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A Bounty Hunter's Conundrum (BlisteredBlood x Candira)

Actually, what the message was, according to the subject line on his phone contained was an update regarding the job in question. Apparently, there was some news they decided to share with him, but he wasn't going to listen to it just yet. Much rather, he decided to wait until she was out of earshot so that he could listen to it. When it came to things of this nature, he had to be careful so that there were no rubberneckers that caught an interest in what he had going. "Ah, who knows what those assholes want." Dante answered simply as he crossed one leg over the other and propped an elbow up onto his knee and his chin into his enclosed fist, looking at her with a thoughtful expression.

"That souds like a great idea, really. Besides, I kinda forgot to eat last night." Dante soon spoke again, chuckling a bit.
 
"Ah, all the more reason to load up this morning." She smiled, though she was still quite suspicious that something was going on that he wasn't telling her. He had every right, she supposed, but she sort of wished that he wouldn't be so obvious about it. The fact that he called them ass holes so carelessly made her wonder what kind of man he really was. "Well, I guess I should get to work. Let me know if you want to help. I'm sure I can find something for you to do."

She stood up and stretched a bit. "Oh, hey, my back usually cracks a lot when I do that...looks like you have magic fingers after all." She smiled and then walked off to the little kitchen to get out the food she needed for the meal she was about to make. Which was pretty much just a way to make leftover food up into one meal--she'd thought of it after the first time she left and perfected it over time as she moved from place to place with little warning.
 
Nodding in reply, Dante would soon smile up at Kelly as she told him this. "Yep. Nothing better than a big meal to load up on after a long night of fasting, I say." He answered with a smile a bit more at her. Perhaps his choice of words regarding his employers was a little off, but then again, it was the truth. Every client that chooses to bother him at the worst possible time was mostly a day or two into his current job, and this one was perhaps not so different from the others he had gone on in the past, some of those times however, resulted in the betrayals he had endured as well. Well hey, bounty hunters are in it for one thing and one thing only: Money. Everything else was just menial to them, if not nonexistent.

When she spoke of him having magic fingers in a way that sounded as though she was thanking him for helping her with her back, Dante gave her a small smile once more before gesturing at her. "You probably had a displaced disc in your spinal column causing that. But hey, as long as you're feeling better, you should be able to get back out on the dance floor a lot sooner." Dante jested in a light hearted manner.
 
"What, so I could school you again?" she teased, grabbing the scant number of items left in her fridge and a few in her freezer, and a little bit more in her cupboards. She smiled and got out a few pans as well, putting them on the stove as she dumped a few ingredients into a bowl with some ground beef and started to cut some veggies. Mostly it was a red bell pepper and some onion--a small one at that, but she kept it up. "Seriously though? Thank you for fixing it. Even if it's only a little." She shot him a smile and then got to work on the rest of their morning meal, which was becoming more of a mess than she really cared to clean.
 
Dante gave a scoff at her reply before he looked at her with a shake of his head. "Please, Kelly. I could keep up with you any day of the week, bad back or not." He answered in a bit of a blunt but joking tone of voice before he then stood up onto his booted feet and then headed over to the kitchen area with a small smile on his face and his arms folded across his chest.

"And hey, anytime you need me to realign your back again, feel free to tell me. I'll make sure I fix it so that way it doesn't give you anymore grief from here on in." Dante concluded with the same smile on his face.
 
His come-back made her laugh as she started to get the stove ready and pulled a pack of buns out of the bread drawer, setting them aside. "Oh? I think we might have to test that." She chuckled and tossed some onion in the meat before grabbing two sandwich bags and using them for plastic gloves as she kneaded and molded the meet to her liking, pausing briefly to add more spice now and then. Finally she had about 4 medium sized patties made and she put the bowl in the sink, tossing the little bags as she got to finishing up the veggies.

His offer to fix her back any time was more of a surprise, but Kelly couldn't help but smile. "I'll be sure and do that. If you want to help me right now, though, you could be awesome and toast the buns I just took out. You should be able to use the stove to do it." And with that, she set the veggies aside and cracked what was left of her eggs--about half a dozen--into a bowl and started to whisk it.
 
