Explorean Resort, Cozumel, Mexico, Saturday

[spin_kick_snap]

Cozumel was about three thousand miles away from Fandom, so Kathy had no idea that there were storms or sharks about. She was sitting on the white, sandy beaches of Mexico, sipping her...somethingth...glass of sangria and reading reading an e-book series about a half-fairy knight who solved mysteries with her cat-prince lover.

It was better than it sounded, shut up.

Every so often, the waiter assigned to the private beaches would swing by to bring her more glasses of sangria (which was how she's lost count of the number she'd had) and clear away the empties (making it impossible to keep track). He'd appreciated that she spoke to him in Spanish and was polite with her requests and so sometimes also brought bowls of fresh fruit for her to snack on while she lounged in the sun.

Basically, this vacation was the best thing ever and exactly what she'd needed. And she was going to continue to enjoy the peace and relaxation until her phone beeped with a text from Raven.

lukes got trashed in sharkicane. apt probly uninhabitable. finding new shelter will update later

"WHAT?!"

[For the boy, the roomie, or anyone else who wants to call!]

Comments

[spin_kick_snap]

"...Collect sharks?" Kathy asked. And then, more suspiciously, "Alive or dead?"

Look, she had no idea why someone would want living sharks, but she couldn't figure out why someone would want dead ones, either.

[tigerundercover]

"Dead. I'm guessing we're mounting their heads on pikes as a warning to other sharks."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Oh good," Kathy said. "I love the idea of walking past rotting fish--wait, aren't sharks mostly cartilage?"

Not the point, Kathy. Not even remotely in the realm of the point.

"I'm going to put my money on them building a seawall out of the sharks instead."

[tigerundercover]

"So with the same rotting fish benefit, only also with structural integrity issues," Raven said. "Sure, I'm in."

[spin_kick_snap]

"I would hate for my rotting fish carcasses to be structurally unsound," Kathy said wryly. "Especially if they're about to be hit by a hurricane."

[tigerundercover]

"Maybe we should just move to Mexico."

[spin_kick_snap]

"I mean, I've got this lovely cabana right here..." Kathy said. "Anders might not appreciate having to put pants on, but you walk around naked all the time anyway. We might as well just make it a nudist colony and be done with it."

Did she kinda wanna kidnap Raven to Mexico anyway, just to make sure she was safe?

Bet your blue ass she did.

[tigerundercover]

"I hear the weather's just right for that sort of thing." Not that weather had ever stopped Raven from being naked anyway.

[spin_kick_snap]

"And I have the waiter trained to bring multiple glasses of sangria at a time," Kathy said. "Also, neither sharks nor hurricanes in the offing."

[tigerundercover]

"I'm pretty sure they actually get both down there," Raven pointed out. "But they didn't get hit by Hurricane Finley, so that's still a point in their favor."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Finley?" Kathy asked, shocked into a sputtering laugh. "Finley?"

[tigerundercover]

"Yup," Raven said, making sure to pop the P.

[spin_kick_snap]

"I am never coming home ever again," Kathy threatened, still giggling. "Never ever."

[tigerundercover]

"See, that's just going to make Mr. Spencer cry. And then that will make Hardison upset and he's going to come fussing to me to make you fix it. . . ."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Which is all a roundabout way of saying you'll miss me and I have to come home so we can be homeless roomies, together," Kathy declared. "I can read between the lines, Raven."

[tigerundercover]

"Don't make me walk to Mexico and get you. You know I will."

[spin_kick_snap]

"I dunno, I bet I could convince you to stay if you did."

Kathy's eyes were wet because it was raining. Sea surf. Spilled alcohol. Shut up.

[tigerundercover]

"I mean, at least for awhile. I'll be all tired."

But she'd have to go through Texas to get there. And Raven had promised herself she'd never go to Texas again.

[spin_kick_snap]

"And there are pretty people here to ply you with tasty food and drink even when you're rested," Kathy agreed. "Buuuut...I suppose a good roommate wouldn't make you cross another country to come get her. Again."

[tigerundercover]

"Into one where I barely speak the language, even," Raven said. "I suppose you'll just have to come home. I'll fuss at Hardison and Mr. Spencer to try and get our place fixed back up in the meantime."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Oh, so...you think it could be fixed and ready to go before I come home?" Kathy asked, brightening up.

[tigerundercover]

"Sure?" Raven did not sound certain at all, no. "I mean, they just have to fix the first floor, right? . . . How long are you staying in Mexico?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"Through next week," Kathy said, still trying to hold onto those shreds of optimism. "So, expect me home next Monday?"

[tigerundercover]

"Sooo, like the 21st?" That seemed forever away. Surely repairs could happen by then.

[spin_kick_snap]

"No, no, the fourteenth," Kathy said, pulling up the calendar on her phone. "Today's Saturday the fifth, right?"

Look, she was on vacation. Keeping track of days was hard.