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Wenona was shaken out of her peaceful sleep by an incessant buzzing at her bedside. She rubbed her eyes with a groan, rolling over to glance out her bedroom window. The moon hung high overhead, casting pillars of light into her room from where it shone through the curtains. It wasn’t morning yet. Not even close.
Wenona considered ignoring it. She considered rolling back over and praying the noise went away on its own, considered sinking back into the mattress and letting sleep take her once again. But she couldn’t do it. Surely there was a reason someone was calling her this late at night.
The phone had already stopped ringing by the time Wenona reached to her bedside table to grab it. The phone screen lit up anyway, and a single notification settled on her home screen as her eyes tried to focus, still blinking away the sleep.
Diana Venicia - 1 Missed Call
Huh. That’s odd. Diana and Wenona certainly knew each other – they were both part of the same larger friend group, after all – but the two had never been particularly close. Definitely not close enough to warrant a “friendly little chat” in the dead of night. Wenona’s eyes traced upwards, finding the time listed just above the notification: 1:28 AM.
Wenona pinched the bridge of her nose. She let out a deep sigh as her fingers redialed the number. She would much rather be asleep right now. In fact, there’s probably a thousand things she’d rather be doing than to be woken up in the middle of the night to a phone call from Diana Venicia. But, she and Diana had one important thing in common. Or rather, one important person in common.
“Hey Wenona.” Diana’s voice crackled through the speaker. She didn’t sound nearly as peppy as usual. Background noise picked up over the speaker, echoing to Wenona sounds of joyful conversation, loud music, and the clinking of glass. “Look, I-I know it’s late but… I think we might need your help with a little… situation here.”
“What situation?” Wenona sighed. She tried not to let the sleepiness seep into her voice, but it was near impossible.
“It’s, uh… It’s Cassidy.”
Wenona’s stomach dropped. She should have expected it – after all, what other reason would Diana have to call her if not for the one person that was so important to both of their lives? Wenona’s heart raced the longer the silence stretched on, and she realized sitting there with her mouth hanging open wasn’t going to get her any answers.
“Wh… What about her?”
“I don’t know exactly, she’s just been acting a little… weird.” Diana huffed, and Wenona could hear the concern in her voice – it wasn’t a good sign. “We went out to this bar – us, Jean, and Kai did, I mean. We weren’t planning on having a ton, but then she and Jean got into some drinking contest, and I… I think she’s had way too much now.”
Wenona raised an eyebrow. “So you called me because she’s drunk?”
“No!” Diana started. “Well, yes – she is drunk. But I’m calling you because she needs to get home somehow. She’s been telling us she has a ride, but she’s not really telling us who that is or when they’ll get here. I thought her ride was you, but it sounds like you had no idea about this.”
“That would be correct.” Wenona deadpanned.
Diana huffed from the other end of the line. “Well, she’s telling us she has a way home, but I’m not sure she actually does. Eva’s here waiting to take me, Jean, and Kai home, but her car can only fit four people. And none of us really want to leave until we can be sure Cassidy has a safe way home.”
Wenona felt herself relax a little bit. “So she’s a little wasted and you need me to pick her up?”
“Yeah, more or less.” Diana sighed.
The worries that had filled Wenona’s head slowly dissipated. She was worried something serious had happened to Cassidy, based on the tone of Diana’s voice. But just giving Cassidy a ride to her apartment? That wasn’t so bad. She would rather not have been woken up at one in the morning for it, but there were worse alternatives. She could handle a mildly drunk Cassidy for the night.
“Mildly drunk,” it turned out, was a bit of an understatement.
“Wenonaaaaaaaa!” Cassidy called out from the sidewalk. She was leaning on the brick wall next to Jean, her eyes glassy and her cheeks flushed pink. She attempted to push herself off the wall and make her way to Wenona, but she tripped over her own foot almost immediately.
Wenona surged forward, catching her just before she fell. Once she had control of the girl, she slid an arm around Cassidy’s back to help hold her upright. “My god, Cassidy. How much have you had to drink?”
“More than Jean.” Cassidy grinned triumphantly. Right, Diana had mentioned a drinking game.
Jean looked apologetic as he turned to face the two of them, rubbing the back of his neck guiltily. “I’m sorry about this, Wenona. I just posed it as a friendly drinking contest, I didn’t know she’d get so carried away.” He sighed and looked away, remorse clear in his expression.