Dante couldn't help but give a grin at her first reply, and ironically, her words just seemed to make the normally antisocial bounty hunter give out perhaps one of the most unexpected things he had done in perhaps the longest time. A boisterous belly laugh - if he had a paunch, anyway - erupted out of his lungs, and vocal chords, his eyes closed and a full on smile following it before he shook his head and then brought hand up to his face, brushing a knuckle over one of his eyes to skim a tear that had formed off of it. Perhaps that was all that he needed, really. Just someone who could get a big laugh out of this young man.

"Oh, you crack me up~" Dante answered as he then gives Kelly a grin before he folded his arms over his chest. "You name the style of dance, and we'll have a face off. Loser has to do anything the winner asks of." He then said as he leaned in a bit and proclaimed this to her before his grin became a regular smile again when she asked him to toast the buns. "Sure, I can do that." He added as he then came into the kitchen area with her and set to work on taking each bun in each hand and moved them over to the toaster nearby and set them in, pressing in the slider tab and letting the toaster do the work from there.
 
She tossed some of the veggies into the egg and stirred them well before she set them aside. "Ooooh, an interesting agreement. I'll have to give it some serious thought," she said, smiling still as he started the toasting. "I do love a challenge, long as I know I can win," she joked again, hoping to get another big laugh out of him. She liked it when he laughed, she decided. He had a good sense of humor, and a nice smile. A real smile.

She got a sauce stirred up in next to no time and started to get everything ready for the stove. Timing was key when making this breakfast. First thing was first though. The meat itself had to be done before anything else could be. So she brought the plate of patties over to the stove and started to put them in her biggest pan. And with that, the breakfast cooking began. In another pan she put in some breakfast potatoes with a little bit of finely chopped onion for flavor. Soon the stove was taken up by everything she'd been working on. They wouldn't have long to wait now.
 
Once more, another laugh began to escape Dante when he heard her challenging tone she used towards him. It wasn't exactly as loud as it was previously, but dammit, she had a wicked sense of humor. But then again, he remembered a lot of people that had that same sense of humor, and often times it got them killed in a blaze of gunfire. But perhaps now that he was here with someone that was supposed to be his quarry, maybe that would all change.

"Alright, I'll let you name what should happen if one of us loses to the other." Dante answered with a grin on his face when the first set of toasted buns popped up a short while later then fishes them out to give them to her then starts on another set of hamburger buns.
 
Kelly smiled and kept on working, stirring, tossing, adding cheese, flipping. She took some clean plates and put the buns he'd given her on top. "Ready to plate the first round," she said, thinking about his offer to decide what the loser had to do during this dance competition. What would be a good thing? She wondered what he might have asked her to do if he'd won. Other thoughts like that popped into her head as she expertly flipped her omlet and cut the huge thing into fourths. She slipped the meat itself onto the buns he'd handed to her and then put a little shreeded cheese on top with a little of the sauce she'd made drizzled to add flavor and help it melt. Then came the omelet fourth, with more sauce, and a scoop of breakfast potatoes with onion went on the side. she topped it with the other part of the bun and put a fork and a little bit of ketchup on the side.

"Voila. A masterpiece. When the other buns are done I'll make the other two and if we don't eat them I'll wrap them up."
 
"Ah, great. " Dante answered with a smile on his face as he operated the slider tab down on the next set of burger buns then turned his attention back over to Kelly as she continued to cook their brunch, which started to smell rather good. At that point, he wondered if they also tasted as good as well with the way she was handling things here then rubbed his hands together for a moment before giving a bigger smile. But on top of all that, he also wondered about the wager she was possibly going to place who would do what for the winner of their little dance competition that he decided on just now, but he figured he'd get her answer sooner or later.

"Looks great, Iron Chef Kelly Luna." Dante teased with a joking grin on his face before turning his head to the side when the next set of buns popped up from the toaster a little bit later. "Good. Right on cue."
 
