Cassidy (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
riotousjunkie) wrote2017-12-20 07:55 pm
riotousjunkie) wrote2017-12-20 07:55 pm
IC Inbox (![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
ainmhian)
"It's Cassidy."
[ Audio / Video / Text / Action ]
IC Inbox (
"It's Cassidy."
[ Audio / Video / Text / Action ]
Airy stepped into the dining hall wearing a pair of jeans that she'd cut and turned into very short shorts, a baby blue tank top with a sleeping kitten at its center and a pair of old sneakers. She looked comfortable, happy and ready to swipe what they needed and disappear back to her room. Having her own wardrobe was amazing and she was planning to wear all of the clothes that she'd missed over the past few months. Including her hiking attire that her mother had classified as 'rags'.
Her bright blue gaze scanned the area, pausing when she spotted Cassidy's familiar thin frame. She half jogged and half walked up to him, a beaming smile slowly spreading over her lips with each excited step. Airy liked doing things that they weren't necessarily supposed to do. It was fun, daring and usually still on the tame end of the spectrum. "Hey," She reached forward and grabbed a bread roll. "Stew? I don't know. We could have just taken the bowls if it was stew. What I'm craving is pizza though. I wish they'd exercise their magic and let us have a pizza night."
She looked around at the tables and then spotted where they had bottles of wine and pitchers of water set up. "It looks like they have wine again. I was just going to swipe a bottle." Since she didn't have a way to carry wine back to the room and she was sure that the fairies would replace it. "Sound good to you?"
Her bright blue gaze scanned the area, pausing when she spotted Cassidy's familiar thin frame. She half jogged and half walked up to him, a beaming smile slowly spreading over her lips with each excited step. Airy liked doing things that they weren't necessarily supposed to do. It was fun, daring and usually still on the tame end of the spectrum. "Hey," She reached forward and grabbed a bread roll. "Stew? I don't know. We could have just taken the bowls if it was stew. What I'm craving is pizza though. I wish they'd exercise their magic and let us have a pizza night."
She looked around at the tables and then spotted where they had bottles of wine and pitchers of water set up. "It looks like they have wine again. I was just going to swipe a bottle." Since she didn't have a way to carry wine back to the room and she was sure that the fairies would replace it. "Sound good to you?"
Cassidy knew where she was coming from with the desire for pizza. If they wanted that, they could get close by going to Staxx Diner, but he didn't think even Staxx had pizza.
"Me, I could go for a mass of MSG-riddled Chinese food, but so far nobody's thought to open up an Imperial Buffet." It was one of those things that, if Cassidy had any inclination of starting a business, he'd consider it. But he didn't. So he wouldn't.
He glanced back toward the wine when she proposed nabbing some. "Better than good. Take two if you can get away with it." Then he returned to loading up the basket.
"Me, I could go for a mass of MSG-riddled Chinese food, but so far nobody's thought to open up an Imperial Buffet." It was one of those things that, if Cassidy had any inclination of starting a business, he'd consider it. But he didn't. So he wouldn't.
He glanced back toward the wine when she proposed nabbing some. "Better than good. Take two if you can get away with it." Then he returned to loading up the basket.
They could hypothetically make pizza, except that the fairies didn't have the correct ingredients. No matter what they did, it would always taste a little off. "Yes, though for some reason that made me think of Doritos." Airy paused for a moment and wondered if she was thinking straight. How long did drugs stay in your system? Maybe she didn't do it right...
This was why she waited for Cassidy.
Among other reasons.
She flashed him a bright smile. "Of course. I am very personable and I'm feeling coy so I don't think anyone will stop me." It sounded good when she said it out loud. "Meet me in the hall once you got the food." Airy leaned forward, pressing her lips against his cheek before turning and half jogging towards the table that held a few bottles of wine. She managed to grab two bottles of wine without causing a scene. None of the fairies stopped her though it looked like one of the other castle residence really wanted to say something to her.
She slipped into the hallway and waited just out of sight from the door for Cassidy, nibbling on the piece of bread she had swiped.
This was why she waited for Cassidy.
Among other reasons.
