milliways_bar | (no subject)

At this rate, the Mia Ausa fan club might have to open a Milliways chapter.

And too late, Tom, but at least the last time he did it they were tears of joy.

"I'm pleased to meet you as well, Tom. And I have been doing well, considerably better since coming to Milliways."

The blush isn't as strong, but it's not leaving either.

"Has Draco told you anything I've told him about what happened at home?"

"I don't believe so. He mentioned you were a magic user and your world had magic, but I've not heard other details."

"Oh."

She did tell Draco different things at different times. Who knows when he told any of it to Tom?

"There was a war. It happened recently, so I imagine it will take quite some time for me to move on. Only since coming to Milliways have I felt I've made any progress. Actually, the same thing I consider the beginning of that moving on was the same thing that started the chain of events resulting in meeting Draco."

"My world was in a war, as well. It takes some time to move on, I find."

And sometimes, even when you move on, the echoes can often linger.

"Draco has told me about that."

Death threats.

One of those many little things Draco has in common with Nash.

"I don't know how particular my case is, but I have to live with the fact that I helped kill a man I looked up to as a father in the war. I don't regret stopping him, so many innocents suffered and died because of him, but I do regret killing him."

Mia's face has a slight look of repulsion at the mere memory of some of the atrocities of war.

This little bit of a girl killed her father figure? That causes a raised eyebrow on Tom's behalf.

"Sometimes we do things we must. It's not easy to take a life, no matter what the necessity."

Or at least, it shouldn't be. Tom's learned that much at least.

"It isn't easy at all," Mia agrees.

The somber look doesn't really suit her.

"I hope he can forgive me for it. Ghaleon. I have forgiven him because I believe he wishes to atone for what he's done. But then, I don't think many would believe me if I said a person who has died has told me he is sorry for his actions, nor was I exactly in my right mind when I heard him thanks to the curse I was under at the time."

"If you were cursed, then it wasn't your fault. Is this Ghaleon here?"

He hopes not. That would be a most difficult situation.

"I have not seen Ghaleon here. I've heard his voice, but that might have been a result of the curse, an auditory hallucination. I was cursed while I was here. More specifically, I was cursed when I went to Halloween Town to help rid them of the nightmares. The curse itself is a song from my world, one that has affected me before. The easiest way to describe it to Draco was the feeling of having Dementors constantly around you, and it left me physically ill, fevered, and immobile. Had it not been for Will Scarlett calling for a doctor and carrying me to the infirmary, I might not be alive now."

A short, frustrated sigh.

"And on the very same night Will helped me, he met Draco."

"Ah. A most inauspicious night, as I recall."

"Yes, though I didn't hear of that part until three days afterward."

She shakes her head a little.

"Draco and I have both agreed that I have every reason to hate him, but I don't. I can't. And I wonder how he can love me so."

"Love is a surprising thing. My wife, Door, was warned against me, but luckily for me, she didn't listen."

Something else Draco and Nash have in common: Mia's friends have put both of them on the People Mia Shouldn't Date list.

"Perhaps that's a sign. Draco tends to surprise me, but that's mostly because he insists on treating me like a queen. And he worries about me over the tiniest things. Just the other night he sounded like he was on the verge of declaring a medical emergency when a toy dragon bit my finger."

Ah, now this smile is more fitting for Mia.

That sounds familiar.

"Good for Draco. He should treat you like a queen. I can tell he makes you happy. You smile like Door does."

Mia hasn't been close to dying of blushing in a while.

Thanks for bringing her back to the brink.

"By Althena, I still don't know how I'm going to work all of this out, but there's no sense in denying what I feel for Draco."

How in the world is Nash going to take this?

On the other hand, how in the world is Draco going to take this?

"I think Draco is a fine fellow. He's grown a great deal since I've known him, and I think he's worthy of your affection."

Tom's a little biased, of course.

Everyone seems to be a little biased about Draco.

"I think you're probably the first person I've met to say something like that about him. But to say he's worthy of my affection- that sounds more like the way people think in Vane. You make it sound like he's earned the chance when love simply isn't like that. I've told Draco much the same thing: it is not something people deserve. It is a gift that we are fortunate enough to give each other."

"You sound very much like my wife."

This is the highest compliment Tom can give anyone. Of course, despite what either of them would say on the topic, Tom would disagree. He's earned the second chance to love Door and have a family with her. There is no doubt in his mind he must continue to do so.

ooc: slowtime please? I am fading.

They will just have to agree to disagree, then. Love is arbitrary enough without people imposing their ideas of worth on it. Mia's lived under such ideas of worth in a city where the only person with more power than her was her mother, and this lead to loneliness for most of her life. With all the standards of worth, as many as there are people, how can anyone be worthy?

But she does feel like she has been highly complimented, though she's not quite sure why he would say something so kind to her.

"I never know what to do when someone says something like that to make me feel like I've done something wonderful and I haven't a clue what it was."

*ooc: No problem. Slowtime is always love. =D*

"You can nod and smile and know you're known for what you are - a kind, friendly person."

For someone who was never kind nor friendly until about three years ago, these are traits worthy of envy.

She can do the smiling part, but instead of a nod, Tom gets to hear a bit of her laughter.

"I'm glad Draco knows someone like you, Tom. And with how well you are treating me, I can only imagine how fortunate Door must be."

"She has to put up with a great deal, the poor woman," Tom says, lightly, but it's weeks like this when he worries it's not the normal bantering expected from a husband.

"Everyone does. I know my friends have with me. And Draco puts up with me, though I am well aware that I aggravate him."

"Draco can be a bit prickly. It's a family trait."

Luckily, warm kindness is an Ausa family trait.

"I gathered something like that. He told me about his upbringing, which isn't too different from my own. To be honest, Vane is full of people with the elitist magician attitude. I think Draco might fit in as if the city was tailored for him."

Though there is still the problem of who to pick, him or Nash. That might make life in Vane.....uncomfortable if Draco ends up visiting and spending a lot of time there.