(2018-11-29) Bruises - Part Two
Part two of very long log. Still strapped in?
Players:
anthony..xavier..katherine..esme..solo..

"Ah" Anthony responded, waving his hand toward Xavier in a discarding gesture, "Cold neva' both'as me anyhow" he smirked as he rinsed his mug out and deposited it in the…dishwasher? Drying rack? Somewhere where it could get properly dried. "Y'know, I'm gonna' be honest…" he began, looking over Kate's shoulder from afar as she set to work making the pierogies, "There ain' no love lost between me an'a Reds, we gotta' long history back in my neck'a the woods. But fuck if pierogi ain' the best fuckin' addition ta' the world since sliced bread, lemme fuckin' tell ya" he admitted, raising his hand in a three-finger salute like the good boyscout he no doubt is. When Xavier kisses Kate and excuses himself, he got a firm nod, "Consider it done" he affirmed to his mention of a private conversation to be had at a later date.

Katherine has the dough made and she rolls it out, turning to return Xavier's kiss gently. "I'll come check on you in a bit, go get some rest." She turns to laugh briefly at Anthony, amusement writ on her features. "They are, especially when they're homemade and gently fried. Hopefully you will actually enjoy some of them, because it's not often that I go through the trouble of making them." She puts her attention to her cooking then, checking the dough to make sure it's not rolled too thin. "I also don't molest chickens." She says primly, squinting towards the retreating Xavier. "I just…made a mess of the stuffing, that's all."

"Do you…often…stuff chickens then?" Anthony asked, leaning into the counter as he flicked an eyebrow upward at Kate with an air of incredulously lewd humor bridled thinly beneath the surface of that particular selection of words. His hands found the pockets of his jacket easily and he looked around the kitchen, now remarkably empty given the level of bustling activity it had been subjected to for the last few hours. "Calaveras never fails to dissapoint or entertain, Kate. That's for sure."

Katherine clears her throat, eyebrows raising slightly at the clearly lewd implications of his words. "I didn't stuff one for three years until recently so I am still out of practice." Her cheeks get pink as she pulls a dough cutter from a drawer. She carefully makes circles in the dough, sets them aside, rolls out the rest of the dough and repeats the process. "I have a temper, and Xavier got to see it once, I was stuffing a capon at the time and I think it fascinated him. I.. was just embarrassed. It's actually part of how he and I ended up together." She nibbles gently on her bottom lip, turning to check the potatoes in the pan. "This place can be pretty lively sometimes."

"Marrone" Anthony said in a clear Italian as he laughed softly, "T'anks fa' confirmin' my t'oughts about you'se two, the suspense was killin' me" he grinned and puffed his whiskery cheeks into an exhale of a stream of air, "So's is there anyone you DON'T know in town? Seems like everyone jus' t'inks you'se the regula' bee's knees aroun' here. You'se oughta' run for mayor or somethin' " he mused, standing carefully out of the way of Kate's working though close enough to watch what she was doing with curiosity.

Katherine smirks and leans against the counter, aiming a slightly tilted smile at Anthony. "What thoughts? Were you wondering if I slept with him or if..we were dating?" She pushes back up, laughing as she checks the potatoes. "I'd have told you, maybe. Possibly." She takes a breath and looks thoughtful. "I don't know a lot of the new transplants, but I meet people pretty often, and a lot of folks will send people to me if they need a room or a meal." She blinks at the Mayor talk, clearing her throat. "I'm already busy enough, Tony. That would just take whatever free time I already have away from me." She pulls the potatoes from the heat and drains the water, dumping them into a bowl. "Do you like onions in your pierogies?"

"Yes" Anthony answers the query of 'sleeping with' or 'dating' and smirked as if the answer itself amused him, though gave her a long sideways glance when she mentioned telling him, "No you wouldn' don' bullshit me" he laughed, "You barely botha'd to admit you was workin' ona' Winchesta' wit' Westin' an' Nicky" he shook his head, "It's a'right, local, outsider, I get it" he remarked and arched an eyebrow at the mention of onions, "Fuck - ehh - I'unno? I's like onions, so sure?"

Katherine looks amused, pulling an onion from a hanging basket even as one hand pulls a knife from the chopping block. "I would tell you that we are dating, I did mention the first evening that you were here that I was seeing someone." She starts to chop the onion, and when it's fine she dumps it into the whole cooked potatoes setting the knife in the sink and grabbing a masher. She mashes while she watches Anthony, the smile still on her face. "I used to be so open about everything in my life, because I trusted everyone around me, and then it bit me in the ass. So now..I just do what I need to do, and I don't really talk about it that much. Seems easier, though I doubt some other woman is going to traipse into the B&B, tell me that she wants to fuck my boyfriend, and then proceed to go out and do it." She rolls her eyes, squinting down into the pan before she adds a knob of butter and some milk. She goes back to mashing, looking like she might be taking out some personal grievance on the poor potatoes. "I like you, Tony. Despite every single male , save one, in my life telling me that you look like trouble."

"I mean…" Anthony drew out the words into a lengthy drawl and grinned sharply at Katherin, "Westin' is pretty cute in'em USM sweaties, I might just have'ta go off an' fuck ya' boyfriend on ya' " he laughed and winked at Katherine easily, though stood out of her way as she proceeded to brutalize the innocent, poor, soft potatoes. "Eh.." he shrugged at the mention of the males in her life, "I mean they's right, I'm sure I do *look* like trouble. I'm certainly not from ar'oun here, I don' got no refined way'a speakin' like Westin. My forma' employment is somethin' a lotta' people don' understand, an' my reason fa' bein' here is literally ta' buy shit an make a profit…" he shrugged, "But I'm not a bad guy, an' fa' as much as people seem ta' t'ink I'm out ta' bulldoze ova' the town and turn it inna' a shoppin' mall, I really just wanna' see it be a successful lil' town that I can live in comfortably" he remarks with a smile at Katherine, "I certainly ain't fuckin' Nicholas, t'ats fa' sure"

"I'm pretty secure in how Xavier feels about me." Katherine remarks, her eyes dancing as she gazes at Anthony. "The same couldn't have been said for my ex, who I find myself missing less and less the more I hear." She scoops the potatoes into a bowl, pulling out a spoon to scoop a tablespoon into the middle of the pasta, folding them over and securing them with eggwash. "Tony, you're leveling with me, so I'll do the same for you." She tilts her head, eyebrows furrowed. "People seem to think that I'm a goodie goodie. That I don't lie and that I don't do anything that I probably shouldn't do, and if I can help it, I aim to stick to those standards. I'm human, I make mistakes. I fuck up, and …everyone does. Now Franklin and Julian give you the eye, and probably Luke too, because they feel threatened in a way. Probably think you're being ..unbusinesslike in my company. That's because a small part of them would do the same in your shoes." She dusts her hands off and continues to make the pierogies. "So I just ignore their rumbling, and you should too. If you do something that pings their radar, well you'll have to deal with that on your own." She brushes her hair back away from her eyes and grins. "I think you're going to be fine though, and …thank you for not being a Nicholas."

