#and brings you caffiene without prompting

[feedthemadness-sweetie]

Get yourself somebody who appreciates you the way Gibbs appreciates Abby tbh 😓

[starlightshadowsworld]

Jason was someone who knew the value and the importance of a good night sleep. And life on the Argo ll showed him that the others were lacking in that department.

And without quite fully realising it, he studied them and found solutions that maybe they hadn't even realised.

(Or, Jason is distressed team mum and wants to help everyone get some sleep)

He'd find Percy drifting off while sat on the sofa and would inquire that the other slept. Percy would give him a fond and amused grin "yeah, I will." But Jason can see the bags under his eyes and the way he's slower to react (not by much of course, it was Percy after all impulse was kinda his thing) and resists the urge to shake his head.

Instead Jason goes over to the window, and feels his power fill the air. A cool gust of wind and the trickling of rain start to appear, followed by the cool lapping waves of the sea (because of the wind) and Percy listens to them absentmindedly but only takes a few minutes for him to nod off on the sofa, lulled by the sounds around him. Jason had heard him fondly talk of Montauk, of a rainy cabin by the sea and Jason knew at once what to do.

A light swirl of wind picks up the blankets from his room and tuck him in, a pillow pet wedged in his arms.

Jason finds Leo tinkering in the engine room with Annabeth by his side. They've thrown themselves into another invention and happily explain it to him. And while most of its intricacies go over his head, he praises them regardless (and tries not to frown at how surprised they are, especially Leo to receive genuine praise. That he files away for later.)

His points of going to sleep fall on death ears of course, but he's caught them before they've started to consume any caffiene. Jason takes a deep breathe and mumbles some words in a language he's never truly used before. But Leo does, freezing in place and staring at Jason in open mouth surprise.

It's a song Reyna sings, has sung to Jason more times than he can count. On cloudless night skies full of stars, when all they have is each other to hold on to. Jason doesn't completely known the language but Reyna uses it when there alone, he wants to know because he knows just how important it is to her.

Tears well up in Leo's eyes, his body sags and his eyes flutter sleepily like Jason had hoped. It reminds Leo of his Madre, and warmth wells up in his heart. To seal the deal, Jason hands over a blanket with all the importance of a treaty and mimes for Leo to put it around him.

Leo raises an eyebrow, still reeling from the song and does so. He gasps in surprise, for this is a weighted blanket that seems to by magic dull the anxiety that wells up in his friend. (Jason is certain that weighted blankets are just magic). He gives Jason a grin but for once it reaches his eyes, eyes that shine witb gratitude "okay okay, I'm going to sleep Jase if you're gonna go through all this trouble."

Annabeth looks like she's about to protest for all of 3 seconds before shaking her head and bade Leo goodnight. She gives Jason a calculating look "I'm assuming you're doing this with everyone." Jason nods, open and honest because he has nothing to hide and knows how much that means to her. Annabeth stares at him for a few seconds, before nodding, accepting it.

"We have been... Running ourselves ragged I suppose...." To Jason that's an understatement, she can read them all but he can read her 2. He can see just how much she's struggling to keep herself together. Otherwise she'd probably have put up more of a fight to his plans. "So, care to tell me what you thought of for me?"

Jason smiles, taking out a book and pressing it into he'd hands, she raises an eyebrow and makes what's halfway between a snort and a chuckle. "You want me... To read till I sleep?" She asks, Jason nods absolutely serious. Annabeth isn't sure how to react that but finds no harm in it and does so. She's about 5 pages in when her head falls onto the pillow beneath her and softly snores.

Annabeth had been that exhausted that few things wouldn't have made her fall asleep. That is if she were anyone else, but she was Annabeth. She was someone who's guard was raised at all times, so he made his intentions clear and handed her a book to help her sleep. It wasn't that the book was magic or anything it was even what it contained though that was important.

It was on keystone arch way design, an architectural style that had been pioneered by Romans. This particular book was one of Jason's favourites, and by giving her a book important to him, about something he cared about he was able to gain her trust. Jason had relaxed Annabeth enough that her guard dropped momentarily so that her tired body was able to win out.

