40. Princeton University.

My empty room Crowded too soon I look for the fire escape I picture myself [Running like hell] Making my getaway The walls are caving in with no warning This ship is sinking, I gotta swim for it I'm running out of air Break me out tonight I wanna see the sun rising anywhere but here Come with me this could be The [only chance we get] We gotta take it

[abrahamcaldwelll]

elliotwinters‌:

“And by real world, you mean magical town in the middle of no where?” Elliot replied with a raise of her eyebrows. 

Abe glanced around with a laugh. "Well, it's not bones and dust, so it's as close as I usually get." He shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Enjoying the start of your holidays?"

[abrahamcaldwelll]

cassandrasingleton‌:

Frowning with a bemused expression, Cass tilted her head in silent question at his words. He couldn’t be serious, surely. He taught a fascinating subject, spent time on archaeological digs and was not only charming but amusing, and that was from the little she had interacted with him so far. “I do not believe that to be true,” she shook her head lightly. “And you are most certainly the best person I have danced with here,” she added with a small laugh, not adding that he was also the only person she had danced with.

Abe chuckled, nodding and tightening his grip ever so slightly on her hand. Her words meant more to him than she could possibly imagine, and he spun around her in a small circle once as he cleared his throat, trying to collect his thoughts and calm his wildly beating heart. Was it just him - or had she stepped slightly closer than before? "One thing I do know, is when to be quiet accept a compliment. So thank you." Abe chuckled, noticing that one song had blended into the next - and still they danced. He caught Tabithas's eye from across the room, his confidence boosted by her thumbs up, and before it faded he decided to go for it. "Would you like to get dinner with me sometime?"

[yggdrasil7]

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[abrahamcaldwelll]

@cassandrasingleton

[abrahamcaldwelll]

planestrainsandtabitha‌:

“I will yes, tonight at least. GO! go go!” She laughed unphased by his look. “I know her. I wouldn’t say well but I went to her for advice on an artifact that’s in her field of study.”

He scowled at her phrase, tonight at least, not wanting to endure this more than that, but thinking he probably had no choice in the matter. “Wait, what artifact?”

[abrahamcaldwelll]

zemirasloane‌:

“Are you kidding me? I’d love to. I’ve always dreamed about teaching on the collegiate level, but seeing as there are no magical colleges.” Zemira laughed. “But, yes, I would love to. Oh the castle is exactly the same. Even the students seem to be the same every year.” Her smile turned soft, “Understandable. It’s apart of our lives for so long, it feels weird to move away from it.

“I suppose you’re probably right, although most days I tend to forget I don’t have to do things the no-maj way.” He admitted with a light shrug, glancing over at her. “The only time I spent fully emerged in the magical community were the seven years I spent there, actually. I went straight off to University after I graduated.”

[abrahamcaldwelll]

queeniecolbert‌:

“Unless you’re an author, I suppose,” Queenie shrugged. “Archaeology and anthropology? That’s history stuff, right?”

“That’s the simple way to put it, but yes, you’re correct. It’s history stuff.” He chuckled, shrugging. It was more than most people knew. “But it’s the things we don’t know, more than those we do.”

[abrahamcaldwelll]

cassandrasingleton‌:

She was used to the looks, she had been on the receiving end of them for years at almost every dig she went to ever since she graduated. It seemed a lot of the men, particularly the older ones, didn’t believe an archaeological dig was any place for women, and those that did, well, more often than not they liked women there more for the eye candy than anything else. But she was used to it, she could hold her own, she had proven that time and time again, and unless they actually did something or said something, she didn’t really care to give them any thought. So, she didn’t particularly care that they were attracting their fair share of attention, nor did she give any thought as to why. Her mind was focused, curiosity mixing with utter happiness as she did what she loved most of all, considered possibilities as to what everything might mean. “Are there water marks to show the water levels dropping?” she asked, already throwing herself at the subject at hand. “What era are you dating the structures back to? Sorry, I shouldn’t- this is your area of expertise, I’m merely curious.”

