Showing Ben Windy Wellington

[piwakawaka]

Its raining in Wellington, sideways rain as Tiwa takes Ben through the door and grins,

"Come on, should be able to catch the start of their practice."

Comments

[almosthonorable]

Ben whips off his coat to protect Tiwa from the downpour.

"Why do I have a feelin' I don't know what I'm gettin' myself into here?"

[piwakawaka]

Tiwa's already wearing a windbreaker as she laughs and dances out of his coat into the rain,

"You should keep that. This is the best sort of wind anyway, turns everything upside down."

[almosthonorable]

"Miss Tiwa, you're gonna catch your death out here."

Ben would admonish her more, but he thinks he's just displayed enough mother hen-like behavior to last them both through the next decade or three.

[piwakawaka]

"Am not, wearing my polyprops now get moving, park's not that far away."

She grabs his hand and starts leading him through the crowds and laughs as an umbrella goes flying by.

[almosthonorable]

Ben's doing an admirable job of keeping pace, trying to take in their water-logged surroundings as best he can.

"I'm just watchin', right?"

He thinks that was the plan.

[piwakawaka]

Its amazing how much Tiwa can pretend to not hear him,

"You want to play right?"

[almosthonorable]

"In for a penny, in for a pound, I reckon."

[piwakawaka]

She stops and hops up to kiss his cheek,

"It'll be fun, stop looking so worried, you can trust me. We're here anyway."

They arrive at a park where a lot of guys are in the midst of a scrum, the grunts make it through the wind.

[almosthonorable]

Ben takes in the scene, eyes moving among the players.

"So I just wanna hurt everybody else out there?"

[piwakawaka]

The scrum finally breaks and Tane's got the ball and there's a lot of shouting and tossing of the ball sideways with tackling going on too,

"Oh look at Tane go."

[almosthonorable]

"I like how you're outright avoidin' the issue."

But he's watching the field intently, wincing when a player takes a nasty slide into the mud.

[piwakawaka]

"Not avoiding anything, not my fault you don't want to get your suit dirty."

There's a cheer and Tane waves from where he scored a touch before heading over, he's only a bit bloody,

"Hey Ben, so Tiwa told me you're goin' to be playin' today."

[almosthonorable]

"I don't care so much 'bout gettin' dirty, I just don't wanna haul off and -- "

He offers Tane a quick nod.

"Funny how that works out -- Miss Tiwa just told me the same thing."

[piwakawaka]

Tane shoots Tiwa a look and she just grins at him,

"Don't worry, think we'll get you running defense though won't be needing your jacket. Boys, this is Ben, he's visiting us from the Wild West so don't break anything or Tiwa will prank you."

Liam emerges somewhere out of the mud and just grins as they start to set up again with Tane leading Ben towards the match,

"Just don't throw forward if you get the ball and you'll be fine."

[almosthonorable]

Ben looks around at the other players as he crosses the grass with Tane.

(He's still getting used to these shoes. He misses his boots.)

"So it's -- well, I reckon in a world full of magic, it ain't too big of a surprise if I'm from a different time period."

A beat.

"Don't throw forward -- think I can remember that."

He's already resigned himself to bleeding.

And possibly (re-)cracking two ribs.

[piwakawaka]

Now Tane just grins as he tosses the ball to Liam who lines up for the kick,

"Never said they believe me. Now come on, stay by my side and we'll see how you do."

[almosthonorable]

"Outta the fryin' pan, into the fire."

Fifteen minutes later, he's spitting blood and sporting an impressive welt just above his left eye, but he's grinning.

[piwakawaka]

He'd better be with Tane slapping his back and yelling something that's probably Maori as everyone regroups again.

On the side Tiwa's laughing and gives Ben a wave and shout,

"Almost got a try that time, Ben!"

[almosthonorable]

"Almost?"

He's outright indignant.

"I'm doin' a helluva job, ain't I, boys?"

There's a chorus of approval and he grins again, bright and bloodied.

It's a few more minutes before another player clotheslines Ben; he goes ass-over-tea kettle into the mud, the wind knocked out of him momentarily.

[piwakawaka]

Tiwa just keeps laughing until finally Tane heads over and picks her up,

"Tane, put me down."

"Will not."

She squirms and seems like she's trying to fly off his shoulder before he plops her in the mud. After getting pretty well covered, Tiwa tackles her brother round the knees, taking flying tackle to a whole other level which sets the game moving again.

