safe and sound

“Yeah I sure that it does, unless somebody played a prank on me and switched it to decaf,then I would be very annoyed at that.”She admitted,letting a small chuckle escape her lips. “Hey sometimes it’s better to play it safe than to be too forward. I used to be like that and it never ended well.” She replied to her. “More than three times? Wow that person really must have liked the Bee Gees then, but I mean there is a limit, there is such a thing as too much Bee Gees.”

~

“Yikes. Let’s not hope that’s not the case.” Chuckling lightly she nodded again, “Oh really? What happened? Of course, you don’t need to tell me if it’s too private. I’m always too nosy for my own good.” Laughing, Katherine nodded, “I mean, there should be limit like all good songs. There’s gotta be a time when listening to the same songs over and over again lose their excitement.”

Elizabeth smiled faintly. “Yes, the singer,” she said. She tried not to wrinkle her nose at the mention of being a mechanic. Even all these centuries later, the upbringing of a noblewoman still lingered in her mind. She couldn’t imagine working with her hands. Getting dirty. “I don’t think I could figure all that out,” she admitted. “Cars still seem a bit newfangled to me.”

~

“Ah, well, it came with experience. Been in the auto shop watching my dad since I could remember.” She smiled at the redhead, “Cars are easy when you’re used to it. You just have to drive often to get the hang of it. But in a town like Barton Hollow, it’s easy just to not have a car at all. Which I wouldn’t recommend because it’s bad for our business.” Clearing her throat, she had to ask, “Cars weren’t a thing back then wasn’t it? If it makes you uncomfortable, you don’t have to answer.”

Tanya let a small chuckle escape her lips before she smiled. “Don’t worry about me, I’m just waiting for the two cups I had before work to kick in, although they are working very slowly.” She replied. “Ah I’m sure that it will work on him, especially if you are playing it safe.” She said. “Disco? I think I would have preferred disco over the noise they were playing, not sure what it really was. Hopefully somebody else around was pissed too so I can get a good night sleep tonight. “

~

“Well, I hope the two cups kick in faster or else you’d be in trouble.” She nodded, smiling a bit. “That’s me, Miss Play-It-Safe. I don’t think I can be too forward.” It was something that she claimed that she used to be. But now, she can’t be too sure. As she spoke, Katherine couldn’t help but nod and laugh. “Yeah, I guess it’s more bearable than anything else. But Bee Gees being played more than three times, I think I can never get Stayin’ Alive out of my head.”

“Let’s take a look,” Ludo said, eyeballing the gash on her hand. “Stitches it is then!” He summarised, gathering together the necessary equipment. “Seems strange that an experienced mechanic such as yourself would have this type of injury. Was something on your mind?” He asked.

     “I’m not being spiffy. Yet? That implies that you think I’ll tell you what you did wrong.” Dante’s tone was blank, unwavering with any detectable emotion. Hatred boiled inside him, hidden deep under his grumpy demeanor. “Are you telling me you spill coffee on so many people that you don’t remember if you spilled coffee on me or not? No, I don’t want another cup and my shirt doesn’t need to be dry cleaned. Sounds like you have a long night ahead of you, doesn’t it?” 

Another faint smile touched Elizabeth’s lips as the young woman spoke. “Like Tunstall?” she said, wondering if she was dating herself even in the modern era. “I see,” she said. Frankly she wasn’t particularly interested, although she thought education for women had made such huge strides since her time it was a shame when others shirked that opportunity. “It is,” she agreed. Her eyebrows lifted as the girl spoke. “So what do you do?” she said, her lips twitching. “Apart from inserting your foot into your mouth, I mean.”

“You mean the singer right? Cause I had to think who were referring to.. I only know one song of hers, unfortunately. I have no time to broaden my music taste.” Katherine scratched the back of her head and grinned. She was thankful that the other woman didn’t take offense. Or she’s a really good actress. Or she has shitty observation skills. “I’m a mechanic at the auto shop. Not the greatest I could’ve been like the old ladies at brunch would say, but I manage to pay the bills. And it’s not illegal so I think I’m good.”

“Coming right up. Ah I’ve been in your situation before,best to play it safe for now. Is it your friend or a crush?”She asked as she began to make the coffee. “Eh not really, thought I would be coming into work with a headache thanks to my very loud neighbours.”

Elizabeth just raised an eyebrow at the younger woman’s statement before shrugging. “I’m sure,” she said. “Yes, that’s right.” She nodded as she spoke, a brief smile touching her lips. “Though some do call me Elizabeth.” She tilted her head. “You’re not a college student now?” She certainly knew the other wasn’t a librarian.

If anything that made him laugh more, especially seeing the way she smiled despite mocking being offended. “It’s fair turn around, you’ve been asking things about me, I get to ask more about you.” He smirked, “Well I guess the annoying little shirt head of a sister,” He teased her with a glimmer in his eye. “Or at least if I had had any siblings. Curse of being an only child with a lot of cousins and distant relatives.” He hadn’t actually been asking for that reason. Not that he didn’t think she was sweet and he liked spending time. But he had his own set of issues that trumped anything she could reasponibly come up with. 

“I think you have me beat again. Home schooled, didn’t deal with the usual high school stuff. No proms or anything. I did go to a school dance once. Homecoming I think?” His head tilted he thought about it. “We moved around a lot. But we got to know some of the local kids and we were invited to go. It was…fun, I guess.”

Roan countered with. “You follow the law right? I mean, you stop at red lights in your car or attempt to follow the rules about crossing the street at crosswalks. It’s the same thing, supernatural or not. If you break a law you have to answer for it. Just like if you speed or run a red light you get a ticket and might have to go to the police station.” 