“It’s alright, Jean. She’s an adult, she can make her own decisions.” Wenona sighed, glancing over at Cassidy. She still wore an unapologetic grin. “Even if those decisions are very poor ones.” She gritted out.
“Heyyy, I’m right here!” Cassidy protested. Wenona rolled her eyes and turned back to Jean, ignoring her.
“Thank you for keeping an eye on her. I’ll take her home.” Wenona exhaled. Jean nodded back in response and turned to reenter the bar.
“Stay safe out there!” He called, the door falling shut shortly after.
Wenona was glad she didn’t park far. She was more or less carrying 150 pounds of dead weight on her shoulder right now, and Cassidy couldn’t even do her the favor of being quiet about it.
“So what are you doing here?” Cassidy slurred.
“Taking you home.” Wenona grunted. “Or at least trying to.” Impromptu 1 AM workouts weren’t really her thing, it turns out.
“Yeah, but, how’d you know I was here?” Cassidy drawled inquisitively.
“Diana called me.” Wenona huffed, opening her car’s passenger side door and helping Cassidy inside.
“Oh.”
Cassidy didn’t have much to say after that, and Wenona was a little grateful for it. She had figured an intoxicated Cassidy would be even louder, more excitable than normal. And she was, for the first few minutes. But now she had settled down in Wenona’s passenger seat, eyes half-lidded and gaze a little unfocused. Wenona couldn’t see her face from this angle, so she had a hard time telling if Cassidy was even still awake or not.
“You passed the turn to my apartment building.” Cassidy spoke up, about ten minutes into their ride.
“I’m not taking you to your apartment. We’re going to mine.” Wenona spoke casually. She hoped Cassidy didn’t think too hard about it.
“Why?” Cassidy asked anyway.
I don’t want to leave you alone right now, is what Wenona wanted to say. What she settled for was, “I have work in the morning. I don’t have time to be taking a detour like that.”
“My bed is more comfortable than yours though.” Cassidy pouted.
Wenona rolled her eyes. “Not my problem, Cassidy.”
Cassidy was silent for a moment after that.
Then, suddenly somber, like a moment of clarity had struck her, she asked, “Are you mad at me?”
“What?” Wenona choked out. She had only been half listening to Cassidy’s drunken rambling up to this point, but now she had her full attention. “Mad at you for what?”
“Getting really drunk and not telling you where I was.” Cassidy mumbled, sinking into her seat.
Wenona sighed and thought about her response for a moment. Cassidy had her own life and had no obligation to tell Wenona when and where she was going. But, at the same time, it had been a little worrying. Why hadn’t Cassidy called her to pick her up? Why was it that Diana called first instead? Who was she planning on taking her home?
These questions can wait, Wenona decided. Cassidy’s in no condition to answer them anyway.
“I’m not mad,” Wenona sighs, looking back to the road, expression conflicted. “Let’s just get you back home. Try and get some sleep for now, we’re still another thirty minutes to my place.” Wenona reached across the center console to rest a hand on Cassidy’s thigh, running her thumb back and forth across the skin in an attempt to soothe her. It seemed to work, as Cassidy hummed and relaxed into the seat, her eyes slipping shut.
The rest of the ride back went by fast for Wenona. She wasn't in the mood for any music, and no sound came from Cassidy save for quiet, subdued snoring.
She drove between patches of dim streetlight and down empty roads nearly the whole way. She wasn’t sure if she passed even a single other car or person on the entire ride down. It didn’t surprise her, to be honest. She and Cassidy lived on different sides of town, and Cassidy’s side was… not exactly the safest after dark. Not many people risked being outside late at night, and many of those who chose outside did not have the greatest of intentions. She often worried about Cassidy living in such a dangerous area like this, but Cassidy was an adult. She could handle herself. Or at least, Wenona hoped she could.
“We’re here.” Wenona said abruptly, throwing the car in park and shaking Cassidy’s shoulder.
“Wh- huh?” Cassidy sputtered awake, glancing at Wenona before turning around to face the high rise on the other side of the street.
By the time Cassidy had fully shaken herself from sleep and was able to take in her surroundings, Wenona had already reached the other side of the car, opening the passenger side door for Cassidy to step out. She held out a hand for Cassidy, and Cassidy took it.
They walked through the lobby with Wenona’s arm around Cassidy’s waist (when they first stepped out of the car, Wenona had tested to see if Cassidy had sobered up enough to walk without her help. She had not.), and clicked the button on the elevator for the penthouse suite.
