Apartment Above Lukes, Christmas Day

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Kathy had gone slightly less Christmas!Kathy this year, in part because her apartment was smaller. But there was a tree - the largest she could fit in her apartment - and decorations up everywhere that wasn't low enough for Ronin's tail to knock over. Most of the tree was covered in decorations she'd bought last year, but on the front were two very important ornaments, a half-burned clay pine tree, clumsy and made by a child, and six delicate metal fans knotted on a length of fishing wire.

There were Christmas carols playing softly through speakers, cookies and cocoa (and stuff to spike it with) on platters on the table, and presents waiting to be unwrapped under the tree. But, more importantly for the moment, there was a blanket on the couch and a dog looking for cuddles, and a moment of peace during the hectic holidays was a gift not to be squandered.

[Open for holiday guests]

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"Oh fuck, you're already awake," Dante mumbled. He walked out of the bedroom wearing little more than his jeans, stretching and yawning.

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"Was I not supposed to be?" Kathy asked, looking up with a smile.

Aww. He'd put on pants.

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"Coulda stayed in bed for like... another six hours," Dante said. He managed to make it all the way to the couch before collapsing. Score one for him.

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"It's Christmas, Dante," Kathy chuckled softly. "I'm not sleeping all of Christmas away."

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"Why not?" Dante said. "Plenty of Christmas left in the evening."

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"But Dante, aren't you excited to see what Santa left you under the tree?" Kathy teased.

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"I keep telling you, we should just leave the gifts under the bed," Dante said.

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"What, in a hidden drawer?" Kathy asked, winking at him.

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Dante pulled a face, looking scandalized. "Hide the toys? Fuck, Kathy."

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"It's just what I think of when you talk about keeping things under the bed!" Kathy protested, giggling.

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"I just mean keeping 'em in easy reach, god," Dante said, fingers sliding onto her ribs.

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"If you tickle me, I swear to god I will give all your presents to charity," Kathy threatened.

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"Liar," Dante said, but he kept his touch gentle. "You been up to anything while we were asleep?"

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Kathy shook her head. "Just made coffee and cocoa," she said, "and fed Ronin his breakfast."

He was getting steak for dinner because it was Christmas, but breakfast was still kibble. "Just enjoying the quiet, I guess. Admiring the tree and kind of...thinking. About stuff."

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Dante put his head down on the sofa cushions, not far from hers, and looked at her to signal his full attention. "Stuff?"

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"What's coming next," Kathy said. "...Raven moved out. Officially. Off the island and everything. And I think Dad's getting restless."

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"Think he's gonna leave too?" Dante asked quietly.

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Kathy nodded. "Not right away," she said, biting her lip. "But I think within the next few years, definitely. And Alluka and Ringo are graduating...Everyone is leaving."

But more than that, everyone was moving forward.

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Dante didn't need to voice what he thought she was thinking. He reached to pull her into him instead, wrapping his arms around her body.

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"And I know it's not personal. Nobody's choosing other things over me...but it still kinda feels that way," Kathy murmured against his chest. "Like maybe if I were better or smarter or kinder or...whatever, people would want to stay."

And she knew that was ridiculous, that no one was going to organize their lives around where she was and to even think that anyone would was the height of egotistical. But...feelings were still feelings.

Feelings were also dumb.

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"You can't be anything other than you, and people love you," Dante said softly, pressing a kiss against her hair. "You're already better and smarter and kinder."

He didn't know what else to say. He'd left, too.

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And hadn't he felt similarly when she hadn't come along?

"I frequently wish I were other things other than me," Kathy said wryly. Ronin, twigging to something in her voice or body language or emotions or something, came over to stand by the couch, laying his head on her knee.

"Do you ever feel like the things that matter most keep slipping through your fingers, no matter how hard you try?"

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No, Dante wanted to answer.

But something in him ached.

"Twice," he said.

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"Twi--?" It took Kathy a second. "Oh."

And now she felt like an asshole, comparing this to Dante losing his twin.

"I'm sorry."

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Dante kissed her hair again. "You're one of them," he said softly.