Chase felt slightly guilty about the harm he’d caused her. On one hand there was the part of him that felt a distaste for letting anyone—women or men—get harmed at his hand but the other aspect was the fact that he was keeping her from dying. The bruises, the blood, the exhaustion, it all had a purpose. Anyone before a war would train their best fighters to become even better and that was what he was going to do.
“You can schedule a minute with Omicron in the morning. They’ll probably be able to get you in first thing,” he said, grabbing up his water bottle and downing a good portion of it before watching Cassidy did the same.
“Nah, I’m alright. Nothing that’s going to kill me so, I can heal myself,” she said, snatching up a towel to the left of her bottle and wiping it out from under her nose. It’d become a rather normal reaction as to when she used more magic than her body could handle.
“You know, this whole Origin thing, we have the ability to skip the shitty downtime aspect of the human body. Evolution or fate or whatever you think brought you here, brought you here knowing that you could go to someone and within ten seconds, be healed up, good as new. At least if you were an Omicron, I wouldn’t have to push you as much as I do,” he said, the frustration building as he tried to swallow it back, shoving the towel and water bottle in his bag as he waited for her retort. Because, if there was one thing Cassidy Hawkins was great about, it was ensuring she had the last word in an argument.
“No one went and asked you to train me. Or try and protect me. Or push me. You might not be used to it but... I can take care of myself just fine. I don’t need you to be here. You want to be here and while I get that, don’t pin your worry and want to control every little thing of your life on me. That’s your own problem to deal with. If you can’t take letting me train the way I want to, I’ll just go back to letting Olivia guide me. It’s what she’s meant to do anyway.” Cassidy at least was fiercely independent in most aspects of her life.
“I don’t mind being in here and training with you. That’s part of the luxury of being joined to you but you also don’t need to be making yourself weak on purpose! All I’m asking is that you take fifteen minutes and see someone to get healed up so you’re ready to go at a moment’s notice. That’s all. You’re being unreasonable.” Chase pointed at her as he slipped the bag over his shoulders, his hands resting on the straps.
“Pain is a real element to life. It reminds us that we’re human. It causes us to focus more on the subject at hand. It prepares us for a real life situation. I might get my ass handed to myself one day and then be up shit creek because an Omicron isn’t there to help. So, I might be in a position where I’m injured and I have to deal with that. If I were mortally wounded, of fucking course I’d be in there right now asking for help... but not like this. It’s my ribs. I’m not having troubles breathing. I’ll be fine.” Cassidy’s biggest struggle since becoming an Exodus member was remembering that she was human. She’d been in the compound for weeks now after her ceremony, not even leaving the compound to go home. It was voluntary, of course. She could go home at any time, she just chose not to and it was constantly recommended not to. Between Geneva and the League and her rather strong abilities that she wasn’t too sure she’d be able to keep in check around humans, it was safer this way. But, all the secrecy was causing her to become restless.
“Well aren’t you just a bunch of sunshine and roses,” he teased, waiting for her to get her bags put together. They'd been training every day for the past five weeks and each day, they learned more and more about each other. But, it was apparent that the constant training was waning on Cassidy's good nature.
“Maybe you should go back home or work, for a day or so. Or, however you'd like,” he offered as they walked out of the room and back towards her living quarters. Cassidy arched a brow questioningly at him, licking her lips.
“But, I thought it wasn't safe for me to be there? You said—”
“I know what I've said about it,” he said, cutting her off. “But, I also think letting you go and work or be a bit normal for a day would be good for you. You know how to defend yourself if need be and all you have to do is think about me and I'll be there, if you need me,” he reminded her, stopping and brushing a stray hair behind her ear. Cassidy looked up at him and swallowed hard, chewing on the inside of her bottom lip.
“Yeah, yeah, I could go to work,” she said, nodding her head. “But how do I explain why I've been gone?” Cassidy hadn't came in for a shift for weeks now. The only time they left was to get Ruca and her things and that was shortly after she became an Epsilon.
“I've already taken care of that,” Chase laughed, tapping his temple with a glowing red finger. “He approved some emotional time for you and told me whenever you wanted to come back that he'd be lucky to have you,” Chase said with a grin, feeling the rush of excitement stemming from Cassidy at the thought of returning back to work. “Go, I know you want to. I'll come find you if I need you,” he said, turning away from her and heading towards his room within the compound.
“Thank you,” she said with his back to her. “We seriously need to work on you finishing a conversation before just walking off!” She yelled, him putting his hand in the air and waving her off. Cassidy rolled her eyes and walked back to her room without another word.
She peeled her work out clothes off, starting up the shower in her bathroom as the steam started to fog up the mirror in front of her. A quick wave of her hand and glow of green pushed the steam into the shower only and she avoided the small mishap of being unable to see herself. There were several bruises that peppered her skin, a few in the yellow/green stage and several still in the red/purple arena. Long days and nights pushing herself, pushing her abilities and pushing her knowledge had culminated in her being one of the fastest trained Epsilons that the Exodus had seen in years. Currently fire was her element of choice, rising up easily with her heated temper but the others were just as entertaining for her. If anything, trying them all seemed to thrill her more than anything. And, being the best she could possibly be.