The second they had entered Wenona’s apartment, before Wenona could even slide the lock shut, Cassidy collapsed onto the couch. She seemed pretty content to just lie there, which was fortunate for Wenona – she was in no mood to drag her around any longer.
Wenona rifled through her kitchen cupboards, finding a small coffee mug – a housewarming gift from Ulysses, if she recalls correctly – and filling it with water. She placed the mug on the coffee table in front of Cassidy with a thunk, crossing her arms.
Cassidy sat up, holding the mug under her nose to see if it smelled alcoholic. “What is this?”
“Water, you dolt.” Wenona scowled. “You’ve had enough alcohol tonight.”
“Boring.” Cassidy sighs, setting the mug back down and flopping onto the couch once again.
Wenona shoved the mug back into Cassidy’s hands, leaving no room for negotiation. “Drink.”
Cassidy rolled her eyes but drank from the mug with little more protest than that. With that settled, Wenona sifted through her closet, searching for a clean set of pajamas for Cassidy to wear. Finding what she needed, she threw the set of pajamas down on the couch next to Cassidy, who had finished her water in the time Wenona was gone and was now fiddling with one of Wenona’s houseplants.
“You need to take a shower before you get in my bed.” Wenona huffed.
When Cassidy turned back to Wenona, a brief, mischievous glint passed over her eyes.
“Or… I have a better idea.”
Suddenly, Cassidy reached for Wenona’s wrist and yanked her down to the couch. Wenona only barely avoided headbutting Cassidy by catching herself with a hand to either side of Cassidy’s head. With Cassidy lying flat on her back and Wenona hovering over her, Wenona realized the rather suggestive position she’s just been put in.
Cassidy was grinning at her. This is exactly what she meant to happen. “We could always… do something else?” She reached up to brush a hand over Wenona’s cheek, pushing away some of the stray hair that had fallen over her face.
After she’d shaken her initial shock, Wenona brushed Cassidy’s hand off indignantly and sat up fully, her hips straddling Cassidy’s.
“Absolutely not. You’re drunk.”
Cassidy sat up soon after, her face now inches from Wenona’s once again.
“C’monnnn, sober Cassidy would wanna make out with you too, y’know.” She whined.
She was absolutely right, Wenona mused. But that’s not important here.
“You smell like beer. Go shower.” Wenona said firmly. She grabbed the pair of pajama pants that still sat folded on the couch and threw them over Cassidy’s face with a whumph. While Cassidy scrambled to pull the fabric from over her eyes, Wenona got up from the couch and placed the pajama shirt in Cassidy’s hands as well.
“I’ll go start the water. I moved your shampoo under the sink, so don’t tear up the bathroom looking for it.” Wenona started to head out.
“Wait,” Cassidy called after, and Wenona turned around, eyes narrowed. “You’re not gonna… join me?”
Wenona scoffed out a laugh. “No, I am not.”
“Aw, come on Wenona, that’s no fun.” She whined, putting on her best puppy-dog eyes. “Please?”
Wenona sighed. She was fighting a losing battle, wasn’t she?
“Fine. But not in that way.” She huffed, feeling her face heat up. “I just don’t want you to take forever. It’s the middle of the night and I’d like to get to bed sooner rather than later.”
Cassidy whooped in the background, which quickly faded out of Wenona’s hearing as she left to go start the hot water.
The shower was, surprisingly, quite nice. Cassidy was very little help, as expected, but was not as combative as Wenona anticipated in letting herself be cleaned up. She seemed very content to lean back and let Wenona wash her hair, sighing in bliss as she felt Wenona’s fingers massage the shampoo over her scalp. She didn’t even argue when they got dressed for bed and Wenona insisted Cassidy brush her teeth to drive the alcohol off her breath.
She must be getting tired, Wenona figured. Wenona was tired, too, but she had at least already gotten a few hours of sleep when Diana called. Cassidy had been awake for God knows how long at this point.
Still, even as Wenona placed a glass of water and some painkillers on the bedside table (she had a feeling Cassidy would want those by tomorrow morning), she felt something nagging at her. Something about the situation at the bar, with this “ride” she was supposed to have… it just didn’t sit right with Wenona.
Wenona didn’t want to ask questions. She wanted to just go to bed and worry about this in the morning. But, as she laid in bed, staring at the blank ceiling above her, she felt this nagging feeling start to consume her. She was really worried for her.
