I wake up by a soft shake against my shoulders. "Cassie," a deep voice makes me grumble and roll over. Another firm shake comes against my shoulders. "Cassie." This times it firmer. "Come on Cassie," the voice grumbles before shaking me harder. My eyes snap open and I look up to see Grims black eyes staring down at me. Sunlight shines behind his head, giving me an ironic image as sunlight shines beside him beautifully.
"Grim!" I jolt upward and almost fall off my bed when he luckily catches me. He sends me a look before I nod at him and hurry out of bed to stand. He stands as well.
"Are you--"
"What are you doing here?" I hiss. Grim eyes narrow even more.
"What?"
"You normally leave after you say something scary or when we don't talk..." I trail off awkwardly, biting my lip as I realize I just admitted I pay attention to when he actually leaves. I don't think Grim notices as he just shrugs.
"Things change," his eyes then quickly run over my outfit. I look down just as he speaks. "Which by the way, if you want to make your aunt really happy, I suggest you walk down there right now and start making some coffee."
"What?" I tilt my head.
"I may have overheard your aunts thoughts and she was thinking it would be nice of you to do that."
"Oh," I rub a hand through my hair. "How long have you been here? And thanks," I tell him. He nods.
"I've been here all night."
My eyes widen. "All night?" I squeak. Grim just perks an eyebrow at me. "Uh..." I trail off, confused by my odd behavior. I close my eyes briefly but I suddenly snap them open as I remember how Grim covered my eyes with his used shirt as we made out. Oh no.
My stomach flips as soon as I recognize the feeling in my chest. I cover my mouth before letting out an awkward laugh and running out of my room. I can hear Grim trailing behind me and look over my shoulder, letting him know not to follow me. He gets the idea, but when I get to the bottom of the stairs he is waiting for me, leaning across the railing sexily.
Sexily...Very sexily.
His obsidian eyes stare at me as I walk down the stairs, his hair messy yet almost perfect as it lays over his one eye. His lips look as plump and pink as ever and his eyebrow piercing winks at me in the morning sun. Something about the way he stares at me makes something in my core light up and I almost trip going down the stairs. His eyes widen slightly before he regains his cool and lets an amused smirk float over his face.
Oh, how I want to kiss that smirk right off.
Oh no.
I can sense the panic rising in my veins as alarm bells go off in my head. I can't be thinking that right now. "Are you okay?" Grim comes close to me as he speaks so his voice is just above a whisper.
I just give a shaky nod before my fingers are reaching out and I am making the coffee. He watches me until suddenly, he is at my side. I send him a confused look when he grabs my elbow softly. It's actually such a soft touch I want him to never let go. His touch it so different. Given his exterior, I would think his fingers would be calloused. Hell, with his reputation he should be calloused himself.
I gasp but his eyes just slice to mine. I can see a question running around in them, but he is silent as his fingers run over my burn. Relief is immediately offered to me from his fingers, and I almost sag into him. We are so close that our breath mixes, my lips about three inches away from his face. He seems to notice our close proximity just as I do, but neither of us dares to move. That is until I hear Ravenna.
"What the hell are you doing?" My eyes snap away from Grim and over to her with an alarm in them that I hope she doesn't see.
"Making coffee," I smile.
"Really? It looked like you were about to kiss someone," Ravenna snaps. "Some imaginary someone." My cheeks turn as red as the red sweatshirt she is wearing. I turn around and go back to the coffee pot, glad that Grim isn't here right now to hear her. Or he probably is and it just not appearing to both of us.
It wouldn't surprise me.
Ravenna says, "What's on your arm?" I look down to see her staring at the red burn. I feel like covering it in shame but just continue making coffee.
"A burn."
"What did you do? Burn yourself with the flat iron?" I look at her shortly before looking out the kitchen window to not scream at her. The trees look beautiful in the morning light with some snow lightly coating them.
"Ravenna, just for today do you think you can be normal for once?" I look at her. Her eyes widen like she wants to fight me. "It's our uncles birthday!" She stares at me for a long moment before suddenly, a charming smile walks over her face and for once, hope stirs in my chest.
"Sure. And Cassie," Ravenna waits until I meet her eyes to continue. "I love you. Even though I'm mean at times, I do love you." Ravenna then sharply turns her body and giggles before running upstairs. Seconds later, she appears again and leans over the staircase to smile at me. "Can I do your makeup?"
I'm in a state of shock as she stares at me with curious blue eyes. "Yeah, sure. I'll be up in ten." I find myself grinning as she sort of squeaks in excitement and runs up the rest of the stairs. I'm left staring at the staircase in surprise.
That's when I see a shadow beside me and turn to find Grim casually leaning against the counter sniffing the coffee beans. "This smells delicious," he murmurs. Instantly, I know he did something.
