Finding Strength (CLOSED)

"Ah, a great big fuck you to Amadeus? He's gonna hate you so much" Katherine said with a chuckle before getting all quiet. She stood there in silence for a while, smoking and thinking. "I need another fight, unless someone's willing to stab me a couple of times." Katherine reached under her mask, and wiped her face a bit before pulling her mask down completely. "Unless you want to go home?"

Ryan smiled. "I'll go against ya if you want. Just a friendly match. All about knockin' out, which I'd imagine can still happen to you, yea?" . He put his brass knuckles back on, lightly tapping Katherine on the chest with his bare hand. He could tell she was quite sad, and wanted to help her by doing the best thing he could do - fighting.

"Thank you for the offer, Ryan, but I'm not sure about that." Katherine gave Ryan a warm hug, her right arm hanging limply at her side since it was still busy healing. "I mean, I still haven't learnt how to restrain myself, to hold my punches, and I really don't want to kill you." Katherine thought for a moment, trying to figure out how she could have a fight with Ryan without killing him. Katherine also thought about what a relatively sane woman would do. "I was thinking a few tubs of ice cream, watch a good movie, snuggle up in bed with all my pillows, plush, and blankets. Just try to distract myself, I guess." As soon as the words left Katherine's mouth, she saw something across the ring that made her smile: a super hot girl with amazing breasts staring right at her. "Or her... Yeah, definitely her. I'll see you guys when I get home" Katherine said with a chuckle before heading off to the girl. She didn't seem to waste any time, and immediately made out with the woman.

Michael was about to say something about how he had a good deal of ice-cream in his home, before Katherine head off to the other side of the ring. Michael blushed a bit, sighing and looking away with Ryan. "'ight, lets just uh... Head on back, then.". At that, the two men head back outside, Ryan taking the Wrangler's passenger seat, and Michael back into the driver's seat. As Michael started up the car, Ryan spoke up.
"Ten bucks says she comes back home with that woman."
"Twenteh says they both 'mysterious lost sum clothin' each.".
Ryan chuckled a bit, putting away his knuckles as Michael began heading back home, shaking his head jokingly, yet also concerned slightly. Charles and Joseph were left a bit dazed back at the ring, both eventually shrugging it off, with Charles heading back to his stand, Joseph decided to linger around the rings for a bit longer, 'keeping an eye' on Katherine.

Katherine and the woman went at it for a few minutes before racing off together, laughing happily. Perhaps a one night stand was all Katherine needed at that point to make her feel better about everything instead of just moping around.

Katherine arrived at the house a few hours later, and headed off to shower before heading back to her room to change. As soon as she was comfortable, and wearing some warm pajamas with her killer rabbit slippers, she headed off to the kitchen for a snack. She made herself a banana, chocolate, and peanut butter sundae, with a drizzle of syrup, and sat down to eat. She was quite happy with how everything had gone, and smiled to herself as she ate.

Ryan had head out on his own a half hour before Katherine arrived, still out. Michael had given him some money for general stuff - clothes, food for Buddy, and whatever else he needed. Michael, on the other hand, was in his own room, blasting Tainted Love as he drank out of a bottle of whiskey. He had only recently started on the first bottle he had, not knowing Katherine had returned. As he drank, he tossed a couple darts towards his dart board - landinf quite accurate shots.

Katherine smiled a bit when she heard the music coming from Michael's room as she was quite fond of the song herself. She took her sundae with her as she made her way to her room, stopping at Michael's room along the way.
"Ey Mikey, can I come in" Katherine asked after knocking on the door. She just wanted to talk and chill for a bit, and apologise for her recent behavior.

Feeling the knock more than he heard it, Michael tossed another daft before going to turn the music down to about a quarter of its original noise. Once that was done, he decided to open the door, smiling a bit and whiskey in hand. "Ah, there she is! Come on in if ya like. Ryan's out doing some shoppin'. He needs more than just his oil-stained get up, and some stuff fer Buddy." He laughed a bit, moving out the door way and downing another swig. He picked up another dart, a good few haphazardly laying around on the table. "Ya 'ight? Ah reckon ya got back,
eh... Ten minutes ago? Ah dunno how long ya take tah make sundaes. 'ow was yer time out on the town?" .He laughed a bit, tossing the dart but missing spectacularly. He shook his head, downing another quick swig.