“Mmm.” He nodded, humming an affirmative as he gestured for one of his assistants to come over. The young man handed him the files they’d compiled along with a stack of polaroids before going back to whatever it was he had been doing prior. “You can see the water line best on the east side, there’s levels of stone and clay that are rather well preserved.” He murmured, more focused on the information in front of him than Cassandra for the moment. “No, no, don’t apologize, please.” He waved off her concerns, sending her an easy smile as he dropped the file onto a nearby table. “I want to hear your thoughts, an outside perspective is far more valuable than you realize.” He gestured her over to where they were currently digging, squatting down by the side of a wall they had just started excavating. “This structure’s been tagged as a house - we’re thinking this is the last room, but we won’t know for sure until we’re done.” He grabbed a jug he’d never seen before, his thoughts lost for a moment as he checked the tag, calling over the girl who had signed off on it. “This is new - when was this uncovered?” She answered almost instantly, looking slightly nervous. “Early this morning, sir. About seven o’clock.” After a couple more questions, he dismissed her, turning to Cassandra and handing it gently over to her. “What are your thoughts?”

[abrahamcaldwelll]

cassandrasingleton‌:

“I was hoping it might help you with your Texas dig, that is, if you still need it,” she spoke softly, never having been particularly confident in giving gifts that weren’t a bottle of wine to her friends. She had never been particularly good at understanding what others would want, always finding herself giving practical gifts rather than heartfelt ones, and while that worked for acquaintances, it didn’t exactly help her romantic life. But as she spoke and risked losing herself to her own doubts her gaze flittered around the office, taking in the many bookshelves, filled to the brim and all organised to a standard that even Cass found herself mentally approving. “You have food?” she spoke, unable to hide her surprise at the forethought he had gone to, despite the fact that he clearly seemed to be a well organised person. 

“Of course I’ve got food.” He nodded, glancing sidelong at her, glad he seemed to have pleasantly surprised her. He knew she had been married at least once before, and he wondered idly what had happened. She didn’t seem used to being treated well, but he supposed that went for both of them, though they had yet to actually discuss it. “I’ve also got champagne and wine - red and white, I wasn’t entirely sure what you drank.” He shrugged somewhat sheepishly, slightly embarrassed to have gone to such great lengths and only managed to set up a rather simple evening. But it was neither here nor there, and he certainly wasn’t going to go back on it now. “Come on.” Abraham offered her his arm with a soft smile, before leading her through the hallways of the old buildings and up a few staircases, stopping at a door that was completely out of the way and always locked. He gestured with his free hand, unlocking it and opening it in one go. “After you.”

[the-togepi-man]

[abrahamcaldwelll]

@cassandrasingleton

[cassandrasingleton-deactivated2]

abrahamcaldwelll‌:

He set about collecting what he would need instantly, wanting to get them in and out as quick as possible - but more than that, it was like something clicked in his mind as he landed in such familiar territory. That’s always how it was on-site. This was where he was comfortable, his passion, where he belonged. And it showed. Switching his good glasses for the ones he kept in his tent (hinges already caked with clay he couldn’t seem to remove), he turned at her words. “Perfect?” He asked, grinning boyishly. What a pleasantly surprising turn of events. “Here - use this one.” He retrieved his old, worn leather jacket and handed it to her, placing hers carefully over his discarded one. “I could always use a second set of eyes if you’re up for it.” Abe offered, more excited at the prospect than he’d anticipated. He’d never been able to share his work with someone like this before. Nodding for her to follow, he lifted the flap to let her pass through first, straightening as he strode down to where the lights were just beginning to hum as they turned on. “I’m afraid this is a bit different than normal for me - have you read anything about the indigenous magic of southern Texas?”

Cass couldn’t help the beaming smile that took over her as she wrapped herself up in his jacket, a mixture of the happiness she felt at being at the dig and the wonderful feeling of his jacket wrapped around her, bringing with it a sense of security she was surprised to feel from such an object. As she stepped out of the tent an odd thought came to her mind, she had never shared this side of her life with anyone but her parents. Kris had never held any interest in it, and she had spent so very long with him. Yet here she was, on a first date, nonetheless, with a man who had taken her to it, and it had her filled with an emotion she couldn’t quite place. “Not that much, I’m afraid,” she gave him an apologetic smile, but her eyes were shining with intrigue at the idea of working with such a topic. “I tend to focus more on European history and runes, but I believe their symbology has remained fairly similar through the years, being passed down through the generations.”

[abrahamcaldwelll]

"Unfortunately, neither do I." Abraham laughed easily, much more at ease than he had ever been around her in the past. "But don't tell them that." He grinned ruefully over at her as they walked, eyes scanning the ground before them for anything she might need help navigating. The terrain could bring even him to the ground sometimes, but thankfully this part of the state was fairly flat. "In all seriousness, it is rather interesting. Moreso than I'd thought - I tend to stick to No Maj history, myself." It wasn't that the magical archeology wasn't interesting, but it never drew him in the same way its non-magical counterparts had. "They're thinking this part used to be partially submerged, and the wizards lived in harmony with the creatures of the water. So far, it seems to add up - its secluded, even still, there's very little no-maj presence to speak of. But everything we've found thus far has been.... a bit of a stretch to call it definitive." As they neared where his crew had been working, Abe was aware of the slack jawed expressions some of his younger colleagues were sporting as they watched him walk through with Cassandra. Some of them, apparently, didn't realize that the man hadn't actually been single his entire life.

