NICHOLAS REID
Warlock
Posts: 77
Age:
36
Occupation:
Co-owner of Reid's Pawn Shop
Status:
Single
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Apr 13, 2024 14:48:13 GMT
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Post by NICHOLAS REID on Nov 28, 2022 19:14:15 GMT
He’d not done it since she was a kid, but Nicky cracked open the door to Mandy’s bedroom and checked on her. it was weeks since they’d stormed that marble clad prison and had broken her out. Still not enough time to know the full extent of her injuries - mental and emotional - just how deeply that bastard had scarred her. Layers of damage covering what had already been done by the sirens, like cobwebs, new laid upon the old until you couldn’t see your way free of them. He closed the door quietly, not waking her. School would probably be back on her mind soon enough, but for now he was drawing a line on it, whether Mandy appreciated the burden he was trying to take off of her or not.
Outside Darce’s door, Nicky paused. He stared at the painted wood as though he could see through it. The cracks in his brother seemed to have run almost through to the very centre of him when Mandy had been taken. It had been so easy to imagine him shattering like the counter at the shop, glittering shards of a man devoted to his wife and sister. Maybe the wounds hadn’t stopped bleeding yet, maybe they never would. What he knew for certain was that both him and Mandy would probably feel better with Darce here instead of restlessly pacing the shop, waiting for the other shoe to drop and exploding when it did.
Leaving a note to explain he’d gone to the shop on the kitchen table, Nicky headed out. Rush hour, or what passed for it, had already been and gone. The shops around the square were slowly coming to life - folks gathered in little knots in the coffee shop and restaurants, starting their day with no idea of the nightmares that happened under their noses in this town. Maybe some had noticed the slight shift in Reid’s’ business - glaziers coming in to replace the counters, the chirpy young girl behind the counter instead of the po faced Englishman, maybe the confused scrawny kid bolting (well, limping, Darce hadn’t gone easy on him) out the door - but he doubted any had seen the blazing battle that went on not a handful of miles from this spot.
Nicky flexed his hands on the wheel as he drove, eyes drifting over the sidewalks. If the Original hybrid (not an enemy he would’ve looked to make if the man hadn’t laid hands on Mandy) was done licking his wounds it probably wouldn’t take him long to make his way back and he didn’t put it beyond that man to try tearing his throat out if he did. At the very least he should’ve learned what happened when you tried to imprison a Reid witch for their magic - or a Kelly witch.
The frown lines that had carved themselves deep over the last couple of months sprung back. He’d not slept well since the day Mandy had been taken and even with her and Darce in the apartment, behind as many layers of magical protection as he could slap over the place (hopefully as ugly and as hard to remove as wood chip wallpaper), it hadn’t come back easy. Nicky sniffed in a breath, buzzing down the window for that cool slap of air. Left thousands of miles from her family, she had to feel cut adrift, even if she was free of that basement now. He’d do what he could for her, see about getting her back home and away from any risk that the Mikaelsons would reach for her again.
All of them were targets, but Nicky ignored the itch of it between his shoulder blades as he pulled up outside the shop. He shut off the engine, got out and strolled towards the door without a look back. The Reids wouldn’t cower, not even from the Original family. Looking at it - as he did as he walked in the door and let it swing shut behind him, the sign still turned to ‘closed’ - you wouldn’t have had any idea what had happened here. The counters had been repaired, whatever hadn’t been reduced to rubble or singed by his sister’s attempts to escape that mongrel put back in them. Any stains on the floor had been buffed away, no physical reminders left of what had happened here. Undoubtedly Cassie had seen to it all, the girl hadn’t just kept the place going while they’d been gone - she’d made sure they could come back. She’d saved Mandy.
What had come in and been sold while they were preoccupied could be sorted later. He needed to get his hands back on it all, to breathe in a little dust and get himself resettled. Tea first. A routine that’d started every day here before that door had clanged open and Darcey had walked in that first time. The kettle boiled - a proper one electric one, not the monstrosity of a cup of water heated in a microwave - the pot was rinsed, heated through before he poured the water into the cup and heated that too. Leaves were put in, Earl Grey brought over in bulk the last time he’d been home. Four minutes and no more before he poured it out. There was milk in the little fridge, still alright if a sniff was anything to go by. Cassie had restocked, preparing for their return maybe, or he’d influenced her more than he’d thought. Sadie had done the same for the apartment, although her visits had dried up. The deliveries had continued to come after, some scrawny kid from the grocery store dropping bags at the door.
