milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Steph's in the Bar again, sprawled across a couch, reading.

It's a book on Arthurian History, and her eyes are a little glazed, but she's determined to get through it.

Don't ask why.

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She shrugs, a little awkward. "Well, it'd be nice, but - shit happens, y'know."

He nods.

"Sorry. Why were you reading that book anyway?"

"Just studying."

So Zuko doesn't know more than she does!

"It's kind of boring, though."

"Why?"

"Sey yourself a goal, perhaps? This might make it less boring."

She grins. "Already have. I'm taking a break every ten pages or so."

He nods.

"Good. What have you learned so far?"

"...uh, there's this castle on a rock and apparently this king wants it?" Steph tries, screwing up her nose with the effort of remembering. "It's totally hard to remember who's who."

He blinks, and facepalms.

"Ah."

He sighs.

"If you want to understand it, you might need to concentrate more."

Steph grins, unashamed. "Too much else to see and do 'round here. Maybe I'll take it upstairs and work on it later." She makes a face at that. "Stupid grounding."

"Grounding? And if you need help, I...."

He considers, and nods.

"I could assist you."

"No, it's okay. You have enough on your plate," Steph says, but she gives him a grateful smile. "Yeah, apparently, I'm grounded. Stupid brother."

He nods. He isnt that good a teacher anyway.

"I am sorry. That must grate somewhat. Why are you grounded?"

"Just am," Steph says. She's not about to spill the whole sordid story to a near-stranger. "It's complicated. So - uh - how's your breakfast going?"

He nods.

"It's okay, thanks."

He smiles as he digs in again.

"Bar seems to think I need to eat better."

"You probably do, then," Steph says, grinning. "Bar only gets mothery like that when there's a reason."

He eyes her as he munches sausage.

"Uh huh."

He munches some more.

"I dont need that much food."

"If Bar thinks you do, then you do," Steph says, grinning.

"Bah."

He sips his coffee and eyes her.

"You should eat more... have some breakfast!"

Steph gives him a Look.

"I eat just fine," she says, with a tinge of unfriendliness. Men who eye her and comment like that tend to get that reaction.

He blinks.

"O...kay."

Turnabout isnt fairply. Right. Teenage girls. God save me from them...

He goes back to eating.

There's a double standard, sure enough. And always will be, for girls like Steph. For most girls, actually. It's inappropriate to make personal remarks on anyone's appearance, but it's more so when it comes from an adult male to a teenage girl - regardless of how fair it is - and particularly when said girl is Steph, who took years to be comfortable even standing in a room with strange men after being abused as a child.

She wraps her arms around her knees and watches him eat, absently, thoughts distant. Not unpleasant; just distant. She's dwelling on Zuko. For a change.

He didnt make a remark on how she looked. She chose to interpret it that way when he was going to merely jokingly try to pawn off the food from Bar. Maybe it sounded that way, but it wasnt meant that way. And nobody ever said Bruce was brilliant at conversation. he isnt. Never has been.

Anyway...

He glances at her once as he eats, but keeps his silence. After being shut down in conversation, he tends to withdraw. Soon, he too is lost in thought, thinking about his upcoming work.

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