𝙲𝙰𝚂𝚂𝙸𝚄𝚂.

Victoria smiled condescendingly “You’re young, dear. When you’ve been around as long as I have it’s hard for anything to be more than just… a shame.”

She shook her head, tossing her golden curls back behind her shoulder with the gesture. “Certainly not, but I might have been able to run damage control faster.”

DEAR? CASSIUS HELD back a scoff. he knew the language of condescendence well — it was one that he himself spoke fluently. and it wasn’t difficult to tell that she was condescending him. but he forced himself to meet her words head on, refusing to let his face betray his annoyance. instead he shrugged. stepped closer to victoria. he allowed his lips to curl downwards just a bit, but he kept his voice neutral when he said, “maybe. but not everyone within earshot have lived as along as you. and with all due respect, miss bright, if you’re so old and wise, why hasn’t damage control been done?”

the only thing genuine you would usually get out of philip was annoyance. on multiple ocassions, he’d been told he lacked any kind of emotions that wasn’t on the anger spectrum. but tonight, oh tonight was different. tonight was a rare case of nights he looked forward to. the excitement was beaming out of the lone wolf, so much that it was almost overwhelming. there truly was nothing better to get him going than the prospect of a fight.

shoulders rolling, neck cracking, oh yeah, he was pumped up. the rush he got from good sports could never compare to anything else. maybe it was the reason why he always seemed to be stirring up trouble. or why he was often seen hanging around this very ring. whatever could get him that rush he always craved, he would do. and his entertainment for the night would come from cassius fulgora.

their fights were always ones for the ages. bids always rose high for that matchup, especially because of the unpredictability of the results. no one could tell who would come out a winner, not even the fighters themselves. very few people were able to handle philip, fewer willing to throwdown in a faceoff with him. but cassius never seemed to care, which made him philip’s worthiest opponent by a mile.

eyebrows raising up in response to the taunt, cheeky grin plastered over his face.  ❛ giving me favors isn’t going to get you anywhere, fulgora. ❜ he still gladly took the first steps, strong arm thrusting forward, the shifter’s chin set as a target for the initial blow of the evening. the hits were going to rain down onto both of them, so if he could get the opening ones, he would be an idiot to pass on it. 

IT WASN’T ONLY THE FACT that philip was a popular fighter in the ring that attracted cassius to fights with him. yes, here, within a ring of fighters, despite his misgivings, you would be an utter fool to not admit that philip dwyer was a reputable fighter who knew he was excellent at what he did. but anyone who knew cassius and his love for fighting would know that despite his talks of glory and honor, nothing satisfied him more than an intense fight, one with good chemistry. one that called for a close call between him and his opponent.

and above anything else, philip could offer just exactly that.

it didn’t matter that he fought dishonorably. the rush that cassius got from a round in the ring with philip was still exhilarating. some days, they could last forever in that ring, determined to not let it end in a draw. and that, to cassius, was the best kind of fighting.

he returned philip’s taunting grin with one of his own. he wasn’t wrong — giving away the opportunity to land a first hit may just be the biggest mistake cassius would make in this fight. but if it didn’t, it would only make victory taste even sweeter. and besides, cassius would be damned if he let philip score a punch at the start of the fight. he was better than that, and he knew it. this wouldn’t cost him.

“maybe, maybe not,” he retorted, having just barely enough time to speak those words before the wolf’s fist went flying at him. he dodged just in time, sweeping his leg forward as he aimed a kick at philip in retaliation. still, the force of the punch coming at him had taken cassius by surprise, and he allowed a tenth of a breath to recover before continuing on, “but we both know you would’ve never land that hit anyways.”

the smug look on his face was back. knees dropping to assume a fighting stance, he flashed another smirk at his opponent’s direction, before lifting both arms in front of his face — protecting it from the future punches that he knew was coming his way. “wanna try again? i dare you.”

HANA’S HAND INSTINCTIVELY MOVED to cover cassius’ own when he placed it over his heart. she wondered for a brief moment if he knew just how entirely she was his — how easily she melted at his words and touch, an experience she had never gone through before him. deep down she knew he must just as she knew that knowledge probably made him smug. 

hana snatched the paper from his hand and set it back down onto her desk before turning back to him with a smirk. “and what would you have us do if we didn’t go out on our date? would you take me home instead?” she questioned, knowing full well where he would take her. 

