OOM: Kate, post-row

[the_gene_genie]

He doesn't drag his feet on the way down to the stables, though he's still not sure this is a good idea. But, fact is, much as he's tried to ignore the last row, it won't go away. He's told himself he doesn't care until he's blue in the face, but he's called himself a liar too. And yeah, he was really angry and he's still pissed off when he thinks about it. But he's not as pissed off as he was, and there's a lot he doesn't understand.

Gene doesn't like not understanding things. And he has no intention of hiding away from her either. When he has a problem, he either buries it until it goes away (doesn't seem to be working), or he faces it head on. Seeing as the first option seems to be a non-starter, the second it is.

So there's no trepidation as he walks into the building. None of his usual striding arrogance either though.

'You in here?'

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[ikissdhimbck]

She chews on what he's saying, her expression remaining carefully pinned together in curiosity. Her eyes are the only things to move, slipping from his face when he says he wants to see to her. The vaguest traces of pink color her cheeks.

"I do want to go to Manchester."

Quiet, and a touch tentative now. She's still working on that last remark, unsure just how she's supposed to interpret that. She knows he's married; part of what makes this work is knowing he's not running for something serious, something long-term. He's safe.

"An' I did — I do — want you t'come t'Texas."

She's becoming intimate with the contours of her boots, cataloging every scuff and blemish. The last thing she had expected was for him to be so candid. Without thinking, she takes a handful of meandering steps closer to him.

"An' I never, never thought you was a bad bloke."

[the_gene_genie]

Gene will only pussyfoot around for so long before the truth comes blurting out. He just can't be bothered with mind games.

He doesn't come to meet her though. Not because he wants her to make the move - although that would help, come to think of it - but because he thinks getting up in her space now might well frighten her off. And if she goes this time, then that's it. Gone for good.

'Well then,' he says, calmly. 'Seems like we're pretty much on the same page after all. 'less I'm wrong?'

[ikissdhimbck]

Blocking the door doesn't guarantee Kate won't walk away. When she sets her mind on something, she can be incredibly persuasive; a fella one foot taller isn't going to get in her way. But, she has no intentions of walking away. She doesn't even move more than those few feet. Kate will meet a man halfway, but she won't hurry to his feet.

She slips her thumbs in her pockets, and lets out a long sigh, keeping her focus on anything but Gene.

"Not quite. For one, I need you t'get it through your head that every time we squabble it don't mean I've lied t'you. I do fancy you, an' I've never once blamed you for any of my hang-ups. 'Cuz if you go on puckerin' your face up an' callin' me a tease, jus' because you've gone an' got your feelin's hurt, I'm gonna end up takin' your head off."

She turns to him, eyes sharp, and looks every inch the gunslinger she's becoming known as.

"I can be a tease when I want to, but when that happens you'll want it to. I told you before that I'm scared. An' that's more'n I'd tell most, let alone more'n once. I'm hurtin'. An' if you want someone from your time, someone who's done this before, then go. Be my guest. 'Cuz you ain't gonna find that here. I don't know how t'be anyone else."

She pauses, long enough so he can speak.

[the_gene_genie]

'I don' get my feelings hurt,' he says, automatically.

It's even almost true. Ego bruised, sure. Feelings hurt? Well, sometimes, but he'll never admit it.

He sighs too, turns so his back's against the frame, and crosses his arms.

'If I wanted someone from my own time an' place, I can go and get one. D'you reckon I go through all this with every random bird I wan' t'shag? 'Cos I don't.'

He feels the need to be clear there, seeing as clarity is the order of the day. And in the interests of meeting her halfway, he visibly struggles for a minute, and then adds,

'Might even get that test you want, if it'll make it easier.'

[ikissdhimbck]

"You would?"

That pulls her up short. She doesn't even school her expression, though he's certain to see the appreciation in her eyes and tell her not to be such a girl.

[the_gene_genie]

He glances at her, nods once, shortly, and then looks away.


He doesn't like it. But he'll do it.

It helps when he thinks of it as a way to prove her wrong about him, rather than making poncey, and unnecessary concessions.

[ikissdhimbck]

She doesn't say anything for an awkwardly long stretch of time. She's stunned, plain and simple. Saying the very last thing she'd expect to hear coming from his mouth also seems to be the order of the day. But after the last time they spoke, who would've thought he'd ever say yes?

She blinks, lowering her eyes. Half a dozen responses come immediately to mind — most prominent of which being 'why?' But there's really only one thing that should be said.


"Thank you."

She wraps her arms around her middle, line forming between her brows.

[the_gene_genie]

He shrugs a shoulder, and lights another cigarette.



