A/N: Probably be making more of the Cass/Talon one-shots. I'm fairly fond of the pairing and sadly there isn't much fanfics on them. I tried cleaning this up as much as possible, so please excuse any grammatical mistakes.

This also has a few of my head canons in play so nothing here is meant to be taken canonly! Hope you enjoy!

She was known for her beauty.

She was in fact Cassiopeia Du Conteau, the woman of sultriness and the body that both men and woman alike craved. She had the dirt on everyone and anyone she knew she could plunge and ruin.

Many called her a snake.

Oh how ironic it was a snake that had done her in.

For now she sat confined to a wheelchair with her legs missing from mid-thigh down. Oh how tragic the incident was at the time, but it wasn't that though that bothered her, it was the scarring she had taking to her face. Where her lips had busted open and her eyes had a partially milky glaze over her bright yellow like irises. She was partially blind if not completely in this somewhat dark dance hall the institute she attended has rented.

'I was once beautiful.' She thought to herself with scorned fury for the dancing couples as she continued to stare to best that her weary eyesight let her. 'That should be me.'

It was unfair. She knew the cruelty of the world, she's herself has been a part of it but it wasn't fair. In her right mind –though- she knew it was only herself to blame.

It was a sharp pain in her leg which burned so deeply into her skin that alerted her of trouble. It was a snake bite and the snake itself continued to stay latched on to her as she screamed. Before she knew it things blacked out.

When she woke up, she sat in a hospital bed. Her sister sat next to her sleeping uncomfortably in the chair provided for her. She noticed her vision was foggy and began wiping at her eyes only for the sting to kick in which caused her to wince. In the corner she noticed her sister's dear friend Talon, his hood covering his face, she wasn't quite sure if he was asleep as well but the pain in her eyes was more concerning that his state. Later they had told her what had happen.

It was a horrid allergic reaction mixed in with the venom that had caused her worst nightmare.

Her legs were gone from the severity of the combination, it was what needed to be done before her complete body would shut down. Her face was scarred from where they tried to save her eyes from severe damage as well. She wept for weeks on end, dreading the world around her and excluding herself from others.

What was she now? When all she had was her beauty and even then it was ripped from her clutches.

"How are you enjoying prom?"

The question pulled her out of her reminisce, glad that memory was out of her mind. She turned toward the one who spoke to her it was Katarina. She scowled upon making eye contact with her.

Prom.

Cassiopeia dreaded this word from the moment she first heard her sister Katarina say it weeks ago. From the moment she said she was going and the moment she told her that she had already bought her a ticket to attend as well. She loved her sister dearly but since the accident things just haven't been alright. Things between them seemed…more distant.

She knew seeing her sister in a pained state made both ache. But none the less she put a front just for Kat.

"I don't want to be here." She muttered to her, hands crossed on her lap and back straight.

She paused glancing across the room, it was filled with plenty of gorgeous students dressed so nicely. The males in their dashing tuxedos and such and the women in their stunning dresses including her sister.

"They all look so beautiful. I don't belong here." She added, chocking back her the tears gathering in her eyes with the straightest face she could muster.

"Oh Cassie, you look amazing as well!" Katarina retuned, it was true the green and gold dress they had chosen for was absolutely gorgeous on her. But she didn't feel as well as they said she looked, she felt so out of place.

"Amazing isn't quite the word is use, Kat." She sighed taking a hold of the wheels on her chair. "I need some fresh air, I can't stand being here for too long."

Before she could begin to move out she was stopped. "Cass…you can't let this take a hold of your life."

She turned her head towards her sister and flashed her smile. "Oh Kat darling, I have no idea what you could possibly mean by that."

Though both knew it was a lie.

It took her while to get herself outside. Her darn dress got caught in the wheel several times and it led to her being stuck in place until she managed to pull it out completely.

When she did arrive she sat in the parking lot looking about through the cars, trucks, and vans it was filled with. It was a quiet and serine aside from the music that resonated from the prom hall. The song was upbeat and it was clearly meant to get people to get up and dance.

"It just isn't fair."

"What isn't fair?"

She was startled. She wasn't expecting a response and for once she thought she was alone. She turned around as far as her head let her and looked at the masculine voice that spoke.

"Sorry for starling you, but why are you out here?" Talon asked hands stuffed in the pockets of his tuxedo jacket.

"Why are you wearing a hoodie with a tuxedo?" She asked in retaliation, crossing her arms.

"I asked first." He said calmly leaning against the wall, she had to turn her wheel chair around to be facing him but decided to plant herself next to him against the wall keeping distance.

"I needed some fresh air," She responded spicy like. "It's was getting stuffy and I'm not a fan of the smell of hormones and sweaty teenagers."

He let out a smirk, one that surprisingly made her smile. He'd never really seen her smile so it was candy to his eyes.

"Now answer my question." Cassiopeia crossed her arms looking towards him expectantly.

"If you don't know, I only came because your sister bought me a ticket." He looked up to the lap post that lit the area they chilled by. "From what I've been told you can't refund the ticket, so I told her she at least have to let me dress myself."

Shifting her weight in her chair, she leaned on the arm rest closer to him and raised a brow at him.

"Tell me about it" She said with a roll of her eyes.

It fell silent for a while and they eye contact wavered a bit before Talon looked away completely scratching his face slightly.

"Shouldn't you be going back in soon?" He asked, "Your dates probably getting antsy for your return."

A frown fell upon her face and she immediately straighten up and looked away an unpleasant look on her face.

"I didn't bring a date."

"That's a shock, I heard Draven was dying to ask you." He shifted his feet and ever so slightly brought himself closer to her.

"Yes, well things changed if you haven't already noticed." She motioned to where her legs would have been. "I didn't plan on coming at all but as you know dear Katarina made sure I did. Plenty were surprised I did show up."

