Cas had gotten distracted, and his mud bunny turned into a pile of, well, mud. He had a gentle smile on his face. Honestly he was going to be bored without her, but he did have work to do. "Cas!" Speaking of work. Cas broke eye contact with Zoi and looked at the man who was yelling. Ray, a massager for the king. Cas stood and straightened out his clothes. "Yes?" Ray looked from him and then say Zoi. Once he looked at Zoi, Cas moved over so that he was blocking her. She didn't like new people, well that's what he got from when he first met her. "Who's that, a new one ni," Quickly covering Ray's mouth Cas gave him a look, one he didn't give to many people. "What do you need Ray?" Ray moved Cas's hand off his mouth, "The king wants to see you." Cas sighed and looked back to Zoi. He wasn't sure if he should bring her along or not, she did say she needed to go back, but when exactly?
Zoi instantly closed up the moment the new person showed up, and she curled up into a ball once again. She listened to the exchange and was silently thankful for Cas for blocking her from the man's view. King… He must be important, then. What was she doing with someone who answered so directly to the king? Her lips pursed, and she met Cas's gaze when he looked back at her. "Go ahead," she said softly, uncurling her legs and slowly bringing herself to her feet. "I have to go anyway." Indeed, the edges of her vision were growing hazy, the first sign of being forcefully kicked from a dream. I have to hide so he doesn't I'm some disappearing freak. A tiny, tiny part of her said that he didn't care because he was just a figment of her imagination, a boy she had created for her damaged soul and mind. But the rest of her was suspecting that this was different—that Cas really was real, and not her imagination. She hoped that that part of her was right.
"I'm sorry but I'm a bit," Cas turned around to see Zoi gone. Well that was fast. And not even a goodbye. Cas sighed and turned back to Ray. "Alright let's go." Cas started to walk through town to the castle. Once there he opened the door to the throne room. "Cas," Cas put on his fake smile and stood before the king. "There is a volcano in the west that is a threat to one of our towns. We need you to go there and stay in the town for a while and make sure it is safe." Cas bowed. "Will do sir." He walked out where a carriage was waiting for him. I just got back. Getting into the carriage with a sigh he sat back and tried to enjoy the ride.
Zoi opened her eyes just in time for the bell to ring, and she sighed dejectedly while standing with the rest of the class to escape. I miss him already… Funny. She never missed anyone specific when she was dreaming, but Cas stood out to her, somehow. It had felt like they were actually there, together, and she was tempted to just skip the rest of the school day to go back to that dream world, go back to Cas. She wanted to open up around him. She wanted to get to know him more. She wanted to simply sit next to him and enjoy his presence and magic.
She hunched her shoulders and disappeared into the crowd, daydreaming about the place she had just discovered.
(I'm not sure what to write honestly. I'm be bust for a while, so sorry if my replies are short or if I don't answer for a while.)
((We could do a timeskip to the next time she comes))
(That's perfect. Cas is if a different town at the moment. So maybe she just appears wherever he is.)
((Like she's drawn to him, yeah. She'll be at home this time, as it's after school now, and I'll have it be Friday so she has an entire weekend to herself))
((I'll post the timeskip when I can))
The key slid into the lock of her house, and Zoi sighed softly as she opened the door and slipped inside. Of course, her father was nowhere to be seen. He was gone more and more these days, and she found herself enjoying the silence ringing through the house. Her bookbag hit the floor, and she suddenly bit her lip and dashed for her room, eager to visit a certain someone again. She didn't know if she would be able to go back to that particular place again, but she was hoping her brain would pick up on her desired location and take her there in her dreams.
She changed into something different, knowing that dream Zoi wore whatever Real Zoi wore. She wanted to put herself out there a bit more. Caspian had inadvertently coaxed this want out of her, and she was glad he did. She found a pair of jeans and a striped, off the shoulder shirt, hesitated, then put the ensemble on. She fixed her hair somewhat, though that she didn't care much about, then laid down on her bed and closed her eyes.
It wasn't long before she was pulled under and transferred to the dream world.
