#sol:05

Cass Brookes

-she didn't hesitate once he gave her the okay to come in, poking her head through the door before stepping inside- Hey you. -He was shirtless, so she had to do her best to keep her eyes on his face, especially since he didn't have his ribs all wrapped up this time. After a moment, she moved over to where he was sitting and leaned in to give him a gentle kiss before settling in next to him.- How are you feeling today? Kinda figured you'd be out tryin' to fix something.

Sol Reznik

-oh, that easy kiss was like a balm to his overactive mind. But even still, he couldn’t avoid her question- Nah, no use to anything today…in a bit of a funk, I guess.

Cass Brookes

-his response pulled her lips down into a small frown of worry, her hand moving to the middle of his back to rub small circles on it- Did you not sleep well? Is it pain?

Sol Reznik

-closing his eyes in delight at her touch for just a moment…before the morning’s guilt came rushing in- Nothing like that, I slept like a baby. No, it’s…got to talking to somebody earlier and it reminded me of some shit that always gets me in my head. Been thinking it over all day.

Cass Brookes

-her hand pauses as her frown deepens, concern washing over her- I know what that can be like. I'm not gonna try and pull anything outta you, but if you wanna talk about it, I got nothin' but time right now. -she moves her hand around so that she's hugging his shoulders, giving him a little squeeze-

Sol Reznik

Shit, feels unfair to you…we get one nice evening before I’m unveiling my sad sack ways -he tries to tack a little laugh onto it, but it sounds half-hearted, even to his own ears- I just…man, I think you deserve the whole damn world. The very best. And I…historically speaking, I fuck things up. In all the crazy shit in this world, I’d wanna protect you, do right by you. But I couldn’t even get Ginny through one night out past the walls.

Cass Brookes

Hey... -While his last words weren't unexpected - hell, she knew he'd have to have this guilt eating him - it still didn't soften the blow of basically hearing him blame himself out loud- Ginny... it wasn't your fault, Sol. I know me sayin' it isn't going to immediately change your mind, but I hope someday you realize that it's true. There was nothing you could've done differently. You don't control the weather. -Now she moved her hands to cup his cheeks, forcing his head to turn and look her in the eyes- The past is just that. The past. I'm a big girl, Sol. I don't know if you've noticed, but I've spent a fair amount of time outside these walls myself.

Sol Reznik

-he presses his cheek into the comfort of her touch and closes his eyes- Shoulda been more cautious about the barn. I knew it was old, I shouldn’t have risked it. I can’t…I can’t shake the guilt. You deserve someone who’s not carrying that shit around, ‘cause I’m gonna have bad days, Cass. And I gotta warn you now, I’m going back out there. I gotta finish what sent Ginny out there, I gotta try to find Henry. Or I’m not gonna be able to live with myself. But god, that’s a shitty thing to put you through.

Cass Brookes

-It was impossible to stop the deep breath of air she sucked in at the idea of him heading out into the world to try and find a kid he'd never even met. Bless him, she understood his need, the reason behind it, but damn. Rather than focusing on that right now though, she presses her forehead to his.- If you think I'm not carryin' shit around, I'm puttin' up a better front than I thought. We've all got baggage, babe. Hell, some of us had it before the world went to shit. -she strokes her thumbs over his cheekbones, quiet for a moment before adding- I won't lie, I'm not a fan of you going out on what feels like an impossible mission, but I get it. I do.

Sol Reznik

-her understanding in that moment, the way she gets closer instead of pulling away…it breaks him. After building all day, the emotion of it comes spilling out of him in quiet tears- Lemme help you carry some of it, okay? I know right now I’m the one crumbling, but when it comes time, put some of that baggage on me, please?

Cass Brookes

-seeing the tears, hearing the break in his voice, she wraps her arms around him and pulls him in close, as though she can somehow shield him from the hurt he's experiencing- Only if you share yours with me, yeah? If we're gonna do this, we're in this together, good and bad. -her fingers stroke through his curls reassuringly, silently urging him to let his emotions out, because she's not going anywhere- I want to be equal partners with you, Sol. You lean on me, I lean on you.

