Barry's Old Warehouse, Warehouse District, Sunday Afternoon

[spin_kick_snap]

So. The island could turn her back into an ex at literally any moment. That was not a thought that was good for Kathy's peace of mind. Being an ex again, for however short a time, had not been good for Kathy's peace of mind. She hadn't been a mindless husk that had seen everything that moved as 'prey,' no, but that was cold comfort when she had spent the day eating brains.

Sharing brains with other people.

Hunting small creatures to get--

Her stomach lurched again, just thinking about it. She hadn't eat much this past week just for that reason. It felt like February all over again, when eating had been a struggle, the very act bringing up memories she didn't want to relive.

Distantly, Kathy knew she should go home, deal with the mess left in her room, deal with the mess that was her life. And she would! She just--couldn't yet. Not while she still felt like this, ten pounds of crazy in a four pound bag. She just needed to get a handle on it--was trying to get a handle on it--and when she did, she'd go home. She'd apologize for worrying everyone, she'd clean up, she'd be okay.

Soon. Just not now.

[Open]

Comments

[rebelseekspizza]

"Yeah, I will," Dante said, patting her hip. "Go sleep. You need it."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Need something all right," Kathy muttered. "Can I ask for one more favor? Can I get, like, five minutes of spooning?" She gave him a small smile. "I know, I'm terribly demanding."

But look! She was drawing her hair over her shoulder so it wouldn't get into his face and everything.

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante blinked. Then he laughed softly.

"Okay," he said. "Scoot."

[spin_kick_snap]

Happy smile! Happy smile!

Kathy rolled over onto her side, folding her arm beneath a pillow and resting her head on that. "Five minutes," she promised, "and then you can roll back over and nap however you're comfortable."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Got it," Dante said. Rolled over on his side too, arm sliding around Kathy. "Good?" he asked, mouth pressed against her shoulder.

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy wiggled in closer and nodded. "Good," she said with a contented smile. "So good." Her hand slid down his arm and came to rest over his hand, lacing their fingers together. "Exactly what I was looking for."

At least for the first few moments. And then she realized her ass was pressed directly against his groin. That was a distraction to say the least; every time she shifted, she pressed right up against him.

"...I've discovered a slight flaw in my plan," she murmured, voice husky.

Was there no angle Dante wasn't sexy from?!

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante chuckled softly. "Can always switch it up," he teased.

Distracting as her ass might be.

[spin_kick_snap]

"No, no, it's fine," Kathy said, with one last deliberate shift of her ass against him. Mmm. "I'm an adult, I can handle five minutes of gorgeous temptation, no matter how good it feels pressed up against me. Might make for some nice dreams."

And later when she woke up, maybe he'd be amenable to having her pounce on him?

[rebelseekspizza]

Always.

"That's what I'm here for," Dante joked. "Dream guy."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Yeah, yeah, don't let it go to your head," Kathy snorted, since she couldn't actually say he was wrong. She yawned quietly and snuggled closer one last time, the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stirring with his every breath. "I'll be back to teasing you pretty soon."

[rebelseekspizza]

"When you're ready, sweetheart," Dante teased, kissing the back of his neck.

[spin_kick_snap]

She shivered from his kiss and, mid-shiver, fell into a deep, dreamless sleep for the first time since Halloween.

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante held on for a little while longer until he was sure she was asleep.

Then he moved away gently, not far, and sprawled for a nap of his own.

[spin_kick_snap]

Roughly two hours of much-needed sleep later, Kathy yawned herself awake. For the first time since Wednesday, the return to consciousness didn't come with a rush of panic or bleak despair.

Her eyes still closed, Kathy reached out, her hand seeking Dante of its own accord, and she smiled a little when she found him, still a spot of warmth in the bed.

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante stirred, barely awake, and turned towards her.

He slid an arm over her waist.

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy hadn't been expecting that and her smile grew. Careful not to move too much, she brushed the hair off his forehead and planted a soft kiss there.

"You nerd," she murmured, not wanting to wake him. "You make it so easy to be happy."

[rebelseekspizza]

Not waking him was a losing battle; Dante was already drifting back to the surface, though not so close that he was registering anything she said.

Nothing past comfy and warm really registered at all.

[spin_kick_snap]

That was okay; if she'd known he was even that close to consciousness she wouldn't have said anything at all.

"You remind me of your mom," she continued. "What I remember of her anyway. She hugged me once and it was like a promise that everything was gonna be okay. That's how you make me feel. Like everything will be okay, so long as you're there."

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante's eyes fluttered open. "Mhm," he hummed, tucking his face in her neck.

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy's eyes widened when his opened, but she relaxed when all he did was curl a little closer. He was still more asleep than awake, it was okay. She slid her hand into his hair and gently ran her nails along his scalp. "It's okay," she whispered. "You can keep napping."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Nah, nah," Dante mumbled. "'m awake."

Not... quite.

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy laughed, low in her throat. "Of course you are," she agreed.

She was betting he fell back asleep within a few minutes. And she'd either slip away to grab a book or--more likely--fall back asleep herself.

[rebelseekspizza]

"So am," Dante muttered sleepily.

He brought up a finger to poke her in the arm. Huh, she was closer than he'd realized.

[spin_kick_snap]

Dante, your face was buried in her neck, how far away did you think she was?

"Well, you're awake enough to be wrong and picking a fight," she teased, giving him another quick kiss to the side of his head. "But you can still go back to sleep."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Could," Dante sighed, weighing that.

Wait, why was he here, curled up with Kathy to begin with? W--

Oh.

"...how 'bout you?"