𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

"𝙰𝚒𝚗'𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊 𝚛𝚊𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚞𝚗𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚎?"
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⚜ #𝑴𝑽𝑹𝑷 ⚜
ᴠᴇʀꜱᴀᴛɪʟᴇ. sᴇʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ.
ʟɪᴛᴇʀᴀᴛᴇ. ᴍᴅɴɪ.
⁺˚•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙˚⁺‧͙⁺˚•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙˚⁺‧͙⁺˚•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙˚⁺‧͙

♡ +↻

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

" 𝑵𝒂𝒎𝒆'𝒔 𝑪𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒚. 𝒀𝒐𝒖'𝒍𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒕. "

[] #𝚘𝚠𝚛𝚙 []

𝙻𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙳𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚕𝚘𝚌𝚔𝚎 𝚐𝚊𝚗𝚐. 𝙰 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚙𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚜 𝙰𝙻𝙻 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚜.

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

The silence stretched out into something more comfortable, softly rubbing the head and back of Mina. Letting the warmth of their bodies radiate between each other.

" . . .this is nice. "

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

" No-one can resist th' cow- 𝘩𝘪𝘤 -boy charm, darlin'. "

Pressing one hand against the back of her head, gently running his fingers through her hair with a hum of gratitude. He's thanking whatever God made him bag someone as perfect as Mina.

[› 𝔞𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚐𝚊𝚗𝚝 /̶ 𝔦𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝 .𖥔 @beyondhertime]

Honestly, they respect the counter. Mostly because no one else would even attempt to talk to her like this. "I know, I'm just-"

A yelp as she is pulled down onto the bed, just managing to kick off her shoes before collapsing onto the mattress.

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

With the two on the bed, Cassidy makes surprisingly quick work of getting the two situated. Pulling a blanket over, pulling her into his arms, and wrapping them firmly around her back. A proper cuddle.

" Get comfy. I'm makin' sure y' relax f' th' night. "

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

" But we are. "

Great counter-argument, Cassidy.

" Listen. Maybe, jus' f' tonight, y'ain't gotta worry 'bout the rules. Enjoy th' moment 'fore y' start t' double-back. "

Grabbing ahold of her hand, a sly grin on his face as he falls backwards towards the bed, pulling her with.

[› 𝔞𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚐𝚊𝚗𝚝 /̶ 𝔦𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝 .𖥔 @beyondhertime]

It's right about now that she realizes how eager she is to be around him, and it isn't the alcohol talking. That strikes her quite hard, enough to draw her attention away from his words as they walk together. They've gone off somewhere in their own mind.

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

He's walking himself to his room, occasionally staring at Mina with a lop-sided smile before opening the door for her.

It's a little messy. Clothes strewn across his drawers, the usual cigar butt or three in the ashtray. He's definitely lived in worse.

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

His eyes light up. Even when his vision was blurred over, he could tell that she tried to hide a smile. He's always noticed the little things about her.

" Yip- 𝘩𝘪𝘤 -pee! Y' can stay with m' room. Nothin'. . .nothin' weird. Jus' wanna. . .hold you for a few. "

[› 𝔞𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚐𝚊𝚗𝚝 /̶ 𝔦𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝 .𖥔 @beyondhertime]

Well, he sure is forward. And they've always liked that about him to some extent when they weren't butting heads. Ever-stubborn, the both of them.

Smiling at the kiss, she ducks her head as if trying to hide their face with a chuckle.

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

It's not much, but it's a start.

" Would'ja like t' be with me f' a short while? I. . .I understand if not, but I don't want t' leave. If y' want some alone time, I understand. "

Was he blushing? Maybe that was just from the alcohol.

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

No response for a while, hand gently rubbing their back in a straight up-and-down line. Silently breathing her in, huffing outwards every so often.

" . . .m'kay. "

Pulling back JUST a little, he had enough room to lean and press a soft kiss up against her cheek.

[› 𝔞𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚐𝚊𝚗𝚝 /̶ 𝔦𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝 .𖥔 @beyondhertime]

She's going to have a headache in the morning. That's usually what happens when they drink too much. Can't handle her alcohol, not really someone to indulge.

Slowly, her arms raise to hug him back, her head shifts to rest against his shoulder. It's nice. She could get used to

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

He's been lonely for so long. He's been waiting for someone like Mina to be his. He's never. . .felt this passionate about someone before.

" Jus'. . .stay. In m' arms. I, uh. . .I need t' know that this is real. "

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

Well, good luck with that. Cassidy tends to have the mind of an elephant when it comes down to being drunk. Drunk him remembers sober him and vice versa.

" D-. . .don't leave jus' yet. "

He locked his arms around her a little more. Not tight, but enough to send the message.

