Apartment Above Lukes, Christmas Day

[spin_kick_snap]

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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"Am I slipping?" Kathy asked, just as quiet.

She needed to know how it felt from his side.

[rebelseekspizza]

"I don't know," Dante said, still fingers beginning to move across her hair. "Know I'm working my ass off to keep a hold of you, though."

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Kathy nodded. "I know you are," she said. "I hate how far you are sometimes but I never feel like it's...an unbridgeable distance. I don't feel like we're growing apart."

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"I worry about it," Dante admitted. "Every morning you leave sucks ass."

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"Yeah it does," Kathy nodded. "In a way though, I'm glad it does. Because I don't want leaving to get easy."

If anything, she wanted it to get harder and harder until one day she couldn't bring herself to go.

[rebelseekspizza]

"No," Dante said, and hugged her tighter. "But... yeah, I get it."

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"It's getting harder to leave," Kathy said quietly. "I'm not just saying that because I'm sad or anything. It is."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Harder to leave Limbo City?" Dante asked softly.

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Kathy nodded. "I still don't like it," she admitted, a little helplessly. "But it's becoming more and more a part of my life. My therapist is there, Ronin's vet, the two of you, the prox--"

She paused, not quite ready to talk about that other thing; the admission papers in a folder, waiting for her to make a decision (or not make a decision, which was still making a decision). She didn't want to dangle the hope in front of them if she decided not to go.

On the other hand, she was glad she had them already and they were dated for two days before their birthday, because it was proof she wasn't just doing it out of a fear of being left behind.

[rebelseekspizza]

"The prox...?" Dante asked, but there was an implicit 'I'll drop it if you want me to' in his tone.

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Kathy frowned. "Would you rather know about something sooner and possibly be disappointed, or not know anything at all and possibly be happily surprised?"

[rebelseekspizza]

"Whichever suits you," Dante said. "Don't wanna push."

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Kathy smiled. "Your desire not to push sometimes meshes oddly with my indecision."

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante smiled. "Keep your secrets," he said, kissing her gently. "Don't wanna set you up for a shitty 'so about that thing I said...' conversation later."

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Kathy smiled and kissed him. She had to send in her answer by the 31st, which was a pretty handy time to make changes - or not - as it was. "You're pretty smart," she said, kissing him back. "I ever tell you that?"

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Dante laughed softly. "A lot," he said. "But maybe I'm just looking out for me this time."

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"That's fair," Kathy said, since it was. Especially if she tipped over the other way. She didn't want to disappoint him. Or worse, have to look at him, shrug, and watch the excitement fade from his eyes. "More than fair."

She cupped his face with her hands and kissed him again, achingly sweet and slow.

"Do you know how fucking much I love you?" she asked.

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"You've told me once or twice," Dante teased gently, but he was smiling.

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"Somehow still three more times than you deserve," Kathy teased back, catching his bottom lip between her teeth. "Unrepentant brat."

[rebelseekspizza]

"Love you too, Kat," Dante said, and deepened the kiss.

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Kathy tasted like peppermint and chocolate, courtesy of the cocoa she'd finished just before Dante had come downstairs. Her mouth parted easily for him at the same times her arms tightened.

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante took advantage of the space he was giving, sliding his tongue between her lips. Made it leisurely, but not innocent, his hands sliding idly under the blanket.

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Kathy leaned into him, nipples perking beneath her thin pajama top. The skin of his chest was soft beneath her hands, though the muscles were firm as ever. Her fingertips brushed over him softly and her mouth yielded to his.

Sometimes she just liked offering whatever she had and seeing how much Dante would take.

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante's fingers slid along the fabric until he found her, small bumps pressing against his fingers. He cupped her breasts over the fabric and nipped gently at her bottom lip.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Trying to figure out if this means I've been naughty or nice all year," Kathy breathed. "Can I sit on your lap and tell you what I want?"

There was no moment too romantic for Kathy to ruin with stupid jokes.