Page 22 of Jockstraps & Newspapers

C assiopeia left Elliot with a kiss on the cheek before she ducked through the door of her apartment.

Tired didn't even fully explain it. She was burnt out.

Going zero to sixty in no time flat, she was bone tired.

A nap followed by a movie marathon where she spent endless hours reading fanfiction on the internet while rewatching a comfort film was in order.

Cass dragged her husk of a body through the door and locked it behind her.

With her sneakers toed off, she scooped them up and skulked through the quiet apartment.

Lily was in her room with the door shut as usual, speaking with someone over video.

She was using her therapist voice, so Cass kept her sound to a bare minimum.

Shoes on the rack on the back of her bedroom door.

Socks in the hamper. Personal items on her desk.

Check, check, check; sleep time. She dropped into her bed like a heavy log.

Elliot's scent thick on the hoodie, she curled up in her blankets and drifted into sleep.

Two hours later, there was a light knock at her door that she didn't hear.

And an hour after that, she woke to her phone vibrating on the desk.

She crawled out of her bed and grabbed up the noise-making machine.

A few notifications filled her phone, but the most exciting was seeing a text from Elliot.

A text thread, really, of him and Jessie taking pictures for her.

At first, the two of them flexing in a long mirror dressed in only terrycloth robes.

Next, a rather fun candid photo of Elliot getting his horns shined with a mini Jessie face in the bottom left corner.

Then a select few of them wearing fur masks and cucumbers in a lobby full of fish, and them giving thumbs up while a rock giant pounded their backs.

She saved all of them, smiling broadly. Texting him back, she explained she survived and had woken up before she worked her curls out of the mess they were in and tossed them into a bun.

Pulling on slippers, she left her bedroom.

Next was food, something thick and heavy, with a horror movie playing in the background.

Cass was inches from the kitchen when her ears picked up voices from the living room.

"And how do you feel you could have responded to that?"

A live session? Lily hadn't done those in some time .

Cass slunk into the kitchen to keep out of sight.

She didn't want to interrupt until her rummaging through the fridge for junk food resulted in her hearing the client respond.

"I don't know how I could have responded better, honestly.

I feel like I'm always so sharp and short-worded, I don't even think before considering my tone. "

Andromeda. Her sister’s monotone, no-nonsense, cut and dry healer with a love for causing pain voice filled the room.

Cass bolted away from the door and came skittering to a stop at the edge of the kitchen.

Andromeda and Lily froze in the living room.

Cass cocked her head to the side, "Uh, morning, Andromeda. "

Andromeda, the eldest of the Darling Sisters, was an elegant beauty.

Tall, long wavy blond tresses, button nose and defined cheekbones.

She was comfortably perched on one of their couches, one leg pristinely tossed over the other.

In two-inch kitten pumps, a wrinkle-less pair of slacks, and blouse that made her look like a vintage movie star, Andromeda was a queen among peasants.

She wore a single pearl on a long, delicate chain to match the pearl engagement ring her fiancé bought her.

"It's actually the afternoon but, morning." Andromeda spoke without a second of hesitation before she huffed, tossing her head back. Slowly, she looked back to Lily, "See what I mean?"

"That you're always so judgmental for no reason?" Cass sneered, stepping out more into the living room.

"Cass," Lily warned, arching a purple, scaley brow.

"Sorry, you're clearly in a therapy session, and I'm interceding. I just wish you'd told me that you were about to invade my sanctuary and see my roommate." Cass shrugged, stepped out into the living room more.

Andromeda squinted at her, cocking her head to the side. "Why do you think I was asking about her? For friendly conversation?"

Cass recalled the conversation, word for word.

Andromeda, and all the sisters, were sitting at the table, waiting for Mom and Dad to finish with whatever they were doing in the study.

Cass was flipping through some article when Andromeda elbowed her in the rib cage.

Your roommate, the therapist, is she good?

With a scowl, Cass shrugged. "I don't know, I figured you were trying to judge my friend. How was I supposed to know you would take my suggestion or advice?"

