Romeo was in a bad mood so he started picking on Tybalt. He hated the sight of the guy. Since they were kids they'd been at each other's throats, and now that they were in the same dorm ...
But Tybalt didn't fight back. Romeo pushed him again and Tybalt held up his hands.
"Whassa matter, chicken all of a sudden?" Romeo said.
"No," Tybalt said.
Romeo pushed him. "Then fight, darn you."
"You WANT your face pushed in?" Tybalt said. "Not that that wouldn't improve it."
"That's it," Romeo said, and jumped him. But no matter how hard he hit Tybalt did not hit him back. He curled up in a ball and shielded his head with his arms. "Come on, fight, you big baby!"
"Stop it!" Nora pulled at Romeo, trying to move him. One of his punches sent her sprawling.
Tybalt jumped up and punched Romeo in the face. "No one hits my woman," he said, and proceeded to pound on Romeo.
"Stop it! Both of you! Just STOP IT!" Nora screeched. "Tybalt, stop it!"
Tybalt stopped. Romeo hit him in the face, bloodying his nose, and Nora stepped between them.
"Stop it," she said.
"Stay out of this, Nora," Romeo said.
"Or what? You'll hit me again?"
"You don't want to get in the middle of this," he said.
"Too late."
"Come on, you big yellabelly, fight me," Romeo said.
"No," Tybalt said, putting his hands on Nora's shoulders. "I promised the lady I wouldn't."
Romeo stared at him in disbelief, then laughed. "You went and got yourself whipped. My woman knows better."
"Don't be too sure of that," Juliet said, looking angry.
"Look at your face," Nora said, sitting Tybalt down on her bed. "you're a mess." She opened the first aid kit she'd taken from the hall closet and started cleaning him up. "I don't think your nose is broken."
He took her hands in his. "Nora, stop."
"But, you're all bloody ... "
"I've been hurt a lot worse than this," he said. "This is nothing."
She frowned. "I hate that."
He kissed her hands. "And I love that you hate that. I love you, Nora. I don't think I've ever loved anyone, except maybe my sister Hermia. You'd like her."
She smiled. "I'm sure."
"I tried not to fight him. You saw how hard that is."
She sighed. "I know."
"Did you mean it?"
"Mean what?"
"That it was too late."
She bit her lip and her eyes slid sideways.
"Nora."
She looked at him. "Yes. But .... "
"We can make this work."
"We can?"
"Peace won't happen overnight. But with you on my side--"
"You're going to inherit the family, aren't you. I mean when your grandfather ... "
"Yeah, I'm afraid so. But that can be a good thing."
She sighed.
"We can change things, you and I," he said. "With great power comes great responsibility."
"Who are you, Spider Man?"
He smiled. "No, but I'm your man. If you want me."
And God help her, she did.
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