• jake •

HERMES: Have you ever stolen anything?

“ no, i don’t think so. maybe a candy bar from a store when i was like six but other than that i’m not sure. ”

MARS: Have you ever gotten into a fight?

PLUTO : Where do you think we go when we die?

“ well, we're like any other family i guess. we argue from time to time but i hope i know we all love each other at the end of the day. but if i am being completely honest we are kinda a hot mess.”

Anubis: How do you feel about death?

Atum: What are your greatest imperfections?

Bastet: Do you have any cats?

Hathor: What brings you joy?

Horus: What is one thing you've had to fight for in your life?

Osiris: Do you believe in the underworld?

Ra: Do you have any major responsibilities or importance?

Thoth: Do you like to read/write?

Arawn: What is the most terrifying thing you've ever done?

Bran: How is your health?

Brighid: Tell us about your relationship with your father.

Cernunnos: What is your favorite animal?

Danu: What is your relationship with your mother?

Morrigan: What do you think happens when we die?

Olwen: What is your favorite flower?

Rhiannon: Have you ever been betrayed?

Bragi: What kind of music do you listen to?

Freya: Have you ever been in love?

Freyr: Do you have any children?

Hœnir: Are you a silent or talkative person?

Iounn: How old are you?

Loki: What is the best trick you've ever pulled on someone?

Odin: What is your family like?

Thor: Would you consider yourself pretty powerful?

Tree: What have you done with your life? What are you going to do with it?

Aphrodite: What do you think of yourself?

Ares: Are you an easy person to anger?

Athena: Would you consider yourself an artist?

Apollo: Do you play any instruments?

Dionysus: Do you drink?

Hades: Do you have a bad reputation?

Hekate: Have you ever tried to communicate with the dead?

Hermes: Have you ever stolen anything?

Poseidon: Are you a moody person?

Zeus: Are you a confident person?

Jupiter: Would people say that you are intimidating or fairly approachable?

Pluto: Where do you think we go when we die?

Apollo & Dianna: Do you prefer to be up during the day or at night?

Mars: Have you ever gotten into a fight?

Minerva: Do you generally give good advice?

Proserpine: Have you ever felt trapped?

Plutus: Do you have a job?

Venus: Have you ever had your heart broken?

Vesta: Do you like being home or do you try to get out whenever you can?

“ right ? i can’t say i have this much of a good time with anyone else.“ nessa easily agrees, how could she not ? it’s all true. “ i will, so thank you again.“ she teases gently, as the brunette then beams brightly almost like a way a light bulb would when a switch is turned on. “ you kidding ? i’d like that. i’d like that a lot.“ had that been what she wanted ? definitely, she’d just been waiting for it since that moment at the park. that instant connection, spark even – something she’s never felt with anyone, ever. it made her intrigued to see where, whatever they shared would end up going.

scarlet couldn’t help but agree with that statement. she realises now how much she should have taken advantage of how easy it had been to see all her friends when she was in school. she’d had so much less responsibility, more time on her hands if she’d used it wisely. now, she only really has the time to see leo. though she knows her distance with jake isn’t just because of her lack of time. “my life’s kind of just ballet and tali these days. that and a lack of sleep.” people hadn’t been lying about newborns sucking up all of her energy. her smile widens as he talks about soccer, and she shakes her head when he stops. “no, keep going, you’re not rambling. you’re just talking about something that you love.”

jake knew the rift that laid between him and his siblings wasn’t just because of the lack of time they had. sure, jake was one to use soccer and school as an excuse to pull away but he was sure the rhodes family knew there was a lot more pack into every one of his excuses. he wasn’t making them because he didn’t want a relationship with them. it was actually the opposite, jake was pushing them away because he thought maybe he could salvage what relationship they had left by avoiding the tension and probable arguments they may have. 

“hopefully not, it’s had good reviews at least.” she wouldn’t have considered wasting time at the circus if that wasn’t true. she sips at her hot chocolate, as if the warm substance was going to fill the distance between the two of them. “i think that’s the hard part of life everyone talks about. it’s so hard to stay in touch because there’s always so much to do.” she smiles then, shaking her head. “you know i hate talking about myself.” she’d always been more of a listener than anything else. “tell me about how soccer’s going.”

“ no problem.“ nessa’s smile widens her dimples showing. more than content and happy hanging out with jacob. “ yeah ? of course i want to. so far i’ve enjoyed the time we’ve spent together.” like a lot she wanted to say, but she didn’t want to take the chance of saying it out loud. “ sounds good to me. how thoughtful of you, thank you. so.. is this a date ? or just us hanging out together ? you know if i can ask that. “

isaac hadn’t been coping, one need only be aware of his sleeping and drinking habits to know that. it was hard, knowing that the people you’d based your perceptions of love and honesty and strength off of had been lying, had fallen out of love in a way that affected the rest of them so deeply. he missed the way things used to be so fiercely. things had always seemed easier, brighter, safer as a kid  — now he had to wonder if it was all a lie. if the rhodes’ family was too, by extension. would their parents come to regret adopting him? would they regret his siblings? the latter made his blood boil, the former he resigned himself to accept. the pessimistic voice in his head told him that most would come to regret him sooner rather than later.

