milliways_bar | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Today?

Maybe not. Mel wants to tell Indy, at least, and he didn't show up til late last night.

It had been a strange, bittersweet afternoon and evening, at turns wonderful and painful and often both.

Too proud to be sad.

But none of this shows on Mel's face or demeanour as she goes for her swim, grabs breakfast from the Bar, and takes a seat at a table.

Occasionally she glances at the door apprehensively, but it's not like she actually has a seat facing it or anything that obvious.

Summary: Woobie's worried about Raph. Mel Knows Nuttin'. She tells him about the Mel/Mike/not-Xander-anymore situation up to and omitting the part where she should say goodbye to him, and they make up and are slightly innappropriately schmoopy friends again (but only slightly!). Indy tells her all about the TonksBillSvava woe, and she tells him about the MelGoingHome woe. Indy's skeptical about it working, but doesn't try to stop her. They woe at each other. In a manly way.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Andrew picked up his plate and glass and wandered over to Mel's table, stopping just beside it and giving her a small smile.

"Can I join you?" he asked, just a little meek.

Mel's troubled smile could easily be one of concern for his own well-being, and nothing to do with hers.

"Course you can," she says, kicking out a chair. "Didja have a good time in 1996?"

"Yeah, it was nice," Andrew replied, setting down his breakfast and sitting beside her.

"You okay?"

Mel nods, and manages an easy-looking smile.

"Yeah, I'm OK. Went to that year myself. Mikey and I climbed the Twin Towers."

The burning of the List has less significance now, but she still got to see the stars.

Andrew blinked. "Climbed them? That sounds, uh..." Dangerous? Insane? Right up Mel's alley? "Fun."

And now the smile's genuine.

"It was rocketship," she confirms. "I mean, it's not like they're particularly tall, but it got us past the lights of the city. I saw the stars."

Not particularly tall. Okay, then.

"Well, I'm glad you had a good time," Andrew replied, taking a bite of toast. Once he'd swallowed, he asked, "Have you seen Raph lately? He didn't show this morning, and that's never good."

Mel shakes her head, her smile fading slightly.

"Nope. But it's not like I see him often anyway. Off mopin' about somethin' new?"

"I don't know. When I saw him last on Friday, he was in a good mood... A really good mood, actually. I just hate the idea that we went and did this thing and it was pointless because he's already back into that fucking Milliways bullshit again." Andrew sighed.

Mel shrugs, helplessly but not offhandedly.

"I have no idea, sorry. I don't think it's got anything to do with Mikey, but that's all I can say."

"Eh, I'll find out eventually, I'm sure, and be subjected to his sparkling personality as a result." Andrew smirked.

"So, uh... How are you and Mike, then? Everything okay? Since, uh... Well, you know." He paused, chewing at the inside of his cheek. "I've not really talked to Xander since before, is he alright with it?"

No one had told the Woobie, because the Woobie had been mid-breakdown and heavily medicated.

Oh god, now Mel's going to have to tell the whole horrid thing, and she doesn't want to. Goodbyes are too hard. She rests an elbow on the table and sits her forehead in her fingers.

"Xander's not all right with it," she says. "He left Mikey a week ago."

"Oh."

Well, that was eloquent.

Mental note: Check on Xander, NOW-ish.

"Is this a bad thing or a good thing?" Andrew asked, figuring they might as well be honest about it. If Xander didn't want to share, maybe Mel hadn't really wanted to, either.

(no subject)

slayer_fray - 2005-06-20 14:58 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

in-it.livejournal.com - 2005-06-20 15:03 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

slayer_fray - 2005-06-20 15:11 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

in-it.livejournal.com - 2005-06-20 15:17 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

slayer_fray - 2005-06-20 15:19 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

in-it.livejournal.com - 2005-06-20 15:22 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

slayer_fray - 2005-06-20 15:30 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

in-it.livejournal.com - 2005-06-20 15:34 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

slayer_fray - 2005-06-20 15:36 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

in-it.livejournal.com - 2005-06-20 15:46 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

slayer_fray - 2005-06-20 15:50 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

in-it.livejournal.com - 2005-06-20 15:51 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

slayer_fray - 2005-06-20 15:57 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

in-it.livejournal.com - 2005-06-20 16:00 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

slayer_fray - 2005-06-20 16:03 (UTC) - Expand

He's there: stony, with little rest evident behind deep set hazel. He doesn't join her immediately, perhaps out of his own apprehension. A coffee. Then another. Maybe everything's fine after all, or maybe she has other things on her mind.

It's not that she didn't notice him, it's more like she wants to give him time to come over on his own.

Eventually, she looks directly at him, and smiles, welcoming, but worried. He looks like he has a lot on his mind, that can't just be from her behaviour in the suit yesterday. Has he already spoken to Mikey?

Come over.

He smiles back, a little distracted by the unusual group (http://www.livejournal.com/community/milliways_bar/5752413.html) over the by fireplace. Familiar faces with a common link. But he knows nothing and no-one.

He wonders if Mel knows or knew her...

The coffee is particularly bitter-tasting this morning. And that's ok.

Mel turns around and regards the group. She recognises none of them, and frowns now, with worry and incomprehension.

She kicks out a chair and tilts her head pointedly at him.

He accepts the invitation, lacking in cordiality as it may be.

"Shit deal about Tonks and Bill, huh?" There's a vain hope that she could be preoccupied with that.

Now Mel's eyes widen.

"Tonks Bernard's girl? What's happened?"

"Uh..." Oh, well. "There was an attack in the Wizarding World yesterday. Death Eaters. Tonks and Bill Weasley are unaccounted for, according to Tim."

Mel looks over at the fireplace again, and back at Indy.

"Jesu. Tim's launching a rescue party, right?"

"Yeah. I think so. Said he's not in charge though, but he'd give updates and what not. I don't really know much more than that..." and other people need me.

He follows her gaze to the fireplace, but his is a more vacant stare now. "Did you know Svava, the valkyrie?"

Other people need Mel too. People who aren't Tonks or Tim or Mikey or Indy. She nods. Maybe it seems like she's planning on joining the rescue party. Maybe it seems like a lot to take. Maybe she's just mourning the fact that she won't be able to help.

She frowns at Svava's name.

"The one who killed Tim?

"Wait... knew?"

No. He understands her concern, and her possible desire to help. But, she didn't know. That's not the problem.

"Yes." A deep sigh.

"She got the call last night... for Ragnarok. In her universe, it's basically the battle at the end of the world. Everyone fights, everyone dies... so tells, The Völuspá, the prophecy of Völva."

"She already knew through the prophecy what is going to happen: pretty much when the event will occur, who will be slain by whom, and so forth. All from her world realize that they are powerless to prevent it. But they will still bravely and defiantly face their destiny."

"She had a duty. So, she's gone."

Mel nods, lowering her gaze, and wiping her eye.

"Good luck to her, then. Destiny. Duty. Those things are important. You have to face them head on."

There's a pause. A long one.

"I'm sorry, Indy."