ave a seat, if you like," Marc offered as he set the till to printing out a record of the day's purchases.
Kat wandered over to the books instead, and browsed through them, then moved to Jade's carvings, and then to the oils. The tester of sandalwood oil, she opened and sniffed. "You like sandalwood?" Marc asked.
Kat jumped, and placed the oil back in its spot.
"You must have good eyes," she commented.
"I didn't read it," Marc smiled. "I know the positions 'cause I restock that display."
"Ah," Kat smiled, moving on to the crystals. "Sandalwood was my mother's favourite scent. She used to wear it every day."
The crystals didn't seem to hold Kat's interest, and she moved to the jewellery. She lifted a delicate silver chain with a black stone pendant to her throat, and looked in a mirror.
"What is this? Obsidian?"
Marc looked up again, and moved around the counter for a closer look. He checked the tag.
"No, I think it's jet. I'll look it up for you."
"It's beautiful."
Marc quickly flipped through a book.
"Yes, it's jet. It's $35."
"Oh, I wouldn't buy it now," smiled Kat. "Your machine is being noisy."
Marc grinned as Kat put the necklace back and picked up some earrings. She swept her hair back and held it in a messy bundle as she held the earrings to her ears. Marc went back to counting the money in the till as Kat wandered away from the jewellery and towards the counter displays.
"Do me a favour?"
"Sure."
"Make sure the display cases are locked?"
Kat nodded, then moved around the shop, checking the display cases.
"This one's open," Kat called.
Marc tossed her a set of keys, and she fiddled with the lock for a while until she figured it out and locked it. Marc finished counting the money, and bundled it together as the till stopped printing. He wrote some figures in a book, and moved to the back of the shop, unlocking the safe. Kat remembered to put some money in the tip jar, then sat in the chair Marc had offered her almost 20 minutes before and peered into the display case. Marc was putting the money in the safe, when the phone rang.

As Marc spoke on the phone, Kat observed him. He had nice shoulders, she mused, and an adorable cheeky smile. And a very nice chest, Kat recalled with a smile. Reluctantly, she reminded herself that she didn't know him very well, yet. She'd only known him for a week. There did seem to be a connection between them, but it was really too soon to be thinking about anything more than friendship. Besides, he'd only just broken up with his girlfriend, no matter what Jade's tarot reading had said, Kat thought taking it slow was the best option.

"Ready?"
Kat's thoughts snapped back to the present, and she smiled at him and stood.
"Yes. Was just thinking."
"Oh? About what?"
"Oh, what to have for dinner," Kat lied, lifting her bag over her shoulder.
"Ah," Marc smiled, reaching over and flipping off most of the lights in the store, leaving it dimly lit. "Did you decide on anything?"
"To wait and see what's in the fridge at home," Kat laughed, moving to the front of the store with him.
"Well, I'm all alone tonight," Marc commented as he unlocked the front door again, and let Kat out into the deserted shopping centre. "Mum called to say she and Dad were going out, and Jade's at Dazz's, so it's looking like egg sandwiches for me."
He locked the door behind him, and pulled down the security grid.
"Would you like to come over for dinner?" Kat offered.
Marc locked the grid, then looked down at Kat and smiled.
"Sure, that would be nice, thank you."
Kat smiled back, and followed him as he led the way through the empty shopping centre, out to the car. Then she really wondered what to have for dinner.

Kat unlocked the front door, and flicked lights on.
"Daddy?"
There was no answer as Marc entered the house behind her, and she turned and locked the door. He followed her in silence through to the kitchen, where she collected a note.
"Dad's gone out," she informed him, tossing the note back onto the bench, "but he's left us sushi. Do you like sushi?"
"Aye," Marc replied, tossing his keys and wallet onto the bench. "Sure do. What can I do to help?"
"Um..." Kat peeked into the lounge room, and grimaced. "We'll eat in my room, I think! Will you grab some plates and things? They're over there."
Marc opened the cupboard she pointed to, and removed a couple of plates, and glasses, then looked through drawers for chopsticks while Kat removed the sushi from the fridge, and arranged it on a platter, and started making green tea.
"Want saké?"
"You have saké?"
"Yes. Do you want some?"
"Sure."
"The choko are in that box," Kat pointed again, and Marc sorted through until he found the glasses, and the serving vessel.

