We're No Heroes

Chapter Three - Greetings

"And just what do you think you're doing, twink? Astounding plan by the way, breaking into somebody else's house loud as hell in broad daylight."

A short and smirking nymph with fiery red hair fit for a Weasley appeared before him. As graceful as he was in the water, Cas had legs, a deplorable sense of balance, and an eternal battle with gravity. He fell backwards onto rough stone and what felt like giant rubbery worms slithering around his ankles. Reader, I lie often, but I'm not lying when I say he couldn't care less about the rubbery worms. The terrifying girl in front of him took enough of his attention.

Hundreds of questions ran through his mind at that moment, from good lord is that a nymph to i thought this house was abandoned and to did she seriously call me a twink.

"Uh--well, considering this house has been abandoned, I should ask you the same thing?"

that was genius. great fuckin job cas

"Buddy. My friend. My new pal. I'm not entirely certain, but I'm vaguely sure it can't be abandoned if I'm living here."

whatever

"Okay," he said, puffing up his cheeks and blowing air out resignedly. "Okay, I'll leave you alone. Hey, um, side note: I kind of need a place to sleep? Any clue where I could find a place to do that in this shithole of a town?"

She smirked again. "First of all, it's pronounced 'shith-ole', and second of all, watch your fuckin' language, kiddo. I've got to get back to the nap I was going to have before you interrupted me, so I'm terribly sorry about your situation, but if you come back later you might have a chance." She extended him her hand to help him up and picked up his bike for him.

"Oh, wait, um, before you go..." she lingered, making him look up.

"I respond well to bribes. Sticky bread's one of my favorites."

He shook his head and glared at her, grabbed his bike, and turned to leave. When I say he turned to leave, dearest reader, I of course mean that he wanted to turn and leave, but a large, feathery thing dropped down from nowhere, bowling himself and Cas over as he lands.

The thing jumped up and dusted himself off, pretending that it has never happened and that Charlie was definitely not laughing.

"Hey, Charlie, one tiny question, um: who the fuck is that?" he said, pointing to Cas. "I'm Tully, by the way," he said, giving Cas an apologetic look, "and sorry about Charlie there. She's a bit of an ass sometimes. All the time. Anyway, hi!"

and an avian???? what the FUCK

"My name's Cas? I was gonna try to sleep here, but I guess it isn't really as abandoned as I thought, so...sorry 'bout that."

just wanted a fucking place to sleep, ugh. first my bike, then this shit. i am hungry and tired and ughhhhhhhh

He started to walk away when the feathered thing, Tully, called out a bit tentatively.

"If you're looking for a place to stay, why can't you stay here? I know Charlie's a bit unpleasant, but I don't think I'm as bad as her. Besides, you're what, fourteen? I don't really think you should be alone on the streets."

Cas stops, and turns around to face him.

"Sixteen, actually, and thanks for rubbing in my babyface. And I've been 'on the streets' for a while now, I think I'm okay."

you said too much ya fuckin idiot!! just leave and get this over with already

"Just because you've done it for a long time doesn't mean it's okay to keep doing it. Here, come inside. You can stay here for a bit."

Cas's thoughts bounced back and forth in a silent debate that lasted all of one second.

is he serious? he seems trustworthy enough, but charlie? seems like she's gonna kill me. i really need the sleep, and they might have food. sounds good enough, even with the risk of murder.

"You serious, Tull? He could be the kind of freak who enjoys coffee, or listens to German death metal. Or be a fugitive."

Charlie's words held some truth to it, as Cas was wanted by certain important people. He supposed this made him a fugitive-- of sorts.

"Nah, he seems more or less trustworthy. Besides, the jury's still out on you about being a criminal." At this, Charlie shrugged, as if to say fair enough. Turning back to Cas, Tully said, "You wouldn't try to kill us, would ya?"

he has no idea

"Probably not. But I'm not some kind of fugitive. I was just hoping for a place to stay and maybe some food?"

hah, liar

"I guess? Your name's Cas, right? Is that short for anything? Come inside, we could use some company, I was pretty bored anyways."

All three headed inside, Tully still wary of the boy he led into the house, Cas ready to pass out from exhaustion, and Charlie still mumbling about sticky bread.

***

"Hey, casserole! You want something to sleep on, or are you just gonna fall asleep standing up?"

Cas blinked and focused back on walking more than 10 meters into the house. He yawned, rubbed his eyes, and looked back at Charlie.

"Yeah, I'll uh- I'll take a bed, just- gimme a sec here," he said, yawning once more and stretching. "Do you- did you just call me casserole?"

"Sure. You seem like you're gonna be here for a while. Why not give you a ridiculous nickname now?" she said, smiling, with one eyebrow cocked.

"Yeah, sure, whatever..." he mumbled, swaying where he stood.

"Jeez, dude, when was the last time you slept?" Charlie asked, wincing. Dragging Cas by the sleeve, as one would a small child that refused to leave their favorite ride at an amusement park, she threw a few thinning blankets in the general direction of a moth-bitten couch and pushed him towards the pile of torn fabric.

The last thing Cas remembers before letting his eyelids drift shut is the girl eyeing him splayed out uncomfortably on the couch, one foot over the edge, before deciding that his chiropractic health was no concern of hers and leaving.

Man, he was gonna have such a pain in his neck tomorrow.