#karpet

the dailykatnep anniversary is in 2 days.

Art dump !!! :^)

humans challenge, week 3, day 5: karpet/breakup

Karen bought him a digital watch for his birthday - it was on the pillow next to him when he woke up. The card attached said, ‘For an analogue man’, and Pete had to chuckle as he strapped it on, raising his wrist for her to see as he wandered into the kitchen.

“Thought it might help ease the transition,” she said, looking up from the counter. To his surprise, she was preparing breakfast for two.

Evidently she saw him noticing the second plate, and he immediately wished he’d been more subtle.

“It’s a special occasion,” she said, joining him at the table. “No man should eat alone on his birthday.”

Pete gave a lopsided grin, and started on a pancake. “Can’t remember the last time I had a birthday breakfast.” He couldn’t help glancing at her again. “Do you… can you taste?”

She swallowed her mouthful and considered the question. “There are sensors on the way down, so I have a good idea of texture - possibly better than yours,” she said. “And I can identify certain enzymes, and cross-check them with ingredients. So I can sort things into your basic sweet, sour, salty, spicy, if anyone asks. But I don’t know if you’d call it tasting.”

“You eat to fit in, then. Like drinking.”

She smiled at him. “Something like that.”

“Well, you don’t have to pretend with me,” Pete said. “If it isn’t already obvious, you’re stuck with me whether or not there’s a fork in your hand.”

She raised the fork in recognition. “I’ll bear that in mind.”

His new watch beeped to announce the arrival of eight o'clock. He blinked it at, surprised. “Is it going to do that often?”

“On the hour, but you can turn it off. Button on the side.”

“No, I’ll keep it on for a bit. It’ll remind me to do this–” he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Thanks, K.”

“Don’t do that at 9, whatever you do,” she remarked wryly. “You’ll be in a briefing with Shaw. He might have something to say about it.”

“Well, I’d just ask him to pass it on, wouldn’t I,” he said, grinning at the ridiculous image. “Start an office trend.”

“That would certainly give us a bit more cover,” Karen mused. They were both trying their hardest to keep their relationship quiet at work, but Tabitha, at least, constantly seemed to be inches away from finding them out.

“We could ask for a joint transfer, you know,” said Pete. “Go somewhere as a couple, much less flack. Do the declaration forms on our way in, and we’re sorted.”

She gave a mock-gasp. “Leave Special Technologies? And here was I, thinking you liked dollies now.”

“Some more than others,” he said mischievously. “One, particularly, a hell of a lot.”

“I see. Modded her up, did you? That’s illegal, you know.”

“That’s fine. I’m the police.”

“Funny, that. So am I.”

They went back to their pancakes, then cleared up together until Pete’s new watch proclaimed that it was time to leave for his shift.

“I’d better run, love. You’re in at eleven?”

“I’ll see you then,” she said, kissing him goodbye.

the dailykatnep anniversary is in 4 days.