InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I promise"

Cathal Bhattacharya (seams_and_scars) wrote in nevermore_logs,
@ 2021-08-14 22:20:00

Entry tags:

cathal bhattacharya, marcella bellini

WHO Cathal & Marcie
WHEN Saturday
WHERE Burlington
WHAT [Milhouse eyebrow wiggle]

Cathal made his way around to Marcie's house.

He had a great excuse. His excuse was that he was here to work on the car, maybe check in with Marco, see how Kaden was doing with Animorphs... And if he happened to see Marcie - Marcie who was an excellent kisser, Marcie who had promised she would still be into him by the light of day - well... that would just be fine and a coincidence and he certainly wasn't trying to make it happen.

To say that he'd dreamed about her would be ridiculous. He hadn't had any dreams about her, how silly. He was a grown man.

Celeste let him in, and Cathal cast a glance around as he made his way to the garage. No sign of Marcie in those moments, and so he popped the bonnet and got down to working. She might be out, it was possible. She might not even be around, and she might not (he had to admit) actually be interested while sober and in the light of day, no matter what she'd said.

In that case, no one could prove he was here for anything but the car.

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born_greater
2021-08-14 11:07 am UTC (link)

When Marcie got up that morning, she’d decided she would go to the gym, and then do as little as possible all day. She hadn’t slept well last night, and that after recovering from another moderate hangover the couple of nights previous- but damn, damn it’d been worth it. That night spend drinking and kissing and dancing and really really wanting to kiss some more-

Last night she’d had faceless dreams, which were the ones where she saw dead bodies with missing faces, and when she woke she always had to find a photo of Tragos and look at it, really commit it to memory again, scared she would forget. Kaden didn’t seem to ever forget. Sometimes she saw the blank looks he’d give her when she was smiling or chatting with her family, as if she was desecrating Tragos’ memory by being happy. Tragos wouldn’t have wanted her to be suffering forever, she felt sure of it. It had been 131 days since he passed. She had to move on.

The thing with Cathal was that, apart from being really godsdamn fine, and an amazing kisser, and having a really nice butt- apart from all those things, he was just really nice. He was a dork and he was funny and he was good with his hands (wink) and he was so kind to Kaden, and that was what she wanted. And okay, she was going back to New York in the fall, but what better way to pass her time in Burlington than with a hot summer fling? Later on, she was going to put on her slinkiest dress and highest shoes and go and find him and remind him she was still here.

Wandering down the stairs, Marcie headed into the kitchen where Celeste was preparing dinner. She greeted her mother and scratched her fingers through her hair, twisted into a lopsided messy bun on top. She wasn’t even wearing a bra right now, that’s how lazy she was feeling.

She’d just got started on helping peel the potatoes for dinner when Marco came through with a friendly greeting, then headed out the back door into the garage. Marcie rubbed her nose on the back of her hand. It was taking a good long moment before she realised she could hear her dad talking to someone, and she craned to look out the window.

“Who’s Dad talking to?” she asked, and Celeste looked up.

“Oh, looks like Cathal’s popped round to had a fiddle with the car-”

“OH MY GOD!” Marcie ducked out of sight, looking down at her potato-y hands. “MOM! Why didn’t you tell me!?”

“I didn’t know, sugar- where are you going??” because Marcie was running up the stairs two at a time back to her room.

“DON’T LET HIM LEAVE!”

Fuck fuck fuck! She rummaged through her drawers to find the right outfit. That wiggle dress would be all wrong for the middle of the day in the garage with the car- shit! She didn’t even have mascara on, let alone a proper face- Summer dresses were too pretty, she wanted sexy dammit. Her hair was a nightmare, she’d just have to spray product into it and scrunch it up and call it tousled beachy waves, and wear her tightest figure-hugging jeans, and a black off-the-shoulder cropped tee which left a nice strip of exposed midriff. Checking herself in the mirror, she slowed down enough to apply her makeup properly, because the perfect winged liner couldn’t be rushed. Finishing with a red lipstick and a spritz of perfume, she took a moment to compose herself.

She was Marcella, daughter of the gods. Cathal wouldn’t know what hit him.

Marcie walked casually down the stairs with her phone in her hand as if she’d fully intended to sit down for family dinner looking sexy as fuck. The sink clattered as Celeste dropped a utensil in surprise. “Lord have mercy!”

Marcie finally cracked a little. “Is it too much?” she asked, and Celeste blinked in absolute surprise, until she heard the men laughing in the garage and her mouth opened in realisation.

