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ziipzeepzop-eez · 5 months

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leoichi as adoptive parents hcs! | platonic, found family, two goobers and a 'baby'.

they're just dumb and in love. both with each other, and you.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

𝒂/𝒏: this is just pure brainrot tbh. shameless self indulgence of these dorks. word vomit that I definitely tried to format in a someday coherent way. ridiculous amount of fluff imho. the embodiment of spongebob's house when it got sucked dry by all them sea worms......whatever tf they were: yeah that's my brain being reduced to mush after FINALLYYYYY getting it all out. /lhj

Say it with me, now. *raises hands like a maestro* Blaaaaaaaame the brainnnnwoorrrrmmmss. 🐛💥🧠

anyway enjoy your ✨fruitbowl parents✨ agenda. ᡣ𐭩

leo 🫐

such. a mother.

always fretting over your health and safety :(( he just wants you to be safe !! happy !! healthy !! always.

big hugger/cuddler: i’m talking big ol’ bear hugs, snuggles, smothering your face in kisses, play-fighting (he makes sure not to hurt you!), head rubs/pats, the whole shabang.

of course, if you’re not comfortable with physical touch– he doesn’t overstep your boundaries!

there are so many different ways he showcases his love and affection to you; he’s a very caring parent.

very protective over you.

not in the prohibiting/constrictive sense, but in the best way that you know he’s always got your back.

both him and yui are fairly protective over you– and both of them always got your back– dgmw, but leo will throw down if your reputation/safety is on the line.

teaches you boundaries (in all aspects including others and yourself) and how to enforce them. gets a bit violent when protecting yours in the moments your boundaries are crossed.

you're his baby and nobody’s allowed to mess w his babies >:((

don’t get me started ✋🏼 on if it’s a.... *speaks cautiously* bullying situation.

NONEEEE OF Y’ALL ARE LEAVING THAT DINGY SCHOOL OFFICE WITHOUT JUSTICE BEING SERVED LMAOOAOOOO

as much as he clowns the aspect of them, leo can be a bit of a karen himself when it comes to your reputation/safety!

(& truthfully i think yui would play peacekeeper of sorts, especially if leo starts getting really heated but that's only if it escalates really badly. but tbh he can be just as intense. they're both always ready to throw down for you, anywhere, anytime.)

real talk: it's not so much the child as it will be the parents leo snarks at. he’s knowledgeable in the fact that behaviors are learned. taught.

while intolerant to any behavioral that bring you discomfort, he's glaring holes into the parental figures/guardians, hackles raised, and Lord above is it more. than enough.

leo – for all the jokester that he is – knows how to hunker down and get serious and boy oh boy does that man get serious when his beloveds are involved.

he is very good at reading people. he has a sharp judge of character. and he'll take up any business with whoever is responsible for your offender's-in-question wellbeing; if their behaviors reflect the hostilities you were met with.... well, there's not really much else to say, is there?

he'll throw down with the parents and he'll throw down wITH THE KID(S) TOO HE DOES NOT GIVE A FRESH DAMN.

girl fu them kids and fu you too energy. /hj

everybody’s getting schooled on this day and it ain’t gonna be by the teachers. 💥💥💥

takes you out for food and sweet treats after such a harrowing ordeal 😮‍💨 is probably still ranting long after they've picked you up from school and has to he calmed down by yui lol. and if you don’t like sweets, he’ll get you a cute little gift from the shops! :)

he just wants to see you smile, man. 💔 anything for you.

later on, back home, he sits you down and speaks to you in a warm, lovely tone. he inquires about anything else that might've gone down, any icky thoughts in that little head of yours..?

reassures you that none of it was your fault. comforts you in every way possible because like i said, leo is very good at reading people. how much more would he get to know you— his child? he knows how to make you feel better. no matter what.

but on the chance that you may have started something.... mmmm.

his parental patented scolding techniques come in. probs the "I'm not mad, just Disappointed." type. AND IT HURTTTTTS EVERY SINGLE TIME.

(but this is Very Rare seeing as he'd raise you with manners and good behavior he don't play none of that mess.)

you don't have to say anything. you can say something, deny it. affirm it. if it bothered you, genuinely, he'll know. if it didn't — he'll know it too.

either way, he ruffles your head and smiles that smile down at you. "you're everything to me. you know that, right?"

you do.

calls you by the cutest endearments in spanish !! the most common are: mijo/a, mi tesoro, mi vida, burbuja/burbujita, and cielo. mi is always a constant at the front of them :')) he's just so proud that you're his kid.

speakin’ of which– if you speak Spanish/pick it up from him, he gets so smiley and giddy :(( and y’all just have convos of silly jokes and sweet nothings that seem like not much out the ordinary in the moment but it's memories in the making and you look back on them and and, he just looks at you with so much fondness and :((( i am so SAD.

sings to you a lot. especially by means of comfort. sure, he'll burst into an impromptu dance and song number that's so ridiculous, so silly, but so entertaining that it's bound to put a smile on your face (his ulterior motives all along muahahahaaa!).

he also sings you lullabies. especially when you have a nightmare that's shaken you badly enough to tears. he's by your side in an instant, shushing you gently, wiping your face and reassuring you that he's there and that he won't let anything hurt you, ever.

movie night cuddles! if you and yui fall asleep before him, he'll adjust so you're all in one big cuddle pile. in the following morning he'll lightheartedly complain about it, but trust me. it's his favorite thing ever. (being curled up and cozy and safe with the two biggest centers of his universe.)

takes you to see your favorite uncles, aunties, and grampa splinter! sometimes he'll sit back and just watch you interact with them, his Proud Dad™ aura threatening to soften him and everyone in his closest vicinity to mush, and only snaps out of it when met with a teasing quip from one of his siblings.

casey is the cool nomad older brother/uncle figure who visits every so often and he's just, so exceedingly cool to you. he brings you souvenirs from his travels and spends a lot of quality time with you - y'all's relationship is lighthearted and fun loving!

—and leo cries because his kids omg his- their kids are so stinkin cute and wholesome and yui yui,,they really built themselves their castle on the hill didn't they omgomgomgomg guaaaaueueueuueue *cue rabbit paw shoulder pats of support*

because of leo's insomnia, he's your constant nighttime company. on the nights where sleep just doesn't come so easily, you can count to find him lounging about in the house somewhere. he'll fret gently if he sees you awake at an ungodly hour, but ultimately welcomes you with open arms.

▹▹ p. s. his chest is a prime cuddle-hug-back-to-sleep haven. with his deep churrs, one large hand rubbing comfortingly over your back, the warmth that creates coupled with the natural coolness from his body - it'll have you out like a light. worked when you were younger, works now. always will.

always the jokester, sooososo many jokes and lighthearted teasing with this guy. of course we know his jokes are insufferably constant (what? he's a dad now! he can ACTUALLY USE DAD JOKES AND THEY'LL ACTUALLY HIT HOME!!), but get this: the teasing - while good-natured - comes with the afterthought of teaching you subconsciously to hold your ground. it's his way of "raising you tough."

howbeit: if you're naturally sensitive, leo will protect it with all he's got. reassures you that sensitivity does not equal weakness and gets his esteemed example to deepen those teachings!

(( "look at uncle angie!! he cried over the fact that snakes don't have any arms yesterday. (/ref + /lh) and he's one of the strongest in our hamato-usagi battalion!"

"why would you say tone indicators out loud, papa?" ))

it's just— the world can be a dark and unforgiving place, with even darker and more unforgiving people.

as much as it pains him, he knows him and yuichi aren't always going to be there to protect you from every little thing. forever seems like it right now, but you still have so much growing to do.

he wants to make sure you'll be able to hold your own. not only physically, but emotionally/verbally.

the principles and lessons he teaches you are tidbits of gold that shape your mind and future and you carry them with you for a long time to come, whether you know it or not.

to conclude this- trust. you definitely know how to fight. at the very most defend yourself and others if need be !! i mean c'mon: you're the heir to a ninja and a samurai ! you know how to throw a punch just as well as you can parry it.

while they teach you the core value of never starting the fight and walking away to deescalate, they also teach you to kick names and take ass. (/ref) ain't nobody messin' with you, champ. 😎

—and if they do? they have a wholeeee clan to deal with now. because anyone who has a problem with you has a problem with all of your family — both sides.

in living out their motto, anata wo hitori janai, with you — he seems to relearn it in a special way each and every time.

and he wouldn't have it any other way. <3

yuichi 🍇

doesn’t always use pet names, but he says your name so fondly all the time – just beholds you like you’re the absolute treasure of his life (which you basically are tbh) – it feels like an endearment all its own.

your gentle force: he’s the one you turn to when everything gets too loud, too harsh, too overwhelming, too much.

y’all are mad in tune; all it takes is one look (not specifically in the eyes).

he’d pull you close. his fur is warm, soft, smells like tea leaves and incense and home.

given the situation – if you wanted silence, that’s what he’d give you.

if you needed something other than the ringing in your ears, something other than your mind, he hums.

he hums, pets your head, rocks you back and forth – right there in his lap. (you’ll never be too big, too old, for them to hold you.)

if you don't prefer being held, he'll give you your space. rest assured, he's respectful just like leo and doesn't ever want to make you uncomfortable. but he does stay close. if you ever need him, he'll always be close by.

even if you guys don't talk, it's just reassuring having his presence close by. to know you're not (and never will be) alone.

he holds you .... in a different way. 🥹

if you need words, he tells you every little thing he loves about you. tells you why you’re his.

he tells you how he admires you– not only as his child, but as an individual.

he reminds you that you will always have a place in his heart, nestled right between leo.

for all his harebrained-ness (see what i did there? *wheeze, knee slap*) – there’s no second-guessing his intense fondness for you. alongside leo, you're his heart and he moves in it every single day.