She laughed at his little comment and shook her head. "Do they still even do that show?" she asked with a chuckle, setting the plates down on the little table she had. She took another plate down and created the next set of burgers before shutting off the stove and covering the potatoes that were still left. "Ah, fantastic. Now then... I have milk or juice, but sadly, no coffee. I usually just buy that stuff at a shop. I do have a two liter of Coke, though." She went to the fridge and got down some glasses, one of milk for her, the other empty and waiting for his decision.

Kelly still wasn't sure what she wanted the consequence for losing the dance off to be, but she might have a better idea on a full stomach. "Let me know if it's any good. Because I like it, but maybe I'm just weird."
 
There was a little look of disappointment on Dante's face when Kelly mentioned to him that there was no coffee around for him to make. Ah well, he figured as he shrugged in reply before he walked over to the small table and took the chair there for himself to sit in. "Ah why not? I'll take a deal of milk, too. Besides, I could use the calcium intake, anyhow." Dante eventually answered as he leaned back into the chair then smiled up at her casually now before reaching his arms outward with his hands clasped together backward and then stretched, getting a few stiff tendons and bones in his hands and arms to give out soft popping sounds for a moment then dropped them at his sides.

Dante wasn't so sure what she had in mind for their contest if either of them lost, but he'd be interested in seeing what she had pegged for them sooner or later.
 
"Fair enough." She handed him a glass of milk and then sat down at the little table, ready to dig in. "We could stop for coffee on the way out of town or wherever we're going if you want." She took some of the potatoes first, enjoying them quite a bit before moving onto the monster of a burger that sat before her. She cut it in half and then started eating, enjoying the creation quite a bit.

"Okay, how about this? Loser has to cook dinner? Unless I can think of a less lame consequence for later on." She chuckled a little and watched him, wondering what was going on in his mind. Did he really trust her?
 
Once he had the glass of milk in his hand, Dante nodded in appreciation to Kelly as he then picked up his fork next and dug into the potatoes first, munching on the first bit of food with his eyes closed for a moment. Quite clearly, this was perhaps one of the best brunches he had in a while, given the fact that his job would see him moving around from here, there and everywhere in between. "Hmm! This is great stuff!" He answered with another nod of his head aimed at her.

When she came up with the punishment for whoever lost, Dante arched a brow at this for a moment as he brought his hands back over to the whopper of a burger he was about to pick up as he thought about her decision. "Alright. I can dig that. But only until you come up with a variation of it." Dante answered with a nod of his head and a small smirk on his face.
 
She was glad that he was enjoying his meal so far. It wasn't like Kelly had much of a chance to share her meals with people, so this was kind of a treat for her, and the first time she'd been given acknowledgment for her culinary endeavors. She laughed at his little face and the condition he set. "A variation of what?" she asked, tilting her head as she took a bite out of her delicious burger. she watched him as she ate, not really used to this sort of thing.

Despite her not having had a date in a few years like this one, it sort of seemed like one to her. Not that she thought it was one. Just that it was like one. Yes...that was what she'd meant. She hoped that he continued to enjoy his breakfast, but she got the feeling she'd be boxing up her burgers for a to-go bag.
 
"A variation of your condition. I'd make a suggestion, but I'm not sure if you'd buy into it." Dante answered with a bit of a smirk on his face as he held up a finger to her as he finally picked up his burger a short while later and then held it near his face for a moment as he then bit into it, munching on it with a surprised look at what he was eating. Sure enough, this woman can't have had these kind of skills just from living on her own. She had to have acquired them fro a vast cooking school of culinary arts and such.

Quite clearly, this was one of the best things he had ever eat in the longest time, and the expression on his face clearly seemed to show her that he was just seconds away from dying and going to heaven because of the quality of this meal.
 
"I'm curious to hear the suggestion now," she said with a laugh, watching him as he tasted the burger she was currently munching down. After this serving, she very much doubted she'd be eating the second helpings. She was already getting full. The look on his face seemed happy enough and she had to laugh at the expression he made as the taste settled in. Clearly, she'd done a good job.