“Aw. You care.” She looked at him with a soft smile on her face. For added effect she put her hands under her chin and looked at him with wide eyes. Laughing softly, she shared, “I don’t have cousins or other relatives too. I mean, My parents were only children and so am I. So...” She trailed off with a shrug. “You like me, Roan. Aww.” She went right back to teasing. As much as she liked to nonchalantly talk about herself and her life story, she didn’t like people’s pity or maybe it was sympathy? Either way, she didn’t need either one. “Don’t worry. My heart’s not broken by it. I’m hurt, but I can live,” she continued. 

“Here I think being home schooled is awesome. We could’ve switched childhoods.” Despite not wanting to change how she grew up, she did - at that time - wanted to be raised differently. “School dances were not my thing. I had horrible experiences during school dances despite going there without a date.” Remembering the unfortunate dances she’s been to made her pout at the memories. “My first kiss was during Homecoming and let me tell you... being home schooled was a better option.”

The waitress returned with their ordered food and he gave a quick thanks as the pizza slice was there in front of him. But Roan made no move to eat it; Katherine not so careful as she confirmed first he wasn’t a vampire but then discovered the hot food that bit her mouth. He chuckled, “Sorry, honestly I’m not laughing at you, i’m laughing with you.” This was so perfectly normal and he loved it.

“Well, they should be grateful I work the early shift. I don’t see any of them getting out of bed at the crack od dawn to open up the shop.” He responded light heartedly. Honestly, if that was the worst they said about it skipping around town with some torrid love affair he would take it. “Now that you’re bringing it up, how come you’re not seeing anyone?” 

Roan shook his head, “Not a bad thing, just, I don’t know, figured there were better things to be doing with your time. But I get it, you’re best friend, you want to understand them.” He didn’t know many in the other packs; they all tended to keep to their own except for the off passing in town with each other. “Yeah they behave. It’s like any other town. We all have laws that we have to obey. If you step out of line there’s consequences to actions. Probably the only exception is that, each species has a delegate that reports to the mayor who leads the human faction and you’re held accountable by all of them.”

“No. You don’t see me laughing. It’s definitely at me.” Katherine pretended to be offended but offered the contrary due to the smile on her face. At his remark, Katherine nodded. He did take the early shift, opening the shop before anyone does and she would find him working on a car already despite her coming into work every day fifteen minutes early. “Well, that’s true. I do love my beauty sleep,” she mused before eyeing her pizza, gauging if it wouldn’t burn her tongue again. 

“Again, you and your changing the subject.” Pretending to sigh dramatically, Katherine shrugged. “Honestly? No one’s asked. I mean I had a boyfriend but that’s like almost three years ago?” Letting out a hollow chuckle, she remarked, “Since then no one asked me.” Her brows furrowed, wondering the same thing. “People like to see me more as a shop girl and-or annoying little shit head of a sister more than anything.” Then she smirked. “You know if I didn’t think you’re seeing someone, I’d take that as a subtle way of you checking to see if I’m single or not.” The blonde laughed, “Kidding, totally kidding. Would not get in bed with a married person. Nope. 0/10 would not do it.”

“Well, safe-ish, when you live in a town full of supernatural and once a month the town goes full on lockdown with the full moon.”  He smiled at how endearign she sounded about the whole food thing. He didn’t really bother with it, had never really had a reason to learn how to cook. It would be a change from what he was use too. 

Roan shifted a little as she broke into his personal space staring into his eyes for too long a moment. It was awkward but he went with it. “What’s the diaignosis? Not a vampire?” He askked and shook his head ot her question. “No. no contacts. Sorry, there just my own eyes.” He offered letting her dowen gently in the playful game they had going. “My significant other? Yeah, they definitely don’t exisit, no matter what you hear the guys say at the shop. I think I heard the  I am secretly stashing a wife  and kids….hooking up with some guy at the motel every night.. I guess I should be flattered that I’m of such interest to be talked about.”

He laughed at being called old, he definitely didn’t feel like he was. “It is what it is.” Everything had changed coming to Barton Hollow. “I’m suddenly imagining you sitting at home with a tower of books about werewolves as you pour over every page.” He mused with the imagery. “You said your friend turned at thirteen. What happened to them? Are they in a pack here in town?” His head tilted in curiosity. “Our end of the bargain? You mean with the treaty? Isn’t everyone following it pretty much? The laws apply to everyone in Barton Hollow. Peace between all species.”

“That is true.” Katherine gave a small laugh at his remark. “As safe as one can be in this town right? Honestly, I’m expecting some sort of The Purge alarm sound blasting before the full moon.” Chuckling at her own remark she noticed the waitress coming over with their order. Thanking her, she let the pizza cool for a moment before grabbing a slice, not bothering with a knife and fork. “Not a vampire, sadly.” She pretended to sigh dramatically, only to immediately return the pizza slice on the plate due to its heat. “Ow, ow, hot.”

“Aw. I was hoping you had one. At least one of us is getting some.” Letting out a playful wink, she blew on the pizza before taking the crust first carefully. Once the warmth is tolerable enough, she turned to him to continue talking. “You can’t blame them. You’re always out by five. They can’t talk about me since I’m boring and annoying so they’d rather not take any interest with me.” Katherine shrugged before blowing again on the pizza before taking a tentative bite.

the question said aloud made kay - in that moment, for just a moment - wish that they could speak to animals like some of their fae friends. kneeling low, they patted lightly, smiling wide. “ i wonder too, ” they agreed. “ animals almost always go by two names - the one we give them, and the ones they give themselves. ” a slight pause, realizing that maybe that was an odd thing to say. “ at least, that’s what i’ve heard, ” they added with a laugh. “ do you have any pets at home ? ” the owner was probably around somewhere, probably looking for the fluffy pup too, but it was always fun to pretend.