Evie
normality is a paved road
comfortable to walk, but where no flowers grow
comfortable to walk, but where no flowers grow
Evie’s grin nearly splits her face with mischievous delight at the immediate conspiratorial agreement. Had she expected it from him? Absolutely. It’s still delightful. “Give him a year or two and we can update it with glitter.” Her laugh is nearly a cackle as she envisions the monstrous, toddler equivalent of a ‘fuck off’ hanging on Deimos’ office door. Someday - as soon as the combination of Erebos and glitter doesn’t make her skin crawl with terror.
Deimos hiding the gifts behind his back makes her chortle, covetous gesture only intensifying until the first item is revealed. Then she’s too busy gawking over the weight of the tome - and then the cover, which she recognizes. “I didn’t! They just released it a few seasons ago!” Practically vibrating, she flips through a few pages and a few muffled squeaks of excitement sneak out as she drinks in the diagrams and formulas that flit past. Magic or no magic, she’ll always be an apothecarist at heart.
The next book slides over the first, forcing her to close it, and Evie yelps a startled laugh as her face goes red all at once. There’s no need for embarrassment (technically) given she reads these in front of him but there’s a playful amount of cringing that always comes with discussing the elephant in the room. Face hot but nevertheless laughing with delight, Evie flips the book over to read the synopsis because trashy romance or not she’s invested. It also conveniently hides the atrocious cover. “How in the world did you buy this?! Did you swear the seller to secrecy?” If rumors that Deimos reads trashy smut start spreading she’s going to laugh herself sick - and then grovel for all she’s worth.
Blue eyes bright with mirth in her pink face, Evie shakes her head while laughing and leans onto her toes to kiss Deimos firmly. “I love them, thank you honey. And between us, the botany book is the one I read first.” Deimos would never share her secrets - even secrets as innocent as enjoying risqué fantasy romance books - but her impish grin makes it clear she finds the idea of him becoming her co-conspirator in presenting a studious facade more fun to envision.
Deimos hiding the gifts behind his back makes her chortle, covetous gesture only intensifying until the first item is revealed. Then she’s too busy gawking over the weight of the tome - and then the cover, which she recognizes. “I didn’t! They just released it a few seasons ago!” Practically vibrating, she flips through a few pages and a few muffled squeaks of excitement sneak out as she drinks in the diagrams and formulas that flit past. Magic or no magic, she’ll always be an apothecarist at heart.
The next book slides over the first, forcing her to close it, and Evie yelps a startled laugh as her face goes red all at once. There’s no need for embarrassment (technically) given she reads these in front of him but there’s a playful amount of cringing that always comes with discussing the elephant in the room. Face hot but nevertheless laughing with delight, Evie flips the book over to read the synopsis because trashy romance or not she’s invested. It also conveniently hides the atrocious cover. “How in the world did you buy this?! Did you swear the seller to secrecy?” If rumors that Deimos reads trashy smut start spreading she’s going to laugh herself sick - and then grovel for all she’s worth.
Blue eyes bright with mirth in her pink face, Evie shakes her head while laughing and leans onto her toes to kiss Deimos firmly. “I love them, thank you honey. And between us, the botany book is the one I read first.” Deimos would never share her secrets - even secrets as innocent as enjoying risqué fantasy romance books - but her impish grin makes it clear she finds the idea of him becoming her co-conspirator in presenting a studious facade more fun to envision.
