Backdated to September 9th

[thethirdwonder]

Another flying lesson down the drain. That was all Cassie could think to herself as she concentrated on brushing down Hermera. She had to have the only pegasus in the universe who didn't want to fly.

They were on the beach, near where they'd been trying to fly, Hermera's lead loosely tied to a branch so she could graze while Cassie cooled her off. She stopped for a moment and wiped some sweaty hair from her eyes. "You are one stubborn horse you know that?"

Hermara just snorted, not even bothering to lift her head. Cassie laughed and went back to work.

Comments

[not_so_smooth]

Sam was really, really nervous about telling Cassie about what he'd said to Aphrodite. Part of him knew that if he didn't tell Cassie she'd never know. Aphrodite promised not to tell and Sam knew she wouldn't slip like he had. The idea of hiding it from her made him almost physically ill though. Sam had to tell her. Then hoped she didn't take too long to stop being upset with him.

It had taken him a bit to find her until he remembered that she was going to give flying lessons with Mermera another try. If the horse had flown it would have been a great time because she'd be so happy. From the sound of it, that didn't seem to have happened.

"Hey, still mostly grounded?"

[thethirdwonder]

Cassie turned at Sam's voice and gave him a rueful grin. "Still mostly grounded. I'm about ready to push her off a cliff. Isn't that how birds do it?"

She wasn't serious...okay, not completely serious.

"What have you been up to today?"

[not_so_smooth]

"Birds also have hollow bones, making them super light," Sam pointed out before turning to Hermera. "Not that I'm saying you're heavy. For a horse."

The horse was the only one of Cassie's animals that actually liked him and he didn't want to change that, although in a moment not even Cassie was going to like him.

"So, um, I need to tell you something. And you're going to be mad at me. Like, really mad. But I want you to know that I understand and don't blame you for being mad."

[thethirdwonder]

Hermera just kept grazing, though her tail flicked meaningfully in Sam's direction.

Cassie laughed again, then cocked her head. What in the world could Sam have done that would piss her off as much as he was implying? She dropped the brush into the grooming bucket and leaned back against the pegasus' flank, arms crossed. "O-kay...What do you need to tell me?"

[not_so_smooth]

"So, I was chatting with Aphrodite the other day. Chit-chatting, really. With no one else around. At all. Nobody. And I sort of made an offhand comment about, um, about how if you and I ever got married, that would make Aphrodite my step-sister-in-law," Sam said, giving her forced smile. Because she probably wouldn't punch him in the face if he was smiling, right?

"And I maybe didn't realize you hadn't mentioned to her the fact that you're sort of related to her."

[thethirdwonder]

When Sam started talking, Cassie just kept looking at him with general amusement. But the moment he brought up the step-sister-in-law bit, her expression had turned into down right stormy.

"Why would you even mention it to begin with? The fact that I refuse to acknowledged the fact I even have a father wasn't a clue?"

In truth, Cassie knew she probably should deal with the fact that she knew who her father was. But she was quite content to treat things like she always had: Why did she need to know who her father was when she had a mother who had been more then enough of a strong parental figure?

[not_so_smooth]

"Because, crazy me, thought that maybe you would have actually mentioned or talked to someone about it at some point and she seemed the obvious choice!" Sam said.

He knew she was going to be upset with him, he thought he was prepared for it but... nope, totally not prepared for it. it didn't help that she should have talked to Aphrodite about it, which would have made this entire argument a moot point.

[thethirdwonder]

"I don't want to talk about it!" In the back of her head, Cassie knew she sounded like a toddler have a temper tantrum but she couldn't help it. This was far to personal. "I was perfectly happy not knowing who the dead beat was that got my mom pregnant and then didn't even bother to check on his offspring. I was more then happy to think I'd earned my powers when I asked for them from Zesus, but now I can't help but think he gave them to me out of some sort of guilt or misguided parental prerogative."

But most important of all to her, "I know this might be hard for you to understand but I was perfectly happy not knowing who my father was."

[not_so_smooth]

"I get that, I get that you were happier that way," Sam said. He could see how having a dad that skipped out on you be some nameless, faceless entity so you didn't have a place to direct your rage. When this had turned into an argument about her dad and not how dumb Sam was, he wasn't sure. It probably meant this was going to get worse before it got better.

"But maybe Aphrodite could clarify some stuff for you. Maybe you'll find out Zeus doesn't give abilities to anyone unless they earn them."

[thethirdwonder]

"Her Zesus isn't mine. I know enough about my world and her to not trust the differences or similarities."

Oh Cassie hadn't forgotten about Sam being an idiot. She just wanted him to understand why he was going to be sleeping on the couch.

"The point of the matter is, Sam, you had no right to talk about this at all. With anyone. My personal business is not yours to spread around."

[not_so_smooth]

"I know!" Sam said, thinking that Cassie was not realizing that he was already aware of that point. That's why he had started off apologizing to her. If he realized he made a mistake shouldn't she not have to tell him how stupid it was?

"I told you it was a stupid mistake! I'm sorry I did it."

[thethirdwonder]

Oh but she did. Cassie felt she was justified just a little to remind Sam just how stupid he'd been since it was her personal situation he was talking about to just anyone. Okay, well, she knew Aphrodite wasn't just anyone but that wasn't the point, was it?

"I should hope you are! I just....argh!" Cassie threw her hand up and turned towards Hermera. She couldn't even look at him right now, she was so angry. "Just because you apologized doesn't mean I can't be angry!"

[not_so_smooth]

"I didn't say you couldn't be. Actually, I told you that you were going to be really angry," Sam reminded her, which maybe wasn't the best course of action right at that moment but he couldn't help it. His mouth was not checking in with his brain.

"I'm just saying I know how stupid I was, you don't have to point it out."

[thethirdwonder]

"I think I have the right point it out at least once. And just because you pointed it out, doesn't mean I'm going to automatically forgive you either." She felt she had every right to be angry and every right to be angry for a little while before she forgave him.

Not wanting to argue with him and wanting to stop this before she said something she regretted, she turned back to Hermera picked up her lead. "I need to get Hermera back in her stall and fed."

[not_so_smooth]

"I didn't ask for you to forgive me!" Sam countered, throwing his hands up. The entire stupid point is that he completely understood that she was going to be angry. Not necessarily why she was, but that she was going to be. "I'm on your side about being angry about me."

He could tell though that she didn't want to talk about this anymore and probably didn't even want him around at all.

"Right, yeah. I'll see you back home then?"

[thethirdwonder]

"If your on my side about being angry then just go Sam. Before either of say something we'll regret."

Cassie didn't turn back to him nor comment on seeing him back at home. She just started leading Hermera back to the stables.

[not_so_smooth]

Sam hadn't taken into account the fact that Cassie might be so pissed she wouldn't want to talk to him or see him. He hoped that he really would see her back at their hut. If she decided to spend a night or two back at her old treehouse?

Well, he hoped that he didn't have to figure out what to do. Turning around to head back to their hut he hoped he would see her there later.