#she gave me her card to pay for it but I would have just gotten it for her I’m ngl

[lesbiansanemi]

Me fucking SPEEDING through my work tasks today so I can go on break early so I can make sure I manage to get this one toy that’s been marked down INSANELY low that my coworker asked me to grab for her on my break

[lastoneout]

Like I know we all love making ADHD seem cool but like, don't forget it's actually a disability? My ADHD is bad enough I've nearly been evicted for forgetting to mail the rent check to the property manager, I've forgotten to pay the utility bills and had my water or power get turned off or had to pay fines bcs I missed a credit card payment. Once I was supposed to cat sit for a friend and I lost the house key she gave me but didn't realize until she was already out of town, and she had to call the apartment office to get someone to give me the spare so her cats would have food for the week. When I'm unmedicated I can't even get myself to shower half the time, forget eating or cleaning. Before I started living with my fiance I'd just like, not eat for days because I didn't have anyone to remind me to eat or go buy me food. I've forgotten to turn the stove off so many times and ruined kettles and tbh been DAMN fucking lucky the house didn't burn down. I've done stupid, impulsive shit that's nearly gotten me KILLED. I can't remember to close the shower curtain reliably even through my fiance points out every single time I forget, and he's almost out of soap rn bcs for the last MONTH neither of us have been able to remember to order more once we get out of the shower.

I've had such bad memory my entire life that to this day someone suggesting I forgot something because I simply didn't care enough is a legitimate trigger that, in the worst cases, makes me have a breakdown.

I get that for some of you this is just something that makes studying hard or you forget to take a pee break when you're playing Minecraft or whatever, that's still a valid struggle and you do deserve help and understanding, but like, ADHD is a disability. It's disabling. It's not impossible to improve and learn coping skills, meds help a lot, there are great accommodations out there(LIKE CLEANING SERVICES), but not every case of ADHD is the same, and a lot of them are pretty ugly ngl, and just because you managed to do something doesn't mean someone else is gonna be able to manage it too, or that they're being lazy for struggling. And that obviously doesn't mean ADHD people have a free pass to never work on themselves and make everyone cater to their every need or whatever, but we do deserve some understanding when we explain that our disability is actually disabling in ways that aren't palatable to you. So like, idk, maybe don't immediately recoil in horror when you find out that someone with ADHD can't keep their house clean. And for fucks sake don't ridicule them for it.

[ddejavvu]

would you please write a spencer x reader where she's at the conference (? not sure if thats what it technically was) where spencer gave his speech and everyone was just like 😶😶 but not her

and immediately after the speeches when everyone is talking she comes up to talk to him and shes being so kind he doesn't even notice that shes the only one paying him attention, just immediate infatuation 🥺

"I liked your joke, Dr. Reid." You approach the man from behind, but you neglect to tap him on the shoulder. You'd seen him apply hand sanitizer on his way out of the lecture hall without ever having touched anything inside, so you have a feeling he's more conscious about germs than most.

He turns from the proximity of your voice, and so does Agent Rossi. You're ecstatic to be in both of their presences, but Dr. Reid is an extra something special.

Agent Rossi takes one look at the flustered expression on Dr. Reid's face as he tries processing your remark, and turns around with a stifled grin.

"Uh, thank you," Dr. Reid stammers, blinking fast, "It didn't seem to be much of a crowd pleaser."

"Nothing pleases this crowd," You lament, "We're all overworked and sleep-deprived. But from an avid patron of the campus library, your joke made me laugh. And- uh, I'm Y/N. By the way."

He nods, lips pulling back into a smile that's more of a straight line than anything. You like it, it's cute.

"This campus's library is incredible," You seem to have unlocked Dr. Reid's hidden passion, as he springs into conversation without hesitation, "Unfortunately I wasn't able to explore before we got here because we got stuck in traffic, but we walked past it and I could see that the philosophy section goes all the way through to the other side."

His eyes are wide as he speaks, hands aiding his speech as he rambles.

"It's actually," You chuckle breathlessly, a tad sheepish to admit it, "It's one of the reasons I came here instead of my other potential university. I couldn't pass up the library."

"A girl after his own heart," Agent Rossi sets a hand on Dr. Reid's shoulder, finally tuning back into your conversation with a kind smile towards you. Dr. Reid turns, effectively broken from his passion-fueled library reverie.

"Unfortunately, we've just gotten called away," Agent Rossi informs you, "But Spencer, I think you should give her your business card in case she has any questions about our lecture."

Dr. Reid stands frozen, blinking once, twice, thrice, then-

"Oh! My card," He fumbles with the chest pocket of his sweater, then when he comes up empty (save for a speck of lint), he switches to his messenger bag.

"Uh," He jams his hand into a sleeve sewn to the lining of the bag, then thrusts a slightly rumpled business card towards you, "Here, um, yeah, if you have any questions. Or- or if you'd like to talk about philosophy? I've, um... I've got plenty more jokes if you ever have time to listen."

"I'll make time," You promise him, and you don't miss the way his eyes go wide and his cheeks glow pink, "Thank you, Dr. Reid."

"Uh, Spencer!" He decides, calling after you as you part ways, feet shuffling over tile as he tries keeping pace with Agent Rossi, "You can call me Spencer!"

[danikamariewrites]

i love your fics so much, i have all ur notifications on and you’re literally the only reason i still have this app😭😭💜 i was wondering if i could please request one where azriel x reader where reader has a MASSIVE crush on azriel. they’re mated and married and all but she is so blushy around him. like she literally giggles and blushes and melts whenever she’s around him. imagine she’s laying on her stomach and has her legs up, kicking them just thinking about azriel sith half lidded heart eyes, and feyre next to her teases her for it, and reader is like i don’t even care, i’m so inlove with this man, i’m gonna carry his children and UGHH LOVEEEEEE🥹

So In Love hc

Azriel x reader

A/n: first of all thank you I’m happy you’re still here and I hope you like this anon. Second, I too would just stare at azriel with heart eyes

Warnings: very fluffy like so super fluffy

Even though you and Azriel have been mated and married for decades he never fails to make you swoon or blush

With every kiss and small touch you’re putty in his hands

You love watching training. When he takes off his shirt and flexes his muscles you start drooling

Az’s tattoos are also mesmerizing

Sometimes when you’re in bed you straddle him and trace his tattoos and leave lil kisses on his chest

Whenever Az talks about you within ear shot you get all shy and blush

He’s also insanely in love with you

If you’re alone in a room Az loves to see how giggly you can get

One time you were making yourself a snack in the kitchen and Az sauntered up behind you, gently holding your hips, swaying you

“Hi lovey, what are you up to?” He says, you could hear the smirk on his lips. “Hi Az,” your cheeks heat and you lean back into his chest, tilting your head to look at him

“You’re so cute love. How did I get so lucky with you as my mate,” his smile widens as you turn and hide your face in his chest. Az places a kiss on your head and holds your chin between his fingers making you look back at him

He leans his forehead against yours and keeps whispering sweet nothings until your cheeks hurt from smiling and giggling

Sometimes everyone gets sick of how in love you two are, other times they think it’s adorable

During the latest family game night you just observed from the couch with Feyre

Card games get very heated in this house

But you’re just looking at Az (as always) with heart eyes and the most obvious smile

Feyre nudges you, “You’re drilling again y/n.” She said with a light laugh

“I can’t help it he’s just so pretty.” Feyre hummed into her wine glass. “You did get the prettiest one, there’s no denying it.” You giggle at the compliment for Az

You let out a sigh, leaning back into the couch. “I know you’re probably sick of me saying this, but Az is just so perfect. He’s so attentive, and charming, and caring. I love him so much.” Feyre laughs at the far away look plastered on your face as you only focus on Azriel

“I can’t wait to have his babes, I hope they all look like him so we can have perfect children.” You hadn’t realized how quite everyone had gotten

Cassian looked like he was trying not to laugh while Nesta and Rhys looked at you with wide eyes. Amren wasn’t paying attention and Elain just had an awww expression on her face

Azriel had gone red in the face as he was trying to get everyone back to playing cards

Cassian broke and started laughing and Nesta hit him, “I hope when we have kids they look and act like me.” Cassian looked offended, “So I get nothing!?” Nesta gave him a death glare and the boys started laughing at him

Once they went back to cards Azriel sent love and a message down the bond, “I love you too angel. And I hope they look like you, because you’re so beautiful.”

[exrellian]

Replaced MC AU

I’m pumping this out cuz I’m motivated! Still in third person

TW: the brothers being mean, MC getting bullied-

Part Two!

Everything is Changing

Mammon was the first to fall for Amelia, then Levi, Asmo, and Beel followed quickly

Satan, Lucifer, and Belphie were… weary about the new girl, the three found it odd how quickly their brothers fell for Amelia, seemingly forgetting MC completely

“Hey Beel, Hells Kitchen has a new menu item, it looks delicious! Want to go try it together?”

“Sorry, Amelia and I are going to try it in a couple minutes”

MC shrugged it off, happy Amelia was making friends

“Mammon, I’m bored, wanna go to the casino tonight?”

“Amelia and I are going to watch some movies tonight, no can do human.”

What? MC started to feel weird about this, not really too phased by the fact that the two were hanging out, but the fact that Mammon so nonchalantly called him ‘Human’

“Asmo..? Want to go clubbing tonight?”

“Hm? Not with you, not really. Sorry!”

Oh.

What?

“Levi? Want to play Raft together? I heard a new update came out!”

“I already beat it with Amelia, it was really fun!”

“Oh? Well would you mind playing it with me?”

“Amelia used your account, so we would have to start over for you to really see the update and that would just be boring”

“Oh um… alright, I’ll just play it on my own!”

This went on for about a month before the next brother dropped

“Hey Belphie, do you still have my blanket? It’s kinda cold in my room”

“Oh, I let Amelia have it because she was cold.”

“You gave my blanket to Amelia? Why couldn’t you give her one of yours?”

“She liked yours, don’t be selfish MC, you can just go buy another.”

“Fine.”

MC left, frustrated and still cold.

It was then when the worst so far came to be.

“That will be 18 Grimm”

MC swiped his card and it… declined? That was weird, he had more than enough Grimm! He had a part time job for a while and was payed by Diavolo for hosting events at RAD too! He opened his DDD and checked his account

-143 Grimm

What!?

He puts his DDD away and pays out of pocket for the blanket before returning home in a rush and going to his and Amelia’s room. Luckily for him, Amelia wasn’t there. Grabbing his laptop and checking his bank account he sees a bunch of online purchases on various video games. He slams his computer shut and runs to Leviathans room to see Amelia and Levi playing some random gacha game.

