WHEN THE GIRL agreed, aliz clapped her hands together in front of her chest, bright smile on her features. “ great ! “, she exclaimed, not wasting a second before hooking her arm through the other’s. “ that sounds great. as long as they have coffee, i’m not too picky. “, she explained, trusting the other to lead the way. “ oh – i saw a flyer. i never would have thought about taking dancing classes myself – though i must admit, the idea is quite appealing. “, aliz said, nodding slowly as she smiled. “ talent show ? for high school ? ugh – i wish we did fun stuff like that when i was in high school. “, she chuckled, shaking her head. “ did you win ? “.
Cady secretly loved it as Aliz took her arm, leading her down the street. Women just had this knack for becoming fast friends with one another. The two strode confidently down the block and to the coffee shop, chatting pleasantly with one another. “I mean, it does sound fun! It'd be nice to actually learn actual moves instead of dancing like one of those balloons outside car dealerships.” Cady agreed with a shrug of her shoulders. She wasn’t a bad dancer, per se, but she was definitely more free than most people. “You didn’t have talent shows? No shit?” Cady gasped, wide-eyed.
“No no no. I don’t want to hear it! Dolphins are adorable and friendly.” Audrey didn’t want to believe Cady but the woman knew he animal facts. The idea of thinking that dolphins couldn’t be trusted either in this world was impossible to think about. “Okay then. We will stay away for dolphin prints for sure. But what about a dress with a different kind of bold print. How do you feel about bright colors or stripes? I can see you in a print no one would every dream of you trying. You know.. unpredictable.”
“Alright, I hope you’re okay with living a lie.” Cady hummed, shrugging her shoulders as she searched the next rack. She was usually pretty...predictable when it came to fashion, but she trusted Audrey when it came to style. “Yeah, I could definitely try that. Although, last time I wore a bold print, my friend Regina quoted ‘Devil Wears Prada’ at me.” She sighed as she let the floral dress fall through her fingers. She didn’t wear dresses much, but as the summer was starting, Cady was excited to bear her legs more and more...even if that meant wearing dresses. “What about this?” Cady moved to a beautiful cotton dress, covered with rainbow pinstripes.
“I- Uh-” he let out a laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. People weren’t exactly his specialty, especially when pointing out their own errors. Silence was always the answer for him as he stumbled through his words, tongue pressing against the front of his teeth. “It’s all good. I mean sometimes I call a perennial and annual and that’s just- Nope,” he chuckled, walking around the counter where his hands fell comfortably into his pockets. “A zoo? Wow. That’s cool. Though I think that means you need something pretty easy.” Seymore walked past her to a small corner, hand reaching out to grab a small cactus. “He’d just need a little sunlight and a spritz of water whenever you remember.”
“Oh geeze, I get those confused all the time!” Cady admitted with a laugh. “My dad’s got a specialty in exotic botany. It makes him so mad when I forget. So, yeah...uber-nerd runs in the family.” Not that he’d know that....”Perennial only comes up once, right?” Cady guessed, closing one eye in thought, biting her tongue between her teeth. She honestly had no idea...it seemed like such a simple answer too. “Yeah, it’s fun...but doesn’t leave me with a lot of free time.” She explained, following the man up to the counter. “Awww, it’s kind of cute!” Cady grinned as he placed the cactus before her. She reached out to pet it, but drew her hand back at the spikes poked her skin. “Right, that was a dumbass move...”
“ wait, i’m the grand marshal of the penguin parade ? ” anna was entirely shocked, her hand flew to her chest and a small pout formed over her brims as she looked to cady. “ cady heron, that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me. ” and in all honesty, it was. what cady had done was shown that she listened and that she cared all in one motion. in fact, it made her well up just a little, but that emotion was gulped away in an instant. “ i can’t believe i get to walk with penguins ! ” she squeaked, clutching cady’s forearm. “ also, you look super professional in your gear. ”
“Duh! What are friends for?” Cady asked, grinning as she moved Anna into place. As some of the other keepers go the other penguins into place, Cady knelt down to feed a fish Colonel Flippers. “Come on, buddy...you can’t have the spotlight all the time.” She laughed, as he gulped the fish down his gullet. A regal sounding horn filled the air as one of the other keepers announced to the entire zoo that the penguin parade was about to begin and a crowd formed around the edge of the path, people taking pictures and cooing at the birds. “Ready?” Cady asked, standing up with Anna. “Just over there. Got it?”
