

Remember earlier when you mentioned the whole adrenaline spike after something crazy happens? I've got that in my system.

[It's clear she's done this before. Her fingertips rest lightly along his hairline as she carefully uses the towel to clean and dry around the wound. When she meets his eyes, a little smile curls her lips.]

I remember. Were you thinking about a late night game of Yahtzee?

You know I've never played Yahtzee in my life....

[He admits with a small grin.]

And no, I was just thinking I'd like some like minded company.

Hate to tell you that tonight won't be the night either. I don't actually own Yahtzee. I do have a deck of cards, though.

[She finishes cleaning the wound and sets the towel and bowl aside, then gets the steri strips out of the first aid kit so she can carefully line them up across the gash.]

I get that. Do you want to talk about any of it?

Cards could be fun.

[He holds still while she finishes patching him up with the steri-strip.]

Nah, nothing really worth talking about. They tried to hurt us so I hurt them.

What's your card game of choice?

[Karen leans back enough to get a look at her work and gives a nod. It looks like it'll hold. She lets her hand drop to his shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze, watching him thoughtfully as she listens. There's a knowing sort of half smile on her lips.]

Simple as that.

[It's never simple. But she's pretty sure pretending it is is part of getting through it.]

I'm good with either blackjack or poker. Or cribbage.

[He smiles back at her, knowing full well that he's over simplifying it but silence is part of his job.]

Thank you for the patch up, you've got a light touch.

Poker it is. I'm terrible at cribbage.

[Karen pats his arm before she gets up, bringing everything from that makeshift first aid station with her.]

You're welcome.

[When she returns, she's got the two mugs of tea that have been steeping, a deck of cards, and a bag of individually wrapped Reese's peanut butter cups.]

For the ante.

[She sounds amused, handing him over one of the mugs as she gets settled back in on the couch. There's a glimmer of mischievous humor in her eyes.]

I'd suggest strip poker but I'm clearly at a disadvantage already.

[The sight of the tea and treats makes him smile, as does her comment about strip poker.]

Maybe we'll save that for another night, when I give you more of a heads up. That way you can wear several layers.

[He takes a sip of tea and sighs, sinking into the couch.]

Oh I needed that.

I can easily get five shirts on without it looking suspicious.

[She's grinning a little as she says it, scooting back enough to make space on the center cushion for their game. She shakes out half the treats for both of them, then shuffles the cards and deals them out.

Glancing up at him as he sinks into the couch, there's a look of fond amusement on her face.]

You Brits and your tea. You can start us off.

Can't help it, even when I was in the army we found a way to have tea.

[He says as he studies his cards and then puts in two treats.]

What was the most creative way you got your tea fix?

[Karen wrinkles her nose as she looks at her own cards. Absolutely zero poker face on this one, especially at 2 AM. She matches his ante.]

Well there were many times where we made it in spare tin cans, but the most creative was probably when we used a coconut.

A coconut?

[She repeats with evident amusement, grinning even as they both show their cards and she loses spectacularly. With a groan, she cedes her ante over to him along with the cards so he can deal their next hand.]

Did it make the tea taste like coconut?

[He smiles as he wins the first hand and collects his prize before taking the cards and shuffling them thoroughly.]

It did, which wasn't exactly unpleasant but the texture of the furry outside left a little to be desired.

Ew.

[It's a succinct response to the idea of drinking out of something furry. She watches as he shuffles the deck.]

It seems like coconuts are hard to get open. Don't you need something wildly sharp?

[Since she's watching he does a little fancy move, cutting the cards with one hand before going back to shuffling.]

Correct, luckily we all had combat knives so that wasn't a probably. The key is to pierce through it enough and then bash it open so it cracks.

Show off.

[The comment is delivered teasingly, a playful lilt to it, smiling despite herself as she watches that one hand deck cut.]

When you put it like that, getting a coconut open sounds like it might be weirdly therapeutic. Did anyone try to shave off the fuzzy parts?

[He chuckles and tips her a wink before dealing the cards.]

Nah, we only had so many razors and we were all saving them for our faces. Well, those of us who like being clean shaven.

Honestly that's fair.

[Karen gives him a contemplative look before even looking at her cards. Puts in her ante of a single peanut butter cup.]

I can't picture you with a beard. Maybe a goatee.

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ooc: I have no idea how to play poker so I'm going to gloss over stuff

neither do i lol so we can fully just handwave

Phew ;)

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