milliways_bar | (no subject)

She slides off the barstool and comes over, saying as she approaches,

"Good day, Bernard-- long days and pleasant..."

That's as far as she gets before she sees clear the difference in his appearance, and her eyes widen.

*He's grinning like an idiot.*

Hey, Susan.

"Thee-- yer scars--"

Mayhap it's not the politest thing to say, but she's surprised beyond all measure.

"But how--"

Um.

Thom of Trebond was the one who gave them to me.

Last night, in recompense, he made most of them go away.

She shakes her head, not fully comprehending. "I've not met-- I don't know--"

A breath, as she forces her tumbling words to stop and stares at him, and at his smile-- and suddenly her own smile is shining brightly in response.

"It is well, then? Ye are well?"

*He nods*

Yeah. Pretty well whole, for the first time since...

November?

"I didn't know," she says quietly. "I don't remember hearing-- I weren't here then, I wot--" she gestures helplessly, not knowing how long a difference there might have been.

"But I'm glad for ye," she adds, looking at him. "Ye seem happy, say true."

*He smiles and puts a scarless hand over hers.*

Don't worry.

On Halloween, in the fall, Thom defaced the Bar. Cut me up, put me in a coma. It was his magic, so he was able to fix it.

You couldn't have known. It was long before I ever saw you here.

She turns her hand to hold his for a moment, speechless.

"He-- in the fall?-- a wizard, then." Shadow in her expression, and not a little anger, as well.

"Were it-- how did'ee make him undo his working?"

*He nods.*

He's a young wizard, yeah. It was a childish prank. He had no idea what it would do to us. I don't even know if he knew the Bar and I were connected, really.

We... avoided each other for a few months. And then I sat down to talk to him about it, and he seemed to take it as a matter of pride in his craft that the scars could be removed.

So he did. And it worked, mostly.

"A-- a caper. Against yer bar." She turns to look at the long wooden bar, almost instinctively, and then back to him.

"And both of ye are all right, then?"

*Bernard nods again, smiling.*

We're fine. Have been for months, really.

*The smile falters*

But the scars... bothered me. Especially at first. It used to hurt to be touched.

She doesn't pull away simply because he was the one to reach out, and so it's clear to her that there's no pain for him now in a touch.

"Oh, Bernard..." It's a breath, sighed out in horrified concern and sympathy as she looks at him with worried eyes.

*He laughs*

I'm fine now. Honest.

She smiles back at him then, and squeezes his hand briefly.

"Aye, and ye look it. I'm glad for ye, say true."

Me too.

*He flushes a little and grins.*

You know--

Nymphadora didn't even care either way, whether they were there or not.

"Why would she?" Susan sounds surprised at this.

"She loves ye, not how ye look."

*He shrugs, a little shy.*

Dunno.

I was covered in them. Tip to toe, you know?

*He grins a little, slyly.*

And she's always liked how I look well enough, I'd say.

"Aye, and I'd not disagree-- she seems fond enough of ye."

"The only thing that's troublesome about scars is the thought of the wounds that made them." A beat, and she sounds innocent when she continues, "At least, I've always thought so."

A practical point of view, and one that she shares, I believe.

*Perfectly innocent, yes.*

"Oh, and I knew I liked her for a reason." Susan is smiling now, and a hint of teasing is clear in her tone.

It's really the only reason I hang around her. Now that the scars are gone, I might as well wander afield.

She shakes her head and tells him seriously,

"Ye might want to reconsider that, sai. She might turn yer hair a color to match hers, do'ee ken?"

It speaks volumes that Susan's comfortable enough with Tonks -- and Tonks' magic -- to tease so, but she doesn't think of it.

And with my complexion, that would be a terrible crime.

*A labored sigh*

I'm stuck, it seems.

"Ye say true, sai."

And she cannot keep from it any longer, and is openly laughing now.

"But mayhap ka isn't always cruel, then."