“Well- well it does look deliberate-”

“Good.” She wanted to look deliberate. She wanted Cathal to know she hadn't changed her mind. She was stepping out of the door in her red open-toed slingback heels before her mother could say anything else, using her fingers to shake out her hair one last time as she stepped into garage.

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seams_and_scars
2021-08-15 02:21 am UTC (link)

Marco was telling Cathal about a series of not quite fully legal shenanigans he'd been involved with in high school (involving breaking into the school and many teachers' shoes) when Cathal caught the movement of someone in the doorway.

At the sight of Marcie, Cathal's eyes widened and his mouth opened a little. She looked- she looked really really great. Any chance that was for him? Cathal didn't want to assume but... he really wanted this to be for him.

He composed himself to smile at her and said, "afternoon, Marcie."

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born_greater
2021-08-15 02:31 am UTC (link)

"Hey." Marcie sauntered into the garage very casually, coming over to stand by the car and lean against the side of it. "Working hard?"

"Hardly working, more like," joked Marco, who'd not really noticed his daughter's change in appearance. "Have you come to help out? Cathal was talking about tuning up the carburetor for improved performance."

"Sure, I can help," Marcie replied, her eyes not leaving Cathal's face. She was not getting oil on her hands right now, but she didn't plan to be tinkering with this engine for that long anyway. She leaned her hands on the edge of the car, leaning over so that the loose lower edge of her tee rode up a little bit.

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seams_and_scars
2021-08-15 02:38 am UTC (link)

Okay, Cathal wasn't assuming or misreading, this was definitely for his benefit, and he couldn't deny he was appreciating it. (Even if he also knew it was completely unnecessary. He'd already been interested before she ramped it up.)

He wanted to lean over towards her and say I like those jeans on you but Marcie's dad was right there, and so he kept his mouth zipped on the tight jeans front. Instead he said, "those clothes look too nice to get grease on. Are you going out?" (Because, shit, that was also possible, wasn't it. She was looking hot momentarily around him because she was on her way somewhere. He had to stop assuming!)

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born_greater
2021-08-15 02:54 am UTC (link)

"Yep." Marcie smiled. She certainly wasn't staying here for this, not with her family looking over her shoulder. She wasn't sure where the boys were but if they knew Cathal was over, they'd be playing Xbox instead of the decidedly more adult games Marcie had in mind.

Marco glanced up, finally noticing Marcie's appearance. "Oh? Your mother didn't mention that..."

"Kinda spur of the moment," Marcie replied, finally looking away from Cathal to glance at her father. "But I don't think I'll be home again tonight, so don't wait up."

"And where are you going dressed like that, young lady?" Marco said, putting on a little bit of the Dad act, knowing full well Marcie would do it regardless.

Marcie couldn't help a little laugh. "Depends on where Cathal is taking us," she replied, just as Marco's phone vibrated, interrupting whatever reply he could make by direct instructions from Celeste for him to COME IN THE KICTHEN NOW and a lot of frantic emojis.

"Your mother wants me to go inside. I just- oh another text. I guess it must be import- Okay I'm coming!" Marco sighed and stomped off, and Marcie looked away, hiding a smirk.

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seams_and_scars
2021-08-15 03:27 am UTC (link)

"Depends on me, does it?" Cathal asked, eyebrows raised a little as he smiled at her and leaned on the car. "You look-" he shook his head, smiling, and ended with "amazing." He'd been about to say 'you look like a goddess' but it was a weird and uncomfortable turn of phrase to come from him. Besides, to most people, 'goddess' would evoke some weird olden day image of a flowing dress and some sort of coronet, and that wasn't what Marcie had going on here. Instead, in this sexy-casual (not casual) look she had going on, there was something very 'real' goddessy about her.

"Did you want to go out somewhere? Have a proper dinner and an evening on the town? Or," he asked, shifting a little closer, "did you want to do somethin' a little more low-key back at mine?"

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born_greater
2021-08-15 03:52 am UTC (link)

It was funny, she went to all of this effort, and Cathal was just there in a teeshirt and not even trying and she just wanted to get her hands underneath it. "I mean... are you asking me on a date?" She wasn't sure she would wait for a whole evening on the town but, Tragos had never really done "dates". They'd just hung out and went to the gym and fucked a lot, but never really done the whole one on one dating thing. And Cathal was just so wholesome and it was really fucking sexy.

