[It's fairly obvious that Ben has no idea that Raleigh is a slave about ten minutes after he starts talking to Raleigh. He's trying, for Mako's sake really to be civil to her coworker, since they do spend a lot of time together and they're not sleeping together and so he tries. He tries until Ben says something derogatory about sex slaves, about how they deserve their lot in life, after all you don't get that low if you don't do something to get there and they're all just a bunch of greedy sluts who like it anyway--
-- and Raleigh just socks him for it.
That's not a new opinion to him, he's been told something along those lines before, more than once, from previous owners and strangers on the street and merchants selling him off and he reigned in his temper every time before. But not now. Not with this guy, who Raleigh already dislikes because of how much time he spends with Mako, even if that is irrational. Not after living with Mako for so long, someone he loves, who gives him as much freedom as she can, who cares about him in return.
Some habits die hard but others fade rather quickly it would seem in favor of older, deeper ones. Like the one that made Raleigh a good mercenary in the first place. He fights, and he doesn't take shit and he's got a mean right hook.
Once he starts, he doesn't stop until Mako's voice cuts through, ordering him to stop, Raleigh stop right now. Ben has a bloody nose, and his knuckles are raw, and he doesn't give a shit about Ben at all, but he does care about how Mako is looking at him, like she can't believe what just happened, and she's pissed at what she does see, and how dare she be mad at him for that, after what Ben said.
He leaves a moment later, without a word, just gives her the most mutinous nod ever, yes master, and then he's gone. Technically, she didn't say that he could leave but fuck that, he can't be near either of them right now. Ben for saying what he did, and he's firmly in the hate column for Raleigh now, and Mako for defending him, even if Raleigh was going overboard with it, even if she didn't actually hear what was said.
That last thought doesn't occur to him until he's halfway back to their room, but he's still too pissed off to feel that bad for glaring at her.]
[ Mako doesn't regret the order she barked at him until after he leaves, and Ben turns to her, his face purple with bruising and incensed anger and he asks her why she'd have such a disobedient slave, and why hadn't she gotten him Disciplined by the guild for such appalling behaviour -- the callousness with which he said it made her own hackles rise too, because she could imagine the provocation that he'd wrought from her lover when she hadn't been around.
Yes, Raleigh isn't the most patient man around, and his violent streak isn't as deeply buried as she'd like, but he's largely tolerant of most things. To get him to lash out in public would take grave and extreme provocation -- but even so, punching the lights out of a citizen in sight of all the other citizens could potentially bring about disastrous consequences for Raleigh if it gets reported to the guild, and at that time, not even Mako could possibly save him from the Discipline, a brutal regime employed to keep slave obedient. She'd heard countless horror stories of it, and it's her anger at his recklessness that propels her to go to him after.
She's still coldly angry when she enters their room, upset with Raleigh for acting with such impunity and disregard for his own safety. Shutting the door behind her, she asks. ]
[Fuck the guild, Raleigh doesn't care what they think or what they're going to do to him if Ben goes to report this. Because really, guaranteed at the end of the day-- they're thinking the same things and he hates them all for it. And it was so worth it to punch Ben, to beat the shit out of him. Think he's just a whore who deserves it now? Do you?
She follows him, comes back obviously angry with him still and he mirrors it back at her.]
He said I deserve it. This. [Raleigh makes a sweeping gesture at his neck to indicate his collar.]
That I did to myself. And that I'm just a whore who likes anyway, so what's the big deal.
[ Raleigh might not care, but Mako does, don't you get it? She cares for him too much to let him be punished, for whatever reason -- the laws here are skewed so obscenely in favour of citizens instead of slaves that it makes her sick.
Her scowl eases when she learns just what, exactly, he'd been told, her own anger burning against Ben -- when she's done with Raleigh, she and Ben are going to have a nice, long talk, and if he's lucky, Mako won't punch him in the jaw again, to match the one Raleigh gave him. No one talks to her lover like that, not even an esteemed colleague.
She can see the burning fury in Raleigh's eyes, the ferocity of his pride, and she knows that two angry people will never be able to have a productive conversation. So she turns away from him and attempts to simmer down, to address him when she's slightly less livid with him. Because make no mistake, she's angry with him too. ]
And so you decided to beat him up in front of everyone? Do you know what will happen if people complain to the Guild? You could be taken away from me.
[He-- hadn't thought of that. He's willing and ready to take his beating right now like a man but he didn't think ahead to where he really could be taken away from Mako. Just like that. He gets on a ship, she gets a lump sum of money for her loss and that's that.
