21 Things I Want In a Lover
By Princess Alexandria
Kate had her notebook out and was checking off the items she had laid out on her bed. Six pair of socks, and with the pair she'd have on her feet that would be seven. Six pair of underwear, jeans, which could take care of a few days as long as she didn't drop anything on them, a pair of black slacks that went with everything, Kate checked them off and turned to stare at her closet to pick out the other two pair of pants she'd need. A different black pair that would go well with her chosen shirts was added to the pile and a brown that went with half of the shirts.
"You have a checklist for a vacation?" A voice spoke from the doorway and Kate looked up from her shirts while checking off the warm longsleeved one for layering, the short sleeved, and the tshirt. "You could just buy something if you forget it."
"I will buy something, I plan to buy a NYPD shirt." Kate had until tomorrow to be packed, but if she did it now she could go out and buy something if it was missing. "You sure you can't come? I have Danny's ticket to the plays and the hotel room has two beds. You'd just need airfare." Kate gave Sydney a hopeful look, but it was useless. Syd had to request time off weeks in advance at her work.
"I can't believe he backed out on you." Syd shook her head and Kate pulled her notepad to her chest with a grimace. "I'm also surprised that you'd go alone."
"Well the tickets were not refundable." Kate glanced at the bed to check that she'd remembered to pack them. "I spent a few hundred dollars setting this up, and he gave me his tickets when I told him I was still going." Kate still felt disappointed in her brother doing this, it was supposed to be a fun thing they could do together, and just like any other time they had plans, something came up. She was really starting to not care anymore, which she knew was worse than being upset. He'd let her down too many times. She wasn't going to wait, lose her play tickets or sell them on his promise that they'd do it sometime soon. Soon never came.
"I wish I could go. I really want to see a Broadway play." Syd sighed and moved to step into Kate's room. When she sat on the bed Kate resisted the urge to tell her to move, because Kate really couldn't work with the only free spot on her bed covered by Syd. "You really need to relax, do something wild out there. You're always so uptight, you need this." Kate glared at Syd a little as she put her pad down and picked up the pants she'd already picked out to put them in the opened luggage to make space for her to put other necessities on the bed. "Go to some artistic bar and pick someone up." Syd grinned at her as if it were funny.
"I need to pack." Kate tried to dismiss Syd so she could work, and so they didn't start another irritating conversation about how Kate needed to get some. Her roommate was practically obsessed with the idea that Kate couldn't possibly be happy being single.
……………………..
The next day, after all packing was complete and Kate was ready she found out the flight was running late. Kate noticed that as soon as she logged on to check on it in the morning and sighed. Her bags were packed and by the door and her ride could only take her now, so she'd be waiting around for that flight. Oh well, she logged off and moved to grab an extra book to read and her notepad. She could fill her time if she had to.
Syd dropped her off and sped off, on her way to work, leaving Kate on the sidewalk of the SeaTac airport. As Kate was carrying her bags into the building she noticed the long lines and was glad she'd already checked in. She walked past them and towards security, but she did notice a tall black woman with white hair talking to the person at the counter and stared a moment. Now that woman was beautiful, Kate pulled her eyes away and continued on her way. Distractedly she wondered how much bleach it would take to make hair that type of white, or if it was a wig.
Her Ipod in her ears Kate sat down at the airport restaurant table and pulled out her notepad. Her pencil tapped on the side of it as she considered what to write. She glanced at old lists, one of the top ten places she wanted to visit before she died. New York was number eight. Kate put a check mark next to it with a small smile and moved to the next page.
"Can I get you anything?" The waitress asked and Kate pulled the earplugs out to order lunch. Once that was done Kate lowered the volume on her Ipod and started to look through her notepad again. A song from Alanis started and Kate grinned as she heard it, remembering Sydney telling her that Alanis must be Kate's soulmate, to make a list about a potential lover like that. Kate didn't volunteer that she had made a list about her future lover as well. While Alanis sang about the 21 things she wanted in a lover Kate found a new empty page and grinned as she tapped her pencil against her lip. What would be her 21 things she wanted? That should keep her amused for a little while. Her original list only had fifteen things on it, and she hadn't updated it in a few months. She turned to the page with that list on it and studied it for a while, evaluating what still applied and what she wanted to add.
