If he thinks her strike caught him off-guard, it's nothing compared to how his fall catches her. Rae stands, breathing hard, her tank-top sticking to her with sweat, staring at his prostrate form with disbelief.

One of those hard breaths might also be a faint, incredulous laugh. "Stop messing with my head - I thought I just heard you ask me for mercy." Not serious at all, she's just a little shocked and overwhelmed by the fact the situation even came about. He's... him, after all.