And that really, really just pisses him off more. It's so unfair, it's so unbelievable unfair that anyone would even think they have the right to separate them. That's their decision. That's something they have to work out together and after all this, after everything, he's not going anywhere.]
So what? Am I supposed to just keep my mouth shut from now on?
[ Mako snaps, exasperated, because when Raleigh is in a temper it's nearly impossible to reason with him, and Mako has a terribly short fuse sometimes, exacerbated with the threat over the horizon, when he glares at her and she knows that she'd overstepped again -- but they were necessary when he's like this. ]
You weren't doing a lot of talking when you were beating his face in, were you? [ Mako, defending Ben? It could really be taken that way. ]
[And it is being taken that way. Raleigh's shoulders tighten and he is just glaring at her. He's really not very good at being the obedient slave anymore, she's spoiled it out of him and this is what she gets.]
Raleigh! [ And Mako is glaring right back -- she might not wish to exert any sort of control over him, but she won't back down when he comes at her either. ]
[Maybe he made a huge mistake, in punching Ben because what if he does get Disciplined and taken away from her, that wouldn't be worth it, no. But then at the same time, the thought of letting that piece of shit continue to say those things to him and not do anything makes his skin crawl.]
Are you mad because of who I hit? Or what might happen?
[ Mako very nearly snarls at that, because while Ben is grossly out of line for saying such disgusting things; Mako had very coldly cut the man down to size, reminding him of just who Raleigh is to her -- but the world is a cold, cruel place, and even Mako knows it.
What more the worldlier Raleigh? It's not going to be worth it when he gets taken away from her, and that accusation sparks her anger. ]
What are you insinuating? That I would take my colleague's side over yours?
[Because really, Mako, he doesn't see how she is around other people. He knows how she is with him, when they're behind closed doors and what the world thinks doesn't matter. But she's also yelling at him now, for some awful thing that Ben said and Raleigh didn't take it as a slave should and would and isn't that what she wants? For him to stop doing that?]
[ Mako never wants him to take it like a slave should; it was vile to assume that about him, but a few sharp, cutting words from her had set the matter straight -- what Mako doesn't understand is the fact that Raleigh doesn't consider the consequences even she can't save him from.
In a world like this, Mako belongs to the vast minority, and as much as it galls her to say it, there are some battles to pick, and some to let go. Ben belongs to the latter. ]
I know. Of course he deserves it -- but have you ever thought of what would happen to you if you did? Raleigh, think! You're not a slave in my eyes, but what about others?
[Maybe Raleigh doesn't want her to have to fight all his battles. He's capable, he's fighting fit, he can kick ass and he can kick the shit out of Ben if he wants to. Except-- no, not really. He can't just do whatever he wants, when it's not just him and Mako and his collar feels heavier than it has in a long time right now.]
[ Of course he can kick ass, and kick the shit out of Ben if he wants to -- Mako has no doubt about that; but Ben is... he's a willfully ignorant shit and Raleigh deserves better than to be taken away from her because he was too hotheaded to think clearly.
When he says that, Mako exhales, and simply reaches out to put her hand on his knuckles, over the ones that are bruised. ]
Fair enough. [ She sighs. ] More than beating that person's face in, I don't want to lose you. Do you understand?
[Now that he's calming down, that the anger is leaving him, his knuckles are starting to ache from beating Ben's face in and he winces a little when she takes his hand. He's going to need some ice for them sooner or later but for now, he nods. Yes, he understands. He doesn't want to leave either.]
Do you really think he'll complain?
[What about beating Ben up to keep his stupid fucking mouth shut?]
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[It's fairly obvious that Ben has no idea that Raleigh is a slave about ten minutes after he starts talking to Raleigh. He's trying, for Mako's sake really to be civil to her coworker, since they do spend a lot of time together and they're not sleeping together and so he tries. He tries until Ben says something derogatory about sex slaves, about how they deserve their lot in life, after all you don't get that low if you don't do something to get there and they're all just a bunch of greedy sluts who like it anyway--
-- and Raleigh just socks him for it.
That's not a new opinion to him, he's been told something along those lines before, more than once, from previous owners and strangers on the street and merchants selling him off and he reigned in his temper every time before. But not now. Not with this guy, who Raleigh already dislikes because of how much time he spends with Mako, even if that is irrational. Not after living with Mako for so long, someone he loves, who gives him as much freedom as she can, who cares about him in return.
