of shurikens and fangs 彡 garfield logan

i.

For ten minutes now, Cassie had been staring over her steering wheel, at the sleek Porsche parked in front of her. A very  familiar Porsche. After a point she had just zoned out. The 'No thoughts, head empty' kind of a zone out.

Inhaling, she parked her own Audi (which looked pitiful against the damn Porsche) in an empty spot. Grabbing her backpack, Cassie slid out of the car and wiped her glasses clean, just in case. Maybe the smudges made me think it was - Nope, it's definitely that bastard's.

Fighting an urge to violently key Richard's car, the eighteen year old maintained a (comically) large distance between her and a vehicle as she walked towards the elevator. Clutching the straps of her bag tightly, Cassie mentally prepared herself to face her adoptive older brother, whom she hadn't heard from in four years since he ran away to Detroit.

What the hell was he doing here? Why hadn't anyone told her he'd be here?

They were on the rooftop. Cassie heard them from the end of the corridor. She heard Richard's faint voice before she could smell his evaporating cologne. It churned her insides. There was someone else with him. A younger girl (Cassie ignored the prick that coursed through her body). And Dawn was there.

She stopped a few inches before the stairs, contemplating whether she should just ditch her bi-annual 'visit Hank and Dawn' weekend and go back to Gotham. What would she even say to Richard? Hey, dickface. Thanks for abandoning a fourteen year old me on the sidewalk and taking off to some fuckall place and disappearing on me for four years?

How was Dawn okay with him being there? And Hank?

Eh, fuck it. Worst case scenario, I sock him in the eye. Cassie walked up two stairs when she heard footsteps behind her.

"Missed me, Hank?" She turned around with a smile, taking the man off guard.

"I thought you were supposed to be here tomorrow." Hank took a few long strides and embraced her, lifting her off the ground, "You been good, kid?"

Cassie laughed, "I turn in my assignments on time and go to bed on time, if that's what you mean." She let go of him, examining him for any visible injuries, "How are you? Last I heard from Dawn, you were in the hospital with a fracture."

"Eh, comes with the job." He brushed her off, walking past her, "I'm used to it now. Dawn not in there?"

"No, I think she's on the roof. How's the hip, old man?" She teased, desperately trying to stall him so that she didn't have to face the person upstairs.

Hank groaned, "Hurts like a bitch from time to time," He ruffled her short hair, "you brat. Come on in. It's Dawn's turn to cook, thank fuck." He turned the knob and opened the door, still looking back at her, "The last time - "

Richard Grayson looked a little older than Cassie remembered. He looked like he hadn't slept properly in years. (Honestly, none of the Titans had) The teenager's gaze fell from Dawn's hand on Richard's to the younger girl who sat closer to them. She was by the large dove cage, dressed in the most gothic clothes Cassie had personally ever seen.

She had nice hair, though.

"Motherf - Hey," Hank hissed at Richard, "The hell are you doing here, Dick?"

"Hank." Dawn warned. Her gaze met Cassie's over the man's shoulder and the woman brightened up for a second.

"I had a situation." Richard tried to explain, shoving his hands in his pocket.

The vague answer did nothing to help Hank's temper, "Nice little reunion you got going here."

Cassie was leaning against the cage now, on the other side of the strange girl, "Don't jump to conclusions, man." She said at the same time as Richard said, "You know it's not like that."