“Are you on my account Amelia?” He tried to keep his voice low and calm but he was shaking

“Oh! I’m sorry MC, Levi said I could!”

“Did you buy anything?”

“Well yeah! I didn’t like your account so I reset it so I could get the characters I wanted! Levi said his card was attached so I could spend as much as I wanted! Wasn’t that so nice of him?”

MC was writhing

“MY card was attached to that! You drained my account completely!”

Amelia looked almost… happy?

“It was your card attached? Sorry MC” leviathans tone was disingenuous and annoyed

“Since it was meant to be your money can you just pay me back for what she spent? I was saving up for something!”

“I’m not giving you my money MC, you need to stop being so selfish. Get out of my room.”

“No! Amelia spent all my money thinking it was yours so clearly you have the money to reimburse me!”

Levi stood up and walked over to MC

“I don’t know what has gotten into you, but you are not the person I fell in love with. You are almost more selfish and self centered than Mammon. First you go bullying Amelia, then you think I have to give you money for a little mistake. Leave my room MC, I don’t want to see you.” The hatred in Leviathans eyes struck a fear into MC that he hasn’t felt since he first arrived in the Devildom, weighing his options, he left, deciding it would be in his best interest to talk to Lucifer about it. He arrived at Lucifer’s study to find it empty, he then checked his room, finding it also empty

MC [Hey Lucifer, are you home?]

Lucifer [I am in a meeting. If you need to talk meet me in my study tomorrow.]

MC [K.]

Tomorrow could not come sooner

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for telling my mom to either get me what I've asked for, or to just get me gift cards?

This probably makes me sound horrible and ungrateful, but this is an issue I've had for about the last ten years of my life. I love my mother dearly, and I am so insanely grateful that we are in a financial position where we can receive gifts at all. I'd genuinely be happy with just a card and a cozy day in, but my mom always insists it isn't Christmas without at least one or two things under the tree.

I always ask her routinely as we inch toward the later months of the year what she'd like, and I do my best to get her exactly what she wants. I'll get her one or two other things too, like some skincare or chocolates or shoes or something, but I always stick to what she actually asks for.

If she asks me for a specific dress, she'll get it. If she asks me for a certain type of perfume, she'll get it.

The same....Cannot be said for her.

I've begged her over the years to just stick to getting me what I ask for. I don't ask for anything expensive. I think the most expensive thing I've ever asked for were concert tickets, and I offered to pay half. I just more or less wanted help actually getting them, because as we all know, concert tickets sell so fast its like you blink and they're gone, and the more people you have trying to get them the more chances of success.

Usually I'll ask for something like a particular poster I saw online, or a bedding set, a new phone case, ect. Small, easy to get things because honestly, I don't need that much.

What I actually end up with is a bunch of random stuff I will never use and clothing I'd never wear and once or twice, tickets to do things I hate doing.

Its like she asks me what I want then goes out of her way to get me the exact opposite of what I've asked for. She always pouts at me and berates me for 'looking disappointed' or never using anything she gets me (I hold onto it for a few months then quietly give it away to a friend or thrift store).

It makes me feel guilty, but this is a conversation we have every. Single. Christmas.

(For example I'll ask for, say, a pair of white shoes. What I'll actually get is a box of wind up toys from the dollar store, expensive paint brushes when I've never touched paint in my life, and a box of chocolates from a brand I don't like.)

This year, once again, she asked me for my list, and I just gave her some stores and told her I'd like gift cards to those places. She gave me a weird look and dropped it, but asked again a few times, and each time I just reiterated what stores I wanted gift cards to.

Well lo behold, I come home from college and there's packages under the tree. Proper packages, not just envelopes or anything else that a gift card would realistically be in.

I guess I was staring at the tree with a weird/sour expression, because it wound up starting an argument between us. Her argument was she's getting me gifts, I should be grateful, and she tries really hard but I'm just 'impossible to please.'

My argument is I tell her repeatedly exactly what I want and not once have I ever gotten what's actually on my list. In which case, why the fuck should I bother writing a list? I'd rather have the gift cards so I can buy exactly what I wanted in the first place.

She said I ask for clothes, I get clothes. I said I ask for specific clothes and she gets me ones that I wouldn't even look at in the store, let alone buy.

The whole argument ended up with her calling me an ungrateful asshole and confiscating my gifts to return them all after the New Year. She told me I can just have the money from returning them and 'be fucking happy for once.'

Its Christmas Eve and she's still not speaking to me. I feel terrible, but I'm also relieved. Either this means from now on she won't get me anything, or from now on if she asks for my list she'll actually get me what's on it.

My dad is staying in the middle. He said I'm right, and over the years he's tried to convince her not to buy all that stuff, but he also said I should've just done what I always do, fake a smile, and get rid of it later.

Is he right or was this fight a blessing in disguise? Am I the asshole for ruining Christmas or am I justified in voicing what I have for the last ten years running?

What are these acronyms?

[the-ragingenby]

guys don’t even ask me what this is, because I have no idea

Edit: AO3 Crosspost

My Kitten

Aizawa x Gender-Neutral Reader

You fought to keep your tail from twitching with annoyance as your last customer of the day decided to order one of every drink on the menu. “And will that be all for you today?” You ask, keeping your voice light. The customer, an older woman with long blonde hair, nods and pulls out her card to pay.

You bite back a sigh as she pays, handing her the receipt and turning away to make her drinks. All your other coworkers had long gone home; you had agreed to close tonight, but now you were starting to regret it.

You work as fast as you can, dropping ice into cups and pouring assorted mixes into each. For others, you had to brew some more espresso, or even just warm up some milk. She seriously wanted one of everything you had, which you still couldn’t believe.

About ten minutes later, you had handed her all her drinks and she loaded them into a small cart that she brought with her. “Took you long enough.” She muttered once she’d finished, waiting for you to open the door and let her out.

“Have a good night.” You gritted out, tail lashing, as you held the door open for her. Once she’d gone, you let out a heavy sigh, shoulders drooping. Every day was as exhausting as the last, with you having to get people to focus on their orders rather than your ears or tail.

At times, you hated your quirk. You had to be mindful of your tail, otherwise your coworkers would trip. And you needed to keep your emotions, and ears, in check or your boss would accuse you of being disrespectful.

After cleaning up and locking the door, you trudge out into the night. Slipping into your cat form, you trot down the street, tail swaying happily behind you. Being like this made you feel a little better, even if your day was pretty shitty.

You pause, nose twitching, as you notice a particular scent in the air. You had smelled it before, but over the past months, it’s become more regular around the area. You pad along more cautiously, ears swiveling to pick up any danger.

“Well, I didn’t think I’d see you out here again, Cat.” A smooth voice rumbled from the alleyway. You jump away, fur fluffed up with fear, before relaxing. It was that hero that started hanging around recently, though you didn’t know his name. He wore dark clothes with a long scarf on his neck. His eyes were tired as he watched you, but his expression was warm. You had taken a liking to him, especially since he gave the best head scratches.

Letting out a purr, you weave between his legs, looking up at him. You can’t talk in this form, but you meowed at him, hoping he’d know what you wanted. “Yeah, I know, Cat.” He huffed out, amused, as he gently picked you up and settled you in his arms. He quietly pet your head and ears as you purred contentedly. “Wish I knew your name, sweetheart. I’m sure you’ve gotten quite tired of me calling you Cat.”

You honestly didn’t mind, and there really was no way to actually tell him your name. Instead, you reached up a paw to bat at his chin, making him laugh. “Or I guess you really don’t mind.” He murmured, adjusting your position slightly so you’d be more comfortable. “I know I ask you this every time, but where’s your owner, huh? Won’t they be worried about you?”

You let out a huffing mew, smushing your face against his chest. The man rolls his eyes at you, but his expression grows more affectionate. “I’m glad I’ve been able to catch you out here all these times. You make the day more bearable.” He sighs, scratching gently under your chin. “Wish I could be with you more often, kitten.”

Your purrs grow louder in response, relishing in the affection from him. Being honest, you were hoping you’d run into him again. For the past few months, he’s given you the love and affection you were missing, even if you were a cat at the time.

How to explain that you were actually a human though…that you couldn’t figure out how to break to him. You didn’t exactly want to scare him off. You liked him. A lot. And if he didn’t like you in your human form too…you didn’t even want to think about the possibilities. All it sounded like was a lot of heartache for no reason. So, you stayed like this. It was better this way.

~

“Alright, Aizawa, spill.” Yamada demanded in the teacher’s lounge, leaning over the table. “You decide to ditch your friends for months and go to a town you don’t even know for what? To patrol? I don’t buy it!”

“Keep your voice down, Yamada.” Aizawa muttered, but made no attempt to answer his questions.

“Have you finally gotten yourself a partner? Are you shutting us out of your life because you’re in love?” Yamada wailed, slithering onto the ground and flopping there, clutching his chest. “I’m hurt. Truly.”

Aizawa rolled his eyes. “If you must know, I met a little cat. Love them with all my heart.” Yamada shot back up, fixing Aizawa with an unimpressed stare.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me. Aizawa! It’s a cat. Please, I beg you. You need to get out more.” Yamada grimaced, but Aizawa proceeded to ignore him again.

“I’ll spend as much time with Cat as I please.” Aizawa snorted, almost a little defensively. “Besides, the area is a little overrun with villains and I’m doing my part to keep them at bay.”

“There is no way you named the cat…Cat.” Yamada gawked at Aizawa, still not fully understanding why this man would want to spend all his free time with some random cat. Aizawa manages a shrug, refocusing on the paperwork in front of him. “You are…unbelievable.”

“So I hear.” Aizawa quips, writing in the grade on one of the papers before moving to the next. Yamada let out a sigh of defeat before ambling away. As he worked, Aizawa found himself wondering when he’d see his little Cat next.

~

It had been another couple weeks and you had made it a point to see Aizawa every day. After finally figuring out his name over the walkie talkie he had on his person, you were even more intrigued by him. He spent more time with you each night, when he could. Although there were a few times when he had to rush off to fight a villain.

With each passing day, you could feel your infatuation for him growing, and it made you feel worse that you hadn’t revealed yourself to him. But honestly, maybe it was better this way. You could tell that just holding you made him feel better, even if the exhaustion never left his eyes.

“My coworkers keep complaining that I’m spending all my time with you, Cat.” Aizawa murmured, gently pressing his head to yours. “But I don’t care. You make me happy.” You can’t help but purr at that, kneading your paws against him. He laughs softly, pressing a soft kiss between your ears before he pulls away, his walkie talkie crackling to life.

“All units, please respond to a rogue villain. Quirk: unknown. Currently in pursuit down Main Street.” A voice announced, causing Aizawa to sigh. He hugs you a little more tightly for a moment before setting you down.

