Powerless

Warning: I'm going to head-hop in this a lot.

You held it all and I was by your side… Powerless.

-Linkin Park, Living Things

Barry could tell that she wanted to ask him something. They had been binge watching television for the better part of the day. Dennis had taken the week off of work and had handed off the light so they could all enjoy the staycation. For the past ten minutes ofGilmore Girls, Casey had watched him out of the corner of her eye, had opened her mouth multiple times to begin speaking and had picked nervously at her nails.

"For the love of – Casey. What's on your mind, doll?"

She stared at him wide-eyed for a long moment.

"What's the policy on dating for you guys?" She asked cautiously.

"What?"

"Like—do you all have to agree to date the same person… or do you just not date at all? Maybe you just don't? Because what if you were dating someone, and you were kissing him and then suddenly you were Hedwig or something. That would be weird, right?" She rambled.

Barry looked back bewildered. "No—that wouldn't happen. Anytime I've dated someone, I've always let everyone know ahead of time that I would be with someone so they had a fair warning."

"So you do date?"

"I have before- not lately. It never ends well- eventually D.I.D. ruins it. They either think I'm cheating on them because I'm hardly ever around or I let them in on my secret, and they run for the proverbial hills. Kevin had a few dates before we put him to sleep. Even Orwell has met a lady or two that he liked. But, like I said—it's never worked out."

She waited for him to continue for what felt like an unbelievably long time.

"And?" She urged.

"And what?" Barry raised his eyebrows.

"Anyone else?" She said quietly.

"Hedwig is too young. Patricia was in her fifties from the beginning- and not the least bit interested in that shit."

Casey turned to the screen and crossed her arms, her hair falling between them.

Barry's eyes widened before he grinned. "No way!" He gasped, "Are you serious?"

Barry laughed as Casey got visibly upset. Her face turned a deep scarlet. She covered her face with her hands.

He snickered. "As far as I know, Dennis hasn't ever dated anyone." He said, looking coy. "Oh my god."

"Shut up." She demanded.

"I gotta start listening in to you two. I have no idea what you could possibly see in that guy. I mean, he has a stick in his ass." He grinned. "And not in the good way, if you catch my drift."

"Ugh." Casey glared at him, apparently done with his shit for the day, and went upstairs.

She held her pillow to her chest and stared at her curtains as they fluttered in the breeze. She was mortified at Barry's reaction. She had been harboring a crush on Dennis pretty much since she had accepted their offer to live with them two years ago after she turned eighteen and was released from her foster home.

He was beautiful, but that was obviously not what had drawn her to him, since she didn't feel that way about any of the others.

It was just Dennis. It was how stern he was, but how flustered he got when he was embarrassed. She tried to compliment him every time she saw him just so she could see his ears turn red. He would bow his head, wave it off, and then act adorable around her for the rest of the day- smiling at her every so often and keeping his eyes on her.

It was the way he would check in on her every time he got home to make sure she didn't need anything. It was how he was always two steps ahead of her, opening doors with his yellow handkerchief.

He was firm with everyone else but her. But around her—he was different.

She loved being around him- his presence making her feel safe and the clean scent of his cologne making her stomach feel tight and tense.

Barry and the others seemed to always take Dennis for granted. She had seen Orwell set a dirty dish on the counter two feet from the dishwasher, shrug, and say that Dennis would take care of it. Barry would go on shopping sprees that turned Dennis' budget into an uneven nightmare.

While she loved all of them—no one appreciated just how much work Dennis put into keeping them afloat. While many of the active alters (excluding Hedwig) did their own part to earn a living, Dennis was the only one that held down a regular job.

He did everything for them. If it wasn't for Dennis- they wouldn't have anything.

There was a soft knock at her door.

"Case—can I come in?" Barry said quietly.

She ignored him.

"I'm coming in." He announced.

She didn't turn around.

"I thought about it- and I'm sorry. I didn't mean any of that about Dennis. He's just an easy target for the rest of us, and that's no reason for me to say anything poor about him." Barry sat on the bed beside her.