his friends are all your godparents.

now hear me out: yes, they could all be your aunties/uncles, and in a way they are!!

i mean, that's what you call them sometimes too! but gen, chisa and kitsune are his platonic soulmates. they just... locked in. 🔐🫂

so they're all just that little bit closer than your standard "auntie" and "uncle." ❤️‍🩹

they're your favorite babysitters. on yuichi's side of the family, anyway!

yui is a bit of a klutz, but somehow. he always. manages. to catch you. before you fall. before you even have the chance to trip up!

chalk it up to his samurai honed skills, his training paying off, his newfound parental instincts, a whirlwind of all three! he will gladly fall ass over kettle because he'll be damned if you're at risk to gain a scratch or two on his watch.

onlookers would suspect that leo is the more "involved" parent between them both, but that's a load of crock.

be it because yui's aura isn't as imposing as his beloved turtle counterpart that leads to this train of thought or not, it couldn't be farther from the truth! yui is the one who's constantly hovering (/pos).

he moves seamlessly, as natural as air, through the movements of your life that sometimes... it can almost seem like he isn't there. but like air, you know he's there, and you reap the benefits every single day.

cuddles with him are supreme as well! he's fluffy and warm. his embrace just speaks volumes of safety and familiarity.

every time you're near him you feel a little sleepy because it's so warm and safe :(( especially if you're not feeling too good! when you're feeling under the weather, he's the first you subconsciously seek out :'((((((

makes sure you're getting your food groups every single day. fruit and veggie platters, afternoons spent in the garden outside of your home, sunshine and the smell of fresh soil and sliced cucumbers are what made your childhood summers just that more magical.

scolds leo if he feeds you too much junk loll.

yuichi is like your vitamin, both figuratively and literally. he's learned so much from growing up on the farm with his grandmother, natural remedies are his forte.

in this additional sense, he teaches you farm work. four times out of ten, it ends in disaster, maybe or maybe not including a massacred watermelon grove, but through trial and error, you've managed to keep a good portion of accurate agriculture and gardening knowledge ingrained in the long-term area of your brain. 🙏🏼

gets nervous when you go out :(( he's of course happy that you get your freedom, but he can't help but to feel antsy whenever you're out of he and leo's sights; it's not that he doesn't trust you, he's just a worrywart /aff.

so! without fail, each time: before you go out, he'll kneel down to gently bonk foreheads with you, closes his eyes, and speaks an old Japanese blessing of safety and wellbeing over you. something he learned from his grandmother.

whereas leo is ecstatic to teach you the way of the sword (and is methodical with it too dw), yuichi may as well faint himself into a coma each time.

he gets much better when you're older, of course, even teaches you himself. but when you were younger? heeeheesh.... nobody. will forget the incident at the 6th Birthday Party Swordsmanship Knighthood Round Table Esk Extravaganza.

(fake blood was involved. a lighthearted prank gone wrong amidst the already electric atmosphere of cake and fun. a prank gone hard hearted, if you will. yuichi fainted twice, vomited once, and catapulted leo out of a window. the pigs got out of the pen. the koi fish were fished out of the pond. law enforcement was contacted. donnie's confetti canons backfired at one point. you guys are still finding glitter in random spots in the house to this day. it was madness.)

takes you on hikes and new adventures! you guys are always getting into something, whether it's discovering a new shadow dancing group in town's square or accidentally liberating a herd of cattle from a neighboring farmhouse auction, these make the best memories with him. because he exuded glee and held you close the entire time.

in calm moments, yui would recount tales of his ancestors to you. especially that of his great great grandfather (?? how many greats were there I'm sorry ajshdjd) - while you look up at him in wonder.

and in moments when you're not looking- he looks at you in wonder too. a wonder that only a parent could hold for their beloved child.

—

your dads sing to you. they both do that a lot, actually.

i imagine you get so used to hearing a little croon here, a gentle hum there … so much so that pure radio silence settles discomfort in your bones. there was always something.

even the little things that nudge you a reminder in the subconscious voices of your parents: you're here, you're alive, we're here for you, we'll always be here for you, i love you.

their songs make your outlook on life a little lighter. something more melodic. like the songs they sing you.

home becomes a song to you, unconsciously.

if someone were to ask you to define home to you . . .

it’s the bone-crushing hugs of your turtle dad. the deep, all-encompassing warmth. the smell of tea leaves, incense, bamboo wood – the sound of soft laughter, sing-songy words, horrendous dad jokes and endless puns. the constant words of affirmation that pick you up in your lowest moments and raise you even higher at your best. the gentle forehead bonks. both: sci-fi comics series and legends of samurai and ninja alike as wondrous bedtime stories. warm eyes, even warmer hands grasping yours. reassurance. safety. the love of your family.

love incarnate.

storge.

home is love. love is home.

—

with parents like them,

you will never go hungry.

you will never cry nor be alone.

you will never fight with nobody by your side.

you will never be unwanted.

you will never sing songs of your sorrow without it being sunrisen by joy.

you will never, ever go unloved.

you're the brightest light in their lives and they make sure you know it, every single day! 🌟

#leochi #leochi x child reader #platonic leochi x reader #leochi as adoptive parents #platonic rise leonardo x reader #platonic yuichi x reader #samurai rabbit #samurai rabbit the usagi chronicles #platonic rottmnt x reader #platonic samurai rabbit x reader #rottmnt #zeepie beep : fandom! ⭒๋࣭ ⭑🖋˚𔓘｡#found family

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yellowhollyhock · 7 months

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Raph and Mikey

Chaos gremlins banter bros trash talkers prank players. Oldest and youngest duo (yes I’m on my 2003 oldest Raph agenda again (still)). They have such a special bond.

No because listen these two both have special bonds with everyone, don’t they? Raph is Leo’s confidante, Mikey is his hero (and his baby). Donnie needs Raph’s strength like he needs Mikey’s smiles. These two both take such good care of their family.

And they are such jerks to each other lol

They sometimes have a difficult relationship, and I do think part of this is Raph low key trying to parent Mikey. The times when he smacks him? Usually when he’s just said something inappropriate (demonstrating a lack of awareness for someone’s feelings, bringing humor to a setting it doesn’t belong, etc). It is normal for a small teenager to say inappropriate things. It is also normal for a small teenager to be the worst ever at correcting those things in a way that’s, y’know. Appropriate.

And Mikey picks on Raph so much. If that isn’t the class clown sniffing out the authority figure and giving him heck I don’t know what is.

But all of this bickering is so deeply enmeshed in purposefully fun banter and the very sweetest moments. They are the frenemies ever and that’s so sibling of them. And when they grow up and both learn that it’s actually healthy and good to express love in a loving way? They aboutta give the whole family cavities.

This is a difficult dynamic to write because there is so much and so many emotions going on in any given interaction. The resentment and annoyance is so real (remember being fifteen with siblings, anyone? Remember how genuinely hard that was?), but the unconditional love runs deep and the enjoyment is real too (remember? Being fifteen? With siblings? Anyone?)

Also we have to remember that Mikey is Raph’s favorite no matter what he says. He admits it right at the start (“Even you, Mikey. Especially you”). And in Back to the Sewers (I’m sorry for bringing it up), when the boys are possessed, everyone else regains control through memories of Splinter. Raph gains control through memories of Mikey. In my heart I believe parentified Raph didn’t start with Rise. Raph who babies Mikey so much he accidentally drives him away a little didn’t come from nowhere. All of the Raphs have some level of this going on with Mikey, Rise is just a cuddlier presentation. And I guess some of the softest, strongest, most sensitive people I know who protect their loved ones like bears present a lot more like 03 Raph. Don’t get me wrong, openly sweet people are a blessing for everyone. We should all be more openly sweet. But don’t forget about the gruff little guys who don’t even realize they’re presenting as prickly because it’s such an instinctive natural armor to protect their golden core.

Anyway I love imagining these two grow up together. I love thinking about them helping each other process what they’ve been through and forcing Leo and Donnie to do the same. Love to daydream about them taking care of Master Splinter as he ages while Leo’s busy with ninja things and Donnie’s at work with April. Thinking about Raph helping Mikey process such a huge phase in their lives being over, what it means to grow up and who he’s supposed to be if his brothers are busy having their own lives. May or may not be planning a story where Mikey falls in love in his thirties and Raph, who coached him through their twenties, is so supportive, sappy, and secretly devastated because oh look, now he’s alone and he’s gonna find out if he actually believes what he kept telling Mikey about how they’d always be brothers, always be a team, even if they go their ways and don’t see each other as often. Love to imagine Mikey and his partner having an extra room for Raphie Boy because Mikey still needs him. Maybe they adopt and Uncle Raph teaches their angry little teenager about how their dad only teases because he cares, it’s okay to yell if you need to, kid, and never forget your family’s always here for you. Did I ever tell you about when your Pa became the Turtle Titan? No I don’t mean what he told you I mean how obnoxious he was about it, and how his ego finally came down a notch when he met a fan from the future. Sit down, kid. It’s story time.

So as you can tell I care them a normal amount

Favorite moments:

The Pipe Incident (ow)

Raph’s memories of Mikey bringing him back, mentioned above

Leo gives a little speech about family

Mikey: Leo, that was off the charts on the sap-o-meter

Raph, smacks him: Shut up, Mikey, Leo’s right. (yes Raph, Leo is Right, but do you see how you’re proving a point about how important family is to you by being mean to your brother. Do you see. Oh nevermind you’re fifteen)

In April’s artifact when Mikey keeps making fun of Raph for being scared of bugs, but then Raph gets stung and Mikey is horrified (Raphie! 😮 😢)

And in the same vein when Mikey hurts his ankle and Raph freaks out upon seeing him

Mikey: tell Raph he’s always been…

Raph: What? Mikey, I’m here

Mikey: A big cheesehead 😁

#tmnt #tmnt 2003 #2003 mikey #2003 raph #2003 tmnt family dynamics

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taiturner · 2 years

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if you still do these, top 5 twdu characters you'd like to see appear on tales of the walking dead :)

I’ll always accept top 5s!! And this is such a great question. In general, I’ve mostly been looking forward to Tales for the new characters it’s going to establish, because TWD is such a huge universe, and there’s so much potential beyond the characters we already know, so I haven’t thought about it much, but I do have some ideas that come to mind :)

Going to answer with groups rather than individual characters because it just makes sense. (And yes I’m 100% aware I have unpopular tastes in characters along the lines of what most fans would call “boring,” so I’m not holding onto any hope that these may actually happen, but this is my silly little blog I made for my silly little favorite characters).