"Ain't it funny how people who's say 'age is but a number' are always fuckin' kids?" Anthony smirked at Katherine with a wink, clearly in regards to Nicholas and listened to what she had to say with interest and attentiveness. "Hey.." he shrugged, "I t'rew the bait, you didn' bite. No sane person likes fishin' when they knows they ain' gonna' catch nothin' " he smirked, shrugging his shoulders, "Besides, I gotta' feelin' me an' Westin gonna' have a good workin' relationship, so's I jus' treat you'se like any otha' respectable business-person deserves ta' be treated, wit' a little bit'a respect" he smiled and raised one hand to his mouth, coughing softly into his fist. "Jesus" he said hoarsely, "You got anythin' besides coffe an' tea in here? You got any beer or anythin' ?"

Katherine smirks and nods at Anthony, reaching out to pat him on the hand. "If I weren't seeing anyone, I might have bit, especially since I was upset about recent happenings. You're a good looking man with a hilarious personality, but we probably wouldn't mesh well." She turns to the fridge and pulls out a bottle of Coors and sets it down, and then kneels down, grabbing a bottle of whiskey. She sets the second next to the beer and quirks a brow. "I wouldn't mind a few fingers of whiskey, not after the night I had last night."

"Oh, we ab-so-lutely wouldn't. It'd be a beautiful explosion though" Anthony remarked in reply to Katherine and himself not meshing well. When she produces the Coors and Whiskey though, he withdrew both of his hands, pressing the palms together in a praying gesture and bobbing them "God fuckin' bless you, Kate" he said and laughed a hushed laugh as he moved to gather a glass from the cabinet. "You got it, Boss" he replied and uncorked the whiskey, pouring a few fingers of the rich liquid and recorking it. Grabbing the Coors, he withdrew the metallic lighter from his pocket and shoved it upward against the neck of the bottle and into the rim of the cap, popping it free - clearly he'd done this a time or two. "Whatta' fuck happened wit' t'at anyhow?" and he squinted a bit, those pale green eyes appraising Kate as he spoke, "…and don' gimme' none of that fuckin' ice bullshit, I don' mind playin' the game, Kate, but don' insult my intelligence. I've done the whole 'no docta's' t'ing before, and it ain' fa' no fuckin' ice"

Katherine inclines her head when Tony mentions a beautiful explosion, smirking as he pours her a few fingers of whiskey. "Thank you." She says, taking a drink and setting it aside. She starts making pierogies again when Anthony asked her what /really/ happened and she sighs, shifting to gaze intently at him. "I ..don't know specifics, but I believe that someone forced him off the road. There were bullet holes as well." Her voice is a soft whisper, brows furrowed as she sighs. "After seeing his car, he should be dead." She looks pained, but her fingers don't falter, the pierogies being easily made despite her being distracted.

"Jesus" Anthony replied softly in a hushed tone, raising his free hand he scratched his thumb against his jaw against the grizzled whiskers of his face, "Well t'at is certainly somethin" he commented and raised his beer to his lips, the sound of the liquid sloshing against the bottle within as he took a few solid gulps of the liquid before lowering it back down. "An' you seem ta' not be bothered about this as much as maybe you should be" he laughed softly, shaking his head, "You'se a hard broad, Kate" he added with a smile. "Men like Westin sa'vive on sheer powa' of will. He'll be okay. But eh…" he paused, knitting the coal black brows above his pale green eyes, "I really wouldn' mention 'at to nobody. People tend ta'…" he squinted his eyes in thought of the words, "Get the facts, and the opinions intertwined"

Katherine swallows and reaches for the whiskey, taking a drink. She gazes up at Anthony, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "I had a panic attack last night as I was putting his shoulder back into its socket." She admits, wincing as she gazes down at her pierogies. "I cried when he finally fell asleep, because I honestly believe that I should have called the police, or..at least Julian or Franklin. With Julian? I probably could get him to help me without going too much into the why. Franklin would need some background and he'd know if I was lying." She rubs a hand over her face and winces. "He asked me to keep all of this to myself, and I plan on it, but I would feel /so/ much better if someone was looking out for him. I have to sit on my hands to keep from making that happen."

It was Anthony's turn to reassure Katherine, and he reached his free hand out to brace against her shoulder gently, "Kate" he said seriously, in a tone stern enough to get her attention away from her own personal inner turmoil, that, coupled with the severity of his green eyes that levelled toward her and the casual smile on his lips despite the topic of conversation, "Don' worry about it. In the spirit a' not askin' any more questions than is needed…" he smile grew, and his tone was something more comforting, though wholeheartedly reassuring, "trust me when I's says that I got my eye on Westin, so don' worry about it, okay?" he nearly laughed, though smiled brightly instead, dropping his hand from her shoulder and taking a drink of his beer, "So, Pierogis, huh? Where'd you learn that?"

Katherine meets Anthony's gaze, swallowing convulsively as she nods at him. "Okay. Just…don't get hurt keeping an eye on him. I would feel very bad if that happened." She glances at the pierogies, and then puts a pan on the stove, tossing butter in. "My mother taught me everything about cooking. Leigh..Mom, she was a force of nature. She took care of all eight of us, the kids and Dad, and basically made it look effortless." She watches the butter melt, adding a handful of onions. "When my sisters and I got older, she'd teach us things, mostly because she wanted a few moments of her own in the day. Every time one of my older sisters went off to college, she'd sit another one of us down to learn." Her face lights up and she goes over to her purse, pulling an envelope from it. She pulls a picture of a family at a parade, boys and girls standing around a dark haired woman and man, the youngest child , Lynn, sitting on the man's shoulder. "Ethan found this in a photo album, his mom has Alzheimer's, but she recognized us and he gave this to me..while we were dating." She sets the picture down, gazing at it. "It's..hard without them here still. It's been two years, and I still wake up expecting them to walk in."

"It gets easier" Anthony remarked, though her mention of him getting hurt was so foreign that he chose not to even acknowledge it, "It don' go away ya'know, but it gets easier. Two yea's is still pretty recent" he smiled, looking after the picture that she produced and smiling at it with genuine approval, "Cute kids" he laughed, shaking his head, "Jesus, ya' parents had ta' be busy, you sure you ain' Italian? Or maybe mormon? That's a hell of'a lotta' kids" he smirked. Another sip of his beer. "My ma' got canca' a long time ago, but Pop is still fuckin' about. He t'inks he can keep workin' ina' mechanic shop until'a day he dies…" he shrugged, waving a hand, "Ahh, but who am I ta' tell the old man different. He's lasted t'is long"

"My mother was Italian." Katherine remarks, as she moves to slip the pierogies into the pan with the browned butter and onions. "It gets easier?" She asks, turning to gaze at him, brows furrowed. "I keep telling myself that, and then things fall apart again, and I am lost. Nobody expected me to be able to make…this work." She gestures around the kitchen, sighing softly. "When I said I was going to do this, instead of finding a nice 9 to 5 job, they just gave me a sympathetic look and left casseroles." She shakes the pan, exhaling softly. "My parents were wild for each other, every time they had one of us, they'd say they were done, and then…they weren't. Lynn was the surprise baby though, she came when nobody expected her really." She turns the pasta pockets, head tilted. "I hated having so many siblings, but now I would do anything to get them back."

