Seventeenth Unused Utility Belt | Spam and text

[hellofist]

[Open Spam]
[Cass inhabiting the CTS isn't a new Barge occurrence, but it's not typical for her to go in looking upset and come out still... really looking upset. But here she is, sitting on the floor outside the CTS to catch her breath and wait for her legs to start working again because it's been a few hours now of nothing but punching and kicking and pushing herself so she wouldn't feel anything, but it's not really doing the job this time around.

So yeah, she's kind of brooding outside the CTS like any good Bat does after an upsetting day.]


[Private text to Dean]
Out.


[Spam for Merlin]
[She goes back into the CTS after her break, but it's still not enough. In the end she's just on her knees punching the floor until her hands are bleeding and that helps, finally. Only took her hours to get there. Finally she leaves the CTS and makes her way back home to wait for Merlin. He can fix her, her hands and her heart.

It's a bit surprising, though, that she runs into him in the hallway, him approaching the door from the other direction. Even after everything, she's able to smile when she sees him.]

Was just... gonna find you. Hi.

Comments

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[takeyouapart]

[Merlin's been at work and blissfully unaware of what's gone on while he was in the Infirmary, but when he sees her - he knows something's badly wrong, and when his gaze drops to her bleeding hands that only confirms it.]

Oh. Cassandra -

[He moves close, touching her arms gently, too afraid of how else she might be injured to pull her into a hug.]

Cass, are you alright? What happened? Here -

[He opens the door to his cabin to let her in.]

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[velocette]

[He hasn't gone into the CTS because of the 'training mode' it was on. Now that it's safer, though, he's been exploring. He normally doesn't bother people when they're brooding but...well Cass is unusual. Everything about her looks different to him and he can't pin down why.]

Hey.

[And he offers her a cigarette, because it's the 'olive branch' in the neighborhood he's from.]

[Spam]

[logistical]

[Spock has not yet finished his tour of the Barge's facilities. He spent too much time in the library, and upon hearing that the CES and CTS were finally back to normal, he decides to conduct a small investigation into what they had been like before his arrival. To him, unfortunately, the CES would always be a bit of an empty place, foggy, and his communicator alive with voices he was not sure he wanted to hear, so he heads to the CTS, and sees Cass there.]

Hello.

[His hands are behind his back, like he is surveying something, and his posture perfectly controlled. He is regarding her with some curiosity.]

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[ichoosefight]

[ She didn't have to see the comments to suspect that Cass might be upset after Cain's post. He always made himself out to be this great father figure who just made a mistake. She knows if it was her she would be pissed. So she goes out looking, and she doesn't stop until she finds her friend. ]

Cass. Hey.

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[hellofist]

[She's gotten all the anger out, so all that's left is overwhelming sadness. When he touches her arms she leans into him, exhausted and sad and just so glad she has him to go to.]

Better now. Nowhere else is hurt, just hands.

[Well, that's not strictly true, but is the only part of her that he can fix with magic. She's come a long way in the last few months, doesn't let her injuries go unattended or ignore it when she gets hurt. She stays close for just a little longer, then pulls back to go inside.]

Talked to Cain. Probably... should stop doing that.

[SPAM]

[theantiaya]

[It was mere coincidence that led them to cross paths.]

[Aya had been on her way to a completely unrelated location the moment she passed by the CTS and saw Cassandra. Until then, she had found little reason to maintain constant communication with the young girl. Their last discussion had carried a strong tone of sadness. Emotion. It was...illogical to continue subjecting herself to such frivolities.]

[But there was something equally off about this scene. The physical state of her suggested Cassandra had recently emerged from training. Past experience had led Aya to believe this usual resulted in a more pleasant expression. Therefore, her mind immediately began processing all the possible conclusions.]

...is the CTS in need of repairs?

[Not that it was of immediate consequence to her; she had no need for the training, even if her higher functions would be returned to her. But for future reference, and an update in the ongoings of the Barge, she thought it rational to ask.]

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[wedonot]

[Charles had been on his way to the CES, but he diverts his path when he spots Cass. He doesn't need to be a telepath to be able to sense the dark raincloud of emotion hovering over her, and while they don't know each other very well, he can't just pretend like he didn't notice her.

So he walks over]

Are you- [He cuts himself off quickly, shaking his head.] I'm sorry, that's an absurd question. Do you need anything?

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[hellofist]

[She can tell from the way he's offering that this is an important social cue, so Cass takes the cigarette even though she doesn't smoke and never has before. She'll just hold it, hope it won't burn her.]

Thank you. Haven't met you, I don't think.

[She tries a smile, but it's obviously strained and doesn't last long.]

