Overland Park, KS, A Morning in May [Wednesday Fandom Time]

[vanillajello]

The stupid thing about going to Kansas was that time was much slower. Kate was painfully aware that while she'd already been gone from Fandom over two days, it had barely been 18 hours for her. Still, after a night at home, she was just about starting to feel a little less raw. The general nausea had abated, at least, as had the panic.

The guilt, however irrational she knew it to be, would probably stay for a while.

Stretching out on her bed, Kate reached to get her phone from the nightstand, then turned it on. For a moment, she thought about making a call – to Bod, to Jack, to Mitchell, to Hannibal, to anyone – but she decided against it, unable to really decide what it was she wanted to say to any one of them. (Except maybe Hannibal. There was a certain amount of I get it now present.) She put the phone down on the bed next to her.

She'd be available now; that'd have to be enough.

[ooc: NFB, but open for phone calls and texts! Whoo, taking advantage of my 1,5 days at home.]

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[vanillajello]

"Can you promise that?" she wondered quietly, curling her fingers into his shirt at his sides. "I think I broke Nathan's nose. Scully almost shot me for good reason. I --"

Okay, she wasn't even going to say the last few things.

[therewaslife]

"I promise," he said and really did believe it. "You had a bad weekend. It's over now and you're coping with the aftermath. But it will pass and you will feel better. I promise."

[vanillajello]

"You promise," she echoed, now snagging a light little kiss of her own from him. "I guess that's good enough for me."

[therewaslife]

"I promise and I plan on keeping this promise," Bod assured her and decided he wanted another kiss and he wanted it to linger a little longer than their other kisses.

[vanillajello]

Kate was more than fine with that. She could easily linger in a kiss with him, just as she could easily use the hold she had on his shirt to pull him closer, or to keep him close, or something to that effect.

If she was craving love and affection, she thought she was more than allowed.

[therewaslife]

She was more than welcome to crave love and affection. He could give her love and affection too. He could kiss her just the slightest bit harder, trying to make sure they didn't get carried away without their heads on straight.

[vanillajello]

Kate... really didn't think she was likely to get carried away today. She was still feeling too highly strung for that, too skittish to just let go. As if the vampire could still be lurking.

The feeling didn't stop her from enjoying this and enjoying him, though. No, she could respond to his kiss in kind and let it warm her.

[therewaslife]

Bod eased off the kiss after a few moments and just pulled her into another tight hug. He kissed her cheek and temple and whispered soothing words of nonsense and support in her ear just to keep her grounded in the here and now.

[vanillajello]

Kate sighed, but it wasn't sad. It was just, well, it was just something. She kept clutching his shirt and let herself be hugged, and made them sway just a bit, just to make it a bit lighter before she'd end up crying again.

[therewaslife]

"Did you want to dance with me now?" he asked, going easily with that swaying while he whispered the words in her ear.

[vanillajello]

Kate huffed out a quiet laugh. "Maybe."

[therewaslife]

"There's no music," he pointed out though that didn't stop him from continuing to sway. "Does that mean you're going to swing for me?"

[vanillajello]

"I don't think we need music," she teased quietly. "Do you think we need music?"

[therewaslife]

"Probably not," he whispered, smiling at her. "I think we've danced together enough to not need anything but each other. Does that mean you'd like to dance with me?"

[vanillajello]

Kate nodded. "Yes," she said, finally untangling her fingers from his shirt. "You came all the way from Fandom. We should dance."

Was that logical? She didn't care.

[therewaslife]

"Then, let's dance," Bod said, reaching for her hand to get into a better dancing position. "I think having d dance in your bedroom in Kansas is just what I want to do today."

[vanillajello]

"You're a man of very simple pleasures, aren't you, Nobody Owens?" Kate teased, letting him take her hand as she put the other one on his shoulder.

[therewaslife]

"Sometimes, the simplest things are the most rewarding," Bod decided, starting them into a slow, lazy sway now. "Right now, getting to see you and touch you, getting to enjoy your face and your touch and getting to do something as simple as dancing with you is all I want."

[vanillajello]

"Well, I appreciate it," Kate replied, smiling a little bit as she swayed with him. "If I can make you happy with so little, I'm glad."

[therewaslife]

"You can make me happy just by being who you are, Kate," Bod assured her. "So, I'd like to tell you something I don't think I've ever told you. I'd like to tell you when I fell in love with you. Would you like to hear it?"

[vanillajello]

That got Kate's smile to widen some just with sheer anticipation. "Yes please." Duh. She was greedy for good things.

[therewaslife]

"It was that day that you came to see me after your kids from another universe departed," Bod shared quietly. "The first time, of course. When things were still new and you came to my room and climbed into bed with me and we had a good morning and an awkward morning. You said to make no big declarations and I wouldn't have but thinking back, it started there."

[vanillajello]

Excuse Kate for snickering. It was a good thing, honest! "So... In one way of looking at it, you started falling in love with me when I told you not to tell me you had?"

[therewaslife]

"Yes," Bod said, nodding. "Yes, indeed. It was a combination of everything that happened before, knowing that you were there just to be with me, just to have a quiet morning and that you were you vulnerable enough to admit that you were scared of that. And yes, you were scared of that so don't try to argue with me on that."

[vanillajello]

Kate wasn't even going to try. "Well, I once had someone fall for me over a random hook-up," she said instead. "It kinda leaves a mark."