A splash of milk in the bottom of the cup - just enough - warmed through by the china now, slowly turning amber as he poured the tea over it. The strainer was plucked from the tea pot, although the quilted cosy was tugged back over after. Mum woulda been proud, her lessons on how to brew a proper cuppa adhered to, although he didn’t stir through the three cubes of sugar the old man would’ve added. Nicky picked the cup up, snagging a saucer off of the hutch at the back of the front room of the shop to avoid damaging those new counters as he stepped back out. It tasted of home, a sip enough to set that faint ache off in his chest. Those pale blue eyes rose, and drifted around the place. He’d wondered if it ever would feel that way again after all that happened, that thing’s fingerprints laid over all he’d built here, erased. The bitter taste out of his mouth washed away with the tea as the door rattled open.
Nicky’s half smile tugged at his lips as he took another sip. He raised the cup to her, tipping it in greeting before he sipped again. The cup clinked against the saucer as he set it down. ”Mornin’. Pot’s out the back, still warm if you wanna help yourself.” As though he hadn’t been gone for months and had just stepped out from behind the curtain that separated the two halves of the business instead.
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CASSIE LUANNA
Witch
Posts: 180
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Apr 19, 2024 20:34:52 GMT
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Post by CASSIE LUANNA on Dec 6, 2022 16:23:51 GMT
━ climb that goddamn mountain ━ CASSIE WAS AS COOOOL AS A FREAKIN’ CUCUMBER. Things were goin’ good. Linc was finally back from his way-too-long trip, Kace and Raik were still alive (Kace was super alive. She’d confirmed it herself), and Mandy was totally okay! Well, maybe not totally okay━Cassie knew what it was like to get held against your will by Klaus━but alive! Stuff was gettin’ back to normal… as normal as it could be.
Which was super good! Cassie was still running the store, and she’d really come to like it in the last little while, too. Customers were only sometimes annoying, but mostly they were nice, and, plus, she still had that box of rare magic stuff for Nicky. She figured none of it really mattered ‘til after he got Mandy back, so it sat in the back on a shelf, just waiting for its happy presentation to him. Cassie would probs get to show him soon, which would be awwwesome!
And she didn’t really find that work was boring at all. Everyday was somethin’ new, which was super cool ‘cause, like, she was totally worried nothing would be fun compared to what she knew was out there. But, as it turned out, Cassie liked not being under threat of having her throat sliced open twenty-four-seven!
Hopping out of bed, Cassie kept the eye makeup light━the old ladies didn’t really appreciate it━and dressed for the day, though she didn’t really have stuff that was too conservative. Like, ripped jeans were acceptable, right? So, jeans and a sweater, ‘cause it was super cold. She left the jacket behind even though she was walking, ‘cause it wasn’t that far━she totally regretted this decision after.
A few minutes later, she scurried into the shop with her arms curled around herself, shivering and letting out audible “Brrrr,” sounds as she stepped inside. It was unlocked━had she forgotten to lock it last night? No way. Cassie remembered saying ‘I locked it’ out loud to herself ‘cause that was the only way she didn’t wake up at two a.m. freaking out and thinkin’ she’d left it open. Flipping the sign to ‘Open’━it was close enough and she didn’t wanna walk back over━Cassie walked further in, thick brows furrowed, wonderin’ who the heck was there before her.
As soon as she saw Nicky, her frown expanded into a wide grin and she rushed over, practically mauling him for a hug. “Hey!” Cassie squealed (with a bit too much energy for the morning), and stepped away after a second. It was a lot quicker of a hug than she gave Linc when she saw him again, and she didn’t linger all close, either, but this reuniting still warranted a hug!
“What’re you doing in my store?” She raised a brow, then quickly broke into a smile and scurried around to make herself a cup of tea. She’d been trying to get used to the taste, though it was more milk and sugar than actual tea when she made it. Cassie put in three teaspoons of sugar, then enough milk to give the cup a pale beige look, and walked out with her monstrosity, immediately sipping it━the milk cooled it right down.
“How’s everything? How’s Mandy?” She asked, moving to lean into the edge of the counter, the glass already beginning to warm from the lights. “The store━tha shoop━” She corrected in her best (worst) British accent, “━is still standing, aaaas you can see. It’s picking up ahead of Christmas, I think. Also, I totally did a Black Friday deal without your permission. Sorry-not-sorry. It was only thirty percent, though, and that made us popular for the day. On the outside stuff, obvi. Oh, oh! I got something for you!” Cassie hopped in the air, nearly spilled her tea, and then set it down on the nearest surface. “But, like, tell me about your stuff first.” She nodded, desperate to be patient through this.
NICHOLAS REID | no notes.