She flashed him a bright smile. "Of course. I am very personable and I'm feeling coy so I don't think anyone will stop me." It sounded good when she said it out loud. "Meet me in the hall once you got the food." Airy leaned forward, pressing her lips against his cheek before turning and half jogging towards the table that held a few bottles of wine. She managed to grab two bottles of wine without causing a scene. None of the fairies stopped her though it looked like one of the other castle residence really wanted to say something to her.
She slipped into the hallway and waited just out of sight from the door for Cassidy, nibbling on the piece of bread she had swiped.
Cassidy watched her go with an appreciative smirk, eyes wandering down to the back of her shorts before he got back to work.
He slipped to her side in the hallway, putting his arm around her waist and looking back over his shoulder like they were really doing something against the rules.
"Right; go, go," he encouraged her under his breath, and he was already grinning by the time they'd taken a couple of steps. "Shh!" he hissed, scolding her — or maybe just himself — for smiling about it. "I'm not bein' funny."
He slipped to her side in the hallway, putting his arm around her waist and looking back over his shoulder like they were really doing something against the rules.
"Right; go, go," he encouraged her under his breath, and he was already grinning by the time they'd taken a couple of steps. "Shh!" he hissed, scolding her — or maybe just himself — for smiling about it. "I'm not bein' funny."
Airy's head turned towards Cassidy, her smile widening as he slipped an arm around her thin waist. She walked at his side with the two bottles of wine clutched protectively against her chest. Her smile gave way to a happy giggle as she leaned against his side. "What? You Shh! You're being loud." Her blue eyes shined like crystals as they rounded the next corner.
"Do you think we got away?" Her teeth bit her lower lip as an excited jolt of energy thrilled through her. "We're out of sight. Should we make a run for it?"
If they ran, Airy wouldn't be able to hold back her laughter though she'd also run all the way back to her room without stopping.
"Do you think we got away?" Her teeth bit her lower lip as an excited jolt of energy thrilled through her. "We're out of sight. Should we make a run for it?"
If they ran, Airy wouldn't be able to hold back her laughter though she'd also run all the way back to her room without stopping.
Cassidy forced himself to put on a stern face. "Amateur error. Guilty people run. Just play it cool."
That said, if she couldn't contain her energy, he'd be off with her like a shot.
That said, if she couldn't contain her energy, he'd be off with her like a shot.
Airy bit her lower lip, looking a little bit like she was about to explode from the excitement thrilling through her small frame. "Play it cool. Got it." It was a shame that Airy has never been cool before.
She made it to the Spring wing before the energy thrilling through her couldn't be contained any longer. "Close enough!" She shouted before taking off down the hallway towards her room. Her hip found the doorway and managed to turn the handle and push her way inside with the sort of finance that suggested that she'd practiced that and she wasn't just incredibly lucky.
"I win!" Because they were racing... right?
She made it to the Spring wing before the energy thrilling through her couldn't be contained any longer. "Close enough!" She shouted before taking off down the hallway towards her room. Her hip found the doorway and managed to turn the handle and push her way inside with the sort of finance that suggested that she'd practiced that and she wasn't just incredibly lucky.
"I win!" Because they were racing... right?
Not that he'd tell her so, but when she took off, Cassidy didn't try very hard to overtake her. He kind of loped after her, letting the weight of the basket slow him down without fighting it. If she thought of it as a race she'd won? He had no trouble playing along with that.
"Gold star, well done," he smiled as he stepped in behind her, and held the basket up in her direction. "To the winner go the spoils... but maybe you'll share?"
"Gold star, well done," he smiled as he stepped in behind her, and held the basket up in her direction. "To the winner go the spoils... but maybe you'll share?"
Airy hadn't realized that Cassidy wasn't running at her side since he appeared shortly after she had reached the door to her room. "Maybe. You'll have to be super nice and then I'll share with you." He was smiling and she was smiling... it was a good time.
The pillow fort in Airy's room had gotten a few more flourishes since she had first sent the recording of the cocaine to Cassidy. It was now a little bit bigger with extra blankets and pillows making the inside more comfortable. Airy had a boombox in her room with a handful of CD's as well as some candy that she had swiped from the theater somewhere between trying cocaine, messaging Cassidy and dinner.
"Do you think it's silly that I still make pillow forts?" She hadn't even stopped to consider that before now.
