Http://therapyforblackgirls.com 

and they were roommates (chapter eight)

The apartment’s spotty radiator has been the bane of Annabeth’s existence all winter, but in a dog pile on the couch with her two favorite boys, the persistent draft is welcome if it means they’ll stay put. 

Percy’s voice drifts up from Annabeth’s lap, a bit too smug for her liking. “Bet you’re glad we got the big couch now, huh?” 

“I have no clue what you’re talking about,” Annabeth lies. 

A smile creeps onto Percy’s face as he taps Grover’s temple. The boys started with Percy’s feet in Grover’s lap, but Grover slid to the side during the movie marathon. Now his cheek rests on Percy’s stomach. 

“Hey, G-Man, you know Annabeth wanted a loveseat? How the hell were we gonna fit you on a loveseat?” 

Grover mumbles something sounding like “food” and sinks further into Percy. 

Annabeth bites her lip. “Grover sleeps in the woods for fun, Perce. Not sure how much support you’re gonna get on that front.” 

Percy cranes his neck to peek at Grover. “Is he drooling on me?” His head falls back on Annabeth’s leg, which has long since fallen asleep under his torso. 

Annabeth doesn’t even pretend to look before she nods her head gravely. “Oh, absolutely.”

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poem, “there’s laundry to do and a genocide to stop,” by vinay krishnan (x). transcription in alt text

and they were roommates (chapter ten)

The waiting goes easier than Annabeth thought it would.

That being said, the week itself isn’t easy. Annabeth takes five midterms in three days, which should be illegal. She spends her days in the cafe with Piper, the library with Jason, or laying on the floor of the apartment like a starfish. If Annabeth’s limbs could regrow, she would chop one off to get some extra study time. That being said, she is not a starfish, just a college kid laying on the linoleum floor and seriously contemplating dropping out and making a living by selling non-vital organs. People don’t need both of their kidneys, right?

In the end, Annabeth makes it through midterms with both her kidneys and far less panic than last semester. Though really she should thank fall midterms for being so horrible. If she hadn’t broken down then, who knows how long it would’ve taken her to realize her feelings for Percy.

States is a two-day affair, meaning that Saturday is put on hold while Percy competes in the preliminary heats. Thankfully, the meet is right outside the city, so he isn’t holed up in a hotel for the night. Annabeth and Grover, who is staying with them for the weekend, beat Percy home after the day of spectating and smile as he trudges through the door. He may not compete in many events, but the day drags on in a way that invites weariness into even the most rested of bodies.

After Grover claps Percy on the back and heads to the bathroom, Percy collapses face-first into the couch where Annabeth is sprawled, his face tucking into the crook of her neck. A content sigh tickles her skin, and she nearly shoves him off for it. But he winces as his shoulders relax, making his breath hitch in a way that’s honestly illegal for him to do above her when there’s nothing she can do about it.

“Uh, guys.” Grover stands in the hallway, covering his eyes. “I would like to remind you that this is my bed for the night.”

Percy chuckles, the warm air on Annabeth’s neck making her squirm. “You’re welcome to get in on this, bud.”

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Repost to spread. (Not really humor)

Local Bookstores Have A New Weapon In The Fight With Amazon

In the book industry, Amazon is Goliath, the giant who overshadows everyone else. But there’s a new David on the scene, Bookshop.org.

It doesn’t expect to topple the giant, but it has launched a weapon that could make Amazon’s shadow a little smaller, and help local bookstores fight back.

Bookshop.org, a website that went live at the end of January and is still in beta mode, is designed to be an alternative to Amazon, and to generate income for independent bookstores. And, perhaps more importantly, it seeks to give book reviewers, bloggers and publications who rely on affiliate income from “Buy now” links to Amazon a different option.

Profit from books sold through Bookshop will be split three ways, with 10% of the sale price going into a pool that will be divided among participating bookstores, 10% going to the publication that triggered the sale by linking to Bookshop.org, and 10% going to Bookshop.org to support its operations.

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This is honestly amazing

i was in a thrift shop the other day and they were playing the most unsettling variations of normal christmas music, culminating in this rendition of the 12 days of christmas except it was like 12 guys all singing over each other and going “no!” and interrupting the lyrics with random other phrases until they deadass just started singing 5 golden rings to toto’s africa. can anyone confirm that this is a real song and not that i stroked so hard i astral projected into a universe where everything is somehow worse than it is here

Love me, won’t you: valentine’s day edition. edit by sophii <3

There’s a tree on the west side of the island, settled into a little copse where it can catch the last rays of sunlight as they settle over the ocean.

It’s Percy’s favourite place on the island. It’s in pretty tough competition with his yaya’s restaurant and the spring above the church and Icarus jump point where he got his first kiss from Annabeth. But this tree is pretty special because it’s where he spent many evenings of his adolescence laying with his girlfriend in stolen hours as they made out or did homework together or dreamed out loud about their futures together away from their imposing families. During that first summer, much to Grover’s chagrin, Percy had taken a penknife to the trunk of that tree and carved his and Annabeth’s initials there.

Five years later, he is happy to see the letters are still there.

“It’s not like they would go anywhere,” Annabeth argues, ever logical.

Percy shoves her. “Shut up, smart ass.”

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I love swagless bisexual men

mob au • valentine’s day 

Valentine’s Day has always been one of Percy’s favorite holidays. He loves love, and he doesn’t care who knows it, which is why Annabeth grows to take it so seriously. It never mattered much to her before he was in her life, but now that he is, all she ever wants to do is shower him with nice things. Valentine’s Day just happens to be the perfect excuse to do that.