Kat moved into a room Marc hadn't been in, and emerged with a small, low table, which she carried up to her room. Marc followed with the plates, chopsticks and sushi platter. Kat placed the table down and tossed a couple of cushions from her bed to the floor, then went back to the kitchen for the saké and tea. Marc quickly set the table and placed the cushions on each side of the table, and then, spotting a lighter on Kat's bedside table, moved around the room, lighting the candles Kat had scattered throughout her room, and turned out the overhead light.

When Kat returned with the saké, Marc was kneeling at the table. Kat placed the tray in the centre, then knelt at her spot, and bowed to Marc.
"Konbanwa."
"Konbanwa, Bishojo," Marc replied with a smile.
Kat blushed.
"Flatter," she accused with a smile.
"No - truth!" he insisted, and Kat laughed as she poured Marc some saké.
"Do you speak Japanese?"
"In truth, no. I only know a few words."
"Me too," Kat admitted. "My mother spoke it fluently, she taught me some. Mainly how not to cause offence if I ever met anyone Japanese."
Marc took the bottle off Kat, and poured her glass.
"I'm trying desperately to remember my manners," he admitted. "I learned about 4 years ago."
Kat smiled at him and poured the soya sauce into one dish, and some soya sauce and wasabi into another, and mixed it with her chopstick.
"You're doing quite well," she praised. "Though sitting very formally, it'll hurt after a while."
"Well, then I'll move when it does," he teased. "Itadakimasu."
Kat smiled, and sipped her saké. After they had finished their glasses, she offered him the sushi. She poured him some tea, and he poured hers. They ate in silence for a while.
"This is really good," Marc commented. "Where did it come from?"
"I don't know. Usually we'd make it, but I don't think Dad would have. He's not... since Mum... We've not had Japanese for about 6 months," Kat finally finished. "I don't know where it's from."
By the time the sushi and sashimi was finished, Marc felt quite full.
"Gochiso sama deshita," he said, and Kat smiled at him.
"You're very welcome," she replied. "Had enough tea?"
"Yes, thanks, more than enough. Would like some more saké though."
"I'll heat it up again."

Kat stacked the plates, and she and Marc carried things back into the kitchen.
"Where's your bathroom?"
Kat told him, then rinsed the plates and heated the saké. Back in her room, she shifted the table to one side, shifted some cushions and put the heater on. She poured more saké, and sat in her dimly lit room, sipping slowly. Marc stood in the doorway for a long moment before he entered again. When she noticed him, and smiled, he smiled back and sat beside her. Some time passed, with nothing more than drinking in companionable silence, until Marc turned to Kat.

"You heard I broke up with Irene?"
Kat looked at him.
"Yes."
"I already asked you that."
"Yes," she smiled. "Kate told me this morning, at school."
Marc nodded.
"She was cross, because I was late."
A stricken look crossed Kat's face.
"I'm sorry!"
Marc looked startled.
"No, no - it wasn't you. I'd been thinking about it for a few days. There was just something missing, you know?"
Kat thought for a moment, then said, "I think so."
Marc leaned forward and placed his cup on the table.
"She seemed to have stopped caring for me some time ago, and I hadn't noticed."
Kat leaned forward and placed her cup beside his, then twisted to face him. She gently touched the back of his hand. He twisted his fingers through hers.
"It's strange," he said. "I had expected to be sad when Irene and I broke up. But instead I feel only... well, it's almost relief, but it's closer to indifference."
Kat said nothing, just gently squeezed his fingers. He looked at her, then reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear again.
"I want to kiss you," he admitted. "Though I'm not sure that's a good idea. And I wouldn't have told you that if we hadn't drunk so much saké."
Kat just smiled, and poured them both some more, collecting her glass again. They talked in the candle-light, slowly drinking the saké. Kat grew warm, and undid the top two buttons of her shirt. Marc's eyes drifted to her cleavage, then snapped away. But the time the saké was gone, they were both a little drunk, and the candles had burned down considerably. Marc had shifted so one arm was across Kat's shoulders, his hand playing with her hair. She had tipped her head back over his arm, so her head was resting on her bed. Marc looked down at her, and gently stroked her arm.
"You seem familiar," he said, eventually.
"Mmm," Kat agreed, sleepily. "Like I've always known you."
"Yeah..."
Marc lifted his other hand and gently stroked his fingers down her throat. She sighed softly, and swallowed. Marc's fingers drifted slowly down, lightly touching her skin. Kat breathed in, and Marc felt the curve of her breast press against his fingers.
"This is a really bad idea," he whispered, looking down at her face.
Kat opened her eyes, and looked into his, only 6 inches from her own.
"I know."
Then she lifted her head and kissed him.