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NICHOLAS REID
Warlock
Posts: 77
Age:
36
Occupation:
Co-owner of Reid's Pawn Shop
Status:
Single
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Apr 13, 2024 14:48:13 GMT
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Post by NICHOLAS REID on Jan 3, 2023 19:34:13 GMT
All cold nipped the way she was as she scooted in the door, nobody would look twice at the girl thinking witch. Even if it was emblazoned across her jumper, or stamped right across Cassie’s pink cheeks most wouldn’t bat an eye. They didn’t publicly burn witches these days, a good thing too since most of the self-proclaimed sort didn’t have an ounce of power to them. Cassie was different, the girl had gone through something that’d left her more powerful than most, and scarred in a way. Niklaus Mikaelson had known it too and was ready to tear new wounds to get the girl to do whatever it was he’d started to hoard witches for. Instead of finding Cassie, he’d gotten himself Mandy instead.
It was tempting to pick up his phone and shoot Darce a message at the thought. It was gonna be a waiting game to see how the ordeal affected Mandy, one that was gonna torture the lot of them. In the end Mandy would grow tired of her brothers hovering and they’d get tired of each other, cooped up like they’d been since the night Mandy had been taken. Throwing the windows open would air the flat out with that same chilly breeze Cassie brought in with her until she closed the door, but it took more than that to do the same for people, for the miasma of grief and fear and anger that lingered instead of you until you let that puff out too.
Klaus Mikaelson might not have believed there was any of that puff left in either Mandy or Maeve, but it didn’t mean there hadn’t been two big bad wolves on his doorstep, ready to blow the entire place down. They’d huffed and puffed and knocked the twat flat with his own front door. By now an army of obedient little servants had probably bolted the door back on, but Klaus would have to be an idiot to make another attempt. He might have their measure now, they had his too though, and that meant if he came again, it wouldn’t be Mandy’s blood on the floor, or Cassie’s.
The girl had become more than just a trainee, especially while Mandy had been gone and the shop had ended up under her stewardship. A mentee, a friend, practically one of the family since she’d put them on the Original hybrid’s trail, finally filling in the piece of the puzzle they’d been missing all the time. He nearly had the cup in his lap - a nasty scald he’d want to avoid there of all places - as Cassie threw herself at him, the squeal leaving him wincing as he hugged her tight, patting her back. Nicky nudged the cup out of range as she stepped back, returning her grin. She was happy to see him at least.
Laughing low, Nicky reached for the cup as she scurried away at his invite. He’d made an honorary Brit out of her yet, and make sure she knew how to make a decent cup too. One dark brow hitched at her question. Nicky clucked his tongue and took a sip. ”Your store, eh? I guess I was gone longer than I thought. Maybe I’ll have to claim squatters’ rights at least.” He touched his tongue to his upper lip, catching a little of the sweetness from the sugar he’d added to the cup. It turned to a wince as he caught the look of Cassie’s cuppa - definitely not an honorary Brit yet, not til the tea was at least half a dozen shades darker.
Keeping the cup between his hands, Nicky propped his forearms on his thighs, hunching forward slightly. How was everything … that was the million dollar question, wasn’t it. ”You’ve done a good job, even if you’ve given a good chunk of it away from pennies.” There was a teasing lilt to his voice. If it had cleared out the stuff that had been lingering, he wasn’t gonna complain, and it removed what that man had tainted, something Mandy would probably appreciate when they coaxed her back into the shop. ”Careful,” Nicky crooned, a hand coming off of his own cup like he could stop her from splashing the place down.
Cassie had his attention now, both brows rising as he glanced around, like it would present itself immediately. She probably could’ve snapped her fingers and had it happening, but she’d wanted his stuff. He let out a sigh, his lips quirking back into that small smile. ”She’s doin’ well. She’s still at home, think we’re gonna keep her there long as she’ll let us. Although, a day on her own with Darce is probably gonna have her runnin’ for the door.” He nodded slowly, like Cassie would understand the sort of limbo Mandy now hovered in. ”I dunno if he’s doin’ much better. It’s time to start to stretchin’ a little though, hence my giftin’ you with my presence this mornin’. Any sign of his great fanged nibs about here?” He wouldn’t have put it past Klaus to turn his stinging pride into another attempt to get his hands on a powerful witch … perhaps one a little more willing to play ball this time.