Sol Reznik

-he hooks his chin over her shoulder and hugs her back- It’s gonna take some practice…I know my habits. But I’ll try. Shit, think I’d try anything for you. Just…tell me if I’m fucking up, okay? ‘Cause it’ll never be on purpose. But it’s been a long time since I let someone close.

Cass Brookes

I promise that I will do my best to warn you before you even get close to fucking anything up, okay? -she turns her head so her face is pressed into his neck, taking a deep breath before pulling back a bit. She's hoping that opening up a bit to him in return will help ease his own fears about himself- You have every right to tell me if I'm fucking things up, too, cause I'm just as likely to as you. My last relationship was a nightmare and I haven't trusted myself with anyone since.

Sol Reznik

-he doesn’t like the sound of a nightmare relationship, but he tries not to let his face get too grim. He takes her hand- You can tell me about it, y’know? Help me know how to treat you better?

Cass Brookes

-For a moment she almost makes a callous, offhand comment in response to his questions, but at the last second she reins it in, knowing now isn't the time for jokes.- It's a pretty cliché story. Girl meets boy, girl falls in love, girl's dreams start coming true and boy's don't, boy gets mad, boy hits girl. -Okay, it still came out more callous than she meant to, so with a sigh, she squeezes his hand and continues- He started out alright, turned into a jerk at the end. I hate admitting it, but I stayed way longer than I should've, thinking he'd change back.

Sol Reznik

-the idea of hitting Cass is so completely fucking foreign to him that it hadn't crossed his mind as the source of the nightmare. As soon as the word "hit" leaves her mouth, something new and angry starts taking shape inside him. He tamps it down for some other outlet, but she can probably still feel his tremble. He loosens his posture, gentles his body as much as he can, and squeezes her hand back- Fucking shame you had to go through any of that. I can see why you'd be cautious, then. I hope you know...the boxing, the fighting shit I've done, that has always stayed in the ring.

Cass Brookes

Oh, God, Sol-- no. I've never worried about that around you. Ever. -Even having felt the shift in his posture twice over, there's no fear when it comes to being this close to him- Not even after learning you did the whole boxing thing. -To reassure him as much as herself, she leaned in again to place another soft kiss on his lips-  Steve just-- it took awhile for me to admit how bad things were, and it took even longer for me to stop blaming myself. You're nothing like him though.

Sol Reznik

-he sighs relief against her kiss, then presses one of his own to her forehead- I hate knowing you went through something awful like that...and being totally honest, the idea that someone laid their hand on you in harm makes me wanna tear down a whole goddamn building in rage. If zombies haven't gotten him, I wouldn't mind the chance to take him out myself. -he takes a deep breath and focuses back on her, pets her cheek with his thumb- But I'm proud you got out.

Cass Brookes

Zombies probably did get him, but even if he's still out there somewhere, he's not worth it. -She offers him a small smile- So you can leave the poor, innocent buildings alone. -Now she twists to a sideways sitting position, wrapping her arms around him entirely and pulling him into her chest, every bit as protective as he wants to be- What about you? Why've you held people at arm's length so long?

Sol Reznik

-the intensity of that question sobered him right up and he blew out a big puff of air- I got this tendency to just...not be as much as people need? The one serious relationship I was in, I couldn't be who she needed. Couldn't...-he cleared his throat to stall, but figured he oughta be upfront- she wanted kids--we both did--but it never happened. Years after we split, she got married, had a whole bunch of babies right in a row. That's just one example. Somewhere along the way, I guess I figured I was saving folks the disappointment? I got older, realized that was a cowardly way of living. But by then, I'd gotten used to my own company. -he rests his head against her shoulder- holy shit, I never do this, just spill my guts out.

