Room 322, Wednesday Afternoon

[not_every_mage]

This was something new for Anders.

This very clean side of the room (not that he had much to be messy with, truth be told), this fussed-over hair and carefully selected shirt -- he'd never had to do any of it in the Circle. In the Circle things like this went faster, and much more direct. Move too slow, and Templars were more likely to notice and intervene.

All this fussing was silly, he realized. He wasn't even completely certain this was about more than friendship. But that didn't stop him from letting down his ponytail, tying it back up,and then changing his mind and brushing it over his neck again as he waited for Kathy to arrive and put into motion their movie plans.

[OOC: For one, please!]

Comments

[spin_kick_snap]

"Oh no, nothing like that!" Kathy assured him. "And she's the only one who can talk sense into Ferrite Guy. He needs to be pushed around a little so he doesn't forget to occasionally act like a person."

That little segue aside, she continued, "I don't think you're hard to her along with at all. It sounds like you were in a really awful situation. I just don't want to be nosy or make you talk about it if you'd rather not. That's all."

She inched a bit closer, too. "For what it's worth, while I don't think that anyone should be treated the way it sounds like your home treats mages, but that goes extra for you, okay?"

[not_every_mage]

"I appreciate that," Anders said, and brought up a hand to brush it over Kathy's hair. "And I don't mind talking about mage oppression at all."

Rather the contrary, in fact.

"I just honestly don't know what I'll do after graduation. For that matter, I don't even know if I can go home if I want to, so the entire discussion may be moot."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Whether you can or not, there's nothing wrong with thinking about it anyway," Kathy pointed out. "You might feel less, like, stuck if you have a plan in mind when you find out you can't."

She smiled, running a hand through her hair. "I mean, nothing says you have to decide this minute or anything. But it might not be a bad idea for you to think about while you're here."

[not_every_mage]

"And again you have an excellent point," Anders conceded. He let his fingers brush hers before he withdrew his hand, smiling in a way that might uncharitably be described as doofy. "What's it like here? I mean, off the island. Does anyone have magic where you're from?"

[spin_kick_snap]

Doofy was pretty accurate--but at least he wasn't alone. Kathy's answering smile was fairly high on the 'shyly dorky' scale as it was.

"No," Kathy said, shaking her head. And then she reconsidered. "Not exactly? I mean, I don't think so. Except sorta?"

That cleared things right up.

"The easiest answer is no, I guess. Most people don't believe in magic. It exists strictly in movies, fantasy novels, and stage magicians which is all sleight of hand and misdirection anyway. And most people who do believe in magic are New Age-y Wiccan types, who believe in, like, old gods and Mother Earth and stuff. I can't really say for sure about them, but..." Her expression was dubious. Politely dubious, because Wicca was a religion and Kathy tried to be accepting of all non-cult, non-hater religions (she lived in LA, so she did have a special distaste to Scientology, but that was neither here nor there), but still dubious.

"However, my version of the world, people with powers have started showing up. It's more meta, Y-People stuff than proper magic, but stuff like being able to fly and breathe fire is just as fantastical to the people of my world as the idea of slinging spells and mixing up potions."

[not_every_mage]

Old gods and Mother Earth: Anders had read a bit about those things at the Magic Box. It all seemed slightly daft to him, and he was glad to see from Kathy's expression that his reaction was the common one.

But that wasn't the most interesting thing she'd said.

"They just started showing up?" Anders asked, leaning back on an elbow. "How does that work? Are they slipping through from some other dimension, or something equally fantastic?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"No one's entirely sure. And the answer might be different for everyone," Kathy said before shyly admitting, "I'm definitely from this dimension, though."

She lowered her eyes and smiled. "So that's at least one who isn't."

[not_every_mage]

"You?" Anders squinted at her, trying to gauge what she meant for a moment before his smile broke into one of delight. "You've been holding out on me, haven't you? I know you said in apocalypse class that you were fast, but I didn't know you meant -- what exactly do you mean?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"I...I have powers," Kathy said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "I wouldn't say I have magic or anything like that. But, like you said, I'm fast. I can run about a mile in over a little more than a minute. And I, well, bounce."

