Nani Pelekai

♡

“Um, maybe,” Lilo admitted. “Or maybe they could drink animal blood, or they could be a vigilante serving justice to the bad guys and feeding themselves all at once. Or they could find ethically sourced blood through blood drives.” Would it be ethically sourced if the person giving blood didn’t consent to it going to a vampire? Maybe not. But it would still be better than the alternative, Lilo imagined.

“Ohh, that’s a good one.” She laughed as soon as the pun set in, her entire expression lighting up a moment later. “Really?” It felt like it had been too long since she and Nani had shared any quality time. She didn’t blame her sister, she knew she was busy. But she missed her. “Okay! Oh! I found a new funny constellation to show you! Mom would’ve loved it.”

*

“I don’t buy the animal blood thing...” Nani gave with a shrug. “The whole idea is that vampires are dead so they don’t have blood to help their bodies run, right? If animal blood was a decent alternative, we could fill all those blood drives up with it and never worry about shortages again... I’m also not sure I haven’t put way too much thought into this either.” She laughed a small laugh, flashing a soft smile her sister’s way.

“And I made it up all myself. Didn’t know I was a joke genius, did ya?” Lilo’s reaction made it all worth it, pulling the girl out of her morose state. Nani’s smile nearly doubled at her enthusiasm as she nodded her head. “Really really... and you know the constellations I like best are the ones with a great story behind it. If you don’t have one yet, we’ll make it up together.”

She was about to turn him down and would have of her coworker hadn’t agreed to take her place for a while. He mouthed a thank you and palmed a larger than normal tip into her hand in thank you as he followed Nani to wherever she wanted to be while they are and caught up. He found himself blushing slightly at her question, his brow arching in that particular sassy way he had about him. “I may not have come in any which way they could see me,” he admitted. “Turns out if you act like you belong somewhere, people tend to believe it.”

He sat the food down to let her go through it and watched her with a soft smile. “It’s good to get to see you,” he said softly. “I know you have to work but I miss you when You have to be away.”

Originally posted by gifmarvel

*

Nani’s shoulders slumped, her hands running over her face as she sighed, “I’m sorry. If it helps, I don’t like it any more than you do...” After so long of this, the work, the stress, the worry, the expectations, she didn’t know how to relax. She wanted to let someone else into her life, she really did. She had done it with David, she should be able to... but then she had lost them their house. Everything she had done to try and hold things together hadn’t been enough and she couldn’t let down her family like that again...

“I promise. My next morning off I will call you first thing. You can take me out somewhere fancy... maybe some Olive Garden...” She smiled over, apologetic and humbled by the spread of food in front of them. “Is slipping in through windows a new trick of yours or one you learned just for the occasion?” It was time, to try and just relax into the conversation, take the time to appreciate what he was doing for her, make herself a plate. “I won’t lie, I did think I had been talking to a nice boy... not some troublemaker.” She teased.

♡

“I don’t know. Maybe he donates it to a food bank.” Lilo was one to give everyone the benefit of doubt. Even the grudges she held against the kids that were mean to her, if they were to message her an apology out of the blue and ask to be friends, the past would be swept under the rug in the blink of an eye. Everything wasn’t black and white, and she was willing to see something in a new light if it was presented to her. “Just because he’s a vampire, doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy, right?”

Her eyes lit up at the mention of a joke, curious, and happy to see Nani’s lighthearted side. She knew her sister was still in there, it was just, sometimes, she couldn’t find her. “Is it garlic bread?”

*

“Perhaps not - but until I know that for a fact, I’m not trusting any vampires.” Lilo’s ability to see the best in people always made Nani proud - but it was not a trait she shared. At least one of them had to be concerned about people’s intentions. “After all, it doesn’t mean he’s not. They would need human blood to replace their lack of human blood, right?” She held up her hands, feeling her point was made, a playful smile pulling at her lips.

Nani leaned in. “Steak.” It was a corny joke - which made her all the more certain the younger girl would appreciate it, chuckling lightly before standing back up straight. “New plan. Grab a pillow and sleeping bag. Camp out back with me?”

rainbowconnextions​:

Kody hadn’t seen Nani in several days and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t miss her. He got it though. Keeping a family together with a roof over their heads wasn’t easy and rent was steep at best. Still, he wanted to see her.

It took him a few days to come up with a relatively easy plan. He got some of her favorite foods, including dessert from Kaya’s bakery, and made his way to the casino where he knew she’d be working today.

It was loud and busy with summer tourists looking for a thrill. He saw her instantly, a grin blossoming on his face as he laid eyes on her. “Hey pretty girl. Think you have time for some dinner?”

