who fell first, who fell harder: Hint! Edition
Cass fell first. Cass - god, Cass fell immediately. He fell the same way everyone seems to fall for Rod, who had that jovial, charismatic way of making you feel like you were the most interesting, important person in the world when his attention was on you.
They were young when they met. Classmates. And they should have been peers, at least at school, but there was always a divide. Not that it was ever spoken of - the closest they ever came to acknowledging it was Rod telling people they knew each other because "Our fathers do business together" and somehow the kindly meant half-truth makes Cass all the more aware of the gulph between their respective social stations than if Rod had stated plainly "his father works for mine"
But the initial blush of infatuation faded over time. Their friendship deepened, and Cass came to know the side of Rod that most people didn't get to see. His affection for Rod endured past the shine wearing off, but paired with other feelings. Frustration. Anger. Jealousy. Resentment. Obligation. Cass has never been sure if Rod is as genuinely obtuse as he puts on, or if he just feins obliviousness to get out of being required to acknowledge inconvenient truths.
Rod fell slowly. Truth be told, Rod couldn't even say when he fell. Cass, for many, many years, held no particular place in his heart. He was a game old boy, a solid chap, someone whose company was Rod always welcomed but rarely sought out (though, it should be noted that in order to seek Cass' company Rod would first need to experience his absence - a rarity in their school days especially)
The truth is that Cass' gradual disenchantment with his place in Rod's life occurred more or less simultaneously with Rod's slowly dawning realization of how essential Cass was to him.
Neither of them has ever once spoken honestly to the other about what they feel for one another.
............. I am very possibly going to have to write a oneshot this weekend speculating about what lead to/resulted from Rod firing Cass' father.