"What did you do?" I cross my arms, trying to be angry but my sister was just extremely nice to me for once. I can't be mad at him if he did that.
Grim looks at me before shrugging. Is that a hint of a smile I see on his face? "I just sort of manipulated her to be nice," Grim shrugs. I gasp before swatting his arm. I freeze as soon as I do it and look down with a burning face as I remember it's a flirting motion. Grim chuckles. "She's a nice girl. It's rather weird how she looks just like you just...brighter."
"I know. It's like we are light and dark twins," I joke. It is really weird. Where I have raven black hair, she has Goldilocks blond hair. Her eyes are a bright summer sky blue and my eyes are as black as Grims. I look up at Grim suddenly with the realization.
Grim and I both have black hair and both black eyes. Azrael mentioned something about him having a brother. Could it be possible his brother looks just like him just...different like Ravenna and me? With everything happening, the odd twist on reality doesn't seem so impossible.
Grim sends me a confused look before the coffee starts. His attention runs back to that and I find myself chewing on my cheek as I really think about this. I have the Patch of Death, what if Ravenna has something as the Patch of Life?
Before I can really think of it, the doorbell chimes and I furrow my eyebrows. "I'll get it!" Ravenna calls from somewhere. I twirl back around to see Grim staring at me.
"What were you thinking about?"
"Who's here?"
"No one just needed to bring you out of your thoughts," he smirks. My eyes narrow.
"I was thinking about how Raven--" I cut myself off. Grim didn't take Azrael talking to me about Thanatos so well. So how would Grim take it if I told him I knew he had a brother named Thaddeus? I bite my lip to stop myself and just shrug. "How good you look without a hood," I say the first thing that comes to mind. I can see Grim doesn't believe me entirely, but he straightens at my words and looks me over.
My eyes run over his revealed black hair. It looks like he constantly ran his fingers through it as a comb--as a hairbrush. And soft to the touch. I really want to run my fingers through it right now. Grim's black eyes stare at mine before he nods while making a noise like he's understanding something.
"Uh-huh. Listen, I've gotta run and take some care of somethings. Promise me you won't leave here, okay?" He raises an eyebrow. I nod shortly before I turn as Ravenna calls.
"Cassie, makeup!" I just laugh before walking toward her, only turning around as Grim disappears from my kitchen.
___
"Happy birthday!" Everyone screams as Uncle Ricky blows out the candles on his cake. I cheer and wrap my arms around his neck and he lovingly comes up to hold my elbow as Aunt Janice hugs his other side.
"Make a wish!" Ravenna cheers. The cake we bought yesterday looks beautiful with flowers and cursive handwriting. I didn't get to see it with Caleb problems, but I'm glad I got to see it before it got destroyed. As cake gets handed out, so do presents and Uncle Ricky laughs as they pile up. Uncle Ricky is dearly loved in the neighborhood since he's such a cheerful man. Everyone loves him, especially Aunt Janice.
My eyes lock on Caleb's mother as she grins at Aunt Janice and Uncle Ricky. I'm so thankful she didn't drag Caleb here. I'm also thankful I only saw her once for two seconds when I appeared at Caleb's house one day to watch a movie and babysit his sister. We were never formally introduced since she was rushing out of the house to get to the emergency room where she apparently works. I don't even think she looked at me as she ran out of the house.
As Uncle Ricky opens a beautifully wrapped present, I am reminded of what Ravenna told me in the mirror earlier. "Were so beautiful," she whispered as she curled my hair to perfection and applied some heavy makeup around my eyes. I did look nicer than usual due to her magical hand.
I wear a burgundy colored cardigan with some new leggings. Over those leggings near my ankles are fuzzy socks. Azrael wanted to hide in the pocket of my cardigan, but I said it was too risky. I was hugging people left and right. I didn't need him to slither out by accident.
When Aunt Janice walked in to find Ravenna and I actually getting together, I wish I would've taken a photo of her smile as she held some freshly made coffee. She looked so happy that it almost washed over the brim. The entire house is happy as we hand Uncle Ricky presents on top of presents.
It feels good to be surrounded by family. It feels like my life is actually normal.
Only it's missing something, something in my mind whispers. I recognize it as my inner self. That something being Grim. I instantly shut that thought down and shake my head to clear it. Grim and I are getting close...but I have a feeling if I get too close I will be burned. And not by an oven.
Suddenly, the doorbell rings.
"I'll get it," I tell everyone before scurrying out of the dining room and to the front door. I don't even peek through to see who is there because everyone showing up here all know my uncle. Only I find myself wishing I had as I pull open the door and my eyes lock with a pair of dark blue ones. My stomach instantaneously flips over and my heart drops into my foot. I also think my spine slides out of place as I stare ahead of me.
"Hello, pumpkin," Rowl greets with his lips pulled up in a smug smirk.
___