Jason had no doubt she would read the book the next day and bookmarked it for her, using the wind to gently send her to her room.

He found Frank polishing his bow and talking to Hazel. Jason strode over to them and told them that it was late and they should rest. That they had a big day ahead of them and he wouldn't want them to get hurt through their exhaustion.

And while the words were casual enough, they bore with them a certain edge. Not harshness or even cruelty but a certain form of confidence that spoke of authority. Now Jason didn't have authority, not here but he used to. Frank and Hazel has known him for a while personally but not as long as he'd been their Praetor and Jason knew instantly that they'd recognise his tone.

But he didn't leave it there, otherwise he'd have felt cruel and cold, and besides it wasn't the whole plan. Jason smiled warmly, and began to tell a story. Like so many he'd shared at a campfire after long days at Camp Jupiter. Hazel curled up beside Frank who stifled a yawn, the almost Prateor voice had got their attention yes.

But the story pulled them in, just like it always had. It was one they'd heard a thousand times of a mission a former Prateor had been on but Jason weaved words like magic and before he was finished they were out like lights.

He smiled fondly, just like than and wrapped a blanket around them and left once they were comfortable.

Piper was sat by one of the windows, staring into her blade in deep thought. Jason clears his throat to make his presence known and she jumps slightly, waving at him once she regains her composure. "Oh, hi Jason. What's up?" She tries and fails to hide her true feelings. Piper's afraid, and Jason knows it. He asks her if she can fall asleep and she shakes her head silently. Jason nods, expecting as much and sits beside her.

Instantly she rests her head on his shoulder, it takes a few seconds but she voices her worries. Her anxiety and fear about their mission, and he holds her close. Jason let's get it all out, even prompting her at times before consoling and comforting her. He addresses every one of her fears with a realistic but kind response, it reminds him of new campers still learning the ropes and asking a billion questions all at once.

He comforted them, answered their questions and made sure they knew he was always their to support them. Jason comforts Piper the same way, bringing up that she has improved, how far they've gotten and holding her close.

And it helps her relax, much like it did to them in the past and once she does she starts to yawn. He gives her a pointed look and she laughs tiredly "fine I'll get some rest, only if you do as well." Jason nods, watching her go back he'd to her room.

Of course he will, he fully intends to keep that promise like all the rest. The rain is more natural now, perhaps he'd initially caused it but oh well. Jason thinks of the seven, or rather the six and how they've worked their way into his heart. He thinks of Reyna and knows she'd have been amused of his efforts as she always is.

And now Jason finds himself able to sleep, now that he knows everyone else is well and truly resting. And that's what he feels as he drifts off to sleep curled up in a nest of blankets like the wolf he is.

When Nico joins them, and everyone notices him having trouble sleeping there is little surprise among the six when Jason quietly approaches him.

It's a lot less surprising when they see Nico drinking hot chocolate at night and discussing Mythomagic strategies with Jason, as his eyes begin to flutter, that remind him of so much of late night conversations with Reyna on days that have been so hard on them both.

Because every now and again Nico will drop in something serious in their friendly banter and Jason will not belittle, nor ignore nor make light of it or coddle him but listen and ensure he feels listened to. Because that he finds is what Nico needs... And if he manages to hug him at some point and get him to sleep that's a definite plus.

(Really wanted to hammer it home that Jason makes others feel comfortable by addressing who they are as people and uses himself to help.

With Percy he uses his powers to remind him of his safe place when he's in distress.

With Annabeth he uses his passion and being a literal open book because he knows she values and needs trust and safety.

With Leo and Nico it was his friendship with Reyna, of how they've both helped each other when there hurting and applied what he's learnt here.

With Frank and Hazel and Piper it was his role as Prateor, the knowledge of how to help tjise who are openly hurting and want that support and telling stories because that's what helped campers like Frank and Hazel are to feel better.

Because helping others is such a core part of who Jason is)

[northernstarswriting]

without you, where would i be

Written for the @six-gifts-exchanges, for @a-over-caffienated-night-owl, I hope you enjoy it! The prompt was ‘nothing romantic’ so I wrote some kat-centric fluff with all the queens ft. cuddles. 

read on ao3

Some nights, Katherine dreams about her funeral. Or more accurately, the lack thereof. She dreams of bones lying bare in a cold, unmarked grave. Of her soul, restless even in this new life.

