Apartment Above Luke's, Tuesday

[spin_kick_snap]

It was Tuesday. Kathy knew she was supposed to be getting to work sometime this afternoon, doing stock or cleaning or trying to find people to come work for her or any number of countless, pointless projects. She had a routine and routines were important, at least according to what little poking around she'd done on the computer for Helpful tips when you're a basket case. But she couldn't summon the energy to get up off the couch today. Hell, getting out of bed had been a titanic struggle and the only reason she'd managed a shower at all was because she'd sat on the floor of the tub and just let the water run over her for most of it.

It sucked. She'd really thought she was doing better. She'd been okay for a few days there, genuinely happy and smiling and laughing. The kids had been great distractions while they'd been there, but they were gone now, leaving a hole in Kathy's heart and the promise of a future that seemed further away than ever, today. From 'okay' to 'utter distaster' in just twelve hours, only this time she didn't even have the outlet of fighting in Baltimore to try to channel some of this bullshit into. All she had was Hulu and about a million seasons of Hades' Kitchen to get through while she tried very hard not to think about what Saturday had been or her alternate reality daughter with her dead sister's name.

"You're never going to impress him with that mess," she informed the TV from inside her comfy cocoon of blanket. "It looks like you threw up on a plate. Way to just hand the victory to the blue team, ladies, jeez."

[Open, though I'll be off to bed soon.]

Comments

[not_every_mage]

A thump thump thump of footsteps came up the stairs, followed by a louder thump thump thump on the door. Call him a soft touch, but Anders already missed their daughters -- and, knowing Kathy, he suspected she was taking it even harder.

"It's Anders," he called through the door.

[spin_kick_snap]

"It's open," Kathy called back, because getting up, even for Anders, was a little beyond her right now.

She half-wished she's done something more with her hair than pull it back in a messy ponytail after getting out of the shower, but, eh, effort. Somehow she doubted messy hair and an over-sized t-shirt would be enough to send Anders fleeing into the sunset.

[not_every_mage]

Anders let himself in with a quick smile for Kathy, not seeming bothered by her clothes or hair, and crossed to sit next to her on the couch. "Hi," he said. "I thought you might be having a hard time today, and I didn't want you to be having it alone, so ... hi."

[spin_kick_snap]

Anders, it was okay if Kathy just kind of launched herself at you, right? Curled up around you, maybe hid her face in your shoulder for awhile? Because that was definitely her plan for as soon as he finished speaking.

"I...yeah," she admitted, voice muffled. "I--Saturday was always going to be hard, but there were kids so I wanted to be cool, but then her name was Sarah--"

[not_every_mage]

Anders looped his hands around her waist, kissing the top of her head as she spoke.

"I know," he said, comforting as he could manage. "Had a bit of her aunt's attitude, too, didn't she?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"Oh god did she," Kathy said, with a hiccupy laugh that was almost a sob. "They both did. All did? I don't even know."

She squeezed her eyes shut and several tears fell down her face. "She's been gone for a year. A whole year, Saturday. And I--" She didn't want to talk about what Saturday would have been for her, too. Except for how she kind of did. It was all very confusing and complicated. "It's just hard," she finished, instead. "Just so stupidly hard."

[not_every_mage]

Anders didn't speak for a long moment, just squeezed Kathy and rocked with her to say there, there.

"I didn't realize it had been exactly a year," he said, feeling stupid and guilty for not having known without being told. "The days .. they ran into each other for me. I don't think I knew what day it was for a couple weeks."

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy nodded against him. "Yeah," she said. "It's why I was so grateful to crash with you guys after prom. I mean, I also wanted to spend time with you two and t was fun, just shooting the shit like we used to, but...I didn't want to wake up Saturday alone, either. It was going to be a rough day, but being with you both...helped."

It was the best day it could have been, with that lurking in her mind.

[not_every_mage]

"I'm glad," Anders nodded. Privately, he was almost glad he hadn't remembered -- if he had, he would have spent the night worrying about how Kathy might be feeling too much to relax and enjoy himself. And it sounded like a normal night free of that was exactly what Kathy had needed.

He twisted a strand of her hair around his finger. "And I'm glad being with Dante helped, too. I never want you to feel pushed to the side."

[vdistinctive]

Eliot knew first hand how hard saying goodbye to the kids could be, so he waited until Tuesday afternoon before sending Kathy a text.

grandkids? seriously? could have warned me!

