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more-sonorous · 5 months ago

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the power of rugelach (sun, moon, stars)-- jatherid

i cannot get enough of these children. so here is more. copious amounts of Kath love incoming, because she deserves it!

tw for mentions of the covid pandemic + asshole parents making bad decisions.

....

It was a well known fact of life that Katherine Pulitzer hated her father. She hated almost every member in her entire immediate family, actually, which was saying something since she had six siblings. Each of them was more assholish than the last (except for her eldest sister Lucy. Lucy was alright). The other five siblings were horrible, just like her ice-cold mother and her overbearing, horrible father and his neverending ‘dickery’, as Jack so eloquently put it.

This week’s ‘dickery’ involved him summoning all of his children to his townhouse in the city for one last family meeting before the lockdown 'really kicked in'. In the middle of a pandemic. Katherine, not really wanting to leave the safety and comfort of Jack’s apartment and her lovely roommates, put up a hell of a fight. First of all, pandemic. Second of all, lockdown. Third of all, a lot of her older siblings had kids, so they shouldn’t have been exposing themselves anyways– but stubborn Joseph Pulitzer merely brushed her worries off. Kath wondered if he lost a bit of common sense with every dollar he earned, and resolutely refused to attend. When he threatened to stop paying off her remaining debt from university, she found herself gruffly climbing into her vehicle and driving to meet with her ridiculous, stupid family.

It was not a pleasant evening. In fact, it was far from pleasant. She had to endure passive aggressive comments about Jack, her career, Jack again, her choice of clothing, her relationship with Jack– everything from the way she styled her bangs to the sneakers she wore. When was she going to get married? When was she going to get a real job, or a ‘serious’ boyfriend? And her father. She wanted to punch the man across the face as the hours chugged on. If she heard one more word about how ‘concerned’ he was for her future, she was sure she’d explode.

Kath had never been more grateful to slam the door of her car behind her and floor it back to their safe, cozy studio apartment. She stormed up the stairs in a cloud of fury, sure that there was metaphorical smoke pouring from her ears.

After a visit with her family, she never failed to feel like nothing more than the red-headed failure of a middle child.

Realistically, she knew she wasn’t a failure. She was an established journalist in a happy relationship, making her own money and living her life how she wanted. She was happy. That was what mattered, after all– she’d been chasing her own happiness and building life her way since she moved out for freshman year of college. What she had was what she’d wanted since childhood. She’d never felt more free.

Their comments still managed to get under her skin, infuriatingly enough. She hated her family. She hated that they didn’t even know her enough to see how happy she was. Or maybe they did see, and they still didn't accept it. That somehow made the knife twist even deeper.

Kath practically kicked down the door to the apartment and slung her shoes off as aggressively as possible, wanting to take out her bone-deep fury on every inanimate object in her immediate vicinity. She wanted to write furious prose about her parents and scream into the water of a scalding hot bath. She wanted to throw something or kick something or rip something– but then she saw Davey, and all of that sort of waned away.

He was curled up against the plush arm of the couch with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, dark curls ruffled and extra fluffy post-nap. The Office played on the TV and he watched with hooded green eyes, a pillow hugged to his chest, long legs folded beneath him. He turned to see her and smiled, whole face lighting up, and she felt her rage sap away as his eyes brightened.

“Kathy.” Davey dropped everything he’d been doing and climbed off of the couch, making his way to her in long strides. He was so happy to see her, and for some reason, that made her so happy that she could scarcely breathe. “How was your luncheon?”

“Miserable.” She muttered, surprised at the thickness of emotion tightening her voice.

Davey frowned a long-suffering frown. Having grown up alongside her, he was used to the Pulitzer clan bullshit. That explained the concern in his wide, green eyes, and the hesitant way he kept twitching his hands towards her like he wanted to comfort her but was stopping herself. Her pent up frustration urged her to grab him by the shoulders and scream that she wanted his touch just as much as he wanted to touch her. She barely refrained, and chose to hang on to the gentle sound of his voice instead as he continued speaking. “I figured as much. Jack said he was going to try to be back as soon as possible, but he’s moving all of his stuff out of the art studio across town so he might be a little bit longer– in the meantime, I made you rugelach, since I know you don’t like the desserts your father’s cook makes. We can go eat, if you want.”