Originally posted by teenwolfmarvel-obsessor

Originally posted by teenwolfmarvel-obsessor

*

Nani was confused, watching Kody approach with bags of food in his arms. She was mid-shift, serving drinks around to tables of gamblers. “Kody, I...” It was genuinely sweet. He had been trying to make plans, and she wanted to let him take her out, she really did, but there was never the time. It was work, or it was time with Lilo, or she needed to take care of the house. She had driven away many potential suitors with her schedule - none of them had taken it into their own hands like this before and her heart was breaking for them both as she started to tell them that she couldn’t.

Go on ahead, I’ll cover. I could use the tips anyway.

She hadn’t been around long enough to really make many friends, which made the offer all the more surprising, looking over at the older woman. “I can’t ask you to do that...”

It’s fine. Can’t let a romantic gesture go to waste like that.

Nani inhaled, turning Kody’s way. “Alright, dinner.” She finally grinned up at him, letting the moment roll over her. “I promise I will be back soon.” She assured the other waitress, pulling off her apron from around her waist. “How did you convince them to let you bring all this in?” She whispered excitedly as she guided him towards a booth that hadn’t been taken.

Her hair up, Nani had filled in the large hole with new dirt and now trudged, slow step by slow step, carrying sod over to cover it. Why was it even so heavy, she had no idea, but she managed with deep breathes wasted by the stream of curse words that flowed from her mouth as she moved.

“No idea.” Lilo didn’t like lying to Nani. It made her feel guilty. But she also didn’t want her to get angry. She would love to get to bed without being yelled at tonight. Especially since her trip was disappointing, she hadn’t found anything. Just a waste of time.

“I was probably most definitely not looking for vampires,” she added as an afterthought, only giving up the answer. “But I’m pretty sure the guy down the street is one. His blinds are always closed, and his car is only gone at night. Like, yeah, he could work third shift, but I saw him at the grocery store with all kinds of spices, except no garlic. Who doesn’t buy garlic? Isn’t that kind of weird?”

*

Around the time Nani would have expected Lilo to grow out of her fascination with vampires and werewolves and voodoo, aliens had come crashing into their life. Nothing seemed off the table anymore after that and the older woman was left to just shrug and admit that she had no idea what all could be out there - still she wished Lilo had taken someone with her. “His clever grocery shopping cover up destroyed because he can’t get near the garlic.” She tsks. “Wonder what he does with all that food he can’t eat?”

She offered the sad girl a smile before sighing softly and trying again, “I have a joke for you. Wanna hear it?” She continued on without waiting for an answer. “What is a vampire’s least favorite food?”

Kaya enjoyed seeing Nani especially since she was one of her regulars. She often saw her younger self in Nani. While she wasn’t a single mother she took on the role of one with her little sister Lilo. Kaya found that the be the most self-sacrificing thing someone could do. Which made Kaya a little over protective over the older sister, knowing how hard it was to go through it alone. “Oh honey, please keep your change. I know how hard you work for you money! You’re always welcomed to have any thing you like free of charge.” Kaya smiled softly, sliding her the plate of pie across the counter. It was just in her nature to mother people. it’s what she did best. Noticing her slumped against the counter she frowned. “Hard day?” Moving to her calendar she checked her schedule. “Tomorrow is fine! This place mostly needs a good extra cleaning, dishes and things like that. Only if you have the time, I hate to see you push yourself so hard.”

*

“I can’t do that.” Nani pushed the money closer to Kaya’s edge of the counter, passing the pie along the way. “This is your business. You’re already doing free cookies. Not to mention, who all have you offered free food to this week?” She gave a soft smile. She had been witness to the woman’s generosity, but she couldn’t take advantage. It just wasn’t right with how hard Nani knew she worked. “Hard month.” She groaned. “I was able to get some work at the casino to try and pay to get our stove replaced after someone managed to catch it on fire.” No one had dared to confess or snitch, not with Nani’s temper on full display and their kitchen still coated with the foam from the fire extinguisher. She still got pissed every time she walked into the kitchen and looked at the now useless hunk of metal and wires - and so she avoided being home when she could. “I’m glad to do it. Team Kani - high five.” She raised up her hand and grinned at the woman. “If there’s anything I have learned how to do, it’s clean.”

He readily pushed away from the counter and started to follow her although he kept a death grip on what was left of his coffee. “Mm yeah.” He nodded. “I forgot I was supposed to call my friend and let him know how things were going and after that I just fell asleep at the bed and breakfast.” Traveling always took him out of it. Jet lag was crazy. “Oooh my interest is piqued,” he said, his ears proverbially cocked. “How many jobs do you have anyway?”

*

“I guess that sounds like a good excuse... I probably was able to get more done once you left anyways. They tend to prefer that when at work. That’s what I’ve found, at least. I don’t know how it works in Hollywood.” The woman laughed, Nani bumping her shoulder against his as she turned to walk at his side. Losing his company had been a bit of a downer, though. Mixed with her sudden good mood seeing her that day and the way she couldn’t help but smile whenever he did, it equaled a whole mess that Nani had no intention of dealing with anytime soon. The last thing she needed was some fling with a tourist on her schedule. “Three... I work at the lobster shack, I work as a teller at the bank, and then I tend bar... but it’s more temporary. There was a bit of a... fire situation a few weeks ago that I have to get settled.”