"To answer your question – he's never been with anyone. He's always felt guilty about women - our mother did that to him and Kevin before any of the rest of us were in the picture." Barry's voice shook a little. "I'm not sure how the two of you are around each other so I don't know if he likes you, but there's hope, you know?"

She sat up and looked at him.

"I'm going to try to tune in when you guys are together—I'll watch him and let you know, okay?"

Casey smiled for a second before her eyebrows crinkled together and she frowned. "Am I so juvenile for getting a crush on him? I mean—we're roommates. I don't want it to be complicated, and I love you guys, and he might not even like me. What if—"

"We'll worry about the what-ifs later, babe. You and I are going to keep this quiet until we know how Dennis is feeling, alright?"

Casey nodded.

"Alright. I'm going to give him the light, but I'll still be watching, okay?"

"He won't know?"

"Nah. When you're in the chair, it's like you have tunnel vision. Your peripheral vision of the room is foggy."

Barry glanced at her polka dot pajamas. "Gimme something to work with, okay? Show a little skin," he instructed.

"Like what?" She jumped up and started flipping through her closet.

"He's a simple guy, Casey. Put on some shorts and make sure your collarbone is showing, kay?" She immediately began rustling around, pulling her hoodie over her head and throwing it towards the laundry basket. "And make sure your shirt's clean!"

With that Barry left and walked towards Dennis' room. He put his clothes into the hamper in the hallway and concentrated.

Dennis strolled into the living room and sat stiffly on the couch staring at the blank television. It was rare for him to have the light during their down time. He always had it during the week for work and on any weekend when chores needed to get done around the house. He pretty much didn't expect to have the light during his vacation at all until the lawn needed to be mowed.

Any time he had the light during the evening, he was a little lost as to how to pass the time. Still—it's not like he was complaining. The light was the light, and each of them were always trying to get a few more moments in it.

He heard Casey coming down the stairs and grabbed the remote from the coffee table for her.

"I'll be happy when this heat lets up." She said as she entered the room.

He glanced up at her with the remote outstretched, his eyes raking down from her sun kissed shoulders, across the spotless black camisole, down her heather gray cotton shorts before devouring every inch of her thighs.

"We could turn the A/C up higher." He suggested, his mouth feeling dry. He tore his eyes away from her.

"I'm fine. I don't want the power bill to be insane just because I want to wear a hoodie in August." She sat on the other side of the couch, propped her feet up on the ottoman, and took the remote from him.

He involuntarily glanced down to her round thighs again, and sat up a little straighter.

"Fancy seeing you here, dark stranger." She smiled up at him.

His mouth quirked upward slightly at the pet name. "Yeah, I have no idea why Barry handed it off to me. The house is spotless. Can't even work on the yard with the sun down."

She shrugged. "You deserve a break, too, right?"

"It's not really what I'm here for." He said quietly.

He took a deep shuddering breath before Barry's voice poured out of him. "I can't have the light for too long or he'll know- Scoot closer to him, Casey- my god. Do something! C'mon, girl. Work it. " He left as quickly as he appeared.

Dennis shook his head as he stared at the screen. "Sorry, I spaced out. Did you say something?"

"What do you want to watch?" She crossed to their shelf of DVDs with determination in her eyes, leaned forward, and rest her hands on her thighs. She hoped that Barry would be a little proud of her since she currently had her barely covered bottom center stage in front of Dennis.

"Whatever you want." He said, resting his elbow on the arm of the couch, tensely holding his chin in his hand- his eyes glued to her.

She leaned further down with her back turned, reaching to the bottom shelf. "Maybe sci-fi?" She said without looking at him.

He gulped, staring at the curve of her bottom, her inviting thighs, and the delicious shadow where they met.

Fuck.

He normally had to watch himself around Casey, but tonight seemed to be particularly challenging.

It would be easier if Casey wasn't so delightful, but she was one of the only people that he ever felt at ease around. She was so nice and accommodating. And that feeling of ease was something that he had to constantly stay in control of around her.

