[P] My Favorite Cousin

Cass decided to skip out on eating – she didn’t want to find out whether the food was fake or not. She’d rather be safe than sorry. Besides, cafeterias were more for social stuff anyway, at least the way she saw things. Eating wasn’t as important as getting away from classes and just being with friends was. That was the purpose here.

She lifted her arms to run her fingers through her brown, wavy hair, which she had left down. Her bracelets jingled and clanged against each other as she lowered her arms, placing her hands firmly on her hips. Her high heels gave her a slight height advantage, although it wasn’t really enough to scan the crowd. There was a very important face that she had to find! She couldn’t stand not having met up with him yet!

Out of the corner of her eye she saw someone who looked vaguely familiar. Her eyes narrowed as she examined him and she pushed people out of her way, not bothering to apologize, until she was close enough to size him up.

“Mio finocchio!” she exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hands. She screamed in glee and threw her arms around Seth, holding him tight against her.

Cassiel grinned at his endearing name for her. It was a name she would only ever accept from him, no matter what language. She squealed as he lifted her a little bit and giggled, swaying side to side a little with him once she was put back down on the ground. “Oooh, did you now?” she asked. “When’d you learn that, neh?” She laughed and looked at him, her grin softening into a warm, approving smile.

He seemed to have spotted a table, and Cassiel followed after him hurriedly, ignoring people she bumped into. Some shot her nasty looks for not apologizing or looking where she was going, but she paid no heed. She was better than them, after all.

She remained standing when he sat, pulling him into another hug by wrapping her arms around his shoulders. “I’ve missed you so much!” she exclaimed, backing away and ruffling his hair before she took a seat across from him. “My little Seth has grown all up. I feel bad for missing it.” Cassiel’s smile faltered for a moment. It was the truth, but at the same time she didn’t want to get into depressing matters. “How’s everything going for you so far? Hmmm? I wish you would have called me so I didn’t have to hunt you down…”

“Ah… right. Smartypants.” Cassiel stuck her tongue out and giggled, shaking her head.

Her jaw dropped at the sight of the broken phone. “Oh, poor baby,” she whispered, near breathless by the sight of the thing. It was such a shame! “Died before it’s time.” A pout laced her lips as she gazed at it. Well, it was nothing money couldn’t replace, at least. “I’ll buy you a new one, all right? We’ll go later or something. You can’t keep living without a phone; it’s like… living without an arm!”

At the mention of cool people her head cocked to the side. “I’ve only met creepers,” she grumbled. She leaned forward though, seeing Seth’s grin, and a smirk of her own swept across her face. Mischief gleamed in her eyes. “Who did you meet, hmmm? Who’s so interesting?”

“You can’t fix something once it’s broken like that. It never works the same.” Cassiel shook her head disapprovingly. “I’m buying you a new one. I have the money and besides, you’re my only favorite cousin, you know.” Cassiel winked. She had won the argument, whether Seth thought she had or not. The more he continued to insist the more steadfast she became in her own decision.

“And hunny? I’m always up for shopping.” She laughed, tossing her hair behind her shoulder. “Let’s go later! Or tomorrow! I can’t stand the withdrawal.” Despite her obvious sincerity, Cass decided to go the overdramatic route and lifted a hand to her forehead, sighing deeply.

But the hand quickly flew down and she leaned closer when Seth started to speak about this oh-so-interesting person. His name is Nikki. For some reason, Cassiel felt a little dizzy at the mention of the name, and even more so with the description – she wasn’t certain why and it worried her. Once Seth had finished though and went off into dreamland she began to feel better, albeit confused.

Until everything clicked.

Cassiel grinned then and leaned closer, lifting her index finger to poke Seth’s nose. “Do we like this Nikki?” she asked with a girlish giggle. “Hmmm, do we? Do we know if this Nikki likes us?”

“Oh, Gabe” she said, as if she had forgotten. She blinked then and looked away, lifted a hand to scratch at the back of her neck. Gabe… oh, Gabe. “How is the kiddo doing, anyway? I haven’t spoken with him in a long time!” And she was going to have to fix that as soon as possible, too, because she knew she wasn’t going insane.

Cassiel giggled at his grin, moving her hands to place her chin within both of her open palms. “I, we – what’s the difference? If you want to be with him he has to get past my approval.” She laughed. After what had happened the last time, she had made it a new rule. Nikki sounded nice, at least, and she had the feeling already that he was, for the same strange reason she knew she had to talk to Gabriel.

She reached out a hand and ruffled his hair, offering a sympathetic smile. “You know…” she began, “I could always find out for you. If a guy isn’t into me then Seth, darling, you know he’s into guys. If you like him that much I’ll do all my tricks.” She laughed again, looking down with a grin before she returned her gaze to his with a mischievous twinkle. “Even the bend-and-snap. Would that help you at all?”