The pillow fort in Airy's room had gotten a few more flourishes since she had first sent the recording of the cocaine to Cassidy. It was now a little bit bigger with extra blankets and pillows making the inside more comfortable. Airy had a boombox in her room with a handful of CD's as well as some candy that she had swiped from the theater somewhere between trying cocaine, messaging Cassidy and dinner.
"Do you think it's silly that I still make pillow forts?" She hadn't even stopped to consider that before now.
"It's ludicrous. Totally bonkers. You're a madwoman."
It was delivered with the flat sort of cadence which ought to tell her he was zero percent serious. He set the speaker dock down on the desk -- the boombox was all right, but this puppy was voice-activated -- and plugged in the mp3 player.
"Hey, Google." He'd set it up to respond to 'hey, Google,' despite it being an off-brand, fairy-made job, "play some ambient tracks."
A short chime sounded, and a song by Fever Ray started up.
It was delivered with the flat sort of cadence which ought to tell her he was zero percent serious. He set the speaker dock down on the desk -- the boombox was all right, but this puppy was voice-activated -- and plugged in the mp3 player.
"Hey, Google." He'd set it up to respond to 'hey, Google,' despite it being an off-brand, fairy-made job, "play some ambient tracks."
A short chime sounded, and a song by Fever Ray started up.
Airy laughed bashfully as Cassidy began to set up his mp3 player. She was from the year 2016 and yet... she had no idea what Cassidy was doing. A pair of bright azure blue eyes stared at him as he spoke to the odd little device.
"GOOGLE CAN DO THAT?!" She probably shouldn't be that surprised but she's also lived underground for almost two years and technology didn't exactly work well around magic. There was one room in the underground bunker that Airy had been able to set up to play Netflix. "That's awesome."
Airy placed the two bottles of wine on the chair so that they were within reach of the forts entrance. "Oh I like this. Have you heard of Lindsey Striling? She plays the violin and does ballet at the same time." Airy waved a hand. "Not important. You want wine?" She grabbed the two cups she had kept with the whiskey in Cassidy's box and filled them with the sweet red fairy wine.
It kind of felt like a romantic indoor picnic.
"GOOGLE CAN DO THAT?!" She probably shouldn't be that surprised but she's also lived underground for almost two years and technology didn't exactly work well around magic. There was one room in the underground bunker that Airy had been able to set up to play Netflix. "That's awesome."
Airy placed the two bottles of wine on the chair so that they were within reach of the forts entrance. "Oh I like this. Have you heard of Lindsey Striling? She plays the violin and does ballet at the same time." Airy waved a hand. "Not important. You want wine?" She grabbed the two cups she had kept with the whiskey in Cassidy's box and filled them with the sweet red fairy wine.
It kind of felt like a romantic indoor picnic.
Cassidy grinned in response to her astonishment. "Yeah! Like bloody Alexa. 'Course, this isn't the real Google. Just a smart speaker. I prefer it. Comes without the satellite linkup to the CIA."
He joined her on the bed, and silently accepted a cup of wine with a smile. In exchange, he set his basket down within her reach.
"Roasted meat of some description?" he offered.
He joined her on the bed, and silently accepted a cup of wine with a smile. In exchange, he set his basket down within her reach.
"Roasted meat of some description?" he offered.
"I am not sure I know what Alexa is either but it sounds cool." She paused thoughtfully. "I know Siri, which was the phone voice thing." Airy had never had something like that though.
She settled next to him on the bed and reached over to grab a bit of what looked like roasted chicken to nibble on. "Yes please." Airy smiled at him.
"I have a question. I get why the CIA would want to spy on people but where would they get the money to do that? The US is in crazy amounts of debt and it sounds like a lot of work. I think there are a couple million people in New York by itself."
She settled next to him on the bed and reached over to grab a bit of what looked like roasted chicken to nibble on. "Yes please." Airy smiled at him.
"I have a question. I get why the CIA would want to spy on people but where would they get the money to do that? The US is in crazy amounts of debt and it sounds like a lot of work. I think there are a couple million people in New York by itself."
"There's plenty of money," Cassidy replied, perfectly matter-of-fact, "it just don't come from the government. Zuckerberg and the bloody Koch brothers, for example; they've got more money than God. Bloody trillions. They funnel it through shell corporations, build up algorithms. They don't need a set of ears on every single person to get proper surveillance, these days — it's all just data."