"You've still got some of them, hon. Don' fugheddabout' the ones still aroun' " his words were sympathetic, but consoling and delivered with a smile. "Like Sarah" Anthony poised with a loud double-click of his teeth and a wink with a finger-gun motion toward Katherine in a pure show of hilarity regarding the teens absolute infatuation with himself that the both of them had discussed prior. "An' seriously, who'da fuck don' like casserole?"

Katherine winces when Sarah's name comes up. "Like Sarah." She repeats, pulling the pierogies off the stove and transferring them to a paper towel to dry. "I mean, I liked it, but it wasn't mine and I'm pretty picky about what I serve my family." She sighs and glances at Anthony. "You guys are family when you're under my roof, in a way, and I'm sure that's also what drives some people insane. I tend to be very protective of me and mine."

"Cheer up. Maybe she'll hook up wit' that lil' firecracka' haired kid 'at was here earlier an forget all about me" he grinned and took a swig of his beer, moving well out of her way now and leaning his back against the bar, his hand rose to stroke back through his coal black locks and he looked around, "I kinda got that feelin' about stayin' here. s'part a' the reason I'm so friendly in'a mornin' normally I'd jus' avoid everyone an' do my own t'ing, but frankly…" he shrugged, "I like the atmosphere"

"I don't know if he's a better option, honestly." Katherine looks like she'd rather rip out her tongue, but she continues to speak. "You would at least use protection, young guys like him are just trying to figure out a way to get it in." She sighs and pulls a plate from the cupboard, sliding two crispy pierogies on it. She passes it to Anthony and sets a fork down. "I'm glad you like the atmosphere, if I could figure out how to bottle it and move it into the Winchester, I wouldn't have to worry if I was doing the right thing." She picks up her own pierogie and takes a nibble from it.

Standing within the kitchen is Anthony, leaned against the breakfast bar and about halfway through a Coors light while Katherine has just finished the periogies and has a few sips down a double fingered glass of whiskey.

"Protection? What, like a bullet proof vest?" Anthony grinned, intentionally playing to the frustrating naivety of the situation, "You're not wrong though, I mean, I've aged like a fine wine, or like, a whiskey, y'know? Rich an earthy wit' fine, delicate notes when left ta' dance across ya' tongue…You'll have ta' ask ya' sista' " he openly couldn't contain his laughter after that, and had broken into it a few notes before finishing the sentence. Fork retrieved he waved it about like a protective sword toward Katherine before stabbing it into one of the finished morsels.

There's the sound of movement from the stairs. The deliberate, careful tread suggests Xavier in his wounded state. But instead of coming to the door, he pads by to open the front door. He steps outside, closes the door behind him…and then comes back in fairly short order. He makes his way to the kitchen with a small bag in his good hand. "Smells like the pierogies are done?" He gives Anthony an amused look. "Wait, are you talking about how old you are?"

Katherine shudders delicately as Anthony describes himself like wine, shaking her head back and forth. "He's also talking about the atmosphere, apparently it's intoxicating." She puts a few crispy pierogies on a plate and walks them over to Xavier, setting them down on the table. "Yes, they're done. I was showing Anthony a picture Ethan found of my family." She picks it up and sets it near Xavier. It's a photo of two adults with seven children clustered around them, clearly at a parade. "He correctly guessed that my mother was Italian, I think it has something to do with her popping out seven children." She moves back to the stove, putting the second batch of pierogies in a pan. Anthony is sitting at the counter, drinking a Coors light. Xavier just made his way into the kitchen, bruised and looking a little worse for the wear, and Kate is cooking - as per usual.

Esme wandered in to the B&B, shedding her coat and hanging it up before making her way towards the kitchen area, where she heard voices. Her eyes widened, seeing Xavier first and how banged up he looked. "Oh dear, Mr. Westin are you okay?" She asked, truly looking concerned for the man considering the last time she had seen him was at least a few weeks ago and he had been fine and a fiddle then. "Good evening Kate, how are you doing?" A brief look towards the cooking and a smile, "Do you need help with anything?" Then her gaze finally drifted to Anthony and he got a smile too, with just a touch of a smirk. "Mr. Malone, a pleasure to see you again. You'll be delighted to know my dreams were filled with images of you in Magic Mike-like attire." A wink given, clearly teasing. Her attire today is a black pencil skirt with a light blue button down, hair pulled back in a neat ponytail.

Whatever the god awful internal reason the two of Esme and Anthony had for her referring to him in Magic-Mike attire pulled a broad grin across his features and he shrugged, "It's only fair" he replied and easily glanced his eyes over the woman, taking a sip of his beer - "I see you're wearin' your second an' only outfit, bein' the limited attire you have bein' a sexy librarian an all" he replied with a wink and turned his attention toward Xavier, "Westin' I don' t'ink we're too terribly fa' apart ina' age dep'atment, I'm jus' sayin" his grin remained with ease, "But yeah, mainly given' Kate a ha'd time about her sista' "

Xavier clucks his tongue at Anthony. "That is a terrible stereotype to be perpetrating," he says, in teasing tones. Xavier moves aside as Esme comes in - she probably passed a somewhat confused but much richer teen on the way up to the door - and waves with the bag he has in his good hand. "Ah, the helpful librarian. It is good to see you again. And I'm fine." The last has the feel of a sentence which has been repeated a lot of late. He takes a seat, carefully, and not without some pain as he lowers himself down. The bag goes on the table. He chuckles at Anthony, "That may be the case, but I haven't aged. I've just…refined." His grin is wide and self-depreciating as he tries to relax in the chair.

The offer of help has been made before while Kate has been cooking, but this time she accepts, crooking a finger at Esme. "I have the rounds for the pierogies cut out, can you scoop some potato mixture into them and seal them with egg wash? I'll fry them." She turns to do just that, rolling her eyes as age talk begins. "You're both old, well aged, like cheese. I'm sure nobody here thinks less of you for having more experience, hmm?" She turns the pierogies in the pan, slanting a look at Xavier. "What is in the bag?" She asks casually, nodding at the plate she sat in front of him. "You should eat those warm, and ..would you or Esme like some whiskey or beer?" She picks up her glass of whiskey, taking a decent swallow before she turns back to her pasta pockets, not wanting them to burn.

Esme glanced down to her attire and nodded to Anthony. "Quite right. My closet is very boring to look at with only two types of outfits in it." Then her head tilted a touch back towards Westin. "It's good to see you again too. I was sorry I couldn't make it to your charity event the other night. I had a few things come up." She offers Kate a bright smile, "Of course I can. I just can't gaurantee they'll all look pretty." Esme chuckled. She moved back closer to the doorway to slip out of her heels before moving closer to give Kate an assist. She too was curious about the bag, but Kate asked first so she didn't echo the question. "There's nothing wrong with having experience." Se mused, a beat of pause and then, "I'll take a bit of whiskey, sure." Then she went about starting to scoop the potato mixture on to the pierogie rounds.