Annabeth watches the slow rise and fall of Percy’s back, moving a finger to lightly trace his name across his smooth skin. She reaches J and he begins to stir, groaning as he lazily rolls himself onto his back.

He stretches his arms above his head, palms flat against the headboard. “Morning, baby,” he says as he turns to look at her.

“Morning, baby,” she says back, perfectly content to keep watching him. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Percy smiles from ear to ear, diving forward to place a kiss to Annabeth’s cheek and neck. “Happy Valentine’s Day, my love.”

He pulls away but Annabeth chases his lips, her fingers finding his chin to keep him close. She immediately deepens the kiss, fighting off her smile and Percy’s hand lands on her hip.

“You drive me crazy,” she says against his lips.

“Trust me, that’s a two way street,” he says, placing another quick kiss to her lips. “You been up long?”

Annabeth turns to her nightstand to take a quick look at her phone. “A couple hours, but that’s only because I had to get your present ready.”

Percy raises his eyebrows, his eyes shining with curiosity. “Is that so?”

“Mhmm,” Annabeth confirms, biting her bottom lip. “Wanna see it?”

Percy’s eyes glance down at Annabeth’s bare legs, then back. “Always.”

Annabeth cackles, and shakes her head. “That part of your gift is for later. I am talking about part one.”

“I get multiple gifts?” he asks with surprise.

Annabeth runs a hand through the hair that hands in Percy’s face, gently running a finger down past his ear and along his jaw. “Of course you do. Only the best for my valentine.”

Percy tears down the stairs, so excited that he forgoes his usual ride down the bannister. Annabeth follows at a more relaxed pace, tying her black silk robe a little tighter as she reaches the bottom stair.

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Percy yells from the living room, and Annabeth smiles wide with satisfaction.

She rounds the corner to find Percy sitting on the floor as two puppies, each with a red ribbon tied to their collar, attack him with kisses.

“YOU GOT US PUPPIES!” he shouts as he looks up at her with tears in his eyes.

Annabeth sits on her shins across from Percy, drawing the attention of the Newfoundland puppy who toddles over to her clumsily. “Are you happy?”

Percy swoops the other puppy into his arms, kissing its head as he nuzzles it. “So happy it’s stupid. But you always make me feel that way.”

Annabeth blushes as she bends down to place a kiss on the Newfoundland’s head. “Would you look at that. Another two way street.”

A few hours later, the pair sit out on a giant picnic blanket in the backyard with a spread of food prepared by Percy as the puppies explore their new territory. Percy lays with his head in Annabeth’s lap, a goofy smile spread across his face as Annabeth plays with his hair. He laughs his way through a story about his and Grover’s middle school days, and Annabeth traces the laugh lines that form at the corners of his eyes. With the sun shining down, his green eyes sparkle like the harbor on a calm summer’s day, and while she has never been a big fan of Valentine’s Day, with a Valentine like Percy Jackson she finds it hard to not relish in the joy of the holiday.

“Will you be my valentine forever?” she asks, her hand resting over his heart.

Percy’s smile somehow grows even wider. “Like you even have to ask.”

She bends down to place a kiss to his forehead but he grunts in protest.

“You missed,” he says with a pout, and points to his lips.

Annabeth smiles and happily complies, kissing his ridiculously soft lips. She pulls up and laughs as, with perfect timing, both puppies appear and launch themselves onto Percy, coming after her next.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Percy,” she says in a daze of happiness.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Annabeth.”

If grandmothers around the world had a rallying cry, it would probably sound something like “You need to eat!”

Photographer Gabriele Galimberti’s grandmother said something similar to him before one of his many globetrotting work trips. To ensure he had at least one good meal, she prepared for him a dish of ravioli before he departed on one of his adventures.  

“In that occasion I said to my grandma ‘You know, Grandma, there are many other grandmas around the world and most of them are really good cooks,” Galimberti wrote via email. “I’m going to meet them and ask them to cook for me so I can show you that you don’t have to be worried for me and the food that I will eat!’ This is the way my project was born!”

The project, “Delicatessen With Love”, took Galimberti to 58 countries where he photographed grandmothers with both the ingredients and finished signature dishes.

He acted as photographer and stylist during each shoot with the grandmothers, taking a portrait of both the women and the food they made for him.

From top to bottom: 

Inara Runtule, 68, Kekava, Latvia. Silke €(herring with potatoes and cottage cheese). Grace Estibero, 82, Mumbai, India. Chicken vindaloo.

Susann Soresen, 81, Homer, Alaska. Moose steak.

Serette Charles, 63, Saint-Jean du Sud, Haiti. Lambi in creole sauce.

The photographer’s grandmother Marisa Batini, 80, Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy. Swiss chard and ricotta Ravioli with meat sauce.

Normita Sambu Arap, 65, Oltepessi (Masaai Mara), Kenya. Mboga and orgali (white corn polenta with vegetables and goat).

Julia Enaigua, 71, La Paz, Bolivia. Queso Humacha (vegetables and fresh cheese soup).

Fifi Makhmer, 62, Cairo, Egypt. Kuoshry (pasta, rice and legumes pie).

Isolina Perez De Vargas, 83, Mendoza, Argentina. Asado criollo (mixed meats barbecue).

Bisrat Melake, 60, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Enjera with curry and vegetables.