“I mean that’s a great question-” he hummed, standing behind the counter of the plant shop. Typically, he was used to people and them having some sort of idea in mind for what they wanted, very rarely did they ask him what sort of plant owner they looked like. Eyes looked to them a bit afraid, his timid tone dropping low as he looked to his feet. “Do you prefer the inside or the outside? I guess I get your sort of… Aura, but you’re a stranger, I’m a stranger and-” Seymore let out a short sigh.
“No, it wasn’t. It was weird. I knew that was a bunch of shap.” Cady sighed as she leaned down to inspect a row of azaleas. “Ooh, sorry. I meant to say ‘shit’, but then I started saying ‘crap’.” She explained, her eyes narrowing as she moved onto the ficuses. “I’m more of an outdoor person? I work at the zoo, but I wanted some plants for inside my place, you know? I suck at gardening, so anything low maintenance would be amazing.” Cady replied as she straightened and faced the florist. “I’m sorry, I guess I should have come in here with more of an idea of what I was looking for.”
WHEN THE GIRL agreed to signing up with her, aliz’s clapped her hands together enthusiastically. “ oh – no, no. it’s… friday night ! “, she said, reading the date from the flyer before pointing at her own attire. “ i’m not dressed for it either. this is way too classy and not nearly sporty enough. “, a chuckle falling from her lips. “ but i am excited that you want to sign up with me ! how about we go grab a coffee and we fill out all the details online ? “, she suggested, eyebrows raising as she smiled at the other. “ aliz, it’s very nice to meet you cady ! “.
“Okay!” Cady agreed, a grin splitting her face. It would be nice to do something fun and low-key. Ever since starting work, Cady had been all about working and then coming home to binge Netflix comedy specials. Unfortunately, John Mulaney and Katherine Ryan could only get her so far. “There’s actually a great place around the corner if you want. How did you find out about this anyway? I didn’t even know there was a dance studio around here? I mean, there has to be. This is London. I just never thought about it too hard, you know? I’m not much of a dancer, but it’s super fun! And in high school a group of friends of mine always did this dance for a talent show? It’s the only one I know, but it would be nice to branch out!” She rambled on.
。·:✧:· TAKING HER EYES off the animal in front of her, wednesday smiled at the girl, glad that she was in a place where it was perfectly acceptable to smile, even if you were… well, wednesday. there was something almost special about the zoo, something relaxing and reassuring about it. the animals had their own lives and sometimes, she wished she could be one. “of course. you said animals and i knew i had to be here. and you’re doing a good job.” there were days, on those special occasions when she was in a good mood that she’d be incredibly nice to people. because every once in a while something would make you overly happy. and today, it was animals. because wednesday addams had a few weaknesses. she just didn’t like to tell anyone about them. “will you laugh at me if i say i want to see the giraffes? i know they’re not really my style but i don’t know, there’s something about them.”
She knew she was kind of a dork about animals and the zoo, but Cady was also glad she had friends like Wednesday who not only understood her love but joined in as well. For someone usually so dark and gloomy, Cady was surprised to see the girl light up at the sight of a ginormous lion and even more, ask about the giraffes. “Oh sure! They’re just over here.” Cady pointed to the enclosure next to the lion’s den. Technically, she was supposed to stay at the lions until the end of the day...but it couldn’t hurt to show Wednesday the giraffes, right? Cady led the girl over to the other side of the walkway, where they could see the giraffe enclosure. Five long-necked creatures grazed the side of the hill as on the other side of the enclosure, a small group gathered to listen to another intern as they spouted off facts. “You’ve got Kimba, Tessa and Cece...” Cady pointed through the trees, recognizing each giraffe by the unique spot pattern on their chest. “And then the smaller ones are the calves, Zoey and Cora.” She explained, smiling as the little ones romped around their pen. “Pretty cute, huh?”
WHEN SHE WAS asked whether she taught the class, aliz laughed and shook her head, hands waving in a dismissive manner. “ oh – god no. i like to think i’m not a bad dancer… but i sure as hell am not THAT good. “, she said, finding the thought quite amusing. “ no – i was wondering whether you’d be interested in taking it with me ? i am sure it will be more fun with company. “, aliz explained, smiling kindly at the girl now.