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seams_and_scars
2021-08-15 04:09 am UTC (link)

Cathal had honestly not thought a date was even an option on the table but he straightened when she brought it up. "I'd love to take you on a date," he smiled brightly. "If that's what you'd like." He looked down at himself and said, "uh, I'll most certainly have to go home and changed. I can't be seen in town with you lookin' like this." When he looked up at her again it was with an expression of barely contained excitement.

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	born_greater 2021-08-15 04:27 am UTC (link)
	"Oh my gods you are adorable." Marcie grinned, kind of feeling excited too. She'd been planning on just going back to his but then why not? Why shouldn't she enjoy herself? He wanted to be seen in town with her. And they didn't have to stay out late or anything. "Will you pick me up? I can dress up a bit if it's fancy?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

seams_and_scars
2021-08-15 08:08 am UTC (link)

If Cathal was a blusher, maybe Marcie saying he was adorable would have done it. But he wasn't a blusher, so instead he just grinned. "Don't get New York fancy," he suggested, leaning in towards her. "But I'm sure whatever you wear, you'll be stunnin'"

Then, slightly daring, he leaned in and kissed her, just for a moment, just to see what it was like when he hadn't had a few beers. When he drew back it was with a smile. "I'll book us a table somewhere and come get you at half six?"

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	born_greater 2021-08-15 11:28 am UTC (link)
	Marcie took a moment to feel the kiss on her lips, and then smiled, feeling a little dreamy. Maybe they didn't have to go anywhere, maybe she could just go with him now and flag getting dressed at all- but book us a table and come get you was something she hadn't heard in too long a time. "Okay," she said, her chin still tipped up. "One for the road?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

seams_and_scars
2021-08-15 11:43 am UTC (link)

"One for the road," Cathal said softly, agreeing with her as he leaned back in. This time he let the kiss linger and his hand moved to her cheek, but there was nothing forceful about it. She was just as nice to kiss in the light of day as she had been by firelight.

When he drew back it was with a smile. "Will you tell your da I had to go?" he asked. "I've got to go get ready for a date."

(Although Marco and Celeste had both tried setting him up with people they knew, Cathal didn't know if they were going to feel the same way about their own little girl seeing him.)

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born_greater
2021-08-15 12:03 pm UTC (link)

Marcie nodded. "Hate to see you leave, but love to watch you walk away," she said, tilting her head to glance down at his ass.

Walking back into the house with such a dumb smile on her face was way too much of a giveaway for Celeste, who made little happy noises of excitement, while Marco, who had been roped into help make dinner, just looked confused. Marcie just bit her lips and shook her head, and headed up to her room to change again, taking the opportunity to freshen up in the shower and run a razor over her legs. By the time Cathal arrived back on her doorstep bang on half six, she was fresh and floral, all short skirt and long legs.

"Not too New York for you?" she said, grabbing her bag and slipping out the door before any of her family had the chance to try and strike of any conversation.

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seams_and_scars
2021-08-15 12:30 pm UTC (link)

Back at home Cathal had tried on a few different looks before settling on something classic. Jesse had spotted him coming out to the hallway mirror a few times and had started making fun, and Cathal had been sure to say that hey, Jesse, didn't you have somewhere to be tonight? Anywhere? That isn't here?

"If it's too New York then Burlington will have to learn to love it." She grinned at her. "You look beautiful." Then he offered her his arm to walk down the driveway to his car. "I've booked us a table at one of the finest restaurants on offer. Admittedly, that's a small number." But Rustic Table was one of the few very nice places around, and more was than suitable for a date. Not that he'd been on a date since they opened.

At the car, Cathal opened the passenger side door for Marcie.

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born_greater
2021-08-15 12:43 pm UTC (link)

"What a gentleman," Marcie said, impressed despite herself. A ride in his car was always nice too, and she smiled as he got in. "You are looking very dapper, I like a man who knows how to dress himself."

She was going to very much not think about the past, and not think about how she'd managed to escape the house without Kaden noticing and how deliberate that was on her part, and just focus on Cathal and the lovely smell of him and the purr of his car and how he smiled at her.

Getting out at the restaurant, she nodded up at the sign over the door. "This does look like the very finest," she agreed, waiting for him to join her on the sidewalk.

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seams_and_scars
2021-08-16 03:21 am UTC (link)

"The only time I've been here I had a delicious honey-glazed salmon," Cathal said as he joined her and the moved forward to hold the door for her. "Going to try something new tonight!"

Like going on a date with Marco's daughter: that was new.

The hostess (Mary, late thirties, drove a 2004 Buick LeSabre) greeted him cheerfully and led them both to their table for the night.

When the waiter asked if they'd like a drink to start them off, Cathal just asked for water. "I'm driving," he told Marcie, "but please have whatever you'd like."

