001 | Dictated

[hellofist]

Uh... Is it- working?

[Okay, those are definitely the letters that make up the word uh but the rest of it is just jumbled up nonsense. Still, Cass is just going to trust this thing is writing down what she's saying.]

I'm- lost. I think. Castle is big. In book room. Um, library. [Come on Cass, use the right names for things.] Could use [help] information. Um... tips? Meeting in person... would be best.

[Nothing happens for a minute, but then Cass remembers the important part about introductions: You have to actually introduce yourself.]

I'm Cassandra. Cain.

[If anyone does go looking for her, they'll find Cass poking through the books and possibly looking at them like she's reading them, but once you're close enough it's clear... she's holding the book upside down. Oops.]

((ooc: Cass can't read, so any written replies might give her trouble. Feel free to find her in the library for in person meetings!)

Comments

[dorkwonder]

[Ow,ow, his heart. Tim remembers being in Bludhaven with Cass, how lonely and hurt the two of them were, and how much worse things got from after that. The castle had altered his memories to make him think that he was missing Steph because she was in Africa and everyone knew she was there, he knows better now.


Meets Steph's eyes and mouths "she's from before." Before Steph returned to him. He knew he didn't have to elaborate on any more than that.]

[secondchances]

[Her eyes widen over Cass' shoulder. "Before" can only mean so many things, and only one would explain the reaction she's getting from Cass.

Screw you, Paradisa. Screw you.

Steph closes her eyes and lets Cass cling, arms tightly around her. She musters up a light tone.]

We have some catching up to do.

[hellofist]

[Cass can't remember many times when she's cried. It usually came from feeling pain with normal people, she knows that, but she doesn't really remember the last time she ever felt pain either. There was the time she thought she killed someone, and Steph fixed it. The time at Stephanie's funeral and no one fixed that.

And now, though she doesn't quite realize it's happening at first. When Steph speaks she nods and squeezes her tighter, moves a little closer. She'll do whatever she wants so long as the other girl doesn't go away again.]

[dorkwonder]

[There goes his bad mood, at least for the time being. Seeing Cass start to cry tugs at all of his heart strings. Shoves his issues off to the side, so he can focus on the two people he loves so much.

Steps in to join the hug, wrapping his arms around the two of them.]

I'll let the two of you catch up and then join you later, okay?

[secondchances]

[Steph feels her own eyes sting a little when Cass starts to cry, and rubs her back with one hand. It's almost too much for her to take in. But that's sorta how Paradisa is...]

It's okay, Cass. I'm right here.

[She mouths a "thank you" to Tim once he's closer. It's good he brought her here.]

[hellofist]

[As hard as it is - and it almost feels impossible - Cass lets go of Steph with one arm, loops it around Tim so she can hug him too. She knows he's missed her, she's missed both of them, so why not hug them both? They all need it.]

Will... be okay. Can't not be, now.

[dorkwonder]

[Smiles in response to Steph's gratitude, before placing a kiss on her cheek, and Cass'. Tries to keep this image and feeling stored away in a safe place in his mind. That way when he's upset later on, he can draw on it to help become grounded.

Then he releases the two of them from the hug, stepping back.]

We all will be. I'll see the two of you later. [Takes in one last look at the two of them, before he slowly starts to back off so Steph can catch Cass up on the important details.]

[secondchances]

Keep up the tears and you'll have me going, too. [She smiles at Cass, and once Tim is gone, she puts her arm around her to lead her into her room.

It's simple, and not too different from her room at home. A bed, some dressers, a desk, things stacked here and there and some laundry kicked to a corner of the room.]

I'd have cleaned, if I knew you were coming.

[hellofist]

[There's no more tears, now. The first thing Cass does once she's inside is try to find a window, another easy way to get into Steph's room whenever she wants to. It's going to be hard to give her her privacy and she will try, but she wants to know what her breaking and entering options are.]

Surprise? Will... let you know, next time.

[Probably not, actually, but who cares? And she doesn't care what the room looks like either because right now, the only thing she sees is Steph. She turns toward her, hugs her again tightly.]

Missed you.

[secondchances]

[There's definitely a window, one Damian used to make use of. Nowadays, it's usually Ezio who visits that way. Cass is more than welcome to it. Steph's even cleared the area around it of furniture.]

I missed you, too. [She squeezes her tightly, pulling back to kiss her cheek. They had a pretty big gap between them now, when it came to time--not just Steph's three years in Paradisa, but all the time that passed after her "death" and return at home.

Hooooo boy...]

I don't even know where to start. Well, maybe. What have you been told so far, Cass?

[She tugs her over to the bed, so they can sit together.]

[hellofist]

[Cass doesn't expect to spend a lot of time in her own bedroom in this castle. She doesn't sleep much thanks to her nights being packed with Batgirl mischief and she's gotten from Tim and Steph now that she's welcome to see them. It will be their homes she spends her time in, not in hers by herself.

