33 Apocalypse Ave, Friday Evening

[spin_kick_snap]

All the lights were on in the house, chasing away the settling dusk. It made the house look warm and homey, a golden glow pouring out of every window. For the first time since she'd arrived back on Fandom, Kathy felt like she wanted to cook, just bibimbap, simple and easy, but delicious and easy and friendly. Spices scented the air, smelling like home.

A nice place to come and visit, perhaps.

[Open for visitors! And also visitors of visitors.]

Comments

[rebelseekspizza]

This son didn't resist. Not at all. His arms slid around her without a second's thought, his face pressed into her shoulder. "No, no, I'm fine, I'm right here," he whispered. "Mom, holy shit..."

Were you allowed to say that in front of an angel? He couldn't remember.

[an_angel_scorned]

"You still have your father's grasp of the language," Eva said, a little wry humor in her tone.

She didn't let go. He felt so solid in her arms, warm, both like and unlike the scrappy, stubborn little boy she had once held just like this.

[spin_kick_snap]

Several minutes later, Kathy burst into the doorway, realizing only at the last second that Dante might want this time with his mother alone, to reconnect with her in a way he hadn't been able to since he was eight.

"Errr..." she said, awkward and confused. "Umm. Hello, Eva. Dante. Should we go? We can go."

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante drew back from the hug and looked at her. "No," he said. "C'mon in, it's fine."

[an_angel_scorned]

Eva retreated as well, and she turned to look at the familiar figure, now so-alive, standing there in the doorway. "Kathy, please," she said quietly. "This is your home, too. And I'd like to see you."

[spin_kick_snap]

"I just don't want to interrupt," she said, holding onto Sarah's hand a little too tightly. "You haven't seen each other in a decade. I can wait a little while longer."

[nobodydoesntlike]

Sarah gave her big sister a push, rolling her eyes. "I see some things never change," she muttered. "They're saying it's cool. Go say hi to Dante's mom you waste more time wringing your hands over it, god."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Listen to your little sis, she knows what's what," Dante said, grinning.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Ugh, I do not need the two of you ganging up on me," Kathy declared, but she was walking over to Eva as she said it.

And then she closed her eyes, slid her arms around the other woman's waist, and hugged her tightly. Almost immediately she felt...lightened. Better. At peace.

"I'm so glad you're here," she whispered. "And not just for Dante."

[an_angel_scorned]

Eva held her tightly. She had practically adopted Kathy back in purgatory; that wasn't a connection that would disperse quickly.

"I'm so glad you're back here," she whispered. "You deserved a second chance."

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy would be okay if it dispersed never. She would never be so bold as to claim Eva as her mother, too, but there was something about her hugs that brought back every good hug she'd ever gotten from her own mom and that was a feeling Kathy missed very sorely.

"I couldn't have done it without you," she said. "Or Dante. You both saved me."

[an_angel_scorned]

Eva pressed her forehead against the side of Kathy's head and smiled. "You saved yourself, I'm pretty sure," she said quietly. "Not everyone has the strength to survive what you did."

[spin_kick_snap]

"If you hadn't reminded me who I was, I think I would have just kept drifting until I lost every last vestige of you I was," Kathy said, closing her eyes and inhaling Eva's scent. For someone who was just in Hell a few hours ago, she smelled amazing.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you, too," she murmured. "I didn't mean to just vanish and leave you alone there..."

Had she told Dante that she'd run into Hell after his mother? Ooops.

[an_angel_scorned]

"I know," Eva said, combing her fingers gently through Kathy's hair. "It's okay. You did everything you could, little one."

[spin_kick_snap]

"But it wasn't enough," Kathy said, looking up at Eva with liquid eyes. "You deserved more."

[an_angel_scorned]

"It's not about what I deserve," Eva said gently, brushing some of Kathy's hair back behind her ear. "It's about how hard you tried."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Can we try again?" Kathy asked. "I'll bring backup."

She was, like, pretty sure Dante would be okay with going on a trip to save his mom.

[an_angel_scorned]

Eva's hands slid down to cup Kathy's face.

"Kathy," she said softly. "You tried. It meant the world to me. Stop."

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy's lip trembled but she nodded against Eva's hand. "I just...Okay, Eva. Okay." She wasn't going to keep arguing, even though it went against the grain to give up.

Which just proved Dante had a point yesterday, didn't it?

[an_angel_scorned]

Eva pressed a firm kiss to her forehead, attempting to soothe.

[spin_kick_snap]

Still, if Dante ever decided he was leading an excursion to Hell to free his mom, Kathy was going to be in the van. No other way around it.

"Is there anything we can do for you while you're here?" she asked. "Anything you want to eat, or watch, or hear?"

The least they could do would be to make Eva's weekend a delight, more warm and treasured memories to hold against Hell.

[an_angel_scorned]

"I just want to be a part of your lives," Eva said quietly. She leaned back a little, looking up at Dante. "However you live your weekend, I want to be there for every moment of it."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Well, fuck, I think it's dinner time soon?" Dante offered.

There was a smile on his face and a smile in his eyes.

[nobodydoesntlike]

"Kathy made bibimbap," Sarah piped up. She didn't quite understand all the emotional undercurrents here, but they seemed important. "Have you, umm, ever had bibimbap before? Ma'am?"

[an_angel_scorned]

"No," Eva admitted. She rose to her feet. "What is it? A Korean dish?"