Cass. Hi.

[Spam]

[hellofist]

[It's interesting, watching him. He's almost blank on the outside but inside, there's a lot going on. Things people will never see, things it's possible no one will ever understand are actually in him, ready to come out when he's ready to let them.

Reading him, all put together when most people are a jumble of feelings and desires, is oddly soothing.]

Hello. Lost?

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[hellofist]

[Just one of the many reasons Steph will always be her best friend. She understands these things, the things fathers cause without ever realizing, but most of all she just knows that her company is something Cass will sorely want.

She'd have found her first, once she had herself a little more together. When she sees Steph, she reaches her hand out to her.]

Knew you'd come.

[SPAM]

[hellofist]

[Cass actually looks back at first, trying to see if she'd broken something without realizing it. But no, everything's in working order, completely fine.

It's not until she stares at Aya for a few moments that she's able to pick up on what's going on here.]

No, it's fine. Just... didn't help, today.

[SPAM]

[theantiaya]

["Help" was a relative term. Subjective. She did not do well with either in context.]

Your regime is extensive.

Perhaps you simply need to amplify it further if you continue to expect noticeable results each time.

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[ichoosefight]

Always.

[ She knows. She couldn't not know. Loving someone and hating them at the same time, it tears you apart inside even when they aren't on the ship. Cass reaches out a hand, but Steph goes in for a hug. ]

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[myresponsibility]

[Peter's been keeping out of the way and to himself for the most part after port ended. It was harder to want to pick himself up and make himself do stuff when he didn't really have anything to do here, and the depression and isolation he felt were hard to shake off.

Talking to Bond had helped, and he was trying, really trying to just suck it up and act like things were fine, which was why he'd headed up to the deck instead of just staying cooped up in his room.

It's also why he hesitates for a long moment before approaching Cass, because he's very intimately aware of what despair feels like and how desperately she might need to be alone right now. But Cass was the person who'd reached out to him during that flood where everything had been horrible, and so he cautiously approached her, keeping his hands shoved in his jacket pockets.]

Hey.

[Spam]

[yeahscience]

[Jesse's got roughly zero interest in the CTS, but what he does like is the CES, and since his ride with Ariadne he's been taking his motorcycle out there every so often, when he catches it at a good time and it gives him something flat to drive around on. He's actually done and on his way down from the CES, taking the bike down in the elevator, when the doors open and he spots her.]

Cass?

[He holds the doors to get a look at her, then changes his mind and pushes the bike out into the corridor so he can lean it against the wall.] You okay?

[surfaceshine]

[Ironically, there's no answer. Good job, Dean.]

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[hellofist]

[It's been awhile since she's spoken to Charles, but she's always liked him. His hard not to, honestly.

She probably does need something, but but when she tries to think of what that might be, all she gets is a big fat blank. Figures.]

Will let you know... when I know. Doing okay?

[SPAM]

[hellofist]

[She nods. There's a reason she's sitting out here and hasn't left yet.]

Will go back, in a minute. Figured... breaks are good. Let others... have their chance.

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[hellofist]

[Cass wraps her arms around Steph tightly, face pressed into her shoulder. There's still to much anger all wrapped up in this, but she knows if she had managed to work everything out, get everything feel back to normal, she'd probably be in tears right now.

As it is, she just clings.]

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[hellofist]

[It means a lot that he even tries when she can see how little he actually wants to be out here, doing this. She smiles at him when he comes over and it actually sticks, which is honestly a little surprising to her.]

Hi Peter.

[She pats the floor beside her, inviting him to sit if he'd like.]

[Spam]

[hellofist]

[She shakes her head to answer him, but her eyes are on his motorcycle. She didn't even know he had one, that there was one anywhere on the ship. She's a little envious, but it passes quickly. If anyone deserves something nice it's Jesse.]

Didn't know... you had motorcycle.

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[hellofist]

[Interesting. She waits, then tries again.]

???

[ Private : Voice ]

[surfaceshine]

[And still no immediate response, but if she waits long enough, he'll switch to voice and come back eventually.

He sounds hoarse.]

I'm sorry.

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[velocette]

Yeah...I'm new here.

[He takes a drag on his own, but doesn't seem offended that she hasn't really touched hers. He smiles slightly.]

You look roughed up, Cass.

[Spam]

[yeahscience]

[He glances back at the bike and grins.] What, that old thing? Hell, yeah. It comes out with me in the CES sometimes when it ain't full of rabies dogs and whatnot.

[And then he glances back at her, looking fairly battered and worn out to his eyes, and even though he's on his way back he offers her a smile.] Wanna take it out?