Only then did she register the warm, comforting smell of flaky puff pastry and freshly made raspberry jam. It smelled like distant childhood memories. The cramped kitchen in the Jacobs house after every birthday– like breaking in her first apartment, Davey’s cheeks and t-shirt splotched with flour– like two AM after her Bat Mitzvah, when she and Davey had curled up in a pillow fort, giggling and devouring pastries until the sun came up. He’d been worrying about her. Of course he’d been worrying about her, because he was just so good and kind and sweet, and Katherine wanted him so deeply and ridiculously that it hurt.

What she wouldn’t give to have both him and Jack at once.

She realized that she didn’t give him a response a moment too late, because his lips ticked down into a subtle frown. “Kathy… are you okay?”

And then she was crying. The floodgates broke embarrassingly fast, and the sob that ripped through her was loud and ugly. Within seconds, Davey had her wrapped up in his freckled arms, and she sunk into his comforting warmth with careless abandon. He was tall and warm and familiar and Jack was right, his clothes were really soft– and he smelled good, too, like old books and vanilla shampoo and lavender fabric softener. With one hand cradling the back of her head and the other arm tucked firmly around her waist, Katherine felt safe to sob her eyes out. She did just that as Davey tucked his nose into her hair and held her steady through the storm.

“I hate them.” She sobbed incoherently, feeling stupid and childish all the while. “And th-they hate me too, and I– I hate that they hate me, Davey, I fucking despise it!”

“Nobody hates you.” Davey soothed in that soft voice of his, words warm and sweet against the top of her head. “It's impossible to hate you.”

She hiccuped around another sob and squeezed tight fistfuls of his shirt into her hands. “They do. I know they do. I don’t– I don’t care what they think of me, and I’m not gonna change for them, but I just wish they’d understand me, Davey–”

Her blubbering was nearly incoherent and she knew it, but he didn’t judge her or freeze up or anything. Instead, he ran a gentle hand through her hair and pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, letting the wave of fresh tears ebb. She cried hard, loud tears of frustration. Hugging Davey was a lot better than hitting inanimate objects, but it didn’t make her ridiculous excuse for a family hurt any less. He understood, and he let her cry until she was hiccuping. Then he gently wrapped both his arms around her and spoke very softly. “Couch?”

Kath could only manage a nod and felt herself melt from head to toe as he lifted her up in deceptively strong arms. She swung her legs around him– if he was going to be as tall as a tree, she could cling like a koala– and the only reaction she received was a soft noise of surprise before he snapped back into comfort mode and carried her to the couch. When Davey sat, Katherine didn’t dare move and buried her face in his shoulder, instead. He hugged her tightly, shielding her with her arms, and she wanted to hide there forever.

It didn’t take long for her to calm down, and when the rage stopped clouding her vision, it left an overwhelming sadness behind.

“I’m always wondering–” She cut herself off with a hiccupy little breath but quickly tried to reign her voice in. Kath hated crying. Feeling weak. “I’m always wondering what my life would be like if I’d grown up with parents that actually supported me.”

“Who knows?” Davey’s voice was barely a whisper as he tugged the elastic from the end of her braid and ran his fingers through her hair, gently untangling the strands. “It sucks that we can’t control what we’re born into. We just have to make the most of it, and you do a really good job of that, Kathy.”

Another hiccup shook her and she curled her fingers into the fabric of his shirt. “Doesn’t make me hate it any less.”

“You have every right to hate it. Your siblings are pretentious jerks, your mom has more botox than she does love in her shriveled up heart, and your borderline evil dad has a huge stick up his ass.” Davey stated, so matter-of-factly that Katherine couldn't help but let out a sharp bark of laughter. “But somehow they raised my closest friend, and she turned out to be kind and loyal and passionate and all of the best things you could want in a person. So… I’m just grateful you’re here and you’re you.”

The pure adoration swelling in her chest brought stinging tears to her eyes, and within moments they were slipping down her cheeks. “Davey…”

“Oh, no.” He breathed, going rigid and raising his hands to his hair. “I am so, so sorry. I didn't– I didn’t want to make you cry again, I just– I probably shouldn’t have said that about your parents–”

“You’re the best.” Kath managed to choke out through her tears, and she embraced him again so he couldn’t see the infatuation in her eyes. Davey hugged her back, with a bit of careful hesitance, but he relaxed into the touch soon enough, sinking into the couch cushions behind him. She almost felt bad for crying on him– first Jack, less than a week ago, and now her– but there was just something about Davey’s steadiness that made the wild parts of Kath (and surely Jack, too) feel safe.