OK. Awkward.




He clears his throat.



'So. What now?'

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate wanders to the closest wall, leaning back against it.

"So."

(She looks so small.)



"Where do we keep goin' wrong?"

[the_gene_genie]

His expression turns alarmed. Like, properly, genuinely alarmed.


'...what?'



He is not seriously going to have to get into this, is he? How is he supposed to know!?




'...dunno.'

[ikissdhimbck]

She flicks her gaze to his.

Behind her eyes, volumes of arguments are turning their pages, a cacophony of unresolved paper flapping their jaws. Is this really what you want?

She blinks and it's gone, resettled to the pit of her stomach.





"I don't want you walkin' out on me again."

Her voice is dangerously low, threatening her own pride.

"Not like that."

[the_gene_genie]

He swivels his eyes towards her, barely moving his head.


'I don' want you smackin' me round the face again.'

His voice is neutral.

'Unless I really deserve it, anyway.'

[ikissdhimbck]

"You'll find a way."

It's one of his few talents.

She jerks her head to request he come over. It's not demanding, or sharp, but as tentative as anything else she's said today.

[the_gene_genie]

He looks at her a long moment, then pushes off the doorframe with his shoulder and walks over. He doesnt try to touch her, but he does stand close, right up in her space.

[ikissdhimbck]

Still, she keeps her eyes cast low, away from his face; even when he gets so close that all she can see is his awful tie. She pulls in a steadying breath, picking up his scent, and cautiously fingers the collar of his long jacket.

"It wasn't jus' my milliversary," she says quietly, coming back around to his earlier question. "It was my anniversary. Doc an' I, our anniversary. An' the one year mark of the day he left me."

Not something she would have otherwise committed to memory, if not for the bad timing.

"An' it's July, which makes me think of home an' the Fourth, an' Sam, an' Trout, an' ... and I jus' ... didn't want t'be alone. I didn't want t'spend the night alone."

She presses back against the wall, waiting for the volley.

[the_gene_genie]

He takes a moment to digest that. He knew there was more to it. And it's a tad annoying that she couldn't just tell him that in the first place, rather than all this kicking off.

'I would've stayed with you, without shaggin' you, if you'd just asked.'

[ikissdhimbck]

"I wanted you."

Her fingers tighten ever so slightly.

Just not for the right reasons, probably.

"An' you're not exactly in a spot where y'can be lecturin' someone on communicatin'."

[the_gene_genie]

'Could've jus' said that, an' all.'

He takes the admonishment, but doesn't accept it. He doesn't know how much more direct he's supposed to be.

'Difference is, luv, nothin' I'm not sayin' is gettin' us into stuff like this.'

[ikissdhimbck]

"Thats not fair."

She sighs, shaking her head minutely.

[the_gene_genie]

'...no.'

She's right.

He looks at her, pouting slightly as he thinks, and then reaches out, pushing a lock of her hair back over her shoulder with his finger.

[ikissdhimbck]

That's not fair, either.

She watches his face as he touches her, trying to scrounge together the will to continue. But the words are still jumbled up. Fluttering pages. And when she pushes her hat off her head, there's only one thought on her mind.

[the_gene_genie]

His hand withdraws, coming to rest on his hip. He looks at her silently, head tilted.

He really wants to kiss her. But he's a bit at sea as to whether that's allowed now or not. Mind you, he was always a bit unsure as to whether it was entirely welcome.

[ikissdhimbck]

She's so much smaller than he is that it's nearly impossible to instigate a kiss without him meeting her halfway. But Kate doesn't pay much attention to odds. She runs a hand through her hair to knock out the hat-head, and then slips it around the back of his neck.

There's a slight tremor on her lips. She bites the inside of her lip to will it away, and, with less hesitation than before, she rises on her tiptoes.

[the_gene_genie]

Oh, well, he's never going to ignore a signal like that. Even before she's started rising he's leaning down to meet her, hands coming to rest on her waist.

He's careful - part of him still expects her to pull away - but there's no doubt that it's what he wants. Gentle, with an edge of more, and no sign that he's in any hurry to relinquish her lips.

[ikissdhimbck]

She doesn't pull away, but it's a struggle that can be felt more than it can be seen. In the way she exhales just softly as he moves in, and the way her lips feather his before he deepens it. Careful, cautious, pulling back just once — and even then only minutely.

She relaxes after a moment, tension sliding out of her body slowly, like the slither of a sated snake. Her hand moves into his hair while her other arm curls around the back of his neck, and if that wasn't concurrence enough, the soft sigh she then releases gives away how unhurried she feels to stop.