Brotherly Love ((51))

[amanika]

Taradan stepped into the main room of the now mostly deserted speakeasy, pulling the door closed behind him and pausing to straighten his clothes.

"Well that's the last of 'em on their way, an' the scum thown out f'good, neither of them two'll be back in a hurry."

[moonykins]

Jack was packing away his fiddle and tidying up on the stage. He looked up and grinned at his brother when the older tom closed the doors.

"gave 'em a good talkin' to, did ya?"

[amanika]

Taradan grinned back at Jack, "If that's what y'want t'call it. They got what they deserved anyhow. Ain't no toms gettin' away with hasslin' gals like that round here." he brushed a paw over his brow, frowning when he caught wetness there and saw blood on his paw, cursing slightly, out of annoyance rather than pain. One of the toms had got a hit in, and it seemed, managed to split his eyebrow open. He prodded it a little, noticing the area was a little swollen.

[moonykins]

Jack nodded. "Served 'em right, for sure." He frowned when he realized the blood was Taradan's, and walked over to him. "Looks like one of 'em got you, too. Want me to take a look at it?"

[amanika]

Taradan snorted a little, "Ain't nothin' much. I've had worse." he wiped the blood away with the back of his paw "Little weasel got a hit in when I was dealin' with the other." he shook his head, "On the other hand 'e won't be feelin' so smug about it now."

[moonykins]

Jack shrugged. "It was just an offer," he said with a smirk. He'd probably be better off not tending to the wound. He suspected Taradan would punch him if he made it hurt or sting. "I'm sure they ran off in a much worse state than you, yeah?"

[amanika]

The cream tabby nodded, his expression grim "Staggered more like it. But if it means they think twice b'fore treatin' a gal like that again, then I did somethin' right."

He investigated his eyebrow again, annoyed to find it was still bleeding. "We got a cloth or somethin' here?"

[moonykins]

"That's the part that matters," the younger tom agreed, and then nodded, walking over to the bar and disappearing for a moment, then reappearing with a dish rag. "Will this suffice? I'd suggest puttin' some alcohol on it too, to clean the cut, but I suspect you won't be so keen on that. It kinda stings."

[amanika]

"If you can't find nothin' cleaner, then I'll take my chances with the stingin'," Taradan replied, "that rag with nothin' t'steralize it looks like it'd make things worse, not better. Besides, dunno what y'take me for, but I've had wore than a bit of a sting y'know."

He fished around in his pocket for a cigarette, "I know where I'd rather put the alcohol though."

[moonykins]

Jack chuckled. "Fine." Glancing at the rag again, though, he changed his mind. "Actually..." he trailed off, and disappeared again. When he popped back up, he had a clean, unused rag. "Take this in stead. Let's skip the booze. D'you want it wet or dry, though?"

[amanika]

There was a pause whilst Taradan lit up, then he held out his free hand for the rag. "It's fine as it is, I only want t'stop the bleedin, it's a clean cut."

[moonykins]

"Mkay," Jack said, and then came around from behind the bar, handing his brother the rag.

[amanika]

Taradan folded the cloth into a wad and pressed it to the wound in a way that suggested this was hardly the first time he'd treated his own injuries. Then he turned back to his brother, taking another lungful of smoke, "Bin' a good evenin' your end then?"

[moonykins]

Jack nodded. "Yeah, pretty good. Tugger popped by for a while, was nice catching up with him. Though there was somethin' botherin' him, and he didn't want to talk about it. Hopefully nothin' too bad."

[amanika]

Taradan shrugged, "Or you're just nosey." he remarked, though good-naturedly enough.