“you’re probably right.” he laughed, shaking his head fondly as he patted jake on the back. he could feel the tension, see it in his brother’s shoulders, and it made him feel guiltier for the space between them. no matter their parents, isaac promised himself he’d do better, be better. if not for himself, for his siblings. “i wonder if he’s still doing magic. hopefully that didn’t scare him off too badly.” he grinned, nose crinkling, “as for david, last i heard he was hocking used cars a town over, so. all’s well that ends well?” 

jake looked down at his sneakers for only a moment. there was so much that had changed in their family and he couldn’t figure out the new normal. growing up he had always thought his parent's marriage was something of unbreakable and that their family’s bond was too strong to be driven apart. though, if this last year had taught him anything it was to never take anything for an absolute fact because one false step and it could all be gone. the year also taught him the harsh reality that parents fall out of love and secrets can weigh on a family driving them apart. jake knew through all of this he loved his family no matter if he agree with them and he could only hope that they could see that. he would still do anything for them if they were in need. he just wished he knew where he stood in their eyes.

“ i’m good, thank you. and how are you ? “ needless to say nessa is better now, but that goes without saying with the bright smile. “ it’s fine, it doesn’t matter much to me i just want to hangout with you. a little yeah, i might have been too preoccupied for breakfast this morning with a repair.“

jacob had woken up earlier than he would’ve liked to on his one day off from soccer. he may have not liked the time but he forced himself to get out of bed. he threw on the first combination of sweatpants and t-shirt he found in his drawer. in his mind it was too early to put on real clothes and it wasn’t like he actually going anywhere besides his kitchen.  the boy hoped no one was downstairs not because he didn’t love his family. he did love them more than anything but he needed a break. he couldn’t stand the tension he would feel whenever he was home.  when he got to the kitchen he quickly made some toast and grabbed an apple from the counter.

he was about to head back up to his room when he noticed his dad sitting in the dining room “ oh, uh, hi dad. ” he spoke as he sat down instead of continuing his way upstairs. the brunette ultimately decided it would be rude so ignore him. even if he didn’t want to deal with any of the family shit going on. he was thankful it was at least his dad instead of his mom sitting in the chair. he knew with his dad tensions were less likely spike.

@hillstonreblog​

jj had never been particularly handy in the home, but he could paint. he might not have been able to fix a leaky pipe or replace a broken doorknob, but this he could do. and, apparently, living in a place you weren’t really allowed to furnish any way you wanted inspired you to want to redesign nearly every room in your new house when you moved out, “which shade of green do you like better?” he asked the person beside him, holding up a darker green and a lighter green paint swatch. 

they’d lost so much with a simple sentence, a complicated secret. isaac wondered if his parents knew the toll such a lie would have on them all, if they decided it was worth the risk. had it? for the most part, was each sibling left on shaky ground? one had kept the secret and eventually told the rest, he was left panicking over the legacy he was meant to be taking over. scar had a baby, a long, undeniably successful life ahead of her. and jake  — how was jake coping? isaac felt inclined to ask every time he saw him. but did he have a right to know? after all, they’d disagreed on which of their parents’ had deserved support. 

it was his job, though. he was the eldest, he had to look out for them all. and he was stubborn in his desire to see that they all leave the secret behind them, as unscathed as possible. “one little whisper of something scandalous and half the town is foaming at the mouth.” isaac joked before grinning, “it was sad. especially when that kid from down the road pointed out where he was hiding the scarves up his sleeve. i almost felt sorry for him.” 

he didn’t know how his siblings were doing with the secret divorce. hell, he couldn’t even figure out his own feelings about it all and refused to try and deal it. so, as much as he wanted to check on them and see how they were doing he couldn’t. he felt like he couldn’t ask someone else to answer a question he couldn’t answer himself. instead, he just avoided the topic of the divorce altogether. it made things easier for jacob. he might not have known how he felt about anything or where he stood in his sibling's eyes but at least he avoided another possible fight. 

“ yeah ? thank you, it makes my dimples show. or so i have been told before.“ the compliment turns ness’s cheeks a rosy color, as her blue gaze momentarily drops to her sneakers before her gaze returns somewhat shyly.“ sounds good to me. “ nice that they could keep that little tidbit to themselves, why have someone else ruin it ? or say something ? she seen no point. “ i definitely wouldn’t have said no, i’ve really had fun every time we’ve talked. i’m glad you asked.“