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CASSIE LUANNA
Witch
Posts: 180
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Apr 19, 2024 20:34:52 GMT
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Post by CASSIE LUANNA on Jan 30, 2023 14:52:48 GMT
━ climb that goddamn mountain ━ DAMN FLIPPIN’ RIGHT SHE’D DONE A GOOD JOB. Cassie grinned proudly at him like a student who’d just been complimented by her teacher━a verbal pat on the back. It was nice, ‘specially because she wasn’t really into authority figures (which was fair, considering), but Nicky had always been cool. The respect went both ways━he knew how powerful she was, and instead of telling her to keep it on the down-low (hello, Lawrence), he taught Cassie how to hone it.
And she sought his advice, too. If Nicky had said bringing either of those guys back was a bad idea, she wouldn’t have done it. He didn’t even control her, either━he just helped. He was kinda like the big brother she never had. Which made sense, ‘cause he probs saw her as just another Mandy… at least, she hoped so.
Speaking of, Cassie wandered back towards the counter and sipped her Earl Grey-flavoured milky, sugar water, trying to dampen the excitement on all the stuff she had for him. He wasn’t around to help with Raik (which she didn’t blame him for), but Cassie didn’t really need anything from Leah in return. And she thought, like, why not do somethin’ nice for Nicky? Especially after everything he’d done for her.
But Mandy first.
Cassie nodded slowly until she laughed at the mention of Darcey, though it fizzled out into something sheepish. She was still a little bit… bugged seemed like the best word… about him gettin’ all in her face and stuff. Especially ‘cause Cassie was only trynna help, and her help meant they could save Mandy. She wasn’t gonna be an asshole and take responsibility or anything, but there was no reason for him to be so rude. Anyway, all she was really thinkin’ was yeah, I couldn’t imagine staying in the same place as Darcey for that long, either.
“That’s good,” She offered him a light smile, “If she… ever wants someone to talk to, y’know, I can come over. Someone who gets it, I mean━not Darcey.” Cassie scoffed, though her eye roll soon bled into another soft grin. “It sucks that that’s the biggest thing I have in common with Mandy, though.” Her expression turned sad, and she shook her head. At least they could be grateful for something. “Nah, I haven’t seen him, thankfully. For his sake.” Cassie smirked into her tea, swallowing another mouthful. If Klaus came by, he’d probs be all jacked up and hybrid-y, but Cassie would knock him on his ass. She totally could, too.
Now that all their bases were covered, Cassie figured it was a good time to give Nicky his gifts. With a little “Ooh,” She put her tea down and turned, scurrying to the back room again. When she returned, Cassie was carrying the box of things Leah had given her as payment. She had no idea where most of them came from, but it crossed off over half his list of “most wanted” items. Obviously, he probably wanted to update it since he’d been away, but still! It was a heck of a lot of magic-y stuff!
“So, I brought another sad, died-too-soon human dude back to life. He died in a sacrifice━like me━so, y’know…” She brought the box over and deposited on the counter near their teas. Cassie hadn’t wanted to bug Nicky about Raik, and she didn’t know if he’d remember anything around the time it happened, so she just kinda assumed she had to tell him again. “Aaaanyway, so, for payment, I just gave her that list you had in the back and said to cross off as many as she could. I hope… that’s cool.” Cassie’s smile was sheepish again, and she watched Nicky’s face, almost as if waiting for another pat on the back. Just some kinda approval to show she’d done well.
NICHOLAS REID | no notes.
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NICHOLAS REID
Warlock
Posts: 77
Age:
36
Occupation:
Co-owner of Reid's Pawn Shop
Status:
Single
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Apr 13, 2024 14:48:13 GMT
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Post by NICHOLAS REID on Feb 13, 2023 19:47:04 GMT
Cassie was a good kid. He’d seen it even as she’d picked through the jewellery at the warlock’s estate sale. A few trinkets might’ve walked out of there on her fingers, instead of bundled up with the rest of the lot he’d paid for, but she’d never taken a thing that didn’t belong to her from a shop she could’ve robbed blind while their back was turned. Nicky could see the pride she had in the place, shining in her smile as he heaped praise on her for watching out for it all without an ounce of complaint. If he’d tried the same with Mandy she’d have looked at him like he’d lost his mind, asking why he was buttering her up. It wasn’t that though, he didn’t need to leverage any more favours out of Cassie, he needed to thank her.
