InsaneJournal

WHO: Cassandra Cain and Logan Howlett
WHAT: Important discussions
WHEN: Backdated: Sunday, March 17th. Afternoon
WHERE: A diner in Newport Beach
RATING: Family Friendly
STATUS: Complete

To say that Cass was nervous was an understatement. The last thing she wanted was to lose Logan’s friendship, but she was worried that he wouldn’t want anything to do with her anymore once she told him what she’d been thinking about. Part of her still wanted to have sex with him, because if he was that good with his fingers and mouth then she could only imagine how he was when it came to actual sex. However, if she was going to try and get over him then she needed to do this. She was worried that if they did have sex then her feelings would just get more intense and she didn’t want to get hurt.

After they’d made plans to get together for lunch, she’d texted him the name of the diner then simply waited for Sunday afternoon. When it finally arrived, she headed ou. The diner wasn’t that far from the condo, so it didn’t take long to get there and she decided to wait outside for Logan.

Logan rode up a few minutes after Cass arrived. He got off his bike, leaving his helmet on the seat as he walked towards Cass. He gave the woman a smile. "Hey darlin'."

He could sense that something was off, but decided to leave it up to Cass to bring it up. At least at first.

When Logan pulled up on his bike, Cass couldn’t help but smile. It had been a few weeks since they’d seen one another; since the night of her nightmare to be more accurate and she hadn’t realized exactly how much she’d missed him until now, “Hey. How’re you? I’d give you a hug, but...” She gestured to the sling. She was more used to it by now as well as the band that went around her chest and upper arm. “Should we go in?”

Logan put his arm around her carefully and squeezed, then let go. It was like he knew how to hug someone with an injury - it was a too common occurrence in his dreams.

He shrugged a shoulder. “Lead me on, in, darlin’.”

Cass closed her eyes as Logan hugged her and inhaled his scent, but took a step back when he released her and she nodded, still smiling, “This way then.” Once inside, a hostess took them to a booth and gave them menus, asking if they’d like anything to drink. Cass ordered a water and waited for Logan to order.

"Everythin' okay, darlin'?" He ordered a beer, and got comfortable in the booth while looking at the menu to see what he was hungry for. His voice was gentle, and his tone inviting. He didn't want Cass to think he might be pissed at her for some reason.

Cass hadn’t expected to get right into it and honestly, she didn’t so instead she just smiled, “Yeah. I just can’t wait till I have the use of my arm back. You’d think that I would have gotten used to this thing by now, but I haven’t. Sleeping is the worst.” She was told to sleep on her back, but how was a person supposed to keep themselves from moving while they slept? It was impossible. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been okay, darlin’.” Logan could emphasize. Being injured was the worst thing. He didn’t have to worry about it now, but he could understand it. He sipped at his beer, waiting for Cass to stop beating around the bush.

Knowing that he wasn’t going to elaborate, Cass decided that she should just get on with it before they fell into an awkward silence. However, before she could begin the waitress came back to take their orders. She ordered a chicken caesar salad, because it was the easiest thing to eat with only one hand. She waited for Logan to place his order, sipping her water and once the waitress left, Cass put the glass down and took a deep breath, “So, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately.”

"That sentence could mean a bunch of different shit," Logan pointed out. He grinned at her and took another sip of his drink. "I won't bite your head off, Cass."

A smile crossed her lips as he grinned at her and she felt a little less anxious, “Okay, so you know that I like you, right? Well it’s because of the way I feel that I think it might be better if we were just friends.” She paused for a moment, watching for his reaction, “For now anyway.”

Logan sighed, and leaned forward. He was only a little put out. He'd expected this to come for awhile, now, but now that it was here it still felt a little painful. "It's okay, darlin'. Might be better for you in the long run. I don't think you're in a good mental place for a relationship, let alone with an' older man."

Biting her bottom lip, she nodded. Since her last dream where she’d murdered that businessman and her accident, her mind had been all over the place and she was still trying to deal with all of it. “Besides, we both know that you’re not just going to become a one girl kind of guy because I have feelings for you.” If all it took to get Logan into a relationship were feelings then he’d be with Alyssa. At least, that’s what she assumed from what the other girl had told her about her time with Logan, “And you’re right, I need to figure out a way to deal with the dreams that won’t get me hurt again.”

"I'll still be your friend. An' I'll beat off boys an' girls with a stick for you," Logan said. He genuinely wanted to see her happy, and was a little relieved, himself. He thought he might end up hurting Cass if things had gotten much farther. He didn't show that relief, as he didn't want to hurt her.

Cass laughed, glad that he didn’t seem upset, “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about girls. I don’t swing that way.” She’d watched the video of Jubilee and Laura and hadn’t felt a thing; okay, so maybe just a little, but she was human after all. She didn’t say it, but it was because she wanted to prevent herself from getting hurt that she was doing this, “Jubilee is going to be so sad when she finds out that we’re only going to be friends.” She couldn’t help but smirk a tiny bit.

“Sad, maybe. Maybe a bit relieved as I won’t be takin’ you away from her,” Logan pointed out. He didn’t think Jubilee had those kind of feelings for Cass, but she seemed protective.

“She’s the one who pushed us towards each other, but maybe you’re right.” Nothing Jubilee did really made much sense, so she wouldn’t be surprised if she actually felt that way, “I’m just glad that you understand and we can still be friends.” She would have hated it if Logan had decided he didn’t want anything else to do with her after this.

“Darlin’, one thing I learned a long time ago was never to assume anythin’ or count on anythin’ that might happen.” He reached over and ruffled her hair. “Think might be better for us this way anyway.”

