Casey hated not feeling like he was doing enough for Vera as she grew progressively more upset about Tilly's decline. Vera really struggled with the decision to put Tilly into a nursing home when the time came and he felt even more useless than usual since nothing he said or did could make her feel better for long.
Seeing Vera upset was distressing. She was usually so cheerful but what she was dealing with would get to anyone.
That was probably what made him say the most potentially dangerous thing he ever had to her. She was worried about losing her only family so his foolishly selfish desire slipped out. Offering to be her family if it would help.
Casey knew he didn't have the right. Family was always messy in his experience but with someone like her…he had seen what her version of family was like. He didn't deserve to be part of that but hated seeing her so upset. If being her family would make her happier, he would do it in a heartbeat. Selfishness and all.
He instantly knew it was a bad idea when she stared at him in shock. "What did you just say?"
It was too late to back down now but he had to at least try. "I can be your family if it would help? Never mind, that's really weird—"
What Vera did next was the last thing Casey ever would have seen coming and it made him freeze. She kissed him. Why did she kiss him?! She had no reason to do that!
It took a humiliatingly long time for him to get anything out of his mouth that sounded like actual human speech. If Kane could see Casey now, he would crack up. That unpleasant thought sort of brought Casey back down to earth.
"Why?"
Vera frowned, her tone defensive. "What do you mean why? You're the best person I know after Tilly. After spending so much time with you, it would have been impossible not to like you. I already did before all this happened but now…you mean the world to me, Casey."
Great. Now Casey was about to cry.
How could he not though? No one had ever told him that he meant the world to them before.
"I do?" he asked, part skeptical and part hopeful.
"Of course you do!"
Vera said that like it was a given. Like it was the most obvious thing in the world when it wasn't. It REALLY wasn't. Casey wrapped his arms around her and he buried his face in her neck, overwhelmed with unfamiliar positive emotions.
Since she just said that…couldn't he admit how much he needed her even a little? It shouldn't freak her out with what she just said.
"So do you. You're everything, Vera."
Casey didn't have words big enough to describe how much Vera meant to him, even if he was capable of speaking properly. She truly was everything. And for some bizarre reason, she wanted him of all people.
She hugged him tighter for a minute before kissing him again, more thoroughly this time. All he could do was hungrily kiss her back. He hadn't even considered this as a possibility until now. Even if it was a terrible idea, he had to savor it while he could.
Unfortunately, the phone rang and he came back to his senses. He scurried off to the workshop, scolding himself. He couldn't do this! She deserved so much better.
Vera didn't think so though. When she asked Casey to be her boyfriend a few hours later, she wouldn't take any of his reasons for why he shouldn't. She wanted him that much! No one else ever had. No one else had ever thought this highly of him either.
She managed to talk him into it and kissed him again before going to get their lunch. His insides twisted into knots as soon as she was gone. He couldn't believe he just did this! What would Kane think?
Casey would have to tell Kane. Otherwise, he would wonder why Casey would be around so much less often. Vera needed Casey's presence right now, as unfathomable as that was.
He bit the bullet and did it as soon as he got home. "Hey, Vera's my girlfriend now. Stay away from her, okay?"
Kane let out a frustrated sigh. "I KNEW this would happen sooner or later. Don't say I didn't warn you when it all crashes and burns."
"It's not going to crash and burn! I'm all she has left, aside from her aunt. It'll be hard for even me to screw this up."
That was what Casey was banking on anyway. He could only hope he was right.
"Be prepared for me to say 'I told you so' when you're wrong."
He made an annoyed noise as Kane walked off. Why did he have to be like that? Casey may be pathetic but Kane didn't know the full story. He didn't know how much Vera depended on Casey.
After that conversation, he spent as much time out of the apartment and away from Kane as possible. Though that was just a pleasant side effect of spending more time with her.
Part of Casey was stupidly thinking of the future. Moving in with her, getting married, and being her family legally instead of just by promise. But how was Casey supposed to leave Kane? That freeloader couldn't hold a job. He wouldn't survive without Casey.
He couldn't just have Kane live with them. Vera had enough of her own problems to deal with. She didn't need his acerbic nature on top of everything else.
There was also the very real fear that being around him would make her realize how much of a loser Casey truly was. He couldn't let that happen! She had to keep thinking of him the way she did now or he didn't know what he would do.
She was too important to lose. This was the one time in his life that he couldn't afford to screw up!