As the subject of Wenona’s worry finished brushing her teeth and climbed into bed next to her, Wenona got to thinking. Cassidy, when upset about something, could be very tight-lipped. If Wenona asked her tomorrow morning about what was up, there would be a chance she would brush Wenona off and refuse to talk about it. But, as she is now, with a couple of drinks flowing through her system, maybe it would loosen her up just enough to be willing to talk to her.
“Cassidy.” Wenona called. It came out much quieter than she’d meant it to.
The girl in question finished settling herself under the covers before turning to face her.
“What?” She seemed calmer now, especially compared to her excitability when Wenona first picked her up at the bar, but Wenona could still make out the little slur in her words.
“I was just wondering…” Wenona paused and bit her lip. She didn’t really think about how she wanted to approach this. “Who was going to give you a ride back from the bar tonight?”
Cassidy’s smile dropped a bit as she looked away from Wenona’s prying eyes. The room was dimly lit, with only the single bedside lamp providing any kind of light. The lamplight cast a golden hue over Cassidy’s face, and, even though she was clearly upset, Wenona thought she looked ethereal.
After a pause, Cassidy spoke up. “I don’t know, I was probably just gonna call, like… Jett or Mark or something.”
“But you didn’t.” Wenona accused, and finally Cassidy turned to face her again. “You could’ve, but you didn’t. Why not? None of the people you were out with had any idea how you were actually going to get home, you know.”
Cassidy turned away, a guilty look on her face. Wenona knew that face: she’d caught Cassidy lying.
“Look, I…” She muttered, rubbing at her eyes with the base of her palms and sighing. “I was gonna call you. I meant to call you much earlier, actually, to let you know I was going out, I just…” She trailed off again, looking everywhere but Wenona’s face. Cassidy could feel Wenona’s intense gaze on her, regardless. “By the time we were all getting ready to leave, I realized I’d forgotten to ask you about it, and it had already gotten so late... I didn’t want to wake you up in the middle of the night and bother you, so I just… told everyone to go ahead without me and said that I had it sorted.”
Wenona’s expression softened in concern. “So then how were you going to get home after they left?”
“Well, I was just gonna…” Cassidy trailed off, like she knew the answer would get her in trouble. “...probably walk back.”
Wenona’s expression shifted to one of shock, propping herself on an elbow as she sat up. “Walk back? You were going to walk back?”
“M-Maybe…” Cassidy stammered nervously.
“You live miles away from the bar, that walk could’ve taken you over an hour!”
“I could’ve made it back…” Cassidy claimed sheepishly, shrinking into the covers away from Wenona’s gaze.
“You were so intoxicated when I got there you could barely make it to the car. How did you expect to get home like that? Don’t you know how dangerous that part of the city is at night? You could’ve gotten hurt!” Wenona exclaimed, jabbing a finger into Cassidy’s side. Cassidy didn’t answer, and Wenona could tell through her body language that she was coming on too strong. Cassidy looked like she was about to cry.
“I-I just didn’t wanna be a burden…” Cassidy sniffled.
Wenona was taken aback by Cassidy's sudden vulnerability. She opened her mouth to say something, but Cassidy started up again, voice cracking.
“It was my own fault, getting so drunk like that… like an idiot. I keep dragging other people down with my problems... I got into that situation because I was being stupid – whatever would’ve happened to me on my walk home that night… I would’ve deserved it.” Cassidy’s composure cracked as she tried in vain to wipe her tears away with the sleeves of her pajama shirt.
“Woah, woah, woah,” Wenona called out, unsure how to handle this sudden outburst. “Cass, where is all this coming from?” Her hands hovered over Cassidy’s shoulders, hesitating to reach out and touch her. She didn’t know if touch is what Cassidy wanted right now.
“I just… fuck up all the time!” She cried out, the dam finally breaking. “And every time you swoop in to pull me out of the mess I made. It isn’t fair to you! You’re just…” She waves her hands around in a frantic gesture, choking on her words. “Y-You’re so incredible, and capable, and all I do is drag you down with me! I drag everyone down with me!”
“Cass…”
"And I just... I just try to go out and have fun for one night to not think about it anymore, and I still find a way to burden people!" She sobbed, hiding her face in her hands. "It would be so much easier for everyone to just not have to deal with me anymore - who even cares what would've happened to me on the walk back?!"
