Rapunzel had been given an explicit invitation to visit Kate in her office hours, and since she didn't have any classes today, it seemed like the perfect day to do it. She'd wandered along the row of teachers' offices with her hands neatly clasped behind her back (and under her hair), peeking inside any open doors.
"Are you busy?" she asked shyly, when she found the particular teacher she was looking for. It wasn't as though she had anything pressing, after all. And it looked like Kate had something she was doing on the computer, which surely meant it was important.
Ahaha sure it did. Kate was pretty glad the computer faced away from the door because no one needed to see the dumb shit that was on her dash most of the time, thanks.
She looked up from the screen and waved to beckon Rapunzel in with a smile. "Nope, I am really really not busy right now, come on in."
"Thanks! I like your office," Rapunzel decided, stepping through the door and tugging her hair in behind her so she could pile it on the floor at her feet. "I mean, not that I've seen a lot of offices," or any, ever, "but yours is nice."
"Thanks," Kate replied, trying not too gawk too much at all the hair. Even though it was pretty and there was seriously a lot of it. She gestured towards a chair. "It used to belong to one of my best friends when I was a student here. I like it."
Rapunzel took the offered seat, tucking her feet under herself and neatly folding her hands in her lap. "You inherited another teacher's office? From when you were here? That's sort of...poetic, actually. Are they still here, but...in another office?" She realized how dumb that sounded, but it was possible!
"Nah, he stopped working here before I even graduated," Kate said with a little wave of her hand. "And then he was my boss at the movie theater in town, and now he's in Wales."
The story was much more complicated than that. But, Kate leaned forward in her chair a little and rested her elbows on the desk.
"Nothing, just thought I'd visit since you offered," Rapunzel said cheerily, though she was fussing with her hair a little bit nervously. "Yesterday's class kind of made me think, is all."
Aaaand that was as brave as she was going to be, in terms of bringing up unawesome people and things again. Because now she was instead distracted by --
"Is that your dog?" Rapunzel pointed to the picture on Kate's desk. She already recognized Bod, from when he'd taught.
Kate had her doubts about the randomness of this visit (hey, she'd basically invited the girl over so she had to) but she wasn't the pressuring kind. She could talk about her dog for a sec.
"Yup, that's Seamus. Full name Seamus von Slade because, I don't know, it seemed like a great idea at the time."
"Did he share that with the class?" Kate guessed with a wry look and a little chuckle. "Yeah, Seamus was a Valentine's Day present last year. Way more long-lasting and fun than chocolate."
Also great for getting Kate's lazy butt out of the house, but she wouldn't be sharing that.
"I've actually thought about bringing him to class sometime. He's a great example of being effortlessly awesome."
"You should!" Rapunzel declared. "I mean, we got to play with puppies when he taught, and that was fun, so I don't think anyone would object." Because puppy.
She frowned thoughtfully, though, and added, "What's Valentine's Day?" Obviously a holiday of some kind, but she wasn't sure of the significance.
"Um, it's a holiday," Kate replied, starting with the obvious and chewing thoughtfully on her lip as she figured out how to say it. "Basically this whole thing about love and friendship, although mostly love. Like, romantic love. It's a big deal for couples."
"Well, that'd explain why I haven't heard of it!" Rapunzel declared. "For all I know, it exists in Corona and I've just never celebrated. It sounds wonderful, though. A whole day dedicated to making sure someone knows how much you love them?" She slouched a little, sighing at the romance of it all.
Somehow Kate wasn't entirely surprised by that reaction.
She considered pointing out the highly commercialized aspects of it, then thought better of that. It seemed a little mean, somehow. "Yeah, it's pretty sweet," she said instead. "But y'know, I think I prefer spreading out the love all around the year. Works better for me. But, all the heart-shaped candy you get around Valentine's Day is pretty great."
"I mean, who's gonna say no to candy?" Rapunzel pointed out with a giggle. "But I agree with you, with celebrating year-round. I just think it's really...nice to have a whole day devoted to it! I mean, if you've been slacking or feeling bad about your romantic life, then at least this Valentine's Day thing is there to make sure you know you're appreciated!"
"Are you busy?" she asked shyly, when she found the particular teacher she was looking for. It wasn't as though she had anything pressing, after all. And it looked like Kate had something she was doing on the computer, which surely meant it was important.
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She looked up from the screen and waved to beckon Rapunzel in with a smile. "Nope, I am really really not busy right now, come on in."
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The story was much more complicated than that. But, Kate leaned forward in her chair a little and rested her elbows on the desk.
"So, anyway, hi. What's up?"
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Aaaand that was as brave as she was going to be, in terms of bringing up unawesome people and things again. Because now she was instead distracted by --
"Is that your dog?" Rapunzel pointed to the picture on Kate's desk. She already recognized Bod, from when he'd taught.
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"Yup, that's Seamus. Full name Seamus von Slade because, I don't know, it seemed like a great idea at the time."
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Bod had said that was a good move in relationships, so.
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Also great for getting Kate's lazy butt out of the house, but she wouldn't be sharing that.
"I've actually thought about bringing him to class sometime. He's a great example of being effortlessly awesome."
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She frowned thoughtfully, though, and added, "What's Valentine's Day?" Obviously a holiday of some kind, but she wasn't sure of the significance.
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She considered pointing out the highly commercialized aspects of it, then thought better of that. It seemed a little mean, somehow. "Yeah, it's pretty sweet," she said instead. "But y'know, I think I prefer spreading out the love all around the year. Works better for me. But, all the heart-shaped candy you get around Valentine's Day is pretty great."
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That wasn't really how it worked, no.
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Really not how it worked, and for a second there Kate looked like maybe she was going to say that out loud. She was taking a slightly different route.
"But you know, you really need to make sure you feel appreciated all through the year, too. And also, not just romantically. You know?"
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