33 Apocalypse Ave, Saturday Morning

[spin_kick_snap]

For a moment after her alarm went off, Kathy had no idea why she'd even set it. It was the weekend, she had neither work nor class today, she could sleep late if she wanted to. And, slapping blearily at her beeping phone, Kathy very much wanted to. She was warm, lying in a tangle of bodies, still more than a little tired from the night before, which had included a much better resolution that last year's prom.

Oh. Right. Prom. The wheels in her brain started to slowly turn as she put two and two together. Alarm. Unlocked front door. Day after prom. Yes.

"Get up," she said, poking at whoever was closest. "Kids are probably coming. C'mon, get up."

She wanted to be dressed and making breakfast by the time the inevitable horde descended on the house, dammit. But she wasn't going to be doing it alone.

"Get up or I swear I will send the first kid who shows up to come and wake you up proper."

Kathy that was just mean.

[Open to boyfriends, housemates, AU children of all varieties, and guests!]

Comments

[not_every_mage]

"Payback," Anders said sweetly. "I like it. Maybe we can treat Carys-or-whoever some new tricks to terrify their parents with, too." He frowned lightly. "Now I wonder if we'll get to see Carys again, or if it'll be different this time around."

[spin_kick_snap]

"I hope so," Kathy said. "I feel like last year was just a rough time all around."

Things had been weird between the three of them, it had been the anniversary of her death, the twins had shown up, showing a future none of them were really prepared for...

"I feel like I owe her an apology for the year before but I wasn't really in any place to give it. I wasn't really in any place to be much use to anyone that weekend."

[not_every_mage]

Anders reached over, trying to give her a hug. "You were fine," he said. "And I'm sure she knows you did your best."

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy clung to him for a minute, burying her face in his neck. "That's why I'm being such a hardass this year," she murmured. "So that the kids show up and there isn't a minute where they're not...you know, feeling wanted and cared about. We might not ever see them again and we don't know what all they're going back to, but for as long as they're here, there's not a minute where they question whether or not they're loved."

[not_every_mage]

Anders hesitated. He hadn't really thought of it that way; he'd seen his job as more babysitting than anything else. But Kathy's words gave him the distinct sensation he might owe their children more than that.

"You're a good person, Kathy," he said, holding her tight. "And someday, if you want, you'll be a fantastic mother."

[spin_kick_snap]

"I do want," she murmured, though she wasn't sure it was something she would be good at. She was still awfully messed up. "But I don't know if you and Dante do."

Part of her felt like that was so presumptuous to say, making such long term plans around them. But the rest of her couldn't imagine navigating a future without them.

[not_every_mage]

"Maybe," Anders said after a pause, knowing it wasn't exactly what Kathy wanted but unable to offer more. "I -- hadn't thought about it."

He pushed his hair out of his face. "I don't not want to do it," he tried.

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy kissed him, soft and sweet. "It's okay," she said. "I'm not looking for the decision to be made today." God no, the idea of kids right now was terrifying. "Besides, this is a decision the three of us have to make, not just one or even two."

The kids that came each year aside, Kathy wasn't sure she could picture a future where Dante wanted kids, even if Anders ended up doing so.

"Who knows? Maybe we'll all open up a cat sanctuary and I'll get all my maternal instincts out on the new litter of kittens we have every couple of weeks."

[not_every_mage]

"I'd like that," Anders said, more brightly now that he wasn't trying to make a huge life decision before brushing his teeth. "Kittens are easier than babies, and cuter."

[spin_kick_snap]

Hard pass. Kathy was past the point where she had a panic attack trying to plan for things more than two weeks ahead, but the idea of actually trying to plan for kids now might just bring one up for old time's sake. They could save all non-hypothetical talk of kids for some point way, way, way down the line.

Like thirty. Or at least until they had a better idea of what they wanted to do with their lives, eesh.

"Easier to potty train, too," Kathy pointed out. "And you can leave 'em alone for a weekend or so and nobody blinks an eye."

[not_every_mage]

"And you just have to pour their food from a can into a bowl," Anders added. "They don't do things like demand waffles with sprinkles at 6 a.m."

[spin_kick_snap]

"We have a Dante for that," Kathy said with a fond laugh. "Or, well, pizza anyway."