The nightmare comes around once every month or so, and when it does, it plagues her for days afterwards. It rattles around in her head and lingers, making her unable to sleep or concentrate, and she hates it.

She doesn’t talk about it or seek out any of the other queens for some much needed comfort. Instead, she sits alone in her dark room biting her nails and trying her best to stave off a panic attack.

Tonight is one of those nights, and Katherine flinches as she glances at her alarm clock. 3:53am. Even Cathy would most likely be asleep by now. And since tomorrow is a two show day, she feels too guilty to wake anyone else up. She has handled this alone just fine before, and this time will be no different.

So she sits and waits until it’s a decent hour to go downstairs, and if the bags under her eyes look a bit darker than normal, she prays no one will notice.

As she descends the stairs she can already hear quiet sounds in the kitchen, a sure sign that she’s not the first one to go down for breakfast. Probably either Jane or Catherine getting up early to take the most out of the day.

“Good morning, love.”

Jane then.

“Morning.” It’s barely more than a whisper, but she’s too tired to care.

“Did you sleep well?” Jane asks her that every morning without fail and Katherine gives a vague grumble that could be interpreted either way and sits down at the table. A moment later Jane puts her mug in front of her, already filled with steaming tea and a spoonful of honey. Her favourite.

Jane always seems to know what she needs before she herself does. She might be tired beyond belief, but she still sends Jane a smile and a soft thank you.

Jane ruffles her hair and places a soft kiss on the top of her head before moving away and continuing with breakfast preparations. Katherine takes a sip of her tea and listens to Jane humming a song under her breath while toasting a slice of bread. Katherine relaxes her shoulders and her heartbeat slows down.

No matter how many times they spend their mornings like this, Katherine still feels warm when Jane treats her like that. Like family. She wants nothing more than to crawl into Jane’s lap and hide from the world for a few hours, no matter how childish that might be.

Jane is warm, and Katherine still can’t shake the slight chill in her bones from the nightmare and consequently sleepless night.

Slowly the other queens trickle in and the noise in the kitchen increases. Kat doesn’t mind- if they’re all busy with each other, they might not notice how her eyes are drooping or the way she keeps zoning out before shaking herself awake again.

Three nights with little to no sleep seems to be about as much as she can take and she desperately wants to curl back into her bed. Now that everyone is awake and the house is filled with background noise she thinks it’ll make for a much easier time to sleep. As is evident by her almost nodding off in her chair at the breakfast table.

Like usual, it’s Jane who first notices something is wrong.

“Kat, love, are you alright? You haven’t touched your food.”

The gentle question brings her out of her reverie. “Hm? Oh yeah, just tired is all.” She sends Jane a smile, doing her best to make it seem genuine. It works - Jane backs off with a smile in return, but worry is still evident in her eyes and Katherine hides her grimace.

She makes an effort to eat something, shoving spoonfuls of cereal into her mouth without really tasting anything while fighting to keep her eyes open. She sneaks a cup of coffee when everyone is distracted, hoping the caffeine will keep her awake enough to function and get through the day.

Their first show goes off without a hitch. The others seem to have taken notice that she’s feeling a bit off today, and put in extra effort to make sure she never misses a cue. It makes her feel a bit guilty, seeing the others working harder to cover up for her mistakes.

The audience is none the wiser, though, and they even get some laughs when Anne has to manoeuvre her into the correct spot mid scene.

She manages to get some sleep in between shows, the low murmurs of the other talking to each other while passing the time lulling her to sleep. Jane pulls her head into her lap and is lazily playing with Katherine’s hair as she curls up into Jane’s warmth.

She’s woken up way too soon with the news that they have to get ready for show number two, and Catalina’s voice is gentle as she helps her sit up. Jane is no longer there, but there’s a blanket tucked around her.

“You look tired, mija, are you sure you’re up for this?”

“I can do it, I promise. I’ll make sure to go to bed early tonight,” Katherine smiles.

