milliways_bar | (no subject)

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*In the doorway, Crowley and a small blonde woman appear. She's holding tightly to his hand, but as soon as she's taken a seat in a booth he bows his head slightly, grinning, and heads to the bar. She watches him, chewing her lip thoughtfully*

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*Tonks blinks.

Clearly, this wasn't quite what she was expecting. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Bernard rolling his.

She responds, her voice wary*

Um. Thanks?

"Please don't thank me for only doing what's right. It's just, so much has happened so quickly, and it's taken me quite some time to readjust. While I would never wish my circumstances on another entity, for a moment imagine yourself in my position."

*Tonks bites her lip*

I -- no, I can't imagine it, not really.

I'm sorry you found yourself in this situation.

...But can you not just go back? To your Bernard?

Like scolded children everywhere, she looks down and away as she shakes her head. Pigtails following just a second behind.

*Bernard sighs at the theatrics and takes Sunny from Nymphadora, who's looking a little tired. He settles her onto his shoulder as he speaks.*

Have you at least made some friends, Princess?

Sniffling, she collects herself. Oh how she promised the floorboards that she wouldn't cry.

"Yes. Yes I have."

Though it would take her hours to name them all. Tables, chairs, doors, stars, kitchen utensils, even her new clothing.

So you're planning to stay for a while, then?

*Tonks very casually drapes her arm over the back of Bernard's chair, her fingers raking through the hair at the nape of his neck*

"What other choice is left to me?"

Mayhaps standing directly behind Bernard was not the smartest of tactics. She'd hoped to merely avoid his eyes. She did not expect such an obvious show of possession from The Frog.

*His brow furrows as he cranes his neck to look her in the eye.*

Have you tried to leave, then? You're sure you're Bound?

Redheaded temper begins to burble forth.

"No, I just spent the last few weeks hiking around that lake for the aerobic excercize of it."

*Tonks looks to be fighting a very large headache*

And where are you staying? In one of the rooms here?

*He rolls his eyes again, shifting Sunny so that she rests more securely in his arms.*

Forgive me if you seemed, when we last spoke, to be lacking the common sense God gave a newt.

"Yes well, when last we spoke you had me at a great disadvantage. Having your world turned upside down will do that. We all have our truck stops, don't we Bernard."

Her tone lightens considerably as she turns to address Tonks.

"I wouldn't want to burden you with the details. Actually, I wouldn't have come over at all, were Bernard not trying so hard to pretend that I didn't exist."

*Tonks suppresses a flash, a vestigial niggling at the back of her brain; two heads, both true red, hands and mouths and legs and eyes identical and together...

She shakes her head, clearing it.*

Well, you have to admit that your presence here is a bit unnerving.

"I could say the same thing about you."

Sometimes, honesty is the most harsh insult one can hear.

*she takes a deep breath*

I'm sure it is, for you.

But it doesn't change anything. This is the way it is, here.

*her tone brooks no argument*

"We're not sucking on the same orange. I didn't come over here to fight, I came to extend an olive branch. Try to keep the optic dagger flying to a minimum. So much negativity is just unhealthy."

Her gaze shifts towards Sunny, and softens.

"It's certainly not an environment good for children. Right Tadpole?"

*He narrows his eyes, not believing her for a second.*

Well, the olive branch is much appreciated. We'll see if it's hollow soon enough.

*His eyes narrow again, this time in concentration.*

You don't have a room on your tab. If you want one, get a key at the Bar. Dunno where you've been staying, but there's no reason to double up besides the obvious. *He raises an eyebrow and smiles tightly.*

*At the last, he rubs Sunny's back. She drools on him a little.*

Sunny doesn't have to deal with... much negativity at all, frankly. *A smile for Nymphadora.*

We run a pretty goddamn happy household on the whole.

Hollow? Now it's her turn to roll her eyes. Then she gives the bar a critical once over.

"Oh yes, very happy. Betrayal, angst, and murder. Sounds like Disney Land. And I can't think of anyone better to play Walt than you, Bernard."

*Tonks' face immediately hardens*

If that's all you see, princess, then you're not looking too bloody hard, are you?

This is our home.

"Yes it is, isn't it? An oasis society complete with an its own Outlaw King."

Her nose wrinkles.

"Oh I am sorry, I take that back. Outlaws are not part of society. They are outside of it."

*Bernard refuses to flinch.*

Insofar as we play an antagonistic role to society, it could be argued that our binary opposition to it necessitates our inclusion within it.

It's a paradox.

I'm too essential to this place, and it's too essential to me, for me to indulge in the more irresponsible tricks of my trade these days.

So you see.

*A small grin*

Unlike the man you left behind, I managed to find something a little more important to believe in than running around in the woods and poking the Powers That Be with sharp sticks. Not to say that it's not good fun, still. On occasion.

Momma don't let your ~~babies~~ anarchists grow up to be ~~cowboys~~ conservatives.

"Everyone has a price they're willing to sell their ideals for, I guess. You do still carry around those wooden matches of yours, right? I mean, everyone needs a hobby."

*He reaches into his pocket to pull them out, when his hand brushes the ring box. He pauses, and smiles, and it's an oddly confident smile, considering what she just said to him.*

Ideals are for blinkered environmentalists. I've always found that realism suited me much better.

*He takes his hand out of his pocket, and the matches shuffle against each other audibly.*

It's a little more serious than a hobby lately. But you wouldn't know a thing about the reality of our life here yet.

Give it time.

"Oh I intend to. Time is one of the few things I have in abundance."

She smiles sweetly. His pause and smile are not lost on her. He's up to something, and she knows it.

"I'm glad we had this talk. Now if you'll excuse me, it's past my bedtime."