First is obviously the Bennett family, they’re my favorite TWDU family across the board and I’m really interested in all of their story. Of course I’d like to see what they’re up to in present day, but I’m mostly interested in a backstory of the Campus Colony through the lens of the Bennetts. How did they secure the place, how did they establish their new normalcy? They seem to be living as “normal” lives as they could between the classes and the jobs and the housing, etc., so I’m super interested in that. But with the Bennetts specifically, it seems that Felix was almost helping Leo co parent in a way after Kari passed, and I just really love that whole dynamic so I’d love to see that, plus of course how Leo got started on his research and eventually how he was recruited by the CRM. I love WB for what it was, but I am extremely invested in the Campus Colony community and would love to know more. It’s such a fresh take on a community for the TWDU.

Next is the Sutton family!! It seems to be implied that Earl handled a lot of the construction early on, and I’d love to see that (maybe particularly for my own Earl and Alden father-son agenda in how it compares to Alden immediately stepping up to fortify Hilltop, but you know). Earl with construction and blacksmithing, Tammy with her garden, Kenny just a young kid. I really love Earl and Tammy Rose’s banter so I just want more of them in general - and Earl’s death is probably my favorite death scene in the show because it was just really perfect imo, with the way he was able to mention all of his family, so I’m invested in that. (Of course I’d love to see Alden again but I have 0 interest in seeing anything of the Saviors, even though I doubt he’d be included in that narrative anyway, given that he was a worker there and not a soldier, but… if there was a way to bring him back for Tales it’d definitely be alongside the Suttons in some capacity; obviously not holding my breath since the majority of the fandom hates him for existing but I’d be a sham if I didn’t mention my favorite little guy).

Sasha and Tyreese in their doomsday bunker at the beginning of the apocalypse. They mentioned their neighbor having a doomsday bunker once and I have never forgotten— doomsday bunkers seem like an essential story to tell in this universe, so I’m antsy to hear about one (though from synopsizes, it seems like there will be a story about one? So that’s exciting). Sasha is one of my all time favorites in general and I adore Tyreese, and I especially adore their relationship, so I think this would be a really fun episode for me. And probably the most realistic of my list, honestly.

5x05 of Fear is so special to me so Althea and Isabelle currently have such a good opportunity to follow. I know Maggie left the show for personal reasons, but they obviously kept Al alive for a reason too, so I do wonder if they have this idea in their back pocket because obviously their chemistry is so fun, there's so much going on with them, and it's a way to keep establishing CRM stuff without giving too much that it crams whatever bigger story is at play. I would just love to see them again now that they're actually together, not on opposite sides, etc. And I just love both the individual characters so much anyway.

I’d love to follow Tony and Percy pre-WB. I loved them as characters on WB and I loved watching Percy’s character development, but I think it’d be so fun to watch them and their scheming pre-show. There’s a lot of opportunity there with them coming across other groups of people that could potentially be really fun.

Some honorable mentions to Kelly / Magna / Connie / Luke / Yumiko / Bernie group because they’ve hinted at some fun backstories (and I love every single one of these characters so much so I’d personally have a blast), the Monroe family, Tomi settling into the Commonwealth after his big lie, Jesus (literally anything, he’s always fun to watch).

I feel like I’m probably missing some big ones I’ve thought about a time or two, but these were at the top of my mind!

#carlschandler #answered #ty so much for asking 🥺

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auroras-blend · 3 years

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Playdate Bonus Chapter

*Small excerpt of Leo's POV from the Playdate chapter. All of Mazzeo's dialogue is spoken in Italian but given the amount and length (cause he talks a lot), I translated it into English.

Leonardo was a picture-perfect host with a genuine-looking smile on his face. Anyone who saw him would immediately feel welcomed with open arms into his home, ready and delighted to receive his hospitality. If only he felt as generous on the inside. Vittoria was bouncing beside him, a true happy grin brightening her face. It was the happiest he had ever seen her. Unfortunately for him, it came at his expense.

He had put off arranging a playdate with Signore Mazzeo’s granddaughter for as long as he could, but eventually, he had to give in and concede to a date and time. That morning, he had just stared at the top of the fridge at the little note that said: “Playdate with the Mazzeo's” that taunted him with the knowledge that while his daughter got to entertain herself with her new friend, whom he still had reservations about, he had to endure Franco’s long-winded conversations. "Conversation" was a polite word given that Franco did all of the talking, never taking a moment to breathe. Currently, he was giving his unsolicited parenting advice as if he were the finest father in the entire world. One of the things he hated about parenthood was the unsolicited advice people felt entitled to give to him.

“Of course, my parenting experience began before I was ever even a father. I always knew what type of father I wanted to be. Perfect in every sense of the word. There for my kids, never letting our work distract me. My own father…”

Was absent...unaffectionate...yes, yes. You’ve told me already. Leonardo subtly looked over at the grandfather clock, watching the minute hand move so slowly that he could swear it was doing it on purpose. Forty-five more minutes until I have three hours left…

“Then I became a father. Giulia, my firstborn, was an absolute angel. I didn’t want to mess her up so I made time for her, more than I could afford in our line of work. The baby years were such a wonderful time. A true shame you missed out on them, but that’s life. Anyways, I wanted to be a perfect father but that idea faded away. Everything you’ll think you’ll be as a parent fades away when you face the reality and I’ve learned that that’s okay. For instance…”

All I asked was “Would you like something to drink?”...that’s it. What have I done to deserve this? His eyes averted for a moment to see Vittoria and Nicolletta crank the music box again...Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name...He was incredibly resentful that Signora Bianchi bought his daughter that godforsaken music box. She played it nonstop and all he wanted to do was throw it away, but of course, Vittoria always put it back where it was supposed to go. The first and only time she put her toys away, it had to be that damn music box.

“Then Sofia was born and regretfully I wasn’t home as much. I wonder now if I had been home more if they would have turned out differently. Sofia was always the wild one. It’s a night and day difference between her sister and daughter. Giulia was always so even-tempered and Nicolletta causes no trouble. Anyways, I think Sofia was resentful. So I indulged her and that was my big mistake. Indulging your child is one of the worst things you can do. I warn you now…”

Do I indulge Vittoria too much? He knew the answer was yes, but she was always grateful. Vittoria understood and respected the word no, so he figured if he said no then she’d listen. Overall, his daughter was a good girl with a kind demeanor. I can hardly believe that bitch raised her.

“Giulia was the biggest disappointment. I haven’t heard from her in twelve years, not since she left Emilio with me. That blasted girl had the nerve to get herself knocked up with a Mick and then leave him with me. I don’t know if she’s dead or not, but I consider her so. I have to move on for the sake of my grandson…”

Leonardo had known Giulia and from day one knew she was nothing more than a whore. He had seen her twice and was merciful enough to spare Franco the knowledge of what had happened to his eldest daughter. Her body was disgusting. The smell was awful and oh...I need to have the upstairs sink unclogged. I’ll have to add that to the reminders list on the fridge. His fridge had gone from spotless stainless steel to an honorary bulletin board covered with tiny handprints, a hand-drawn picture of Vittoria and him, Principessa Snowbell, several notes, and Vittoria’s school agenda. It looked so drastically different, though he supposed that was how his life had turned out recently.

A loud thud against the seat of a chair startled him out of his thoughts and back to the conversation with Sig. Mazzeo. “Of all people, a MICK! Then there was that good-for-nothing girl. Sofia, I bailed her out too much, and look what happened. She married that good-for-nothing Cardarelli scum. I should’ve had him eliminated when I had the goddamn chance,” he said quickly, his volume rising.

Don’t you need to breathe? For Christ’s sake… “Do not let Vittoria marry whoever she wants. You’re her father, you know who’s best for her…”

Leo opened his mouth but Franco cut him off before a sound could even be formed, “Arrange something. It’s what I should’ve done. Sofia that dumb girl! If her husband had stuck to our traditions, then she wouldn’t be where she is now. I wouldn’t bail her out this time. I draw the line with what she did! Vinnie has respiratory problems now from inhaling that devil’s substance,” Franco continued, taking a moment to cross himself.

Vittoria would never do such a thing. “Which brings me to my next point…”

Murder in front of the girls’ would be unadvisable but he’s making it seem like a more appealing idea. Leonardo’s eyes drifted to the clock again. It’s only been six minutes? Cazzate! The clock must be broken. “I’ve learned from my mistakes and I’m making a better effort to raise my grandchildren. The loves of my life. I miss our work but retiring is the best option. I won’t let my wife do it on her own, no sir. Four children at our age are enough. Our job, our families...it ages you,” the man laughed, “I can see now that fatherhood has graced you with a few extra pounds.”

Excuse me? Leonardo opened his mouth but before he could say anything, that damn man spoke over him, “Nothing to be ashamed of, of course. It was after Sofia when I got my belly. Sig. Donisi lost his hair…”

It was only a couple of pounds. Leonardo had hardly seen a difference in his appearance with the exception of needing to move over a notch in his belt, but that was it! And something had to give in his routine because there were only so many hours in a day. He at least tried to exercise three times a week instead of every day like he used to.