Cass wrinkled her nose as he ruffled her hair and ran her free hand through it in an attempt to fix it, “You’re right. Assuming things just makes me worry unnecessarily.” She stuck her tongue out at him then smiled once again, “And I think you’re right about that too.”

Logan smiled and held out his hand. “Friends?”

“Friends.” Cass’ smile widened as she took his hand and held it firmly. It was a little bittersweet, but as long as she had Logan as her friend then she was happy.

He nodded at her. “You ever need anythin’, an’ I mean anythin’, you ask, okay?”

“You’ve got yourself a deal.” Knowing that Logan would be there for her if she needed him made her feel safe. Then again, living with a vampire also made her feel safe, strangely enough. She really did have some really interesting friends. As she let go of his hand, a slightly mischievous smirk crossed her lips, “Does that also mean that if I need tampons, you’ll get them for me?” She was only half teasing, but she was curious as to his response.

“Yes.” He replied, without hesitation. “But you’ll owe me big for those.”

Cass laughed as the waitress brought their food over and she waited until she’d left to speak again, “Well, I’ll try not to call you for tampons. I’ll make Jubilee get them for me if I need them that bad.”

“Then you’ll owe her, that might be worse,” Logan pointed out. He doubted Jubilee needed those things again. He wondered how she actually felt about that, and the implications about it. There was nothing they could do. It wasn’t like she could be cured.

“Well then looks like you’re back to being the one to buy me tampons if for some reason I’m ever unable to go out and get them myself.” Cass didn’t know everything about how it all worked with Jubilee being a vampire, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized that Jubilee probably didn’t need those. “But I’ll keep you as my last resort in that case.”

“Thanks. I like bein’ a last resort,” Logan joked. He seemed to be taking this all in stride. Probably because he’d been around one woman or another most of his life.

“Hey, if you want to be at the top of my feminine hygiene emergency call list then you can,” Cass smirked and pulled her hair over her shoulder, over the strap of the sling, “So, off the topic of tampons, what had you been up to? There’s got to be something interesting that has happened since the last time we saw each other.”

"What have I been up to?" Logan thought about that. "Picked up a new apprentice at the shop. Stubborn girl, but good with her hands."

It sounded worse than it was, but Logan's expression wasn't leering.

Having been on the other end of one of Logan’s leers, Cass could tell that he wasn’t making an innuendo about this girl. “Why am I not surprised that you’d have a girl as your apprentice?” She smirked as she ate, unable to not tease Logan about it.

“She walked in, was curious, an’ had a good eye for detail. Figure it can’t hurt. She refused to take any money.” Logan tried to make sure she at least ate when she was there late, anyway.

“Won’t take any money? Interesting.” Cass couldn’t help but wonder just how long the girl would last around Logan, “So, nothing new besides that?” She asked, adjusting her sling a little.

There was a woman that Logan was interested in, but he wasn't sure that qualified as news that Cass wanted to hear.

"These." He popped his claws a little bit, to show that they were now covered in metal.

Cass had heard about Logan’s claws, but hadn’t actually seen them yet and her eyes widened just a bit in fascination, “Wow. That’s kind of cool.” Okay, so it was really cool, but she knew that they hurt Logan when they came out and she didn’t want to seem insensitive. Then again, Logan could heal, so it probably wasn’t that big a deal.

“Better reaction than some I’ve gotten,” Logan commented. The claws retracted into his forearm. “Same old same old, otherwise.”

Cass shrugged, “Well, I already knew about them so it wasn’t exactly a surprise.” Although, Cass could see how blades coming out of someone’s hands would be shocking and even scary to others.

“Yeah. Just wakin’ up a hundred pounds heavier is a fuckin’ trip.” His bed had creaked. And not the good sort of creaking.

“So, it’s all over all your bones? That’s crazy.” Cass shook her head, unable to believe that all of Logan’s bones were covered in that metal now. “Can you feel the difference?”

“Yeah. It doesn’t just cover it..you know how bones got all those holes and hollow parts in ‘em? It’s laced through out them. You can’t separate it any more.”

“That’s crazy.” Since her own dreams, Cass hadn’t been able to stop wondering if these dreams and things like Logan’s claws and bones happened to anyone else outside of the OC. So far she’d only heard of things like this happening to the OC, but what would happen if someone left for awhile? “Hope no on ever tries to do an MRI on you. Pretty sure you’d break the machine.”

“Ain’t sure I can get through airport security.” Logan snorted. The thought amused him.

Cass laughed and nodded, “There’s that too, huh? You’re gonna have to make a list of things you can’t do cause of metal detectors anymore.” That was probably going to get tired real fast.

“Yeah. Or just say I got a metal plate in my head.” He could just refuse the bioscanner shit and take a patdown, if he had to. “I’ll have a doc I know forge me some notes.”

“There’s that too. Plus I’m sure you wouldn’t say no to being patted down,” Cass teased as she finished off her salad. “I mean, if it’s by a woman.”

Logan choked on his beer and gave Cass a dirty look. “Thanks darlin’. Now I’m picturin’ bubba.”

That definitely made Cass laugh and she had to wipe her eyes, “Just hope you never have to be strip searched at the airport.” This of course only made her laugh harder.

Logan gave her a dry look, before cracking a smile. "I think I'd have to hurt someone."

“Then you would definitely miss your flight,” Cass wiped her eyes again as her laughing died down a little and she could finally breath again. If this was any indication of how things were going to be from now on, Cass would take it. This she could live with.