The House in Limbo City, Late Wednesday Afternoon

[not_every_mage]

Anders was cooking dinner for Kathy.

That wasn't exactly an unknown even, but it was still rare enough that he kept double-checking the recipe for tofu tacos as he sliced and seasoned. There was already dish of black beans and a basket of chips and salsa on the table, and plenty of cold beer in the fridge for them both.

He poked at the tofu in the pan one more time, satisfied to see a dark sear forming on the underside, and called up to his girlfriend.

"Dinner looks like it's almost ready!"

[OOC: For the girl, please!]

Comments

[spin_kick_snap]

It was rare enough that Kathy came bounding down the stairs wearing a bright grin anyway. It felt nice to be cooked for, left her feeling loved and appreciated, especially when it involved something complicated enough to involve 'recipes' and 'multiple sides.'

"It smells delicious down here," she called back, bouncing into the kitchen to steal a chip - and also a kiss. "Oh! Did you make guacamole, too? You do love me."

[not_every_mage]

"I do, but will you love me less if I admit I bought the guacamole?" Anders asked, still grinning from that kiss. "I didn't want to mess it up."

He fussily unfolded tortillas to heap them with the filling. He liked the way it felt to have someone to cook for, too; it made him feel protective and giving in the best ways. And Kathy's gratitude made for a nice bonus.

[spin_kick_snap]

"You provided me guacamole and that's all that matters," Kathy assured him, hopping up on a bit of empty counterspace so she could chat with him while he finished up dinner. "The provenance is less important than how much I get to eat."

[not_every_mage]

"I provided you with guacamole," Anders echoed with a nod. "And you can eat almost all of it. I'm going to need to take a little for quality control purposes."

He looked at the plates, tilting his head to the side. "Do you think they have enough of the salad stuff, or do you want more?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"I suppose," Kathy sighed, still on the guacamole. "A little. For quality control."

It was a sign of love she was agreeing to that much, really.

"And - yeah, that's probably good," she added, drawing attention away from her guac to the real question. "If we're still hungry, we can always get more, right?"

[not_every_mage]

"You're too good to me," Anders sighed, about the guacamole, and added a slice of radish to one taco before carrying the plates to the table. "And I think you're right. You don't want to go too crazy with the condiments, anyhow."

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy hopped down, grabbing the beers out of the fridge to put next to the plates. Because why should Anders have to do all the work? There! She'd helped!

"This smells delicious," she told him. "I didn't even know I needed Mexican until you started making dinner but I absolutely did."

[not_every_mage]

"I figured it's usually a safe guess," Anders said modestly. He put one plate at Kathy's seat, and sat down in front of the other. "And tacos are on the short list of things you like that I can make without messing them up. They're like guaranteed happiness."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Truth," Kathy agreed, spooning guac onto her plate as well. "I mean, they're easy, infinitely customizable, and delicious."

She took a bite of one and gave him victory fingers. Good job, boyfriend.

[not_every_mage]

"And they even make tofu taste decent," Anders added, taking a bite of his own. "Mmmmph. It's magic. Taco magic."

[spin_kick_snap]

"The trick to tofu is that it's a sponge," Kathy said, chuckling. "It absorbs the flavor of everything else. If you can actually taste tofu, you're doing it wrong."

Kathy finished off her first taco in several neat bites, then picked up the second. "So, anything new or fun happening with you?" she asked. "How's the clinic?"

[not_every_mage]

"It's good," Anders said, once he'd swallowed the giant bite of taco that had been in his mouth. He helped himself to a spoonful of black beans. "It's starting to feel like I fit in there, like I'm not so new. And I get to meet so many people -- it's like half of Limbo City comes through sooner or later."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Wouldn't be surprised," Kathy said. She swirled a tortilla chip in her guacamole. "Limbo City's pretty dangerous even now. And your clinic is decent, so nobody has to worry that they're gonna wake up in a bathtub full of ice or whatever after visiting."

[not_every_mage]

"That's the big draw," Anders said. "We hardly ever steal organs."

He idly smeared a bit more guacamole on his taco. "There are perks, though. Last night somebody I met at the clinic got me and Dante into that club we went too. We should go back sometime with you."

[spin_kick_snap]

"They should have a plaque with that somewhere," Kathy decided. "You know, to really brag about your general lack of organ theft."

She leaned back, taking a sip of her beer. "Oooh a club? I haven't been to a club in ages. Not since...March, maybe? Of 2017?"

[not_every_mage]

"We could add that we don't take money out of people's wallets while they're unconscious," Anders added. "Just to make us seem even more trustworthy."

To her second statement, he replied, "It's been forever for me, too. But I think I liked that one. The music wasn't terrible and the drinks were good."

[spin_kick_snap]

"I like non-terrible music and good drinks," Kathy said, laughing. "Although...I say sometime, we make Dante push all the furniture to the side, we get dressed up in sexy club clothing, and then we just blast music here in the house." She winked at him. "Saves time getting to the inevitable conclusion."

[not_every_mage]

"I'd like that," Anders nodded. "But it's fun to show the two of you off, too. And I'm not totally done making out in alleys yet."

[spin_kick_snap]

"I hope we never are," Kathy said, her grin filthy and cheerful in equal measure. "And I do still have a lot of dresses that leave very little to the imagination. You know. For better showing off."

[not_every_mage]

"They have these little platforms around the edges of the floor," Anders told her. "I kept thinking about seeing you dancing on one of them. Especially in one of those dresses."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Oooh," Kathy said, looking intrigued at the prospect. "All by myself? Or would I get to pull you guys up with me?"

[not_every_mage]

“I was just imagining you, but it’s not like I’d say no if you wanted to get me up there,” Anders said, sipping thoughtfully on his beer. “You’re just a better dancer.”

[spin_kick_snap]

"It's easier for girls," Kathy said, giving him a little wink. "We have nicer hips to swing."

[not_every_mage]

"And your set is especially nice," Anders told her, winking back. "Nice rear between them, too."

[spin_kick_snap]

"All the better for grinding against you," Kathy said, giving him a flirty wink. "Whether we're dancing or not."