[cassandrasingleton-deactivated2]

abrahamcaldwelll‌:

Abe was excited. For the first time in years, he was excited for New Year’s Eve. That wasn’t to say he wasn’t nervous - he was always nervous where she was concerned. He wasn’t certain he’d made the right decision, by staying in instead of going out, but something told him that Cassandra would appreciate it, at the very least. After all, he hadn’t managed to mess things up so far. He glanced in the back of his phone, straightening the collar of his sports coat. It might only be the two of them, but he wanted to look nice nonetheless. Checking his watch and hoping his directions were sufficient, he wrung his hands as he waited, but he needn’t worry too much, for in a few short minutes she had arrived, and his shoulders relaxed as a smile blossomed over his features. He stood instantly, striding quickly towards her and wrapping her in a hug. “It’s so good to see you - did you have a nice Christmas?” 

@cassandrasingleton

Cass had never been big on hugs, it wasn’t that she didn’t like them, she just attracted people that didn’t really hug. From Keyara, Victor and Margarette to her parents, hugging had simply never been a big part of her life. So it was with trepidation that she let herself relax into his hold, and surprise when she found herself really rather enjoying the feeling of his arms around her, how easy it would be to drown in the feeling of security they held. But she shook herself from the thought, not ready to let herself begin to fall for someone so seemingly perfect. “Well, there was this one rather outstanding gift,” she spoke softly, taking the fossil brush he had given her out of her pocket and holding it carefully as her other hand took out a wrapped gift, a book on native american magic in the south, that she had spent the past few days searching for for him. “I’m afraid I didn’t know we were doing gifts, so this certainly isn’t as perfect as yours, but I hope you find it useful nonetheless.”

[abrahamcaldwelll]

His eyes lit up as she took the brush out of her pocket - perfect? Surely she was just being polite. No gift Abraham had ever given had been perfect, but he was certain she at least liked it, so he was able to relax. "You didn't have to do that - I assure you mine was almost entirely selfishly motivated." He chuckled, taking the gift from her graciously. Abe had wanted to do something for her, yes, but more than that, he wanted to see her more, share his passions with her. His gift had simply been where the two met. Carefully unwrapping the paper, he flipped it over, his small smile growing as his fingers traced down the cover. "It's beautiful." He murmured, excitement shining in his eyes as he met her gaze. Gesturing for her to follow, he walked to one of his bookcases, finding where he had a couple of editions from the same author. He found where it belonged, sliding it in comfortably. "Thank you, Cassandra. I really love it." He looked at the spine for just a moment longer, already mentally putting aside the time to look through it, before turning back to her and offering his arm. "Shall we? I must admit I'm getting rather hungry."

[maggierogers]

[lenasprofile]

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[abrahamcaldwelll]

@cassandrasingleton

[abrahamcaldwelll]

Abe was excited. For the first time in years, he was excited for New Year’s Eve. That wasn’t to say he wasn’t nervous - he was always nervous where she was concerned. He wasn’t certain he’d made the right decision, by staying in instead of going out, but something told him that Cassandra would appreciate it, at the very least. After all, he hadn’t managed to mess things up so far. He glanced in the back of his phone, straightening the collar of his sports coat. It might only be the two of them, but he wanted to look nice nonetheless. Checking his watch and hoping his directions were sufficient, he wrung his hands as he waited, but he needn’t worry too much, for in a few short minutes she had arrived, and his shoulders relaxed as a smile blossomed over his features. He stood instantly, striding quickly towards her and wrapping her in a hug. “It’s so good to see you - did you have a nice Christmas?” 

@cassandrasingleton

[psicose-alternativa]

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[abrahamcaldwelll]

@cassandrasingleton

[abrahamcaldwelll]

Christmas Morning | Self Para

Abe sighed happily, reaching a hand out for his coffee mug without looking up from his paper. It had taken him years to appreciate little moments like this - to see them for what they were: a blessing, and not a burden. He had spent so many years trying to please a woman who hadn't loved him, and before that trying to save a doomed marriage, it was almost as if that's all there was to life. But the older he got, the more time he spent only with his own company, the happier he seemed to grow. It was okay, he decided, to be alone. Maybe not ideal, maybe lonely at times, but not all bad. Bringing the steaming cup to his lips, he blew lightly across the surface, delighting in the small ripples it created before taking a sip and letting loose another satisfied sigh.