"Why's that?" He asked genuine curiosity in his tone.

"Oh I don't know, because I had better things to do." She was too tired to wallow in her self-pity but her words came out laced with sarcasm none the less.

"Really? Prom seems like it would be your area of expertise." Talon turned his body over so he faced her completely arms cross and eyes looking intently at her.

"I does doesn't it?" She chuckled looking at her sharp nails with a small smile. "Honestly I was very excited for it but then…things happened."

The smile she had quickly dropped as she muttered the last words. Talon found this discouraging. He liked that smile, and he liked everything attached to that smile.

"You know Cassiopeia I don't think I've ever held such a long conversation with you." The chuckle he let out caught her attention. Cassiopeia, though, looked through her mind recalling all the times she did speak to him.

It was small, quick, and short sentences usually whenever Katarina invited him over. Which was too often for her taste she liked the house to herself. Besides that, she didn't really see him as much as a friend, nor the little brother her sister told him she felt he was to her.

Her opinion on his was unscathed, she knew much too little about him aside that he was close friends with her sister and that he came from an un-wealthy family unlike hers.

"I would think the same." She mused, "I don't think we have much in common as you do with my sister."

Talon shrugged his shoulders, he didn't have much of comeback to that. She looked over him a few times, leaning on the arm rest once again, hand tucked under her chin.

'He's not that bad looking.' She thought to herself.

Waving her hand she caught his attention before motioning him to bend down to her level.

"I can't see you so well from all the way over there." She said coldly hoping he would believe her.

It seemed so since he leveled himself to her view point as well as got closer.

He stared into her milky irises and she returned the look. Using her free hand she reached out and felt around his face touching this nose, lips, and around his eyes gently. Somewhat startled at first he enjoyed the feel, something electric that tingled through the slight touch of her fingers on his face –her nails ever so slightly scraping against his skin.

He closed his eyes after a while enjoying the attention she gave him so freely. No one's ever touched him so easily before –he never let them. But for her, he made an exception.

A soft smiled graced her face as she placed both hands on his cheeks. His eyes were closed from what she could see. She's never needed to feel someone's face to get a clear view but she wasn't about to tell him that.

"I can see your very handsome, Talon." She remarked pulling her hands away. His eyes opened at the sudden notion and he straightened himself up a bit.

"As are you." He replied before realizing a tad too late that that didn't sound right. She erupted into small chuckles and brought her hand up to cover her smile something few were graced to see.

"That's not what I meant." He sneered.

"What's that?" she continues to laugh. "Don't you find me beautiful?"

She meant it as a joke, but his answer currently would mean the world to her. Either built her ego or break her heart.

Talon felt silent for a while, which caused great discouragement in Cassiopeia. Maybe she took things too far? Maybe he didn't find her at all attractive or beautiful and just did not want to hurt her feelings?

'I fucked up.' She cursed mentally.

"Cassiopeia-"

"It seems I've over stepped my boundaries." She cut him off intertwining her fingers while letting out a sigh. She straightened herself out and avoided his gaze. "I really should be going back. Katarina might get worried."

Before she could grab the wheels of her chair, Talon stood in her way. "You didn't let me answer"

She looked into his eyes once more, the look was that of determination and something she found strange.

"I don't find you beautiful." He sputtered out, her eyes widen and he could tell she was angered by the statement.

"Why you!-"He towered over her reaching out to cupped her cheek, cutting her words short.

"Let me finish." He continued, "I don't find you beautiful." Pausing Talon looked at her deeply

"I find you absolutely gorgeous, stunning, alluring, exquisite, marvelous, and every other word you can possibly think of."

He never broke eye contact, his firm look made her genuinely believe he spoke the truth. She knew when people lied, she herself was an expertise at lying. But the way his eyes spoke for him made her trust what he had just said.

"I don't believe you." She muttered, tears welling in her eyes though she continued to blink them away.

"Then let me show you." He brought himself closer, his finger gently grazing one of the scars that decorated her lips. "If you don't mind."

"Such a gentlemen." She remarked a small smirk gracing her features.

"Only for you." He smirked taking her response as yes. He leaned in gently kissed her careful of her scars, he had a few of his own from nasty fights and knew that some healed sensitive.

"Oh I know you can kiss better than that, Talon" She pulled away slightly bringing her hand up to the back of his neck. "I'm not going to break."

With those words spoken he immediately went back to kissing her, more roughly than before and he swore to himself she moaned lightly.

They're kiss lasted long and he tried his best to pour his emotion into the kiss, since his words something failed to show it. Cassiopeia let it continue on for as long as they both wanted before pulling away from him.

"I see." Was all she could muster since both were slightly out of breath from their never ending kiss.

Talon held a cocky look, hoping that he'd proven himself to her. Quickly she retreated her hands to her side and wrapped them together. It was a clear sign to him that he did not.

"Though I feel you are telling the truth, and honestly I'm very flattered. We don't really know each other as much I'm comfortable for pursing something official."

Her words caught him off guard. She's been with many people but none were for the long term romance she could feel Talon wanted. It would take time before she could form such a bond like that with anyone. Much less her sister's quite possibly best friend.

"Let me continue to show you." He replied slightly pleading but desperately trying to keep his cool, "Then you decide whether I've proven myself to you."

This was new, he genuinely wanted to court her which made her feel slightly giddy. She smiled once again, closing her eyes and heaving a slight breathy giggle.

"Alright then." She playfully twirled the brown locks of curls that loosened with her pointer finger. "I'm eager to see how you plan to have me swooning."

"There is no challenge." He smirked knowing that for her, he could do and prove anything.

Reviews are encouraged! Hope you liked it :)