Wenona was starting to regret choosing to ask her about all this while she was drunk. All these thoughts she'd kept bottling up inside of her - the things she wouldn't dare tell anyone when sober - now poured out of her like a vengeful hurricane, out of control and all-consuming.
Hesitantly, she reached her hands around Cassidy middle and pulled her into a hug. Wenona worried for a moment that it was the wrong move, but Cassidy soon reciprocated the gesture, clinging onto the back of Wenona’s shirt like a lifeline.
Wenona could feel the tears wetting the front of her shirt. She reached a hand around to cup the back of Cassidy’s head.
“Cass, I had no idea you ever felt like this...” Wenona found herself at a loss for words. What could she even say to make her feel better?
Cassidy continued anyway. “I’m already a lot to deal with sober, anybody knows that…” She sniffled again. “So who the hell would want to be up in the middle of the night to deal with some drunk idiot like me?”
“I would!” Wenona suddenly exclaimed, and her proclamation seemed to startle Cassidy. “I would, Cassidy. I would wake up at 2 AM to pick you up a thousand times over if it meant that you didn’t have to walk home alone at night.”
“You don’t mean that.” Cassidy chuckled dryly, wiping another tear from her eye.
“Of course I do. Why else would I take you here?” Cassidy paused to look up at her. “I could’ve just dropped you off at your apartment and called it a night. Do you really think I brought you here, to my apartment, because I ‘had work in the morning’ and ‘didn’t have time for a detour’?” Wenona put air quotes around those words, recalling the excuses she gave to Cassidy earlier that night. “I took you back here because I care about you. I wanted to take care of you. And I like getting to take care of you.”
Cassidy opened her mouth like she wanted to say something, but she just shook her head and looked away from Wenona with a disbelieving frown.
“And do you really think I'm the only one who would drop anything to help you if you needed it? People care about keeping you safe, Cassidy.” Wenona started again, reaching a hand to Cassidy’s cheek and gently turning her to face her. “Diana cares – she's the only reason I even knew where you were. That’s why she and the others wouldn’t leave until they knew you were safe. That’s why Jean waited outside the bar with you.” Cassidy still looked like she wanted to rebut, so Wenona went on. “And any of those guys; Jett, Mark – hell, even Damon would’ve driven halfway across town if that’s what it took to get you home safe. You have people in your life that care about you, that want to help you with your problems. You aren’t burdening anyone. Least of all me.”
Tears welled up in Cassidy’s eyes again, and she nuzzled back into Wenona’s chest. “You’re so nice to me,” Her voice came out muffled, “I don’t deserve you.”
Wenona planted a kiss to the top of Cassidy’s head. “Don’t ever say that. You know you deserve everything.”
Wenona held her there, close to her chest, murmuring sweet words of praise as Cassidy started to calm down, her cries slowly turning to sniffles.
“Why don’t you try to get some sleep, Cass?” Wenona smiled down at Cassidy, who finally pulled away to look her in the eyes. “You’ve had a long night.”
Cassidy nodded somberly, but Wenona could see the way sleep was slowly working its way into her features.
“I’d say you’ll feel better in the morning, but, well…” Wenona’s eyes trailed off to the painkillers on the bedside table, already preparing herself to deal with Cassidy’s inevitable hangover. “Let’s just start with sleep. You need plenty of that right now.”
Cassidy nodded. “Probably a good idea…” She murmured sleepily.
Wenona smiled. When she wasn’t bouncing off the walls or actively sobbing, she was a pretty cute drunk.
Wenona shifted into a more comfortable position – her arm had fallen asleep at least half an hour ago, and there wasn’t a good time to move until now – as she rolled onto her back. Shortly after, Cassidy scooted forward to rest the side of her face against Wenona’s chest once again, throwing an arm over Wenona’s midsection. Wenona’s hand migrated down to the middle of Cassidy’s back, feeling the slow rise and fall of her breaths as the girl drifted off to sleep.
They would have to have a more serious conversation about this later, without a doubt. What Cassidy had said had deeply concerned Wenona, and what was possibly even more concerning was that Cassidy didn’t feel comfortable telling her any of this at all until she was drunk enough.
But these were all problems for tomorrow. Right now, Cassidy needed to rest. And, after that, Cassidy would surely have a pretty stellar hangover to deal with. That comes first, Wenona decides. She will be here in the morning to give Cassidy her water and painkillers, to make her breakfast, and to drive her headaches away. Just like she promised, Wenona is going to take care of Cassidy no matter what.