75 Godiva Street, Monday morning

[vdistinctive]

Eliot didn't sleep nearly as much as Parker and Hardison did, so he was pretty used to being up before they were, getting coffee ready and sorting through his fridge for what to make for breakfast. He'd've been perfectly happy to stay in bed and just stare at his partners and make sure they were still there, but whatever the aliens had been using to sustain them all over the week hadn't really been much more than minimal, and Eliot was pretty sure he wasn't the only one who'd be waking up today starving.

He may have stuck comms on everyone so he could still hear them the whole time, though.

It was weird being in his kitchen without Val sitting at his feet in her eternally frustrated hope for scraps (eternally frustrated from him, anyway, he was pretty sure she still did it because Hardison and Parker were sneaking her things), but Kathy had texted the night before to let him know that her little sister had been taking care of the puppy, and that Kathy was going to keep her in the dorms for one more night. Considering how much time he and the others had spent yesterday in constant physical contact, Eliot could guess why Kathy wanted to keep a nice, warm, happy puppy around for the night, so he didn't insist. He was used to getting shot at and nearly killed, after all, and what had happened in that sim --

Eliot's hand spasmed around his knife and he dropped in to the cutting board and stepped back, leaning his weight into his hands on the counter and just breathing through it as the image of Kathy silhouetted in the doorway ran through his head. He kept his head down a moment longer once the scene finished playing out in his memory, then straightened up, stretched his fingers, and got back to chopping.

He'd have to watch out for that for a little while.

[ooc: for those in the house and the one stopping by -- and anyone else who might decide to drop in and visit. Note: linked thread contains violence and simulated death.]

Comments

[vdistinctive]

"That's a good thing, sweetheart. If I have anything to say about it, that'll never be one of your life experiences. What the hell are those squirrels reportin' about me now?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"That you told Hardison that you loved him," Kathy said. "And I'm guessing that's true for Parker, too?"

Because she couldn't see him saying it to one not the other.

[vdistinctive]

"Freakin' squirrels," Eliot grumbled. "Damn right it is. Parker got it earlier, when we were still in the sim. After what I saw -- didn't make sense not to say it anymore."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Why wouldn't you say it?" Kathy asked, puzzled. "I kinda figured you guys had been saying it forever, but the radio made it seem like this was the first time?"

[vdistinctive]

"Yeah, well. I ain't as good at love as I am at war."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Because of what you did? Or used to do, I mean? Being in danger all the time."

[vdistinctive]

"Spent most of my adult life involved in wars one way or another. You can get used to pretty much anything."

[spin_kick_snap]

"I'm sorry," Kathy said, mopping up her plate with the last of her toast. "I'm glad you're getting used to not all that stuff."

She glared at her toast like it had just insulted her honor. "You'd think after all these years, I'd be more used to this kind of stuff."

[vdistinctive]

'All these years'. That was adorable.

"I bet you've gotten used to it a little," Eliot said. "How quick did you go from 'something weird is goin' on' to 'let's figure out how to fix it'?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"No...no, I mean, like, the aftermath." She glanced casually at the stove, trying to see if there was any food left. Food that had already been cooked, rather. She wasn't going to ask Eliot to cook her more just because she was still peckish. "Dealing with it. Sucking it up and moving on. You know, that kind of stuff. I mean, do you know how many times I've died while I've been here? At least, like, three times that I can think of."

That sentence was very normal, yes.

[vdistinctive]

"That kinda thing . . . takes a lot longer to get used to." Eliot saw her looking and brought over the rest of the bacon and hashbrowns, then started prepping to make more. She didn't have to ask for it. "And you may find you don't wanna."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Thanks," she said, feeling a little guilty anyway. That wasn't going to stop her from digging into her breakfast, though. "There's still plenty for everyone, right?"

She just had to check.

"And, no, I mean, who wants to get used to dying, but I could also live without nightmares or insomnia for what amounts to a video game death."

[vdistinctive]

"If there ain't, I'll drag folks to Luke's and the giant freezer," Eliot assured her. "You expectin' a lot of nightmares?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"Already did," Kathy mumbled. "Val's very snuggly when you wake up at night."

[vdistinctive]

"Ah," Eliot said. "Then I'm glad you had her with you. You got a plan for dealin' with it again when you don't have a puppy around? I'm willing to loan her out on occasion, but that ain't really a permanent solution."

Getting her her own puppy might be, though Eliot had a feeling that wouldn't work well with Kathy's future plans.

[spin_kick_snap]

"No, she missed you way too much," Kathy said. "You should have seen her happy, wiggly walk when she realized we were heading home. I'm just going to run around Baltimore a lot until I'm too tired to be worried about stupid dreams. That normally works."

[vdistinctive]

Eliot nodded. "It's always worked for me."

Because pushing yourself until you threw up was totally a healthy way to deal with your demons.

[spin_kick_snap]

"I should be more like you," Kathy said, making excellent life choices all the way around. "Can we add Life Lessons with Eliot to our normal knifework classes?"

[vdistinctive]

Now there was a terrifying thought. "Dunno about making it sound so official," Eliot said. "You know you can talk to me about whatever, though, right?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"I do," Kathy said, giving him a soft smile. "And I appreciate it."

"...Does that include advice about boys?"

Now she was just messing with him.

[vdistinctive]

"Why, you plannin' on going on any more knife-throwing dates?" Eliot teased back. "Should talk to my sister before you commit to that. I used to terrorize her boyfriends."

[spin_kick_snap]

"I should have known that I couldn't out-brat you," Kathy mumbled, turning red. She was bad at out-bratting anyone. "No, thanks, I'm good."

[vdistinctive]

Eliot laughed. "I got years of practice on ya, darlin'. Just ask Hardison."