Airy sat back and listened, occasionally taking a sip of her wine as she watched Cassidy's lips. "I don't think God has money. I think that's kind of the point of being God." She flashed him a smile to let him know that she was teasing.
"You know, I could listen to you talk for hours. I love the way your voice sounds." It was melodic in its own way and comfortable.
Airy wiggled a bit and then carefully rolled onto her stomach with her ankles hooking together behind her. She used the leverage of her legs to pull the box out from under her bed. Since the last time Cassidy had seen it, it now had both of their names on it and a few cute doodles you'd expect to be in the spiral notebook of a high schooler. Airy was not a skilled artist.
"Here. I should get this stuff out too." She flicked up the lid and pushed it so that Cassidy could reach her small drug stash if he wanted.
"You know, I could listen to you talk for hours. I love the way your voice sounds." It was melodic in its own way and comfortable.
Airy wiggled a bit and then carefully rolled onto her stomach with her ankles hooking together behind her. She used the leverage of her legs to pull the box out from under her bed. Since the last time Cassidy had seen it, it now had both of their names on it and a few cute doodles you'd expect to be in the spiral notebook of a high schooler. Airy was not a skilled artist.
"Here. I should get this stuff out too." She flicked up the lid and pushed it so that Cassidy could reach her small drug stash if he wanted.
"Well, I'm not the one to be askin' about God, anyhow," he interjected with a shrug, then tried — unsuccessfully — to suppress a smile at her comment about his voice. He tried not to get too happy when she said things like that, but it was... well, it was nice.
He tore bits off of a bread roll and popped them into his mouth while she fiddled with the box, then reached over the snatch up the bag of coke. Just keeping it close for now.
"Did you do that? It's lovely," he said, pointing a finger at the doodles before settling back into the previous topic. "Yeah, you think we're bein' watched here? Try livin' your life with an actual spy robot in your house. Or trackin' every move your thumb makes on your bloody phone. Might not be much sinister about it at the moment, but if you think they're gonna stop at advertisin', you'll have another thing comin'."
He tore bits off of a bread roll and popped them into his mouth while she fiddled with the box, then reached over the snatch up the bag of coke. Just keeping it close for now.
"Did you do that? It's lovely," he said, pointing a finger at the doodles before settling back into the previous topic. "Yeah, you think we're bein' watched here? Try livin' your life with an actual spy robot in your house. Or trackin' every move your thumb makes on your bloody phone. Might not be much sinister about it at the moment, but if you think they're gonna stop at advertisin', you'll have another thing comin'."
Airy released a short huff of laughter followed by a demeaning shake of her head. "Not really. I don't think master pieces involve stick figures, even if they sometimes have hair." By hair, Airy meant a mess of squiggly lines. You only really knew it was hair because it was on top of the figures head.
She stayed on her stomach but turned and wiggled her body so she could comfortably stare up at Cassidy. "I have lived like that. It's awkward at first but you get used to it after awhile." For a few months she was under what she called 'house arrest' with Gus watching her every movement. It was for her own good but Airy still hadn't enjoyed being stuck in an underground bunker without being able to go outside.
"Can you pass me something to eat? I didn't think to grab plates."
She stayed on her stomach but turned and wiggled her body so she could comfortably stare up at Cassidy. "I have lived like that. It's awkward at first but you get used to it after awhile." For a few months she was under what she called 'house arrest' with Gus watching her every movement. It was for her own good but Airy still hadn't enjoyed being stuck in an underground bunker without being able to go outside.
"Can you pass me something to eat? I didn't think to grab plates."
He tossed her a bread roll from inside the basket before pulling a little piece of that chicken-looking stuff for himself.
"People can adapt to incredible circumstances," he agreed. "A lot of it's just puttin' your head down and makin' do with what you've got. Most of it's out of our control, anyhow."
"People can adapt to incredible circumstances," he agreed. "A lot of it's just puttin' your head down and makin' do with what you've got. Most of it's out of our control, anyhow."
