Overland Park, KS, October 1st

[vanillajello]

October 1st, 2011. Kate's 18th birthday.

Again.

Also, November 1st, 2011. Bod's 18th birthday.

Interdimensional time differences were a pain in the ass, but occasionally they produced fun coincidences like a once-in-a-lifetime joint birthday, and that was why Bod had been invited over to Kansas today.

There'd been much cheer earlier from the Gregsons and their assorted posse, and there'd more family partying later, probably (in her honor, not his). But for now, the outsiders had cleared off to do other stuff, mostly to give Kate and Bod some time alone, and so alone they were, in the kitchen of Charmaine's house, with a birthday cake that was missing whatever pieces her family had already eaten. And Kate was currently adding '+ Bod' at the end of the original 'Happy Birthday Kate' in icing. "Look, I'm making you a birthday cake!"

[ooc: NFB, and for the boooy and some truly epic SP.]

Comments

[vanillajello]

"Well... There's this program that sends young people like me all over the world, you know, to teach English." She chewed on her lip a little, and realized she was nervous about sharing this idea with him. Just a little. "I... kinda want to do that. In Japan."

[therewaslife]

"Japan." Well, that was...some big news. He blinked. "Oh. Well, that's quite...ambitious."

[vanillajello]

"I know, right?" She exhaled a little laugh, betraying just a small bit of those nerves. "It'd just be for like, six months or something. I think it could be really great for me."

[therewaslife]

"I'm sure you could make it great for you," Bod said, trying to be the encouraging and accepting boyfriend even if this news made him selfishly sad.

[vanillajello]

"And I know I could handle it," Kate added, then paused. to tilt her head and watch his face. "So, uh... How's this sounding to you?"

[therewaslife]

"It's fine," he said automatically, nodding. "You're excited about it and that's all I need to hear. If you want to do this, you should do it."

[vanillajello]

"Okay, good," Kate decided, nodding back at him. "I mean, portals still work in Japan, so from your perspective, I don't know how different it would even be."

[therewaslife]

Bod already knew it would be radically different but he wasn't going to say that out loud when she seemed to be excited about this.

"Right." This hadn't been the best news to get on his birthday but he was a professional at dealing with things. "I'm not worried."

[vanillajello]

Kate couldn't help her eyebrows briefly dipping into a frown. "I mean, it's nowhere near decided yet," she shrugged. "But I've been thinking about it for like a week now, and it just... I just don't want to feel like I'm getting stuck in Kansas, now."

[therewaslife]

"You don't have to explain anything to me," Bod said, shaking his head. "You don't need to rationalize things to me. If you want to do this, you should do this. I'm behind you completely."

[...it helps to press submit.]

[vanillajello]

Kate reached up for another kiss, then went to rest her head against his shoulder. "Thank you," she said. "Because I really feel like I want to do this."

[therewaslife]

"Then, you should do it," Bod said, nodding. He'd be sad on his own time. "If you want to do it, do it. You shouldn't let anything stop you."

[vanillajello]

"I'm not going to." Well, that was probably a lie. She knew there were probably things that could stop her, but she was choosing to ignore those for the time being. She gave him a little squeeze. "I love you, Nobody Owens."

[therewaslife]

"I love you too," he said quietly, peering down at her. "I will love you even when you're in Japan too."

[vanillajello]

"I know," she murmured. "And Japan won't be the end of the world, I promise."

[therewaslife]

"I never said it would," he answered quietly. "You don't need to rationalize and explain this to me. It's your choice, Kate."

[vanillajello]

"I still need to finagle some money out of my parents, anyway," she replied, shrugging a shoulder before softly kissing his neck. "I don't have enough for the flight. We'll see how things go."

[therewaslife]

"I can help you with that, if need be," Bod offered, seeing no reason not to offer. "If you want my help, I've money to lend. I wouldn't mind either."

[vanillajello]

"Thank you," Kate sighed. "I'm short 800 bucks, so I'm gonna try with the parentals first, but I'll keep you in mind if they say no. Which I don't think they will."

Oh, Kate.

[therewaslife]

Yes, Bod wasn't exactly sure she was thinking correctly there. He figured her parents wouldn't say yes to that but he kept it to himself. He still felt some sadness about this but he pushed it down and tried not to think about it right now.

He didn't say anything because he didn't have anything else to say at the moment.

[vanillajello]

And Kate was quiet for a while, just thinking about Japan and her possible adventures and how weird it would be to be out there, alone.

Then she pulled back enough to quirk a little smile at him. "So, eighteen, hmm? Do you have any plans for this new status in life?"

[therewaslife]

"I don't, no," he admitted with a shake of his head. "I was thinking of it as just another age, honestly. Should I have plans?"

[vanillajello]

"No," she assured him. "I mean, you could have, if you wanted to. But it's not mandatory, you can just keep... winging it, like you have."

[therewaslife]

"It seems like that would be the easiest thing to do," Bod decided, nodding. "I don't have any plans and I don't feel all that different either. I don't feel older. I'm more glad to be here than to be having a birthday."

[vanillajello]

"Well that's good, because here, you're technically not having a birthday," kate pointed out with a chuckle. "Here this day's allll about moi."