Marc's hands trembled as Kat slipped easily into his arms. One of his hands slid inside her top, and another button obligingly undid itself as his other arm slid from her shoulders to her waist and tightened, pulling her onto his lap. Somehow they ended up laying on the floor, Kat's buttons undone, with Marc laying on her, kissing her, his hands stroking her stomach. Kat's fingers had gone to work on his buttons, and his shirt was open, and half off as Kat had slid it over his shoulders. Marc's hands trembled again as he forced himself to pull back.
"I... We... shouldn't... Kat..."
Kat looked surprised, but nodded, and slipped out from underneath him and started doing up the buttons of her shirt. She stood, and smoothed her hair, and Marc swallowed as he stood. "I don't think you should drive home," Kat said.
Marc looked down at her closed face, and reached for her again.
"Please don't think it's you," he murmured, pulling her close. "It's not. I just... I can't... I don't want to run the risk of rebound, not with you."
Kat's eyes widened as the evidence of his desire pressed firmly against her stomach. She lifted one hand and gently smoothed his hair.
"We have both had too much to drink," she murmured. "We don't want to compromise our friendship by doing anything we may regret."
"Yes," Marc agreed, not letting her go.
He folded her in his arms, and she wrapped her arms around his waist and they stood together in the near-darkness for a while. Eventually, Marc shifted.
"My back is itchy."
Kat laughed, and gently scratched it for him.
"Ahh... That's better."
"There's a lump there," Kat replied. "Move into the light so I can see, you might have been bitten by something."
Marc shifted closer to the candles, and Kat examined his back.
"You have a triangle," she said softly.
"It's a star," he corrected. "With two lines through it."
"If you say so, dear," Kat replied, lightly. "Looks like a triangle to me, though."
She lifted his shirt back over his shoulders, and Marc buttoned it up.
"I should go home."
"I don't think you should drive."
Marc considered.
"No, probably not," he admitted. "I'll walk and come get the car in the morning."
Kat nodded, and they walked out to the kitchen. The bright kitchen light made them blink, and Marc gathered his car keys and Kat unlocked the back door.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Marc half asked, half promised, and Kat smiled.
"Yes."
"Sweet dreams."
"You too."
He bent slightly to kiss her once on the mouth, then turned and walked away.
Kat stood and watched until he couldn't be seen, then closed the door.