He tried to even his breathing and licked his lips.

Barry snickered with his hand on the back of the chair. He tried to make sure that he wasn't rattling the chair as he quietly laughed.

"My god, Dennis- you idiot."

"Event Horizon." She decided, setting on her knees in front of the entertainment center to get the DVD going. She flipped the light off on her way back to the couch and sat down with her leg touching his. His skin burned through the thin black fabric of his slacks.

He took a deep breath and tried to ignore the closeness. "Isn't this a scary movie?"

The beginning credits started.

"It's pretty creepy. I've been wanting to watch it again, but decided to wait and watch it with you." She put her legs up on the couch and leaned her torso a little more towards him.

He glanced down at her, feeling confused. "Why me?"

She smiled crookedly at him. "Because even if the evil space demon from the movie suddenly appeared in our living room- I would still be safe."

His eyebrows shot up.

"You would kick its ass before it could touch me." She explained, resting her head on his shoulder with her eyes on the screen.

Dennis grinned in the dark living room.

His stomach fluttered. He never felt this way around anyone else. Casey was just – different.

His hand twitched slightly where it rested on his thigh. He wondered if he should put his arm around her.

"Yes. Yes - you should put your arm around her. Oh. My. God." Barry rolled his eyes.

Would she mind?

She touched him all the time, but he always tried to keep his distance from her unless it was absolutely necessary.

Ugh. She smelled good. He glanced down at her shoulder. If the straps of her camisole were anything to go by—Casey had forgone a bra tonight.

Dennis didn't know how to feel about that.

Barry covered his mouth as he sniggered.

Casey felt weird. She had been laying the only moves that she knew on Dennis, and he had only gotten tenser. He was sitting up ramrod straight, watching the screen with furrowed brows and a hard set jaw.

She was making him uncomfortable.

This was useless.

She sat up and scooted away from him. She grabbed a throw blanket off the back of the couch and covered her legs.

"Cold?" He said barely glancing at her.

She shrugged, letting her hair fall in a curtain between them. She felt so stupid.

He paused the movie. "Are you scared of the movie?"

"No, I'm fine." She smiled sadly at him.

Barry sighed as the scene started to devolve. Casey was giving up.

"I think I'm going to go to bed."

"The movie isn't over. You're just going to stop in the middle?" Dennis tilted his head at her. "Is it me?" His voice shook a little. "I know that I'm not very good at hanging out like the others—I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "It's not you- I'm just tired, Dennis. I love hanging out with you." She rest her hand on his briefly.

He nodded and turned the television off. When he reached over to click the lamp on, Casey was already halfway out the doorway.

He hated that he didn't know why she seemed upset, and he hated that he couldn't just be normal for one fucking second of his life.

He jerked when he felt sharp thwap on the back of his head.

What the hell?

He closed his eyes and concentrated; he felt the room rush towards him.

When he opened his eyes in the room, Barry was already reared back to smack him again.

"Why are you hitting me, Barry?" Dennis asked evenly as he glared, stoically letting the smaller man slap at him.

"I just can't even with you!" Barry stomped his foot.

Dennis tilted his head. "You... can't even? What are you talking about?"

"I'm not going to pussyfoot around this, Dennis—I was piggybacking tonight."

"Hey!" Dennis objected.

"I know it's not cool, but I needed to know what was going on between you and Casey, and you fucking showed me—boy did you show me."

Dennis gulped, looking guilty. He needed to explain this- and quickly. "I know that I shouldn't think of her that way- I know that. I would never do anything-"

Barry threw his arms up. "Why! Why should you not think of her that way? Why wouldn't you do anything?!"

Dennis raised his eyebrows, his ice blue eyes widening. "Casey is so young—and she's under our protection."

"Under our protection? She's our friend! And she's twenty for fuck's sake!"

"Casey doesn't need a poorly adjusted alter making her feel uncomfortable. And- and I hope that I don't. I try to behave myself around her. I'm trying to be good, Barry." Dennis insisted.

