Well. Let me clarify. There's a different between being a bastard and actually being mean, you know?

[She probably saw some of the mean, at least in the beginning, never directed toward her but toward Steffan once or twice, toward his hangers-on more often. They never quite managed to get on. Even with all that, he was really a lot nicer as Haruno in a lot of ways. He doesn't really miss that part.]

I liked you from the beginning, though. You always seemed very safe. So maybe it isn't so much luck [he pokes her arm right back] as skill.