"That's cool, yeah, he definitely needed some new clothes. I think I got back around, I dunno, half an hour ago maybe?" Katherine entered the room, closing the door behind her before finding somewhere to sit. She had a scoop of her sundae, smiling a bit. "It was amazing, really" Katherine said with a chuckle. She was in a much better mood than she had been since they left the Assassin headquarters. "You alright, Mikey?" Katherine had another scoop of her sundae, and looked up at Michael, "I'd offer you some, but it's got peanut butter."

Michael nodded, taking a seat in the chair he had at his desk. "I'm 'ight, thank ya lass. Just doing some light drinkin'." . He held up the bottle, half empty at this point, and continued, "Whenever ah got this torso an' arms installed, I've been having tah drink more to get a righ' buzz. Became even 'arder whenever it got 'upgraded', ye can say. Dunno why... Order prolly wanted tah fock with me.". He shook his head, looking over to the dart that had impaled itself into the wall. He shrugged, taking another swig.

"At least you can still be affected by alcohol, so I suppose you're lucky on that front" Katherine said with a chuckle. She sat in silence for a moment, thinking before looking to Michael. "I'm sorry about my behavior recently, being a depressing donkey dumbass. It's just, so much had happened, and that shit with Calum... but I'm fine now." Katherine had a few scoops of her ice cream, a small smile on her face. She was happy that Michael had invited her into his home, that he had helped her with everything. "Thanks for all of this, Michael. I really appreciate it."

Michael waved her off, getting up to instead sit next to Katherine. "Ah, jus' doin' what I reckon is right. If I didn' offer ya some place to go,
I'd be a straight dickhead.". He downed a bit more of his drink, essentially nearly finishing it off. "I mean, imagine if I never gave my pals a chance. Prolly would still be a stiff up in the order still, going from one mission to the next with a true smile on my face, ya know?". He shrugged, finishing the bottle off and setting it on whatever stable flat surface was nearest to him and he could reach. He looked over to her, smiling a bit.

"Those missions sound like they might have been fun, especially with the way you do things." Katherine finished what was left of her sundae, and set the bowl aside, smiling up at Michael. "You're an amazing person, Mikey, never change" Katherine said with a smile. She enjoyed Michael's company, and she felt like he was one of the few people that had it as rough as her, if not worse, so he definitely understood her. "Really though, thank you."

Michael smiled happily, saying, "Thank ya, lass. Reckon I could say the same for you.". He ruffled the top of her hair up a bit, laughing lightly. "Ya got tha same amount of fight in ya that I do despite yer stature. People underestimate ya, but I reckon that's their biggest - and last - mistake, know what I mean?". He shook his head a bit as he laughed, putting both his hands behind his back as he instinctively stretched. It didn't do much, but it still felt a bit good.

"That's for sure. At least I'm not 5'3", that'd be hilarious. A short girl fighting a bear" Katherine said with a chuckle. She stretched too, her entire spine clicking; it sounded a bit like someone wringing bubble wrap causing Katherine to laugh a bit. "Sorry, animator's back. Anyway, it's amazing to be here, where I can be me, and not sleep in a closet." Katherine ran her fingers through her long hair as she let out a happy sigh. She liked it at Michael's place, it was everything she ever wanted in a house.

"Ah, thank ya. Love this place too whenever it's not jus' me, ya know?". He stood, his knees clicking a bit. He winced a bit, thinking that probably wasn't a good sound. He made his way over to the dart board, getting darts out from that area. "Always had a feelin' something was off about that Assassin HQ and shiet. Glad I got out before I got in a true scuffle with one of 'em. Hope those two are doin' 'ight,
though." . He sat the darts back onto his desk once he got them all out, both from the dart board and wall. As he arranged them, he shifted the subject
"So, when do ya reckon we're going after this target o' yers? I can't 'member if ya even told me who it was and 'ow long we've got before ya scurried off with that lass."