Keys jingled in the door and Kath didn’t move a muscle as she listened to Jack’s familiar footfalls. He made his way into the kitchen first, probably setting down boxes based on the roll and rattle of paint brushes and acrylic bottles, but soon his parade of sock-footed steps landed in the living room. Within moments he was at her side, a warm hand on her back.

“Jesus, love, what’s wrong?”

“Kath’s family are assholes.” Davey answered, and she managed a meek nod of agreement.

Jack chuckled, soft and low. “Don’t I know it. C’mere, darling.” Gentle, calloused fingers tilted her chin up and she looked into the sweetest brown eyes she knew. Kath thanked the powers above for providing her with these precious boys as Jack carefully pulled the sticky strands of hair from her cheeks and wiped her tears away. “You deserve better, mi rayo del sol.”

For the second time that day, she positively melted. If she hadn’t been seated on top of Davey her knees surely would’ve gone weak. Kath let herself smile dopily as Jack kissed her cheeks and the tip of her nose. “Hug?”

“Obviously.” She croaked, feeling exhausted and emotionally drained.

Jack tugged her up against her chest and she practically collapsed against her amazing boyfriend. It seemed that the universe wasn’t keen on giving her a single moment of relaxation, because Davey went and stood up and Katherine felt her head whipping around towards him before she could stop herself. He had an awkward, almost pained expression on his pretty face and every socially trained part of her told her to just let him leave. Jack was her boyfriend, after all, and comforting her should’ve been his job alone. Still, deep in her chest, she knew she’d feel better with both of them and she wasn’t going to dance around that anymore.

“Where are you going?”

“My… uh… my room.” He froze awkwardly, like a deer in headlights. Jack’s chest shook with a silent chuckle and he hid his face in her hair. “I figured you’d want Jack–”

Sometimes, Davey required bluntness. Kath, teary-eyed and exhausted, delivered exactly that as she reached a hand out and motioned him over. “I do want Jack. And you. So get over here.”

“You oughta do what she says, Dave, she rules the roost. I don’t make the rules.” Jack murmured into her shoulder, looking up at Davey with irresistible brown doe eyes. Kath knew, from experience, that he was impossible to say no to when he looked like that. She was absolutely correct as she watched Davey’s resolve disappear into a little groan. He rubbed his eyes from beneath his glasses.

“Okay. Let me get the rugelach while they’re still warm.”

“The rug-ah-luh-huh?” Jack muttered, sitting back against the arm of the couch and tugging Kath to sit between his legs. She laughed and traced her thumb over the scar on his chin, taking just a moment to admire his adorable expression of confusion. How her parents could disapprove of this wonderful boy, she’d never know.

“My favorite pastry.” Kath explained, with a genuine smile. “Davey makes his grandma’s recipe and he tops them with this raspberry jam– they’re seriously life changing, Jack. Just wait.”

"Anything Dave cooks is life-changing." He assured, before leaning in to press a kiss to her cheeks. His hand, warm as ever, cupped her face as he continued his trail down her jaw. "You look beautiful right now."

She scoffed, sharp and degrading. "I look like a mess."

"Nuh-uh. You can't see yourself, 'n you can't see what I'm seein'-- and what I'm seein' is a picture I oughta paint and hang on my wall forever." Jack's voice was soft and low and dripping with honesty that made her face feel hot and her stomach clench happily. He grinned a riddiculous, dopey grin. "Yeah, that's right. I see that little smile-"

"You're ridiculous." Kath pushed his cheek into her shoulder to stifle his ridiculous giggles.

Jack Kelly was an unstoppable little beast, though, and he popped his head right back up and trained that megawatt natural smile at her. She'd learned the distance by now-- his forced smile hid his pretty dimples, but if he was really happy, they came right out. He was smiling at her like she was the sun itself. "Ridiculously honest, maybe. 'Cause all I'm seein' is just plain gorgeous. Tell me, did it hurt when--"

"No!" She whined as she tried to quell her own laughter, slapping a hand over his mouth to stop the ridiculous pickup lines.

Maybe she should've expected the cheeky bastard to lick her palm, but she figured they were too mature for that. She was wrong and recoiled with a shriek, gazing at her spit-slick palm. "Jack! Germs! You don't know where my hand's been!"

"I just saw it touchin' Dave, 'n he's pretty clean. So."

