Masitda Restaurant, Baltimore, Wednesday Evening

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To tell the truth and shame the devil--a saying Kathy's mom had adored when she was alive--when Dante had suggested that they go out for Korean food, Kathy hadn't expected much. Dante didn't speak the language, didn't know the culture, and his only real introduction to the cuisine was what Kathy cooked at home and the hundred of weird bottle and jars of seasoning she kept in the door of the fridge, next to the more normal bottles of mayo and ketchup and relish. It wasn't that she was expecting it to be bad or anything, but she'd figured something middle-of-the-road, declaring its authenticity by blaring k-pop from the mid-2000s with two kinds of kimchi at most and a couple of sushi offerings to round out the 'Asianness' of the menu. All of which would have been perfectly fine and Kathy would have gone home, full and happy, and not given it another thought.

She realized she was wrong the moment they stepped into the restaurant. It smelled like home, evoking a sense of nostalgia and homesickness so sharp she rocked backwards on her heels for a moment. The table next to them had seven different banchan bowls on one side of it and over the shoulder of another patron, she could spot a menu page devoted entirely to different kinds of kimchi, several of which had seasonal warnings next to them. Apparently this place thought it wouldn't do to serve Yeolmu-kimchi in the middle of winter and you know what? They were goddamn right.

Kathy reached for Dante's hand, squeezing it tightly, letting her grip speak louder than she could right then about how pleased she was with his choice of restaurant for the evening.

[Not for broadcast and for that guy she's with!]

Comments

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And I'm looking forward to finding out about that all over again tonight," Kathy parroted with a delighted grin. "But right now, you gotta tell me how hungry you are."

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"Pretty hungry," Dante admitted. "I skipped... second lunch."

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Which was absolutely a thing in their house, with a sped-up superball, a Nephilim, a mutant, and a mage who didn't need to consume extra calories, but was still a young man.

"Bulgogi, definitely," Kathy said. "I mean, it's seasoned beef. Impossible to go wrong. And galbi--those are ribs, you can choose pork or beef. Oooh and I like the sides they're listing with the samgyeopsal. That's pork belly, which is what bacon wants to be when it grows up."

She was getting hungry just thinking about these. And, for once, that hunger wasn't tainted by nausea, even though it was centered around meat.

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"... Okay, I'm gonna have... all of the above," Dante said, grinning.

He winked at Kathy. "Warming up to Korean food more than I already was."

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She gave him a wicked smile back. "Look, if you haven't realized by now how delicious Korean is to eat, there's just no hope for you."

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"Got a lot of flavor to it," Dante said, "But it's worth it."

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"I'd think the extra flavor was a bonus," Kathy said, arching an eyebrow at him. "Beats being bland."

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"You know me, I'm a white boy," Dante teased.

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"I know," Kathy said with a sigh and a sympathetic little shake of her head. "But I love you anyway, even if it is a constant trial."

She leaned forward to clasp his hands in hers--and, if it gave him a nice view down her shirt, so much the better. "There's nothing wrong with flavor, Dante. I promise. I know it's scary, but you have to believe me."

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"I'm gonna need you to be gentle," Dante said, widening his eyes.

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"Definitely not what you said late night," Kathy said, smirking into her glass of water.

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"Maybe I need you to be gentler tonight," Dante said, undisturbed.

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"Oh, I can be gentle if you want me to be," Kathy promised. Or maybe threatened? "All sweet kisses and soft caresses. No nails. No teeth. Lingering touches, murmured whispers of 'Lemme make love to you...'"

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"Little bit of Barry White?" Dante offered.

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"And Careless Whisper," Kathy said with a nod. "Because you can't beat that sax."

She hummed the melody line. "How does it start? I feel so unsure...as I take your hand."

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"And lead you to... the... dance... floor," Dante sang, hamming up each individual word.

A lot.

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Kathy fanned herself, taking another drink of water. "Oh god, you keep serenading me like that and I might not be able to keep it gentle."

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"I know a few more from the Wham catalogue if you want 'em," Dante said merrily.

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"I don't think my panties can take it," Kathy deadpanned. "Oh baby. Oh baby."

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"Might score me a gay waiter, too," Dante mused.

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"Aww, that brings me back," Kathy said, snickering. "You hoping to relive old glory days? Spankings and getting head in the bathroom?"

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"Wasn't that us last week?" Dante mused.

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"It took me until the afternoon to sit down comfortably again," Kathy said with a dreamy smile. "Though if you got head in a bathroom, that wasn't with--wait. No, I was thinking public bathrooms."

It was possible they had a lot of sex. It was great.

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It was fantastic.

"Oh, that was a month ago," Dante agreed, tilting his head.

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Kathy thought about it. Like, really thought about it. "Not here," she hissed. "Ajumma will know."

Any other bathroom was up for grabs, though.