Overland Park, KS, Saturday Afternoon

[vanillajello]

Kate was nervous. And she thought she had every damn right to be. This was actually the first time ever she'd brought a boyfriend home to be introduced to her parents. (As always, Leto didn't count. They hadn't even kissed before he came home with her.) And that was just... Weird. It felt weird.

And anyway, in her mind, they were here more to get a break from Fandom. Not to make official introductions. But it was still a little terrifying, even if she wasn't really showing it.

They'd taken a bus from the airport and walked the rest of the way since it wasn't far from the bus stop, and Kate thought she could use the extra time to remind Bod of what he wasn't supposed to talk about. And to prepare herself for everything.

The first thing she noticed after they got to her house was that her dad's pick-up truck wasn't parked outside. Neither was The Green Hornet, her mom's car. But she was too nervous to think about what that might mean.

"So. That's my house," she said, nodding at the house and flashing a smile at Bod as she stopped to stand by the green mailbox, which had a few painted flowers on it and said 'The Gregsons' in Tara's handwriting. "Welcome to Oak Avenue."

[ooc: For that guy I modded a bit just now. NFB due to distance.]

Comments

[therewaslife]

"Very different," he agreed and leaned forward over her shoulder to trace her jaw with his lips, warm her skin with his breath. Whatever she was forgetting was completely all his fault. He'd take the blame this time.

"And we couldn't solve that frustration like we usually do," he said, lowering his voice. "Though, I think I could cuddle up behind you, cradle you with my body and tell you that I love you. That'd be a good relaxation technique."

[vanillajello]

"A very good technique," she replied, when there was the sound of a door opening and closing elsewhere in the house. She didn't hear it. "I think I'd really like to try that."

She would love it. Even if he was a distracting dumb boy who was probably dooming them right now.

[therewaslife]

"I think I can help you with that," he decided, pushing some of her hair aside so he could slide his lips across more of her neck.

"I think there's probably a few spots on your legs, maybe the small of your back that I haven't kissed yet," he said, circling back to that. "I'll have to see about that. Maybe I'll even take some notes just so I don't miss those areas again."

[vanillajello]

Kate chuckled quietly. "Well, it doesn't hurt to be thorough," she said. "Too bad you probably can't write any notes on my skin while we're here. Except maybe if you were really careful in choosing a spot."

[therewaslife]

"I probably shouldn't take the chance," he replied though he'd definitely started thinking about it. He moved his lips up and down her neck slowly, lazily. Just touching her to touch her.

Dooming them because he was completely dumb.

"I'll spell out things with my fingers," he decided instead. "I'll write my name on your back. I'll draw hearts on your stomach. I'll spell out Latin words on your shoulders and write 'love' up and down your arms."

[vanillajello]

So, so dumb. And she was going to claim it was all his dumbness that was eventually going to get them in trouble.

Nevermind how dumb she was being.

She sighed again, leaning back against him more, greedy for the warmth and comfort, the weird sense of safety she got from her back pressing against his chest. "Very thorough," she said again. "I think that'll make me feel very loved."

[therewaslife]

So much trouble. It was just fitting, wasn't it? They couldn't be normal. And they apparently couldn't keep their hands off each other in what they hoped was privacy.

Since she was leaning back, he was going to wrap his other arm around her again, pulling her tightly back against him, chest to back. His lips found the back of her neck and then the other shoulder and cheek.

"You are very loved," he said sincerely. "I love you very much. And even though I won't be able to show you completely, you should know that I'll want to. And I might even dream about it. Which means I'll wake up...a little awkwardly but I don't think you'll mind."

[vanillajello]

"No, I don't think I will," she snickered. "It'll be flattering." A pause, a smirk. "And who knows, if you can keep very, very quiet, you might even get one of your fantasies..."

She... should probably stop talking. Like, right now.

[therewaslife]

"Oh?"

Oh. Bod wasn't going to help her with being quiet. Not when she'd just dropped that little tidbit.

"Which one would that be?" He knew what it was, he just wanted to hear her say it. He wasn't even thinking about the certain doom that was just going to bring. "I can be very, very quiet."

[vanillajello]

She smirked some more, giving him a sideways glance, not that he could see either. "The one where I wake you up with my mouth," she said. "And I can't talk."

Ironically, if they hadn't been talking right now, they could've maybe heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Maybe.

[therewaslife]

It was Bod's turn to shiver. He laughed against her neck and held her a little tighter. "I would love for you to fulfill that fantasy of mine. I can almost feel your lips now."

At least Bod's last possible moments on Earth were good ones.

"And who knows, if I'm sleeping behind you, that leaves my arms free," he said quietly. "If you could be quiet, I'll let you enjoy my magic fingers."

[vanillajello]

"Ooh," Kate snickered, a little too loudly (or it probably would feel that way in hindsight, in just a moment). "Of course I'll be quiet for your magic fingers."

...