The amused expression across Anthony's face was easily earned by the conversation at hand, though when one woman suggested there was nothing wrong with experience, that was then affirmed by the other, he casually turned his head toward Xavier in somewhat of a deadpan feature before giving him a shrug paired with a uncertain purse to his lips, "Guess we'se jus' 'experience' then, huh?" he smirked and took a drink from his beer, holding up both hands, though one was carefully wrapped around his bear "A'right, that's my que ta' get otta' the kitchen" and that he did, making his way toward the dining room table with a glance toward the aformentioned bag. "If that is an order a' special snicka'doodles, I promise not ta' t'ink less of you…" he mused and found his seat at the table.

Xavier gives Katherine his best attempt at an innocent look. It is even less effective than it has ever been, what with the bruises having become livid and swollen on his skin. "I should /hope/ you don't think less of me for my experience, Kate. I've tried to use it to good effect." He waggles his eyebrows once, then goes, very quietly, "Ow." To the curiosity, he reaches into the bag and takes out four large, red fruits. "Pomegranates. They're the queen of fruits, and I had a craving. They're not easy to find in Calaveras, as an aside - I had to send that young fellow from Craigslist to three different stores." He turns to the plate first, since the fruit will keep. "I…don't think I've ever had fresh made pierogies before." He cuts into one, pops a bite in his mouth. "…mmm. This is good," he adds, once he swallows.

Katherine's cheeks turn pink and she clears her throat, scooping another batch of pierogies from the pan and onto a paper towel to drain and cool. "I don't think less of you, you're safe." She replies, gazing at the pomegranates when they're pulled from the bag. "I have some pomegranate liquor somewhere in one of these cupboards, I use it for a dessert recipe." She gazes at Xavier with a bemused look on her face. "You sent a young man out from Craigslist? I hope you paid him well, I had no clue people did that here." She pauses and frowns. "How else are pierogies made?" She glances at the cookie jar on the table and then lowers her voice. "You should just have one, Tony. They're pretty good." She glances over at Esme, picking up one of her pierogies and smiles. "These are pretty, don't let anyone tell you different. She puts it in the pan with a few other prepared ones and pours the librarian a few fingers of whiskey in a squat glass.

A brief look over her shoulder as Anthony heads towards the dining room, "Experience is fun." Is all she offers before returning her focus to the food. A soft little chuckle escapes her at Xavier's tease and Katherine's reaction as she continues to form the pierogies, trying to keep them all somewhat uniform. It's been awhile since she's actually done anything in the kitchen except use a microwave, so she's enjoying it. "I didn't know they did that either." Esme mused about the pomegrantes. "Maybe I'll have to hit up Craigslist next time I need to some shopping done….do you just eat them like that…skin off obviously, or do you mix them with other stuff?" Obviously she didn't have much experience with the fruit, pausing to take a sip of whiskey.

"Whatta' you…" Anthony squinted his eyes squinted at the ladies in the kitchen, first at Katherin and then toward Esme, having seemed totally unphased with the concept of hiring someone to pick up groceries for you, "Fuckin' small towns…" he chuckled, shaking his head, "Ya'know they's gotta' whole t'ing of an app 'at people will bring ya's food an' stuff right? You'se can even have groceries deliva'd ta' ya's door in jus' about any major city ina' US" he laughed, "I guess some t'ings haven't made it t'is far yet…" he smiled, shaking his head. He looked toward Xavier, giving him a shrug, "Honestly, I'm surprised you'se don' have a personal assistant"

Xavier's smile widens to a pleased grin at Katherine's blush. He doesn't care that it hurts, nor can he resist adding, "Oh, good. Because if I need to work harder, please do let me know. I'm always willing to rise to a challenge." Then he laughs, "I paid him well. And Craigslist is just about everywhere there are teenagers who need beer money for doing dubiously wise errands." He takes another piece of pierogi, with no regard for proper eating procedure, and grins at Esme. "Have you not had one? They're interesting little fruits. You only eat the seeds, and they're a little tricky to get at without breaking them open. They reward patience and effort." Like homework. He smiles at Anthony. "I do, actually. But she usually stays at the home office unless I need something specific. I don't like too many people following me around when I'm trying to work. I'd rather her serve as a gatekeeper, handling the things that don't actually need my attention."

"I don't know about anyone else, but I prefer doing stuff like that myself. I enjoy shopping for groceries." Katherine laughs at Anthony, turning over the pasta pockets. "He probably does have an assistant and they're.." She trails off as Xavier affirms what she was about to say, a smug grin on her face. She is trying very hard not to blush again, alcohol making her a bit bold. "You could do to work a little harder though, but we'll wait until you're well, we don't need to to break a rib or anything." She picks up a short-bladed knife and swipes at the air. "You score the skin, take hold of each side and slowly pry it open, eating whatever fall out. It's fun." She gathers the last of the pierogies that Esme made, putting them in the pan and shooing her toward the table. "I'll make you a plate, go sit down."

"I mean I know there's an app. I've heard of it at least. But I'm with Kate, I'd rather do my own shopping. I already know what I want, the exact brand and everything. Why risk someone messing that up?" She asked. She laughed again at Xavier and Kate's banter, taking a longer sip from her whiskey as she finished the last of the pieroges.Then she grinned again, moving towards the table as Kate shoo'd her. "I'm going, I'm going!" She sat down next to Anthony, looking at Xavier and Kate curiously with the talk of the fruit. "…Why do you only eat the seeds? Is the fruit itself dangerous? Or just…undesirable?"

"Bah" was the general consensus on Anthony's behalf as he raised his beer to his lips, enjoying the banter between Xavier and Kate with an idle bit of a smile while he swallowed his half-finished brew. As Esme approached the table, his pale green eyes shot to her and he blatantly captured his bottom lip while eyeing her up like a lion would a gazelle in the middle of an open field before winking at her and grinning. "Oh, well 'at's simple" he replied to her, turning his head to look at her, "Ya' work, an work, and work, an' really get at' grind on ta' getta' seed outta' it, an it's the best pa'at, y'know…" he let a beat past, a flat smile of amusement on his face, "Or so I hear" and then taking another drink, resisting the urge to grin ear to ear.

"Oh, /really/, Kate?" Xavier gives her a long, amused look. "I'll have to break out all the stops, then." He chuckles as Esme comes back to the table. "It's mostly just not there. The fruit is /filled/ with seeds, each one its own independent pocket of juice. They're like tiny gems, attached to thin membranes. You know," he muses, "in art history, the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge that got Adam and Eve cast from the Garden? It wasn't always thought to be an apple. A number of early artists portrayed it as a pomegranate. And," he laughs, "if you're clumsy, you break open the seed casings, and red juice gets all over your fingers."

Katherine turns away to blush, obviously not having had enough whiskey yet to brave these sort of innuendos. "I ruin a shirt every time I've had one, I get very …impatient to get the seeds out and then spend a few minutes chasing them down my shirt." She makes a plate with a few piergies on it, putting a fork on it, walking it to Esme. She sets the bottle of whiskey in the middle of the table and then moves to serve herself, making sure the stove is turned off. She settles in the chair next to Xavier, leaning in to whisper something with a smile, settling back after.