“Alright, kitten, I’ve got to go. Now, go straight home, okay? Don’t go sticking your nose into danger.” Aizawa murmured, running his hand softly down your back before launching away into the night, scarf wrapped tightly around his hand.

You can’t help but feel a little disappointed that your meeting was cut short, but you decide to head home. As you meander down the street, you pause to sniff the air, frowning as you realize rain is coming.

You barely make it a few more blocks before the downpour really starts, drenching your fur. Flattening your ears and squinting against the water, you push onwards, already thinking about how long you’ll have to spend drying yourself off when you get back.

You leap away, yowling, when lightning strikes a nearby lamppost, shattering its lightbulb and taking out all the power in the area. You wonder, briefly, if you can even make it back to your apartment in this weather.

You race down a nearby alleyway, darting into a box tossed on its side to hide from the torrential rainfall. Shivering, you attempt to dry your fur, shaking yourself off in the rather large box. You let out an annoyed huff, thinking about how you’ll stink of mildew if you don’t get dried off properly.

But all those thoughts go out the window when you hear fighting among the crashes of thunder. “You won’t get away with this. Killing a hero, they’ll come for you, y’know.” You stiffen as your blood runs cold. That was…Aizawa’s voice.

“Bahahah! Like I care.” A sharp, menacing voice snarls. You didn’t recognize this one, but it was hurting Aizawa! “Heroes are all scum, so making one disappear is doing the world a favor!”

You race out of the box, charging down the alleyway and plant yourself between Aizawa and some bipedal tiger you had never seen before. A flash of lightning illuminates the alleyway briefly, and Aizawa meets your eyes from where he was collapsed on the ground. “Cat…?” He breathes, his tired eyes drooping as he fights to keep himself conscious.

He was bleeding from somewhere, though you couldn’t quite tell from where. You flatten your ears, turning to face the tiger with a deep growl rumbling in your chest. Leave him alone! You arch your back, spitting and hissing, trying to make yourself look bigger. This was all you could do. If you shifted down, you’d be less agile and those claws would certainly make more of a dent in your softer skin, without the protective fur barrier.

The tiger simply looks at you, an amused smirk gracing his lips. “Oh, what, you wanna keep the hero?” He snorts, lashing his striped tail. “Sure, why not. Us felines have to stick together, eh?” With a harsh cackle, he stalks away into the night, leaving you and Aizawa in the dark alleyway.

Without a moment’s thought, you shift into your human form, leaning over Aizawa and looked him over for injuries. “Hey, are you awake? Can you hear me?” You question, wincing when you notice a cut on his leg.

“Angel…” He mumbles, looking up at you with wide eyes.

“...What?” Before you can ask anything else, he passes out in your arms. You quickly scoop him up and, after pulling him onto your back, you haul him to your apartment, determined to patch him up.

~

Now, Aizawa was always a logical person, that he could stand behind. But here, lying on his side in the pouring rain, he was looking up at the most stunning person he’d ever seen. No, it couldn’t have been a person. It was an angel. It had to be. There was no way anyone who shone so brilliantly could be looking at him.

His eyes fell closed as the sound of rain and thunder surrounded him. Something lifted him up, he thinks, but after that, he wasn’t sure what was happening.

The next thing he knew, he was now awake on someone’s couch with a blanket draped over him and a bandage around his head. A cat was pacing the length of the living room, and at his stirring, they paused and immediately perked up. “Wait…Cat? Is that you?” His mouth fell open as the cat’s form shifted, revealing you in your human form.

“Are you alright? You can hear me, right?” You ask, approaching him and holding a finger in front of his face for him to focus on.

“You were a human this whole time.” Aizawa whispers, mostly to himself, as he follows your now moving finger.

You nervously clear you thought, pulling away a little. “Yeah.” You could feel yourself brace for some sort of meltdown or outburst or rejection or something, but Aizawa simply nods to himself before running a hand over his face.

“I want to apologize for, uh, everything that happened.” He says, sitting up slowly, wincing in mild pain. “It wasn’t appropriate, at all, and I’ll be out of your hair soon. Thank you for everything.” He managed a polite bow of his head.

Gathering your courage, you gently shook your head. “No, uh, it’s okay. I liked it and you…a lot…” Your voice trailed off, turning your head away in embarrassment.

Aizawa blinks at you, in pure disbelief. You saved him, brought him here, listened to his rants about work and his friends, and were just…there for him. “Then…maybe we can start over?” He offered, reaching out a hand. “Hi, my name is Aizawa and I’m a pro hero. Would you do me the honor of maybe going out with me sometime?”

~

Despite everything, you let out a soft laugh, taking his hand in your own. “Of course I will.”

He breaks into a gentle smile, looking up at your ears. “I know you aren’t a cat, er, right now. But…”

You snort, crouching down and leaning your head towards him. “Go ahead. I like it when you rub them.” He reached up, rubbing them softly and you let out a sigh of contentment, leaning into his hand.

The two of you stayed like that for a long while, simply enjoying each other’s presence. Though you were a little anxious about it, you felt at ease with him by your side. “Thank you, kitten.” He murmured, gently pressing a kiss to your temple.

Yeah, you could get used to this.

[garbinge]

Library Daycare (2)

Angel Reyes x OC Isabeth ‘Izzy’ Flores 30 Day Fic Challenge (14/30)

Word Count: 3k A/N: I feel like I say this for a majority of my fics but this post-canon world I've thought up for Angel and Maverick is my favorite, I think about it everyday, I just, want him to be happy even tho most of my ideas for this are angsty HAHA.

Warnings: All my fics are 18+ regardless of content. Light angst.

Mayans Taglist: @drabbles-mc @justreblogginfics @narcolini @danzer8705 @keyweegirlie @kmc1989 Previous fic for reference.

Angel stepped into the library, Maverick in his arms and was staring at the bulletin board. His eyes were scanning over each flyer and business card that was pinned to it. The list of jobs that Angel felt capable of was slim. There were a lot of options, prep cook, lab assistant, front desk organizer, medical assistants, nurses, but none of those were things that Angel had any experience with. That’s when his eyes landed on the business card that was pinned to the flyer that said Farm Hand needed, the business card on top reading Rancho de Valle - Este. His free hand reached up to grab the information from the pin so he could get a closer look. 

Farm hand, operating and maintaining machinery, harvesting and planting crops, repairs, occasional livestock caring. Full time, housing on premise provided if desired, hourly pay, overtime opportunities, and medical insurance. 

“El Ranchitos.” A voice sounded behind him. 

He turned around immediately, a little startled by the voice while Maverick on the other hand cooed in excitement as he saw who was behind them. 

“Sorry I did not mean to scare you.” Izzy smiled at Angel and turned her gaze onto Maverick. Her hand quickly reached out to grab his foot. “Hi, you. I missed you.” Her voice was soft now, she didn’t want to scary anyone again. 

“You caught me deep in thought, that’s all.” Angel laughed as he adjusted Maverick in his arms. 

“Yes, El Ranchitos.” She repeated again pointing to the papers again. 

Angel looked down not seeing El Ranchitos anywhere on the forms and looked back at the woman he had brief conversations with over the last few months. “You’re familiar with them?” 

“De Valle’s are very well known in this town. They own all of El Ranchitos, de Valle Este is the one closest to the city that is a harvesting ranch, they have others in the city but they’re more like resorts, they had to adapt with the change of the world.” Izzy explained. “They’re good people, kind, understanding. I think de Valle Este is like 10 minutes from here by car.” 

“Thanks, yea I think I’m going to apply. Everything else is a bit out of my range.” Angel laughed awkwardly. “Just gotta figure out what I’m gonna do with him while I’m working, maybe I could hire someone to watch him if I take them up on this on premise housing.” He was thinking outloud now, but it was just a symptom of having no one above the age of 2 to talk with here. 

Izzy was leaning over in front of him now, reaching for something on the bulletin board. Her hand began searching around until she found what she was looking for and pulled it from the pin. “It isn’t a nanny, but we watch the kids all day, feed them, read to them, use the playground outside on good weather days, it’s a small group too.” 

“We?” Angel questioned his eyes moving from the library daycare flier to Izzy’s face.

“Okay, I, it’s my initiative. We did a trial run this summer with a handful of kids and it went pretty well. We have about 8 kids right now signed up for the school year, all local, have room for 10, I think Maverick would be a great addition.” Izzy grinned again, now looking at Maverick who giggled and brought his hands out to her in hope to be held by her. 

“How was I around like all summer and didn’t notice this?” Angel laughed and happily gave the child over to Izzy. 

These last few months he had gotten extremely comfortable with the woman and honestly safe with her, Angel as well. These last few months have consisted of Angel coming to most of the library events because not only did Maverick enjoy them but because they offered him peace around people which he didn’t have much of since leaving Santo Padre. There was a constant fear, a persistence to always look over his shoulder, double guess everyone he met, everyone who walked too close to him on the street, but at the library it was like that fear was nonexistent. He had made a friend in Izzy, which was exactly what he needed right now. 

“I have two other people that help out, it allows one of us to take off, or be more flexible around the library.” She answered as she bounced Maverick up and down in her arms. “They’re actually running daycare now, if you want to check it out.” Her eyes moved back to Angel as Maverick’s little hands picked up her I.D. that was draped around her neck with a lanyard. “No pressure.” She let out an awkward laugh. 

“No, yea.” Angel spoke up which earned him a confused look from the woman holding his child across from him. He smiled realizing how confusing his statement was. “I just meant we’d love to check it out.” 

Izzy nodded and brought them both to the children’s area of the library and opened up the decent size circular room that currently had a group of kids of a variety of ages drawing on tables. 

“Sticker drawing. Helps them with open ended exploration, we let the older kids come up with a story based on their drawings and the younger ones like it too.” She was placing Maverick down on the ground and he was quick to find himself at the small table grabbing a sheet of his own. 

“How big is the age range?” Angel wasn’t sure why he was asking questions, he knew this was the best place for Maverick if he was to get this job. 

“Right now 1 through 5. This group is a bit older because it’s the summer.” She put her hands over her chest as she watched over the kids. 

 Before Angel could answer there was a little girl who was about 4 walking up to Izzy holding out her sheet of paper towards her. 

“Wow, that’s beautiful.” The little girl was being brought up into her arms and instantly throwing her own around Izzy’s neck. 

“Well the kids sure love you.” Angel smiled. 

“I hope this one does.” Izzy rocked from side to side similarly to how she was with Maverick just minutes earlier, but this time she looked at the girl in her arms and kissed the side of her head. “This one’s mine.” 