While nibbling on French fries, Kate pondered her list. She knew what she wanted, she had to, she just needed to pull it out of her mind and onto the paper. As she ate with one hand she wrote with the other, and when her meal was done she continued while the waitress took her plate away.
someone intelligent
someone sensitive
someone in a safe career so I don't have to worry about them too much
someone I feel attracted to physically and emotionally
someone not shorter than me
someone with goals, not a slacker, willing to work for what they want
someone strong, confident, a little dominating at the right moments
someone opened minded, not prejudiced, homophobic or racist, not prone to irrational hate
someone with a sexy voice
someone that is not flighty, can make decisions, and knows how to follow through with them. Is not timid in the wrong moments
someone with sexy eyes
someone that likes to spend time with me even if they say nothing, and that it feels just as comfortable as talking. Someone that does more than just say they want to spend time together, but will rearrange things so that we can be together.
someone with their own life, so that they are there for me but not clingy. They have their own responsibilities, goals, and they make time for her within those. Someone who won't complain if I have to work late, want time to myself, or need to visit my parents for the weekend.
someone with friends that like me and that I like. People that I can hang out with comfortably, and won't feel nervous if they go out without me. I can trust them not to do things that would hurt the relationship when I'm not around.
someone with a nice laugh, that can joke and also knows when to be serious.
someone without unhealthy addictions, no smokers, no drugs, no dangerous addictions to danger etc.
someone willing to stand up for what they believe in, and those beliefs shouldn't be Republican, Religious Right, or any of the other causes that I not only don't support, but hate.
someone just as strong physically as they are emotionally and in their convictions
someone that likes the soft rain, and to listen to it on quiet Sundays while reading the newspaper and talking about hopes for the future
someone who isn't put off by my virginity, even at my age, and won't treat me like a freak, a child, or a toy, but will gently at times teach me what I need to know, and at times not be too gentle.
someone… someone that is a woman.
Kate finished her list nervously and looked up just to make sure no one was looking. As her eyes scanned the restaurant, she couldn't miss seeing that white hair facing the same way she did. She watched the woman for a moment and then drew her eyes away and looked at her watch. Well, not quite an hour, but the list was made and it was closer to time to go. Kate closed it, feeling less amused than she thought she'd be and more exposed.
"Oh, excuse me." A soft and sexy voice from the table in front of her drew Kate's eyes up to see blue smiling eyes glancing back at her. "My table doesn't have any ketchup." The woman said and Kate looked down at her own table and the bottle sitting there. Oh.
"Oh, here." Kate picked up the bottle and stood a little to hand it to the woman with a small smile.
"Thank you." The woman smiled and then turned back to her own table. Kate found herself staring at the back of her head for a moment. Those were some pretty eyes. Kate shook her head and pulled her book out to try and read for a little while. She found herself staring blankly at the page as she instead imagined all the cool things she could have said to the woman to start a conversation and hadn't. Kate sighed unhappily at her lack of courage and tried to focus on her book.
"Wicked?" That smooth voice spoke again and Kate looked up to see a small grin on the woman's face as she held out the ketchup bottle to her.
"I'm going to see the play. I thought I should read the book." Kate took the ketchup and put it back on her table. She almost left it at that, but she forced herself to talk more. "It's about the Wicked witch of the West, before the Wizard of Oz."
"I've heard about it. I'm sure you'll love the play, my friend went and said it was wonderful." The woman spoke and Kate smiled at her while lowering the book to the table.
"I'm going to New York." It felt awkward and rather desperate of her trying to talk like this, but the woman didn't look irritated.
"So am I. I live there." Kate's eyebrow rose at that. This woman had an accent, but it wasn't New York. "I hope you enjoy your time there." It was clearly an end to the conversation, a polite one, but Kate could see the woman's meal and knew she needed to eat.
"I'm sure I will." Kate felt stupid, like she could have said something better in response, and once the woman wasn't looking at her it was easier to focus on the book. She didn't want to be caught looking up.
