acontritemess | Crossing Paths

[She leaned her head back against his chest as they drove.]

But you didn't tell him we were actually coming? Or when?

Nope.

[Toby doesn't seem concerned about this.]

You are such an ass sometimes.

[And she reaches back against him, rummaging for his pocket.]

Give me your phone.

I'm driving.

[He points this out as if it isn't an obvious fact, his eyes glancing between her and the road. After a second he pulls over again and cuts the engine.]

He knows we're coming.

He knows we were talking about coming. [She crosses her arms once they're pulled over.] Don't be a dick, Toby. Call your brother.

Why?

[His eyebrow raises, his focus on Cas.]

How is that being a dick?

[He really doesn't understand.]

[She turns to look up at him.]

How would you feel if someone just showed up to your doorstep unannounced?

[If it is Kevin randomly showing up at his door, he probably wouldn't mind so much but he quickly gets Cas's point. He snatches the phone from her and sends Kevin a text. He sees no reason to call, more so when the conversation will consist of 'I'm 45 min away from your place, bye.']

There.

[After it's sent he turns the phone around so Cas can see.]

[Cas nodded, not exactly satisfied, but pretty sure that was the best she was going to get out of her mate on the matter.]

Good. Now we can go.

[Toby grunts as he slips his phone back into his pocket. He lingers for a moment, wrapping his arms around Cas while holding the bike in place with his legs; he is a skilled multitasker. He leans over inhaling the scent of Cas’s hair before lightly nibbling just behind her ear. He then lightly kissed the smooth skin before pulling away and starting the bike up again.

One arm around her waist and the other on the handle bars he swerves back onto the road. It’s a forty five minute drive though after that he doesn’t stop. When they got closer to town Toby began to follow his nose, picking up the familiar trail of his brother. There was another scent that lingered around the streets but he assumed it was his imagination.

The comic book store is only a few blocks away.]

[The closer they got to town, the more attractive the idea of just getting a hotel became. This place was cute, having a dreamy quality to it that made Cas think of movies she'd seen. The scent of the unfamiliar were was stronger now that they were in town, and she could only assume it was his brother, though he wondered if she was smelling correctly that there was someone else, here, too.]

So. Are we going to visit your brother first or are we checking in first?

[Toby chuckles at her question, his chest vibrating with the effort.]

We'll visit him at work and then make plans to meet up later and check in. It's nice to see you eager.

[He teases lightly before turning down the main street. His bike echoed between the buildings announcing his approach to the shop. When he pulls to the curb he glances at his phone which he had felt vibrate in his pocket.]

I was right. He's at work.

[They're sitting in front of a comic book store.]

Well, if you weren't so hot, I wouldn't be.

[She pauses, smirking.] Or were you talking about meeting your brother?

[And another pause as she goes to slide from the bike.]

Do you smell another were?

[Toby's lips slip into a comfortable smile at her comment. He isn't used to smiling so much and honestly he finds the expression exhausting.]

I was not talking about meeting me brother.

[He turned the bike off, allowing Cas to step off the bike before following. At her question he simply nods, his expression growing more serious.]

It's a familiar smell. I need to tell Kevin. [There is a new urgency in his voice as he rises and steps into the comic book store. The scent isn't in here yet, so he has at least a small measure of time.]

[Cas follows him inside the comic book store, realizing she's never actually been in a comic book store before. There's a heady smell of weathered paper, almost like a library. It was weird.

When the bell dings, signaling their arrival, Kevin looks up from the inventory log he was working on at the counter, Toby's scent reaching his nostrils at the same time and he smiles his easy smile, coming around the counter.]

Hey, Tobes! Annnd Cas...?

[She smiles up at him.] Kevin?

That'd be me.

[Toby wants to smile when he sees his brother however there is a much more pressing matter to attend to first.]

Kevin. [His tone is stressed, something his brother would recognize.] Ther-

[His voice cuts off with the soft ringing of the bell behind him. The door opens again and a familiar scent reaches Toby's nose. He doesn't turn to look considering the werewolf who walked in stepped over towards some of the comics on the far wall, her eyes glancing up at the gathering curiously but not wanting to interrupt.]

[Kevin had a moment's notice that something was up. He recognized the tension in Toby's shoulders, the tone of his voice, then the bell dinged at the door and he looked up, eyes going wide at the female who wanted into his comic book shop.

Then her scent hit him and two things happened simultaneously. She had the most incredible scent, and a familiar one. He'd smelled it before, years ago.

No. No. How did? Toby didn't miss, and the smell of her made it hard to think, too. He tore his eyes away from her, back to his brother, and he couldn't help it. Those eyes begged. Toby, tell me what to do.]

[Freya moves over to Wonder Woman comics while waiting for the group of three to finish speaking. She's unsure as tension mounts in the room and for a moment she almost leaves before remembering that it's rude to not say hi to whoever's territory she's in. She exhales a slow breath and begins to flip through the pages.

Toby watches Kevin's expression, his fingers lightly curling around Cas as if to pull her closer.]

Cas. Do you mind if Kevin and I catch up out back?

[They can't very well talk with the girl in the store because no matter how quiet they were, she'd hear.]

[Cas shifts her eyes toward Freya, then back to Toby before nodding and giving a wink that says she'll try to run interference before idly making her way toward Freya while pretending to look at stuff on the shelves.

Kevin looks up to this older brother before motioning and heading toward the back, expecting Toby to follow.]

[Toby follows Kevin, waiting for the door to close before speaking.]

Kevin...

[He wishes he'd gotten a chance to mention this before the girl walked through the damn front door.]

I found out... recently.

[Once the door shut behind them, Kevin turns to look up at his older brother.]

How recently?

[Toby shrugs, shoving his hands into his pockets.]

A few weeks. It was on a mission with Airy and Nathan. They found a friend of theirs, a vampire who created a safe heaven for Hidden. She had shown up and the vampire chased away a male who was trying to make her mate with him. I don't know how long she stayed there but...

[She rubs the back of his head.]

I wanted to tell you in person. I didn't think she'd show up here.

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"while the boys are away"