#tannerleigh x casimir 001

[bcntbouquet]

Tannerleigh appreicated good manners, so her new neighbour’s gesture of wiping his non-dirty hand before making contact with hers did not go unnoted.

“… A few things (somewhere) specific, most… just inside, thanks.”

She remembered the cooler she had in the car, the drinks not getting any colder. Seemed kind of like a waste of ice. She unbuckled it from the passenger seat and was momentarily extending a mini bottle. “Would you be interested in a luke-cold chardonay? It’s alch-free, but it still kicks ‘a’ as a grape juice.” She dropped it into Cash's coat pocket before he could accept or decline, taking the cooler along with a couple pieces of luggage past the threshold of the unlocked, soon-to-not-be-blue door.

"I won't be cruel... Nothing extremely heavy goes upstairs," she said, brushing past to collect more boxes and things. Scholarly and thin, that didn't seem to make her frail, and despite being infrequently athletic, Tannerleigh had the endurance of a woman who worked out.

"Ahh, gotcha. Was gonna say, there's your plan B." With an easy smile, he folded the lock picking tools away. It was enough that Casimir was reassessing. It didn't quite align with what she'd said up front, but sure, moving was stressful, and he was a stranger, so maybe he was overthinking it.

He hopped down the front steps, and eyed the very full truck, letting out an impressed whistle as he did.

"Right. Names, should've done that. Cash. Name's Cash." His hands weren't dirty, all he'd done was pick a lock, but he still wiped them off on his jeans before offering one to shake, the offer scuffed across the back of his neck. "Night shifts, I'm not awake yet." It was partly true, mostly he'd just forgotten.

"You want things somewhere specific, or just inside?"

[bcntbouquet]

Tannerleigh allowed her head to hang pensively for a moment before meeting his eyes, and his handiwork—the open doorway.

“I called the locksmith. They gave me an estimate of two to three hours till they could swing by. I wanted to get my things inside well before then. We have rains in the forecast, you know…”

She moved to the end of her luxury wagon (and attached U-Haul) without further communication, lifted the latch, and it was only after being reminded of how many boxes she’d packed—as well as how much heavy equipment—that she decided to take the blonde up on the offer and beckoned him over.

“I didn’t catch your name, neighbour.”

Casimir paused for a second, brows drawn together, before he looked over at her. "If you're gonna change the locks, and you have the paperwork, couldn't you just call a locksmith out now?"

After a further second of confusion, Kaz shook his head and got back to work, feeling another pin set into place.

"You realize you're bad mouthing a strangers dad, right?" He chuckled, and kept his focus forward. "There isn't a lot to steal twenty miles outside the armpit of nowhere, so I don't think he'd've had much luck with a life of crime out there."

He felt what was hopefully the final pin fell into place and tested the handle. "And presto. One open door." Staggering up to a stand, Kaz gave a small flourish into the empty home. "I've got a couple hours before work if you need a hand with boxes."

[bcntbouquet]

"Blue—for now. I have plans on repainting. Changing the locks, too." Tannerleigh smirked, crossing her arms as she followed after him to her front door.

"Sounds like pops was leading a criminal lifestyle and he wanted you for a scapegoat in case he ever got caught..." She observed from out of the man's peripheral range, tense and grave, resisting thoughts of biting her nails. Specifically, her right thumb.

"Maybe he was just a cheapskate... I suppose it wouldn't be very wise for a criminal to have someone close who could unlock skeletons from within closets, afterall..."

"The blue door, right?" It was the only one he'd seen a for sale sign in front of, even though the brief look at the papers had given him the house number, he figured asking would be less strange.

Casimir's door closed behind him as he stepped out, a brief smile and a nod at her as he passed. He knew first hand how easy documents like that were, and at least this way if she was there to clean someplace out, well, he was a bumbling fool trying to be a good neighbor who only aided and abetted a little bit... not someone who just got their TV stolen.

"Can never be too careful. But, my dad always said lock picking was an invaluable skill for a magician." Once his mind and hands were occupied with the door, he lightened up. "I think he just got tired of buying new keys every time I lost mine."

[bcntbouquet]

"Take your time," she answered plainly, meaning what she said. It wasn't like she had too many other places she could go. Only so much time to kill at a cafe, shop, etc...

"Unfortunately, it is pretty easy to fake something of that nature, yes, but allow me to assure you I am not here to start things off on a bad foot... Honestly, I'm glad you're careful. Appreciate the ingenuity, too." She was feeling a little ticked that he hadn't given something to call him by in return for hers, but then again... she was now living under an assumed surname, so who was she to make expectations while the man was coming up with a reasonable solution to her (most recent) problems?

"Gimme a sec." Casimir backed away, half closing the door in his new neighbor's face. Sounds of scuffling about could be heard from further back in his home, then he reappeared, brandishing a lock picking tool. "Paperwork like that's easy to fake. I can let you in to your own place. Still won't have a key, but it's a start on plan B."