…………………
"We are now seating for flight 507 to New York." The voice over the intercom spoke and Kate was already in line to board. It took some effort to maneuver the narrow aisle, and to lift her larger bag high so she could stow it above her seat. The smaller bag would fit under the chair and Kate made sure her book and notebook were out before she pushed it under and buckled her seat belt.
She was the only person in the row and she wondered if she'd get lucky and her brother's returned ticket hadn't sold. Pulling out her book she started to read while she waited for others to board.
"Excuse me." The voice had Kate looking up from her book, and she saw that woman again, standing in the aisle and motioning to the window seat next to Kate. "Oh hi." She smiled as she clearly remembered Kate from the restaurant. "I believe that's my seat."
Kate quickly put her book on the aisle seat and tugged on her belt so she could get up. Part of her was a little stunned at her incredible luck, her brother's seat had sold. And this gorgeous woman had it. "Oh sure, no problem." She said as she moved into the aisle and to the side so that the woman could slip into their row. She had to look up to see the woman's appreciative nod to her getting out of the way. This woman was rather tall, at least five inches taller than Kate, and Kate wasn't really a short woman. She waited patiently for the woman to sit and then had to get in to avoid a small line of people heading her way to the back seats.
Rather than pick her book up again, Kate pulled her purse out and popped some gum in her mouth for her ears as the plane went up. "Gum?" She held the package out for the woman and noticed it earned her a small smile.
"No, I'm fine. I don't have problems with altitude."
Kate went quiet and picked up her book as they waited to take off, but she only read a few paragraphs before speaking again. "This is only my third flight ever, and I've never taken one so long." She admitted as she looked over and the woman turned away from the window to look at her. "Do you fly a lot?"
The woman grinned a little. "Yes, I do." The woman answered and she seemed a little amused. Still they were talking and Kate was impressed with herself for starting it. Now she just had to figure out how to keep it going.
Sure, nothing would come of this, but it was practice. Maybe someday she'd actually be able to talk to someone with some potential like this. "I'm Kate." She turned a little in her chair and held out her hand.
"Ororo." The woman responded and shook her hand briefly. Kate was about to say more but the voice over the intercom spoke, so she waited for the pilot to announce who was driving this plane and the airline attendants who gave the safety talk. She'd only seen it twice before in person but she could probably give it herself, it wasn't all that new.
"Somehow I think the placement of the sick bags is more important than the floatation seats." She murmured almost to herself but Ororo chuckled.
"Don't worry, we aren't going to run into very much turbulence." Ororo told her. "The weather should be smooth the entire way."
"I hope." Kate sighed and her fingers fidgeted with her book as her mind raced in an attempt to think of something to say. "So this was your vacation? Or were you working?"
Ororo grimaced just a little. "Seattle was just a brief stop after Japan." Kate's eyebrow rose, Japan was closer to Seattle than New York, and she had never been there herself, but something about Ororo said it hadn't been a pleasant trip so Kate knew that conversation starter was dead already. Well, maybe it could be saved, Kate thought during a slightly too long break in the discussion, as the plane started to back away from the airport.
"I could never really believe that people chose to vacation here. It doesn't seem that special, it's no New York or Los Angeles."
"I don't know, for the day and a half I was here I thought it had its own quiet charm." Ororo smiled just a little.
"The drizzle didn't run you off did it?" Kate smiled a little. "I swear it does stop once in a while."
"No, I like the rain. It's cleansing." Ororo smiled and Kate was once again struck by the unlikelihood of talking with a woman this stunning. "Drizzle?"
"We are a people with many words for rain." Kate grinned, starting to feel like she was getting the hang of this. "Downpour, drizzle, sprinkle, misting, the list goes on."
"I see." Ororo's smile was rather attractive, Kate had to work at not staring. "That doesn't really work with your claim that it stops once in a while."
"Yeah, well it is fall. That's not a fair sampling. Our summers are rather nice." Kate sighed. "But I actually like the rain. My roommate thinks I'm crazy to, but the sound of it gently falling while I sit and read is soothing."
"Nature at its finest." Ororo agreed and Kate looked to see if she was being teased, but the woman looked sincere. "I like to walk in the rain at times as well, to listen to it feed the earth, and the how the trees capture the raindrops."