Cass Brookes

-she can practically feel the gravity of his answer in the weight of his frame. The comment about the kids - well, she could see how that would make anyone feel 'not enough'. Cass had always dreamed of having kids someday, but now, with the state of the world, she wasn't so sure.- I'm glad you feel like you can. Share with me. And for what it's worth, you should never think you're not enough for someone. -She wanted to reassure him that of course it wasn't on him that they'd never had children, but she couldn't say for sure and to try and tell him otherwise would probably come off as patronizing. 'Maybe it wasn't meant to be' wasn't any better. So instead of saying any of those things, she tilted her chin to kiss the crown of his head, continuing to run her fingers through his hair.-

Sol Reznik

You're real good at this, y'know? Still got the little ball of guilt in there, but for the first time all day, I don't feel like my goddamn chest is gonna cave in. -he sways a little against her, then hums when a thought comes to mind- Shit, I didn't even ask, how was your day?

Cass Brookes

-she let out a soft chuckle, kissing the crown of his head again- Like I said, we're a team. It's easier if it's shared. -oof. Her day. Hopefully her new plan didn't bring back that chest caving feeling again.- Not so bad. Didn't come across anything on my security rounds. -She paused, and now she was the one doing the stalling. Another sigh.- I stopped by Isaac's place earlier to run an idea past him.

Sol Reznik

-Ike was about the last person he expected her to mention, but he tried not to let his surprise show, put on a joking voice- Now that sounds like all sorts of trouble.

Cass Brookes

Surprisingly not. -She never had told Sol about everything that had gone down between her and Isaac, so she didn't mention the semi-truce they'd come to- At least not running the idea past him. He was actually all for it.

Sol Reznik

Well that's good, what's the idea?

Cass Brookes

-Well there was a loaded question, considering she hadn't even told Sol about all of her family yet.- Going back to my ranch to see if some of my older brother's 'bugout bags' are still hidden. He had several stashes hidden around the property.

Sol Reznik

Is that Alex, then? Send a couple of raiders out there to bring back the goods--that's smart.

Cass Brookes

Not Alex... Nate. He's not-- he was with Alex and didn't make it. And no, not a couple of raiders. -she tenses slightly, already anticipating that Sol isn't going to like her next words- Me, Alex, and Ike.

Sol Reznik

-compassion hit first, when she mentioned a brother that was dead. Then she wasted no time in dealing the second blow- Jesus...I don't like that. I--I'm sorry to hear about Nate, I'm guessing that was news Alex brought with him? Shit Cass, you been grieving and I'm fucking...hitting on you? -he hung his head down and sighed- I'm guessing there's a reason Ike can't just take Alex?

Cass Brookes

Hey - you have been a fucking shining light in the middle of all of this. I've been grieving yes, but I didn't say anything, because in a way, I've already grieved all of my family. -Shit, she'd already gone through it once today, and if anyone deserved to know the story, it was Sol- We lost my parents about a year into everything. About maybe a year after that, Nate and Alex went out for supplies and just... never came back. I waited a year for them, hoping, but by the time some people wandered by and told me about Redwood forming, I had nothing but the horses. And I'm not gonna lie, Ike could easily take Alex and leave me behind... -she used her fingers to tilt his chin up so she could look him in the eyes again- But I feel like I need to go.

Sol Reznik

-he felt a surge of fondness for her, setting out with just her horses, brave and determined in the face of loss- I get it. Hell, I'd be a raging fucking hypocrite if I said otherwise. And I trust Ike. Not that I don't trust Alex, I just know Ike. If I had to pick someone to watch out for you, it's him. I just...-he took both of her hands in his and brought them to his mouth like he could impress the words on them- I know you will, but please be careful. Be smarter than I was out there.

Cass Brookes

Of course I'll be careful. I promise I'll be careful. Besides, it'll only take us a couple of days, a week at most. Easy peasy. And I'll be as smart as I can. -she wanted desperately to ease his mind, although she knew it was impossible to completely ease his fears- I'll have Ike and Alex to keep an eye on me, and you know Zodiac won't let me get into trouble

Sol Reznik

-the mention of Zodiac did actually reassure him- Yeah, I take it back, if there's anyone I pick to watch out for you it's Zodiac, that's one very good boy. You need anything taken care of at the farmhouse while you're gone? Anything I can do back here?