Airy caught the bread like it was a basketball going through a hoop, letting it hit her chest and then fall into her hand. She took a little nibble of the starchy treat and wondered how the fairies got the bread to taste so different from what she bought in a store.
"Yeah." She looked thoughtful for a few seconds. "Is it okay that I don't hate it here? I mean. It's pretty nice. All things considered."
It was almost worth the aggravation.
"Yeah." She looked thoughtful for a few seconds. "Is it okay that I don't hate it here? I mean. It's pretty nice. All things considered."
It was almost worth the aggravation.
Cassidy lowered his brow. "Nooo," he assured her, drawing the word out to (hopefully) drive it home. "Truth be told, I don't hate it either. It mighta been touch-and-go for a coupla weeks, there, but if I were gonna hate the place, they'd have to do worse than that."
It helped that there had been no significant consequences handed down from on high over the mess with He Ming. Either the fairies hadn't found out, or they didn't care. Since the presence of the favored was supposed to be all about their 'entertainment,' Cassidy was betting on the latter.
"I mean —" he gestured toward the music dock, "— we've got tunes, rent-free livin', and all the basic food groups."
At food groups, he held up his cup of wine and reached for the bag of cocaine.
"It's not so bad after all."
It helped that there had been no significant consequences handed down from on high over the mess with He Ming. Either the fairies hadn't found out, or they didn't care. Since the presence of the favored was supposed to be all about their 'entertainment,' Cassidy was betting on the latter.
"I mean —" he gestured toward the music dock, "— we've got tunes, rent-free livin', and all the basic food groups."
At food groups, he held up his cup of wine and reached for the bag of cocaine.
"It's not so bad after all."
Airy laughed as she popped another piece of bread into her mouth. "That's all true." Though it wasn't the reason why she liked this world as much as she did. Cassidy might not realize it but he was the reason that this place was enjoyable. There were other reasons but he was at the top of the list; far above anything else.
"No responsibilities and they give us stuff. Okay, that sounds like I'm super lazy." She laughed as she rolled onto her back and looked up at the sheet that was draped over the top of the fort. "Do you have Pudge? I think our fort needs a guard fish."
It was random but Airy's thoughts were all over the place.
She'll blame the cocaine and the fact that she felt super comfortable around Cassidy.
"No responsibilities and they give us stuff. Okay, that sounds like I'm super lazy." She laughed as she rolled onto her back and looked up at the sheet that was draped over the top of the fort. "Do you have Pudge? I think our fort needs a guard fish."
It was random but Airy's thoughts were all over the place.
She'll blame the cocaine and the fact that she felt super comfortable around Cassidy.
Airy blotted up in her bed, her fingers curled around her sheets as the fabric clung to her chest and legs. She was breathing hard with a thin layer of sweat beating across her skin. It took her a moment to run a towel down her frame and put on a pair of monkey pajama's that she'd gotten after asking for a familiar wardrobe. The fabric was a comforting touch and with a quick look around, Airy dashed into the hallway.
It wasn't a far walk between her room and Cassidy's. They were in different wings but all of the wings were relatively close together. She had told him that she'd be arriving at his door but what if it had really been a dream? She swallowed a thick nervous lump in her throat before knocking at the door.
"Cass?" Her voice was a little shaken before she pushed the door open and made her way inside. If she was going to keep finding herself in others dreams she might ask Cassidy if she can bunk with him until it all blows over. At least she'll have someone to cling to, fuck or smoke with when she woke up.
It wasn't a far walk between her room and Cassidy's. They were in different wings but all of the wings were relatively close together. She had told him that she'd be arriving at his door but what if it had really been a dream? She swallowed a thick nervous lump in her throat before knocking at the door.
"Cass?" Her voice was a little shaken before she pushed the door open and made her way inside. If she was going to keep finding herself in others dreams she might ask Cassidy if she can bunk with him until it all blows over. At least she'll have someone to cling to, fuck or smoke with when she woke up.
Cassidy's own awakening hadn't been quite so dramatic — still, it was a rare morning that he went so abruptly from asleep to awake, with a sudden inhale and a momentary sense of disorientation as he started blinking his eyes open. Where in the hell was he...?
His room in the castle. Winter Wing. Right. Because this was reality, after all. Not New York, or New Orleans. Not anymore.