Jade heard Marc fumbling with the keys at the back door through her open window, and rolled over to look at her clock. It was half past two in the morning. Taking pity on her brother, she got out of bed, slipped on a robe, and walked downstairs silently. She unlocked and opened the door, and Marc looked at her.
"Thanks."
He entered the house, and put the car keys on the bench.
"You drove home?" Jade asked, slightly alarmed.
"No," Marc replied. "I walked. The car's at Kat's."
Jade's eyebrows swiftly rose.
"I see."
Marc let that pass, and headed for the stairs.
"I'll go and get it in the morning."
Jade grinned.
"You'll be lucky if you're sober by the morning," she teased, moving to help him up the stairs. "How much have you had to drink?"
"I'm not really sure," Marc admitted. "We were drinking saké. We had sushi for dinner."
Jade pulled a face. She hated sushi. She pushed open his bedroom door and flicked on the light. Marc winced.
"And Kat said I have a triangle."
"What?"
"On my back," Marc explained slightly incoherently. "My star is a triangle."
"Let me see," Jade demanded.
Marc obligingly unbuttoned his shirt, and let it fall to the ground. Jade noticed a few pinkish marks on his neck, but didn't say anything, just looked at his birthmark. Close inspection showed that it was still a star with two lines, but symbol for the earth element was much clearer than Jade remembered it being, and frowned.
"So what were you doing with your shirt off, anyway?" Jade teased.
"It wasn't... We didn't... I just..."
Jade laughed, and gently pushed her brother towards his bed.
"Go to bed, Marc. I'll see you in the morning."
Marc nodded fuzzily, and started changing for bed. Jade shut his door behind her, then headed downstairs and collected the car keys.

A short while later, she was standing at Kat's, looking up at the darkened house. Jade wondered what she was thinking, if she was still awake. Marc was surely fast asleep by now, probably still half dressed, Jade thought with a smile. She unlocked the family car, drove home, placed the keys on the kitchen bench and locked up the house again. Then she went back to bed, pondering Marc's birthmark.

***

KatE woke, rolled over to get her face out of the sun, and her nose collided with Darren's chest.
"Ow..."
Her voice was muffled by the quilt, but it woke Darren anyway, and he tightened his arms around her.
"Good morning," he said sleepily.
"Morning," KatE replied, lifting a hand to rub her nose. "Time to get up."
"Mm, no."
"Mm, yes," KatE laughed. "Up."
She lightly poked him in the chest, and Darren reluctantly rolled over, and got out of bed. "Shower," KatE directed, and Darren reluctantly moved from the bed towards the bathroom. Kate waited until she heard him start the shower, then curled up in her bed. She'd nap for five minutes, then go and make breakfast.

KatE darted into class 20 seconds before the class started. She slipped into the seat next to Kat and caught her breath.
"Good Morning," Kat whispered with a laugh in her tone.
"Damned Darren," KatE replied. "His sleeping habits are rubbing off on me!"
Kat chuckled, and KatE pulled out her book.
"Did I miss anything?"
"No, nothing important."
They paused in their conversation as they copied reading notes from the board. KatE glanced over at Kat.
"You look nice today," she complimented, cautiously.
"Thank you," Kat replied with a grin. "I happen to have English this afternoon."
"Dressing for him now?"
"Jeeze, Katy, I've been dressing for him since the first time he spoke to me."
KatE laughed, quickly muffled.
"Nice scarf."
"Thank you."
On that point, Kat didn't elaborate, and KatE pondered.
"So... he dropped you home Ok last night?"
"Yes, he did."
"And..?" KatE prompted.
"And," Kat emphasised, "The Queen of swords is curious."
KatE looked startled, and then nodded.
"Fair enough."

After class, Kat and KatE headed to the courtyard to meet Maya and Sarah. The sun had come out, and jumpers were coming off as students stood in the sun for a few minutes. Maya and Sarah came over and nodded towards Jade, Darryl and Darren.
"They were looking for you, KatE," Sarah said, and KatE nodded as the three made their way over.
"Good morning," Jade greeted them, then tilted her head at Kat. "Nice scarf."
"Thank you."
"Marc's wearing a turtle-neck today," Jade observed, slightly too innocently, and Kat blushed.
Maya and Sarah gaped, and KatE grinned.
"Oh, there he is," Kat murmured as Marc emerged from a different building. "I'll be back."
"Goss?" KatE prompted Jade.
"I don't know. He came home about 2:30, and had difficulty getting up the stairs."
KatE grinned.
"Well. Isn't *that* interesting."
Jade smiled back.
"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about... Marc's mark..."