[His kitchen is completely at her disposal, and at least there is actually coffee there to make.]
How the fuck would they even get a picture like that? [he snaps. Okay so that part is clear from the get-go. And, to be fair, Juno in the picture is about 20 years younger than the one standing in front of Kathryn now.]
Yeah, of course I do, [he says with a quieter sigh. Juno leans on the counter and just kind of pays attention while Kathryn makes what she wants to make.]
It's from the day I decided to put on the wedding dress I was never going to get married in and get wasted.
I mean most people are too polite--of course they have.
[There's not a lot of venom behind it, just the rawness of a wound exposed. He wants to be better at this, but he's still reactive. He bites less these days.]
[There's almost an instant shift in his demeanor. Still somewhat guarded, but sliding from fuck my life to I can be useful. He wants to be useful. God he needs to be useful.]
[ Well. That makes asking for things when she'd rather be useful easier. A little easier, anyway. ]
My dominant disappeared. I was never living with her, but I was using her apartment - among others - to shower and sleep occasionally. And to keep a weapon I do not want to have in Down Housing.
Okay so... what is the actual favor? [He hasn't had that much to drink, okay? Kathryn could be asking for any one of those things or a combination. Juno shifts his weight against the counter and accepts the coffee when she offers him a mug.]
Do you just need a place to stash things, shower, and sleep? Or do you need the other thing?
[She's awful at it. Juno would be, too. He can protect her more - legally - if they're contracted, but he also understands not wanting to ask for that, so he resists the urge say that.]
Yeah, sure.
[That easy.]
My submissive disappeared... again. So I've got the room. How easy to you want access to that phaser to be, by the way?
I've been here for months and only used it once and for target practice at that. I'd more concerned it not be accessible to anyone else than having access myself.
Okay, done. I'll keep it with mine. [And he will not mention where that is right now. Now that he's thinking about it, he should... probably put it somewhere else.
[ There is no reason that question should catch her off guard but it does.
It also makes her take stock of her laugh and that is what's responsible for the sudden bark of laughter, that luckily comes before she actually takes a drink of her coffee.]
I'm fine. As long as we don't look too closely at what constitutes a lifestyle, here. Better than I was before I arrived, even. Again, with the caveat that we don't examine it too closely.
I feel like there's a crack to falling in fewer holes with depth perception to be made, here.
[ But even while snarking off, she nods a little. ]
I know, I just resent dependence more than... is likely healthy. The good news is you're such a disaster I feel like I might be useful to you in return.
[Depending on anyone is terrifying. When things go bad, it hurts more than anything else. Juno flashes a lopsided grin and lifts his coffee mug in a toast.]
You absolutely would be. I apparently have a thing for strong-willed women.
Do you? I thought you mostly had a thing for unavailable men. [ That is... weirdly gentle given she's still being somewhat reactive and bitey herself, thanks to feeling vulnerable.
Yeah, well. The problem with those is they're unavailable.
[Gentle as it was, it still stings a little.]
Oh, uhm. Vivienne de Fer.
[It occurs to him he has no idea what Kathryn's social life looks like when they're not together, and he can't decide if that's weird or if it even matters.]
She had her shit together. She had my shit together.
[Juno shrugs and looks down at his mug.]
I don't need someone to do that for me, [he says, which is probably kind of a lie by virtue of the fact that he seems to do better with someone giving him direction. Or purpose.]
But it was kind of nice. She was - is? - sharp. Mentally and fashion-wise.
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How the fuck would they even get a picture like that? [he snaps. Okay so that part is clear from the get-go. And, to be fair, Juno in the picture is about 20 years younger than the one standing in front of Kathryn now.]
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[ Kind of... rough gentle. Because fine, snap at her, but. She isn't leaving you. ]
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It's from the day I decided to put on the wedding dress I was never going to get married in and get wasted.
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[ Except she sounds... very kind when she says it. ]
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[There's not a lot of venom behind it, just the rawness of a wound exposed. He wants to be better at this, but he's still reactive. He bites less these days.]
Those are my favorite coping skills.
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[ It's fine. She's worried, he can lash out as hard as he wants; she isn't going anywhere or going to be hurt - probably.
She finishes her coffee and makes a second cup for him. ]
I actually came here to ask for a favor.
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[There's almost an instant shift in his demeanor. Still somewhat guarded, but sliding from fuck my life to I can be useful. He wants to be useful. God he needs to be useful.]
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My dominant disappeared. I was never living with her, but I was using her apartment - among others - to shower and sleep occasionally. And to keep a weapon I do not want to have in Down Housing.
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Do you just need a place to stash things, shower, and sleep? Or do you need the other thing?
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I do need somewhere to put my phaser and an extra place to sleep now.
[ Little stiff? Yeah, because she's terrible at this. ]
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Yeah, sure.
[That easy.]
My submissive disappeared... again. So I've got the room. How easy to you want access to that phaser to be, by the way?
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I've been here for months and only used it once and for target practice at that. I'd more concerned it not be accessible to anyone else than having access myself.
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Okay, done. I'll keep it with mine. [And he will not mention where that is right now. Now that he's thinking about it, he should... probably put it somewhere else.
Juno looks down at his coffee.]
You okay otherwise?
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It also makes her take stock of her laugh and that is what's responsible for the sudden bark of laughter, that luckily comes before she actually takes a drink of her coffee.]
I'm fine. As long as we don't look too closely at what constitutes a lifestyle, here. Better than I was before I arrived, even. Again, with the caveat that we don't examine it too closely.
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[Could he be more facetious? Probably.]
You know I'll help however I can, right? I'm not saying I'm thriving, but.
[He gestures at the apartment. He's got this, at least.]
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[ But even while snarking off, she nods a little. ]
I know, I just resent dependence more than... is likely healthy. The good news is you're such a disaster I feel like I might be useful to you in return.
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[Depending on anyone is terrifying. When things go bad, it hurts more than anything else. Juno flashes a lopsided grin and lifts his coffee mug in a toast.]
You absolutely would be. I apparently have a thing for strong-willed women.
[Seriously, every single contract so far.]
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...This is going well.]
Who was your last submissive?
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[Gentle as it was, it still stings a little.]
Oh, uhm. Vivienne de Fer.
[It occurs to him he has no idea what Kathryn's social life looks like when they're not together, and he can't decide if that's weird or if it even matters.]
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So. ]
Tell me about her? What did you like about her?
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[Juno shrugs and looks down at his mug.]
I don't need someone to do that for me, [he says, which is probably kind of a lie by virtue of the fact that he seems to do better with someone giving him direction. Or purpose.]
But it was kind of nice. She was - is? - sharp. Mentally and fashion-wise.