"Maybe you should move here." Kate's smile became a little tense as the plane started to gain speed, and her hand gripped her book more tightly.
"I find I have no shortage of rain wherever I go. Seattle doesn't own it, no matter what they claim." Ororo's voice held a little more passion than the topic warranted and Kate found herself gripping the other arm of the chair, glad that both seats near her hadn't sold as the plane started going up. "Flying really is safer than most forms of public transportation." Ororo added quietly.
"Oh, I'll be fine once we're actually up. The taking off and landing always makes me nervous." Kate admitted, trying to stop the concerned look in Ororo's eyes. She heard a child starting to cry and grimaced. Her voice was softer. "I can't imagine taking someone that young on a plane. That has to be hell."
"Yes, I imagine it would be." Ororo spoke and Kate nodded. "There is one airport in California where the plane goes up much more sharply, and everything is still fine." Ororo spoke softly, her voice was soothing and beautiful. It actually helped.
"So you fly all the time do you?" Kate forced herself to relax and focused partly on chewing her gum, knowing she'd be practically deaf if she didn't get her ears to pop, and she really didn't want to struggle with that for hours.
"Work takes me around the world." Ororo spoke and then glanced out the window for a moment. "There is always someplace that needs me." She muttered and it sounded weary. Someone needed a new job.
"So what do you do?" Airplane conversations were a little strange, but Kate had heard of other people doing this cross between a date and an interview type of discussions before, so it wouldn't seem too prying, she hoped.
"A little of this and a little of that." Ororo dodged with a small smile. It was message enough. "And you?"
"Whatever this or that you forgot." Kate teased, but her mind went to why someone wouldn't tell. Criminal was the first thought she had, and her heart sunk a little, but perhaps the woman had an embarrassing career, or perhaps she was a model and didn't want the endless questions people probably asked when a beautiful woman admitted to being a model. It seemed more likely that Ororo was a model or maybe an actress, maybe that's why she seemed familiar. Kate relaxed and spoke again. "I work for Starbucks, in payroll." She always added that last bit, because most people assumed that she worked in a store if she said Starbucks alone, and Kate couldn't really make lattes, or discuss them intelligently. Caffeine made her way too jittery, she didn't even drink the free stuff they had around the office.
"Ah, the new owners of America." Ororo teased and Kate blushed a little at the almost flirtatious tone.
"Well, they very well might be but I'm just a mere cog in the machine of corporate America." Kate shrugged a little and was a little distracted by her ears popping, everything became very loud for a moment before they popped again. Kate shook her jaw back and forth to try and even it out. "Last time I flew it took me an hour or two after landing before I could hear okay."
"Air pressure getting to you?" Ororo asked and after a moment Kate's ears righted themselves.
"I'm okay now. Sorry." Kate moved to put her book on the empty seat while still focusing on the conversation.
"It's okay, we were talking about your role in the take over of America." Ororo teased. "A minion I believe you said."
"Yes, I am a minion in the coffee pushers evil empire." Kate rolled her eyes and glanced out at the now sunny day, they were above the clouds. "It's really pretty up here."
"I always thought so." Ororo agreed they talked a little longer before the stewardess came by with drinks, and that slowly brought the talking to an end, as Ororo pulled out a magazine and Kate pulled her book out to read.
Kate glanced up when her book got to the start of another chapter and looked out the window. The clouds looked soft and tangible. After staring out at them and fantasizing about laying down on one, and imagining how soft it would be if it felt like it looked, Kate glanced at the magazine in Ororo's hands. Sandra Bullock graced the page. Kate looked a little harder, and noticed a few other actors. This was an old magazine. The movie Crash had come and gone at the theaters.
"I missed the movie when it was out." Ororo spoke and Kate looked up, realizing she'd been caught reading Ororo's magazine. "I hear it was very good."
"Yes it was. They dealt with race very well, it was uncomfortable as hell to watch, but when I walked away I really had to think about it." Kate answered. "And I never would have guessed it, but Sandra Bullock looks downright scary when she yells. I sure wouldn't cross her."
"And she looks like such a nice girl." Ororo teased as she glanced at the picture. Kate almost asked why Ororo was just now reading that magazine, knowing it had to be old, but she left it be.
