Office Hours, Friday

[chosehumanity]

Last day of the actual school term, and Mitchell was... at work, for once. He was still coasting on feelings of goodwill thanks to Fleur and Bernie's faith - which was why there was music quietly playing in the background, and he was humming softly along.

It was a good day.

If it wasn't for the paperwork...

[[ open, though with some SP warning ]]

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[vanillajello]

Well, he wasn't going to have to concentrate on his paperwork all day, was he? Because Kate didn't have much concern for whether he was doing anything important when she wandered in and flopped down into her favorite chair.

"Yo. Want anything exotic from Kansas?"

[chosehumanity]

Mitchell glanced up. And promptly put down his pen. "Why," he said, "Is there anything you'd recommend?"

[vanillajello]

"Well, maybe a big banner with the words 'Don't go to Kansas' on it?" Kate offered, stretching her arms above her head. "A nice reminder."

[chosehumanity]

He chuckled a little. "It can't be that bad," he said - because he was obnoxiously cheerful that way, right now. "It's home, right?"

[vanillajello]

"Home is a house in Overland Park," she pointed out. "Supposedly. Kansas, on the other hand, is flat and boring. With occasional tornados."

[chosehumanity]

"Don't suppose you could put one of those in a box for me?"

[vanillajello]

"Think it would fling me to Oz if I tried," Kate replied, leaning back in her chair. "Leaving poor defenseless Bod alone with my family. I think I'll pass."

[chosehumanity]

"Ah," Mitchell said, grinning as he leaned forwards. "So you're taking him to meet the parents, now? That's fairly terrifying."

[vanillajello]

"Eh, it's not terrifying." Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that, Kate. "I already met his parents, so... It's only fair. Or something."

[chosehumanity]

"Or something," Mitchell echoed, as he sat back again. "Uncharacteristically cavalier, Kate."

[vanillajello]

Kate shrugged. "Well, the real reason we're going is that we both just need time somewhere that isn't this charming little hellhole."

[chosehumanity]

"It hasn't been friendly," Mitchell agreed, but he was still smiling. "I'm looking forward to spending some more time in Bristol, myself. You know, spend some time with the neighbourhood..."

[vanillajello]

Kate raised an eyebrow. "You're not going to agitate George by talking to the neighbors too much again, are you?"

She remembered hearing a rambly voicemail from George to Jack about something like that, once.

[chosehumanity]

"George just needs to learn to deal with being a productive, beloved member of society." Oh, Mitchell. "The neighbours like it."

[vanillajello]

"Uh huh." Not buying it. "I see."

[chosehumanity]

"What?" he said, grinning. "I like our neighbours."

[vanillajello]

"Who likes their neighbors?"

Kate could hardly remember ever even talking to any of her neighbors, and she'd lived on the same damn street all her life. They waved at each other, sure, and sometimes her dad had to go get Buck from Mr. Hubbard's backyard, but that was pretty much it.

[chosehumanity]

Mitchell shrugged. "They're good people," he said, "I just met these two these week... I mean, there's Fleur, she's a working mum, and she's raising this kid on her own. His name's Bernie. That's pretty incredible."

[vanillajello]

"A single mom raising a child," Kate replied, raising her eyebrows. "Never heard of that happening before."

Hey, it was either this rather sarcastic response or asking whether he thought Fleur was hot.

[chosehumanity]

Fleur had called him one of the good ones.

"Maybe, maybe not," he said, with a smile, "But the kid's turning out very well. We went bowling while his mom set up for a dinner party." A pause. "He hurt himself, bled, and I didn't feel anything."

He sounded distinctly happy about that.

[vanillajello]

Kate's eyebrows bounced again, but there was less of a mocking vibe to it now.

"Oh? Well, that's really good. Right?"

Not that this was something she particularly liked thinking about, but. Still good.

[chosehumanity]

"It is," Mitchell said, and now his lips parted into a genuine grin. "It really is."

[vanillajello]

Kate nodded slowly, with a cautious smile.

"So, has... something changed or something?"

It didn't seem like something that would just stop happening.

[chosehumanity]

"No," he said, smile dimming only a fraction. "I suppose it's just... time."

[vanillajello]

"Time."

She supposed she could live with that reply.

"Well, it's good news, anyway. I mean, not that I've been intending to get hurt around you, anyway. Or, y'know, at all."