THE GLEAM THERE IN HIS EYES softened just a bit when hana leaned forward to place a hand over his heart. she knew exactly how to snare him in, how to wrap him around her fingers and get him to put his armor down just for her. for hana, melting his heart was an incredibly easy feat. briefly, he let a genuine and gentle smile touch his lips, but the soft look on his features morphed into something more playful once more at her words.

it was like a game between the two of them. it didn’t matter that they both knew how much they meant to each other, how in their private moments they shared their most intimate thoughts with each other and gave their hearts to the other without reservation. anyone who looked closely enough would be able to see that even here, in public, playing their little game, their hearts belonged in each other’s hands. but it was fun, to pretend that they were in it for the game, to play cat and mouse and tease the hell out of each other where everyone can see.

cassius grinned, taking hana’s hand in his when she snatched the paper away from him. “are you not going to let me read your work?” then, letting go off her hand, he let his fingers creep up her arm, and finally rested them just under her chin. “you and i both know the answer to that question, princess,” he responded smoothly, tilting her chin up to make her look at him. “i’d take you home and spoil you. first, i’ll make you sit down while i make you dinner. then i’ll let you kiss me all over my jaw before feeding you. then... well, you know the rest of the story.”

never mind that her entire office were right there watching it.

⊰ CASSIUS FULGORA. ⊱‌

☾ = being found shirtless.

WHEN YURI HAD COME INTO WORK THAT EVENING, the last thing she had expected to walk in on in the staff room was cassius fulgora in all his shirtless glory. she wrinkled her nose in disgust, freezing in her tracks by the doorway. “and just what is it that you hope to accomplish by standing shirtless in the middle of the employee break room? are you trying to blind me with your repulsive body?”

PRICKLING THE YOUNGER GIRL had became somewhat a hobby of his. unlike some people he knew, he harbored no hard feelings towards yuri, but the way she regarded him never seemed to fail to amuse cassius. and unfazed by her stare, he made no move to cover himself up and instead grinned down at her, responding with a, “i wasn’t trying to accomplish anything. but if that did something... well, that’s on you, isn’t it?” he turned around, rummaging into his bag for a clean shirt, still unbothered by her words. while those words could be constructed as a flirtatious remark to some, he and yuri knew each other well enough to know it meant nothing of that sort. “besides, shouldn’t you be glad that the lack of a shirt means it’ll be easier to sink a knife down my heart?”

           shrugging off his grip, she takes a step away from the dickhead she’s been fighting with. he’d deserved it, every strike. dee didn’t give a shit about the scene she was causing, or the guests enjoying themselves. she cared that he learned his lesson. from the bloody lip and broken nose, she’d say he probably had. “fuck that-” the wolf growls, flexing her bruised fingers. “wasted enough energy on this crapsack.” hazel irises turn on the bartender, mischievous smile curving across her lips. “tequila’s calling anyhow.”

PRYING HIS ARMS off the younger girl, cassius allowed himself to step back when she had shown that she wasn’t planning to fly off on the man who started this again. arms folded over his chest, and gaze settled past the man and on the girl’s face now, he shrugged. “suit yourself,” cassius said. if it were him, a release down at the fight ring would be exactly what he needed, but he didn’t blame the girl for not wanting to pursue a fight with this asshole any further. “well? what are you waiting for, then?” he hesitated. then, a smirk folded across his features to match hers. he might not be interested in buying her a drink, but who was to say that he couldn’t put it on philip or yuri’s tab? “drink’s on the house. come on.” and with that, he headed back to the bar, certain that she was going to follow.

Victoria’s fingers dropped one-by-one onto the table top, tapping out a slow rhythm. Her free hand was being used to prop up her chin, occasionally tapping her pointer finger on her jaw. Hearing footsteps, she looked up to greet her company with a friendly smile.

“Quite the week we’ve been having isn’t it?” She asked conversationally, leaning towards them. “I mean, I go on one vacation and return to find that one of the Vanderbilts has been murdered! Such a shame isn’t it?”