Kath barked out a shocked laugh and gently shoved his shoulder, which only made him tug her closer. "You are the worst, did you know that?"

"But you love me." Jack cooed in a sing-song sort of way, all gentle touches as he cupped her cheeks in those rough hands of his. She loved his hands. Couldn't get enough of them.

She felt herself soften for the unfairly beautiful boy, and tilted her head to kiss the inside of his palm. "Unfortunately I do."

Davey returned, carefully holding a plate of fragrant pastries. Kath felt her mouth watering at the comforting smell, and wondered just how he knew exactly what she needed. He was more perceptive than people assumed– just another bullet point of the list of things Kath loved about David Jacobs. And another thing on the subsequent list for Jack was the fact that he loved Davey, too, based on the way he was looking at him with a ridiculously dopey, lovesick grin. “You gonna come and sit, now, Dave?”

“Sure. Um…” David awkwardly rocked back onto his heels, arms straight down by his sides. His hands would be buried in his pockets, if he had any. “How… um… how do you want me?”

“Less rigid.” She teased, before taking gentle hold of his plaid sweatpants and pulling him closer. He went willingly, if not a bit stiffly, and molded himself to her just how she wanted. Kath leaned her back up against Davey’s chest and let Jack take the reins, gently taking Davey’s ankle in hand and placing it on the couch next to him so that both Jack and Kath were sitting within the vee of his legs. Davey hesitantly strung his freckled arms around her and she breathed a sigh of relief as she relaxed into the tangle of Jack and Davey, a giddy sort of thrill shooting through her as Dave gently dropped his chin onto her head. “Rugelach time, now.”

“Whatever you wish, princess.” Jack threw a wink at her and grabbed the plate, settling it in the midst of their cuddle pile, balanced on Kath’s lap. He plucked one of the pastries and held it up with a smile that dimpled his cheeks and brightened the room. “Open wide.”

The rugelach were even better than the last time David made them, sweet and nutty and just a bit tart from the jam. Kath felt her eyes roll back and she tilted her head into the firmness of Davey's chest with a groan. "Davey. Ohmygod."

"Good?" He shook with a giggle, and smiled a private little smile.

"Perfect, I think. Jack, you hafta try." She snatched one of the pastries and held it out for Jack to bite.

He grinned cheekily at her before leaning in and taking a careful bite, purposefully brushing his lips against her fingers. The playfulness dissolved as his eyes grew wide, and he quickly bit off the rest of the rugelach and stared at Davey like he was the most wonderful thing in the world (he sort of was). "Dave. What the hell did you put in this?"

"Walnuts. Raisins. Love?"

"You heard it here, folks. Walnuts, raisins, and love. Key to Jack Kelly's heart." Jack grinned and plucked another rugelach off of the plate. Kath didn't ignore Davey's pleased, victorious little expression-- but that smile dropped into hesitance as Jack offered the treat to him. "Your turn."

Davey swallowed hard and Kath fought valiantly to suppress a giggle at the pink spreading from his cheekbones to his ears. "I-- um-- germs."

"C'mon..." Puppy eyes. Kath felt bad for Davey. It was impossible to stay strong when Jack used those big, brown eyes to his advantage.

Her spirits lifted with every giggle they shared as Jack fed Davey the sweet, Davey’s messy bite of surprise sending puff pastry flakes tumbling down onto Kath’s shoulder. The three of them fed each other in a ridiculous fit of giggles, featuring Kath awkwardly reaching back to try and find Davey’s mouth, and Davey exasperatedly leaning forward to swipe jam off of Jack’s cheek, and Jack constantly brushing powdered sugar onto Kath’s nose just to kiss it off again. Jack even tried his silly little lip brush trick on poor Davey, which definitely sent his brain into reboot mode. Kath couldn't hide her laughter at that, and she only cackled harder when her defeated best friend hid his face in her shoulder and tightened his arms around her. Soon sunset was bathing the apartment and Kath’s ridiculous family was pushed into a far corner of her mind.

What she had in that moment was far better than anything her parents could’ve offered her as a child. Jack and Davey were family, and she was at home in their arms– just a little bit sweaty with her face sticky from tears and her hair a tangled, finger-combed mess. That, she decided, was how she wanted to spend the rest of her life. No picture perfect cul-de-sac marriage. Just them.

....

can you believe that these goobers aren't in an established relationship yet? guess i oughta write a getting together blurb for them...

but pining is so fun i just wanna write awkward lovestruck stumbling