Angel found himself at a loss of words at that statement. He didn’t expect it. It automatically made him think about his friendship with Izzy, this was something huge that she so easily went without mentioning. Then again, it wasn’t like she knew everything about his life, but she knew a lot about his current life, and this felt very much like her current life. Between not knowing about the daycare and now her child, he felt like he needed to take a major step back. 

“Are you okay?” She interrupted Angel’s thoughts. 

“Yea, sorry. Just didn’t realize you had a kid.” Angel wanted to rewind the last 10 seconds so he never said those words. 

Izzy’s face dropped a little and she looked back down at her daughter and placed her back on the ground and stayed at her level for a moment. “Go back with your friends, Abrielle.” 

As she stood up she turned to Angel, and nodded towards the door. For a moment he hesitated and looked at Maverick. “You can take him, but Olivia doesn’t mind watching him.” She pointed to the woman with the lanyard similar to her own that was at the smaller kids table. With a nod, Angel was walking out of the room and standing awkwardly in front of Izzy. 

“I know you understand the need for privacy, Angel. The need to keep things to yourself. If I recall the first time I met you, I put my own address in for your library card because you were two nervous to give out information.” It felt scolding almost the way she was speaking. 

“I–” Angel went to speak but she cut him off by holding up her finger and speaking over him. 

“I don’t need a reason to make a choice regarding my child, Angel.” Her accent came out strong when she said his name. “You out of all people should get that.” 

“I do, I’m sorry. I just thought we were friends.” Again, Angel was wishing he would just keep his mouth shut. 

Izzy sighed, her guard immediately falling down and with a shake of her head she spoke. “We are friends, Angel. I just need to be cautious with her.” 

“I get that.” He nodded. “I didn’t mean to do whatever this is.” He waved his hand around and laughed awkwardly. “If anything, I’m glad you felt comfortable to tell me, it’s cool, having a parent friend. Haven’t had many of those really.” 

“Well if you do the daycare thing, you’ll make more during pickup and dropoff.” She matched his humorous tone. 

“Don’t know if I want that.” He chuckled nervously.

“Why do you think I don’t tell many people I have a child.” Her eyebrows raised and her mouth curled into a smile. 

Angel laughed. “Well then I’m honored to be accepted amongst the few.” He looked through the window of the daycare door and saw Maverick laughing at something and he turned back to Izzy. “I’d like to sign him up, even if I don’t get this job, this is the right place for him.” 

Izzy smiled at that comment, she went to say something but bit her tongue immediately. Her desire to say that this is the best place for Maverick and him was high but she held back and simply nodded. 

“Let’s get you two signed up then.” 

[writingbirdy]

You and me against the world sal fisher x f!reader

[Sorry for not uploading been sick and now exams have started😅. Also, this is set in modern-day ] (f/n)= female name

It had been a few months since you and the gang all went to college...

Sadly you didn't stay together. Sal and Larry went to a local college, Todd went to a college in another city and Ash went to an art college. Here you were stuck working as you couldn't afford to go into debt and weren't able to get a scholarship.

It was a slow day at the gas station not many people bought anything except for gas... but hey at least after these next two paychecks you can finally do online classes and still have money left over! But even that didn't distract you from not having your friends around with all of them in college you started to wonder if they had forgotten about you... You had seen from Ashley's Instagram that they had all recently gotten together for a hangout. I broke your heart when you realised you weren't invited but not surprised. You had always struggled to be a part of the group, they were your friends but you were not as close as they all were with each other. Just as you went to check your phone the doors beeped indicating that someone was there. "Great just when I thought I could take my break..." you thought putting on your happy service employee smile. "Hello, how may I help you today?" You said in a cheerful tone. "I'd just like to pay for gas. Thanks" the man said as he held up his card ready to pay. "Of course what pump were you at?" "Pump 2" After that you pulled up the cost and he paid. "Hey, have we met before you seem familiar?" He said looking at you.

It was true you looked different from high school.

[This is the look minus the head piece]

Your hair was longer and your style had changed and truth be told the man standing in front of you was non other that Sal fisher. You were a bit upset he didn't recognise you considering you had a huge crush on him back in highschool but hey I guess you weren't truly important to him. "We probably went to high school together but I had changed since then...." you gave a small smile as he walks out the doors. After your shit had ended you noticed that Ash had tagged you in something on Instagram. Opening the app it was photos of you guys back in highschool with the caption "together in every lifetime <3". You didn't bother responding as you knew it was another empty post with no meaning. You unlocked your apartment door and went to your room and proceeded to sleep the rest of the night.

3rd person pov

Waking up to your ringtone was not something [f/n] was happy about. She answered the phone to be greeted with the sound of todd? That was new todd never rang her or even texted her after graduation.

[F/n]: "um hi todd?"

Todd: "Hello [f/n] Ashley has lost her phone so she asked me to call you" he said in a semi monotone voice

Ash: "hey todd did she pick up?"

Ash: "Oh! [f/n] I'm so glad you picked up!"

[F/n]: "it's not like I had a chose"

Ash: "well anyway how about me and you go out shopping in two hours!"

All [f/n] could think of is why now was she asking her to hang out? Also it's still the second semester of college there's not way she has time to shop before class and to make it worse [f/n] had work in half an hour.

[F/n]: sorry Ashley but I have work soon...

She didn't wait for a response and hung up the phone and deleted Todd's number.

2nd person pov

While at work sal came back into the gas station. "Excuse me but do you have any chips that aren't plain?" He asks walking up to the counter. "No sorry we've ran out" you replied ringing his items up. "Ah okay... just one last question?" "Sure..." you were already bored and your shift doesn't finish for another 4 hours.

"Is your name [f/n]?" Sal asked.

"Was it Ashley's post that helped you figure that out?" You said blankly staring at sal.

"Yeah! It's been a while since we spoke would you like to get coffee and catch up?" He stuttered out.

"Why does it sound like you're asking me out on a date?" You questioned praying it was not the answer you would never recover from......

[Hehehe cliffhanger 😈. But seriously it's almost midnight and I just want a chapter out so this can be a two parter]

[ticklystuff]

Here is a Cynari prompt for you friend! Ler Nari, Lee Cyno, and ribs for the spot

not accepting anymore, thanks!

word count: ~1.5k

you're a doll for requesting them <3 have this badly edited meme that basically sums up the fic

---

"Oh man, I feel ready for a food coma."

"Mhm.

"I hope Kaveh didn't spend too much. I offered to help pay for the dinner, but he wouldn't even let me see the bill."

"Mhm."

"Cyno, are you even listening?"

"Mhm."

Truth be told, Cyno was indeed not listening, completely enamored with the wooden box in his hands, or rather, what the wooden box contained. Inside was the one, the only, Blue-Eyes White Lizard that Kaveh had so kindly sold to him. Granted, Cyno might have applied a friend's discount that Kaveh was unaware of for their transaction, but anything to get his hands on what Cyno was sure would throttle his way to elite status within the community.  The card was old and no longer eligible for play with the current edition of Genius Invokation TCG, so most casual players would not bat an eye, especially with its outdated art, but any day one enthusiasts of the card game would revel at being in just the mere presence of the card. Cyno himself could barely contain his excitement, holding the box in his arm like it was his first-born child, a frail infant that would fold at even the stiffest breeze. He had to protect the card at all costs.

"Cy- Hey, Cyno!" Upon reaching his humble abode, Cyno quickly threw open the door, leaving Tighnari at the entrance by himself, not even waiting for the forest ranger to remove his boots or hold the door open for him, making a straight beeline for his bedroom closet. He needed to find the perfect frame to display, yet protect the card; he could not just let the Blue-Eyes White Lizard live the rest of its life rotting away in a plain wooden box, of course. He deserved more, he deserved better, he deserved splendor.

"Cyno, what has gotten into you?!" Tighnari finally entered the room, speaking with the faintest bit of concern as Cyno dug through his closet for what would be a suitable frame for the card. "Is that card really that impor-"

"Yes."

"Alrighty then," Cyno could hear Tighnari huff from behind him. "How much did you pay for that card anyway? Kaveh mentioned using the money to help foot the bill, but that seemed like a pretty expensive meal."

Cyno froze in place at the question. "One-" he uttered, before catching himself. How was he supposed to tell Tighnari about the pricey card without being lectured about it later? "Sorry, I-I meant ten thousand mora," he stammered, turning around to meet Tighnari's expectant stare.

Cyno waited for Tighnari to call his bluff, but was pleasantly surprised when Tighnari responded with a few stunned blinks, as if he wasn't expecting that answer. "Huh, that's actually.. that's actually not so bad," Tighnari finally spoke. "I was expecting much worse than that."

"Yeah, I mean it's just a thin piece of cardboard afterall," Cyno nervously laughed, avoiding eye contact with Tighnari.

"Yeah, it'd be a different story if you gave Kaveh like one hundred thousand mora, or something."

"Yeah.. that would be... absurd."

"I know right. Sometimes people get so carried away with- Actually, wait a moment!" Tighnari's eyes went wide, before quickly turning to Cyno, folding his arms in thought as he spoke. "Do you remember Collei's birthday?"

"Err, why?" Cyno didn't like the way Tighnari's ears were standing on end. It meant he was attentive. It meant he knew something was off.

"And what was your gift to her?"

"A booster pack for her deck?"

"Right," Tighnari nodded with a sigh. "She was really excited when the booster pack contained her favorite card, remember?"

"I think I recall, yeah," Cyno's eyes squinted as he thought back to that day. Truth be told, his mind was quite a bit hazy and he wasn't exactly sure what Tighnari was supposed to be getting at.

"Well, the reason she was so excited was because she would no longer have to save her allowance for her favorite card," Tighnari explained to Cyno. "When I asked her how much she was planning to save, she told me eight thousand mora."

"And?"

"Cyno," Tighnari huffed with annoyance, "do you really think the Akademiya would have a card that someone like Collei could easily save for as one of the big prizes for the competition?"

Cyno's eyes widened, feeling every hair on the back of his neck stand at attention. "Ah," was all that left his mouth.

"Right, a super rare card wouldn't be worth as much as the one that Collei has," Tighnari explained, finally reaching his main point. "Either you scammed Kaveh for that card, or you're lying."

"W-Wait, I didn't scam Kaveh-"

"So you're lying then."

"Nari, please-" Cyno didn't get the chance to finish his sentence as Tighnari snatched the wooden box out of his hands, leaving Cyno stunned for the briefest moment as his brain tried to register what just happened, looking up at the box that Tighnari now held up in the air out of reach. His legs suddenly sprang forth as his arms reached for the box, but Tighnari evaded his movements. "Hey, that's-! I paid for that!"

"You can have it back after you tell me how much you spent!"

"Nari!" Cyno cried out with a whine, grabbing at the box just within reach, but his attempts failing due Tighnari's persistence. "This isn't fair!" 

