1st Floor Rec Room, Monday Evening

[spin_kick_snap]

'Somehow' (Kathy was blaming Dante), dinner at El Burrito Loco had involved not one but several alcoholic flights for them to share: it had started with a cerveza flight with appetizers, turned into a sangria flight before their entrees had come out, and finished up with a tequila flight right before they'd finished eating. It was the tequila flight that had done it; they had been just fine after the sangria, but the shots of tequila, even when divided between the three of them, had sent them right over the edge from 'pleasantly buzzed' to 'gigglng and tipsy.'

The trip home hadn't sobered them up much, which was why they'd somehow ended up in the first floor Rec Room instead of heading up the stairs to the third floor. It was also why the discovery of a fully-functioning karaoke machine was pounced on with delight. Normally, Kathy would have been all over the DDR machine in the corner, but karaoke was a much, much better idea--for one thing, there was far less movement involved.

"We are doing this," she informed the guys, plugging the machine in and pulling out the track listings. There were an insane number of tracks from all over the world. Kathy was shocked to find songs listed by prominent K- and J-Pop artists, as well as the standard fare of Broadway, 50s ballads, and 70's rock. "We are absolutely doing this. In fact, Dante, I challenge you to an 80s power ballad-off right now."

The first floor of the Dorms was in for a very long, very musical night.

[Dante and Anders modded with permission, post very definitely open for anyone who wants to come in and sing! Beat the Mondays with secondhand karaoke!]

Comments

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo sighed. "How come you can be totally drunk and still sing better than me?"

That wasn't supposed to be one of your superpowers, Kathy!

[spin_kick_snap]

"Drunk doesn't erase talent, Ringo," Kathy chided, wagging her finger. "And you are a really, really good singer! Just, y'know, not as good as me."

It did, however, magnify ego.

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Oh, hey!" Ringo just had a great idea! "Wanna go for a late-night AT run?"

"Unless you've gotten too tired from singing all those slow songs."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Now, now," Kathy said, shaking her head. "Does Japan not have DARE education programs? Never drink and AT, Ringo. First rule of AT Club."

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo frowned. "I dare you to go for a late-night AT run?" That was the only dare she knew!"

"Also, when did we get an AT club?" And how come no one had told her about it?

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy frowned, hands on her hips. "You can't dare me to do something stupid and dangerous, Ringo. I'm not sober, I'm not getting on anything that requires engines and self-control. That's a good way to end up hurting someone, myself or other people."

[soniaroadsqueen]

Kathy was getting a doubtful look. "You'd be fine, but I guess you've got more experience being drunk than me so maybe you've actually got a point?" Ringo had never tried drunk AirTrek, but that was mostly because she pretty much never got drunk.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Drinking and driving is never okay!" Dante was probably rolling his eyes at her right now. "I don't care whether it's a car or inline skates. It's dangerous. Not just for you, but anyone around you. And pretending otherwise is just stupid."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"What about drinking and walking?" Because ATs were basically just walking.

Really awesome walking!

[spin_kick_snap]

"Not unless we're sticking to a walking pace," Kathy said. "I said no, Ringo. Please respect that." She paused, thought about it, and shook her head. "No, not please. You need to respect that."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Sure."

"Sorry. I wasn't trying to be, um, I don't know." A jerk? Offensive?

[spin_kick_snap]

"You were pushing," Kathy told her. "Hoping to get what you wanted even though I already made my feelings clear. You can't--" Kathy stumbled over what she was saying next, realizing too late that she wouldn't have said it at all if she were sober. "You can't keep doing that."

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo considered that. "I was, wasn't I?"

She pursed her lips. "I haven't done that before, have I? With you, I mean? Or, at least not when you meant it?" Because they had a lot of banter that involved pushing at each other.

[spin_kick_snap]

Oh thank goodness. Kathy's thoughts had flashed to the roof when she'd said that, but it looked like Ringo's hadn't. It wasn't a perfect parallel, which was likely why she hadn't gone there, but no matter what the reason, Kathy was simply grateful.

"Not really with me, but you might get a different answer if you ask Dante," Kathy said, reaching for Ringo's hands to squeeze. "Please don't make people choose between doing what's best and what you want. That's not a good place to put someone you care about." She offered Ringo half a smile. "Or Dante, either."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"I try not to. Or even to make someone do something they really don't want to, whether it's good for them or not." Ringo smiled weakly and squeezed back.

"Sorry," she mumbled again.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Forgiven," Kathy said, using their hands to pull Ringo into a quick hug. "Just remember this, all right? Don't make your senpai go on another tipsy rant. And just for that--penalty song!"

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo hugged back, then sat back and laughed.

"Show off!"

[spin_kick_snap]

"Penalty song, Ringo! It means you have to sing along!"

Better hit all those la la la's, Ringo, or you'll never hear the end of it!

[soniaroadsqueen]

She tried! Really, she tried! But it was hard to stay on-tempo when you kept laughing.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Now who's drunk and can't follow the rhythm?!" Kathy crowed, pointing.

That would be you, Kathy. For about half of that.

[soniaroadsqueen]

"You!" Ringo pointed back! "I'm not drunk!" She just couldn't follow the rhythm.

[spin_kick_snap]

"I'm sorry for your lack of rhythm then!" Kathy said. "It's okay, I'm sure you're good at lots of other thi--la la la la lala la!"

[soniaroadsqueen]

Look, Kathy. Ringo would totally stick her tongue out at you, but she had to sing the la la la part! Or, you know, try.

[spin_kick_snap]

"Ringo! You're literally singing the word la! How is this difficult!"

It wasn't hard, like clapping in time!

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Singing is haaard," Ringo whined. "Dancing is the easy part!"

Kathy should have picked something she could dance to!