vanillajello | A motel somewhere in Maryland, Saturday Late Morning

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A motel somewhere in Maryland, Saturday Late Morning

As planned, Kate and Leto had ~~handwavily~~ left Fandom on Friday, acquired a crappy but cheap car by questionable means – Leto used Voice on the salesperson so they could buy it – and set out on their road trip.

So far it was seeming like an extremely good idea. Kate needed this, being in her world, being in a place where she knew the rules. The further they'd got from Fandom, the more relaxed she’d been.

Really, even this sleazy motel was making her happy with just how normal it was.

Of course, it didn't mean she didn’t want to leave and continue the trip. There was still a lot they could see before they had to head back. And they had to be out of the room by noon, anyway.

"I think I'd like to get some birthday cake today," Kate smirked, drying her hair with a towel after a quick, cool shower.

[ooc: For the boy mentioned in the narrative. NFB due to distance.]

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Leto looked up.

He had spent the previous day remembering how to drive a car. It had taken some effort - and it wasn't without dangers - but he felt he had been successful.

"Birthday cake?" He grinned at Kate. Clearly, this had been what she needed, and for him this was a great opportunity to learn more about this world.

"And where would be a good place to find cake?"

"I have no idea," Kate grinned back. "But I'm sure we'll find some place. There's bound to be at least diners around, if not any fancy cake places."

She'd spent most of the week feeling like she wanted to crawl out of her skin. Compared to that, she was practically glowing, now.

Leto got to his feet and slipped the sunglasses into his pocket. He preferred not to attract too much attention, and his eyes were rather noticeable.

Slipping an arm around Kate's waist, he said: "Let's find a place then."

"A place with cake," Kate agreed, placing a quick kiss on his cheek. Her general cheeriness translated smoothly into extra displays of affection. "Cake counts as breakfast, right?"

Okay, so she'd already eaten a sandwich purchased from one of the vending machines outside, but it was more fun to think of cake as breakfast. She put the towel away and reached for her bag.

"I believe it does," he said, laughing. "So, we leave this place, find this precious cake, and then continue driving?"

Leto had found he quite enjoyed driving. Perhaps other drivers on the road hadn't enjoyed his presence as much.

It was possible his passenger had a few problems with his particular style of driving too.

"Sounds like a plan," Kate nodded, swinging her bag over her shoulder and glancing around to check she none of her stuff was laying about. Then she shot him a look. "And I'd really like it if you took it a little easier with the driving today. It's freaking me out that there's anything about you that can remind me of T of all people."

"My driving reminds you of T?" Yes, Leto found that funny. Please forgive him.

He picked up his own bag, then held up the door for Kate. "I'll keep that in mind." Irulan would have known that that particular expression on his face meant 'I'll keep that in mind but will do as I please anyway'.

Kate had no previous experience with that particular expression, but she knew him well enough to give him another look anyway. "It would be funnier if your driving reminded me of Alice," she said, stepping out the door.

The car was still parked out front, which was absolutely no surprise at all.

So all they needed to do was to return the keys and then head off.

Leto took the drivers seat, and looked at the CD-player. "Is it customary to always have music playing while driving?"

"Some people don't like it at all. Some people think it's mandatory," Kate replied, strapping her seatbelt on. "Before you ask, I'm kinda in the latter group."

"Somehow I'm not surprised," Leto said, starting the car. The put the gear into reverse, then backed down to the main road at a rather uncomfortable speed.

Kate couldn't help yelping, and she gripped on to her seat. Her nails were going to leave marks. "...I'm seriously just going to start treating you like T if you insist on acting like her."

Of course, Kate's reaction was very much like Irulan's when he took her flying. And that was always amusing too.

"You are?"

He grinned, then turned on the main road. "Let me know when you see a good place to stop."

He would manage to stop, honestly.

"I'll keep an eye out for a shed. You clearly need to be sent to one." It was a classic way of dealing with a misbehaving T, after all, even if they didn't even have a shed at home anymore, thanks to Marshall.

"Like I'm even going to have time to spot anything with your speeding." Still, she watched the side of the road for a diner or any other promising establishment.

"You have to really pay attention, then," he laughed. On the left hand side on the road a few signs appeared that announced something, Leto wasn't sure what.

Too bad Kate was paying more attention to the right hand side of the road.

"Or you could pull over and let me drive," she muttered half-heartedly, knowing how unlikely that was. And there was a certain charm to speed. Not that she'd tell him that.

So, just as they were passing the signs, Leto asked. "What about that place?"

"What?" She managed to catch enough of a glimpse of the signs to make an assessment. "Oh! Sounds promising."

So Leto stepped on the break, forcing the drivers behind him to do the same, and then made a quick U-turn, which made the cars going in the opposite direction make those loud signals that apparently drivers used to express their displeasure. Leto ignored them and turned into the parking lot in front of something that looked like it might serve food.

Kate was a veritable goldmine of horrified little squealing sounds, if you happened to be someone who was entertained by something like that.

She was going to get the hell out of this car as soon as they were parked, wobbly legs or not.

"Is this a good place?" Leto asked as he stopped the car, pretending that those sounds were not happening.

"Yes." Kate just decided that it was. Even if they didn't serve cake.

She grabbed her wallet from her bag and got out of the car, trying to ignore the feeling that her heart had just skipped a beat, or several.

Leto did too, and looked at the sign. "What do they serve?"

"Coffee, burgers, pie. Stuff people would like when they're stopping by," Kate replied, glancing at the sign. "Cake, if I'm lucky." She headed for the door, getting her shaky legs under control after the first step.

Clearly Kate had decided on this place, although perhaps not for its qualities. Leto got out of the car and followed her.

The place was a ordinary diner, a little worn out but with a vaguely cozy feel to it, with barstools beside its counter, and tables by the window. There were some lone customers around, but it wasn't exactly crowded.

Kate pulled the door open and marched straight to the counter, giving the woman behind it a wide smile. "Hi, you guys serve any cake here?"

She was told that yes, they did. Chocolate cake.

Chocolate cake. Hopefully that would make Kate in a better mood. Leto found a table for the two of them and picked up a menu.

The mere prospect of chocolate cake made Kate feel a little better. Of course, that didn't mean she was any less wary of his driving.

"You know, there are so many better ways of making my knees go weak," she remarked, coming over to the table once she'd made the woman promise the cake slices weren't going to be sold to anyone else.

"Oh?" Leto grinned. "You will have to tell me."

"I'm not sure that topic's suitable for public places," Kate replied with a hint of smirk, sitting down across from him and picking up a menu of her own.

"No?" he looked at her over the menu, raising an eyebrow.

"No." And now she was definitely smirking. She looked at her menu and added, "But if you behave, I might tell you later."

"If I behave?" He gave her a very teasing smile.

"For the purposes of what we're talking here, behaving means driving like a sane person," she replied, glancing up. That was a very, very nice smile. "Other than that I don't think I have objections."

"I'll keep that in mind." No, it would not affect his driving.

And Kate knew that. "You keep saying that," she remarked, "and yet I'm completely unconvinced. I wonder why that is."

"That's unfair. I do listen to what you're saying." Letting it affect his actions was another matter.

"And you know that listening's not all you should be doing." But whatever; they could continue discussing that once they hit the road again. "I don't know, maybe I should just attempt to tire you out so you'll have to let me drive. Make your knees weak."

He wasn't the only one with an excellent teasing smile around here.

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A motel somewhere in Maryland, Saturday Late Morning

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