Esme looked amused as Anthony eyed her up, relaxing back once she'd taken her seat and another sip of whiskey. The vaguest hint of pink flares up on Esme's cheeks as the man started in on his take about why only seeds were eaten, but she looks back at him with a chuckle. "Well, maybe I'll have to find out for myself some time soon just how good it is." A little grin before her attention turned back on Xavier, "That makes sense then! Sounds like a messy endeavor. But messy can be fun too. I'll have to give it a try." When Kate came over she thanked the woman, "This looks delicious Kate. Thank you." Lifting her fork so she could try one. "I'll make sure to I wear a shirt I don't mind ruining, just in case."

Anthony openly gaped at Esme for a moment before it fell easily into a grin and he looked to the rest of the table where he mouthed "Oh My" with arched eyebrows of surprise and laughed, taking a drink of his beer, he stabbed a fork into one of the pierogi's and tossed it into his mouth with a groan of adoration, propping his elbow atop the table and turning his chair catercorner to provide himself more leg room to work with, he leaned his weight into his elbow atop the table, "Too bad you'se feelin' so banged up, Westin. This crew would make for a most enjoyable outing" he remarked and smiled, running a hand through his coal black hair as he let out a quiet sigh of relaxation as if he'd made, or had to make, a conscious effort to do so.

Xavier takes one of the pomegranates and rolls it towards Esme. "There's no night like tonight to try something new," he says, with a grin. Then rolls one towards Anthony and Katherine, as well. "But…/after/ perogies. I don't know that those are two great tastes that taste great together." He chuckles, and nods to Anthony. "I think we could paint a moderately large amount of the town red, were we so inclined," he agrees. And when Katherine settles down and whispers in his ear, he coughs, once, giving her a startled, then impressed, look. He leans in to give her a brief kiss and a murmur back.

"You know, I made a wager last weekend over an Uno game that earns me a daytrip to Colorado Springs, and if you two are amenable…maybe we can all go together?" Katherine takes a drink of her whiskey, setting it aside as she picks up her nibbled on pierogie to take a bite of it. "I want to go shopping for a few things, and I'm sure we wouldn't mind some company?" She glances at Xavier to see if he actually minds, and when he leans in to reply to her quiet words, she looks happy. "There are some things that you can't find in Calaveras, and a change in scenery sometimes can be quite fun."

She winked when Anthony gaped, and grinned again to the others. "Maybe when you're feeling better." To Xavier as she placed her hand over the pomegranate that was rolled towards her to stop it. She leaned a little towards Anthony, stage whispering, "Should we start whispering to eachother too? Seems to be a growing trend." And then giggled as she returned to her original position. At Kate's suggestion she nodded. "I'm curious as to the wager, but I would be up for the trip. I haven't been out to Colorado Springs in a while. A change of scene, even for a day would be refreshing." She agreed, taking a bite of her pierogee and sighing contently. Yep, delicious.

Anthony shrugged a broad shoulder at the notion of a trip to Colorado Springs, "Can't say I've eva' been, but I wouldn' be opposed once he's prop'aly nursed back ta' health…" he remarked, looking toward Katherine to whom he nodded, "Nurse." he declared with a snicker, and leaned in toward Esme as she leaned toward him, he turned to the couple across and pressed a hand to his chest, emitting a low, choppy laugh, "Ha-ha-ha-HA dahling, so dunny, of COURSE we will take the yacht" he mocked the posture and speech of every portrayed excessively rich man on every entertainment medium ever before flashing a grin toward Xavier, "I t'ink that's how you'se s'pose ta' sound, by the way. You're really lettin' down the whole excessively rich looming real estate tycoon visiage" he smirked and rolled his beer bottle along its base without much thought, "I'm surprised your kitchen hasn't been run ova' wit' twenty more people t'night, Kate"

Xavier's eyebrows go up as Katherine makes the offer. After a moment's thought, though, he says, "The more the merrier, as far as I'm concerned. But I do exercise veto power on places to eat. No Cracker Barrels, greasy spoons, or diners from the 50s. We're going to eat somewhere that has an actual tasting menu," he declares. "My treat, of course." Then slants an amused look at Anthony. "There. Does that hold up the side, or should I suggest we charter a helicopter as well?"

Katherine laughs and reaches out to gently pat Xavier's arm, thankfully it's not the one that had a dislocated shoulder last night. "I'm not going to take you to an Olive Garden, don't worry." The thought brings a brief frown to her face, but she banishes it quickly. "I don't think we'll be gone for very long, though I have a feeling someone might have tried to turn it into an overnight trip." She casts an amused look at Xavier, leaning in to kiss him gently on his bruised cheek.

Esme looked thoroughly amused as Anthony played along with her, taking another bite of food as Xavier laid out the conditions for accompanying them on the day trip. "Can you charter a helicopter anyway? Or maybe a private plane. We might as well travel in style if you're footing the bill, Mr. Westin." She grinned, obviously joking. At Kate's comment about an overnight trip, Esme bites her lip lightly, resisting whatever comment she may have had about it before finishing off her whiskey and moving to pour another glass. "In all honesty though, I'm not picky. Wherever food is to be had, I'll find something to eat, I'm sure."

"What'sa'matta wit' Olive Garden? Fuckin' bottomless breadsticks baby" he grinned, raising a hand which pinched its fingers together and slid the backside of his fingertips from beneath his chin outward, and the rich tones of Italian remarked " 'Affanculo Oliva Giardino" and shook his head with pursed lips, "Nah, I' ratha' not, it's kin'a an' insult ta' Italian food if we'se bein' realistic" he commented, eyes alight with an entertaining concept as they darted to Xavier, "A helicopta? I mean, I was gonna' jus' gonna' hire the private jet an' take the girls fa' a day trip ta' Paris, but I mean, I guess you wanna' be all pauper-ee about it" he grinned through a ridiculous laugh that wasn't entirely clear if he was joking or not. "Or, I mean, we coul' jus drive, I mean, it ain' nearly as fun. But it's practical" he smiled.

Xavier gives Anthony a pained look. "Don't you start, Mr. Malone. Olive Garden is—" and then Anthony goes on, and he breathes an exaggerated sigh of relief. "Yes, that." He returns Katherine's kiss, and smiles. "I'm fine with just a day trip, actually, but I think Paris should wait for a special occasion. Maybe a birthday," he adds, all mock solemn and serious. "And driving is fine by me." He thinks. "Probably." A slight frown towards the windows for a moment, before he banishes it, and turns his attention back to the group.

"I was planning on renting a car to drive up, my van is stable and all, but I want something flashy and fun for the day." Katherine gets to her feet, gathering plates. She doesn't respond to Xavier's tease about Paris, instead leaning in to take his plate. "I'm going to stop in one of those flashy kitchenware shops and buy a new mixer. That's my goal. I blame that completely on Vyv, I almost feel as if I need to compete with him, though I am no where near as good at baking as he is." She gathers the rest of the plates and silverware, moving to dump them into the sink. "Someone has to come to the shop with me though, to keep me from buying a whole bunch of other things that I don't need. I always get lost there, and then I get more nesting metal bowls when I already have two sets."