Darcey had bitten like an angry dog when Cassie had stood just a few inches from where she was now and told them how Klaus Mikaelson had come looking for her. He’d seen her start at it, as you would with those snapping teeth coming at you. Maybe she’d flinched at the realisation that it could’ve been her if the circumstances had been different, maybe was meant to be her. He wasn’t planning on blaming her for that though. Having seen the situation in the mansion’s basement he wouldn’t have wished for Mandy and Cassie to swap places, even if Darce likely would’ve done. Nobody deserved to be locked away like that, especially not one of their sort, cut off from the people they loved and the power that should’ve been singing through their veins. With it Mand might’ve tried fighting her way out of there, shoulder to shoulder with Maeve the way he had done Darcey. Without it …
Nicky suppressed the shudder that rolled through him, curling his hand tighter around the cup as though the tea would cut the chill. Darcey knew what it was like to have that connection taken from him, had spent so long wrapped up in another’s spell, powerless to save himself or Lorna in the end. He could empathise with Mandy, sympathise with her, but it wasn’t gonna make it any easier for Mandy to open up to a brother who was twice her age. She’d been closer to Darce than she had been to him, with him gone so long, as he’d been close to his brother, but no amount of trying to convince himself would change the circumstances. Maeve maybe could talk to her, or the girl who’d narrowly escaped that hell herself.
Gratitude lent warmth to his expression, a huff of something that might’ve been the first laughter he’d managed since the afternoon they’d discovered Mandy was missing rolling out of him. He knew what Cassie had meant, but he gestured with his cup all that same, his eyes crinkling at the corners. ”Good that she’s feelin’ well enough to want to get out?” he joked. Nicky dipped his head in a nod, his expression sobering just a hair. ”I’d sure she’d be grateful for it. She knows you were the one to help us find her. Ah, I’m sure you’ll find somethin’ more to bond over soon, like your opinion’s on Darce, and getting’ to complain about me bossin’ yer both around here.” Small things that’d help Mandy feel like her old self again. It didn’t take much more than the talk about Klaus to remind Nicky of just what Cassie had been through before she’d fetched up here.
They hadn’t exactly left the mansion with the hybrid’s consent. With Maeve and Mandy and that damn object in tow, they’d fought their way out just as they had on the way in. Klaus had to be smarting at the loss of his witches and the damage to his home. He’d not come for them so far, but how long would it be before his pride stung badly enough that he couldn’t help but try again? ”I’m glad,” Nicky said tightly, less sure about what the outcome would be than Cassie was. ”We’ll put some extra measures in place, make sure that you’re safe here.” Mamdy too if she ever decided to come back. That was an idea he’d not broached yet, not wanting to push her about it all.
Cassie would continue to cover, he was sure of that. As soon as he was settled back in he’d see about starting her lessons up again. Getting the pair of them back on track – if Cassie still needed the tutelage. It seemed as though she’d done well enough with him gone. Nicky set his cup down with a light click, propping his elbow on the edge of the counter as she set hers down with that excited little sound and scurried away. ”That sounds promisin’…” he ventured, although there was a chance it was the complete opposite.
Pale eyes fixed on the box Cassie had in her hands when she returned, staring like he could burn through the outside of it to see what was within. Jesus. His gaze shot up as she jumped right into an explanation. ”On your own?” he asked, his voice laced with concern. ”You knew what it was like so you wanted to help … were you alright?” Would she tell him if she wasn’t? Bringing back the man who’d been killed by his brother in a horrific accident had taken the two of them and still Cassie had been left weak at the end. Doing it alone was more than a single step up from it.
Nicky slid towards the edge of his stool, his eyes on her face rather than the box. It had been his own personal wish list, some of the stuff on there rare enough that he never believed he’d get a bite of the cherry. ”You wanna know if that’s cool?” Nicky laughed again, the sound rusty as he shook his head as he flipped the lid open with a finger to look inside. ”I think you’re doin’ me out of a job. If she managed to get her hands on all of this … would she be up for doin’ a little more business?” He probably should’ve asked who she was more than if she was still interested in a little more wheeling and dealing. In Mystic Falls it had definitely become a case of who you knew rather than what you knew being more important.
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CASSIE LUANNA
Witch
Posts: 180
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Apr 19, 2024 20:34:52 GMT
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Post by CASSIE LUANNA on Mar 14, 2023 20:59:28 GMT
━ climb that goddamn mountain ━ CASSIE WAS PRETTY (DEFINITELY) SURE that Mandy didn’t think her older brother was scary and shitty and kinda awful. Like, Cassie didn’t have any siblings, but it seemed like the kinda thing you didn’t think about them━not as seriously as Cassie did, anyway.
And she didn’t know how he was gonna protect them from Klaus, but if Nicky and Darcey went toe to toe with him and came out alive, then she wasn’t gonna be all that skeptical.
“Thanks,” She smiled, sipping her tea again and humming softly. It kinda tasted like Fruit Loops with all that sugar and milk, which was what she loved━tea that didn’t taste like tea. Probably an English dude’s nightmare. Suddenly, she found herself thinking, Better not let Linc know, otherwise he won’t like me as much, which was just a joke, but it definitely had her blushing.