People are over-dramatic. Inside he was seething. The meat cleaver is right next to the stove. “Which reminds me of this one time…”

Jesus Christ! The things I do for Vittoria. I can handle her crying, tantrums, the need for piggyback rides, and almost anything and everything but this? He remembered feeling semi-fortunate that her playdate with Emilio hadn’t worked out, because that meant he didn’t have to invite and entertain Sig. Mazzeo over again. Of course, she just had to make friends with Nicolletta.

“I think you are doing an exceptional job with Vittoria. That poor child, seeing the things she’s seen. You keep her sane when most would go mad,” Mazzeo said, his eyes softening sympathetically.

Before Leonardo could even say thank you, the man continued. He’d do anything to protect Vittoria from madness and madhouses. And anyone who thinks she should be there. Alessia wore scarves quite frequently for the past few weeks as her bruises around her neck faded from blue to yellow. It was her own fault. Suggesting I place Vittoria in a madhouse. Technically she suggested Vittoria see a psychiatrist but that was the same thing in his mind, knowing that they’d try and have her committed. Hell will freeze over before I let that happen. His mother had perished, he’d be damned before that happened to his daughter.

It wasn’t her, nor anyone’s place, to tell me what I should do for my daughter. I know what’s best for her. “Of course when I was a boy things were different…” Sig. Mazzeo began, his voice having a trace of nostalgia.

“Papa!” Vittoria cried, coming running in with Nicolletta hot on her heels, “Can we go outside and play jump rope now?”

Oh thank God, I can speak. Praise Jesus. “Of course, principessa,” he smiled, happy to use his voice for the first time in a while.

And for the last time in the next hour.

#once upon a dream #bonus chapter #leonardo borghese #marilyn winslow #i had an italian translation but i don't think anyone wants to go back and forth between google translate 😂

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axwalker · 4 years

Text

III: The masquerade ball

Synopsis: This is an AU where the monarchy in Cordonia doesn’t longer exist and it has been replaced by a republic. It’s set in the final stages of the presidential race with Senator Liam Rhys competing against Fidelya’s Governor Godfrey Karlington. To assure his son’s victory, Constantine makes an arrangement behind his back for him to marry the rich ambassador’s daughter: Alexis O’Brien. Due to her father’s threats she has no other option that seduce Liam and make him fall in love with her. But what does she really feel?

In this episode: Drake can’t stop thinking about Elena while Liam is struggling with his father’s demands. The ambassador and Constantine explain their plan to Alexis.

To catch up here’s the Masterlist

Warnings: I love drama and chaos so this will probably get dark. In this episode, there is mention of child neglect.

Please note that this is my first series and English is not my first language. I really appreciate ALL comments and feedback.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Pixelberry except for Alexis O’Briens and her horrible father, George O’Brien

@pug-bitch @texaskitten30

Thanks to @mskaneko for the beautiful mood board

Drake woke up thinking about Elena, replaying the night before over and over again; refusing to accept the fact that he might never see her again. At the end of the night, before Drake left her at the restaurant, they had shared a last kiss, as passionate as the ones on the beach. He thought that maybe this time, his luck would change and he would be able to find her. Normally, Drake wouldn’t be optimistic. He always waiting for the worse to happen, but with her, just for this once, he was allowing himself to hope.

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It was the fourth night on a row that Liam Rhys woke up at 3 o’clock, unable to sleep any further. His father had been bothering him about his lack of fiancé since the beginning of the campaign. Liam knew he would have to choose someone soon or Constantine threats to pick a woman for him would become real. Since the day his father offered him Leo’s spot as a Presidential candidate, Liam was aware that having an arraigned marriage was a real possibility, but right now, it felt too tangible. He started wondering if he’ll be able to go through it at all. Could he fall in love someday? Or would he be like his father? Married to a woman he could barely tolerate. Liam loved his country, he wanted to sacrifice everything to follow his father’s steps, fulfill his dreams, but he couldn’t help but wonder if a loveless life was really the only solution. He was so immersed in his thoughts that he was startled by Drake entering the room where they both had their morning meeting every day. His best friend seemed content and was even grinning, something rather unusual for him.

“Hi, man!” Drake stood at the door “Fuck! You look like shit”

Liam chuckled “He! Thanks, Drake, as subtle as usual. I couldn’t sleep last night, I had lunch with father yesterday and it was rather … tense”

Drake grimaced at the mention of Constantine, he knew nothing good could come from a meeting with his “adoptive” father.

“Apparently, according to the polls, I need to become a family man as soon as possible, if I want to win the race”

“I don’t want to alarm you, my future president, but there is no way even you and your legendary charm would be able to pull a whole family in a few months.”

Liam sighed “I need to find a woman and get engaged or, according to my father, preferably married before the election day.”

“And he doesn’t think the people will see right through that?” Drake asked, arching his eyebrows.

“He thinks that if we choose the correct woman, it could look like we fell in love fast and it could raise my chances in the polls, is just…” Liam was standing next to the window, his gaze lost in the horizon before him.

“What Liam?”

“I don’t know if I can pull this trough. You know what it was to grow in a house where the parents hated each other. The five of us suffered enough because of it”

It was Drake’s turn to look out the window pensively. “Well, at least for the first part of my life, Savvy and I actually had a real family. It wasn’t the same for you guys, but I get it.” He turned to face Liam, “you don’t want your kids to grow up the way we did”

“Exactly.” Liam looked straight at Drake and added, “I’m aware that you and Liv took the worst part of it, Drake”

Drake cleared his throat trying to avoid the painful subject of his childhood at the Rhys’s mansion.

“Look, Liam, you have to face your father. Tell him that he doesn’t get to live through you, that you can be president and lead your own life”

“I told him I refuse to have an arraigned marriage, but the problem is that he’s right. I will never be able to win this race a single man. And you know how badly I want to change this country. All the progress I want to make, the laws I want to change…and for that to happen, I need to be president.” He sat on his desk “But, enough about that for now. What’s on the agenda for today?”

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Alexis O’Brien was lost in her thoughts, remembering the day her father had separated her from one of the few people she had ever loved. One day, he had just shipped her to that horrible reformatory in France pompously called “boarding school”. She was only 6 years old at the time, but she could still remember those first years: the solitude, the fear, the tears, and the constant punishments trying to make her the perfect lady that would marry well someday.

And that day had almost arrived.

“Liam Rhys …” She had googled him. He was an extremely handsome man with piercing blue eyes and a dashing smile. In all the photos he seemed like the perfect boyfriend, always wearing the perfect suit with expensive matching shoes. Alexis could bet anything that he was very polite and charming in all circumstances… never letting anyone see what he was really thinking. She had dated guys like that all her life. It was actually the only kind of guy her father allowed her to date until she could free herself at age 18. He pressured her to go out with wealthy boys whose parents had something to give him in exchange. Sadly, Alexis considered herself lucky because he was not trying to sell her to the fathers instead of the sons. Something she knew George O’Brien wasn’t above of. She just couldn’t believe she was trapped again, but the threat he held over her was impossible to ignore. The sound of her father and Constantine Rhys entering the office brought her back to reality.

“Dear Father, Constantine” the sarcasm in her voice was palpable “Here I am, what is the plan exactly?”

George O’Brien was about to respond when Constantine raised his hand. “Please Ambassador, let me explain it to your daughter.” George nodded.

“It is very simple Alexis. As you already know, you’re here to marry my son before the elections so he can be president and we can all win something.” Alexis snorted, but Constantine ignored her and continued.

“The problem is that this generation is filled with men full of romantic ideas that make them weak. Unfortunately for us, both my sons belong to that category. I know that if I imposed you to Liam as his wife, he’d be unable to either go with it, or look the part. The press would spot the lie in five minutes, and he would lose anyway. That’s why we need you to act like a normal suitor. He is aware that tonight there will be some appropriate women for him to choose a fiancé. You are a very beautiful woman, and I have no doubt in my mind that if it is you who seduce Liam, he’ll be charmed. In other words, he’ll feel that he fell in love with you, which will make your couple credible enough for him to win the elections.”

Alexis was furious before such a flagrant display of cynicism “Are you telling me that it doesn’t bother you to lie to your own son like that?”

It was George’s time to speak or rather to yell “That’s enough Alexis! You know very well what’s on stake here. Either you play your part of the bargain or you know who will pay the consequences”

Alexis paled at the threat, but tried to hide her fear answering with all the loath and contempt she was capable in one single sentence: “Don’t worry father, I’ll do it.”

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The ballroom that held the Masquerade was exquisitely decorated, Liam was impressed by the talents of Maxwell Beaumont. It was true that Max didn’t take most things seriously, but he was one hell of a party planner.

Liam started to mingle among the different guests with, as Drake loved to call it, his “candidate’s smile” all over his face. Although Liam was passionate about his country and wanted to make a real difference in it, he hated these events as much as his best friend did. It was always the same people, the same conversations, the same food.

He went to the terrace to have five minutes to himself when he saw an exquisite woman already standing there. She was tall and was wearing a beautiful white dress that suited her perfectly. Her long brown hair was on one side, so he could see her elegant neck and the curve of her back. She must have sensed his presence because she turned around to face him. Her mask was on her face, but he could still see that she had amazing dark eyes, bright and with streaks of gold on them. He looked at her mesmerized for a second.

“Sorry, miss.” Liam cleared his throat. He couldn’t believe how dense he was being, he was more than used to talk to beautiful women, but something about her made him incredibly nervous. She smiled at him.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Rhys. I was just enjoying the view. Cordonia's old castle looks beautiful from here."

"It does indeed, I see that you know who I am, maybe you can tell me your name as well," He said with a charming smile.