HE ALMOST LAUGHED. here he was, thinking that he had got no tack, and yet — he wouldn’t ever attempt to start a conversation about a murder that casually. he allowed himself a snort, before turning his head to look at the woman sitting on the far end of the bar. he leaned against the side of the bar. his brows shot up. “a shame might just be an understatement,” cassius commented dryly. “what, don’t tell me that you think you could’ve stopped the murder if you hadn’t gone on vacation?” maybe that wasn’t the best way to speak to a city council member, but hey, he couldn’t have less tact than she did, right?”

       her knuckles are split, bruised. they’ll heal. his face will take longer. "next time keep your hands to yourself-“ she hisses, lurching forward to take another swing. there is red behind her eyes, in her veins, thundering in her chest. red, everywhere. she won’t stop. and then a hand grips her shoulder, pulling her back. "hey !! get off, get off me-”

THERE WAS, CASSIUS DECIDED, when the best decision was to put a stop to the fight instead of revel in it. he left his post at the bar, — knowing full well that philip couldn’t be counted on to stop a fight — glaring at both parties of the fight as he signaled someone to pull the man away while he pulled the woman back. “the fight ring’s downstairs,” he said, voice firm. “if you want to take another swing at him, take it down there. beat him if up if you need to. but this, is for the guests to enjoy themselves.” and messy as the songs were, a full-blown fight on the dance floor was something he knew they wouldn’t appreciate. after all, drunken men and a scene as this were never a good combination.

ONCE HANA CAME TO WORK it was nearly impossible to pry her away from it. if there was one thing she prided herself on, it was her work ethic and she took her job very seriously; even if half of the paper was lies. she was hardly naïve – sex and gossip sold best and most days lies were the only thing keeping the doors open. there was never an issue with being called a liar or manipulator – she knew what she did best.

cassius had a reputation for doing the unfeasible around the office, if only because he was the only person to date to successfully attract hana away from her desk. he was always a welcome distraction, and it was apparent to not only everyone at the fairview times, but quite possibly all of fairview, that hana viewed him in a different light from others.

wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling her body close to his, hana teased out, “mmm, i don’t know if i have precious time to spare for you.” a smirk played on her lips mirroring his own. “but i might make some if you say please and thank you.”

THERE WAS MIRTH in cassius’ eyes when hana pulled him close. he couldn’t help himself — he leaned in for a second kiss. he was never good at hiding any affection he felt for hana, not even when they were younger and they were nothing more than ‘just friends’. now that they were older and together, he had made it an even bigger deal to make sure she knew just how fond he was of her. and if the gleam in his eyes and the kiss were not enough, there was also a grin playing across cassius’ lips at the sight of hana’s smirk.

“i’m hurt, moon,” he teased back, pulling away from hana to place a hand over his heart in mock hurt. if any of hana’s employees were watching the charade that the two of them were playing, cassius didn’t notice. his eyes were only for his girlfriend. 

date: september 21, 09:30 pm. location: quarter moon fight ring.

THEY WERE TWO SIDES of the same coin. loathe as he was to admit it, cassius wasn’t a fool. but being able to acknowledge it also meant that he was smart enough to understand that though they were similar on the surface, there were some very vital differences between him and philip dwyer. 

the first, and perhaps most vital difference between them was the way they approached fighting. glory, honor — they were synonymous. that was the fulgora way. no matter how much he thirsted for punches, for blood, fighting always came with honor. with rules. winning came with respect, not with accusations. but philip held little honor to his fighting, allowing himself to get into brawls for the sake of it, and fighting just for the hell of it. it was part amusing, part baffling.

but none of that mattered tonight. it wasn’t his job to analyze the way philip fought, or to judge with curled lips how there was no honor in his fighting — just pure brutality. after all, cassius himself was to be philip’s opponent for the night, despite all his codes of honor, he’d be damned if he was to lose to philip dwyer.

cassius snarled, teeth bared before a smug sneer replaced his white teeth. “come on, dwyer. i’m giving you first hit,” he goaded. maybe if he pissed the other man enough he would have a chance at watching him slip up to score a win.