The problem with the Gregsons was that they didn't seem to remember to knock. Which would be why Kate's father was just barging in, with a fairly cheerful call of "Okay, who wants Indian food?" that turned into an "Oh" once it registered what he was seeing.

Which, right now, was Kate hastily pushing away from Bod, as if that helped at all.

[therewaslife]

Bod didn't register what had happened as quickly as Kate so he stumbled backwards when she started pushing away from him. When he did realize that it was her father in the room now, he almost wished she'd pushed him out the window.

The blush came back furiously and he was fairly sure he looked like a tomato right about now. Maybe he'd choke on his tongue and pass out. Maybe he'd just...

Bod blinked and swallowed a few times. His wrists were so going to get broken.

[vanillajello]

Somehow, it seems like pertinent information that Max Gregson was a pretty big guy. Six foot five, actually.

Six foot five and looming in the doorway, looking like he wasn't quite certain how to react to this, but he definitely didn't like it.

"Okay," he said. "Are you Bod?"

If Kate hadn't been so utterly startled by this whole situation, she would've had a snappy comeback to that. Probably something about whether he was trying to suggest she'd have some other random dude in her room when her boyfriend was visiting.

But she had absolutely nothing right now.

[therewaslife]

Bod really, really wished he wasn't right about now. And he really, really wished Kate would have told him her father was A GIANT.

He'd been asked a question which meant he had to answer. That meant words. Words.

"Yes, sir," he finally stammered, forcing himself not to look at Kate like he thought that might make things worse. "I'm Bod. Owens. Bod Owens. Um. From England."

There was no reason to say all of that but he couldn't help it.

[vanillajello]

"That's my dad," Kate said, helpfully. In case Bod hadn't figured that one out yet. She was sure he was totally red right now, but she wasn't looking at him, either.

"Yeah," Max said. "Max Gregson. From Kansas."

He might have been making fun of the boy. He took a step closer, offering Bod his hand a little stiffly. Still didn't look too happy.

[And I sleep! Night!]

[therewaslife]

No, he didn't look too happy at all and Bod hesitated a bit because he thought Mr. Gregson make take advantage of the grip and throw him out the window.

"Hullo, sir," Bod finally said, taking the offered hand and trying to manage a grip that wasn't weak and limp. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for letting me visit."

[Sleep well! Night!]

[vanillajello]

Max's handshake was firm but brisk. At least he didn't throw Bod out the window. He might have been thinking about doing it, but he didn't. So that was something.

"Well, any friend of Kate's is welcome here."

At least until the point they were found wrapped around her. Too bad for Bod.

Max said nothing to continue that, just eyed both of them wearily. And Kate? Kate was at a loss for words because she felt like whatever she might say would escalate the situation.

[therewaslife]

Too bad, indeed. He hadn't even been in Kansas that long and he already had caused trouble by being unable to keep his hands to himself. And now there was an uncomfortable silence to deal with and it felt like he was supposed to say something.

"Your house is very nice, sir." All right, maybe that wasn't the best thing to say but he felt the need to say something. Bringing more attention to the situation at hand didn't seem logical, Kate was acting like she'd lost her voice so he said the first thing that came to mind.

[vanillajello]

"We just redecorated it," Max said, not terribly impressed by Bod's choice of comment but letting it slide. He could've said worse things. "Most of it."

There was a random spot of white paint on Kate's wall right by the door, where someone had painted over the original pink. They'd get to actually painting the room sometime later. Maybe.

Kate got her voice back after yet another short but awkward silence. "Um, did you say something about food?"

"Yeah," Max said. "Indian. Downstairs. If you want."

[therewaslife]

Oh, Bod was sincerely thinking about climbing out of Kate's window and making a quick escape. Where she'd found her voice, he didn't know what else to say. The damage had been fairly well done and he thought further words from him would exacerbate that.

He did jam his hands into pockets like he'd never take them out again and glanced over at Kate for the first time since her father had arrived. He was just...going to follow her lead.

And probably get blamed for that too.

[vanillajello]

Kate glanced back at him, quickly, like she wasn't supposed to be doing that, before nodding a few times at her dad.

"Uh huh. We'll be right down." Pause. "Food, yay."

Oh look, someone was trying too hard.

Max looked from one to the other, then shook his head and shrugged. "Okay," he said, turning to leave, but before he did... "Kate? A word, later."

And with those ominous words, he exited. Kate felt like collapsing.

[therewaslife]

"Um."

And that was the only word that Bod could seemingly get out. He was almost afraid to move, like someone bigger than even her father would show up at the door if he did.

"Uh."

Well, there was another word. He desperately wanted to say something to soothe things over but that was probably impossible.

[vanillajello]

Highly improbable, at least.

"So," Kate said, bringing her hands together in front of her, not really knowing what to do with herself. "That was my dad."

[therewaslife]

"So, I'd guessed," he said, nodding and rocking back and forth on his feet. "He's rather..."

Hm. What was a good word to use here, Bod wondered.

"Tall."