"Jesus," he sighed, scrubbing a hand over his eyes to squeeze the sleep out. That had easily been the most vivid dreaming experience he'd had in years. Maybe decades.
He turned his head to one side, and for a handful of seconds, watched Pudge 'swim' around in his water-less fishbowl. Not only had the dream been vividly detailed, Cassidy found that he remembered it with perfect clarity. He'd told Airy to come and find him, that he'd show her Pudge's new trick.
Weird, weird bloody dream. This wasn't one of their days, he didn't think, but maybe he'd check in on her anyway, just to put his mind at ease...
Knock, knock. "Cass?"
Cassidy was just starting to sit up when the door started to open. She was actually here. Coincidence?
Nope. As soon as he saw her, he knew. It was all over her face. And then the knowing was all over his.
"...oh, Christ." His voice was still groggy from sleep, but the astonishment came through. It had all been real.
His room in the castle. Winter Wing. Right. Because this was reality, after all. Not New York, or New Orleans. Not anymore.
"Jesus," he sighed, scrubbing a hand over his eyes to squeeze the sleep out. That had easily been the most vivid dreaming experience he'd had in years. Maybe decades.
He turned his head to one side, and for a handful of seconds, watched Pudge 'swim' around in his water-less fishbowl. Not only had the dream been vividly detailed, Cassidy found that he remembered it with perfect clarity. He'd told Airy to come and find him, that he'd show her Pudge's new trick.
Weird, weird bloody dream. This wasn't one of their days, he didn't think, but maybe he'd check in on her anyway, just to put his mind at ease...
Knock, knock. "Cass?"
Cassidy was just starting to sit up when the door started to open. She was actually here. Coincidence?
Nope. As soon as he saw her, he knew. It was all over her face. And then the knowing was all over his.
"...oh, Christ." His voice was still groggy from sleep, but the astonishment came through. It had all been real.
"Yeah." Airy closed the door behind her and then quickly closed the space between them. She knew that they had fallen asleep together in the dream but she wanted to hold him again and to know that he was really there.
Her arms circled Cassidy's waist as her face nuzzled against his chest.
"I didn't want to believe that it had happened but I knew. Um..." She bit her lower lip, worrying at the flesh. "Does that mean the dream I had earlier, that happened to, didn't it? With Denis?" She wanted to ask if Denis really existed or if he was a fantasy of Cassidy's but too many questions zoomed around her thoughts and she didn't know where to start.
So she hugged him tight and tried to hope that the moment wouldn't end.
Her arms circled Cassidy's waist as her face nuzzled against his chest.
"I didn't want to believe that it had happened but I knew. Um..." She bit her lower lip, worrying at the flesh. "Does that mean the dream I had earlier, that happened to, didn't it? With Denis?" She wanted to ask if Denis really existed or if he was a fantasy of Cassidy's but too many questions zoomed around her thoughts and she didn't know where to start.
So she hugged him tight and tried to hope that the moment wouldn't end.
It was good to feel the weight of her, how she settled against him and wrapped her arms around him. Definitely felt more solid, more real, then the dream.
That’s what he was going to tell himself, anyway.
Denis. Cassidy suddenly felt a less pleasant weight in his chest, and if he’d sunk through the mattress and on through the floor in that moment, it would have been fine with him. That had actually been her, there. And he’d really said — he’d really done —
He didn’t know how long he’d been silent following her question, but it had probably been too long.
“Yeah. That happened.” He’d really pawed at her like that, breathed his whiskey breath all over her and gotten all maudlin about his ‘mistakes’... Cassidy swiped a hand across his forehead.
“God, I’m a wanker. I am the biggest wanker in the entire world.”
That’s what he was going to tell himself, anyway.
Denis. Cassidy suddenly felt a less pleasant weight in his chest, and if he’d sunk through the mattress and on through the floor in that moment, it would have been fine with him. That had actually been her, there. And he’d really said — he’d really done —
He didn’t know how long he’d been silent following her question, but it had probably been too long.
“Yeah. That happened.” He’d really pawed at her like that, breathed his whiskey breath all over her and gotten all maudlin about his ‘mistakes’... Cassidy swiped a hand across his forehead.
“God, I’m a wanker. I am the biggest wanker in the entire world.”
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