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born_greater
2021-08-16 04:45 am UTC (link)

"Oh, I won't have too much... maybe just one glass of sauvignon blanc?" Marcie glanced up at the waiter. If Much had been here, he would've concocted the perfect first date cocktail. Oh well, maybe he'd do it for her later. When she got round to telling him.

The menu was all farm-to-table type stuff, ribs and roasts. Marcie decided on the pork belly with apple sauce, and when her wine was served, she raised it to Cathal in a little toast. "Thank you," she said, taking a sip and setting it down, then resting her chin on her laced fingers, elbows on the table. "This is all so lovely. You are so lovely."

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seams_and_scars
2021-08-16 09:24 am UTC (link)

"From where I'm sitting," Cathal said, smiling warmly at her, "you're lookin' like the lovely one." She was truly beautiful and a man could surely drown in those eyes of hers, and that dark hair.

Cathal had chosen the roast duck and pumpkin, and as they ate he told Marcie stories about the town since she'd left - a lot of it the silly gossip of small towns, about how he got himself involved with community events and liked to bake for them, how he liked to do yoga and rock climbing, and his great love of insects. (He didn't go into details about how much he liked and appreciated bugs, since a lot of people didn't consider that either dinner or first date talk.)

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born_greater
2021-08-16 10:33 am UTC (link)

Marcie wasn't so excited about the insects, but she liked the yoga and rock climbing, telling him how she went to the gym and did a bit of boxing now and martial arts and gymnastics and cheerleading when she was younger; she couldn't cook or bake for shit but she'd love to try whatever he wanted to put into her mouth; some stories of the big city and working for a fucking rich and powerful lawyer, and how tiny her old apartment was compared to the four bedroom house her parents owned. She definitely steered away from anything about gods or nearly dying or her sordid history in this town. She was just enjoying Cathal's company so much that she didn't want to bring up anything that might lower the mood.

Somewhere during the meal, she slipped off her shoe and found his ankle under the table with her toes, and rubbed against it lightly just to keep things interesting.

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	seams_and_scars 2021-08-16 01:04 pm UTC (link)
	"You're such an easy person to be around," Cathal told her they had finished eating and during a lull in their conversation. He'd been enjoying their back and forth over the meal, and he was also enjoying her foot beneath the table. It felt very cute to be playing footsies. (Cathal didn't mind that. He could get on board with cute.) (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

born_greater
2021-08-16 01:29 pm UTC (link)

"I haven't always been. Lucky you got me on a good day." Marcie smiled and finished her glass (lemon lime and bitters this time, all non-alcoholic and above board). "So. Dinner is over, dessert has been had... what do you suggest we do now?" There was a definitely suggestive edge to the way she quirked an eyebrow, and reached across the table to cover his hand with hers.

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seams_and_scars
2021-08-17 06:47 am UTC (link)

"I thought," Cathal said, turning his hand to hold Marcie's on the table, rubbing his thumb softly across it, "that I might invite you back to mine for a drink, as the old suggestion goes." Her smiled at Marcie a little playfully, eyes slipping for a moment to her lips.

If this had been a first date with anyone else, Cathal never would have suggested they go home together. But- well, Marcie had been interested the other night and still seemed interested now.

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born_greater
2021-08-17 07:04 am UTC (link)

Tragos never did this. For a moment, Marcie felt a pang of something quite complicated, but then she shook it off and smiled. "I think I'd like that," she replied, slipping her shoe back on. "I'd like that very much."

She gathered her bag and got up, keeping her hand in his as they paid the bill and headed for the car, lacing her fingers through his. Letting go of him to get in wasn't something she wanted to do, as she playfully held onto his hand for as long as possible, their arms stretched across the bonnet.

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	seams_and_scars 2021-08-17 07:11 am UTC (link)
	She was unbelievably cute, really. Holding his hand until the last moment and making him smile so brightly across the top of the car at her. Inside the car he looked at her and then said, "I hope you'll excuse me for this, but I can't stop thinking about it." Then he leaned across the space and kissed her, his thumb brushing her cheek. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

born_greater
2021-08-17 07:21 am UTC (link)

Oh, it was a good kiss, a satisfying kiss, and if they didn't already have to drive back to his, she would've gotten much more into it.

"Excuse you? I wouldn't have forgiven you if you hadn't," she said a little breathlessly, once she came up for air. She bit her lip, feeling the heat turning up a notch between them. "I hope you're place isn't too long a drive, I'm absolutely parched for that drink."