The two continued their little "dance", Tighnari matching Cyno's as he continued to insist for the sale price of the card, until Cyno's hand managed to brush against the box, knocking the box out of Tighnari's grasp. Time seemed to slow as Cyno watched the box fall to the floor, letting out a short shriek once it reached the floor, bouncing across the bedroom floor away from the two of them. He attempted to jump for the precious box, but Tighnari acted faster, grabbing at Cyno until the two were on the floor, Tighnari straddling Cyno's waist.

"Nari, come on, let go! I paid for the card!" Cyno tried to reason with the other, kicking his legs in an attempt to struggle out of Tighnari's grasp.

"How much did you spend on the card?!" Tighnari repeated, his eyes wide with determination.

"I cahahAHAHANT!" Abrupt laughter spilled out of Cyno's mouth at the sudden presence of Tighnari's fingers wiggling at his ribs, poking and prodding the sensitive area that he often kept bare. "Wait- wahahAHAHahait! Stahahap!" 

"Not until you tell me how much mora you gave Kaveh for that card!" Not only was he persistent, Tighnari was relentless too, knowing full-well how to easily extract information out of Cyno if he so wanted to. Tickle fights were common between the two and Tighnari often made use of this very exploitable weakness to his advantage, much to Cyno's chagrin.

"NahaHArihiHIhi! PleheHEHEhease!"

"How about you please tell me how much mora you spent," Tighnari said with a smirk that only hinted to Cyno just how much fun he was having with this. With each poke, Cyno's resistance waned and his mind wavered on finally revealing the truth, but the look of disappointment that Tighnari often gave him flashed in his mind.

"Any day, Cyno!" Tighnari spoke over the growing laughter, kneading his thumbs between each gap of his ribs to draw out the most laughter, forcing Cyno to jerk and flail his limbs in an attempt to handle the ticklish sensations overloading his brain.

"AH- AHAHAHA! OKAHAHAY! BREAK! BREHEHEAK!"

"Will you tell me now, hm?" Although Tighnari had slowed down, he still dragged his fingers along the ribs, lightly grazing his fingertips to constantly create shallow giggles.

"Yahaha!" Cyno giggled with a snort, prompting Tighnari to giggle himself at the sudden reaction. "I-I'll tahahalk!"

Tighnari finally removed his hands, but kept them hovering just above his ribs. "Okay, well?"

"Uh, it was," Cyno stammered, formulating how he was going to tell him. "It was one-"

"One hundred thousand?" Tighnari's eyes widened. "I knew it! I knew you would do something like-"

"No, one million," Cyno said with a nervous whisper, bracing himself as he watched Tighnari's eyes widened.

"One million.. mora?" Cyno was sure there was an eye twitch just now. "You didn't actually spend one million, right? You meant like the mora equivalent of one million peanuts or something like that, right?"

"I-It's not that bad," Cyno tried to reason with him. "I'll just skip out on lunch, if I have to, for a couple of months to cover the cost."

"Hah," was all Tighnari let out, folding his arms in thought, before tilting his head back at Cyno. "This means I'm going to have to pay for most date nights going further."

"Pretty please?" Cyno looked up at him hopingly, shame written all over his face.

Tighnari clicked his lips and sighed. "Fine, fine. It's fine. My boyfriend's broke because of a card game; it's fine."

"Ah, and if I have to skip out on lunch, can you make me some in case I'll need it?"

"No."

"But Nari, I-I'll go hungry," Cyno pleaded with him, only for Tighnari's fingers to descend on his ribs once more, furiously tickling at them. "AH! AHAHAHA! OKAHAHAY! NO LUHUHUNCH! I'M SOHOHORRY!"

[starstwinkleplanetsshine]

Daughter of the Sea

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Hold Fast (Read on Ao3 here)

I wandered around for a while, trying to make any sense of the conversation I had just had. But the more I thought about what Hestia had said, the more confused I felt. And the more angry I got. I had spent the last few weeks coming up with every possible way to take Percy’s place, made peace with the fact that dying was worth it if it meant I was saving him. But now I wasn’t sure. 

In a way, hearing from Hestia affected me more than hearing from my father would have. I knew Poseidon had been watching over me my whole life, but it was Hestia who was protecting me day in and day out. It was Hestia who took up residence in the fireplace of our home and kept vigilant watch on me. Out of all the gods, she knew me the best. And hearing her say words I knew were true but I didn’t want to hear put me in a sour mood. 

I eventually found myself on the archery range. It was empty, which was extremely odd. I had never seen it so quiet—Apollo had a lot of kids, and they were all talented archers. You could always count on someone practicing their gifts while the sun was still shining. 

But not today. I guessed that a lot of the campers wanted to go back to their cabins or do something to take their mind off the funeral. I didn’t blame them. 

I pulled out the throwing knives I always kept on my belt—four beautiful bronze blades with golden hilts that glinted in the light. 

They had shown up on my doorstep last November with my name on the package, and Percy had been extremely jealous. I reminded him that he didn’t use throwing knives, but that didn’t seem to change his mind. The only thing accompanying the gift was a small piece of pristine white paper, no bigger than a business card, with a beautiful, golden and shimmering symbol of the sun on it, almost like the one in Tangled. I looked down the empty hallway, shrugged, and picked up the package. I waited a few days before opening them, just to make sure it wasn't some sort of trap, and found that they were perfectly balanced and fit in my hand exactly. I still hadn’t found out who sent them, but I had an inkling of an idea. 

I still wasn’t fantastic at throwing knives—Percy and I were notoriously bad at ranged weapons—but I had gotten a lot better in the last year. I usually hit the target, and one out of every fifty or so times I would hit the bullseye. I considered that an impressive improvement. 

Cady had insisted I train in the weapon in case my sword ever got knocked out of my hand, she said a demigod should never be caught defenseless. I didn’t need to worry about losing my weapon anymore, thanks to the gift from my dad, and even without a sword I had learned to wield my abilities enough to always be able to defend myself, but what started practical soon turned comforting. I usually gave up on anything that I wasn’t immediately good at, but I had decided to stick with this one, and it was nice to see my hard work was starting to pay off. It felt good to have something to work at, something I had to struggle in. Something I could see improvement in—it gave me a sense of control over my life. Which, as a demigod, didn’t come often.

I had just loosed my first knife when a rustling in the grass behind me made me whip around. 

“Juniper!” I called when I saw the elfish face. “You’re lucky I didn't have that knife in my hand anymore.” 

“I know!” she squeaked. “I’m sorry, Angie.” She stood up from where she was crouched in the grass. “I shouldn’t have been sneaking, but I need to talk to you.” 

I gave her a curious look. Now that she was closer, I could see her eyes were tinged green—chlorophyll from crying, I told myself. 

“Is this about Grover?” I tried to keep my voice gentle, but she let out a small sob at the mention of her boyfriend’s name. 

“The naiads told me that you were going through Chiron’s reports this morning and there was a report from a protector in Canada and he mentioned Grover in it.” Her words came rushing out, getting closer to hyperventilating by the second. 

No secrets here, I thought. Those naiads are the worst gossips. 

“I did see a report, yes. It was talking about how—” 

“Can you come with me, Angie?! I can’t be away from my tree for too long.” Even though she asked me a question, she didn’t wait for an answer. She grabbed my wrist and started dragging me towards the woods, and I gave up any hope I had of retrieving the golden knife stuck in the target. 

She didn’t stop running until we had come to a small clearing near her tree. I could see Zeus’ Fist standing tall in the middle of it and the sight sent a shiver up my spine. It had been a full year since the Battle, a full year of tension and loss and war. The clearing was a reminder of my first few weeks at camp, and a reminder of how far I had come. But it was also a reminder of my failures. 

“Now, what were you going to say about Grover?!” Juniper looked so hopeful, I didn’t know how to break the news to her. 

“Well, the letter didn’t exactly say anything about him.” 

“What?” 

“It was from a protector, Gleeson Hedge, I think, asking for Grover’s help. It was addressed to him. I don’t know why it ended up here.” 

“But—” Juniper looked like she was about to cry again when a voice startled both of us. 

“Ah ha!” I turned to see an old, fat satyr waddling towards us with surprising speed. He had a smug look on his goatish face. “It is obvious he has run away from his duties, abandoned us all. Trust me, nymph, you are better without that traitor.” 

Juniper’s green skin took on a red hue, and I wondered what it would look like for a tree nymph to fly off the handle. I didn’t know Grover well, I had only spent a little time with him last summer, but I knew he was Percy’s best friend. I knew he was brave, and funny, and was there for my brother when no one else was. In short, I knew I wasn’t going to put up with this old goat talking about him like that. 

“That’s not true, umm, whoever you are.” I snapped at him. 

“Whoever I am?!” He sounded utterly offended. “And just who are you?” 

“This is Angie Jackson!” Juniper announced proudly. “Percy’s sister.” 

The satyr’s nose crinkled. “Of course I should’ve guessed by her impertinence.” 

If I knew what that word meant I was sure I would’ve been offended. 

“Nice to meet you…” 

“Leneus! Lord of the Wild and Member of the Council of Cloven Elders!” 

I only caught about half of what he said. 

“Oh, alright. Sounds important.” 

He let out an aggrieved huff and stuck his nose in the air. “It is important, thank you—” 

His sentence was cut off by a small boy in black jeans and an aviator's jacket appearing out of nowhere. Leneus let out a scream. 

“Whoa, am I interrupting?” The pale boy looked more tired than I had ever seen him, and the sight of him made my stomach drop. On one hand I was glad that the conversation with the angry satyr had come to an end, but on the other, I knew what him being here meant. I knew what was about to begin. 

“Hey, Nico.” 

He gave me a small smile. “Hi, Angie. Nice to see you again. Know where Percy is?” 

I had gotten used to that question in the last year. “No, sorry.” 

“Will someone explain to me what's going on?” the satyr asked in the most annoying voice possible. Juniper ran and hid behind her tree. 

“Sorry, there’s usually no one here.” Nico said in a sheepish voice. “I came to see Percy.” 

The satyr let out a huff and rolled his eyes. “I have heard far too much about that upstart today.” 

I was about to tell the old goat off when a large hellhound came bounding through the trees and barrelling into the clearing. I reached for my necklace instinctively and was about to pull on it when I saw the glimmering collar around her neck. My hand relaxed as Mrs. O’Leary ran up to Nico and began to lick his face excitedly—which is quite the sight when the dog's tongue is almost as big as the boy. The son of Hades broke into a wide smile, but Leneus and Juniper weren’t as pleased. 