She reached up and wiped away the smidge of blood that she had missed when she cleaned up her face earlier, stepping into the shower, a groan slipping from her lips at the scorching water hit her skin. Her muscles took the pain and welcomed it, the heat helping them relax as she tried to settle after such a long training session. Based on the time of the day, she could easily get out to Charlie’s and serve a shift before the night was up. It probably wasn’t as soon as Chase would’ve hoped but the man had a point. Cassidy was still worried that she would lose herself to the magic and knowledge of the Exodus life. And while some found everything they needed within the compound walls, Cassidy still held out an opinion on that thought. Could she continue to live solely within and around Exodus members? Could she mingle out within the rest of the world and not think less of them?
Clearly, it was time to find out.
Cassidy finished up her shower, straightening the curl out of her hair and it coming to right above her ribcage. Eyelids framed with bright gold eyeshadow and winged liner, fiercely curled eyelashes simply highlighted her blue eyes more than normal. Her shirt was a vneck, Charlie’s etched across her chest in a logo style and this time paired with dark wash jeans and a pair of calf boots. Normally, she’d go for the outfits that would get her a decent sized tip while bartending but while her body, under her clothes, looked as if she were run over by a large car, she didn’t want to field questions she didn’t have appropriate answers for. At least, not yet. She sent a quick message to let Olivia know that she was going to work and thought about Chase before their joined link came up in her head.
Taking your advice, heading to Charlie’s. Promise I’ll be safe.
Good. Enjoy. Be safe.
Relax. If I can kick your ass, I can kick anyone’s.
Cassidy disconnected their connection soon after she told him her last thought, grabbing up her bags and heading to the main gate of the Exodus. Once she
arrived, a Chi was standing sentry as the rise in League attacks were only going to continue, and she asked if he could send her on her way to an area out of sight outside Charlie’s.
“Enjoy the ride,” the man said, the red creeping around her skin. The second her feet lifted off of the floor, Cassidy’s boots reconnecting with asphalt from outside as she finally took in a breath. It was strange how much every person’s magic felt different, even within the same Origin. Chase’s magic compared to the man who sent her to the bar felt like night and day to her. It took her a moment to have the pulse through her body fade away but within a minute of arriving outside of Charlie's, she felt normal.
It took her about five minutes to walk up to the door to the establishment she nearly grew up in, grinning when some of the regulars started hooting and hollering when she entered Charlie's door. “Alright, alright, I wasn't gone that long!” Cassidy laughed, brushing her hair behind her ears and making her way to the bar, nodding to Charlie with a soft smile. It was the best gesture she could manage, knowing that Chase had played with his head in order for her to keep her job.
Minutes in and it had seemed as if she had never left. Beers were being slung back and forth, regulars showing up by the handfuls just to get a glimpse of her working behind the bar again. Many of them passed on their condolences, commented on how great she looked and how much she was missed. The gratitude was overwhelming but a nagging feeling in the back of her mind made her welcome all the attention. It was the first time in awhile that she had thought about her dad or even her normal life. A twinge of guilt rolled through her body, her heart skipping a beat as her stomach churned in knots at the thought. She knew he'd understand why she abandoned her thoughts about him. Mr. Hawkins would be the first person to tell her to dive in head first with what the Exodus had to offer her. No one would blame her.
“So, are you a celebrity that I just don't know about or…?” a voice she couldn't recognize said, coming from the end of the bar. The man had brown hair, stubble covering his entire face and a fairly muscular build but not overwhelming. The dark beer sat in front of him, half drank from his order not even an hour prior. Cassidy didn't catch a name from the man but his green eyes were the most memorable thing about him. They mirrored her Epsilon color perfectly.
“Just someone who was gone for a while. But I'm back now and these guys don't know what to do with themselves,” Cassidy laughed, walking down to where the man was perched at the bar, leaning back against the wood. “And, no offense, but yours is a face that I don't recognize,” she added, looking him over for a moment.
“That's because I'm new. Or, well, sort of. Moved into the old Frankfurt place off of Holiday Drive about three weeks ago,” he said, taking a swig from his glass. “Sebastian,” he said, holding out his hand to her.
Cassidy managed a nod and a warm smile while he explained himself and watched as he outstretched his hand to her. She involuntarily chewed on the inside of her lip for a moment as she thought about taking his hand. All of her nerves for the night were swimming under her skin. And, while to most, it was merely a handshake, to Cassidy it was the first physical activity with just a human since experiencing her powers. Could she keep her magic buried under her skin long enough to shake a hand? Unsure of the answer, Cassidy picked up her glass of coke and cheers it against Sebastian’s instead, laughing slightly.
“Cassidy, glad to meet ya. If you've heard anything about me, I promise it's all not true,” she teased, swallowing back her drink before setting it down.
Sebastian watched the woman in front of him for a moment, letting his tongue run over the bottom of his lips, savoring the taste of the beer still lingering there before leaning back on his bar stool. It was obvious that she was against shaking his hand—which he didn’t take to heart but he definitely remembered it.