"I wouldn't be surprised if that movie won a few awards. All the actors were amazing." Kate shook her head. "If only everyone was forced to watch it, some movies should just be mandatory."
"Well, then I will have to make an effort to rent it." Ororo responded and moved the magazine a little closer to Kate. "I tend to miss many of the good movies, so the Blockbuster employees know me."
"Shame, some movies are better on a large screen." Kate gave a little sympathy, but she spent more time wondering why Ororo would miss something that was out for weeks if she really wanted to see it. "Oh, look, I had no idea she'd even had a baby." Kate pointed out another article. She never read magazines that much so even old this magazine had news for her too. "Or that she was even dating."
"That man next to her is her husband." Ororo offered while reading the smaller print and Kate relaxed and smiled as they slowly started to go through the pictures and stories together. The flight was the best one she'd ever had and Kate talked with Ororo about music, movies, actors and actresses for over an hour, before the magazine was finished and it left little to keep the discussion going. Kate hadn't read enough of her book to talk about it and a book just didn't lend itself to sharing as well.
Ororo leaned back and closed her eyes after a long silence between them and Kate sighed as she pulled her book out to read some more of it.
Ororo seemed to doze until the flight attendants went through the last minute prep for descent, which woke her up. "I have a two hour wait for my next flight." Kate looked over at the woman, "Do you have time for lunch?" Kate smiled.
"I have a two hour wait too." Kate replied, strongly suspecting they had the same flight out of Chicago as well.
As the passengers were slowly filing out of the plane Kate stood up and started to struggle with her stowed luggage, and a strong hand moved to grab the handle from her as Ororo pulled it out with ease and set it down for her. Kate blushed a little. "Thanks."
……………..
"I need to call home." Ororo spoke as they stared at the on time message next to their flight number. "My friends don't realize I'm coming back today." She explained and Kate nodded as she wondered how a flight she was taking managed to be on time.
Once Ororo stepped away to find one of those strange cell phone booths Kate turned her attention to the shop. "Well, they probably cost twice the going rate." She muttered as she moved to wheel her carry on with her to glance at magazines. They'd worked well to give them something to talk about before.
Of course, Ororo may not have the seat next to Kate this time around, Kate thought with a little disappointment. She hadn't asked, not wanting to seem strange, but it would be nice. This had been the best flight she'd ever had and it was all because of the company.
People, Entertainment Weekly, Kate read over the titles available and looked at the covers for ideas of what to get. She picked one up and quickly flipped through it to see if it looked interesting.
She paid for two just as she spotted Ororo standing out near the monitors glancing around. "Thanks." Kate smiled just a little at the cashier and then stepped out of the shop with her purchases. "Ororo." Her voice rose a little and Ororo turned to face her with a small smile.
"There you are. I was starting to think you had a better offer." Ororo teased and Kate did her best to not say something stupid and make it too obvious that she was a bit attracted to the woman. They started off in a direction looking for food without Kate responding to the comment.
In ten minutes they were seated waiting for a waitress to notice them in a rather decent airport bar. The television was on, and as in most bars it was more than loud enough to hear. "Mutants are American's too, we pay our taxes and we grew up here, vote here…" A redheaded woman spoke out against some politician and Kate sighed as she saw the hostile looks the other politicians aimed at her.
When she turned to face Ororo, she noticed the woman was watching the news clip carefully and Kate couldn't tell what Ororo was thinking from the expression on her face. She could tell Ororo wasn't pleased. Kate nibbled on her lip and started to play with the menu, appearing to second guess her order as she waited for the waitress, but what she wanted to do was bring the topic of mutants up.
Kate looked up at the television again. "She's really taking her life into her hands." Kate spoke quietly, while watching the redhead on the television.
"She certainly is." Ororo turned back as the news clip ended and looked into Kate's eyes again. "But if no one speaks up, what type of life is it?"
"True." Kate hadn't spent a lot of time thinking about it, but she knew she was uncomfortable with some of the policies against mutants she'd heard about. Lesbians weren't loved by America either, so it made her wonder who was next on the hit list, if once the government got away with what they were doing to mutants they'd go after other groups. Kate may be in the closet now, but she didn't want to always be.
