Again

Chapter 2

Steve was still deciding whether to tell Mac Eddie was a friend of his or not. He didn't want her to feel like that's what is getting her foot in the door because Steve knew that Eddie didn't work that way. Sure he might censor his words and emotions around kids, but he did try to treat people equally for the most part. Steve liked to think his upsetting the Munson Doctrine all those years ago had a hand in this. "Hey, Mac. If you still wanna head in, you can. Doesn't look like there is a timetable or anything" He smiles at his daughter, who stands up excitedly, but stops mid-step towards the door and beckons him down to her height.

"Dad, are there any girls in there?" She asked in an unsure whisper.

"In the quick glance I had, I didn't see any, but that doesn't mean there isn't or won't be any, but even if there isn't, you have something else in there. You've got an Eddie." He says with the most reassuring smile he can.

"That's just another boy", she scoffs and holds her book a bit tighter, eyes looking at the library's main entrance, protecting herself with annoyance from the fear.

"I mean, yes, he is a boy, numbers-wise a man, but I think you really should meet him before writing him off. Eddie is er...well...how can I put this...he's unique" Steve finally grabs the diplomatic word he was looking for.

She looks back at her Dad, "How do you know that?"

"There are many reasons, but mainly he's just been running around in there, roaring, with some kind of dragon head on because he thinks it makes him less scary to kids." Steve frowns and shakes his head. But Mac's eyes light up, and she smiles as she looks over at the door, "Could be worth a shot, right? You could hang around maybe? It's not like you've got much else going on", she says non chalantly, but Steve can read he's needed.

"Right." Steve nods, scooping up Corey by his arm again. Mac drops in behind him as he passes through the door. Eddie was still standing exactly how and where Steve had left him, a small welcoming but almost nervous smile on his face, with his dragon head tucked under his arm. Steve sees Eddie observe Corey first, who has not looked up at all to acknowledge him, and Steve guides him towards the nearest chair for him to sit in, revealing his Daughter behind him as he does. Eddie's face erupts in a big smile like he'd just identified one of his own.

"Eddie, this is Mac, I mean Mackenzie" Steve looks to Mac for reassurance he's using the correct name she likes to go by now. She nods, "Mackenzie, this is...."

Eddie bows deeply, "Eddie The Not So Banished, humbly at your service."

Mackenzie raises an eyebrow at Eddie and looks up at Steve, who mouths, "Told you," and she smiles in reply. Her grip loosens on her book as she looks Eddie over. Her eyes study his face most of all.

"Don't worry about the scars, sweetheart. They're old. They won't bite. I'm not that scary, promise" Eddie smiles, but Steve detects a slight disappointment in his eyes as he squeezes the dragon head.

"Oh no, it's not that," she says quickly, "Just the one here", she points at his jaw, "It looks like a dragon roaring."

"Wait, really?" Eddie says, reaching for his face. There is no falseness in his voice; he is genuinely surprised and walks over to the nearest door window to look at his reflection "Huh. I've had them for longer than you've been alive, and I never even noticed that." Eddie laughs, "Anyway, enough about me, let's get started on your new character, yeah? You can keep your character, but we'd have to strip it back to level one because of the nature of the campaign, but if you're still interested, I could introduce you to one of the parties, Zee. I mean...Mackenzie, sorry" Eddie waves his hand towards a bunch of nearly full tables behind him.

"Zee is fine", she smiles up at Eddie. Steve almost feels a little jealous as they exchange smiles and walk away from him. Eddie animatedly gesticulates with the dragon head in his hand, and Mac giggles. It had been a long time since Steve had made her laugh like that, but he let it go. It's nice just to see her smiling for a change. Steve grabs a D&D book and settles into the chair next to Corey.