@casslang / casslang.tumblr.com
Holding a hand out, Jane waits for Cassie to return the tool. “I am, yes. I used to be a doctor before I had a change of profession. The dead ask less questions when you have to run without any notice.”
Cassie slowly held the scalpel back to Jane, careful to keep the sharp part facing her as the woman grabbed it. “Do you like it? I feel like being around dead people all the time would freak me out.”
mkkaris:
Such a baby. She’s teasing with no intent to be mean. Makkari doesn’t think she’s ever been that young. The Eternals were created to appear the same age that they always present as. Who is your father?
Maybe when you compare it to being alive for centuries. Cassie quipped back with a small smile. At the question, her smile faltered a bit. Ant-Man. My father is Ant-Man. Scott Lang.
“He’s become a public figure, then?” It happens with heroes from time to time. The spotlight gets to their heads and suddenly there’s books and parties and grabs for attention. The concept is synonymous with Tony Stark in her mind at this point. “It used to be harder,” she admits. Now, they’ve basically got a revolving door. “Please, don’t apologize.” Pity from a child is hard to handle. “It’ll all be righted soon. We can make it right.”
“Yeah, you could say that.” It was a little disappointing, to see her father get so wrapped up in all of the press related benefits that came with being a hero as opposed to actually helping people. Maybe the Avengers had broken up, but he still had the suit. There was more to him than book signings and podcasts. “Still, that can’t be easy on you. I know how hard it is to lose someone, and I wouldn’t wish that kind of pain on my worst enemy.”
“Werewolves, vampires, gremlins, goblins, ghouls. They go bump in the night and we come to chase them out from under the bed.” Elsa recites, a tad bit exasperated. “Serious as the plague, lovie. Someone has to do the unholy business. Is it cool, though? I suppose it can be. It’s work, at the end of the day. Incredibly dangerous, life threatening work.”
“What’s the difference between a gremlin and a goblin?” They sounded like pretty much the same thing, if Cassie was being honest. It sounded like this lady was describing a DnD campaign, not real life. “So when was the first time you ever picked up a weapon?” She had plenty of other questions, but she was trying to hold herself back to some extent.
amricas:
At that, America shakes her head. “They make you pay to learn things. Jesús. All you have to do is go outside and you learn things for free.” Usually, that was the hard way. America has a lot of trial and error under her belt as it stands. At the mention of her mothers, America just steels her shoulders and shakes her head. “I’m going to find them.” It isn’t a question anymore. Even if the answer scares her, America will find out what had happened to them. “Si. Tu español no es malo. What made you switch?” If there is anything she’s encountered, it was a lot of Spanish out in the world and a decent amount of sign language. “Your dad?” Was America supposed to know who that was? Her circle has remained incredibly small so far. There’s Stephen, Wong and Clea. She has met others, but the former two are who she was closest with.
“I got a pretty good scholarship, so everything’s paid for for now. But yeah, most people have to pay off student loans for their entire life. It’s super depressing.” Or they got their parents to pay for it for them. But Cassie’s parents weren’t exactly rolling in it, even if her father was Ant-Man. There was surprisingly no Avengers payroll. “I think you will. I know you will, actually, based on how you said that.” Saying she hoped America found her parents didn’t feel like quite the right sentiment. As the other girl spoke some more Spanish, Cassie understood and chuckled softly. “Gracias. I dunno, they never gave me the option to learn ASL in high school and it seemed fun. Maybe I should keep up with my Spanish, though. Couldn’t hurt anything.” Pausing, her eyebrows shot up before she gave a shake of her head. “Sorry, I forget that doesn’t make any sense without context. My dad is Ant-Man.”
“yeah! no no no, that’s definitely him –” peter perked up, thrilled to have finally made some sort of headway with someone, “alright fair enough.” he nodded, understanding, “would you be willing to at least tell him my location?”
Cassie almost flinched from the dude’s excitement, and she raised a cautious brow at him as she nodded slowly at his suggestion. “That’s a little better, yeah. Do you have a phone or something? I can always give him your phone number. Who should I say is trying to find him?”
antdad:
scott deflated at that, clumsily pulling over a chair to collapse into, “no, no — you’re right. i’m sorry, cassie. sometimes i’m reminded i really don’t know how to parent a teenager.” a bitter chuckle escaped past his lips but he shook it off, “you think i should be concerned?”
“It’s fine, I.. I get it.” She really, really did. Even if it got frustrating sometimes, it was hard to really put that much blame onto her dad. It was easier to blame it on Thanos. “I mean, why would S.H.I.E.L.D. want to meet with you? I thought everything with the Accords is over with. You paid your dues.” Even before her father had been trapped in the Quantum Realm, he’d spent the better part of two years on house arrest for helping Captain America. “It just seems sketchy, to me.”
antdad:
moving to begin cleaning up their now completed game, scott shook his head, “i think that’s something you clearly inherited from me.” he wiggled an eyebrow, “exhibit a,” scott gestured vaguely to the table in front of them, and to cassie herself.
