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]

Dante laughed softly. "Okay, okay, fine," he said, kissing her on the nose. "A great fucking joke."

[spin_kick_snap]

"One day, you're gonna realize that I'm hilarious," Kathy informed him. "And then you'll be sorry you didn't appreciate me earlier."

[rebelseekspizza]

"I appreciate you plenty," Dante promised her. "I remember appreciating you all night just a few days ago..."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Pffft, just for my body, but what about my mind, huh?" Kathy asked, collecting their plates to bring them into the kitchen. "When was the last time you appreciated my brain? I see. Good enough to fuck, not to marry. My mother warned me about boys like you."

She ducked her head back into the living room. "That was another joke, just to be clear."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Oh trust me, I get it now," Dante called after her.

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Dishes in the sink, Kathy came back out, giving Dante a suspicious look. The only time he let her win was when he was planning something else. "Get it how?"

[rebelseekspizza]

"Everything," Dante sing-songed.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Sounds fake," Kathy declared, folding her arms.

[rebelseekspizza]

"You would say that," Dante said, patting around his pockets for something - anything - he could use.

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"Because I am a speaker of truths and a knower of things," Kathy said sagely. "...What are you doing?"

STILL WITH THE SUSPICION HERE.

[rebelseekspizza]

"Nothing," Dante said, dropping his hands into his lap. "What's next?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"I dunno," Kathy said, coming back over to sit on the couch. "Puppies, I think? Or I could tell you about the fancy strawberry ice cream in the freezer I got for dessert."

[rebelseekspizza]

That was an easy way to get him to perk up. "No, I like the ice cream idea," he said.

He put all silliness on the backburner for that.

[spin_kick_snap]

This was her shocked and surprised face. "Shoo," she said, motioning his to the kitchen. "I know where I rank compared to strawberry anything."

[rebelseekspizza]

"On the same level?" Dante asked, sliding out of his seat to go padding into the kitchen.

[spin_kick_snap]

"I'm willing to accept that so long as I never end up hanging off the edge of a cliff alongside a strawberry shortcake," Kathy snorted.

[rebelseekspizza]

"I mean, I could probably get you both," Dante said, grinning.

[spin_kick_snap]

"I'm still gonna judge you by which one you save first."

[rebelseekspizza]

"I could probably get you both at once?" Dante tried.

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"Still the wrong answer," Kathy sniffed. "You are just murdering the romance tonight."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Next time I'll bring candles," Dante promised. He opened up the freezer and dug around for the ice cream.

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"Pffft, only because you're into wax play," Kathy snorted.

[rebelseekspizza]

"Someone's got the sex shop on the brain, huh?" Dante teased, coming back out with the ice cream and two spoons.

[spin_kick_snap]

"I just figured it was the only way you'd actually have candles," Kathy said, surprised and pleased he'd brought two spoons. Her face softened into a smile.

Sometimes the difference between this Dante and the one she'd known were starker than night and day, for all that they manifested in little details.

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante wasn't sure why she was smiling, but he didn't ask. Instead he held out a spoon for her, and hopped onto the sofa as soon as she'd taken it. "Pffft."