Katherine "Kissin' Kate" Barlow (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ikissdhimbck) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
milliways_bar2012-09-29 07:26 pm
ikissdhimbck) wrote in milliways_bar2012-09-29 07:26 pm
Entry tags:
EP: Kate Barlow | Main Bar
Kate needs a drink.
It's the sole thought on her mind as she makes her way up to the counter tonight. When Miss Bar presents her with a bound volume instead, her expression goes flat.
"You're a riot, Miss. Honest."
She picks up the book and thumbs through it, smirking despite herself. It's been an unusual year, what with Tommy, Voodoo, Voodoo's lady-friend (she quite likes Remy, but wasn't expecting her to try and kiss her), Teja, Jim... Let the Miss poke some fun. If she weren't so busy mentally flailing, she'd probably laugh herself.
"Miss? Make it a bottle. Tequila. An', if I could? Somethin' t'write with."
She takes off her hat and settles on a stool, preparing to pen Guppy a note.
She might even share the tequila, once she's through.
[ooc: Open forever! Kate will be in and out, with an emphasis on out, a lot over October, so I wanted to get an EP in. ^__^]
It's the sole thought on her mind as she makes her way up to the counter tonight. When Miss Bar presents her with a bound volume instead, her expression goes flat.
"You're a riot, Miss. Honest."
She picks up the book and thumbs through it, smirking despite herself. It's been an unusual year, what with Tommy, Voodoo, Voodoo's lady-friend (she quite likes Remy, but wasn't expecting her to try and kiss her), Teja, Jim... Let the Miss poke some fun. If she weren't so busy mentally flailing, she'd probably laugh herself.
"Miss? Make it a bottle. Tequila. An', if I could? Somethin' t'write with."
She takes off her hat and settles on a stool, preparing to pen Guppy a note.
She might even share the tequila, once she's through.
[ooc: Open forever! Kate will be in and out, with an emphasis on out, a lot over October, so I wanted to get an EP in. ^__^]
no subject
"Sure," he says flatly. But he can't let this go so easily.
Taking her hand, he grasps it firmly and leans toward her again, ignoring the scent of liquor between them as he looks her in the eye.
"Now, look. I told you, I talked to Voodoo, and believe me, the first thing he wants to do the next time he sees you is set things straight with you. Alright?
"And another thing -- don't tell me I don't understand something if you ain't gonna explain it to me. If you don't wanna talk about it now, fine, but don't just write me off like that."
no subject
I already told you, I can't explain it.
I wasn't supposed to meet your family, or introduce you as my beau. You weren't supposed to talk about me, or think about me, or get used to my cats, or hold my hand so tight...
"I'm sorry. That isn't fair."
She drops her chin, brow beetled, lips pulled into a frown. She can't help but think of the bodies she's left behind her, figurative and literal. All the men she's hurt, hurting, will hurt, and maybe this is just the first step in doing it to Tommy, too.
She wasn't supposed to care.
Launcher of ships. Destroyer of homes.
"I'll try not t'do it again. I'm not used to — this. I wasn't thinkin'."
no subject
She'll resign herself to him not understanding; he'll resign himself to her not trying to explain.
"Okay," he murmurs.
He reaches out with his free hand to cup her cheek and tilt her face up. His touch is warm, affectionate. The cuff of his sleeve smells faintly of burning embers.
What'm I gonna do with you? his expression seems to ask, his eyes growing almost imperceptibly softer.
Her grief and guilt and the things she's seen have aged her beyond her years, and it's moments like this that he's reminded that she's still so young. She doesn't need a guy like him.
But he just couldn't let her go.
no subject
She covers the hand at her cheek, the look in her eyes penitent and pleading. She overstepped, and he's right. It ain't fair to start something like this and not finish it, but she's afraid things will only get more complicated if she does. They work somehow, and in ways she didn't expect. They click. She doesn't want that to change because she put her worries in his head.
If only she could take things back.
(He smells like fire, and the dread in her stomach grows, like adding schoolbooks to a bonfire.)
"Everythin's fine. I promise."
She circles each of his knuckles, her touch feather-light. She wishes she could kiss him. Maybe it's better that she can't.
Pulling back and ending the tender moment, ignoring the way her skin aches in the absence of his touch, she glances around the room.
no subject
For now, she can tell him whatever she wants with her eyes and draw him in with her touch, and he wouldn't say no to anything.
His hand falls to his lap when she pulls away. There isn't much on his mind at this point besides how badly he wants to kiss her. He's actually weighing the pros and cons of just going ahead and kissing her right now.
But then he follows her glance with a slight frown.
"Um. Can I just ask ask you something? I mean, I know you don't want anybody to know about-- us, and trust me, I'm good with that, I won't mention it to a soul. Well, I won't mention it to another soul, as it is. But is there any particular reason...why? Not that I was ever gonna blab about it to the whole damn bar or anything, I'm just-- y'know, curious. And so we can be on the same page. Bein' on the same page is always good."
no subject
Lord almighty, it's just turning out to be one of those nights, isn't it?
"Miss Bar? Could I get a, um. A coffee?"
She'd much rather be drunk right now, but she's just riding the right side of tipsy to realize she's going to need some wits about her to answer his question. She might've brushed him off if they hadn't just said what they said.
A mug of coffee, black, appears. She immediately scoops it up, brow furrowed in thought.
"A man an' woman, outta wedlock, havin' the kinda relations we do. It's — it's a matter of my honor."
no subject
Tommy does have some memory of his Catholic upbringing to know that what she says, especially coming from her time period, has weight. Not necessarily with him, or with most people he knows, but Kate is Kate and he's not going to argue.
"Okay."
Easiest discussion ever?
no subject
That isn't the only reason, of course. As much as she'd like to hide it, guilt lays bare on her face. However, he seems satisfied. He isn't asking, and she's really not sure she wants to say more.
She looks away.
"Okay."
Her movements are jerky, as if she's fighting with herself. Eventually, she turns back to her mug.
"That's the reason why."
no subject
She still seems anxious about something.
He's just a little bit torn between pressing her and letting it pass, except she's been pressed enough tonight. And there's his thing about not wanting to upset her. More.
"Alright. That's all I wanted to know."
With a sigh, he picks up his own coffee to-go.
"I should get back to work."
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"An' y'have your daughters t'meet."
She collects herself, turning to give him a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes for how bright it is.
"An' I should probably finish up down here an' get a move on m'self."
She holds his gaze.
The last thing she wants to be is weak.
no subject
He sort of has a feeling about what she's doing -- hell, he does it all the time himself. It's all there in her eyes.
Getting to his feet, he lingers by her stool. The coffee might have washed away the taste of tequila, but not kissing her on the lips in public is a rule he agreed to.
But he can bend it, can't he?
His free hand briefly rests on her thigh as he leans in to kiss the spot just under her ear. Warmer than a peck, far quicker than he'd like.
"I'll see ya 'round, then, huh?"
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She warms a little as he pulls away. That pleasant thrill is going to have to last her.
"Be careful."
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Tweaking her chin, he points a finger in her face, mock-stern.
"You, too."
He means it, though, even as the corner of his mouth twitches upward.
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She narrows her eyes, biting the inside of her lip.
"Don't wag that thing in my face if y'don't want me t'bite."
Yeah, she'll be careful.
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He sweeps the his fingertip under her chin before lowering his voice:
"Mm, I wish you would."
His hand brushes her thigh as he finally tears himself away, still grinning.
"See ya, honey."
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She watches him walk away, the smirk slipping off her face by degrees. Drawing in a deep breath, she turns back to the Bar. Coffee. She'll finish her coffee.
And take the tequila to her room. For later.