Andromeda raised her eyebrows up into her perfect hair. "What are you talking about? I always take your recommendations."

Cass froze in place, heart beating sluggishly as her sister reached into her massive tote bag.

She pulled out a perfume bottle, the same kind that Cass had on her bathroom counter, the travel deodorant like she always kept in her purse, and the last book Cass posted about on her blog.

It was a five-star read . Cass blinked rapidly. "What?"

"I don't trust anyone else’s opinion, you're the only one honest enough to give me a genuine review of something. So, if you recommend it, I go with it." Her sister put the items back into her purse. "And I agree, The Monster King is a fabulous romance book. I'm enjoying it thoroughly."

Cass sank onto the couch next to Lily, her heart aching as she stared at her older sister.

You're the only one honest enough to give me a genuine review of something.

It gut-punched her and left no air in her lungs.

Andromeda listened to her recommendations.

Her face burned to a crisp as she stared at her sister in a new light.

Andromeda stared back, her features relaxed.

Cass whispered like it were dragged out from her, kicking and screaming, "I had no idea you listened. "

Andromeda breathed, "I'm…I'm sorry. I thought you knew. I hold everything you suggest in high regard. You've always been so brutally honest."

Lily sat back in that way that therapists do; hands folded in her lap, watching with an analytical lens, as the sisters sat engulfed in silence.

The tension was thick enough to cut and chew on.

Cass broke the locked gaze, letting her eyes fall to her lap.

Her phone buzzed from the pocket of Elliot's hoodie.

Andromeda cleared her throat, "What are you wearing? I've never seen you wear anything close to sweats?"

Cass blinked rapidly, laughing sheepishly. She opened her mouth to speak when Lily snapped forward. A clawed hand curled around the sleeve of Elliot's hoodie, and the three stared at the golden knight emblem stitched into the sleeve of the hoodie. Her mouth ran dry. "Oh, um."

Lily whispered, "Is this Elliot's?"

"Who's Elliot?" Andromeda straightened up dangerously sharply in her seat.

Lily stared at Cass with wide eyes and a shit-eating-grin growing on her siren face. Cass stammered, her throat closing tight, "N-no."

"Oh! My! Dragons!" Lily squealed, slapping her arm. "You're sleeping with the king of King's Fall! Elliot motherfucking Bonesaw! You absolute menace!"

Cass darted her eyes between Andromeda, whose eyebrows shot up into her hair and mouth dropped to the floor, to Lily who was squealing and thrashing back and forth with excitement. "It's not—I mean…it's kinda…"

"Aren't you writing an article on him?" Andromeda furrowed her brows, crossing her arms under her bust.

"I am," she squeaked.

"You do realize how unprofessional that is, correct?

" Andromeda ripped the beating heart out of Cassiopeia's chest and left it flopping on the floor like some trout.

All the comradery that had been tentatively built for only a moment went up in flames suddenly as Andromeda curled her sharp, judgmental talons around Cassiopeia's emotions.

"Pause." Lily stopped time with a single sentence as she stood up from the couch.

She took a seat on the edge of the coffee table between them and put-up hands.

Addressing Andromeda first, "Your sister is writing about the whole sport, plus an insider look on Elliot.

Her ability to write a thorough, objective look at an individual and any budding relationship she has with him are two different topics.

You cannot hold her to a conflict of interest ideology when you, yourself, married your chief of staff. "

Cass's mouth dropped open. "Wait, Greg is your chief of staff?"

Andromeda's mouth flapped open and shut for a long moment, only a squeak of embarrassment coming out. "He's taking a new position at the protector's guild next month, so we're just not talking about it."

"But he was your chief of staff when you started dating?" Cass sat forward over her lap.

Andromeda sneered, "Yes."

"Those in glass houses," Cass spat back.

"He was never in charge of my career," Andromeda snapped.

"Neither is Elliot! He's just the first guy to ever pay attention to me!" She flapped her arms out to her side aggressively.

"Stop being so dramatic, Cass, you get attention all the time!" Andromeda waved her hands aggressively at Cass with a huff of indignation.