I was too busy laughing at the sight to see the boy jogging behind the hellhound, but when Nico perked up and nodded to someone behind me, I spun around. My heart beat a little faster when I saw who it was. He cracked a smile when he saw me, but his expression was immediately replaced with confusion. I understood why—he was walking into a strange quartet. 

"Will someone—what is this underworld creature doing in my forest!" Leneus began shouting, waving his arms and trotting on his hooves as if the grass were hot. "You there, Percy Jackson! Is this your beast?"

"Sorry, Leneus," Percy said. I swore I could hear the faintest hint of laughter in his words. "That's your name, right?"

The satyr rolled his eyes. "Well, of course I'm Leneus. Don't tell me you've forgotten a member of the Council so quickly. Now, call off your beast!"

Mrs. O’Leary let out another bark, shaking the ground a bit. Nico had found a tickle spot right behind her ear. 

The old satyr gulped. "Make it go away! Juniper, I will not help you under these circumstances!"

Juniper turned toward my brother. "Percy," she sniffled. "I was just asking about Grover. I know something's happened. He wouldn't stay gone this long if he wasn't in trouble. I was hoping that Leneus—"

"I told you!" the satyr protested. "You are better off without that traitor."

Juniper stamped her foot. "He is not a traitor! He's the bravest satyr ever, and I want to know where he is!"

Percy had just opened his mouth, probably in protest, when the hellhound barked again. Leneus’ knees started knocking. "I . . . I won't answer questions with this hellhound sniffing my tail!"

Nico looked like he was trying to not crack up. "We'll walk the dog,” he volunteered, “Won’t we, Angie?" He turned towards me with an expression that told me he wasn’t asking. I pushed away the feeling of cold dread that crept up my spine whenever I was around him. 

“Umm, sure!” Percy looked uneasy as he shot me a cautious glance. I nodded at him, and he looked back to Juniper. Percy and I were getting better at communicating without words, twin stuff, I guessed, and I knew what he was trying to tell me—be on your guard. It’s not that we didn’t trust Nico…but as children of Poseidon, we had to be a little more careful around the other kids of the Big Three. Especially since Hades didn’t like Percy all that much. 

He whistled, and Mrs. O’Leary took off like a shot to the other end of the grove. Nico raced after her, and I took that as my cue to follow. 

When we finally caught up to the hellhound, she was sniffing around some boulders the way she did when she was about to, uh, relieve herself, so Nico and I gave her plenty of space.

“You’re nervous about what comes next.” Nico spoke, his voice grim. It wasn’t a question. 

“Yeah.” I couldn’t meet his eyes. 

“It’s the only way, Angie. The only way Percy has a chance against Luke.” 

I knew he was right. But that didn’t stop me from hoping. “What if there is another way? Maybe there’s something that I can do—” 

“Angie, how many times do we have to go over this?” 

I snapped my head towards him, desperation filling my eyes. “Everyone keeps telling me the same thing! But I won’t give up on him! Not until—” my voice broke and I took in a sharp breath. “Not until I can’t fight anymore.” 

Nico’s eyes softened, and he looked more sad than usual. Which was saying something. “I understand wanting to hold on to him. Trust me, I do. but you have to let go. You have to believe when people tell you this is his fight. The things that are coming…” he got a faraway look in his eye, like he was looking through me into a scary future. “We’ll need you.” He focused on me again. 

Nico was always saying strange things. Being a child of the underworld, he spent most of his time underground, talking to ghosts. And ghosts could see more than livings could, sometimes even into the future. Nico always knew more than other demigods, but he had learned quickly that most of the time, those things were for him alone. It was almost impossible to get information out of him. 

“Everyone keeps saying that, too. But it doesn’t make me feel better.” 

Nico cracked a small smile, and I noticed the way it made his dark eyes shine. When he didn’t have a permanent scowl on his face, he actually looked pretty kind. “I know. But give it time—sometimes the only way to understand something is by going through it.” 

I considered the small boy, and decided he was much too wise for a twelve year old. 

Mrs. O’Leary, finished with her business, bounded up to us and nearly knocked me over. We pet her for a little bit before Nico turned his head in a curious way before announcing, “Let’s head back.” 

I didn’t question him. 

We reached the clearing in time to hear my brother say, “I've got worse enemies than overweight satyrs." 

"Good job, Percy.” Nico said as he walked up to him and Juniper. “Judging from the trail of goat pellets, I'd say you shook him up pretty well."

Percy gave him a weak smile, and I could tell he knew why the son of hades had come calling. "Welcome back. Did you come by just to see Juniper?"

Nico blushed. "Um, no. That was an accident. I kind of…dropped into the middle of their conversation."

"He scared us to death!" Juniper said. "Right out of the shadows. I heard that Angie got a note about Grover when she was going through Chiron’s reports, but it didn’t say anything helpful.” She sounded so dejected, but immediately perked back up. “But, Nico, you are the son of Hades and all. Are you sure you haven't heard anything about Grover?"

Nico shifted his weight. "Juniper, like I tried to tell you…even if Grover died, he would reincarnate into something else in nature. I can't sense things like that, only mortal souls."

"But if you do hear anything?" she pleaded, putting her hand on his arm. "Anything at all?"

Nico's cheeks got even brighter red. "Uh, you bet. I'll keep my ears open."

She nodded glumly. "I hate not being able to leave the forest. He could be anywhere, and I'm stuck here waiting. Oh, if that silly goat has gotten himself hurt—"

Mrs. O'Leary bounded back over and took an interest in Juniper's dress.

Juniper yelped. "Oh, no you don't! I know about dogs and trees. I'm gone!"

She went poof into green mist. Mrs. O'Leary looked disappointed, but she lumbered off to find another target, leaving Nico, me, and Percy alone. The atmosphere immediately shifted into something tense and dark. My brother turned to face me, putting a hand on my shoulder. 

“I think I need to talk to Nico alone for a bit. Stay here?” 

I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. “Yeah, okay. Just…just don’t leave without saying goodbye.” 

His eyes got sad. “I won’t.” He ruffled my hair a bit, and this time, I let him. Nico gave me a small smile, his face still a shade of red, before the two boys turned and walked deeper into the woods. 

I sat in a small meadow that was on the edge of the clearing we had been standing in, passing the time making and unmaking small flower crowns. Katie Gardener had taught me how to make them, although mine were never as good as hers were. I knew I should be doing something more productive, like practicing my throwing knives, running sword drills, or even working on strengthening my abilities, but I couldn’t make myself do any of that. It all felt too heavy. Just as I was about to get up and walk back into camp, assuming Percy had forgotten about me, he came running back into the clearing. 

“Angie?” 

I made my way over to him quickly. “Are you leaving?” 

I could tell by the look in his eyes that the answer was yes. 

“It’s time.” He didn’t have to say more. 

I threw my arms around his neck and didn’t try to stop my tears from soaking the shoulder of his orange Tshirt. He held me close, smoothing my hair and whispering some comforting words that I wasn’t paying attention to. Before long, he pulled away. His eyes were red and wet. 

“Don’t go.” 

I knew it was selfish of me to say. I knew it wasn’t fair. I knew he didn’t want to be anyone’s martyr just as much as I didn’t want him to die. He didn’t ask for any of this—and he didn’t need any more reminders of how close to the end he was. 

“I have to, Angie.” Percy sounded exhausted. Now, just the two of us, he let his shoulders slump and there wasn’t a trace of a smile on his face. 

“You know It’s the only way to stand a chance against Luke. If he’s invincible, then I have to be, too.” He continued. “We’re no match for the Titan army. You know that. This comes down to me and Kronos.” The words sounded like they were coming from someone else, his eyes faraway and distant. I recognized them as the ones Nico had told him, almost a year ago. 

“But it’s not fair!” I sounded like a petulant child, but I didn’t care. “It’s not fair that it has to be you.” 

Percy sighed like he was disappointed I was only now figuring this out. “It’s not.” He admitted. “But the life of a demigod isn’t fair. Especially for a child of the Big Three. It’s…it’s just our fate.” 

He tried to tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear, but I flinched away from him. 

“But I don’t want to lose you! I can’t lose you! I don’t know how to—” the words caught in my throat, a sob taking their place. I dissolved into tears, and before I knew it, Percy’s arms were around me. I didn’t try to fight him. 

“Can I tell you a story?” 

It was such a strange thing to say that it caught me completely off guard. 

“What?” My voice cracked. 

“A story my mom, our mom, told me when I was very small.” He began. “And one I’m sure she would’ve told you. It’s the reason why she named me Perseus in the first place.” 

“Because he was a hero?” 

Percy chuckled. “That’s what I thought at first, too. But no. Because, against all odds, he is one of the few heroes who managed to find his way to a happy ending.” I thought about that for a moment. His happy ending was living a life with the person he loved, Andromeda. I wished that could be true for Percy and me, but the thought felt too far away to reach. 

“When he was a very little boy,” Percy continued, “he and his mother were placed into a wooden chest and cast out into the sea by a very angry king. Alone. Afraid. And at night, his mother would whisper in his ear: ‘Hold fast, Perseus. Brave the storm that was made to break us, for we are unbreakable. As long as we have each other.’” 

Percy whispered as he smoothed my hair. My breathing began to steady. 

“As long as we have each other.” I echoed. “Don’t go where I can’t follow.” 

Percy chuckled, probably remembering the time I forced him to watch all of the Lord of the Rings movies this past year. I had always loved that quote, and after he heard it, it had become our mantra.

 “You’re such a nerd.” There was a smile in his voice. A comfortable silence fell over us as we held onto each other, not knowing when either of us would get to hug our sibling again. When he spoke again, his voice was low and gentle, but very sure. 

“So…hold fast, Angie. That’s what mom said to me when I first came to Camp, when I was figuring all this out. Hold fast. Brave the storm.”

“Hold fast.” I echoed, wanting the words he was saying to sink into my heart and find a permanent place there. 

 I had only known Percy for about a year, but in that time, he had become a part of my soul. The thought of losing him tore me apart. Every fiber in my being was screaming at me to hold onto him forever, to never let go. I wanted to beg him to take me with him, plead to take his place. 

But I knew it was no use. In that moment, I knew I wasn’t strong enough. But Percy was. 

And more than that, I knew Percy would never let me. This was a journey he had to take on his own, and I would just have to find some other time to save him further down the road.

I let go of him and looked into his sparkling eyes, identical to mine. 

“You can do this.” I put all the power I had into my words. “I’ve never believed in anyone more than I believe in you.” 

He managed a smile. “I’ll see you again.” 

“I know you will. We are unbreakable, as long as we have each other.” 

I swore I saw tears begin to pool in his eyes, but I didn’t say anything. He pulled me into another hug, tight and quick, before letting go and messing up my hair. And this time, just this once, I let him. 

Then he turned and disappeared into the darkness, only stopping to look back once. 