She grinned at him "I could but it might be more interesting to maintain the mystery a little longer"

"He, ok. What about this, you ask me one question, and if I guess correctly you tell me your name and you take off your mask"

"Haha!" She laughed with the most musical laugh he had ever heard "Aren't we a little ambitious?” She looked pensive for a second “Ok, one question, and if I like the answer, the name, and the mask go "

"Deal"

“What made you run as a Presidential candidate? And I demand a real answer Mr. Rhys and not the BS you politicians feed to the press.” She grinned with the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.

“Wow, you really don’t go around the bushes.” Liam paused to think before answering, wanting to tell her the truth “At first, it was my father’s dream. He was the grandson of the last Cordonian King, then he was the third elected president. He wanted us, Leo or me, to continue his legacy. He groomed us for it. But it wasn’t until I was a Senator here in Cordonia City that I started to see the importance of politics. I realized that instead of being another spoiled ‘son of’ I could be the person that would help Cordonia to evolve. That I could actually change the future of our nation. And I have a lot of plans for it.”

She could see in his eyes that he was being honest, there was something incredibly inspiring about him.

Liam smiled at her. “So…do I deserve to know you?”

She smiled back, taking off her mask at the same time. “My name is Alexis O’Brien”

Drake was standing next to the bar still thinking about the night before when he saw Liam talking to a woman. She was dressed in white and wearing a mask, but he could guess that she was beautiful. Liam seemed completely smitten by her. That thought made him happy. Liam deserved to find someone he’ll really love and who will love him in return, Drake knew how scared Liam was at the thought of living in a loveless marriage. He watched Liam say something to the woman’s ear, making her laugh. She definitely seemed as smitten as he was. They were both completely captivated by each other. Drake was about to turn around and give them some privacy when the woman grinned, taking off her mask.

Drake couldn’t believe his eyes. It was Elena.

#liam x mc #drakexmc #trr #drake x mc #axwalker writes #the trade

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annabethfuckingchase · 4 years

Text

The Princess and the Half Bloods Part Three

Annabeth was of no use to anyone right now. It wasn’t a feeling she was familiar with. The boys didn’t need help setting up and Chiron’s set up was too advanced for her to operate yet. She’d never had reason to examine it before, but she vowed to look it up later. Either way, she couldn’t do anything at the moment, so she sat at the bar next to a portly man with graying hair, drowning his sorrows in what smelled like an entire bottle of whiskey. She scooted a little further away from him.

It was nearly time for the audition; Leo had just finished setting up his drum set, refusing help from anybody. “Leo Valdez is the only one to lay hands on this equipment,” he’d stated proudly when Annabeth offered to help. Jason took that opportunity to point out the other piece of Leo’s equipment that only Leo ever laid hands on. He responded in kind, asking Jason if he wanted the honor himself. Annabeth sighed to herself and thanked every god she knew that Chiron was too busy setting up the lights and sound system to hear their exchange.

The anxious feeling that she needed to be doing something only grew as they came closer to being ready for the audition to start. She was bouncing her leg against the barstool, hard enough that it moved her whole body. She was too keyed up, too nervous. She needed to calm down.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” she announced to no one in particular. The man sitting next to her lifted his drink to her and then downed the rest.

She made her way down the back hallway, bypassing the restrooms and continuing on to the back exit. She was already digging in the bottom of her purse as she shouldered her way out. Her fingers found the pack and she pulled it out, tapping the bottom against the heel of her palm.

She’d just put the cigarette in her mouth to hold while she searched for her lighter when a voice spoke from the shadows beside her. “Need a light?” Annabeth squeaked in surprise, whirling to search for whoever had spoken. Not that there was any doubt who it was.

Percy leaned against the wall of the bar, watching her. He held out a lighter. She relaxed her frozen posture and cleared her throat. “Yes, thank you.” She took the lighter and lit up, taking a long drag before handing it back.

“So class prez does have a dirty little secret,” he mused, pocketing the lighter.

“I’m not even class president,” she said, spilling smoke as she did. “And it’s hardly a secret. Except from my family of course. I am trying to quit, though. Not cost effective.”

“Good. Smoking is bad for you, you know,” Percy replied, reaching for his back pocket. “It kills your lungs.” He pulled out a pack of his own. “Gives you cancer.” Took out a cigarette. “Kills you slow.” Put it in his mouth. “It’s a bad habit.” Lit it and took a drag. “Filthy, really.” Looked her over in a way that made heat blossom in her chest.

“Correct on all counts. But you forgot their way of making everything seem more manageable,” Annabeth said. “The grounding effect.”

“This is true. I’d pay quite a bit of money for that feeling. Well, more than I already do.”

“This is my last pack, then I’m quitting, I swear it. At least until finals, anyway.” Percy laughed, loud and deep. The rich sound wrapped around Annabeth and pulled the sides of her smile even wider.

“Maybe I’ll do it with you. At least until finals,” he winked.

“How does Rachel feel about your smoking?” Annabeth asked, curious. She’d never have guessed that Earth and health conscious Rachel Dare would date a smoker.

He made a face and looked down at his shoes, seeming to slump lower against the wall. “She’s not a fan, to put it lightly.”

“Oh.” Percy didn’t look back up at her, keeping his eyes on the ground. She didn’t know what had been said to make Percy look so glum, but she was sure it was her fault. Maybe he and Rachel fought about his smoking more often than she had thought. “Bet I can go longer without a smoke than you can,” she challenged in an effort to get him to smile again. Bets between them had been common when they were younger.

Percy remembered and immediately brightened, eager for the challenge. “You’re on, Princess.”

They counted down their last puffs together and put out their cigarettes at the same time. The bet was on.

It was considerably darker in the bar than it was outside, and it took Annabeth’s eyes a minute to adjust. When they did, it appeared that everyone had finished setting up. Percy took up position at the front of the slightly raised area in the back of the bar that served as a stage, with Jason on his right and Leo in the back. Annabeth watched from one of the tables in the middle of the bar and they waited for Chiron to take the chair opposite hers to begin.

“We’re going to start with a cover of Anthem Part Two by Blink 182,” Percy said into the microphone. Jason started playing right at the same moment Leo started hitting the drums, seeming to move at the speed of light. Then Percy started singing. “Everything has fallen to pieces, Earth is dying, help me Jesus….”

It was funny to watch Chiron’s face transform from annoyed and put upon to a kind of wonderingly impressed expression over the course of the song. Leo was on fire, slamming out the beat, and Jason laid down a beautiful harmony. Percy, of course, was perfect, belting out the song Annabeth had told him to turn down the night before, getting just the right amount of whiney quality into his voice that mimicked the original. Turns out that practice had been important after all.

They let the last cord reverberate around the room and fade away. The man at the bar clapped loudly and Annabeth joined a second later. Chiron schooled his face back to impassiveness. He showed his approval simply by gesturing for them to continue on with the next song. They played an original called Red is the Brightest Color. It was pretty obvious the song was for Percy’s redheaded girlfriend, not that Chiron would know that. But Annabeth did. It took her two seconds too long to start clapping at the end of that one.

They finished, watching at Chiron, waiting for the verdict. He was chewing on his bottom lip, eyebrows furrowed. Percy opened his mouth to break the silence, but paused when Annabeth held up a hand.

Finally, Chiron relaxed his tense position and face. “Okay, okay, you won me over. You guys can really perform. You can play here. We’ll work out a schedule later, maybe you’ll draw in that college crowd on the weekends. Just don’t let it interfere with your schoolwork. I don’t need any angry parents getting on my case.” The boys whooped with joy, and Annabeth allowed herself a brief moment of celebration before getting back to business.

“Thank you so much, Chiron. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure they stay on top of everything. You won’t regret this,” she said, hugging him for the second time that day.

“I believe you, kid. Now beat it, the band playing tonight will be here soon to set up,” Chiron shooed her away.

The boys quickly started packing up, once again refusing to let Annabeth help. “This part isn’t your job,” Percy told her as they put the last of it in the back of Jason’s van. “How did you like the show?”

“It was great. I mean, Chiron approved so it must have been,” she said, checking the time on her phone. Only five fifteen. They had time to kill before they needed to head to Piper’s.

“I didn’t ask if Chiron liked it, I asked if you did.”

“Oh, yes. I mean, yeah of course. I loved your cover.” There was no need to mention that she wasn’t particularly fond of the original they had played. “Blink is probably my favorite band.”

“How does a girl like you end up liking Blink?” he asked in wonder. A girl like her? What the hell did that mean? She doubted he’d meant to offend her, but it came out sounding like an insult. Like she wasn’t cool enough to like punk music. She narrowed her eyes at him. He backtracked quickly. “No, I just mean you don’t seem like the type that would typically like them. Like you seem more like an indie or underground band kind of girl.”

“We did grow up together, Percy. We listened to The Ramones on repeat for hours together. Bought that Green Day CD to share in the bunker together. We were bound to have similar tastes in music.”

“Oh yeah we did. God, those were the days. I remember the day we bought that CD. You were so excited for it, and we begged our parents for half the money each until they relented,” Percy said, mind far away, in a different time.

“And I made us listen to it over and over until we memorized the lyrics to all the songs,” she chuckled. “I think I probably still remember every song on that album.”

“I definitely do. That was the album that convinced me to start playing.”

“It was? I didn’t know that,” Annabeth said, surprised.

“It was. I saw how happy you were listening to it so I decided to learn to play it for you. But then, well, you know….”

“But then,” she repeated softly. Then Luke happened.

An abnormally dark look flitted across Percy’s usually cheerful face, but it was gone by the time Annabeth blinked. "Well Miss Manager, what's next on the agenda?"

Annabeth made a face. "That sounds like I'm not doing a good job. Miss manager, mismanaging."