It had taken him a long time to get used to Christmas on his own. After his parents had died, he'd had his second wife to spend it with. Even if it turned out she hadn't really cared for him, it was still company. Being an only child, he had no one now. Sure, he had Tabitha, and a handful of friends from work or within the archeological community, but they had families of their own. He was far from the top of their invite list.

So Christmas morning settled in around him the way it always did - cold, snowy, and silent. Abraham let himself sleep in, rolling out of bed at nine on one of the only mornings out of the year he didn't even bother setting an alarm. The snow deadened the outside world, and it was utterly blissful inside, with the smell of fresh brewed coffee, the crackling of the fire from the other room, and the sporadic rustle of paper as he flipped through the pages of the Daily Prophet, followed by a more thorough inspection of the New York Times. After meandering his way through all the articles that had caught his attention (and a few that hadn't), he folded his paper neatly and pushed it toward the edge of his table. He'd use it as kindling later on, but for now he leaned down, scratching Cerberus behind the ear with a smile, murmuring to him about how good of a boy he'd been this year. When the Doberman got up and stretched his long legs, Abe did the same, grabbing his mug before coming to stand before his kitchen window, watching the snow fall lightly to the ground. It was like the world was new, the simple thought itself sending a thrill through his body.

He was looking forward to the new year - there were quite a few exciting prospects he'd already been contacted about. And, of course, there was Cassandra. Having only been on a handful of dates, no matter how successful he thought they'd been, he might be getting ahead of himself to make plans for the two of them in advance - even if they only ever lived inside his head. He'd been hesitant to hope, in the very beginning. Not only because she was beautiful and smart and way too good for him, but because he'd been down this road before, and it had ended very poorly for himself both times. If there was one thing he'd learned over the years, it was that if something seemed too good to be true, it probably was. He was forced to accept that maybe his judgment wasn't the best when it came to women. But something about Cass seemed different, like they were tailor made for each other, agreeing at most every turn, finding enjoyment out of the same things, even falling into comfortable silence as they simply spent time together. She was changing his mind more each day.

Reaching into the pocket of his pajama bottoms, he retrieved his phone, typing up a quick text as he thought about her. Merry Christmas, Cassandra. Can't wait to ring in the new year with you.

With a fond smile on his face at simply the idea of her, he returned to his living room, patting his leg for Cerberus to follow, although it was unnecessary. The dog followed him everywhere, his most constant and unwavering companion. Sitting on the floor and waiting for Cerberus to settle beside him, he started pulling the presents from under the small tree - his own little tradition. Instead of opening them as he received them, he waited until Christmas morning. The first was from Tabitha - she had gotten framed an intricately carved, turquoise tipped arrowhead, and it would go beautifully with the others hanging on the wall in his study. The second, from his old college roommate, the best man in his first wedding. They'd mostly lost touch since, but he never forgot a birthday or Christmas, and Abe thought maybe this coming year would be the one where he reached out to the other man for something more substantial than their annual letters skimming over the past year. He chuckled as he opened the expected bottle of Bourbon, noticing fondly that this year, it was top shelf. Good for him - he must have gotten that promotion he'd had his eye on. He put the letter that came with it aside, deciding to read it later, and continued opening his presents. Most were impersonal, but useful, and he appreciated the sentiment all the same. To be thought of at all was a gift in itself.

As he finished opening his own small stack of presents, he wondered idy if Cass had opened the one he had sent over to her this morning. He had labored over it for the greater part of the past three weeks. The hopeless romantic within him had wanted to get her something - but he didn’t want to do too much too soon, either. After all, they still barely knew each other, and he didn’t want to get her something just for the sake of the action. So he had wrapped a fossil brush with a ribbon, dusting off his old calligraphy skills and writing the date of his next dig across the fabric. He had added Assistant Excavation Leader underneath, hoping to make it clear that he wanted not only her presence at his dig, but her help, should she choose to accept. And how he hoped she would accept.

With a happy sigh, Abraham settled back, one arm reaching once more for his coffee cup, the other resting lightly along Cerberus’ side, and he watched the snow fall on his quiet Christmas morning. No, being by himself wasn’t bad at all.

[fyeahjonhamm]