Look at me

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.

“Oooh it doesn’t get much more fancy than Olive Garden,” he teased. “But if that’s where you wanna go, that’s where we’ll go.” He set down and let her sort through the food before speaking up again.

“I learned the trick when I was younger so I could get out and be on my own. If I took the front door I had to take at least five kids with me. Turns out it just helps me woo pretty girls I have crushes on.”

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.

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.”

Max watched him for a moment and then laughed in disbelief. “Wait…. Wait, who’s lilo!? And why do you smile like that when you say her name!? Do you like her! Dougie!” He grinned, gently giving him a noogie. “That’s great dude! What’s she like!?” He would be lying if he said he had any real interest in anyone right now and he was kinda jealous. It felt nice to like someone like that…. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t happy for Doug. From what he could tell the kid deserved a break.

“See….” He paused after a moment of thought. “I can’t because then I might be a liar…. But I can probably guarantee you I’ll make it out with minimal injuries if the worst happens?” He grinned sheepishly. Although he could skate and do bike tricks, he still had inherited his dad’s awkward streak. And it showed. “Uh. Anyway…. Shall we?”

-

 Doug stopped in his tracks and shot an incredulous look at Max. His breath caught in his throat, startled by the young man’s sudden excitement. His cheeks flushed bright red as he pressed his lips together in a thin smile with furrowed eyebrows.  “Why are you acting like that?” He asked, not familiar with the excitement that came from friend camaraderie. “Of course I like her. She wouldn’t be my friend if I didn’t, right?”

He shouldn’t be rehearsing…. He should be wandering around town looking for little trinkets to send back to his friends in Hollywood…. But no. Instead he was dancing, his feet tapping against the ground rhythmically as the music played from his speaker. After a bit he had to take a break, letting himself sag against the wall as he reached to turn off the sound system

It was good but nothing ground breaking… typical. He needed to work hard to get anything done while he was away. He was about to reach and turn the music on when he jerked to a stop, laughing in shock. “Well, hello there.” He said with a wave. “Am I bothering you? I can go somewhere else.”

@loveatfirstbark

-

Douglas needed to blow off some steam. He needed a distraction, one that didn’t involve other people, didn’t involve aggressiveness. He didn’t want to spar. He didn’t want to work out. The young man needed to clear his head, and there was nothing that could do that better than dancing. Watching old VHS tapes he’d found in Charles’ collection, he’d stumbled across his love for ballet very young, and for his good performance and obedience, his master had gifted him lessons. They were some of the best memories of his childhood, and now ballet had become his healthiest escape from the harsh realities of his duty to Charles and Alphonse.

Spinning was his favorite. He enjoyed the agileness of it, feeling light as a feather as he spun about on his toes, using the momentum of his arms and a gentle kick of his leg to keep the spin going. For a moment, the guilt that weighed heavy on his heart disappeared as his focus honed in on the orchestra playing in the overhead speakers and he found a graceful rhythm to dance to. 

“You bet,” he grinned as he placed his order, leaning back in the chair to look at the younger boy with a relaxed smile. He shook his hand firmly, grinning at his exuberance, and nodded. “Yeah, got in last night actually. I’m from California but I decided to take a vacation. This seemed like a good place to go.” He rocked back on the chair’s back legs and shrugged. He didn’t go around advertising his full name and what he did. Though Kody was good at what he did, he didn’t brag about it. He never expected folks to know who he was. That was just…. Prideful. Instead, he let it go there. “Are there any things in particular I need to do while I’m here?”

♡

“Wow, Cali to Prentiss.” That was a pretty big change. He assumed. He didn’t know anything outside of Hollywood when it came to the state, but it surely wasn’t the same anywhere as this eerie little beachside town. “I’d say you made a good choice, even if I’m biased. Hm, I’d usually say Cass’ café, but since you’re already here…” Fred tapped the table as he thought over the options. There were plenty of good eating establishments, but outside of those, he mainly spent his time in his own house. “What kind of things are you into? I know a neat little comic book store.”

He glanced over as the boy talked about the food at restaurant and instantly has the biggest desire to eat one of everything off the menu. “Oh man.” He reached for his wallet at the mention of scones. “They both sound amazing although you definitely don’t have to pay for me. Your suggestions are more than helpful enough!” He slid his card across the counter and placed his order before turning back around. “I’m Kody, by the way.”

♡

“They are,” he promised, “you’ll have to tell me which one is your favorite.” He’d advertise for Cass’ café anytime he got the chance. Maybe he was biased, but he really thought anything she made was amazing, probably because it was made with love. “Fred!” He held his hand out. “Are you new to town?” He didn’t recognize the man, and it was about the time of year tourists started to flock to Prentiss.

“The things boredom does to us,” he commented, not looking up from the open journal to put a name to the figure standing in the doorway. It wasn’t rare for someone to drop by, whether it be a resident, a visitor or a curious inquirer. “I can’t imagine why anyone would want to read a silly old man’s ramblings, but here I am jotting them down anyway.”