Voicemail

[smilestopscars]

It's Ez. You know what to do, darling.

Comments

[spin_kick_snap]

He had and, more than that, he'd succeeded. He'd convinced her that she was beautiful, desirable. That taking risks could be fun, that she didn't have to be ashamed of what she wanted, and that asking for it wasn't scary or bad, but smart. Helped her discover who she was, in a lot of ways.

It wasn't any surprise that as he'd helped her gain confidence in bed, she'd grown some out of it, as well.

Kathy thought about it, biting her lip. And then--"Fuck it." They were trying for honest, right? So, this next message is going to be long and serious and utterly skippable, if you want, she sent.

And then texted him everything she'd just thought.

[smilestopscars]

Ezra managed to send out an Okay before the second text hit. He read it over once, twice. It made him smile, even if there was something of a wry tilt to it.

His reply wasn't going to be as wordy.

I was just a small part. I'm just glad I got to *be* that small part, darling.

[spin_kick_snap]

I think this is 1 of those few times when youre underestimating yourself, Kathy sent back. I know how much i changed between that game of stb and just the first time we had sex, never mind all the times that came after.

And then she had to close her eyes and remember some of them. Like the time in the city. And the time she'd discovered she liked it when he slapped her ass. And the time--not the point, Kathy, she snapped at herself. Brain out of the gutter!

At least she'd managed not to send any of that to him. Way to step over that low bar.

[smilestopscars]

Ezra didn't need any reminders, anyway. He was doing his level best trying not to think about any of it. For some reason, the memory of that time in the preserve they'd almost had sex for the first time (well, full-on intercourse, anyway) tried to bubble up.

He tried to ignore it.

Still think that was more from within you. I just made it a little quicker.

[spin_kick_snap]

She still practiced with her knives, did he know that? She'd gotten really good over the past few years. She still didn't have Ezra's lazy grace or the way he could just make them appear out of nowhere, but give her a target and she could be deadly.

Kathy laughed when she got his text, her brain reading that with entirely the wrong context the first time. She made herself get up and get a glass of water; clearly she was thirsty

But who knows how long it would have taken w/out you? she asked. Still means a lot to me that you did at all.

[smilestopscars]

Yeah, Ezra was aware there was an accidental double entendre there. It was the way he lived his entire life, let's be real.

I know, darling. Just don't give too much credit away from yourself.

[spin_kick_snap]

I'll try not to, Kathy sent, but i'd rather give you too much credit than not enough. Cause i feel like you earned it.

She sighed and hugged her pillow. This felt like a subject they were never going to see eye to eye on. He had too much faith in her and she too little. Maybe a change of topic was in order?

So when you gonna collect on the lunch and ice cream i owe you?

[smilestopscars]

It was more that Ezra was still carrying around a lot of guilt issues when it came to her.

Yes, a change in topic was a good thing.

I don't have a very fixed schedule right now. Is 'whenever, probably' too vague?

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy understood guilt issues. She was a walking pile of them herself.

Yup. It means I'll either show up at the first portal I can find right now or it won't happen until sometime in August at the earliest.

[smilestopscars]

I don't know, the unpredictability of that sounds very exciting.

Well, he thrived on adapting to situations. Sometimes.