[spin_kick_snap]

Oh a text! Texts were awesome! Texts didn't involve pants or trying to act like a person!

I didn't get a warning! Only seemed fair!

[vdistinctive]

PROM was your warning You might've missed this last year, Kathy, but you'd been a student at Fandom for too long not to have at least known about this happening before. grandkids are not standard postprom events!

[spin_kick_snap]

If prom is my warning, shouldn't it have been yours, too? Kathy sent, smiling despite herself. Their relationship was built on trolling. What did you think would happen if I had kids?

[vdistinctive]

Eliot scowled at his phone. Because the answer to that was either YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE THEM RIGHT NOW or OBVIOUSLY I DIDN'T THINK THAT PART THROUGH and neither really was going to work here.

hardison almost fell out of his booth he said instead, because when in doubt, shift the teasing over to Hardison.

[spin_kick_snap]

I bet he LOVES that they call him Uncle Hardison and not grandpa, huh? she returned. I hope he doesn't mind, it's just...he's not my dad.
He's cool and I like him, but...

For one thing, he was only about ten years older than she was. He was more like a big brother or a really cool younger uncle or something.

Is that ok?

[vdistinctive]

Eliot hadn't actually checked in with Hardison on the whole 'Uncle Hardison' thing yet. He was 99% sure he was just fine, though. hardison was a foster kid, he replied. he gets it dont worry about him

[spin_kick_snap]

She'd been wondering if Eliot was okay with Kathy not thinking of his partner in any kind of parental way, but if Eliot hadn't even thought of it that way, then it was probably okay.

The girls also said they missed their cousins, she warned. So, uhh, FYI about that.

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo, when she'd finally pushed Crazy Apple back into the little corner of her brain that kept her other persona, had almost immediately rushed out to find Kathy. She'd been halfway out the door when she'd caught herself.

Kathy had said that she was hurting. That she'd wanted her kohai to be there for her. And Ringo hadn't been. And if Ringo just rushed over, she'd almost certainly fall apart all over her senpai, and that wasn't what Kathy needed. So Ringo had spent days working out what she'd say, practicing it in her head so that she could be sure that she'd be mature and helpful and not a burden.

So this morning Ringo had decided that she'd swing by today, spent some time psyching herself up, and then headed out. She'd made a stop on the way to Kathy's apartment, and had a white pastry box in her hands as she reached the door.

Her hand rose to knock, then froze, then fell to her side. Was she sure she was ready? She went over her little rehearsed speech one more time, took a couple of deep breaths as she tried to get worked up again, and then reached out and knocked on the door before she could have any further second thoughts.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Come in!" Kathy called down, because leaving the couch for anything beyond necessary bathroom breaks was for chumps. She was in a blanket burrito on the couch and that was just fine by her.

[soniaroadsqueen]

That familiar voice made Ringo hesitate again, but she shook her head sharply. This wasn't the time for second thoughts!

She took a couple of deep breaths, made sure she had a casual, happy smile on her face, and opened the door. "Hello?" she called, keeping her voice light and cheery. "Anyone home?"

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy groaned into a pillow. She did not have the spare anything to deal with Crazy Apple today and if that girl thought she was going to apologize...! But then Kathy really thought about the greeting she'd just heard. That hadn't sounded like Crazy Apple. Crazy Apple didn't emote.

"...Ringo?"

[soniaroadsqueen]

That hadn't been exactly the greeting she'd been hoping for, but that was because Ringo hadn't really thought about the fact that Kathy had no reason not to expect more of Crazy Apple. It's not like they looked any different, at least not at first glance.

But she kept up that smile and sort of skipped into the room. "That's right!"

Of course the skipping sort of faltered (though she managed to hold the smile) as she prepared to deliver her whole practice apology.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Really Ringo?" Kathy asked, a little suspicious. Because that smile definitely did not look genuine. "Because if you're not my actual kohai you can fuck right off."

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo blinked, sort of pulling up short, her smile faltering into uncertainty. It was hard enough maintaining a semi-fake smile when you were worried about how you were going to properly apologize. She hadn't been sure what kind of reception she'd get, but she hadn't prepared for this one.

"Oh. Um. I'm, uh, really me?"

She blinked a couple more times, fighting to regain that smile.

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy sat up straighter, peering at Ringo. "Really?" she asked, still sounding like she wasn't quite sure she believed her. "Then come here."