Caspian wandered the lively streets of East Yourma. He always liked this place. Which it was relaxing at home and peaceful, Yourma, always had something going on, like there was a festival everyday. He loved it. Now in Yourma there were a lot more people, and a lot more shop stands. He liked walking through the streets looking at the shops and listening to people trying to bargain. He also enjoyed that not many people knew him around here. He saw a jewelry stand and looked over all the shinning jewels. He was thinking of buying something for Zoi, that is if he saw her again. He saw one that would looked extremely nice on her. It was two small comb like things with leaf decorations on each one. Tow gold chains connected them, and one more with pearls on it. The lady behind the stand saw him staring and smiled. "Beautiful isn't it? It's real gold and pearls." Cas smiled knowing that she might be playing him. This was a bargaining town. "Is it now?" He took a closer look. If it was real he would be able to bend it, but he also didn't want to ruin it. Behind his back he moved his finger just a bit. The tip of the leaf bent just a tad. It is real. "Alright then… how much?" After a bit of bargaining Cas got a small box and put it inside. From the corner of his eye he saw a girl, dressed a bit differently then everyone else and recognized her. "Zoi?" It would be hard to get to her, but Cas pushed through the crowd calling her name.
Zoi was looking around the crowded space with her jaw slack, eyes wide and darting this way and that. She curled her arms around herself, trying so hard not to run and hide. She had been thinking of Cas when falling asleep. If her mind was cooperative today, then he would be near here, somewhere. She just needed to find out where…
"Zoi!"
She spun around at the call, recognizing that voice—and the fact that only one person could know her name in a place like this. "Cas?" she breathed, then forced her feet to unstick themselves from their spot on the ground and walk towards the direction the voice was coming from. She squeezed through people and ducked under arms, weaving her way through the crowd to get to a friendly face. The people touching her and pressing against her body were making her breath clog up in her throat, a cold sweat breaking out, but she attempted to push the panic attack aside in favor of finding her mystery-man Cas.
Cas finally reached her and grabbed her hand. He weaved both of them through the crowd to find an open area. He found a grassy spot, where many people were having picnics, but it was less people than the street. "Hello." He smiled, looking down at her. Looking at her outfit he blushed a little, she was showing a bit more skin than last time she was here. Taking off his coat he draped it over her shoulders. His town may bit care much but he had heard of a group of kidnappers. And with so many people, he had no idea who or where they are at. Zoi was pretty, so Cas was sure they would come after her. Why did she have to show up in this town of all places? He would do anything to protect her, but she also needed to be careful. "Zoi, if anyone approaches you, don't talk to them. Let me do the talking okay?"
Regretfully, Zoi curled her fingers around Cas's coat and pulled it tighter around her body. So many people, so many eyes on her. She still shivered with a barely-there panic attack, brought on by so many people being around her. She could practically feel their eyes on her, whispering dreadful things about her. Zoi's shoulders hunched in further, and her fingers gripped the coat tighter as she gazed up at Cas, trying to suppress that feeling by making Cas her sole focus. His eyes were so pretty, a beautiful shade of blue that she wanted to recreate in a painting. His face had a unique look to it, a mixture of angles and planes that had her fingers itching to grab a pencil and draw. She tried for a soft smile, though it came slow and tiny, and didn't last long. "You say that as if I would willingly talk to someone besides you," she said quietly, though, with their proximity, her voice was still audible to him.
A small hum escaped Cas's lips as they curled up into a smile. It made him happy that she was so attached to him, it was cute. "I guess you're right. You don't seem to like people much." He grabbed her hand and started leading her back to the streets. He already had a place to stay, one of the best since the king picked it for him. The king made sure Cas had the best. He didn't want Cas leaving his side, although Cas wouldn't mind that. He needed a break, but he was the Kings soldier, an ace up his sleeve. There weren't many people like Cas anywhere. So keeping him close was what the king wanted. "Come, I have a place we can stay and let you settle down." She just got here and she was thrust into a crowd like this, it would be overwhelming for anyone. Cas had been here many times, so he was used to it. "How did you get here so quickly. Did someone tell you where I would be?" He looked back at her, eyebrow raised. He had a lot of questions, but he wanted to continue the mystery for a bit longer.
Zoi's mouth opened, a light dusting of a blush painting her cheeks as she closed it again and ducked her head. She reached over her chest to hug Cas's coat close to her body while her other hand was neatly clasped with Cas's, somehow feeling like it fit just right with his. Her ears were soon dusted with the same rosy tint as her cheeks, and she willed her hair to fall over her face as she said, "I–It's complicated. I don't think you'd believe me if I told you." Indeed, the large crowd was overwhelming, but it was more than that. She heard whispers in her ears that were never spoken, haunting remnants of people around her during her 'real' life and her father's harsh lessons regarding her. A small part of her was aware that what she was hearing wasn't real, that the stares weren't actually there, but the rest of her was locked up and eager to curl up into a ball and hide forever, to find a place of safety away from these people. Zoi's hand unconsciously tightened around Cas's, seeking his steady presence to ground her.