“I promise I’ll keep that in mind now that I’ve finally met you. These guys talk you up around here,” he said, gesturing his bottle towards all of the regulars in the bar. Cassidy’s cheeks warmed and a soft chuckle rumbled in the back of her throat before she grabbed up a new beer for him and sat it next to his current one. Sebastian nodded in thanks before playing with the now emptied bottle.
“So, I guess it’d be too forward of me to ask why you were gone for so long?” he questioned, arching a furrowed brow up at her for a moment.
Cassidy was slightly surprised to get the question, knowing that Charlie wouldn’t be asking her such questions after Chase convinced him with his Origin. She knew that it was coming, in the back of her mind but she didn’t know if she was ready to answer it.
“Uh,” she said, straightening her stance and glancing around, hoping and praying that someone was suddenly at the bar and needed her for a minute or two. Of course, her eyes managed to not land on one single person and she started to gnaw on the inside of her lip in a nervous tick.
“You don’t have to answer,” he said, moments after watching her demeanor change at the question, clearing his throat to grab her attention. Cassidy managed a small yet gentle smile before she dismissed his concern by shaking her head.
“No, no, it’s fine. I—uh—just haven’t really talked about it since it all happened,” she said, placing her hands on the bar and leaning against it. “My Dad recently passed away. I had to take time off to deal with his things and... process,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest in a protective manner, feeling the heat of her hand against the fabric of her shirt. Her heart started to pound, causing her to worry for another minute as she swallowed back the want and need to turn to her Origin. No one had asked about her father after she woke up from the accident. Family was informed but many of the things were handled by the Exodus and Cassidy was forever grateful for that. The weeks spent mourning her father were covered by plunging herself into Epsilon and learning everything she could from her new abilities. If she were being honest, she didn’t even get a moment to truly mourn her father. Cassidy felt the guilt cascade over her, swallowing it back as best she could, remembering where she was. “Sorry,” she said, shrugging her shoulders and trying to have a strong facade in front of the patron.
“Don’t be,” Sebastian said, looking her over. “I think that’s a pretty guaranteed reason to still be a little emotional.” he said, taking another swig of his beer before adding. “I’m sorry, by the way. You said you hadn’t talked about it since it happened so I’m sure you haven’t been told that yet.”
Cassidy’s breath slightly hitched in her throat. The strange man in front of her was absolutely right. She’d been so worked up in training and becoming a better fighter, a better Epsilon that she simply bypassed everything that came with mourning, even condolences.
“Thank you,” she said softly, lifting her glass for yet another cheers and excusing herself from Sebastian, working quickly on a few other people who came up and had orders.
About four people deep into pouring up drinks and there was a man who was extremely inebriated, yelling at Cassidy for one reason or the other but mainly because she refused to serve him anything else for the evening.
“I’m sorry Sir, you’ll just need to sit down over there and I can call you a cab or you can call someone to pick you up but you’re done drinkin’ for the night,” she reaffirmed, her left hand gripping the bar counter and the brief swirl of green igniting around the back of her palm. It swirled as her composure lessened through the drunken insults and it wasn’t until about fifteen seconds later that she noticed she had conjured her Origin to the surface. Her right hand clasped over top her left, the magic getting snuffed out as she instructed the man to go sit back at his table for the last time. The man eventually conceded, mumbling under his breath about how wretched she was and stumbling back to his chair as she called him a cab. It was very reminiscent of what happened to her father on his last day of his life but she swallowed back that thought as best she could.
While no one seemed to notice the Origin magic spin around her hand, that didn’t mean that no one actua
lly saw it. One managed to, hiding his grin when he saw it before she managed to make it back to standing in front of him.
“Sorry ‘bout that,” she said, leaning back against the wood of the bar before sighing. “Some guys just get that alcohol armor on them and think they’re invincible,” she said, shrugging.
“Nah, you did your job, it was pretty good,” he commended her, finishing off the second beer that she had served him before pulling out the cash from his wallet and tossing it on top the bar. “Maybe next time I’ll be able to spend my whole time here chatting with you,” he teased, a grin crossing his features as he pulled his coat on and stood in front of her. He had probably ¾ of a foot on her and Cassidy had to peer up at him to keep eye contact.
“Gotta head out before you become the younger version of him?” she teased, tossing her head towards the older gentleman who was just very loud in front of her. Sebastian chuckled, running his hand through his hair before shoving both of his hands into his pockets and shrugging.
“Who knows, maybe I already am him. You've just met me,” he teased which got an eye roll from Cassidy and a laugh. It was playful and distracting and surprisingly welcomed. Not that Cassidy felt trapped inside with Chase and the rest of the Exodus... it was just that she felt like herself suddenly. Without even realizing it, she slid back into the normalcy of being a regular woman in a regular job without the needed hassle of training or learning or studying her craft. It wasn't that she hated being magical; it was far from that. She just wanted balance.
Sebastian could see that his words struck her, although he couldn't understand why him being playful affected her so strongly. His brow arched, a curious gaze falling over her and before long, Cassidy squished her nose and ran her hand over her face with laughter, grabbing up the beer bottles and clearing his space.
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