[almosthonorable]

Once Ben's on his feet again, he's determined to stay upright.

Pushing past the pain and exertion -- the adrenaline helps -- he's also trying to keep any would-be attackers from Tiwa when he takes a hit to his shoulder.

Sliding on the rain-slick field, he takes another player down with him this time.

[piwakawaka]

Tiwa has played with the boys before and she's already picked up a good welt as she laughs and jumps over Ben to land in the mud again,

"Try!"

Liam looks up from somewhere in the mud as everyone stands up and someone says,

"Enough for today, you cheat, Tiwa." "Do not, not my fault you're not fast enough. Anyway you know Tane's getting the first round."

Tane picks Tiwa up and sets on the fence with a sigh as she sticks out her tongue at him,

"Course I am, come on, lads. Thanks for a good match, Ben."

[almosthonorable]

Ben staggers to his feet from yet another slip-and-slide (and damn, are his joints going to complain tomorrow), and he's smirking by the time he reaches the fence.

"Thanks for the beatin', gentlemen."

[piwakawaka]

As they leave the field, Ben gets some pats and a few touched noses and grabbed forearms while Tiwa just beams at him,

"So think I owe you a warm pub with pie, chips and some good beer."

[almosthonorable]

"Only if I get to return the favor."

A beat.

"Kinda pie?"

[piwakawaka]

"Good pie."

Tiwa is oh so helpful as she hops down off the fence, at least the rain's stopped,

"Now we're going down this way, you'll like Mac's, right on the water."

[almosthonorable]

He's favoring his right side as they limp stroll along.

"We talkin' sweet or savory?"

[piwakawaka]

She's not limping at the moment but she didn't get squished as much as he did,

"Could do both but Mac's does a pretty good savory. So do you like rugby? Hopefully you didn't get too busted up."

[almosthonorable]

"I'm thinkin' we've earned both."

He holds open the door for her once they reach it.

"I'll have you know I never get too busted up, little 'un," he says as he follows her inside.

[piwakawaka]

"Still need back up, table or bar?"

As she goes through the door, Tiwa bobs at him and grins, Mac's is big and decorated in a space way.

[almosthonorable]

"You are never gonna let that lie."

He's grumbling to himself (good-naturedly, of course) as he takes stock of the place and gestures toward an empty table.

"I'm buyin', so there's that," he says once he's seated. "No arguin' from your side of the table, and I do mean it."

[piwakawaka]

"I might if you give me a good reason and that means at two men you trust and who know what they're doing."

The waiter comes over and grins before setting down the menus and heading off.

[almosthonorable]

"I swear I'll give it some long, hard thought before the next job."

With a winning, pink-tinged smile that looks more silly that scary at this point, he grabs a menu.

[piwakawaka]

"If you don't, I'm coming with you."

Ben could see this as either a threat or a promise, the menu is good pub food just with that special New Zealand twist,

"Also we're getting an order of wedges."

[almosthonorable]

"You are stayin' miles away from any kinda trouble, Little Miss Magic."

His voice is light, but he's serious; she won't be ending up in another cage, oh, ever -- not as long as he's breathing.

"Wedges?"

[piwakawaka]

"Long as you're at least safe going into the kind of trouble you get into."

Her smile is softer at that tone in his voice but she's still going to be stubborn too,

"Better than chips if you've ever them."

[almosthonorable]

Wryly, "Yes, ma'am."

He tilts his head.

"If you're talkin' 'bout crispy potatoes, I've had 'em."

[piwakawaka]

"These are the best kind with sour cream and sweet chili sauce, also should get some fish and chips and they've got good beer here that you'll like."

[almosthonorable]

He chortles and nods to their approaching server.

"How 'bout I just let you order for me?"

[piwakawaka]

Tiwa just giggles and when the server comes back orders them wedges, fish and chips, a Mac's Gold for Ben and some soda for herself. After the waiter's gone she gives him a look,

"I hope you're not hurting too much."

[almosthonorable]

"I'm fine," he says with a wink he hopes is reassuring. "I believe everything you said, now -- rugby's a sport, all right."

(He'll hurt like hell tomorrow, he's sure.)

[piwakawaka]

"Didn't get anything that was hurting before did it?"

[almosthonorable]

"Nothin' was hurtin' before."

It's a lie, and they both know it.

[piwakawaka]

She just gives him a Look but Ben is saved by the food arriving and his beer.