Esme took the final few bites of her food, the amusement still on her features with the talk of Olive Garden and plane trips to Paris. Once the plates and silverware have been cleared away, Esme idly starts to toy with her pomegranate. "That sounds like a good enough reason as any! There's so many interesting gadgets these days that you see on the TV and such. I'll bet walking through a store dedicated to that is fun. Though I don't know how good I would be at stopping the impulse buying. I'll likely end up wanting everything too even though I hardly ever cook. We'll make sure the boys keep us in line." She mused.

The confused, deer in the headlights look that Anthony gave both Katherine and Esme at the talk and mention of being in charge of impulse control was enough to give away that he wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea. "Ehhh…" he squinted, canting his head aside, "If you t'ink the two guys wit' thousands a' dolla's innna' they's fuckin' wardrobe is the pinnacle of impulse control, I's t'ink you probably need a docta' worse than Mista' Westin 'ere…" he said a bit uncertainly with a sheepish smile and a bit of a laugh, "Not t'at I want ya's ta' not trust us a' nothin, but ahh…yeah, you'd be liable ta' walk out wit' a delivery truck ta' ya' house wit' every new major appliance they offa' if we'se bein' realistic…" he raised a hand to scratch at the back of his neck and stood from the table to throw away his bottle, "But I mean - that could work, it would certainly make Vyv jealous, which I t'ink would be fuckin' hilarious"

"I'm happy to come with you, Kate, but I don't know how much help I'll be in restraining you. I've no idea what most of the equipment in your kitchen even DOES," Xavier admits, without shame. As she takes up his plate, he snags the knife before she can capture it, and cleans it on a napkin. He starts on his pomegranate. He doesn't just cut into it and tear it open so that all the seeds start to spill. He meticulously scores the skin on a large grid pattern, then starts carefully prying out one square with a cluster of dark red seeds clinging to it. It's very slow. He doesn't seem to mind. With half his attention, he says, "I have great impulse control, thank you very much. It's just that sometimes, I don't /want/ to control it." He grins.

The look on Anthony's face was enough to get Esme laughing again. She takes a deep pull from her whiskey and shrugged. "Worse comes to worse, Kate gets a brand new kitchen." She mused, leaning forward some as Xavier started in on the pomegranate. Her eyes widening just a touch as she watches how it works it over. Obviously not his first rodeo with a pomegranate. "Part of the good thing about not rolling in money I guess. My impulse control would be nonexistant." A little chuckle about Vyv being jealous. "I wouldn't mind you two competeting for stuff." To Kate. "I'll be the judge and eat all of it."

"He jokingly mentioned betting a car on an Uno game, I know Xavier will be no help when it comes to impulse buying." Katherine rolls her eyes, loading the dishwasher slowly. "I just want a mixer, that way I can make better cupcakes. Keeps me from going to Totally Baked once a week." She uses her foot to close the door to the dishwasher, moving to lean against the counter. She watches Xavier carefully peel seeds from his pomegranate. She pulls her phone close, gazes at the fifteen text messages that have built up, smirking. "I should make a list though, because when I don't have one, I forget things." She glances around, finds a blank piece of paper and pulls it closer, making some notes. "A brand new kitchen will make the resale value on the house higher." She jokes quietly from her spot.

"Fair point" Anthony responded toward Xavier whom he smirked at as he explained the difference in having and choosing, to which he seemed agreeable enough. "Man, I ain' got shit done t'day" he remarked simply, as if it was a matter-of-fact statement and gathered a glass from the cabinet, cradling it in his hand as he walked back to the table, dropping it down with a clink and filling it with whiskey and he faught back a yawn with a bit of a grunt. While standing, he found himself nearly behind Esme and took the opportunity to raise one hand to squeeze at the nape of her neck in a massaging motion, "Calm down, Librarian. They're cupcakes, not young adult novels" he winked

Xavier waggles the knife at Esme, and grins. "I hate to say it, but typically if you don't have impulse control you don't /get/ to be rolling in money. Unless you win the lottery or inherit it. But I've seen a lot of those folk end up broke in a year or two, just because they didn't…know when to not spend." He frowns, possibly taking this whole tangent more seriously than it warrants as he continues, "I can't speak for Mr. Malone, but I have a good mental image of what I can afford to spend at any time. That's…a lot more than most people, but it's not limitless, and I stay within it." Then he coughs. "All of which is fairly irrelevant to this conversation." He separates seeds from their membranes, inspecting each one for errors, then piling them into a neat little pile. When he finishes with all the seeds in that section, he scoops them a little awkwardly into his hand, and pops them like a pill overdose all at once. Crunch.

"Do you need more beef jerky?" Kate asks, not looking up from her paper. "Did those pills really help?" She aims a skeptical look at Xavier, an eyebrow raised slightly. "I went out and got some ..well it's a pain reliever, it's supposed to be decently strong. Just in case the jerky was not up your alley." She pushes to stand up straight, folding and tucking the paper into her pocket. "Pardon me a moment, though.." She steps closer to the pantry, leaning against it as she dials a number into her phone.

There was a surprised bit of tensing when Anthony touched her, having not expected it and then relaxed, exhaling in a chuckle. "Oh but Mr. Malone, you know cupcakes and YA Novels get me all hot and bothered." Looking up at him with a flutter of lashes and then laughed again. Grinning to Xavier, "That's a fair point, but even so. I'd be buying all kinds of things I didn't need." She reached forward some to pick up the knife once Xavier had finished with it. "You make pomegranate opening look like an art form. It's kind of spectacular." She admited, examining her fruit and then glanced to the knife before started to carefully slice into it. Attempting to have some finesse. "Shopping lists are important." She agreed, glancing up to Kate before she went to take a call and then focused back on the fruit.

"I'd say that's a fair assessment. Despite my brash nature, like ya' say, I wouldn't be here wit' the money I have ta' invest if I didn' have the ability ta' know when I can an' can't spend it and in how large or small a' quantities" he remarked, bobbing his head as he thought it through in a more detailed nature, though he turned to smile at Esme as she mentioned the effect of cupcakes and young adult novels, "I t'ink I need ta' call t'at boy Mista' Westin used. I've gotta' whole library a' poorly written twilight novels ta' throw at ya' if that's all it takes" he grinned and released the grip on Esme's shoulder with a trailing sensation of his fingertips along her shoulder as he resumed his seat next to her and raised his glass of whiskey for a sip.

"More beef jerky sounds wonderful," Xavier says. "It actually does work rather well, and I only have the occasional urge to bark." That last is completely deadpan. He grins to Esme. "Well. Kate has her cooking. I like…tasks of precision. I don't have my drafting table here, the tablet hurts to use, and I doubt she's going to let me build an addition onto the house, so…pomegranates." He watches Anthony for a moment, one eyebrow raised slightly.

Katherine hangs up her phone, stuffing it back in her pocket as she walks back over to the table. She sets down the chewable pain killers, moving to settle in her seat again. "I'm sorry again, apparently I know everyone in town except doctors that make house calls." She rolls her eyes and leans down to snag her throw, almost done now. Before she starts knitting again she leans over to pluck a few seeds from in front of Xavier. "Addition?" She glances around the house and frowns slightly. "What is missing that you don't have right now?" She takes up the knitting needles and slowly gets started, her attention on Xavier, more than what is going on in her hands.