"You idiot." Barry crossed his arms.

Dennis glared at him. "Explain."

"She was all over you tonight. She wanted you to make a move," Barry said, rolling his eyes.

Dennis blinked. "What?" He said, his east coast accent getting a little thicker in his confusion. "That's not what was happening."

"Right. I have no idea how you're the strongest of us—you are so daft. We're all lucky to still be alive." Barry took a deep breath. He would have to take it slow. "A woman-notice that I didn't say a girl, because Casey is a grown ass woman." He sighed and restarted, "A woman was pressed up against your side, flirting with you, and not wearing a bra apparently."

Dennis turned red. He had forgotten that his inner dialogue had taken that little turn- of course Barry had heard that.

"And you just thought that was normal?" Barry raised a manicured eyebrow.

"She's comfortable around us," Dennis explained.

"Well, hunny, let me let you in on a little bit of information- I've never sat that close to Casey, and she's never said anything about how big and strong I am. And that little outfit? Not a coincidence because it was fucking hot outside today, and I had the thermostat set to 68 all damn day. I don't care about the fucking power bill. I'm not sweating all summer just to save a few dollars." Barry was fed up.

"She doesn't feel that way about me, Barry." Dennis insisted. "She couldn't. I'm—I'm me. Women don't—" He stuttered.

Barry sighed. "Dennis, she asked me point blank today if I thought you were into her. She wanted to know if you had ever dated anyone."

His eyes widened behind his glasses.

It was a rarity for Dennis to get scared, because he was made to not ever be scared, but he looked more unsure than Barry had ever seen him. Maybe that was as close as he could get to fear.

"I don't know how to- What am I supposed to do? I already fucked this up, Barry- My god. I don't-" He pulled his handkerchief out and wiped his sweaty hands on it while he paced around the room.

"It's not hard, Dennis."

"I-"

"Do you want to be with Casey?" Barry asked him.

"… Yes." Dennis replied.

"Then you should feel lucky that you already know that she wants to be with you; the hardest part is not knowing." Barry gestured to the chair. "Go back, go upstairs, and tell her that you want to be with her."

"What would I even say?" Dennis looked lost.

"Fine. Don't say anything- you're not good with words anyways." Barry nodded. "Go in there and just lay one on her."

Barry could tell that had struck a chord with Dennis. Explaining how he felt would be hard, but kissing her would be easy. All he had to do was let his body do what it wanted to do.

Dennis nodded quietly.

"I expect privacy, Barry." He said sternly. He sat down in the chair and concentrated.

As he faded back to reality, he heard Barry mutter, "Yeah, I'm tired of your dumbass tonight anyways."

He opened his eyes in the silent living room and glanced at his watch. It had been twenty minutes since Casey had left the room. He looked down at himself, feeling a little nervous. He made sure that his clothes were presentable and ascended the stairs.

He knocked politely on her door and waited.

This was happening tonight.

Casey opened her door and lifted an eyebrow.

"What is it?"

Dennis stared at her quietly.

"Dennis?"

He reached out and touched her hand.

He heard her breath hitch. Saw her eyes widen.

Okay. That was encouraging.

While keeping his eye on her for any signs of rejection or discomfort, he trailed his fingertips up along her arm to her shoulder. He let his hand come up to cradle her jaw, his fingers weaving into her hair. He slowly stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb, and tried to memorize every nuance of her in that moment.

"Dennis," she breathed. She watched his lips and moved closer to him.

Barry was right.

He closed the distance between them, letting his mouth just barely touch hers. The feeling was immediate—it was right and electric. He felt himself melting as he slipped his tongue into her mouth. Casey gasped, her arms coming up around his waist, the pads of her fingertips digging gently into his back.

His other hand was on her hip, pulling her closer.

Words: 3345

Notes: I have… so many ideas for this fandom. So many funny interactions. They are all going to pretty much take place in the same 'verse where the alters and Casey have moved to a small rural town to live a more peaceful life.