“Oh!” Now Cady understood. As she looked from the flyer to the woman, a huge grin spread across her face. She was tired, sweaty and smelled like animals, but a dance class actually sounded pretty fun. “Um, sure! Is it right now? I’m not really dressed, but I don’t care...do you think they care? Oh, I’m Cady, by the way. Thanks for inviting me! I’ve never been invited to a dance class before.”
Maria remembered Cady telling her that she’d be working at the zoo a week or so ago. She’d been tied up with the Baron family and the band, but finally Maria had a day off from her hectic schedule. She’d been running around checking with the zoo staff, wondering where the younger woman was. Finally, getting an answer from someone who vaguely understood the hurried Austrian woman’s description. She’d made it just in time to watch the young woman light up as she spoke about the lion in front of the crowd. Maria’s expression proud as she stood in the back, listening intently. A small wave was given and Maria waved back to the girl, grinning as she gave her the thumbs up. The young girl finished up her spiel and made her way to the blonde. “I’m only sad I couldn’t come earlier!! It’s been hectic!” Maria laughed, pulling the younger girl into a hug. “You’re doing amazing, Cady. Honestly, I’m so proud of you.” Maria laughed, finally letting go after a squeeze. “So do you get to do this all day?” She asked, reaching into her purse to pull out a KEY CHAIN , smiling. “I got you this. To commemorate your success.” Maria explained.
Seeing the blonde woman in the crowd filled Cady with such confidence. Her back straightened and she held her head up high as she finished her presentation. As the other zoo patrons moved forward to observe Omari as he slept, Cady met Maria in the back, leaning into the older woman’s hug. “I’m seriously so glad you’re here. Yeah! Pretty much. I was on the gorilla exhibit earlier this morning, but they try to change it up so we don’t get too bored.” She explained as she watched Omari open his mouth in a huge yawn. For such a large animal, he seemed so docile...but Cady knew he could take her own in a second if he wanted to. “Oh gow! I mean, gosh...er, wow...you know what I mean.” Cady shook her head at her own spazziness as she took the keychain from Maria. “It’s seriously so perfect thank you!” She wrapped her arms around Maria and gave her another squeeze before pulling away to examine the tiny lego person closer. “It seriously looks like me too! How did you find this?”
✧ * . otp #3 ft. cady heron & jason ‘jd’ dean . * ✧
( @freczeyourbrain )
Who’s the one to wake up the kids:
jd. because cady is already making breakfast.
Who makes breakfast:
cady. because jd is waking up the kids.
Who’s the more discipline parent and who’s the more lenient one:
jd is surprisingly the disciplined parent. he’s made a lot of mistakes he doesn’t want his kids to make and while he’s hard on them, it does come from a place of love. cady tried for a long time to be the ‘cool mom’ during the teen years, but learned quickly that it’s not a great way to handle things.
Who helps with the science fair:
cady, obviously. her kids have medaled at science fairs every single year.
Who does baby talk:
cady and jd teases her mercilessly for this. he tried it once at her insistence and...it was awkward for everyone.
Who wakes up for midnight feedings:
they both do, but jd loves to do it. he likes having quiet moments alone with the kids and the midnight feedings are perfect for that. he might be up anyway.
Who’s the one who always worries:
jd. he’s so worried he’s passed his mental illness onto his kids, because he doesn’t want them to suffer the ways he has. he also worries that the gang will come after his family one day. he and cady have had long talks about this where she reassures him that they will always be there for their kids, no matter what. jd is also worried he’ll want to walk out like his mom did one day.
Who picks up the kids early from school for some fun:
jd. he’ll sometimes take them to work at the mechanic shop as well. once a year, right before school let’s out, he’ll spring them from school early to do something fun like go to the fair or an amusement park. cady pretends she has no idea.
Who’s the competitive parent:
cady. scarily so. she just gets super intense to show her kids that she believes in whatever they’re doing.
Who kisses the ouches:
they both do, but cady does it well into the kid’s teen years.
Who’s the sucker for the puppy eyes:
cady. jd is immune. he really is.
Who makes the “dad jokes”:
cady, duh. everyone hates them, but jd is the only one who pretends to laugh to make her happy.
Who embarrasses their kid for fun:
jd does it for fun. cady does it without meaning to.
Who’s the over protective one:
jd. he remembers his own horrible upbringing and does it best to make sure that his kids have a better dad than he had but sometimes he is super overprotective. but he learns and does his best.