"I think I'll take that goofy looking grin on your face to mean that you're enjoying my culinary prowess?" she chuckled and ate a few more potatoes between burger halves. "I kinda wish I'd put some bacon in though. Bacon makes everything better."
 
With that in mind, Dante began to think about it for a moment as he thought about the adjustment to the condition she had set if either one of them lost as he took another bite of the burger. As he thought it over, he couldn't help but notice her watching him closely, waiting for him to give her his answer. It took him a moment, but right after he swallowed that bit down, he looked up to Kelly with a bit of a smug look on his face.

"Aside from wearing a frilly apron, the loser who have to cook for the winner totally naked." Dante proclaimed, grinning at her now.
 
She raised an eyebrow and, without missing a beat, her first question was, "You have a frilly apron?" It seemed rather unlikely that he would, and the suggestion seemed a little out of character for a person as serious as Dante seemed. Then again, she didn't know him that well yet, and he had given her quite a pleasing glance at what he could be like without clothes last night. "Hmmmm, well, if you're so eager to show off everything...But that's a little unhygienic, isn't it? How about we let that person shower first--that way at least they're clean," she teased. Still, she was quite sure she could take him on. It seemed as though it would be a contest of who messed up first in their case. Or more likely, who dropped from exhaustion first. And despite her back problems, she wasn't as fragile as she seemed.

"Alright. You have a deal. But, we should wait till we're not in my house anymore. Mostly because I don't have a lot of food left."
 
"Too right, Kelly." Dante answered with a nod of his head and a smile on his face. "But then again, I could be an outright prick and say skip the apron, do it completely in the buff." He then countered as the thought about her in said article of clothing and nothing else began to cross his mind. "But then again, I can always go out and buy one from the costume shop I saw here in town and even some groceries for when we're out." He added as he then gestured outside the house.

"But yeah, I think we've agreed to the stipulation, right?" He asked with a small smirk on his face.
 
"You could be a prick about it, but you'd only be making it worse for yourself," she challenged. She chuckled and ate some more of her breakfast potatoes, enjoying her breakfast as she wondered how he pictured her without her clothes on. Kelly used some of her ketchup and downed some more potatoes before moving on to her other burger half. "I suppose you could do that. But how long can you really afford to stay here with me?" she asked, wondering just how long the company had given him to do his work.
 
Dante only gave a shrug as he heard her question. "To be honest, they didn't really specify a time when I would have to haul you in. But my guess would have to be is that when I got you however they saw fit, that would be when I would be placed under a time limit. As far as I know, they knew where you were, but when was what they didn't seem to care for. At least, I don't think." He answered.

His thoughts, however, would then turn to the fact of how she would look with nothing on but the apron again. But then again, thought of her having nothing on also seemed a bit enticing. To be honest, it brought a little bit of a smile on his face as he looked over to her as he continued to eat.
 
Kelly frowned. "I see. Well, as long as you're not going to get into any trouble or anything." She shrugged and finished up her burger, drinking down her milk when she finished. "Mmm....so good. Gonna have to save the rest for later though." She leaned back in the chair and watched him as he looked her over while he ate. Deciding that she should take it as a compliment, the busty brunette stood up and started to wash up some of her dishes, since she would be around. She loaded up her dishwasher and turned it on after she powered through the pots and pans by herself. "There. Now it's ready for later on," she said. She boxed up the other two burgers, and put hers in the fridge, leaving his out in case he wanted it.

"So what kind of dance do you have experience with, Dante?"
 
Dante only shook his head at Kelly's comment as he settled back into the seat as he continued to chow down on the burger, getting bout half it down into his stomach before looking away from it for a moment as he let out a burp into his enclosed fist before patting his stomach. "Hmm! 'Scuse me!" He said before looking over to the glass of milk near him and then picks it up, drinking about half it down before setting it back onto the table. "I hear ya there. Nothing better than liquid calcium." He answered with a small smile on his face.

"Well, for dance experience, I'd say I'm pretty well rounded. Depends on what kind of dance you wanna do." He answered as he looked over to her.
 
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