Dite's Decadent Delights, Saturday Evening

[spin_kick_snap]

After hanging out with Raven for a few hours that afternoon, Kathy headed into town to get a little more work done at Dite's. She wasn't sure she was actually accomplishing very much, but it at least felt like she was making progress on something and that felt almost as good as her evenings in the warehouse. She'd gone back the night before and it had been just as good as the first time, finally feeling truly alive as she'd dodged and punched and kicked.

Her face had avoided getting any new bruises--and the ones from Wednesday were carefully covered by makeup any time she left her room--but a couple of the body shots she'd taken had her moving a little more carefully than usual. Still, every flare of pain when she moved too fast or bent too far was another note in the sensory orchestra that reminded her that she was still a living girl who dreamed about being a zombie and not a zombie dreaming about being alive. That distinction was important.

She fired off a few texts to Anders in case he was feeling chatty and then set about opening the delivery boxes and getting inventory up on the shelves. In the background, her computer played the Raptor News Network theme. Ever since Dante had told her that Bob Barbas was a demon, she'd been watching his show to get an idea of what he was like.

So far, all she'd gotten was that he would fit right in with Trump and his cronies. Which said a lot about the current administration, didn't it?

[For one, please!]

Comments

[spin_kick_snap]

"Well, that and our scintillating testicle conversation," Kathy laughed, lunging at him again. "Not that I'm sure where 'scintillating' falls on the classy scale."

All the laughing and lunging made her ribs ache under the bruises, but goddamn it was worth it.

[not_every_mage]

"I was only talking about balls," Anders said airily as he made a grab for her wrists. "I don't know where testicles come into it."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Right," Kathy said, smirking up at him, her wrist securely caught in his grip. "I forgot that I was the filthy-minded one in this friendship."

[not_every_mage]

"Well," Anders said, mildly. "If the shoe fits...."

[spin_kick_snap]

"...We're shocked to discover we wear the same shoe size?" Kathy finished, just as mildly.

[not_every_mage]

"What?" Anders asked, laughing, and dropped her wrist. "I don't know what we're even talking about. Let's eat tacos until we make sense."

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"I'm just saying, you're easily as pervy as me and you know it," Kathy said, shifting over to give him room on the couch next to her. And then passed a cup decorated with a plaster cock over to him, because who wanted to drink soda out of a bottle, huh? Nobody, that's who. "And if you even try to hold the guac hostage, I'm stealing your staff."

[not_every_mage]

"And I'm sure you mean that in the least pervy way possible," Anders said, waggling his eyebrows at her before he accepted the cup. "Don't worry. I can share."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Of course I do," Kathy said, nose in the air. "Cause I'm a lady."

Then she was giving him a grin that was pure mischief. "I mentioned that I was a good girl earlier, remember?"

[not_every_mage]

"You did," Anders told her. "And I didn't believe you. Are you going to try to convince me?"

His heart was ... doing some kind of thing at that grin. Twisting. Melting. Making him like her enough to give up the last of the guacamole.

[spin_kick_snap]

That was a pretty strong emotional indicator. Which was unfortunate, because at his suggestion that she convince him, guacamole had suddenly dropped to the bottom of the list of things she cared about right now.

"Maybe," she said, drifting just a little closer as she took the container of guac--and set it aside. "Of course, I'm not even sure you'll even recognize a good girl anymore..."

[not_every_mage]

Anders mirrored her movements, setting the cock cup aside as his arms spread wider. "I think I might if you remind me," he said hopefully. "Might take a while, though. And maybe I'd have to get all five senses involved."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Fortunately, two aspects of being good is both patience and diligence," Kathy noted, now firmly in his space. She hadn't slid into his lap the way she might once have done, but her hands slid up his arms as she leaned in for a kiss.

A nice, sweet, thoroughly good girl kind of kiss.

[not_every_mage]

If good girl kisses were aimed at making their recipient feel good, this one was satisfying its goal admirably. Anders made a soft, pleased noise into the kiss, then rested his hands at Kathy's waist to see if he could tempt her into his lap after all.

[spin_kick_snap]

If he tugged her forward, Kathy would comply with alacrity. For now though, she was playing it safe, not wanting to do too much too soon, like she had the other week at the apartment. For the most part she stayed still, except where her hands were trailing up and down his arms and her tongue pressed softly against his lips.

[not_every_mage]

Anders' lips parted, and he let his tongue slide against hers as he tried to pull her onto his lap. He wasn't very interested just then in playing it safe.

[spin_kick_snap]

Oh, she had missed this. She felt even more alive here n Anders' lap than she did in the ring, with his mouth on hers and his hands on her hips and could they maybe just stay like this? Please? Nothing was wrong when they were kissing, when the outside world fell away and it was just the two of them.

[not_every_mage]

It was magic, the way the sex shop, the red couch, his worry over Dante, the scent of tacos -- Anders barely noticed any of it. His entire world was Kathy as they kissed.

He held her tightly to him, savoring the moment.

[spin_kick_snap]

Which was, of course, why the moment had to be shattered.

Kathy's laptop had been quietly playing the Raptor News Network in the background. Suddenly the theme blared out at a decibel possibly meant to wake the dead. "I interrupt this broadcast to bring you breaking news..." said Bob Barbas. "The terrorist organisation responsible for the recent attacks has been located. "The terrorist organisation responsible for the recent attacks has been located and is being stormed by SWAT as I speak."

Kathy pulled away from Anders, turning towards the laptop. "What?"

[not_every_mage]

"Hmmm?" Anders said, blinking his eyes open and giving the laptop a wary glance. "I ... did he say terrorism?"

His heart was racing, but not because of Kathy.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Something like that." Kathy slid out of his lap and over to the counter where her computer was resting. "Anders? Anders, you might want to come see this."

Onscreen, they were showing pictures of the Order's HQ, cut with pictures of SWAT cops coming out of a van, guns drawn.

"Two of the terrorists identified in these images are known to be in the compound," Bob said, waving at pictures of Kat and Vergil in the corner of the screen. "A third terrorist has been cornered in another part of the city in a separate police raid," Bob continued. And flashed an image of Dante's face, glaring into the camera. "Rest assured, those responsible will be brought to justice at any moment, dead or alive."

Bob smiled at the screen. It looked vindictive. "This is Bob Barbas of the Raptor News Network. Just doin' God's work."

[not_every_mage]

Anders swore the air blue before turning to Kathy, his eyes wide.

"We have to get there and save him."

Grandiose? Sure. But it seemed like the only choice.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Where's my phone?" Kathy asked before diving towards the couch. "I've got the Portalocity app there, we can get some tickets! Maybe we can arrive there before it's too late?"

Except they always ended up near the carnival on the boardwalk and that was so far away from the hideout...

[not_every_mage]

"We can try, anyhow," Anders said, rubbing at his chin. "Do you think I could find a map from the carnival to the studio?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"Maybe?" Kathy said, quickly swiping through her phone. "We can--"

Suddenly, Barbas's eyes went big. He staggered away from the desk, looking like he'd just sucked down poison.

"Breaking news, Bob. You're fired," said someone off-screen.

Twin holes blossomed into red in Barbas's shirt. He grasped desperately for the one on his shoulder, but there was nothing he could do. Gasping, Barbas collapsed to the ground, the desperate camera crew rushing after him.

Then the camera clattered to the floor, pointing up. Near the back door, Dante materialized, blue energy arcing off his arms. Two large shuriken manifested themselves in his hands a moment later. He held them up.

Turned around. Stalked out of the studio.

"Oh shit," Kathy said.