Who’s the “take a sweater!” parent:
cady. but if they ever move to africa like cady wishes to, there is not a lot of sweater wearing.
✧ * . brotp #3 ft. cady heron & maria castillo . * ✧
( @absinthecism )
who is the better dancer?
maria, absolutely. cady can hold her own, but maria has her beat by miles.
who likes the outdoors more and who likes the indoors more?
cady is obviously the more outdoor person, while maria enjoys the indoors more.
who’s a cat person and who’s a dog person?
they are both all animals kinds of people.
who’s more social?
i feel like it’s maria? she’s the one getting to know people, while cady takes a little more time warming up to the room.
who makes the bed every morning?
cady. it’s the first thing she does every morning. maria is of the ‘i’m just gonna mess it up again later tonight!’ mindset
who likes to keep the house cold and who likes to keep the house warm?
depends on the season. cady doesn’t like to waste energy when she could put on a sweater if it’s cold and she’s used to the heat? she’s like a dad telling her child (maria) not to touch the thermostat.
who takes longer getting ready?
i feel like it’s maria? cady can get ready in five minutes.
who likes scary movies and who likes funny ones?
maria loves the scary movies and cady loves dumb comedies like blades of glory and we’re the millers.
who screams when they see a bug and who ends up killing it?
neither scream, but maria will kill it while cady takes it outside.
who is more technology challenged?
i feel like they’re both pretty tech savvy? maybe cady because she doesn’t use it as much as maria??
who would be more likely to burn something in the oven?
maria. cady is an excellent baker. after all, it’s just science and math.
who talks in their sleep?
cady is a notorious sleep talker.
who leaves the cap off the toothpaste?
is this a thing??? who is not putting the cap back on their toothpaste???
who likes getting dressed up more?
definitely maria. although, cady has to admit it has a certain appeal.
who’s better at tying ties?
again, it’s maria. she used to tie bernardo’s ties all the time.
who recorded the answering machine message on the house phone?
no house phone, but they would have done one of those annoying joint ones that only they think is adorable.
who’s better at planning romantic things?
maria. she loves a grand gesture.
who takes up more space in the closet?
cady, because maria picks out stuff she thinks cady would like. and she does.
who has more of a sweet tooth?
cady loves anything sweet. which is why she and maria are such good friends <3
who drinks more often?
they both drink, but cady is a lightweight. maria can handle her alcohol better.
who is most likely to laugh during a serious situation?
definitely cady. especially when she’s really not supposed to.
DANCE CLASSES ? ALIZ had always thought of herself as quite a good dancer, but she had never really considered classes. something like tango or salsa or rumba or whatever sure sounded intriguing enough… impulsive as she was, the woman looked around until someone caught her interest: “ hello, you – yes, you ! have you ever followed a dance class ? “, she asked, offering them a polite smile as she placed her hands on her hips, turning away from the promotion flyer she had found inspiration from. { @musicalstarters }
The best thing about working at the zoo was being able to walk to and from work each day. Her car definitely needed the break and walking in the sunshine was always nice. Plus, she met the most interesting people, like the woman offering dance classes. Cady blinked in surprise as she looked at the flyer. She was an okay dancer, she was able to follow ‘Rock Around the Pole’ choreography well enough, but a class? “I haven’t.” The red-head admitted, looking up at the woman. “Do you teach them?”
“you think they’ll allow animals at the APARTMENTS? cause i found this…” she grabs at her jacket, which was unzipped, and opens it to REVEAL a tiny kitten peeking out from her inside pocket, pretty content to be resting there. he was a bit scrawny, and his fur was dirty. “… little guy. and i don’t have the heart to leave him out here.” a pause. “i might sneak him in even if they don’t.” might? more like will. she’s already thinking of names. plus, it’d be ‘breaking the rules’ for a good cause.
“Oh shit!” Cady’s eyes widened at the sight of the mangey little cat Veronica carried in her arms. He was a sweet little thing but had clearly been living on its own out on the streets. “Hey, little guy,” Cady cooed, lifting her hand for the cat to sniff before giving him a little scratch behind the ears. “I have no idea, but that’s a face worth breaking the rules if I ever saw one.” Looking over her shoulder, just to make sure they were truly alone before turning back to Veronica and her feline friend. “I have a heating pad you can borrow if you want. The poor thing is probably freezing.”