"The target is Charlie's grandfather, some mafia brassknob. Yeah, Charlie didn't give me a time limit, so that's nice. I was thinking of going after him on Thursday night since I'm booked tomorrow, tomorrow night, and Thursday morning." Katherine thought for a moment, thinking about what Michael had said. Who was he referring to at the Assassin headquarters. "Wait, you hope who is doing alright? Evan and Kyle?"

Michael nodded. "Aye. Those two seem righ' for each other, and I reckon they're the best of the Assassins today.". He finished organizing the darts, and put them to the side before he sat back in his chair, it rolling around lightly. "I swear, sometimes ah wish I ain't so large. A chair this nice an' this large was so much extra jus' cause it had tah accommodate me, ya know? I'd never get rid of my height, though.". He spun a bit, full on facing her. "What do ya got booked, anyway? I've got nothin' to do for tha foreseeable future."

"Yeah, those two are amazing, I love being around them." Katherine smiled a bit as she thought of the two Assassins. They were so sweet, and she really did like them. "I actually don't know what I'll be doing, just that the girls are taking me out, don't know why though. Selena just told me to get a lot of sleep before they come for me." Katherine had no idea what was going on anymore, let alone what day it was. Everything had just sort of blurred together since the headquarters. "It's supposed to be some big surprise, apparently."

Michael scratched his beard a bit, thinking. "Hm... Well, it is still technically Sunday since we left the headquarters early on in the mornin'. I'd say it's abou' seven pm by now. Ah'd reccomend tuckin' in within a couple hours.". He spun around, starting to boot up his computer before spinning around again, right leg crossed over his left. "Now, ah better be a part of this girls night ou'.". He had a large, stupid smile on his face, a faux stern finger put up. "I don' have my night out dress for nothin'.". He held up the sterness for a couple more seconds before breaking out into heavy laughter.

"Hey, if you want to, you're more than welcome. You don't have to dress up fancy or anything" Katherine said with a smile. She imagined Michael in a dress, and burst out into a fit of hysterical laughter. "Please tell me you have a pair of stripper heels too. I'd pay good money to see that" Katherine said with tears in her eyes when she finally managed to stop laughing for a moment.

Selena sent a message to Michael, and a similar one to Julian.
"Hey, Michael. I got your number off Katherine's phone, I hope you don't mind.
So, we're doing a thing for Katherine's birthday tomorrow night. You in?
-Selena"

Michael shook his head, wiping away a tear that had appeared from the laughter. "Nah,
nah. But ya know now that jus' cause ya said that I'm dressin' fancy like. Imma get my best stuff." . He pulled out his phone - having just buzzed, and smirked. "Huh. Speak o' the devil,
and he shall appear."
"Nice timing
Just talkin to kat about it now
Didnt know it was her birthday.
Count me in!

Julian jerked awake, accidentally having fallen asleep. He saw the message, and smiled.
"Sounds nice.
I'll be there, just tell me when and where."

"Awesome!" Selena quickly replied to Julian.
"Cool. Just meet us at the Abbott and Costello at about five."

Katherine was a bit interested in what message Michael had got, but decided not to ask about it. She smoothed down her hair, and leaned back a bit, relaxing, just enjoying a bit of peace.

Michael put his phone into his pocket, smiling a bit. He looked up at Katherine, and said, "Don't get too comfy now! I don' want ya gettin' lost in that sea of blankets, now.". He chuckled a bit, opening another bottle of whiskey he had near by.

"To be honest, I'm more likely to get lost in my own bed" Katherine said with a laugh. "I'll try not to get too comfy." Katherine pulled her hood up, and edged back on the bed so her back was against the wall. She looked at the bottle of whiskey, and smiled. "You know, Strang managed to make some stuff for me that will actually let me get drunk or high. It works in theory, but I haven't actually tried it."