"Only one way to find out." She teased, a barely perceptible shiver up her spine as his fingertips trailed her shoulder. A glance given towards him, as if thinking about something or other before Xavier pulled her attention again. Probably for the best. "So pomegranates." She mused. Her own cuts were not nearly as pretty or precise. It seemed she wanted to try the peeling approach instead of the squares. After a moment of thought, Esme grabbed up some extra napkins. "I have a feeling this is going to be a delicious disaster." She grinned, clearly not bothered by the idea at al

"A delicious disaster, jus' like when I get ta' cookin' ina' kitchen" Anthony remarked, after attending to the convesational bits of Katherine and Esme, his lips curling high into one of his cheeks at the glance from Esme whom he'd likely wished would have gotten whatever she was going to say out, his eyes found Xavier soon after and matched the faint twitch of his eyebrow upward, allowing his attention to linger there for a moment before flicking his eyes toward the great room and the softest shrug of his shoulder in a query of if the man wished to have a private conversation or not.

Xavier gives Katherine an innocent look. "Hot tub?" Then he smiles, and shakes his head. "Nothing's missing, Kate. I just mean…sometimes I need to work with my hands. Even when it hurts," he adds, with a rueful look down at his left hand. He pops the pills in his mouth and chews. From his expression, beef jerky and pomegranate is not a great combination. Esme's enthusiasm gets a chuckle. "There's no harm in the occasional delicious disaster." He neatly sets aside the bits of rind and membrane, and catches Anthony's look. A slight shake of his head, even as he stands up. "I should probably head up to bed. Thos pills have a tendency to knock me on my ass, and that's already happened too much." He smiles. "A pleasure to talk to you, Mister Malone. You have to let me take you out to lunch sometime soon. And it was very good to see you again, Esme." He moves to take his rinds and things to the trash, and fridge the rest of the pomegranate.

Katherine laughs and glances out in the back yard, shaking her head. "If you want to build an addition with your hands, have at it. There is an acre of property back there." She gestures out the back doors and shrugs. She curls up, her needles speeding up as she suddenly doesn't have to keep an eye on Xavier, now that he's gone off to bed. "You're welcome to cook sometime if you want, Anthony, just don't burn down the place, I really enjoy my house and would be quite put out if it burned down." She glances between Esme and Anthony, a thoughtful look on her face. "Do you like to cook, Esme?"

Solo shuffles through the kitchen with both her duffle bags slung over her shoulders. Literally everything she owns. "Hey…" she says simply, and gets her billfold out of her purse and counts out some cash.

Esme gave Xavier a wave as he left, starting to peel back a part of the fruit. She was sitting at the table, next to Anthony and across from Kate. "It would be rather upsetting if your house burned down Kate. It's a lovely home." Esme mused, looking back at Katherine and tilting her head. "A little? It's only me so I tend to be lazy…take out and microwave meals. Maybe some of those oven ones. I should start cooking more though, it is fun. Guess I just have trouble cooking for myself. If that makes sense?" She quirked a brow and then looked back down to the pomegranate with a little frown. "…I apologize but I really like this blouse and I don't quite trust myself to not ruin it." Her cheeks just a little flushed from the whiskey.

She deftly undid her blouse to reveal a simple tank top underneath and carefully laid the blouse in the seat opposite her before attempting to dig into the pomegranate. "What kind of stuff do you cook Anthony?"

Esme also gave a look up to Solo as she came in, offering the woman a smile and nod of greeting - though she didn't recognize her.

Anthony raised his glass toward Xavier with a nod as he excused himself for bed and turned his attention toward Katherine and Esme fully then, crossing his right leg over the left, he cradled his drink in his lap casually as they spoke and he offered a bright smile toward Katherine, "Maybe I'll tak you'se up on'at then, Kate. Maybe cook you'se all dinna' fa' once instead'a the otha' way around" his pale green eyes glances toward Solo as she entered and he offered his traditional greeting of, "How ya' doin' " gently with a nod and then his attention toward Esme came back and he canted his head, he was not abashed in his watching of her removing her shirt and he smiled the content sort of smile a boy gets when he gets someting they want. "Italian a' course, pastas, but also some pretty mean chicken an' veal, I can do some pastry stuff but nothin' fancy, I mean, cannoli's is pretty much jus' squirtin' fillin' inna' ta' shell" he shrugged, "Lemme know if you'se need any help, ya' know, protectin' ya'self, Ez" he laugh at Esme softly.

Katherine blinks at Solo, her eyes on the bags on her shoulders. "Is everything okay, Solo? I haven't seen you in a little bit." She smiles toward Anthony, gesturing to the kitchen. "I don't mind if my tenants use the kitchen, I cook every evening, but there are plenty of supplies laid in for people to come in and be creative." She gets to her feet, gesturing to the food near the stove. "Do you want me to fix you a plate, Solo? How is Heather?"

Solo finishes counting cash out. "Yes please. And yeah, I had some longer runs to do after Thanksgiving. Heather's… well… I'm moving in with her, I guess. So I'm gonna say good." Solo smiles a little sheepishly. "I don't know. I've never actually done this moving in with someone thing before. I'm half tempted to keep my room here rented as a fallback." She holds the cash out to Katherine. "But I guess I'm moving out today.

Katherine gets to her feet, making Solo a plate of freshly made pierogies, setting them on the table. "You're not taking Blue with you, are you?" She asks, a playful grin on her face. "I heard that you two are using the R word now, congrats. If she drives you insane, you're welcome to come back and seek refuge here." She looks as if she's kidding. "You'll be missed."

"Of course." She mused at Anthony's comment about Italian food being what he cooked. "I wouldn't mind trying out your cooking some time. If you feel so inclined to invite me over when you do it." She plucked at a seed carefully, popping it back. Her eyes widened briefly and then she smiled again. "These are pretty good…but I can see how you'd get impatient Kate." She chuckled and smirked back to Anthony. "You'll be the first one I go to. Promise. Though somehow I feel your version of protecting me in this particular instance might be a little too risque for public consumption." Teasing him again as she plucked at another seed, listening to the conversation with Solo idly, but not actively contributing, yet at least.

Solo smiles again. "Thanks. And no… tempting though it is, this place wouldn't be the same without that cat. Though I might have to find one for Heather's place… And um… what's the R word?" She finds a fork and tucks into the pierogies, blowing on each one carefully as not to scald herself with it.

You whisper, "The Relationship word." to Solo.

"Relationship, she means relationship" Anthony chimed in as he rose from his seat, ruining the whole thing and taking a sip from his glass which he plopped atop the table with a clink and he made his way to stand behind Esme, who he looked down at with a grin before coming to stop behind her. "I dunno' what ya' talkin' about…" he commented, leaning forward he pressed his weight against the back of her chair and draped either of his hands over her shoulders, down, over her torso and the palms of his hands came to rest just before her breasts - "See? Nice an' protected, nothin' risque about t'is" he commented with a nod toward Katherine and Solo, "Jus doin' my civic duty ova' 'ere, pay no mind" he commented and the brights of his teeth were in full grin as he leaned aside to look down toward Esme, "Resume ya' guttin' of the fruit without fear, ya' Librarianship!"