Some habits die hard but others fade rather quickly it would seem in favor of older, deeper ones. Like the one that made Raleigh a good mercenary in the first place. He fights, and he doesn't take shit and he's got a mean right hook.
Once he starts, he doesn't stop until Mako's voice cuts through, ordering him to stop, Raleigh stop right now. Ben has a bloody nose, and his knuckles are raw, and he doesn't give a shit about Ben at all, but he does care about how Mako is looking at him, like she can't believe what just happened, and she's pissed at what she does see, and how dare she be mad at him for that, after what Ben said.
He leaves a moment later, without a word, just gives her the most mutinous nod ever, yes master, and then he's gone. Technically, she didn't say that he could leave but fuck that, he can't be near either of them right now. Ben for saying what he did, and he's firmly in the hate column for Raleigh now, and Mako for defending him, even if Raleigh was going overboard with it, even if she didn't actually hear what was said.
That last thought doesn't occur to him until he's halfway back to their room, but he's still too pissed off to feel that bad for glaring at her.]
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Yes, Raleigh isn't the most patient man around, and his violent streak isn't as deeply buried as she'd like, but he's largely tolerant of most things. To get him to lash out in public would take grave and extreme provocation -- but even so, punching the lights out of a citizen in sight of all the other citizens could potentially bring about disastrous consequences for Raleigh if it gets reported to the guild, and at that time, not even Mako could possibly save him from the Discipline, a brutal regime employed to keep slave obedient. She'd heard countless horror stories of it, and it's her anger at his recklessness that propels her to go to him after.
She's still coldly angry when she enters their room, upset with Raleigh for acting with such impunity and disregard for his own safety. Shutting the door behind her, she asks. ]
What did he say to you?
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She follows him, comes back obviously angry with him still and he mirrors it back at her.]
He said I deserve it. This. [Raleigh makes a sweeping gesture at his neck to indicate his collar.]
That I did to myself. And that I'm just a whore who likes anyway, so what's the big deal.
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Her scowl eases when she learns just what, exactly, he'd been told, her own anger burning against Ben -- when she's done with Raleigh, she and Ben are going to have a nice, long talk, and if he's lucky, Mako won't punch him in the jaw again, to match the one Raleigh gave him. No one talks to her lover like that, not even an esteemed colleague.
She can see the burning fury in Raleigh's eyes, the ferocity of his pride, and she knows that two angry people will never be able to have a productive conversation. So she turns away from him and attempts to simmer down, to address him when she's slightly less livid with him. Because make no mistake, she's angry with him too. ]
And so you decided to beat him up in front of everyone? Do you know what will happen if people complain to the Guild? You could be taken away from me.
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And that really, really just pisses him off more. It's so unfair, it's so unbelievable unfair that anyone would even think they have the right to separate them. That's their decision. That's something they have to work out together and after all this, after everything, he's not going anywhere.]
So what? Am I supposed to just keep my mouth shut from now on?
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[ Mako snaps, exasperated, because when Raleigh is in a temper it's nearly impossible to reason with him, and Mako has a terribly short fuse sometimes, exacerbated with the threat over the horizon, when he glares at her and she knows that she'd overstepped again -- but they were necessary when he's like this. ]
You weren't doing a lot of talking when you were beating his face in, were you? [ Mako, defending Ben? It could really be taken that way. ]
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He deserved it. And I'd do it again.
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Do you not understand what's at stake here?
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Are you mad because of who I hit? Or what might happen?
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What more the worldlier Raleigh? It's not going to be worth it when he gets taken away from her, and that accusation sparks her anger. ]
What are you insinuating? That I would take my colleague's side over yours?
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[Because really, Mako, he doesn't see how she is around other people. He knows how she is with him, when they're behind closed doors and what the world thinks doesn't matter. But she's also yelling at him now, for some awful thing that Ben said and Raleigh didn't take it as a slave should and would and isn't that what she wants? For him to stop doing that?]
He deserved it. And you know it.
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In a world like this, Mako belongs to the vast minority, and as much as it galls her to say it, there are some battles to pick, and some to let go. Ben belongs to the latter. ]
I know. Of course he deserves it -- but have you ever thought of what would happen to you if you did? Raleigh, think! You're not a slave in my eyes, but what about others?
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I won't apologize. But-- I won't... do it again.
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When he says that, Mako exhales, and simply reaches out to put her hand on his knuckles, over the ones that are bruised. ]
Fair enough. [ She sighs. ] More than beating that person's face in, I don't want to lose you. Do you understand?
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Do you really think he'll complain?
[What about beating Ben up to keep his stupid fucking mouth shut?]