Cass just really, really doesn't like the idea of Steph being out of her sight for long. What if she disappears? She follows Steph easily, eagerly, and sits down close to her and keeps her hand.]

You've been here... really long time. That's... the only thing.

[secondchances]

[There will be no objections from Steph. Sleepovers are her favorite thing.]

Right. Three years. It seems like we're sorta from... different points in time, if that makes sense. Since I'm definitely not absent at home.

[hellofist]

[There is one other thing that she knows, one thing that's been bothering her that she can't make sense of.]

You told Ezio... about me, my... past.

[secondchances]

[Ezio, you are everywhere. Even in her tearful reunions.]

You spoke to him? Err--obviously.

I did. I'm sorry, I was telling him about my friends and... don't worry, he's trustworthy. One of my closest friends here. [She's not kidding about that. Ezio's been one of her best friends, if not THE best friend for the past year.] And an Assassin. But I'm sure that came up.

[hellofist]

He told me... you were here.

[Not Tim, not Stephanie herself. A stranger that she almost beat up in a library because she couldn't handle someone talking about her best friend so easily.]

Then he said, I'm off limits.

[Insert incredibly dubious look here. Cass would like to know why that's something you get to tell people, Stephanie.]

[secondchances]

[Oh... shit. Tim's probably not too happy about that. She'll deal with that later, though.]

Ezio... gets around. [God only knows how many women he's slept with in Paradisa!] Or used to, before he settled with a girlfriend. I was just giving him a subtle warning about how much respect he needs to give to my friends.

[Her, especially. Since he'd obviously take the most interest in Cass.]

[hellofist]

Doesn't matter. My place... to say who has limits. Batman was... bad enough. Don't be like him.

[secondchances]

[The biggest frown shows how much that comparison horrifies her.]

No, I--you're right. I'm sorry. But to be fair, I didn't really ever expect to see you here. [... again.]

What do you think about Ezio?

[hellofist]

[She apologizes but immediately follows it up with the worst explanation possible, so Cass just frowns. Whether she expected to see Cass or not, those aren't her secrets to tell. The idea that a stranger knew those things without Cass ever telling them makes her think of the psychic, the one who changed her brain so she could speak, without her permission.

It's not a good feeling.]

Just- don't tell those things. Not yours to tell. I wouldn't tell people... your secrets.

[But honestly, she knows Steph. She knows that now that it's been addressed, this won't come up again. Cass is fine with moving on and now her frown is a little more amused than disapproving.]

Think he thinks... he's god's gift. [She got that from TV Steph aren't you proud?] And he's not. Wanted to see... what I can do, but wouldn't fight me. Waste of time. Dumb, too. He'll decide, won't hit girls, and then? One will kill him. Just watch.

[secondchances]

[Steph nods. Fair enough, and it's not like she has much else left to tell, anyway.

She smiles when her frown lightens. And then she just LAUGHS.]

He's been told. But yeah, you've got him down pretty well.

[hellofist]

[And now everything is okay because Steph laughed. It's something Cass never thought she'd ever hear again so everything else, every part she wasn't quite so happy with?

Forgotten, now.]

Are you surprised? People like him... don't have to read. They make it... plenty obvious.

[secondchances]

You get used to it, after a while. He's been a good friend to me, and I know he'll want to be one to you, too. [Tim's another story entirely.

Steph lays on her back on the bed, arms open in the offering of cuddles.]

But enough about Ezio. I'm so freakin' happy to see you, you--probably have an idea, but you know what I mean. [Seriously!]

[hellofist]

[Ezio who? Now the only thing on Cass' mind is Steph and cuddles and hurries to fit herself against Stephanie's side, arms tight around her and head resting on her shoulder. It's hard not to start crying again but she keeps that in check, just focuses on not hugging too tightly and cracking any ribs.]

I missed you.

[That's a gigantic understatement, but Cass has never been good with words. That's why she doesn't both with them, just clings a little more and squeezes her eyes shut so she can remember this, memorize how it feels.]

[secondchances]

I'm all yours. I'm not going anywhere.

[Said with quite a bit of certainty, because after three years she's pretty sure she's stuck here. Tim will leave before her, and so will Cass, just like they have before. It's a sad thought, but she brushes it aside to hug Cass back, not minding any extra pressure on her ribs. Totally worth it.]

Everything's okay.

[hellofist]

Better not. Plan to... follow you everywhere.

[Cass shifts, moving up so she can bury her face against Stephanie's neck. They're tangled up now and Cass is perfectly fine with that. She says it's okay and Cass nods, believes her. Everything is okay, now.]

Keep talking? Tell me... anything. Just want... to hear your voice. Please.