Cass Brookes

-she snorted a laugh at his sudden turn, although she couldn't blame him after Zodiac was the one to carry him home- I'll let you know if I can think of anything for while I'm gone. But...for tonight? Do you mind if I just stay here? -Partly because she just wanted to be close to him, partly to prove to him that she wasn't scared of whatever baggage he had, and partly to reassure him that she was real and there and would come back to him-

Sol Reznik

-relieved beyond words that he doesn't have to watch her walk out tonight- Course I don't mind, whatever I got is yours. Which...ain't a lot, mind you. But I got a couple of clean t-shirts and sweatpants if you need something comfortable to sleep in. Might wanna lock the door though, apparently I'm still "recuperating," which means folks walk in with soup at all hours of the day.

Cass Brookes

I hadn't even thought of that. No one is gonna like, panic if they can't get to you, right? -she could only imagine how embarrassing that might be for everyone involved- I already told Alex not to wait up for me, so he's not gonna be looking for me. -She glances down at her current outfit, realizing that jeans would definitely not be comfortable to sleep in- I'll take you up on the t-shirt... sweatpants might be too warm. Got any of those cute little shorts around?

Sol Reznik

Nah, I'm not expected anywhere til the afternoon tomorrow. -he scoffs at the shorts comment and shakes his head- I have one clean pair left, you're welcome to 'em.

Cass Brookes

You laugh, but I'm used to sleeping in just a t-shirt and underwear. I'll take the shorts over full on sweatpants any day. -glancing around the RV, she turns back to Sol- Where can I find said shorts and tee?

Sol Reznik

-with that glorious mental picture searing into his brain, he levels her with a knowing smile, kicks the heel of his good foot against the underside of his bed, and scoots to the side- There's storage under here, I got it. -he leans down and snags the shorts- for shirts, I've got grey or navy blue, what's your flavor?

Cass Brookes

Very efficient use of space. -In a way, she envied him this cozy space. More often than not, the farmhouse felt entirely too empty and lonely- Hmm... -she pretends to think, as though it's some very important decision- I'm feeling the navy blue. It'll up my stealth factor. -as though she was at all stealthy-

Sol Reznik

-handing the garments over with a smile- Should I be concerned you're tryna be stealthy in my bed? -he catches himself- That's alright, yeah? Sharing the bed? I assumed...

Cass Brookes

-She takes the clothing before kicking off her boots, and with only a little hesitation, shucks off both her jeans and top right in front of him, replacing them with the offered clothing before answering his questions- Well, I promise you I'll be anything but stealthy, and yeah... that's kinda what I was anglin' for...

Sol Reznik

-not prepared for her to undress right away he catches sight of her bare breasts and long legs before glancing away in the name of privacy. He still wanted to wait until he was in better shape, but tonight would test that resolve- Never need to angle with me, Cass, I'm very unlikely to ever tell you "no."

Cass Brookes

Then in that case, I want to stay the night to be close to you, so yeah -she paused, locking the door of the RV before stepping over to stand in front of Sol again- if you're okay with me sharin' your bed, that's where I wanna be.

Sol Reznik

-staring up at her, a little mesmerized- Then that's where I want you. You still okay with waiting?

Cass Brookes

-she takes the time to let her gaze move over his body, nibbling her lower lip for a contemplative moment before she settles on the bed next to him and nods- I'm telling you right now, I am coming back from the ranch, so yes, I'm still good on waiting. -she scooches up further onto the bed and pats the spot next to her in unnecessary invitation-

Sol Reznik

-her promise made his heart sing, even if he knew this was a world without guarantees. So he maneuvered onto the bed beside her til they were shoulder to shoulder and lowered his voice to a whisper- You like your own space when you sleep, or can I hold you?

Cass Brookes