[jaegonsmoon]

Can you imagine Alicents reaction to hearing about omega aegon and alpha jace being betrothed…her son… the vulgar Hightower wild card…drinks till he falls down on a nightly basis, has slept with half of fleabottom etc…engaged to innocent(as far as she knows lol), hardworking, straight laced mamas boy jace 😂 and while she is happy to see aegon change after the courting and engagement process take his duties to his family and the realm seriously for once and lay off the whores and wine she does not think it will last and is a manipulation tactic sadly lol probs thinks that aegon will be bored of jace in a week and will have all the power in the relationship and will chew him up and spit him out before going bad to his old ways haha only to discover when walking in on jace and aegon how much it’s pretty much actually the opposite lmao aegon is basically jaces simp and number once fan and would do anything to keep his alpha happy even if not means being a good boy haha

yes yes yes, listen to me— I looooooooveeeee love simp Aegon lmaoo!!! But yeah no one would be as shocked as Alicent, however—

I love Aegon being whipped af for Jace since… always. He always had a thing for Jace, it started when they were children, and it was all innocent back then, but as they grew… those scarce few times Rhaenyra visited King’s Landing after moving to Dragonstone Jace had grown beautifully. And Aegon, whew, Aegon drooled like a fool for him he always complimented him, and Jace sometimes would smile at him sometimes would look annoyed. But Aegon, he never, ever thought himself worthy of him so he never tried anything more than. Despite his personality and the reputation he had, he never intended to act on his feelings for Jacaerys. But the next time the family reunited, Jacaerys had just turned seven and ten and he had already presented as an Alpha and Aegon almost falls on his face at the sight. It didn’t help that that was the first time his nephew looked at him with something other than irritation. However, Aegon didn’t pay too much mind into it, because he couldn’t afford to—for his own sake. Though, he couldn’t help it when his tongue betrayed his mind and he just straight up told his nephew “You got hot.” And Jace gave him this hint of a smirk. Aegon was mortified but he tried to play it cool, he just blurted that, turned and left before Jace could say anything.

He went to Aemond, who was pacing his room, deep in thought. Probably scheming Lucerys’ demise—like fucking always, the loser. And he threw himself on a chair and whined about how fucking hot and beautiful his nephew had gotten, (to which Aemond strangely paused, asking sharply “Which one?” as if it wasn’t obvious whom Aegon has been head over heels for all these years) and that he wanted to die because he told him as much and he really didn’t have game when it came to Jacaerys. And mygodhewantedhimasalpha but it couldn’t be—

As comfort, Aemond offered to throw Aegon out of the window and make it look like an accident.

But then Aegon and Jacaerys were sat together at dinner and he swore Jace wouldn’t stop glancing at him. Aegon was unusually quiet too. Jace’s strong alpha presence and scent were driving him nuts to the point he could barely formulate any words, let alone a coherent thought. Not that he had many of those normally. He was shifty and nervous. And—for a second he had forgotten that he, himself, was an omega. And that he was radiating all of this pheromones and uneasiness through his scent to the very newly presented, unmated alpha next to him and he almost felt like he was entering a premature heat.

The thing is that, Aegon is an oblivious little thing. He never noticed how Jace has been giving him puppy love eyes since they were kids because he didn’t allow himself to indulge in his feelings. The idiot. Jacaerys tells him as much when he corners him that night, then proceeds to kiss him, and fuck him all night long. And then—Jacaerys, firstborn, heir, perfect, diplomatic, well-put-together Jacaerys Velaryon does what everyone thought against his principles. He marks Aegon that night, claims him as his. They bond, unwed.

Come morning he tells his mother of his deeds unashamedly, Rhaenyra is shocked, if anything a bit concerned. But she can see it in his son’s eyes and the way he speaks to her with such pride and confidence that this was not something he did on a whim, in the heat of the moment. “Is this what you truly wanted?” She asks. “It’s always been him.” He answers her with nothing but honesty drenching his voice. She accepts it, even when she knows it will be a trying thing for everyone involved.

Alicent swears this will end badly. She waits. And waits. And waits.

But then Aegon is pregnant and she has never seen him so happy. And then he births a beautiful baby boy and she sees it, the change in her son. The happiness and joy he radiates. It reminds her of when he was a little, he used to be a happy child. She regrets wasting those moments with him. She then learns that perhaps this is the life his son always dreamed of having but made himself believe he didn’t deserve. A part of her knows she’s the one to blame for it.

She’s ready and willing to change that. She then starts to spend more time with her son and grandson, until their bonds are healed.

[asimplearchivist]

Looking at the very specific assumptions ask game thingy you reblogged and here’s a handful of mine:

You want to enjoy the subtle flavors of tea, but have a hard time enjoying it when it’s not 20% honey and 30% creamer.

You have a hard time letting go of past conflicts, even when you’ve made up with the person(s) involved and are on good terms with them.

Possessing a trust fund and blue eyes are not a requirement for your ideal man but being 6’5” is non-negotiable (/lh)

If given the opportunity to leave this world and enter a new one a la PMD or any isekai media ever, you would be very tempted, but ultimately would choose to remain in this world.

You own a stuffed animal you’ve had since early childhood that you would start a world war if it was damaged in any way.

Sofie…are you living in my walls?😳

I do want to enjoy tea so so bad. So bad. I want to be a tea enjoyer and know how to brew it to perfection. However it always tastes thin and flat and I do, in fact, only drink it with oodles of honey and milk (as I do coffee with sugar and creamer).

I...yeah. I didn't need my kneecaps anyway haha (totally not rethinking my complicated feelings about my last breakup...huh.)

This is a notorious trait of mine and a long term inside joke with my friends and family irl. I always say that the guys I'm attracted to just happen to be tall, but...it does certainly have appeal, I'll admit. (My ex was 6'4" while I'm a crisp 5'0" so take that how you will lol - anybody's going to end up taller than me just about tbh)

I'm not so sure about this one tbh. If it was involuntary and sudden, sure, I'd struggle with it bc I'm close to my family (particularly my mom)...but I would eventually adjust. If it were voluntary, though, and I got to pick where? (*coughs* Thedas or the PMD world tbh *coughs*) And I could escape the hellscape that is the big scary world where one has to pay taxes? I may just opt to fight dragons.

My sister gave me I guess technically a vintage Eevee plush she got brand new (she's nine years older than me, mind, and was the one who introduced me to Pokemon to start with; I remember her coming over one night to go to a skate rink and she was playing R/S/E where you run into the Keckleon by the pond outside Fortree City - she let me battle it, but I don't really remember what Pokemon she had on her team). She had gotten rid of a bunch of stuff like cards and the like, and I've kept it all. The plush currently sits on the shelf by my bed along with the Grovyle and Dusknoir ones I bought recently, as well as some slightly older Treecko and Leafeon ones (although I want to get the Leafeon and Lucario sitting cuties as well eventually). So...yes. It's very special to me.

[kyohaku-kannen]

𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃

It was a hot summer day, and approximately 12:36 in the afternoon and he was trying to make his way to his next class. He was driving to campus when he had gotten a phone call from his mother. There was a traffic jam and he had woken up late, he did not want to deal with his narcissistic mother. Why was she even calling, to berate him more about his life choices, ask for money? He didn’t want to bother with her, so she just ignored her call. But when she kept calling, he grew more frustrated, honking his horn and cursing under his breath. Why the hell did everything have to be such an issue today, he just finished losing his precious childhood dog.  Taking in a small breath, he finally picked up his phone and answered his mothers call.

“What mother?” He asked his mother with annoyance, just trying to get this over with, he didn’t want to put up with this woman more than he had to.

“Don’t take that tone with me! Learn to pick up your damn phone, no one will be able to reach you for important situations if you don’t! You’re so unreliable-” Grumbling in annoyance, he cut his mother off.

“Mom, why did you call me.” He simply said as he went on to honk his horn once more, the line of cars in front of him still had yet to move annoyingly  enough.

“I called you to tell you that your father died this morning.” What? His father is dead? First his childhood dog and now his father, why all in such a small time frame was he losing the people he cared for the most. The only people who were ever there for him, the man who defended him from his mother’s physical and emotional abuse. His precious dog that would stay by his side on those harsh nights where he would cry himself to sleep. Was this punishment for something, he couldn’t recall a time where he had done something truly deserving of this karma. He lived his life as an honest person willing to help others, yet those harsh years living under the same roof as his mother and the abuse of others around him, gave him this in return. 

Why when his father finally got away from his mother just two years ago, did he have to meet his tragic end. Why when his father could finally live his life, was it cut short by whatever had taken his life. What did that man do to deserve such a sentence such as death.

“Answer me dammit, stop ignoring me you-” He didn’t realize that traffic had began to move once more and he was directly near the light. He had only just began paying attention to his mother when he could see a truck swerving in his direction. 

“Fuck.” Was all he could say. Everything was moving so fast, was he going to die? What had he done, he had been dealt a terrible hand of cards and life has served him with his life being taken just like the ones he loved. Did he do something wrong, was it that he fought his terrible mother at every turn, was he not meant to?

When the truck collided with his car, everything had gone dark, there was a quick large but sharp pain. Was death meant to be so silent, so cold, so damn empty. Was this meant to be the after life, nothing? He could still think just fine, funny enough, but everything was so dark and the body he once knew, well he couldn’t quite feel it. How sad, was this his existence now, to forever be stuck in eternal darkness, alone without another soul to speak to.

Yes that’s what he had thought until he had opened his eyes. His eyes? All of his senses had return to him, but he felt shorter than normal, like he was back in his teenage body. Glancing around, he found himself in a strange area. A corridor like hallway, the floor had marbles tiles, while there were large white pillars along the halls. However there weren't necessarily walls or a roof, but pitch black space, filled with what seemed to be stars, like he was in some sort of god’s domain. And he was seeming proven right when he looked ahead of him once more, there stood a woman, far taller than him. She stood at half the height of the large pillars, her skin was pitch black and her eyes were seeming closed, her eye lashes being a pure white. She had long white hair that reached the ground and seemed to slightly float at the ends. She wore a long dark purple dress, the sleeves of the dress showing her shoulders, beautiful white dots painted across the bottom of the dress, as if to mimic the stars. She held her hands together and slightly tilted her head to the side.

“You, the son of the God Of The Sun, how have you met the demise of your mortal life so early? “ The woman asked him in such a calm and soft voice, her voice almost had a calming effect on him. However, he couldn’t quite understand what she had met, son of the Sun God? Was she talking about him, she must have gotten the wrong person.

“Uh.. Ma’am.. I think you have the wrong person..” He hesitantly spoke up, afraid that maybe he’d end up in a far worse place than the beautiful area he found himself in.