"I'm paying, I invited you." Ororo said gently as the waitress stepped up, giving Kate no time to object. It felt strange letting someone else pay for her. "Perhaps a glass of wine will make the next takeoff easier on you." Ororo teased as she turned to the waitress.
Kate felt a strange warm feeling watching Ororo order two glasses of wine, and her own meal before turning to Kate to indicate Kate should order her meal. Kate had mentioned off hand while looking at the menu earlier that the wine was overpriced, so Ororo was just giving her what she thought she wanted. It was rather sweet.
Kate ordered her meal and then just muttered a quiet thank you to Ororo after the waitress left.
"I bought more magazines," Kate spoke up, before even remembering that they weren't actually traveling together.
"Oh, well if we ask, perhaps we can get seats together so we can read them." Ororo said just the right thing, something Kate hadn't even thought about. They could change seats. Kate smiled, seeing that she wasn't being a pest and that Ororo wanted to spend a bit more time with her.
Ororo managed somehow to do it too, so they sat down next to each other in the middle of the plane, Kate once again in the middle, but this time they weren't lucky enough to not have a third person with them. A thirty-something man took the aisle seat. At least he was more interested in his ipod and book than them. Kate glanced at Ororo again and shook her head subtly as she looked away. He must be gay, gay or dead to not even look at the woman.
Kate grinned a little at that thought and pulled her gum out to get ready for take off. She didn't pull the magazine out until they were airborne, but she found she was less nervous during this takeoff. Maybe she was getting better at this.
They were about halfway through the magazine and Kate was laughing a little about a comment Ororo made about Brad Pitt, when Kate turned the page and she could see Ororo tense before Kate looked down. "Is that you?" Kate asked quietly after staring a moment at a picture that showed a black woman with white hair, but from far enough away there could be some doubt. Well, there would have been if white hair was common. Silence answered her and Kate looked at the heading,
Kate could see her own arms shake a little, because she held the magazine. The article was about dangerous mutants destroying a building. Kate stared at it trying to think fast, to come up with something to say. When she looked up she could see a resigned and slightly nervous expression on Ororo's face. Kate just stared at her a moment, the words she'd seen in the title, and the first few lines rang in her head as she stared.
"Not everything you see in magazines are true." Ororo spoke very quietly and when the man next to Kate shifted in his seat Kate quickly turned the page, to keep him from seeing it.
Kate's voice was tense, even as she tried to not sound it. "I never met a model before." She said, completely to keep the man from figuring out what was being talked about.
Ororo reached out to rest a hand on Kate's arm and Kate flinched a little. Ororo pulled away at that. "No, I'm just jumpy." Kate gave the woman an apologetic look. "Flying." Kate said while staring into Ororo's eyes.
"You'll be okay. You're perfectly safe." Ororo stared back as they had their coded conversation.
"Good." Kate forced her heart to calm down and now that reality was starting to reassert itself, Kate felt embarrassed about her reaction. She believed mutants were getting a raw deal, so why did she panic like that? She had spent hours with Ororo and knew the woman was good, regardless of what the magazine said. "This is a stupid rag." She muttered about the magazine and tossed it back into her bag, pulling out the other one. "Maybe this one isn't so stupid." She felt like an idiot for her words, but she sat back and stared at Ororo for a brief moment, reaching out to gently rest a hand on her arm. "So how many times do you think they'll talk about Brittany Spears in this one?"
Ororo smiled and seemed to relax. "Let's find out."
Kate wanted to ask questions, but any hint that Ororo was a mutant here would put the woman in danger. Kate's heartbeat didn't calm quickly as she found herself distracted and obsessed with how much the other people could hear them talk. They talked for just a little while, before Kate excused herself to go to the bathroom. She didn't really need to go, she just needed a moment alone.
