33 Apocalypse Ave, Monday Morning

[spin_kick_snap]

When Kathy had woken up as herself on Sunday, there'd been a letter waiting for her--a letter she'd remembered writing the night before and six years younger.

Dear Kathy,

Thanks for letting me use my room during my stay. I don't think I'll have a chance to meet you, I'm leaving pretty early tomorrow to make it back home. But even if I didn't get to meet you, I still feel like I got to know you some this week. You sound really cool and smart and popular. Everyone was really nice to me and I think it's because I reminded them a little bit of you. I think that's cool, I wouldn't mind being like you when I grow up.

This might be weird, but do you think I could maybe email you sometimes for advice? Nothing major just--you have your whole life together and I'm a mess. It would be nice to have someone to talk to sometimes. But that's probably weird, sorry. You don't have to!

But if you do, you can email me at gymnastflower01@yahoo.com.

Thanks again,
Kathy Li

P.S. You really, really don't have to if you don't want to!

Kathy had read that letter a number of times over the last day, smiling at the old email address she'd used faithfully for years--hell, her original Tumblr handle had been GymnastFlower--and awash in nostalgia. On the one hand, no wonder Sparkle had nicknamed her Mouse; it felt like all she'd done as a kid was apologize to people and blush. On the other hand, it was interesting to see her life now through the eyes of herself then. She'd laugh herself silly if someone told her that she had her life together, but she could see where her younger self had gotten that idea.

If nothing else, it put some things into perspective, which was sometimes hard to come by these days.

[Open for visitors and calls, but with the caveat of 'after I wake up again!']

Comments

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"I won't either," Kathy promised. "Not ever."

It didn't matter that he probably already knew. It didn't matter that he'd probably never even worried about it. She still wanted to make that promise.

[rebelseekspizza]

"I know," Dante said.

But when he kissed her, it was soft.

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A year ago, Kathy would have only heard the abrupt 'I know' and worried. Now she felt the way he kissed her and understood what he'd left unsaid.

But still communicated, so long as she paid attention.

So she kissed him back, just as softly, but clung his hands like she'd never let them go.

He wasn't the only one who could (sometimes) speak without words.

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante smiled into the kiss eventually, and ran his fingers through her hair.

Anders had a habit of making him feel safe where nobody else could. Kathy made him feel like he was a safe place... and that was nice, too.

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"At least tiny-me thinks I'm cool," Kathy said when the kiss finally broke. She sat back, reaching for the note she'd written to herself. She handed it over to him. "Probably because you broke her brain with the thing about two boyfriends. Either way, thank you for not breaking the illusion."

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante smiled a little. "She definitely seemed to look up to big you," he said, as he took the note.

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"Which is weird to think about on several levels," Kathy noted. "I wish there was a way I could write advice to my younger self. I'd be able to avoid so many stupid mistakes."

Which then would run of the risk of not being here, though.

[rebelseekspizza]

"If you managed to get her to really listen to you," Dante teased softly.

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"I'm sure I don't know what you're insinuating," Kathy declared, nose in the air. "I'm nothing but sweet and biddable."

[rebelseekspizza]

"You argued with me about ice cream," Dante said, poking her in the nose.

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"In fairness, you told me to argue with you about stuff," Kathy pointed out while attempting to hide a grin. "I was just listening."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Sure, that's what they all say," Dante said, fingers sliding over her ribs again in threat.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Dear Kathy," she intoned, while trying to squirm away, "make sure to develop an immunity to tickles because one of your future boyfriends is the literal worst and will use that against you whenever you're winning an argument."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Who says you're winning?" Dante said, snickering. He let up, though. "... But hey, now I'm hungry."

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"What are the odds that you're thinking about getting anything that isn't pizza?" Kathy teased.

[rebelseekspizza]

"1 to 100?" Dante said, sliding out from their little tangle. "What've we got left in the fridge?"

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"Just a few leftovers, I think," Kathy said frowning. "I haven't really done any cooking lately."

What with being thirteen and all. She'd been a perfectly competent cook back then--probably better than the guys now, thanks traditional gender roles in the Li household--but she'd been a guest this past week.

"I could see what we've got to cook?"

[rebelseekspizza]

"Nah, fuck it," Dante said. "We're going out."

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"Out?" Kathy asked, a little surprised. "Not delivery?"

[rebelseekspizza]

"Yeah, out," Dante said. "When's the last time you had someone else make you an awesome omelette?"

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"It's been awhile," she conceded with a smile. "And I am a sucker for omelettes."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Then c'mon," Dante said, gesturing for her. "Food's a-waitin'."

[spin_kick_snap]

"This is all because you've got pants on before noon and you don't want to waste it, isn't it?" Kathy teased, getting up to shimmy out of her pjs and throw on a summer dress, one short enough that it would have given tiny-her a conniption.

She debated pulling on underwear, then looked at Dante and left them off. Not even (just) to tease, but because it was one more reminder that this was who she was now.

And she liked it.

[rebelseekspizza]

"I mean, last time that's gonna happen in a while," Dante said, grinning at her wolfishly.

He'd seen that.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Say that any louder and the island is gonna turn you into one of those never-nudes for a week," Kathy teased. "And then we'll all be sorry."

Her hair just needed a quick brush to be acceptable to go outside and her sandals were downstairs by the door. "Well I'm ready," she announced, stomach already growling at the thought of food.