"Oh yeah it does. Guess we gotta stick with Princess," Percy said with an exaggerated shrug.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Well Piper said no later than ten, so we should get there by at least nine to get everything in the house and set up. We have a solid couple hours before we have to do anything.”

“Let’s get some food then,” Leo said, coming around the side of the van. Annabeth hoped he hadn’t heard Percy call her princess. “I’m starving.”

“Cool, I’ll see you at nine then. I’ll text you the address if you give me your number,” she said, looking back at Percy.

“I don’t think so,” Jason yelled from the driver’s seat, the window down so he could hear the conversation. “It’s band bonding time. You’re coming with us.” He slapped the outside of the door twice.

“I’m not part of the band,” she objected. “Besides, I can’t leave my car here.”

“After pulling all this together for us there’s no denying it. You’re one of us now. Just gotta deal with it. Let’s drop your car off at home and then you can ride with us to the party. Then you can let loose a little, maybe actually have some fun. Jason is DD tonight since he has to take the van back so you can drink all you want,” Percy said. Then he frowned, considering for a moment. “I do still want your number, though.”

Annabeth waffled for a minute, weighing the pros and cons. Pro: she was actually getting along with Percy for the first time in a long while. Years, really. Con: the more time they spent together, the higher the chances of a fight breaking out. Pro: get to know the rest of the band better. Con: they might want to get to know her better too, which meant answering questions about herself. Pro: drink as much as she wanted without worrying about sobering up enough to make it home. Con: she’d be putting off her schoolwork for another night. Pro: food.

That last one won her over. “Yeah, let’s go get some food. And I should probably have all your numbers, actually.”

“Awesome, we’ll meet you at home then,” Percy said, jumping in the back of the van with the instruments and slamming the door as Jason gunned it, laughing as Percy lost his balance.

Jason, already knowing where Percy- and therefore Annabeth- lived, didn’t slow down to wait for her to catch up. They were all still in the van when she pulled up in front of her house, Sum 41’s Hell Song blasting out of the open windows. “There she is!” Leo yelled to be heard over the music. The side door to the van slid open to reveal Percy, crouching under the van’s low ceiling.

“There are no seats back here,” Annabeth stated the obvious. She hadn’t noticed when they were packing the equipment up.

“Yeah, it’s an old van. Don’t worry, you’ll be perfectly safe,” Percy tried coaxing her in.

“I’m a great driver,” Jason assured her. She was extremely skeptical after having watched him pull out away from The Big House but climbed in next to Percy anyway. They sat on the floor, facing each other with their backs to either wall of the van. Jason lurched away from the sidewalk.

“Alright, give me your phones so I can put my number in,” she said once she was confident that Jason’s driving was decent. She still wasn’t a fan, but at least he wasn’t going to kill them all. They all obliged, and she programmed her number in, sending texts of their names to herself from each so she would have theirs, too.

They pulled up in front of a pizza parlor not too far from the school and Jason cut the engine. The sudden lack of music made Annabeth’s ears ring and her chest feel empty.

“How do I open this?” she demanded after a couple unsuccessful tries to pry open the sliding door.

“Oh, you just have to jiggle the handle up and down. Here, I’ll show you.” He pressed close behind her so he could reach around her, putting one hand on her shoulder for balance. She stiffened under his touch and he let go quickly. “Sorry,” he mumbled, jerking the door to the side.

Inside the parlor it was dark and loud, clearly a college student hangout. They’d clearly come in the middle of the dinner rush. The place was nearly full and it took a bit of looking to find an empty table that was clean.They took a seat in the back corner booth, Jason and Leo on one side and Annabeth boxed in by Percy on the other.

“So, Annabeth,” Leo started. Annabeth sighed quietly, waiting for the inquisition to start. “Settle an argument for us.” Wait, what? “What do you put on your pizza?”

“Don’t drag her into this,” Percy warned, but he had a slightly smug look on his face, like he’d already won.

“Afraid you’ll be further outnumbered, Jackson?” Jason asked.

“Okay then, fine. Tell us, Annabeth, what kind of pizza do you prefer?”

“Extra cheese and that’s it. Same as you,” she answered, confused. Percy already knew all her favorites, and she his.

“Are you kidding me?” Leo groaned.

“That is the most boring option you could’ve chosen,” Jason commiserated.

Now she understood Percy’s expression. “I see, you hoped to use me as ammo against Percy’s pizza preferences. This didn’t turn out well for either of you, did it?” Annabeth laughed with Percy. “What do you guys put on your pizza?”

“Leo puts jalapenos on his, and Jason is a fan of Hawaiian,” Percy chuckled.

“Horrifying, honestly,” Annabeth said, faking disgust.

“Fine, I suppose it’s one one half jalapeno and one half Hawaiian and one extra cheese pizza,” Jason shook his head in defeat.

“Sounds good to me. I’m going to go smoke before we eat. Excuse me, Percy,” she said, turning to face him.

“You smoke?” Leo asked, surprised.

“Not anymore,” Percy answered for her, a twinkle in his eye as he looked down at her.

“Oh, fuck, that’s right,” she muttered. She cursed herself for coming up with this stupid bet.

“You smoke and you say fuck?” Leo looked scandalized. “That class president front is just a lie then?”

“I’m not even the class president!” Annabeth said, exasperated.

“You’re not? Wow, I should really figure out who the class president is then.”

They were all still laughing when the waiter came to take their order. Percy put his arm on the back of the booth seat and Annabeth settled into a comfortable rhythm of getting to know the boys and letting them know her. She found herself relaxing, even without the help of a cigarette.

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schoupenermonde-blog · 5 years

Text

de trut

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uhuru wa kenyatta just brided the japanis minister with the petty theft cash dude

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ACYBGNRNge6U0O1kR7lWWzsJRq6epz-O4Q:1568215214037&q=yesterday+uhuru+greeting+japan+minister&tbm=isch&source=univ&client=firefox-b-d&sxsrf=ACYBGNRNge6U0O1kR7lWWzsJRq6epz-O4Q:1568215214037&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjjiI72iMnkAhUFi1wKHee3CycQsAR6BAgJEAE&biw=1280&bih=922

https://copia.co.ke/product/generic-bluetooth-usb-2-0-micro-adapter-dongle-black/?utm_source=adwords&utm_campaign=Sales-Display-23&utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_tgt=aud-781241668066&hsa_src=d&hsa_ad=373211437673&hsa_ver=3&hsa_cam=2078535319&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_acc=9295523470&hsa_grp=75442656934&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIje2lv8jK5AIVzcPeCh0psAQtEAEYASABEgICvPD_BwE Planes should be made in a search away that they can all land in water of the seas/lakes when all went bad to stop plane crush. Engineers like kebbi and Associates who also say they are farmers have came up with a new approach. In-fact last summer he was seen in Wichita at Spirit Airbus company but the authorities were on him like never b4 as if he was stalking a woman. The associates corner says that the plane tire ought to be like in the old model car in the link above like on old model Volkswagen, the coming out wheel should be on the plane egde for the rear wheel but on the front where the head of the plane should slant a little bit up to allow the titr come out on water and to avoid water getting in as if it were plain. Friends this is awesome and achievable once the thwarter has cut the belt on the alternator to stop charging the cells or any other underlying reasons that lead to plane fall. Click the link below 4 more information https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=old+model+cars+photos https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ACYBGNSDsKQPwakP2vn1ZgdVjyyyhJ8lFw:1568266729946&q=old+model+cars+photos&tbm=isch&source=univ&client=firefox-b-d&sxsrf=ACYBGNSDsKQPwakP2vn1ZgdVjyyyhJ8lFw:1568266729946&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiBy-fqyMrkAhWHFMAKHb2UBS4QsAR6BAgHEAE&biw=1280&bih=922

sunshine updates pamela alexandria - YouTubeyoutube.comWrite on youtube search bar sunshine updates Pamela Alexandria then you come to see the woman and his pals on her comment and many other women in sunshine updates which as well you write on the youtube bar. click the link below 4 more infor

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sunshine+updates+pamela+alexandria What is you-tube bar? Click the links below to redirect you. https://www.google.com/search?q=WHAT+IS+YOUTUBE+BAR&oq=WHAT+IS+YOUTUBE+BAR&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.6576j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 https://www.google.com/search?q=HOW+TO+SIGN+UP+ON+A+TWITTER&oq=HOW+TO+SIGN+UP+ON+A+TWITTER&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.8505j0j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ACYBGNREyb1Vnuwo3PxA7e1cmxB6l1JzuA%3A1568297780950&ei=NFN6XdDSOc6alwSY45aQBA&q=how+to+change+a+twitter+password&oq=HOW+TO+CHANGE++A+TWITTER+PAS&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0j0i22i30l9.18585.28239..30095...0.2..0.526.3644.2-11j1j0j1......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i71j0i13j0i13i30j0i7i30.SCoZ8nocups With plane tire that can land on water it can be remote controlled from above as the plane engine that rotates that wheel should be myogenic not connected to the plane gears above. To bring it out and in. That space that houses that engine wheel should be hollow 4 water not to rush in and still that plane can land on water. In the 1st scenario the forehead part should slant like the bonet of a plane to avoid friction with water which can make the plane to crumble and still fall on water. Achayo gi nyong'o hebu winja nena eee nyako ni, miyo tello, ng'ata, kata ostin moro cha wacho kamano. Nyili te manyien kisumo kadho kuomwa mokwong'o baba. Its a secrete agenda swears chumvi nyili says adrian. Wanmwakuong'o yawo gi b4 jomoko, kata migoshi. Winja nena ibe gima-awinjo tello

The whitedent paste from Tz is all-over the continent and Tz is rich out of this not to mention effective surgical spirit so many opt for their goods. Its a gimmick of the Hindu coz they got that blood to build up that nation and leave nations like Kenya with fake goods behind. Kamba hate loving a woman very much, provided its not known that woman can come to your hse once you have notified her you are good to go. Unatoboka mwanangu, dont let ya love to be on air even if it means a persons wife. Chota mtu wangu and dont let it be remoured, let it be a secrete dude. Your car or hse can be gotten into, the keys sold in Kenya even-though are written made in china, they are made here within, they have known how to make such. They give you 3 keys yet they remain with 1, which within the estate or parking lot they facilitate petty theft. Mark you locks got serial no, even if you buy one from far they trace you and send it in a courier to their own the other side to facilitate the same. The best way is to put an alarm system as and wireless camera under strong lights on the door to signify you if their is an intruder around or your premise was gotten into period. They even lias with gate man and fellow these money they bribe with people like Theresa may or Swiss president or build with it their cities and claim superiority. How absurd is this dude!! Now they got computer with line slot on the keyboard dude and one without outer CPU, the CPU is within the monitor. Technology high dude.