“i play to win, dad,” he repeated, mocking good-naturedly, “sure, let’s call it that.”
scott reached for the catan box, leaning away for a moment as cassie’s comments grew more heartfelt. he froze, mid reach before coming back up with the box and a sincere smile that only continued to grow as he reached for one of cassie’s hands, “i missed you too, peanut.” he let the moment play out, filled with temptation to pull his daughter into a hug right then and there, but he had time for hugs whenever now.
time to make up for lost time.
“i’m glad i’m back too — because now you’re never getting rid of me,” he teased.
“Because clearly it wasn’t the ability to be humble.” Cassie threw right back at her father, the banter coming naturally as she glanced down at the game sprawled out across the table, all the while trying to hide her smug grin as she started to help him back up the board pieces.
As her father’s hand fell on top of her own, she took a moment to take a deep breath and focus on the feeling as she closed her eyes for a moment and nodded quickly. He was here, in person, actually playing a game of Catan with her. It still felt like a dream sometimes, the entire process of their reunion going by like a whirlwind. And while she wanted to just jump back to where they left off, it was more difficult than she imagined.
He missed so much. Her first car, prom, her subsequent first boyfriend and first break-up, high school graduation... But he was here. No longer trapped in the Quantum Realm, but here.
She wanted to learn more about the place that her father had spent five years of her life, even though it had only been five minutes of his own. But she decided that conversation was better to save for another day. Right now she just wanted to enjoy spending time with her dad.
“I hope not. You’ve gotta see me walk at least one stage.” The comment was meant to be lighthearted, but her smile fell shortly after she said it as she swallowed and shoved the rest of the cards into the box.
firestvr:
“I personally would have loved to get melted before an exam. Anything to avoid the test.”
“Problem is I actually really want this physics degree.” Maybe then her father would start to take her a little more seriously. Cassie would always be his peanut, but she was an adult now. There was nothing they could do to get those years back that he’d missed.
mgwynns:
“A wee bit, yeah.” They flutter along with her words. The girl hasn’t stopped staring at her, though. Megan just stares back and waits for her to be done. Again, her wings flutter. “Thank you. I’d like to think so. Can’t really do much about it if they aren’t. They’re a bit stuck to me.”
“Sorry, sorry.” Cassie apologized again, her tone sincere as she finally averted her gaze and awkwardly cleared her throat. “I promise I’m more lost in my own thoughts than the fact that you have wings, though.” Her own thoughts were going to get her into trouble if she wasn’t careful. It was still taking everything in her not to take the prototype suit that she’d spotted at Hank’s lab. “What else did your mutation give you? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“So like Jean, Hope and Esme, then. That entire thing is insane.” Amara, at this point, has regained her bearings more. She’s less caught off guard. “I can’t believe they’re that bold.”
“Great, so not only have they taken an Avenger,” Former Avenger, technically, but still. “But they also have three mega important mutants. That’s just.. awesome.”
“How’re you goin’ to sympathize if you ain’t got any siblings?” Paige asks. “I can’t imagine bein’ an only child.”
“Sympathy and empathy are two totally different things. I sympathize with you because I don’t have any siblings, but if I did have siblings I would empathize with you.” Maybe she was coming off as a bit of a know-it-all, but Cassie couldn’t help it. “I did always wish I had an older brother or sister when I was growing up.”
hellxer:
“Are we feeling a little sensitive?”
“And are you feeling a little douchey? Did you need something, or did you just come here to call my jokes bad?” Cassie glanced around the laboratory around them as she narrowed her eyes at the mutant.
“Raise your hand if you had to grow up in the shadow of your siblin’. It ain’t fun, is it?”
Cassie’s hand very decidedly remained down as she awkwardly stared at the other girl. “I’m actually an only child. But I can totally sympathize with you?”
“yeah, no –– my bad. i’m just - i was supposed to meet up with a friend. you haven’t seen him, have you? ‘bout yay high, brown hair, looks a little bit like — well, me.”
“You said his name was Peter, right?” Cassie questioned, wondering if he was asking about her Peter. The two had a few classes together and had joint study sessions in the library pretty frequently, but there was a ton of Peter’s in NYC. “If he goes to Empire, then yes. I think I know him. But no offense, you’re a little old to be in college and I don’t wanna just give his location to a stranger.”
“No, you cannot touch the wings. C’mon.”
“Right, that’s super intrusive and rude of me to ask. My bad.” Cassie really was sorry, but her stare remained on the wings as she tried to model out in her head what she wanted her future suit to look like. Because the suit was happening, whether her dad liked it or not. She’d design the damn thing herself if she couldn’t get Hank and Janet on board. “The wings are just super cool, that’s all.”
“–What?” The word was said with a little more force than Amara would have preferred, and she rubbed at tired eyes. “I’m sorry, just – repeat. What was that?”
“Sorry, I know that was a lot.” Cassie had definitely taken after her father when it came to the habit she shared of rambling. “My dad, he was kidnapped. By S.H.I.E.L.D, apparently?” Which was never a sentence she thought she’d ever say out loud.
I'm the man who can give you the one thing you want. What's that? Time.