Catalina looks conflicted but after a moment moves to press a kiss to her forehead and helps her up from the couch, “Alright, come on then.”

Somehow she makes it through that one unscathed as well, and before she knows it she’s back in the dressing room wiping off her makeup. Though the nap had done her good, the bags under her eyes haven’t disappeared. She looks exhausted.

Anna wraps an arm around her as they leave the theater and keeps it there for the short walk to the nearest tube station. She doesn’t ask Katherine if something is going on. She seems to understand regardless and instead just pulls Katherine closer and lets her lean her head on her shoulder as they ride the tube home.

Once they arrive at their shared house, everyone disperses and starts with their respective nightly rituals. Katherine makes her way into the kitchen, rinsing out her mug from this morning and making herself another cup of tea.

The kitchen is empty and the house oddly quiet and she feels the exhaustion of the day catch up with her. She doesn’t have it in her to fight as her eyes droop closed, and then her tea is long forgotten as her head rests against the tabletop.

She doesn’t know how long she’s asleep before she’s woken up by Anne.

“Wakey wakey, Kitty-kat. I know you’re tired but I’ve got a surprise for you, and I promise you it’s worth it.”

Katherine mumbles something unintelligible and tries to push the woman away, but Anne just laughs.

“Come on, I’ll help you up the stairs.”

Katherine feels herself being lifted out of her chair, Anne’s arm securely wrapped around her torso and she’s powerless to resist as Anne leads her up the stairs and into her bedroom, talking in a low voice the whole while in an attempt to keep Kat awake.

When she looks up, her bedroom is dark, curtains drawn and her nightlight being the only source of light in the room. Then her eyes fall on a messy pile of blankets in the middle of the floor. Anne immediately lies down and wraps a light green blanket around herself.

“We figured you could use some extra cuddle time, so…” Anne points to the pile of pillows and blankets around her, “Jump in!”

For a second Katherine is too stunned to move. She looks up to meet Anne’s eyes and is met with nothing but love. No judgement, she’s not forced to explain anything. Just love and care.

“Don’t worry though, it won’t be just me. Two people can’t be considered a cuddle pile,” Anne laughs, “The others are just getting some snacks and other necessities.”

“Thank you, Annie.”

“Don’t mention it. We all need some extra love from time to time, right? Now, are you going to join me or am I supposed to cuddle myself?”

Without another word, Katherine makes herself comfortable amidst the blankets, burying her face in Anne’s side as the woman wraps her arm around Katherine’s middle.

Soon Anna and Cathy make their appearances, a tray with steaming mugs and a box of chocolates in hand. Lina joins them soon after, laptop open and ready for them to use. Jane comes in last, a few of Kat’s many teddy bears in her arms. She hands Kat her favourite one, a small red horse stuffy before settling down.

They all get comfortable on the floor, Jane lying down on Katherine’s other side, pulling her against her in a hug. Lina is seated close to her head, mug of hot chocolate in one hand and the other carefully detangling Katherine’s hair. She can’t help but let out a content sigh.

Cathy and Anna make up the ends, both still upright and sipping their drinks as they all talk among themselves. The sound of Jane whispering soft words into the back of her neck soothes her, and Anne’s arm doesn’t move from it’s protective hold on her younger cousin.

They decide on a Disney movie, The Aristocats, Cathy’s favourite. (Anna’s too, but if you ask her she’ll deny it.) It plays low to the background, and it doesn’t take long for Katherine’s eyes to slip closed, exhaustion now fully taking hold of her. She’s warm and feels safe in the arms of the other queens. With them all looking out for her, the nightmares stay away that night and Kat sleeps better than she has in weeks.

The usual chill and restlessness in her bones is absent as she wakes up the next morning, still sandwiched between Anne and Jane. The other queens are all passed out around her, Cathy curled up in Lina’s arms drooling softly on her own outstretched arm. Even Anna is still there, slumped in a half sitting position with her back against the wall, neck at an uncomfortable looking angle.

Seeing them all still there fills Katherine with a kind of warmth she can’t really describe. She feels calm and loved.

So loved.

So, she tucks her head back beneath her cousin's chin and closes her eyes, the world could wait for a few more minutes.