The Apartment Above Luke's, Thursday Evening

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy was still glowing from yesterday's museum trip with Anders and now tonight Dante was coming over for the evening, too. She appreciated the lengths they were going to make sure she didn't feel too lonely or lost while she was still adjusting to being back. She'd had a whole evening planned out as a thank you to Dante over it...

But then there had been puppies. She'd come in from her shower and decided to take a minute to refresh her Tumblr before drying off and getting dressed, and then she'd stumbled over a link for a pet adoption website that curated pictures of dogs that needed to be adopted from nearby shelters if you put in your zip code. Which Kathy, more fool her, had done.

And now was scrolling through picture after picture of adorable romping puppies and distinguished older dogs all looking for forever homes and who even knew what time it was anymore, there were puppies.

[For that guy]

Comments

[rebelseekspizza]

"Hey, your kink is not my kink, but I'm not gonna shame you for it," Dante said merrily.

[spin_kick_snap]

"You keep being a brat and I'm suddenly going to 'remember' that your kink is knifeplay and stab you," Kathy grumbled, giving him a very sulky face.

Look at that pout, Dante. Just look at it.

[rebelseekspizza]

"Oh no, stabbing, now I'm scared," said Dante.

He did not sound scared.

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy, do not be tempted, even though your boyfriend clearly deserved it. That way lie felony charges.

"I can't believe I stopped looking at puppy pictures for all this. I made the wrong choice."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Finish dinner and we can look at puppies together," Dante said, snickering. "Promise."

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"Oh, so I'm allowed to start dinner now?" Kathy teased. "I mean, that's what I was trying to do before but then somebody had to come in here and pout because I wasn't paying him enough attention."

Shut up, she wasn't smiling at him like he was the brightest star in the sky, you were.

[rebelseekspizza]

"I'll go sit in the living room and watch shitty TV like a good boy, I get the hint," Dante said, holding his hands up.

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"Oh nooo, it's too late for that now," Kathy said, snagging his t-shirt to hold him still.

Because that would work if he wanted to go, sure.

"You're in my kitchen now, that clearly means you want to help. So you're gonna help. Go put on an apron and wash your hands."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Aw, dammit," Dante said. "... can I at least wear the apron shirtless?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"I mean, take your pants off and put on some eye makeup and that's the start of one of my dirtier fantasies, so yeah, feel free," Kathy said with a chuckle, going back to her poor, abandoned onions.

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante snickered, but he kept to his, erm, promise.

Which is to say he took off his shirt, then swiped an apron and slipped it on.

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy paused in her cutting to watch, because ogling Dante was pretty much always a better use of her time. Fuck he was pretty.

"Steak's in the fridge," she said as he was tying the apron strings. "Another cutting board is above the microwave, and giving your girlfriend a kiss is mandatory."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Do I have to do them in that order?" Dante teased.

[spin_kick_snap]

"I'm feeling particularly generous today, so you can do them in any order you like," Kathy decided, eyes flicking over him again because, hnngh. Look, she was only human here. "But I reserve the right to tell you you're doing it wrong if I have to."

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante plucked the cutting board off the wall and pressed a kiss to her mouth on his way to the fridge. "Fine, fine, be bossy all you want, it's your night."

[spin_kick_snap]

"I mean, I did promise something of the sort last weekend," Kathy mused, finishing up her chopping and moving on to seasoning everything properly. "On the other hand...puppies. You see my dilemma here."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Why not do both?" Dante said easily. "We're supposed to be back here Friday night anyway, I might as well stick around."

[spin_kick_snap]

"So are you suggesting we do puppies tonight and then I boss you around for Anders' amusement this weekend?" Kathy teased, throwing all the veggies into a skillet. "I could be into that."

[rebelseekspizza]

"I'm saying we can waste an hour on puppies, you can boss me around all night, and then we'll just sleep all day until Anders shows up," Dante corrected, pulling the beef out of the fridge.

[spin_kick_snap]

"And this is how I know you're wrong," Kathy said sadly. "An hour of puppies is hardly a waste. It's an hour of light and goodness."

Beat.

"Clearly I'm going to need to be stricter with you than I'd originally thought."

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante shrugged easily, dumping the beef on the cutting board he'd grabbed. "Giving me puppy therapy?"

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"I was thinking more about seeing how long I can keep you on the edge without letting you go over," Kathy said thoughtfully. "Do you think I could get you to an hour? Or would you crack and beg long before then?"

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante put a knife against the meat and began to cut. "Big words, Kathy Li," he said. "Think you can make good on that?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"I have some ideas," Kathy said easily. "Some toys with your name on 'em. Some interesting research to poke at. Probably an unsexy conversation to get out of the way before puppies so it doesn't kill the mood right before we start."

[rebelseekspizza]

"You really had me at 'unsexy conversation'," Dante joked.