Ma-lando eeye chalo gi-toyota porte, ber to-not that tight, we abwasne achayo marateng no- eeye miyo, obi-elie jokanyama swears nashon bro.

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disastor from the north in the bible is North Korea, their kids out of intermarriage are luo, some kalenjin, some mixture of both and kisii, they disturb on food issues, wanting to eat in ya house by force. Women with barnabas and king of the jew with christ. Luo women ejaculation you miss but they have made such in Developed nation, luo women blooded whose ejaculation is the same with the black ones in nyanza, bare, bar kalare. It tires you if you do it daily but after long you long/miss it, sweetest are Germans, Eskimos, Estonia, maldova, malaysia swana, Toro, Karamajong or uragwey, embu, kalenjins, kuwait, brazil among many other i havent taste to give you report. Click the link below 4 more information!!!

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+4%3A5-31&version=NIV

And also the missile and the 4 in 1 drone and the rockets made disturbing the world peace bro.

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Lennie Miller Why are u covering up ? Never cover beauty! Specially when U love to fluent it! in its entirety So Stay true to urself and ur style that what’s making U! if U understand the words that is coming out my mouth Anyway Simply Marvelous🌹

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Wesley Smith

You have beautiful God given breasts. Stop covering them with your hands….

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Larry Loveless

You look amazing in everything you wear,, so I know your birthday suit is mind blowing.

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Heriberto Artalejo

You look super gorgeous!

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· 19h

Odrobina Attila

Perfect match. Your size and the the covers as well… :-) I love both of them… <3

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Edwin Montalvo

I believe it looks great on you but it’s up to you to wear it

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Jimmy Jean Jacqués Zora

my darling, my heart you are perfect sketches, appetizing, a pralines, you are sweet. me perso I kiff

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الحنين ال الماضي المياحي

But he is very beautiful you are wonderful in it

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Silvestre Alcaraz

Perfect size

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Pete Cruz

Perfect size

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Chico Martell

perfect size

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Steve Watkins

Looks fine size is perfect!

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Top fan

Josh Isom

Good lordy. “Clapping hands”.

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Leo Carlos

Never apologize for looking fine

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Jake Stanley

No, no honey …ALL good with that size! 😍

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Gilberto Morente

You are a goddess 😍😍😘

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Troy Simon

Keep it Boo!! Wear it 2 Baton Rouge when you come.

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Lorenzo Palmer

Wear the outfit around the house boo

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Timothy Manning

Smaller outfit for you

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Moises Melendez

Perfect short dress two pieces.color..is awesome chick modelo on time.

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Patricio Rodriguez

Eres Eskisita muñequita Saludos hermosa

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Dick Cook

Outfit is perfect

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Michael Leftwich

I never liked blue until now.

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David Woods

Hold on to it, one day, it will come in handy!

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Fred Kennedy

I like it without an outfit

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Joel Jimenez

Pull down your outfit baby

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Ericgael Santiago

lindas piernas y lindo trasero

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Robert Stone

Oh my god, I’m loving these outfits tho, when she turn around & all tht cake jiggle, my G, tht shit is legendary, I kno I sound like a big ol pervert, but I dont care, I dont, I really dont

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Tranga Stieko

Ooh we don’t mind that at all.😁

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Fernando Cruz Valdez

Qué azul está mi cielo hermoso

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Timothy Adams

Looks kinda tight on you.

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Mychal Sheffield

Mother Nature was good to u

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Ke rica esta bebe ke hermosas mami

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Brian Kennedy

Have you ever done nudes? If so where can I find them?

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Robert Davila

K hermosas caderas y esa cukita hermosa

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Glenn Francis

Don’t hold the girls back. If they want out then set them free. ☺️

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Bk Jones

Look at GOD look what he can do

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Boulektoute Makhlouf

اوووووو احححححح كل شي جميل اما الموءخرة تبكي والصذر يجنن

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Artis Williams

Every inch… thrice daily…

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BELLEZA !!!!!!………………………..LA TALLA PERFECTA !!!!!!

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got some booty on UIC

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Meike César Davila Flores

Que hermosa eres mi amor eres la mujer perfecta,

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Markee Dumpson

Not bad but does the top close more?

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Musto Biesse

Vücudun süper süper

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vestido assim onde você pode ir?

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Roger Hernandez

Te ves preciosa mi amor k haria yo con todo eso en mi cama

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Carlos Misael Vendramini Furtado

hahahahaha esta justo ficou engraçada Pamela mas esta valendo

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Jose Arellano

Wao que linda mami pero quitate la mano quiero ber tus lindos pechos

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Ramiro Niño

Sueltalas. Quita. Las manos. Linda

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Stacey Jermaine Goodman

No,no,don’t stop..un un,don’t b scuurred..

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Jeremiah Short

U look great in it u should keep it

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ms-m-astrologer · 7 years

Text

Transiting Ceres enters retrograde zone

Timetable (current events in bold): Sunday, October 8, 2017, 02:12 UTC Ceres enters retrograde zone, 4:43 Leo Saturday, December 16, 2017, 22:30 UTC, Ceres stations retrograde, 18:11 Leo Monday, March 19, 2018, 04:14 UTC, Ceres stations direct, 4:43 Leo Sunday, May 27, 2018, 05:54 UTC, Ceres exits retrograde zone, 18:11 Leo Thursday, June 28, 2018, Ceres enters Virgo

As always, let’s consult Martin Bulgerin for the basic retrograde principles:

When the Great Mother Ceres turns retrograde on us, the entire notion of mothering and nurturance is up for grabs in our lives. This goes far beyond "just children", since Ceres describes the ways we give to and receive loving support from others. You're being forced to reconsider what you really care about. Some of our "babies" must be allowed to grow up and fly the coop if our attachments are holding them back. It's also important to recognize whether you are rejecting or filtering out the love others are extending to you during these cycles. Sometimes, the most cruel person in your life is yourself. It's time to reconnect with the web of life and loving.

With Ceres slowing down in the sign Leo, there are three main areas of concern:

Egocentric parenting, e.g. being a stage mom or stage dad and living through the child’s “achievements.” We don’t necessarily have to be actors, musicians, or models for this to happen. Any time we feel pressure to mold ourselves into what our parents want us to be - or when we attempt to mold our children into little versions of ourselves - regardless of our/their natural talents and hankerings, that’s taking a narcissistic attitude to our nurturing. They came through us; they aren’t us.

Overindulgent and lenient nurturing, e.g. “spoiling” our kids or ourselves. As my beloved band put it, “You were always spoiled with a thousand toys and still you cried all night.” We get into this mindset that only the higher-quality “stuff,” and plenty of it, is fitting and appropriate for our little darlings. Or, we feel we were denied these things as children, so we splurge on ourselves as soon as we possibly can. What we have to think of is, what does all that “stuff” really represent? Attention, love, tribute?

Authority issues between parents and children. Not to be confused with “egocentric parenting;” this is simply a power struggle. My (Leo) nephew once shouted at his folks, “You’re not the boss of me!” - and my own (Leo) dad was a complete dictator whose word was law. Leo is ruled by the Sun, the center of the solar system; everything revolves around it. Therefore, when Ceres is messing up in Leo, we have challenges of autonomy between parent and child.

The aspects are pretty much evenly divided between “flowing” and “difficult,” although the deck is stacked oddly: most of the “difficult” ones happen right away, while as Ceres nears its retrograde station things begin to “flow.” Just remember that “flow” doesn’t necessarily mean “good” or “beneficial”! If we really want to try to make them “good,” we need to face the challenges.

Thursday, October 19, Pallas Rx/Taurus square Ceres/Leo, 8:28; Saturday, October 21, Venus/Libra sextile Ceres/Leo, 8:53; Sunday, October 22, Mercury/Scorpio square Ceres/Leo, 9:20

It was impossible for me to separate these three aspects, since their orbs overlap. Pallas and Mercury form a fixed t-square with Ceres, giving it a strong “educational” feeling. Imagine the kinds of three-way conflicts that could arise between a concerned Leo parent, their sullen and rebellious Scorpio child, and the child’s dull, plodding Taurus teacher. And then in sails the Venus/Libra boyfriend or girlfriend! Eek. Because this is a fixed t-square, it’s going to take some hard work to overcome calcified mental attitudes. Don’t be so attached to being “right” (whatever that is). Resist the temptation to use Venus/Libra as an indulgent “escape”; instead, apply diplomacy and tact to enable a genuine reconciliation.

Planets/Points affected:

T-square - between 7:28 and 10:20 of the fixed signs Taurus*, Leo*, Scorpio*, and Aquarius*; and between 22:28 and 25:20 of the mutable signs Gemini*, Virgo*, Sagittarius*, and Pisces*.

Sextile - between 7:53 and 9:53 of the yang signs Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, and Aquarius.