Instead, she’d focus on Nicky’s present! Cassie darted off and then came back with the box in her hands, beaming excitedly up at him.
It wasn't like she was expecting Nicky to clap his hands together and jump up and down, but she figured he’d be more excited. He was just worrying about her and, like, that was sweet and all━Cassie never really had people worry about her unless it was for their own benefit━but why didn’t he care about his gift?!
“Oh, yeah, yeah… totes fine.” Cassie waved her hand in the air noncommittally and shrugged off his concern, “I was, like, kinda weak for a day or two, and I got a nosebleed, but it was all good. I just laid off the magic, chatted with the ancestors, aaaallll Gucci. Now look at your present!” She motioned wildly to the box on the counter, and bounced once on her heels, excited to see his reaction.
Finally, finally, Nicky started to open it. She waited (im)patiently, her stomach jumbling into knots and buzzing. “Well, is it?” Cassie laughed, her blue eyes big, waiting for more approval.
He seemed to like it. She definitely coulda done with more excitement, but Nicky was Nicky, and this was kind of a lot for him already. At least he laughed! “Uhhhh… she might be. She’s a reaper, so, like, blips and outta places, so who knows where she got ‘em, honestly. Also, Kace said she’s a bitch and stuff, but I thought she was cool. She seemed nice. It was her not-boyfriend’s brother━and she really didn’t wanna say it was her boyfriend, but I could tell. She was just stressed, but I guess everyone is nice when they need me? I dunno.” Cassie was trying not to fall for anyone’s crap anymore, but it was difficult, especially when she always saw people on their worst days.
“Anyway, I can always ask! She didn’t get me this stuff ‘til after I brought him back, which, like, I was gonna tell her that wasn’t the way it worked, but she was so freaked out, and I was already there. So… whatever. It all worked out in the end.” Cassie smiled, lifting onto her toes to peer into the box. “I don’t even know what most of this stuff is. You’re gonna show me what they do, right?” Her eyes flicked up to him, pureness in her expectant expression, filled with a ton of hope and excitement.
NICHOLAS REID | no notes.
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NICHOLAS REID
Warlock
Posts: 77
Age:
36
Occupation:
Co-owner of Reid's Pawn Shop
Status:
Single
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Apr 13, 2024 14:48:13 GMT
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Post by NICHOLAS REID on Mar 21, 2023 20:14:27 GMT
He’d supposed it’d been easier for their dad – from the moment he’d realised he was gonna become a father he’d been able to prepare for teaching his kid just what they were capable of one day. It hadn’t been hidden in their home, it’d been shown off, marked as your future. Nicky had figured if that was a future coming for him he’d have time to see it coming too. You had years before a kid’s abilities started to show, time to dip your toe into it. When he’d run into Cassie he’d made the offer to mentor her off the cuff, and just months later he’d abandoned her to handle that new found skill of raising the dead on her own (on top of the pressure of running the shop for them).
Guilt soured his gut, had him grimacing faintly as he watched her waving off his concern over whether she’d come through her first solo resurrection alright. If she’d called, he would’ve come for it, but Cassie wouldn’t have done that while she knew they were still doing everything possible to try and track down who’d taken Mandy and where she’d gone. It had been her looking out for him, not the other way around. Nicky made a low sound, his brows drawing together. ”The next time – if there is one – we do it together, alright? Even if you bounce back fast, that’s not the sort of thing to take on solo too often.” There were only so many times your batteries would refill after all. He’d known witches and warlocks who’d pushed themselves too far, who’d died tasting their own blood on their lips.
For this it must’ve seemed like it’d all been worth the price – although if Cassie had died to get him a few powerful trinkets it would’ve been the biggest waste he could imagine. He dragged in a breath as he slid closer to the box, trying to breathe out the worry and let some of the excitement that she obviously wanted to be infectious work its way through him. The laugh rolled out in the end as he cracked the lid, a non-committal hum rolling from him until he’d revealed what she’d managed to get him. ”It’s definitely cool,” he promised. The grin was growing bit by bit. Still not worth the risk, but he wouldn’t dim the light in her eyes by telling her that. ”You drive a hard bargain Cassie Luanna.” How much would he have paid to get Mandy back? More than this. They could’ve had every damn thing in the shop if she’d been released to them safe. In the end they hadn’t needed to clear the place out, but he would have done it.
