Subject: [OTL]: Atomic (Kitty, Xi'an) [1:2] Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2003 20:27:19 -0800 (PST) From: D Benway Atomic [1/2]: Before ex Benway This fic borrows some characters from Marvel Comics for not-for-profit use. Note that this only extrapolates from something that Claremont inserted into the latest Mekanix (issue 5, page 9, third and fourth frames). Contains language, but nothing too naughty. Some lyrics nicked from Blondie's 'Atomic' and 'The Tide is Nigh'. ____________________________________________________________________ Tonight. Tonight. Tonight, make me tonight. Shit! Why did I put that one on? It's only dinner. I've got an hour. It'll take me 20 minutes on the el to get there, and she lives right next to the station. I've got all this work to do. I'll call her and tell her I've gotta work. What's the number? Oh yeah. Work with 667 in front of it instead of 702. Is that a coincidence or what? Shit. This is so fucking high school. It's just dinner. All I've gotta do is get dressed. Got 30 minutes for that. Let's see. Dah dah dah dah dah... Every girl wants you to be her man- Shit. Shit shit shit. Right there, right in the middle of the fight, the way she looked at me. The way she laughed. I never heard her laugh, back then. Small fucking wonder. It's a nice laugh. It's just dinner. We're friends. We're friends having dinner on Valentine's Day. I've gotta finish that report. Really. I don't have any wine. My one dress I can wear in front of the kids is in the wash, and it's not going to be dry in time if I wash it, and if I'm gonna wear it, I gotta wash it. Shit. It's just dinner. I'll go as I am, stop at the Jewel on the way. They've gotta have something half-decent. ____________________________________________________________________ I do NOT need to be listening to Blondie. There. I may be about to make the worst mistake of my life. She's my friend. She was quite drunk when I asked her if she wanted to come to dinner tonight. When she said yes, the way she smiled! I can see that smile if I close my eyes. After that, she fell asleep and Shola and I had to carry her home. Too much fun, for everyone. It's not the only thing I can see if I close my eyes. I can see the look on her face, just after we fell into each other's arms when she airwalked me down after we collapsed that building on the Sentinel. "Shan, I am SO happy to hear you laughing!" she said. Something happened inside of me, something that had never happened before. She saw it, I know she did, because her eyes went wide and when I ran my hand through her hair, she stiffened. But she didn't pull away. So, when it was all over, I invited her to dinner. Leong and Nga are with the sitter. They knew something was up, they didn't want to go. They saw me putting out the candles and the incense and getting the spring rolls ready and when they asked if they could stay for dinner too, I almost said yes. Then it would just be a nice dinner with friends. Nothing else. But I want something else. They can live without me for one night. I need a smoke. Where did I put them? I know I've still got a pack around. Aha. Little message from Leong: Xian's last smokes. Second last smokes. Lighter. Lighter. Oh, yes, over by the candles. Light. Light, damn you, light. Aaaaaaah. This is ridiculous. I can't stop trembling, even with this. I'll have to open all the windows. All the heat will escape. I've got to get dressed. Black silk dress. Too formal? Roberto said it was sexy, but that was five years ago. I'm not sure I can even do it up. No. That won't work. Black jeans. They fit. I look OK in those. Black silk shirt? No. Red silk shirt? No silk shirt? My God. What am I doing? She's not sure. I'm not sure. But I'm sure I want something to happen. I can't leave this to chance. But what can I do? What can I do? Oh. What an idea! Do I dare?