Kate had already whispered that to Solo, rolling her eyes as Anthony says it out loud. When he gets up and starts to run his hands along Esme's shoulders and..further, she raises her eyebrows and lets out a nervous laugh. "Civic duty, right." She gets to her feet, resting a hand on Solo's shoulder. "Come back anytime, even if it is just for a meal and to catch up. I'm surprised you and Heather haven't hung out here more than you did." There is a mischievous twinkle to her eyes as she walks over to the counter, picking up her whiskey.

Solo takes a big bite of pirogie and chuckles. "Well…" she chews. "Let's say we did, just not when you were around. She told you, I'm guessing?" She eyes Anthony. "Better hope this lady likes you." It's said lightly enough…

If the whiskey had turned Esme's cheeks pink, Anthony's actions made her turn full blown cherry tomato red.Her heart beat picks up a tick, a helpless little look crossing her features like she isn't quite sure exactly what to do next. This is certainly a first for the woman. Even though he isn't touching her it's still about as far in her personal bubble as anyone's been in forever. She somehow manages to regain her composure and tilts her head to look over at Anthony. "….You are going to be the death of me Anthony." She exhaled in a chuckle as she looked back down to the pomegranate. She goes, however, give Kate a look that more or less relays she's fine and grinned to Solo a bit. "He better, seeing as how I'm armed and dangerous at the moment." She lifted the hand a bit that had the knife and chuckled again, setting it down before picking out a few more seeds and does set a couple on one of the extra napkins for Anthony if he wants any.

"Ta' be fair, it wouldn' be the first time I been stabbed atta' dinner table" he laughed, a bit more clumsily than the generally well composed, albeit forward and brash Anthony. He nodded toward Solo, "I betta' " he confirmed with a nod and gave her a wink of a pale green orb, "Jus' gotta' have a lil' fait' in ol' Tony. I'm feelin' pretty good about it t'ough" he chuckled and intentionally flicked fingers out from his hands in front of Esme's bosom toward the pomegranate "Missed a spot…" he muttered, " 'at one too…" he teased, despite her doing a find job in her virgin attempt at harvesting one of the difficult fruits.

"Please no stabbing here." Katherine murmurs urgently, eyebrows raising slightly. She nods at Solo, taking a drink from her whiskey. "Yeah, and I was home that night, actually. I just…didn't say anything about it. I didn't want to upset either of you or make you think I had infringed on your privacy."

Solo blushes a little. "Sorry. That was an awkward I was trying to avoid." She eats in silence. "I met her family for Thanksgiving." Solo shakes her head. "She really is the nicest of the bunch."

"Dare I even ask why you've stabbed at the dinner table before? And don't worry Katherine. Any stabbing that occurs I will make sure is not done here at the dinner table." She continued her harvesting, a half smile quirking on her lips as Anthony feigned playing defense against the pomegranate. She finished a few more ,before grabbing another napkin to wipe the juice from her hands. "There…I think that's plenty. This is like a little work out all it's own." She mused, dividing up the pile into roughly two even ones before popping a few more seeds into her mouth.

"Probably best ya' didn't, maybe lata' I'll tell ya' the story" Anthony admits to Esme, though somehow seems to be relatively sincere and sympathetic about the whole thing. As Esme finished her carving of the fruit, in the fashion of a noble boyscout that he clearly was, he withdrew his hands slowly - and carefully - up from her bust and brought them to her shoulders, where he actually touched her finally, pressing his thumbs into the tense musculature on either side of her spine. "What's it taste like, Ez?" he inquired, arching a single eyebrow toward the librarian in his hands before looking toward Katherine and Solo, shrugging, "I promise ta' not get stabbed in ya' kitchen, Kate."

Katherine holds up both hands and grins at Solo. "Don't worry, it's not awkward." There is a brief headtilt as she chuckles softly. "For a while there, everyone was getting laid but me, and that was frustrating, but that's not the case anymore." She winks at Solo. "Heather needs someone like you in her life, I'm really happy for you both." She glances over at Esme, laughing. "Outside on the concrete slab would be best, I can clean the blood up without any problem. Just turn the hose on it. Stabbings should always happen outdoors." She settles on her stool, pulling out her phone and tapping out a text quietly.

Esme eyes him curiously, but nodded. "Perhaps I will ask you later." Tone thoughtful as she relaxed a little further. She even managed not to tense again when he put his hands on her shoulders. "They're good! A little sweet, a little sour. Do you want to try one?" She asked, lifting a seed towards him." Then she grinned to Kate. "Good to know. If a stabbing needs to happen, bring it to the concrete outside Kate's house."

"S'pretty much what I heard, Ez" Anthony affirmed Esme's wods with a smirk and worked his fingers into the muscles of her shoulders idly, massaging the muscles of the upper back and neck, though when she offered a pomegranate piece up to him he leaned forward and inhaled - literally - and sucked it into his mouth from her fingertips and biting down on the ripe little berry of a seed, "Ehh…" he said, returning to the process of savoring every bit of the small morsel that he could, "I dunno, I'ma be honest, I don' know if t'is is wort' alla' effort, but that's jus' me" he noted and shrugged his shoulders. "But hey, I's can add it ta' the list a' t'ings I've tried"

Solo laughs softly. "Thanks. Also good to know you're getting laid." Solo finishes her dinner, and casts a glance toward Esme and Anthony, then toward Kate. She doesn't say anything, though.

Katherine glances up from her phone, sticking her tongue out at Solo. "Do you need help carrying your bags out? I'm going to go for a walk, and I don't mind some heavy lifting." She puts her phone in her pocket and pulls on a flannel shirt and then a coat. She casts a gaze at Anthony and Esme, a smile playing at her lips. "You two behave yourselves. If I catch blood in here when I come back, I'm going to be cross." She looks mock stern, chuckling softly before she pulls her beanie on her head.

She blinked a bit when Anthony just sucked up the seed but then shook her head. She relaxed further as the massage continued, though cleared her throat again, straightening some as if reminding herself that there were people, especially when Kate spoke up. A little chuckle of her own, pulling her whiskey glass closer and taking a sip. "Don't worry Kate. Cross my heart, we won't let a drop of blood spill." She grinned and then looked up at Tony. "We'll be two little angels, right Mr. Malone?"

Solo sets her dish and fork in the sink, gives the place one last look, and nods to Kate. "Yes please. At least out to the cab. Which I still have to call."

"The fact 'at you'se can't see my halo hoverin' ova' my head worries me, Ez…" Anthony trailed his words a long with his eyes toward Katherine and Solo, offering them both a warm upturn of his lips and nod of his head, "We's gonna' be perfect angels, don' you know 'at I'm a good lil' cat'olic boy, Kate?" he winked at her and rumbled a soft laugh from his belly, "I'll even clean up the glasses an' whiskey for ya' " he remarked and raised one hand from Esme's shoulder to offer an unmoving gesture of a wave toward the two, "Walk safe, it's fuckin' cold out there"

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