”Jesus!” Nicky stopped with a set of enchanted shackles in his hands, the metal cold, biting into his fingertips as he stared at her. ”You had a reaper ask you to resurrect someone for her?” There wasn’t exactly a shit ton of lore about reapers that had come his way, but there’d always been talk of people who would stomp on the rulebook to bring back a soul. ”People will do what they need to in order to get what they want. Maybe Kace caught her on a bad day, but Cassie, be careful around her, huh?” It was easy to see just what you wanted to with people, the truth remaining hidden until it hit you between the eyes like a blow from an axe.
Maybe talking the reaper into bartering a little more was a bad idea, but … Nicky huffed out a breath as he looked down into the box. For a last minute job the reaper hadn’t done badly. ”Do ask, but be careful.” He knew she’d try to be, but that wasn’t always easy either. At least if he had a word with the reaper himself, he could see what the woman was made of, draw a line between her and Cassie if he had to. Now he’d be a little more hands on again, keeping an eye on the girl. ”Bargained for it, but you’re not sure what it does.” Nicky’s laugh was less breathless this time. ”You always surprise me.”
His grin grew as he hefted the cuffs again. What they’d do to a human was pretty self-evident, but to anybody supernatural … ”Yeah, I’ll show you what they do. Put your hands out,” he ordered, slipping the cuffs around Cassie’s wrists when she did. ”Now, don’t go huffin’ and puffin’ and tryin’ to blow the shop down … I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself … but give a spell a try.” If the cuffs weren’t for show then Cassie likely wouldn’t be able to manage more than just a few sparks.
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CASSIE LUANNA
Witch
Posts: 180
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Apr 19, 2024 20:34:52 GMT
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Post by CASSIE LUANNA on May 1, 2023 19:33:53 GMT
━ climb that goddamn mountain ━ CASSIE WAS SUPER HAPPY THAT NICKY LIKED his presents. As an otherwise non-smiley dude, Nicky seemed hard to impress, though he’d always made Cassie feel like she was the smartest, coolest witch in the world… which was awesome coming from another witch. She just hoped he wouldn’t be mad about, y’know, everything else she did while he was gone. But hey, he left her unsupervised, so, y’know, kinda his fault! (Even if he had a really good reason.)
He was also super animated about Leah being a reaper, which was even crazier to see━Nicky with extroverted emotions. Cray-zay.
In any case, that only backed up his words more. Cassie was gonna be careful around Leah, and she promised Nicky as much before coaxing him into opening his box of stuff.
She smiled brightly at Nicky as he laughed, claiming that Cassie surprised him when all she did was hand over his list! What, was she supposedta study everything he’d ever written while he was gone? Ha! She had way too much to do, AKA keeping his freakin’ store in check!
Cassie stuck her hands out and let Nicky clamp the cuffs around them, biting back some kinda joke about this being kinky. That woulda been super inappropriate. Maybe if it was Linc, though… nope, nopenopenope. She was not gonna start blushing now.
She waved her hands lightly, trying to shift his cup along the counter. It didn’t budge. Cassie frowned and furrowed her dark brows in focus, trying a little harder, this time aiming to knock the whole cup over. Still, nothing happened. It was sorta freaky, though, ‘cause she couldn’t remember a time when she didn’t have magic. “Whoaaaa, that’s so weird.” Cassie said, her gaze flicking up to Nicky, blue eyes full of astonishment. “Wait, wait, I wanna try again.” She took a deep breath and mustered up a ton of strength, using all the little tips and tricks she’d learned from Nicky. When she opened her eyes again, Cassie threw her hands upwards and sent his chair toppling straight over. Immediately, her concentration broke, and her jaw dropped.
“Ohmygod! I’m so sorry!” Cassie squealed, bending over to grab his sleeve with her shackled hands. “I thought it wasn’t supposed to work!” But she was giggling anyway, unable to help herself as it bubbled inside her. The laughter built up in her belly like a snowball until, eventually, Cassie couldn’t stop. “I’m sorry!” She said between giggles, her eyes welling up as the image of him falling over replayed in her mind.
Once the shackles were finally off (and Cassie managed to rein in her giggles), she helped herself to the box and began digging through it. “Oooh! Pretty!” Cassie beamed, pulling out an old-looking, silver mirror. It was all decorative and pretty on the back, though the paint had rubbed off the little flowers. She traced her fingertips over them and turned the mirror, checking out her reflection. Cassie smiled, swiping a hand under her eye to fix a bit of smudged mascara. She kinda hoped Linc would swing by today and, if he did, then she’d have to make sure she didn’t look like a raccoon. “What’s this thing do?” She asked, somewhat distracted by her own face, before the image suddenly changed.