Did she buy it? She bought it! Or she was pretending to buy it. Either one worked for Lilo, as long as she didn’t have to listen to a lecture. Don’t get her wrong, she believed her sister had every right to be angry with her. She was out in the middle of the night, no one even knowing she was gone, intending to follow suspicious looking people around town without so much as pepper spray. It was far from a smart decision, and she probably deserved to be shouted at. That didn’t mean she wanted to be.

“I have my keys,” Lilo fished them out of her pocket and handed them over, a slightly sheepish smile on her lips. “Amazing I thought to grab them with me being asleep and all…”

*

“Right. Amazing.” The edge of sarcasm was apparent as Nani slipped the keys in and unlocked the door. “You don’t happen to remember what you were doing wandering around the streets alone tonight, do you?”

Lilo should not be out at this time. She knew that. There were dangers lurking in the shadows, and she was a small girl — but that was exactly why she was out at this time. How else was she going to catch sight of a ghost or a werewolf, if not lurking the same shadows? Lilo should not be out at this time, but what Lilo should do had never gone hand in hand with what Lilo would do.

She would’ve beaten Nani home if she hadn’t lost track of the time. That was the plan; get back before one, sneak inside before her sister was even out of work to realize Lilo wasn’t fast asleep in her bed. Her stroll through town had turned into a stroll to the shore, as it often did, and she’d spent a good hour with soft waves lapping at her toes, making out constellations in the stars. It was a night she missed her mom. She always missed both of her parents, but tonight she’d just found herself wishing they could stargaze one last time.

Stopping in her tracks when she saw Nani on the porch, she didn’t have time to decide if she should run and hide around back, or stay still and hope she went unnoticed. “It’s really not,” she agreed, slowly moving her hand behind her back to hide the binoculars she was clutching. “Not what it looks like at all. … Did you know I sleepwalk?”

*

Nani felt... relief, at first. Relief as the shift of blame went from her looking like she was breaking into someone’s house to Lilo who really was out doing who-knew-what in the middle of the night - she went to get mad, and she did, the heat in her chest growing as she stared her sister down with the lie - but she was out, as well. Slightly different, because Nani had been working but - 

She sighed. “You probably still are. It is amazing you made it out and back again.” As much as Nani struggled with the knowledge, Lilo was 19 now - she was a grown up - a grown up who still thought she needed to stuff her bed and sneak out - but a grown up. She was allowed to make these decisions now. She reached out her hand, her ire settling into an uneasy acceptance, “Do you have your keys? Or are we sleeping under the stars tonight?”

Empty nest syndrome was real. Kaya’s baby was all grown up and having his own adventure somewhere close without her. Truth to be told it stung, it had been her and Reuben ever since he was born. It was them against the world. Now she had to find herself again. Kaya wasn’t really sure who she was if she wasn’t being a mom. So she threw herself into her shop, staying late making baked good after baked good. With her hands busy she didn’t have to think about much else. 

Hearing the bell from her shops front door caught her attention. Kaya quickly fixed her posture and brushed off the excess flour from her blush-pink apron. “Morning! With any purchase you make today you’ll get to choose a free cookie of your choice.” Kaya smiled brightly, motioning her hands over the glass case that held everything and anything sweet.

*

Nani knew the exact amount needed for her order now, a piece of pie that she used to treat herself once a week - sometimes - most of time... well, occasionally. Treats like these, for herself, were usually the first things to go. But she passed the money over today and slumped against the counter - Nani was never someone who needed looked after, even before her parents died. She’d always been driven, responsible - but she was driven and responsible for a teenager. When she finally wished she had someone to take care of her, there was no one there. She knew that Miss Kaya was just like this, being a mother to everyone who came in, and that Nani was not special - but she relished in it. “Do you need any help this week? I could come by before work tomorrow.” She offered.

Originally posted by nowadayz

rainbowconnextions​:

He jumped when he heard her talk, somehow managing to juggle the coffee and cinnamon donut without spilling it all over himself. He laughed and shook his head, swallowing with a nervous laugh. “Yeah, well, I still have time to sneak in a snack before dinner so don’t write me off yet,” he teased her. “Yeah, that’s me…. Nani?”

Originally posted by ask-stony-and-thorki

Originally posted by ask-stony-and-thorki

*

“What is that going to be? A candy bar and a soda?” Nani was quick to tease back. “Not on my watch. Walk with me.” She nodded as she walked, “That’s me - you ran off pretty quickly last night. Was everything alright?” Most of the time when she was running off like that, things were definitely not alright - something was on fire, or somebody was hurt, or being hurt by fire...