She had yet to figure out a way to make that sound intimidating.

[not_every_mage]

"You bounce," Anders repeated, halfway between mocking and astonished. "So if I pushed you off a roof -- not that I'm going to -- you'd rebound?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"I'm not sure," Kathy admitted. "I'm a little wary of just flinging myself off of something high, but probably? It's more...I'm a perpetual motion machine. Enhanced agility, flexibility, stamina, and reflexes. So it's more like if you pushed me off the roof, I'd find four or five things to catch and fling myself back up into the air to land behind you so we can discuss why you think it's okay to go around shoving people."

She gave it a little more thought. "I could probably fall, like, if I were knocked off of something, but I don't think I've tripped or lost my balance since I developed."

[not_every_mage]

"I'd trade magic for that," Anders aid admiringly. "Or -- well, I wouldn't, but I'd have to think about it. That's impressive."

[spin_kick_snap]

"It's fun," Kathy said with a small laugh. "And sometimes it makes me wish I were slightly less decent as a person. Do you know how many gymnastics tournaments I could win like this, Anders? All of them."

[not_every_mage]

"Probably a lot of bar bets, too," Anders speculated. "I'm sure there are better uses, but you have to have some fun with it."

[spin_kick_snap]

"How many bar bets could be made over stuff I can do?" Kathy asked, thus proving she'd never been in a bar in her life. "You mean, like, a race? Or whether or not I can wrap my leg around my head?"

[not_every_mage]

It was a pity Anders choked on popcorn at the thought of Kathy putting her leg around her head and went into a coughing fit. He didn't look very suave that way.

Red-faced, he said -- as if nothing had happened -- "Like that. Or how long can you run in place, can you jump over something without getting hurt. Things like that."

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy was more than happy to clap Anders on the back a few times to help him stop coughing. "You okay?" she checked. "Something go down the wrong tube? I can get you another drink if you want."

Sorry, Anders' pride. Kathy was bad at this game.

[not_every_mage]

"No, no, I'm fine," Anders said sheepishly. "But warn me if you're going to talk about putting your leg over your head again."

[spin_kick_snap]

"What? I--oh." Kathy blushed; she might not have any personal experience, but the internet existed. She knew exactly what Anders meant.

"For the sake of your continued breathing, I should probably not offer to demonstrate, huh?"

[not_every_mage]

"Not if you want us to ever find out whether Ferrite Guy saves the day," Anders agreed. "Are you terribly disappointed to lose the chance to show off?"

[spin_kick_snap]

Blushing. Kathy was so blushing right now. "I'll live," she said quickly. "It loses something when you're obviously showing off. I'll wait until you're least expecting it or something."

[not_every_mage]

"And I'll try not to choke on anything when you do," Anders said, tilting his head at her. he decided he liked her blushes. Kathy? What would you do if I tried to kiss you?"

He hoped his tone made it clear that the kiss would be a nice bonus, not the ruiner of his night either way.

[spin_kick_snap]

It was a very good thing he'd deciding that he liked her blushes. With a question like that, they weren't going to be going anywhere for awhile.

"Probably do my best not to flail so I didn't hit you in the eye or something?" she answered honestly. "And worry that my complete lack of, umm, kissing experience will show and ruin everything?"

The only kisses she'd ever shared had happened while she was someone completely different. She was pretty sure that didn't count.

[not_every_mage]

Anders laughed.

"Unless you throw up on me, I don't think you're going to ruin everything," he said. "Though now I'm going to worry I might taint kissing for you, and I wouldn't want to do that."

His tone was light, but he halfway meant it. He didn't want to kiss her casually if she was saving kisses for a more involved relationship. But if it was just a question of lack of opportunity ...

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy turned bright red. She wasn't saving kisses, no. She just hadn't really had the opportunity to share any that weren't under the influence of Fandom weirdness.

"I don't think you'd taint anything!" she said quickly. "I mean, umm, probably not? You don't feel like throwing up, either, do you?"