Cassius had a smart mouth that would land him in a lot of heat here if he didn’t watch his tongue. The den was not known for it’s warm hospitality. Most of it’s clientele came here looking for drinks and fights, often finding themselves in a scarp outside his bar as fighting inside was prohibited. It cost too much to constantly be buying new bar stools and windows, so they parking lot was now used to settle disputes between patrons. 

A low grumble left the Alpha’s lips as he sat down beside the shifter. His usual charm making Jack roll his eyes back into his skull while tossing his fingers up to order his regular beverage. “You aren’t my type.” His glare was cast at the remark that left him unimpressed. “Every night is a good night, but with the cold coming in business has been steadily on the rise. The change of season brings in all types. Lots of humans looking for more than cold drinks.”

HE LAUGHED. even the glare jackson casted in his direction wasn’t enough to drive cassius away. instead he watched the older man pick up his own drink, before casting his gaze around the bar. jackson was right — business at the den seemed to pick up. he was wrong, then, about assuming that the reason why the alpha frequented the ring because of a lack of business.

no matter the rivalry werewolves and shifters had, a part of him would always respect jackson. there was something to admire about someone who was steel enough to run a pack and a business. not to mention that jackson certainly knew how to hold out in a fight. there was a glint in his eyes when he shifted his gaze back to the man. “don’t worry, crane,” he said, amusement dripping on his tongue. “you’ve made it quite clear that i’m not really your type the last time you beat me up.” then, gesturing at the general environment of the den, he added, “maybe we’ll be losing business to you this season. i can’t imagine haneul and natalia being happy about that.”

CASSIUS FULGORA ( CIS MALE & HE/HIM )? oh, aren’t they the TWENTY-SEVEN year old SHAPESHIFTER who works as a BARTENDER at QUARTER MOON & ( PART-TIME ) PERSONAL TRAINER at PRIMAL FITNESS? word on the streets is that they are DRIVEN & RELIABLE, but they can also be RELENTLESS & ARROGANT. by the way, they look eerily similar to GREY DAMON, don’t they? ( admin karin / 20 / she/fae / aest )

date: september 22, 03:06 pm. location: the fairview times.

AS A GENERAL RULE, anyone who had spent more than five minutes with cassius would know that yes, he was in fact taken and yes, he loved his girlfriend with all his heart. the sentiment seemed to apply vice versa, too. and anyone who had been in the near vicinity of both cassius and hana would probably be well aware — too well, in fact — that they had a fondness for public display of affection.

something that, most of hana’s employees were very familiar with.

yet cassius strode into the fairview times with no shame, head held high as a smirk twisted across his lips when he spotted his girlfriend. it was no news that he acted like he owned the place almost as much as hana did, and that he belonged — never mind that he didn’t even know the first thing about running a newspaper. his eyes lit up as he leaned down to peck hana right on the lips in full view of her entire office, before pulling back to hum out, “well, are you going to stay cooped up in here all night or will you actually spare me your precious time to accompany me to the festivities?”

Almost every night you could find Jack at his bar having a drink, and shooting the shit with either his pack or just a few locals who were brave enough to wander into his place. On other nights, well, he was at the ring watching the blood spill for a few green backs. Tonight, he had decided to just sit back at the bar and actually crunch a few numbers. Both business were extremely profitable, and he didn’t exactly trust anyone else to do this work. Someone always tried to skim a bit off the top when you aren’t looking. Speaking of not looking, Jack caught someone in the corner of his eye that made him take a short little break from his work, and wander up to his bar to see what brought them in. “How’s it going?” 

HE HAD TO HAND IT to southside’s alpha — jackson crane really knew how to start conversations. cassius had to hold back from snorting at the terrible sentence opening the other man was proposing. still, he lifted his mug and tipped it in jackson’s direction, then lifted it back up against his lips before swallowing a gulp and wiping his mouth. it had been a while since he had headed down to the den, with work and the fight ring keeping him at the quarter moon most nights. tonight, though, even to his surprise, he had chosen the den as his destination.

cassius offered jackson a grin. he and the other man were acquainted from quarter moon’s fight ring. he wondered how the business at the den was going if even its owner spent some nights at another. “now, see, if you were trying to flirt with me, — taken, by the way — you’ll need a stronger opening than that,” he shot back instead of responding. cassius pointed at the open seat next to him. then, he added, “good night for business?”