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This was it, she’d returned… You had mixed feelings about this encounter, you wanted to feel relief at the fact you hadn’t killed her that day but the burning hatred in her eyes told you that she didn’t feel the same for you. Cassandra looked quite dishevelled, she’d definitely been aching for the moment she would finally be in a fit enough state for a rematch. As she takes notice of your unease, a deranged grin spreads across her cheeks, inhumanly wide. Although that no longer surprises you, you know what she is. And if it weren’t for the circumstances that made you find out, you initially would have found it cute.
But alas here you are, standing about 20 feet away from the ball of unbridled rage. You grip your trusty gun and you notice her eyes shift between it and your own eyes.
“Come to finish the job, Prico?”
Cassandra shifted from side to side, as if under all that ravenous fervour, she was worried she might not be so lucky this time around. She was obviously trying not to show it as the two of you locked eyes for what seemed like an eternity. You swallow your fear and try to ignore it practically clawing at your throat as you take a step forward. This seemed to be a mistake as she lets out an ear-piercing screech. Her head snaps out of place as she starts to show her true form, for all you know this whole thing could just be a scare tactic. You found it hard to believe her bones literally snapped and reformed every time she had to shapeshift.
You were then proven wrong as her hands stretch out as claws extend from her fingers, the very same snapping sound slamming against your ears when her arms bent and extended in ways that weren’t exactly natural. Tufts of dark grey fur spread from her shoulders down to her now massive paws. It was a miracle that she didn’t instantly kill you by slamming one right down onto you last time, it would have been so much easier for her unless she’s deliberately holding herself back. You pondered this for a few seconds, wondering if Cyril was actually right and not just saying she liked you to get under your skin. It didn’t take long for Cassandra to snap you out of your thoughts, slamming her paw down onto the pavement and leaving a sizable dent in the tarmac.
“Are you even taking me seriously?!” She hoarsely shrieked, demanding your attention. Both your eyes locked again and you give her a sympathetic look, tossing your gun to the side. Her head tilts in confusion as you take another step forward. You continue to approach her and she does her best to maintain the gap between you.
“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!”
She lets out a snarl as you continue to advance. It was a wonder how you had managed to end up standing directly beneath her. She hunches over to look at you, her breathing slowed down to a moderate pace as you’d thrown away the one thing she considered a threat. You now just needed to pray she didn’t use this to crush you.
“I’m glad you’re ok…” You smile, hiding the fact your heart felt like it was about to burst through your chest. She glares at you for a moment before lifting a paw, ready to turn you into a human puddle on the street. You brace yourself for your inevitable end as her oversized hand comes plummeting towards you. Your chest aches as you come to terms with what was happening. You wait for the cold embrace of death yet instead of being crushed, her paw lands gently beside you.
“Umm… Cass?” You stand up straight and look up to meet her eyes. You could see her eyes well up with tears as she slowly returned to her human form. “I can’t… I hate you so fucking much Prico,” she stifles back sobs as tears stream down her face, “why can’t I finish the damn job?!...” She scowls and delivers a swift slap to your face and the impact site slowly starts to sting.
Cassandra stares at the floor, embarrassed at the fact she was crying, let alone in front of you. You open your arms, welcoming her into a comforting embrace. “Why can’t I do it?...” She sniffles, digging her fingernails into the back of your jumper. You say nothing, idly rubbing her back while waiting for her to compose herself.
“So uh… is what Cy told me true?...” She looks up at you, her eyebrows furrowing as she tried to figure out what you meant.The realisation soon hit her like a train, “He told you what?!.... Yeah… kinda.” You smile a bit, hoping this was a good enough time.
“Well uh… I like you too… you didn’t have to do all this to get my attention.”
“God, you’re stupid as fuck… You know what I did.”
It’s true, the fact you were one of the few survivors made it extremely obvious… In most cases, you would have gladly killed someone on sight if they caused that much death and destruction but deep down you could tell she had the capacity to change. Knowing if she was actually willing to was a different story.
You grab her hand and lead her down the now quiet street, soon met with a tug back.
“Where the hell are you dragging me?!”
“We’re going to my house so you can shower, you’re greasy as all hell…”
She tsks and looks away, not noticing the smile forming on her face. She was actually looking forward to a nice warm shower, being this dirty felt extremely embarrassing and gross. You get to your house and the two of you head inside, it’s a homely place if you look past the messiness. You like to consider it “lived in” because you were going to tidy up, life just got in the way.
“The bathroom’s the first room on the right, there’s towels in there and I’ll get you some spare clothes”
She heads upstairs, giving you a moment to process what happened. You honestly couldn’t put a finger on how you felt about the whole thing exactly. You sit your confused ass on your sofa and sigh, catching your breath for a few minutes before you hear the shower turn on upstairs. You haul yourself upright and trudge off to rummage through whatever pile of clothes was actually clean, you really need to get your shit together.
You find a few articles of clothing that might fit and head to the bathroom door, opening it slightly and shoving the clothes through before closing it again. She finishes her shower, feeling a lot calmer after warming up. You watch her slowly come back down the stairs and the two of you sit together. She yawns and leans against you.
“Hey, Pico?...”
You turn your head towards her, “huh? Yeah?”
“I’m stealing your shit… it’s comfy.” She chuckles and lays in your lap, you couldn’t help but grin.
“So are we… a thing?...”
“Are you fucking kidding me, Prico?” Her giggles turn to awkward laughter before the two of you lean on each other. You soon find yourself absent-mindedly playing with her hair, gently running your hands over the horns. She settles in your lap, quietly purring as the both of you unintentionally lull each other to sleep.