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[clumsy_auror]

*Soft humming and the sound of bare feet on a wood floor drift into the bedroom. A moment later Nymphadora appears, wearing a black button-down shirt a few sizes too big. She carries a plate of apples with peanut butter, and as she walks into the room, two glasses of milk obediently float behind.*

She's still asleep. Not for long, though -- she's doing that thing with her foot -- so I fixed her a snack so it'd be ready. And then I got hungry, too.

*Grinning, Nymphadora hands Bernard the plate of apples and climbs into bed beside him, burrowing under the covers before plucking the glasses out of the air and handing him one.*

Comments

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

*He puts an arm around her waist and feeds her an apple slice, half-smiling.*

I don't think it does. Sometimes I think adulthood is just realizing that it doesn't, then dealing with that as best you can.

[clumsy_auror]

Heh.

*she grins lopsidedly, her head resting on his shoulder*

I guess I can handle that.

Helps to have somebody else around trying to deal with it, too.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Well, technically everyone is dealing with it at once and not talking about it.

*He grins. He knows he's being difficult.*

But yeah. After avoiding it for about a decade, I've kind of had adulthood thrust upon me all in one go. It's kind of disorienting.

[clumsy_auror]

*She's quiet for a moment or two, just looking around this room that's theirs and having trouble believing that she's here in this place, with him, with a child they're responsible for and who they love very much sleeping peacefully down the hall.*

...Yeah. Slightly disorienting.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

...But good, I think. Which is kind of odd to say, for me.

*He looks around, too, at the way the bright early spring sun shines on the new floor, and the way her long black hair tumbles down her shoulders haphazardly.*

Never thought I'd be happy, staying in one place. Not blasting the world to kingdom come.

[clumsy_auror]

*quietly*

I wondered if you'd be happy with that, too.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

*His arm around her waist tightens, and he turns to look her in the eyes.*

I'm happier and more settled here than I have ever been. With you and Sunny. Just because I never expected it doesn't mean that it was impossible.

*A small smile*

It just means that I didn't know myself half as well as I thought I did.

And as for the blasting, well.

*His smile turns into a mischievous grin*

Everybody's gotta have a hobby.

[clumsy_auror]

*Just hearing his say the words she already knew were true makes her shoulders relax a bit more. At the last, she laughs softly.*

Yeah. Everybody does.

Wouldn't want you to stop, anyhow. It's your art. It's beautiful, when it's done by you.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

*He flushes and laughs*

You haven't been looking up old newspaper articles, have you?

[clumsy_auror]

*Nymphadora is suddenly very thirsty and takes a large gulp of milk.*

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

*The flush deepens*

You're kidding.

[clumsy_auror]

*She slowly looks back up at him, wide eyes blinking innocently.*

...No?

*a tentative grin*

C'mon. The New York Times cover story in '70? Awesome.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

*A reluctant grin*

It was, wasn't it?

The University of Michigan didn't need that part of the stadium anyway. They should thank me, actually. Inspired them to expand again while they were repairing it. Last I heard it was the biggest stadium in the country.

[clumsy_auror]

*She pats his cheek and kisses him.*

They should've named it in your honor, love.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

...Then I could have blown up the whole thing.

*There are stars in his eyes.*

Groovy.

[clumsy_auror]

*She snickers before kissing him again and leaning over the edge of the bed to fetch her bag.*

Got something for you.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Does it involve explosives?

[clumsy_auror]

Woe is you, no it doesn't.

*she pulls out two thin cuff bracelets, both silver, and hands him one*

It's part of the charm for Sunny.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Huh.

*He examines the thin silver band, an eyebrow cocked.*

How's it work? Do I just put it on?

[clumsy_auror]

Yeah. 'S not activated yet, though -- I'll cast the spell once Sunny's awake.

Basically *she puts her own bracelet on* there's two parts to the charm. One connects her room to ours. We've got a one-way Silencing Charm on our room already -- we can hear things happening outside, while anyone outside can't hear in -- but this new charm will let us hear her clearly while she's in her room. If she's talking at a normal level, just baby-babbling, we'll hear it, and our bedroom door will glow blue to let us know she's awake. If she's upset, yelling or crying, the door glows red.

*she taps his bracelet*

These are for when we're out of the flat while she's asleep. Same deal, with the blue and red glowing, only they also heat up. Warm when it's blue, hot but not burning when it's red.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

*He listens to her, nodding, and puts his on.*

Cool.

You know, I've been a little surprised. Knowing what happened to her family, and then what happened to her after, I expected her to have a lot more nightmares than she does, but she's only had a few.

[clumsy_auror]

I know, I expected more, too. Not that I'm complaining...it's amazingly lucky to have a kid this age who sleeps as well as Sunny does.

I think probably she's blocked some of the worst of it. Kids do that, after a trauma. Adults too, really, but kids' minds are more...protective, in a way.

She might have to deal with it more fully when she's older.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

*He blows out a long breath, looking tired and worried.*

Well, here's hoping she hasn't blocked anything that's too horrible.

[clumsy_auror]

*Nymphadora slides her arms around his waist and rests her head on his chest.*

We can't do anything about what happened to her.

But we are here to make sure she's okay from now on.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

*He puts an arm around her shoulders and kisses the crown of her head.*

We are.

*He closes his eyes and sees his whole life stretching before him like a road.

He smiles.*

Wonder what she'll be like around age 15 or so.