Linc was staring back at her in a matter of seconds, and Cassie’s eyes went wide. She shrieked, and tossed the mirror onto the counter. “What the hell was that?!” Cassie yelled, carefully leaning forward and attempting to peer at the mirror without showing herself.
NICHOLAS REID | wrap w yours!
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NICHOLAS REID
Warlock
Posts: 77
Age:
36
Occupation:
Co-owner of Reid's Pawn Shop
Status:
Single
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Apr 13, 2024 14:48:13 GMT
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Post by NICHOLAS REID on May 9, 2023 19:16:51 GMT
Cassie had been capable – he’d seen it for himself at the auction, as she’d informed him of the ghost’s presence without causing a riot, and dozens of times as he’d worked with her since – that hadn’t stopped the guilt from nibbling at his gut though. The days that he’d stood at the windows of the apartment, the curtains barely parted to reveal that tiny slice of the square that was visible, knotting his gut up. It hadn’t been fair on her to dump all of this into her hands and expect her to handle it. Fair wasn’t something that had existed in their lives then though. If it had then Mandy would’ve fought off the hybrid son of a bitch, she’d have stayed safe, and Ms Kelly wouldn’t have found herself thousands of miles from home.
And he …
Well, he wouldn’t have been sitting there with gifts stacked in front of him because Cassie had done so much more than he’d expected of her. Capable was the least of it now. She’d saved him a ton of trouble tracking pieces down he wouldn’t necessarily have got his hands on in a decade. A reaper’s back scratched to get those nails working down his own – problematic, maybe, but that was a problem for tomorrow. He hadn’t intended on starting her lessons back up today, but the new box of tricks and Cassie’s excitement had brushed those plans aside. They’d eclipsed the warnings that had threatened to squelch her joy, maybe earning him a grin again if the shackles worked like they were meant to.
Nicky stepped back – just out of range, in case – listening to the shackles rattle for a moment before Cassie started to frown. Ah. They did just what they said on the tin then. He grinned, settling back on his stool, arms crossed smugly over his chest. ”Can’t do it, hmm? Not surprised, they were made to … alright, give it a shot …” He unfolded his arms, bringing his hands up in a gesture of surrender, like he was warding off his own doubts. Narrowing his eyes, Nicky focused on Cassie, not the cup, watching her close her eyes and knuckle down on her focus, seeing her hands shoot up in his peripheral.
The sodding cup stayed where it was, he went arse over tea kettle, though. Blind to the direction of her power he didn’t even have the time, or the sodding brains to mutter the spell that would’ve caught the chair, and his tumbling body mid-air. A soft landing preferable to the thump he went down with.
Skidding for a foot or two, he flopped back on the boards, staring up at the ceiling as he tried to get the air back into his lungs that’d lost it all on a whoosh as he’d hit. Cassie was over him in an instant, squealing out an apology, grabbing for his sleeve to help him up. Nicky took another breath in, let it out in a breathless laugh as she started to giggle. ”It wasn’t meant to. I doubt I could’ve pushed my way through ‘em.” Cassie wasn’t just your every day witch though, she’d proved that twice over with the men she’d resurrected.
Clutching onto her arm, still laughing himself, Nicky levered himself up. ”Apology accepted,” he assured her. No hurt feelings, not even much of a bruised pride or arse. He gestured Cassie in, unlocking the shackles from her wrist. Later he’d test them on himself, just to make sure whether or not they’d hold a lesser witch or warlock – like himself.
Brushing himself off, Nicky stood. He set the shackles down on the counter top, carefully attaching the key back to them before he noticed what Cassie had pulled from the box. There’d been plenty on that list that might prove helpful now that the Original Hybrid might’ve fixed his beady eye squarely on his family. ”You saw the list,” he told Cassie lightly, grinning as the remembered the way Mandy had always found her way to the big, old mahogany mirror in the store, some fur coat or Victorian hat on her. ”What do you think it is?” With a little less trepidation this time, he watched Cassie unknowingly pull the trigger on the object.
”Careful,” Nicky warned, reaching out a hand towards the mirror, but not touching it. His smirk settled into place, his fingers closing around it finally to set it back into the box. ”That, my dear, is the magical version of a walkie talkie. Mirror mirror on the wall, show me just what I want to see…” He wouldn’t have called the boy who’d appeared in it the prettiest of them all, but what did he know. Lifting the box into his arms, Nicky tipped his head towards the back room. ”Let’s get these stowed away and then I’ll show you what the mirror’s really capable of. Might come in ‘andy in watchin’ our backs.” He wasn’t in any doubt that it’d be sooner rather than later that Niklaus Mikaelson decided to pay them another little visit.
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