"You never know, I might surprise you." Cas wasn't one to shoot anything down right away. He liked to think things through and see it it may be possible. When her hand tightened around his, he looked back slightly to see if she was okay. Her hair covered her face as she walked with her head down. He wished she had more confidence in herself. Zoi was beautiful, though he could never actually say that to her. She might get the wrong idea. A white grand building stood in front of them. It was one of the nicer buildings around here. "This is where we are now staying." We It felt weird to say that since he had been on his own for a while. But Cas also wasn't going to let her stay in a room alone, especially with everything that has been going on around here. "Sorry, but you'll have to saty in my room with me. I'll sleep on the couch."
Once again, Zoi's mouth opened, then closed again. How was she supposed to tell him that she was technically dreaming? That her physical body was somewhere far away, sprawled over her bed and sleeping soundly? And then he spoke again, and she popped her head up, blue eyes bright and curious. We. How long has it been since she was comfortable sleeping in the same building as another person, let alone another room? "N-no, you don't have to do that. I'll take the couch. It's your room, I'm just taking up space." She chewed her lip, worrying at the pink skin as she scanned the building. It was so grand, bigger and nicer than anything she's ever seen. Definitely an important person. Who am I, to be taking up his attention and time?
Cas spun around and squished her cheeks with his free hand. "Nope, not happening, sorry." He refused to let a girl sleep on the couch. Anyway it gave him an excuse to not act like the perfect Cas that everyone expected. "I'll be sleeping on the couch." He gave her a wink then let go of her face. How cute. There was something about her that wouldn't let Cas leave her alone. He felt that she needed to stay with him. Like he needed her for some reason. Walking through the glass doors he was greeted by most of the staff. He just nodded as they walked by and headed for the elevator. His room was on the third floor, last door. It was the biggest room in the hotel. He didn't need a room this big, but he can't say no to the king.
Zoi squeaked in surprise as he spun around, and her cheeks were being squished. They instantly bloomed with a rosy blush, though she couldn't find it in herself to pull away before he let go. "I wouldn't mind…" she whispered, still flustered by his actions. And then that wink. God, what has she done to deserve someone like Cas? He was equal parts kind and considerate, and flirtatious. It confused her more than anything, but she said nothing of it as she followed him through the hotel. Once the staff came to greet Cas, she stayed close to him, still clutching his coat, though she offered a few small smiles to look not as unapproachable as she usually looked.
Cas continued to smiled as the elevator doors closed. When they were fully closed he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry about that. Being around me is going to het a bit overwhelming at times." He felt bad that she had to around this, but didn't want her to leave. "You look nice by the way. Well before I covered you up. Sorry about that." It seemed she worked hard to look good. Is she going out with someone after meeting with me? Thinking that made him a bit sad, but there was nothing he could do about it. He did wonder what the guy was like though, if it even is a guy. The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened. Her hand still in his, he lead her to the room at the end of the hall. When he opened the door the first thing you saw was a huge window the overlooked the town. It had a beautiful view. It looked like a very fancy house.
"So many apologies," she said, looking up at him with a less strained smile—one, perhaps, that was reserved for only him. "It's alright, Cas. It's not your fault. As for the coat…" she curled her fingers around the lips of the coat, holding it around her as if in defiance to his apology, showing that it was okay. "I'm…It's been a while since I made an effort to not cover up. Still slightly self-conscious, if I'm being honest." That darn blush refused to go away, it seems, and she sealed her lips and ducked her head slightly to hide it. Darn you Cas for making me blush so much. The elevator doors opened, and she followed him into the room, letting his hand clasped in hers guide her where he wanted to take her. So trusting, so willing, it was unfamiliar to her. She didn't know how to feel about it, but she didn't need to. The view took her breath away, and she untangled their fingers to walk to the huge window, blue eyes wide and soaking up the view. I want to draw that… It was jarring, the thought. It's been forever since she's ever wanted to draw anything besides the monsters in her head, nothing but scratchy ink things on a crumpled page.
"Beautiful isn't it?" Cas said as he started to unbutton his shirt. He always had to dress so nicely. He did have a second shirt on underneath. It was plain black, and he wore black pants. His hair was now a mess, but he didn't care much. When he looked over his shoulder he saw a wide eyed Zoi looking out the window. She always seemed so surprised and in awe of the surroundings. Where are you from? He questioned, but didn't say out loud. He folded his shirt and gently laid it on the couch. Walking up next to her he realized just how small she was. He wanted to hold her. He thought for a moment and realized he left the box with her gift inside the pocket of his jacket. He looked to the pocket and slowly moved his hand inside and pulled it out, hoping she wouldn't notice.