"No. I. Don't!" The two women panted for air, staring at each other in tense silence once more.

Lily put a hand to Cass, motioning for her to continue.

Cass swallowed over a hard lump in her throat, "Not while you or Lyra are around.

Why would they ever choose me over you two?

Why would anyone notice me when the twins are literal saints.

I'm just the mean, grumpy middle sister who kicks and screams and begs people to notice her and no one does.

Or if I do, they look at me and think I'm too cute to take seriously.

Or they take one look at Lyra and forget I exist."

Years of pent of anger and isolation and regret for never saying it flooded out of her mouth in a single breath.

Years of living in their shadows and never being able to live up to others.

Years of 'one day they'll see' or 'one day I'll stop taking their leftovers '.

All of it culminated into a clusterfuck of pain that burst from her chest. Her lower lip wavered, and her stomach clenched.

Cass stared down at her lap, pulling out the phone in her pocket.

There on her notification screen was Elliot, smiling at her with Jessie shoveling food into his face.

Cass didn't like it, but the thought burned through her brain like a wildfire.

What if Elliot had met them first…would he still choose Cass?

Andromeda breathed, "How do you not see it?"

"See what?" Cass gasped for air, glancing up.

"Cassiopeia, everyone loves you more than me.

" Andromeda's eyes burned with hot tears, spilling down her cheeks in one perfect tear at a time.

"You're brutally honest and unfiltered, you stand up for things, and you kick and scream and you fight back.

Everyone loves you, Cass, because of that.

Every single colleague of mine that's met you or read your articles online has been like 'Wow, that's your sister?

She's so cool!'. You're cool, Cass. I'm the uptight bitch who can't unclench her asshole for even a second.

I have to be perfect or else I can hear them pick at me.

Grow up, Andromeda. Get in line, Andromeda.

Not a hair out of line, Andromeda. Every.

Single. Fucking. Day! I'm never happy with what I do! I could have saved someone’s life and I still hear Mom's voice in the back of my head nitpicking every single choice I made. "

Cass sat back in her seat. Andromeda sank back into hers.

Both of them, open mouth breathing, as the moment settled around the room.

The grass is greener . Cass let out a wheeze of a laugh that broke into a fit of hysterical giggles.

Tears welled in her eyes as she tried to cover her mouth with her hands and failed.

Andromeda sputtered into a fit of her own, holding her stomach.

Lily grinned, standing up from the table. She hugged a clipboard to her chest and sauntered back to her side of the couch. "Another great therapy session, go me."

Cass slapped at her roommate and friend, gasping for air. "Hey! That's not funny."

"What? I mean, look at this breakthrough.

Both of you have come to the same middle ground.

I mean, really, look at you two. Your parents fucked you both up something fierce and look, you're…

you've opened the lines of communication!

" Lily sank into the couch, propping her feet up onto the coffee table.

"What a fabulous session. Who wants take-in? "

"Me," Andromeda and Cassiopeia exhaled heavily.

As Lily ordered an obscene amount of spicy noodles, soup, and fried rolls, the sisters took the time to get their laughter under control.

Finally, Lily left to grab her wallet. Andromeda got up and scurried to the other couch sinking next to Cass.

She smiled softly, "Okay, real talk then, I promise to keep my judgy face in check if you tell me the truth… do you like him?"

Cass blushed, looking down at her phone. She opened it to show a photo of Elliot and Jessie and pointed at Elliot. Andromeda rolled her eyes, "Of course you go for the goofy guy."

"I didn't go for him," Cass elbowed her sister who snickered. "I was trying my best not to, but it's near impossible not to like Elliot. He's just so annoyingly charming and sweet and understanding and…he likes me."

Andromeda snorted, "Of course he does."

Cass pocketed her phone before glancing up at Andromeda, "So, Greg was your boss?"

Andromeda scoffed, rolling her eyes, "Okay, look it wasn't like that!"

Cass had never been so close to Andromeda as her sister went into a long-winded tangent about how Greg wasn't really her boss-boss per say and they'd run into each other in the bunks.