#cassiedaws

@cassiedaws​

Lucas’ fingers trailed the wood panels of the library shelves, his eyes were glancing over the spines of the books in the spirituality section buried in the corner of the building. It all seemed like jargon to him, he could appreciate the tranquil mindset and the calming effects of such things as meditation and yoga, but spirituality was something that was still going over his head. A little ironic considering what he and the people in Grimstone were more than capable of; he didn’t often overlook anything anymore. 

He was only in the department because he was still a little haunted by his lapse those weeks ago when the news had hit; it hadn’t happened since, but it was something he was determined to get to the bottom of. Lucas wanted to understand; needed to, he’d always had such a firm grasp on his power and was good at it; he was the best at it. Thinking about what was happening inside and outside the walls was too playing on his thoughts. Between those, he was still continuing on with normality even if everyone seemed to be going through something behind closed doors; their mind included. 

Greenman paused, dragged from his thoughts when he noticed a trail of askew books scattered haphazardly from one of the shelves in front of him, the book equivalent of a breadcrumb trail led to one of the round mahogany tables near the more quiet area of the library’s seating. It was remarkably secluded in the spirituality section and as he followed the trail; stacks of books placed strategically with the intention to hide something behind them. The mountain-like wall on top of the table obscured the sight of who was seated behind the self-made fortress. He tried not to laugh too loudly in the low hum of the library; it was supposed to be a quiet zone. The illusionist couldn’t help it when he lifted on his tiptoes to catch a familiar head of hair ducked behind, buried in a leathery-looking book. 

“Cass?” Lucas laughed, realising that his good friend was the one who had somehow reinvented the purpose of books into a personal hidey-cave. “Is this a joke?” he continued, shaking his head in disbelief as he ambled over the scattered books and stepped over the mini-cliffs to come around to her side. 

“I’m coming to kidnap this princess in her book castle.” he jabbed humorously, poking over one of the less stable stacks so it collapsed in its entirety. It crumbled all over the table, loud thumping of hardbacks slamming on the wood and floor and Luc wasn’t able to stop the few that slipped off onto Cassandra’s side and likely to thump onto her lap - or toes. He opted to break past the towering stacks to reach her side and peer over what she was so engrossed in reading and then, he yanked out one of the chairs next to her and comfortably slumped into it, kicking his legs up on the table with ease. Turning his head towards her, he made a final tease: “You’re better at hide and seek than this, y’know.” 

The rucksack on his back was heavy, it jolted each time his fast footsteps powered down the shadowy streets. Weighed down by the results of their latest successful job. Lucas’ hands wrapped around the handles of his pack, tightened them with a little unease and only briefly glanced back to his allied partner in crime.

They weren’t quite safe yet, they were still just on the outskirts of the Grimstone border and they could hear sirens blaring in the distance. Hopefully the authorities were lost on a track elsewhere. That didn’t mean Luc could relax, but it did let Greenman break his concerned expression and slip a smirk on his lips.

“Slow coach,” he joked as he looked back at Cass who was just on his tail. The two of them were perfectly suited for the illegal affairs they were mixed up in; their abilities provided more than adequate distractions as well as being unable to be detected if they so chose. It was usually clean and this one had been a breeze. “Come on, we’re almost there.” he added, nudging her arm with a playful glint sparking in his eyes.

Luc adjusted his pack and continued in a hurried pace towards the Grimstone entrance. He was still buzzed from the heist, the rush of adrenaline that coursed through him was waning, but he was ready to settle into safety right about now. He wasn’t sure if Cass was feeling the same.

“You think it’s a risk to pull one off within the walls?” he asked curiously, wondering her opinion of whilst playing fugitives to the police; they could be pulling off another theft from inside the Grimstone walls, whether she said it was too dangerous. They weren’t exactly known to be put off by that; they were both as dangerous as the game they played.

Greenman slipped through the borderline and gestured for his partner to follow in his direction; he wanted to be undetected and find a hideout before he could wind down. “You good?” he asked in a whisper, unaware if there was anyone in their vicinity to spot them and catch them post-robbery.

Maybe she’s pissed because she’s the one on the ladder barefoot, and not you? Lucas hadn’t considered that over until he glanced upwards to check how she was managing and gained a rather amusing sight. Nope, this was a good idea.

Greenman steadied the metal frame of the ladder and eyed her reaching for her flats that were haphazard on the roof. The whole thing was supposed to be a prank; that he was going to see how long it took her to realise that all her shoes had gone missing. It hadn’t really crossed his mind that during his launching off them around the front yard, he’d thrown a few pairs and little too hard.

“Think of the exercise you’re getting,” he called up to her, half wondering whether he should illusion the ladder away once she had clambered to the roof. Do you want her to murder you? “...I’ll buy you a hot chocolate, with marshmallows to make up for it... and maybe a new pairs of shoes...” he added, hoping it would at least ease the annoyance that might be swarming her and then saw that some of the recovered pairs of boots that were gathered at his feet were ruined beyond repair. With a not appropriate grin, he corrected himself: “Or a few...”

@cassiedaws

“Where would I go? Everywhere. Anywhere. I’d go back and finish my degree. How I left it - how it went down; it’s a feeling of unfulfillment. I would like to go back and complete it, just to remind myself that Grimstone didn’t take it away from me; to show myself that the man they stole away from the dorms is still the same man with ambition; he’s just grown a little more; with friends that he’d maybe have never met if it wasn’t for what happened; if it wasn’t for those people, I don’t know where I’d be… I can’t picture it really. 

So what would I do? I’d do everything; wear that graduation cap; look into martial arts academies, perhaps as a mentor - even open my own; do something wild, something that offered a haven to those who need it. 

Maybe I’ll take up Stand-Up, maybe that’s my calling. Who knows, I’m sure Cassie would have something to say about it or a few things. But there are so many long-term people that I’d miss if I didn’t see them again; Brianna, she was the person who dragged me from the pit I arrived in; Frozone - who I’m still waiting to drink under the table.