[› 𝔞𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚐𝚊𝚗𝚝 /̶ 𝔦𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝 .𖥔 @beyondhertime]

Oh? Okay- that's okay. They stiffen ever so slightly and hesitate before relaxing into his grasp. He smells like cigarettes and booze and something distinctly comforting she can only categorize as Cole Cassidy.

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

His arms extended outwards, wrapping around her back and suddenly pulling her into a hug. Not a kiss yet because one: it wouldn't fit right now and two: don't think she would like the taste of bourbon.

" Mina. . .I want t' make y' a happy woman. Will you allow me t' do that? "

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

There it was. That small, ever so vivid window of hope. She loved him back. Maybe she was simply messing with a drunk Cassidy, but he knows her too well.

" Y-y' do? "

He stood up with her, wobbling a little but managing to stand on his own.

[› 𝔞𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚐𝚊𝚗𝚝 /̶ 𝔦𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝 .𖥔 @beyondhertime]

The world narrows, voices and sounds muffling as they let his words sink in. Shaky, hesitant, cautious. She wants to hit pause and retreat, study up on this, figure out what they're going to say and exactly how to say it. But that's not how life works.

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

A long silence, trying his best to sober up and talk to her while he remembered. He doesn't know how to properly voice his true words.

" Mina. I do love y'. I understand if y' don't feel th' same, and I won't try t' force y' to be with me. I'm jus' happy to be here with y'. "

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

" Ah, most people don't know what t' say after an' admission. "

Trying his best to fumble his hands into his pockets before ultimately dropping them down to the sides with a defeated huff.

" I don't mean t' overwhelm y' with more thing on y' plate. "

[› 𝔞𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚐𝚊𝚗𝚝 /̶ 𝔦𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝 .𖥔 @beyondhertime]

She lets him go. And she will probably spend the rest of her life regretting this decision but what's another on a long list?

"Don't apologize..." She hesitates before drawing their hand back. "I... I'm sorry."

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

He laughed bitterly, the idea of having someone so close to him be so far away made his mind be filled with a weird emotion. This was new.

" . . .'m sorry. "

Almost like he sobered up in that moment, his hand shot from the back of her knuckles to the side of his chair.

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

" I-. . .I know. "

A more somber tone in his voice, the very repressed emotions he has trying to flood out and make him feel vulnerable.

" . . .but I can't jus' ignore it anymore. Y' make me feel somethin' tha' no-one has ever made me feel. An' that's sayin' somethin'. "

[› 𝔞𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚐𝚊𝚗𝚝 /̶ 𝔦𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝 .𖥔 @beyondhertime]

They let him talk. There is no silencing Cole Cassidy when he's in a mood. And he's clearly hellbent on continuing to speak even when the situation calls for silence.

Eyes flick down to observe his hand on his, and they find themself not wanting to pull away, against their

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

" I-I know I prolly' sound like a right idi-. . .idiot, but has been goin' on f' a while. Ever since I took y' out that one night, it made m' realize. . . "

Staring off into the sky instead of her, mindlessly ranting off about her for a few minutes.

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

" An' I— "

His words swiftly died in his throat when he felt a hand pressed against his knee. Listening to her words while he just stared at her.

" O-Oh. . .okay. "

His hand found hers, resting his palm against her knuckles as he stared off in the sky.

[› 𝔞𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚐𝚊𝚗𝚝 /̶ 𝔦𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝 .𖥔 @beyondhertime]

Warning bells chime with blaring urgency in their mind. Eyes frozen in wide stare, observing him but not pulling away.

"Cassidy." Voice more firm, more authoritative. She reaches over, this is perhaps the alcohol talking, and puts a hand on his knee.

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

" I've always felt like I shouldn't be here. How I. . .I shoulda jus' been th' outcast. Yet. . .y' made me feel welcome. Y' smiled when y' shouldn't have, y' welcomed me when y' shoulda pushed me 'ways ago. "

Damn, he's really pouring his own heart out for the gal.

[𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑫𝒀 @LOCKEBOUND]

" N-no, y' don't understand. "

He's completely ignoring the warning, the drunken mind of Cassidy too focused on getting this out of his system.

" Mina, y'. . .y' make me smile when I shouldn't. Y' give me a reason t' get out of bed 'stead of thinkin' of how I failed. "

[› 𝔞𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚐𝚊𝚗𝚝 /̶ 𝔦𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝 .𖥔 @beyondhertime]

Typically, they can sense when something monumental will occur about a half second before- soon enough to feel fear and too late to do anything to stop it. He looks at her with a gaze that spells trouble.

They stare at him back with softened eyes. “Cassidy.”