“I am sure I do not have the wrong person. You are in fact Syrus.” The woman softly spoke as she moved to crouch down and sit in front of him, even sitting in front of him, she still had to slightly look down at him. He looked at the woman with confusion, he was the son of a god, how could that be possible.

“I… am.. That.. is my name..” He muttered, he was so confused, how could any of this actually be possible. The woman reached out, making him flinch, afraid of what she might do. But the only thing she did was gently place her hand on his head, making him slightly perk up.

“Then welcome home… We have waited for your arrival for quite some time..” The woman said with a soft smile.. They were waiting for him, was his death possibly orchestrated on purpose. No that didn’t seem right, she had first asked how he met his death so early, so does that mean he was not meant to die yet? He has never been so confused in his entire twenty one years of living..

(A/N)

Nothing is edited at all so uh- yeah 👍

[ejzah]

In Miss Blye’s Class, Part 20

***

Since neither of them had planned on spending the whole day together, Kensi and Deeks decided to part ways for a few hours. Kensi knew she needed to finish some prep for next week, just in case they ended up spending tomorrow together too.

As she walked back into her apartment, her phone buzzed with a text from Nell.

Hey KayKay, wanna grab lunch?

Sorry, I already ate.

Rude.

I know, I’m a terrible friend. I was with Deeks.

Oh, then say no more. Actually, say lots more!

Kensi rolled her eyes at the winking and kissing emojis Nell added to her response.

Seriously, I feel bad I’ve barely spent any time with you recently.

Hey, a good friend never steps in the way of true love. Besides, you can pay me back by giving me all the dirty little details.

You’re awful.

And you love me for it. So when will my best friend be available again?

Kensi dipped ducked her head sheepishly, even though she was all alone, debating what to type back.

Um, maybe tomorrow evening? Caleb’s visiting with his grandma so we’re probably spending most of the weekend together.

Kensi Marie Blye! Nell responded and Kensi could almost hear her delighted shock through the screen.

Not like that.

Well why the hell not? Climb that gorgeous lawyer like a tree.

Nell Jones! That’s it. You’re out of control.

You know you want toooo!

Ok I’m putting you on silent.

Shaking her head, Kensi grabbed the binder of paperwork she brought home with her yesterday, and started in on the most intense grading session of her career.

***

While Deeks did had a few contracts to finalize, the real reason he’d suggested taking some time at home to prepare for their dinner. Given the late notice, he knew there was no way he’d get a reservation for one of the nicer restaurants.

Kensi wouldn’t care where they ate, he was almost certain, but he wanted their first real dinner together, alone, to be special. He’d decided on cooking dinner, but that required a trip for supplies.

When he got back three stores later—the first two were all out of bed tips—he started prepping potatoes, carrots, and onions and seared the beef tips. He hadn’t made this recipe in quite a while. Probably at least a couple years, so he had to actually pull out the stained cookbook his mom had passed down to him when he moved to college (the particular page he needed had actually fallen out years ago). He probably should have preserved all the recipes on index cards, but there was something special, almost sentimental, about squinting at the faded type and trying to interpret his mom’s handwritten notes.

Singing under his breath, he peeled several cloves of garlic, imagining Caleb’s reaction if he found out he’d missed out on one of his favorite meals. Of course, Grandma Deeks would almost certainly be filling him with a combination of her own home cooked delights and his favorite junk food, so he’d call it even.

He got into the flow of the things, chopping and sautéing that by the time he looked up from dumping a pot of perfectly boiled potatoes into a colander, it was almost seven, which gave him a little over an hour to finish everything up.

The beef tips were just about done, so he covered them with foil, setting them off to the side in the oven, and hurried out back to set up a table with the blue dishes head bought on a whim a few weeks ago because they reminded him of the ocean. Maybe surrounding the perimeter of the patio with lights and miniature lanterns was a tiny bit overkill, but he didn’t believe in doing things by halves.

Decorations and table set, he returned to the kitchen for the finishing touches. The doorbell rang just as he was tasting the gravy he just made.

“Oh yeah, you still got it, Marty,” he muttered to himself, then called over his shoulder, “Be there in a minute!”

He stashed a few dirty pans he hadn’t gotten around to cleaning in the dishwasher and glanced around to make sure there weren’t unsightly messes he’d missed. Though at this point, Kensi had probably seen worse and it didn’t seem to faze her in the least.

Kensi was patiently waiting on the front porch when he opened the door. She wore a red sundress, this one with a halter neck that displayed the defined muscles and lines of her shoulders and collar bones to perfection. Deeks didn’t know if she’d chosen it with him in mind, but the color suited her perfectly.

“Hey.” He kissed her briefly as she stepped over the threshold. “You look amazing.”

“Hi. And thank you.” Her eyes drifted over him approvingly, though she didn’t comment on his appearance. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes. “What smells so delicious?”

“Dinner.”

“Wait, you cooked for me? I thought we were going out,” Kensi said, turning in the direction of the kitchen, though she couldn’t see from here.

“Yeah. I, uh, wanted to surprise you.” He shrugged, suddenly overcome with the rare bout of uncertainty that Kensi. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Are you kidding? I’ve loved everything you’ve made.” Kensi clapped her hands together, her enthusiasm making Deeks grin. “Ok, so I’m ready to be dazzled with your cooking expertise.”

“Follow me,” Deeks said, holding out his hand. She took it without question, letting him lead her out to patio.

“Oh my god, Deeks, this is beautiful!” Kensi exclaimed, turning in a circle to take in the twinkle lights strung around the patio and the table decorated with candles. “You did all this yourself?”

“Yeah, I told you my mom’s a caterer. I used to help her set up when I was a kid. I can turn a napkin into a swan in 20 seconds,” he responded, making Kensi giggle.

“Impressive.” She spun around in a circle, bringing her within reach of Deeks. Settling her hands on his shoulders, she covered his mouth with hers for a brief but sweet kiss. “Seriously though, this is amazing. Thank you, again.”

He smiled, pleased by her reaction. “Here for all your party planning needs,” he joked.

Kensi tipped her head to the side, her expression shifting slightly.

“What are you thinking about?” Deeks prompted, giving her hand a shake.

“Oh, all of this. You. How much my life has changed,” she said, moving her hand around to encompass Deeks and their surroundings. “I didn’t realize how much I was…missing until I met you Deeks. I mean, I was happy enough, but not like this. A few months ago, I would have never taken a day off like this. You’ve made everything brighter, and fun. Carefree. You and Caleb. You’ve changed my life without even knowing it.”

“Kens—” Deeks shook his head, overwhelmed by everything Kensi had just attributed to his influence. It was heady and a little scary.

She leaned up and kissed him, lingering for several moments. When their lips parted, she brushed his hair back from his temple with her knuckles. “Thank you.”

“You know you’ve changed my life just as much, maybe more,” Deeks told her, laughing breathily. “I mean, I was kind of prepared to become a hermit and spend the rest of my life alone. Then this really hot kindergarten teacher walked into my life.”

“Oh my god, you’re ridiculous.” Kensi rolled her eyes, but couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “I meant it, you have changed my life, Marty Deeks.”

***

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this little mix of fluff, romance, and humor.

I’m sorry if it’s unrealistic, but I can’t bear to write in text jargon.

[pitty-me]

Local nail salon vs non local review:

Non Local experience: I once had my nails done at a birthday party when I was eleven. It was fine and I had gotten crackle nail polish which had black on top and red in the cracks. It was very neat. But I didn’t love having my nails done. I usually just cut them or painted them myself.

But now in my twenties I have found myself looking for new experiences and just being able to do something fun or nice for no reason in particular. So in June for my birthday (10th) 2023 me and one of my best friends, practically my sister, set out to try and be “girly”.

Now I’m a typically nervous person. So I tried to book a time at a salon in a neighboring state, as we were right on the border, online but they never saw it. I even CALLED to confirm before we went but no one picked up or called back.

After driving more out of the way than I had expected we had arrived. We walked in to the owner giving a male customer a pedicure. There was only them and presumably the owners pre teen child. I said “Hi I tried to make an appointment online for today at four pm but I don’t know if it went through. I tried to call to confirm also but no one picked up. Do you have availability?” The owner and man looked at us as if we interrupted something important and she said “Ah..No.”. We said “Okay thanks.” and left. We felt awkward, the atmosphere was awkward, the whole ordeal was AWKWARD.

We then tried to drive to a second place, still oddly far, that claimed to take walkins. When we pulled into the parking lot there was a woman by the driveway in, smoking a cigarette. We parked and walked towards the second salon hoping for a better experience. Then the woman we saw RAN at us asking what we were doing. Feeling more awkward I explained we were walkins only to have her tell us no!

Now I could see in just a little and I thought they were just super busy. BUT IT WAS NEARLY EMPTY! With two employees and like one customer a woman ran at us to stop us from entering. We were done trying to do nails and hungry. Defeated, we left for an early dinner. We would try again a different month.

Local experience: It’s been months now. We were determined to try again somewhere closer. So I called to make an appointment which went well but I was clearly confused and new to this.

BUT SUCCESS! We had an appointment for four pm for a full set of acrylic nails! It was now December ninth 2023 and we were at last getting our nails done! We drove there, walked in and it was still awkward and confusing but they sent us to separate stations and we were on our way to being girly.

We did think being separated was weird but at least we were actually being seen. They definitely do not care about appointments, which is good and bad. It's practically walkins only but at least that works for us! I chose longer nails with pastel purple cat eye nail polish and my friend said shorter with a lighter pink.

Now since it was our first time and we knew nothing they gave her SHORT nails. Like barely there nails. But I didn't see that till later.

We both sat in silence having no idea how to talk to these people. My technician seemed content with that and it was only a little awkward. I listened to some other customers' random chatter and watched him work on my nails. I do have sensory integration so some things that wouldn't bother most people bother me, like filing my nails. That was the part I hated the most but I pushed through it!

Now I did realize most if not everyone paid in cash. Of which I had NONE on me. Que my silent panic that I wouldn’t be able to pay and everyone would be mad at me. Towards the end I did find they accept cards, but cash is preferred. I paid for us both and we left having a pretty good experience.

We did go back for fill ins January eleventh 2024 and had just as good an experience. My friend had her nails done just the way she wanted, we got to sit next to each other, and had a little more chit chat with our techs.

Although something my tech put on my nails burned when she drilled off the old acrylic, which also burned, and it burned a little again when she was finishing off the fresh acrylic. But I pushed through and got this turquoise color cat eye again.

Overall it was all a good experience and we will for sure go back again in like a month. Finding the right nail salon is like dating. You just have to go and see the different choices and who will actually let you in!

Thanks for reading if you made it this far!