Once she was in the tiny bathroom Kate stared at herself in the mirror. "Well, it wasn't like this was going anywhere." She muttered quietly to herself. Even as she said it, her mind went back to her list and how well Ororo would have fit so far, if it weren't for the mutant thing. Kate hadn't said no mutants, hadn't thought it was likely she'd ever meet one, but mutants were worse than police for being in danger. Hell that article looked like Ororo could have been killed easily that day. "I didn't lose anything I really had." She muttered again, thinking of her own fantasies about Ororo being willing to show her around New York. The fantasies she'd had about the woman being her travel partner so that Kate wasn't alone, and the fantasies about how much fun they'd have. In the brief moments where Kate had a chance to think she'd fantasized a bit more.
"She's really nice." Kate turned the faucet on and splashed some cold water on her face. She was becoming disappointed in herself for thinking of pulling away now that she knew. With a heavy sigh she left the relative privacy and made her way back to her seat. She found she was disappointed to find Ororo just staring out the window, as if they hadn't been talking, as if she were just another stranger on the plane.
She sat quietly for a moment giving Ororo the silence she seemed to want, but every moment that went by felt wrong. Kate started to fidget as she considered that she needed to be the one to end it, and that Ororo might be worried. "I," Kate sighed and looked over at the beautiful woman, relaxing as Ororo looked at her. "My brother was supposed to come with me. One of those bonding trips that he always manages to cancel at the last minute for work." Kate reached out to gently touch Ororo's arm, not something she did to other people normally, but she wanted Ororo to know she didn't object to touch, wasn't too scared or prejudiced for it. "I have his ticket to Wicked. I didn't think I'd find anyone to offer it to, but," Kate glanced down. "Would you like to come with me?" She waited and the silence was a little too long, making her feel like a fool.
"When is it?" Ororo asked and Kate looked back up into amused eyes. Kate managed to erase the tension from Ororo's face.
"Thursday." Kate answered a little quickly.
"That sounds lovely. Shall we go out to dinner first?" Ororo expanded their evening and Kate once again felt that warm feeling. She liked spending time with Ororo, and she really liked that it was mutual.
"That would be good. I have no idea where to go or what to do in New York. I have a list of things I want to do, but finding a good restaurant may be beyond me." Kate smiled and shifted in her seat to face Ororo as much as possible in those seats, which wasn't much.
"Can I see your list?" Ororo asked and Kate took three seconds imagining Ororo offering to walk her to Central Park, just to make sure Kate was safe, or going with her to see the statue of liberty. She reached into her bag and pulled out her notebook, flipping through it quickly to find the list.
"I didn't think I could do all of this, I was going to see what I wanted to do as I went, and maybe ask the locals what was good." Kate said as she handed over the notebook, opened to the right page. She'd been working on that list up until the night before the flight.
"And I'm a local, it's your lucky day." Ororo teased while taking the notebook and then went quiet as she started to read it.
Kate felt a wave of heat as she remembered that Greenwich village was on the list, along with a lesbian bar. Kate looked away and resisted the urge to take it back as she waited for Ororo to read this. Her nervousness was clear in her body, even she knew it, and Kate wondered if Ororo had felt like this when Kate found the article about her, or if it was even worse.
"This sounds good." Ororo spoke up and Kate looked over to see a gentle smile. "Perhaps, if nothing comes up at work." Ororo said work, but Kate could see the message in her eyes that said mutant business, "perhaps I could come to your hotel earlier on Thursday and we could make a day of some of this."
"That would be great." Kate smiled big.
"What hotel?" Ororo asked and Kate blinked a little, as she realized that Ororo was making sure to have all the details. Kate told her, while pulling her notebook to her and writing it down as well. She wrote down her cell phone, full name, and the day she was leaving for home, and gave that page to Ororo.
"Perhaps after the play we could have a drink at that bar you mentioned." Ororo's smile was a little mischievous. "I'll ask around and find out where the best one is. I like to dance."
Kate went quiet for a moment, as the fact that she'd written the bar down was brought up and then she sighed. Perhaps it was vacation courage that let her ask. "If I'd asked for a date?"
"Didn't you?" Ororo smiled and Kate blushed as she got her answer. Her mind went to the list, and the ways Ororo fit and didn't fit. She thought about how little time she really had and she smiled as she decided none of it mattered. Ororo was fun, and Kate needed fun. Maybe Ororo could help with a few other things Kate needed. That fantasy made her blush more and Ororo's smile was a little wicked in return.