Wings

Decem || Need not Want

Sat in the corner of, 'Jared's Cafe.', Cassidy's hands wrapped around a hot tea as she shivered. It was cold, not only from the rain that had fallen- but the thought of being taken against her will again. She placed her tea on the table in front of her and wrapped her arms around her middle, fighting the urge to vomit. She wanted to run, to get as far away as she could before they followed her again. Shakily, she blew on her tea as she surveyed the cafe. It was small and quaint, with the walls painted a light mocha, the flooring being a pale pine and natural lighting flitting in through the large windows that hinted of the world behind them.

Paranoia, she thought distantly, had taken over her mind. Constantly, she watched for any sign of being watched. Every sound was someone standing in front of her to take her, and she was already running the millionth scenario in her mind to find a way to escape. Very nearly, she had driven herself to have a panic attack- and she calmed herself through long sips of her tea and checking her phone.

Almost ten minutes later of waiting, her mind driving herself crazy with thoughts of what could have happened to Demos- the door swung open. Instantly, she was on guard- the tips of her fingers digging into her cup. Demos stood in the doorway, his hair hanging in dirty blond, wet tendrils against his neck. A black tank-top encased his broad chest, a worn and flaky black leather jacket on top showcasing his broad arms under the leather while tight and damp black jeans were tucked into dark brown combat boots. He was delicious., and instantly made the fear coiling in her stomach abate. Hesitantly, she waved at him- watching as his eyes snapped to her immediately. His eyes softened around the edges, and he strode over- shoulders broad and confident as he plonked himself at her small table.

The waitress flitted to his side, digging through her black apron and retrieving her pen and pad of paper to ask what his order was. However, his attention was on Cassidy and before the woman could even speak he ushered her away with a clean flick of his wrist and an austere, "Coffee, black.". If she was offended, she didn't show it on her face as she left them alone. The table was small enough that their knees touched together, even when her feet were tucked neatly under her chair. Swallowing, she tucked a lock of her fringe behind her ear as she worried her lip between her teeth.

"Are you alright?" Softly, he asked her- eyes so warm it made her want to cry. Embarrassment curled in her stomach and she gave a small nod. She shouldn't have gotten involved and he probably thought her a child for running straight to him, even when she had been brought up to think enemy when she saw him.

"Um, yeah. Yeah, I think so." He gave her a sardonic smile, briefly hesitating as he placed one of his hands over hers.

"Don't lie, Cassidy. Not to me at least." Deflating, she placed her cup of tea on the table and placed her head in her other hand- allowing the one on the table to interlock with his as the dam she had built for years broke.

"I'm so fucking scared, Demos. I mean it, even when they first took me I was never this scared. But now that I'm down here, now that I've made friends." Inhaling deeply, she leant back to wipe at her face- his hand a reassuring weight on hers. "I've never been more terrified. They- they've taken people that I've known, or maybe they were never who I thought they were, and fucking changed them." A sob, unbridled, burst through her chest but she fought it desperately. Again, his hand tightened- his other to wrap around the top of her head and pull it so she had her face in his neck and his lips on her forehead.

"They won't take you Cassidy, I promise you." His voice was filled with conviction, and she knew deep in her bones that they couldn't take her, that they could try as hard as they liked but they would not prevail.

That they wouldn't be able to as long as he was on her side. She felt his lips tug into a smile on the top of his head and she pulled back, wiping the moisture from her face.