Saturday, November 4, Sun/Scorpio square Ceres/Leo, 12:41

Perhaps some combination of ego and authority. I’m reminded of the quote attributed to King George V of Great Britain: “My father was frightened of his mother, I was frightened of my father, and I’m damned well going to make sure that my children are afraid of me.” And look how nicely that turned out! If we weren’t taken seriously as children, this square will almost certainly manifest as desperation for someone, anyone, to revere us. We can use the energy to purge any remaining toxins from a bullied childhood. We can also rid ourselves of tendencies to bully our own children.

Planets/Points affected lie between 11:41 and 13:41 of the fixed signs Taurus*, Leo*, Scorpio*, and Aquarius*; and between 26:41 and 28:41 of the mutable signs Gemini*, Virgo*, Sagittarius*, and Pisces*.

Wednesday, November 15, Mars/Libra sextile Ceres/Leo, 14:59; Thursday, November 16, Mercury/Sagittarius trine Ceres/Leo, 15:13

Things are starting to look up now - either that, or we’re blithely barrelling to hell in a runaway freight train. The Mercury trine is the first of three, the first two of which share a Venus influence. Here, Mars is in Venus-ruled Libra; in December, Venus herself joins in the fun. This particular setup is all about DOING something with your kids (or your nieces and nephews, inner child, students, whomever is around): shooting hoops after school, volunteering to chaperone a field trip, even playing hooky to go to a museum or skiing. We DO the fun thing and, wonder of wonders, we find that communication is a whole lot easier. Ensure that there’s no agenda more specific than “doing something with the child” for best results.

Planets/Points affected lie between 13:59 and 16:13 of the yang signs Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, and Aquarius.

Saturday, December 9, Sun/Sagittarius trine Ceres/Leo, 18:01; Sunday, December 10, North Node/Leo conjunct Ceres/Leo, 18:03; South Node/Aquarius opposite Ceres/Leo, 18:03; Friday, December 15, Mercury Rx/Sagittarius trine Ceres/Leo, 18:11; Venus/Sagittarius trine Ceres/Leo, 18:11

Ceres barely budges during the week before her retrograde station. And again, I’ve “bunched together” a lot of activity. This happening in mid-December makes all those Sagittarian placements anxious to “do” the holiday in memorably grand style - and Ceres herself is in the Sagittarius decanate of Leo. Although self-examination is anathema to Leo and Sagittarius, I’m going to recommend it anyway: WHY do you want such a lavish, grandiose celebration? Whom are you trying to impress? Whose culture is this, anyway? The Venus trine in particular is going to want to go nuts with gift-buying - what are we trying to compensate for, when we do that? We’ll all be better off if we collaborate with our loved ones, on what Hanukkah, Yule, and/or Christmas ought to look like.

Planets/Points affected lie between 17:01 and 19:11 of the yang signs Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, and Aquarius.

#Astrology #Transiting Ceres enters retrograde zone #Ceres #Ms M astrologer

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mskinkyafro · 7 years

Text

Willing Captive (Leo x TRR MC)

Author’s note: Leo and TRR MC bond in this fic, no romantic pairing. This is companion piece to Pillowtalk & Morning Mishaps. You don’t necessarily need to read that fic before this one but it’s recommended. I wanted a nice fluff, funny, and friendly banter between Leo and my MC Justice. Hope you guys enjoy!

Summary: The former Crown Prince plans to have a heart to heart with the leading suitor in the most unconventional way. .

Pairing: Leo x RR’s MC

After spending most of the morning freshening up Justice heads towards her closet to decide what to wear today. Passing up item after item she settles on white shorts that hug her curvy hips and a light blue ruffle crop top. Looking in the mirror brushing a few curls in place of her wild fro and liking her look she decides to go to the library to look for a good book to read in the maze.

Even though this whole experience has been wonderful dream she truly loves easy going moments like these where she can dress casual and read in nature. She turns into one of the many libraries in the palace and just walks in awe. It seems that no matter how many times she visits she’s still amazed at the size and beauty of the room.

“I swear it’s as if I stepped into Beauty and the Beast.”

She roams through each row searching for one of her favorite novels, Hamlet. Although she loves a good mystery or a cheesy romance nothing beats a classic.

Finally finding a Shakespeare shelf she grazes through each title before selecting her novel. So preoccupied by the play before her she didn't hear someone enter the room.

Leo never liked to return home. Even though to most outsiders they’d think the palace life was paradise, but for him it was a prison. Yet the reason he does is because of his brother.

They may have not seen eye to eye most times but Calvin was always the one thing that truly made the palace, home. Now that his brother is to be engaged in a few days and by what he revealed to him, he plans on choosing the love of his life. So Leo being the conniving devil he is he decided to have a little heart to heart with the woman who seems to have captured the hearts of Cordonia and his little brother.

Roaming the palace he noticed in the slightly ajar door to the library to see a figure reading. Moving towards the room he sees it's the person he was looking for. It appears that the photos from the press and his little brother’s description didn't do her justice in his opinion.

‘Hmm doesn't do her justice and her name is Justice. Heh that’s pretty funny.’ Leo laughed to himself.

Deciding that in order to have his conversation they must do it in a top secret fashion. With her back towards him reading he sneaks up behind her. As he grew close he puts his hand over her mouth and says

“Shush! Don't make a move or sound.”

Frightened by this sudden movement and not realizing what she was doing Justice quickly stomps on this unknown “attacker’s” foot which forces him to release her and then elbows him the gut where he lets out a groan in pain and then twists the person arm behind their back and forces them into the nearest shelf.

The adrenaline rushing through her, ready to continue her assault she hears

“Uncle! Uncle! Owww let me go will ya? Jeez.” the person grits out in pain.

Realizing who exactly this person was from the royal family portraits she seen earlier she released him and berates him.

“If I may be so bold, are you serious your highness what the hell was that?! She questions him slightly angry.

Rubbing his arm that still tingles from Justice’s assault he says

“I was aiming for an element of surprise. Jesus are you a ninja or something? For future reference it’s just Leo, I never cared for the pomp and circumstance. ”

Rolling her eyes at him she replies

“Alright then,Leo. Might want to brush up on ways to surprise others, just food for thought. Plus you scared me half to death. Also I from New York and left my job most nights at 2:00 am. A girl needs to know a little something just in case.”

“Touché.”

“I assume that your failed “kidnap” was for a reason.”

Turning up the charm, Leo gives her a dazzling smile.

“Kidnapping? Pssh more like borrow for a hour or so. I want to get to know my potential sister-in-law?”

Amusement in her eyes Justice shakes her head “You know there’s this thing called asking.” She sasses him.

Smiling thinking that they’ll get along just fine he responds

“Now where’s the fun in that.”

“Future sister-in-law? Aren't you jumping the gun a little?” She mentions questioning what he said moments ago.

“Let’s just say I have a feeling and I'm never wrong.”

Eyeing him she gives in. Curious to see where this leads.

“Alright. I'm game. Where are you planning to kidnap me to?”

Glad that she’s accepting this interaction he tells her “You mean as a willing captive you agree to follow me to the garden maze!”

Laughing at his antics she replies “Fine. As your captive we shall go.” She heads to the door but he stops her.

“I was thinking we get there a more adventurous way.” Justice notices his eyes twinkle when says this.

She notices him move towards a bust near the fireplace and turns the head and a secret staircase appears in the wall and enters through it. Speechless at what she just saw she doesn't move. Leo realizes she isn't following. He calls out to her which breaks her trance

“You coming ninja?”

She moves to the stairs and as she enters the door the wall slides back in the place. “This place is truly amazing!” Her voice full of wonder.

She continues and calls out to Leo as she catches up to him in the underground tunnel.

“Really? Ninja? Is that the best you can do?”

“Hey I can't think of something right now. When I do I will get back to you but for now since you almost sent me to the hospital I'm sticking with ninja.” He states in a matter of factual way. .

Rolling her eyes at him once more she remarks “It seems like I roll my eyes more when I'm around you.”

“Don't even lie,you love me.”

He says pulling her into a side hug quickly messing up her hair. Adjusting her hair and outfit from his sudden movement she says

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, I like you. I love Calvin.” Her face has a lovesick expression on it.

The more she talks to him the more Leo learns how warming and funny she is. Which is exactly what his brother needs, someone who bring out his fun side. Care for him when he’s through caring for all of Cordonia.

Deciding to tease her a little and bring her back to reality he says “Okay enough with mentally fucking my brother let’s keep going.”

Her cheeks turn red and her words tumble in her throat “What? It’s not even like that.. ” She then notices him laughing.

“Hahahaha, oh that was perfect.Your face was priceless.”

Not very amused she says “Very funny.” and continues walking forward leaving the former prince behind laughing.

Trying to collect himself he calls out to her as he nears

“Don't be a sourpuss I'm just teasing a little. And since we’re on the subject what’s the status on you and my bro ya know-”

She cuts him off.

“Oh we are so not discussing that. That’s between your brother and I.”

Showing his hands in defeat.

“I'm just making sure you crazy kids are safe and..”

“Kids? You’re only three years older than us.

“That’s beside the point. The truth is I always look out for Calvin whether he wants me to or not.”

“What’s your agenda right now, sly.”

“Sly?” Leo asks confused.

“That’s a real nickname. Plus you have earned it for obvious reasons.” she tells him satisfied with herself.

“Well played, Miss Sass.” He says impressed.

Messing with him more.

“You really got to work on your name game. Justice, 1 and Leo, 0.” She says with a cheeky grin.

“Anyway back to your question,I thought it's appropriate to have a talk with the woman who my brother is madly in love with and make sure she’s truly the right person for him.”

Surprised by his words she stops walking for a second and then continues keeping in line with Leo.

“Well then I guess you’ll be questioning me about my life then, if I ran with the wrong crowds. Maybe about all the gangs I was involved .” She said sarcastically.

Amused he responds “You catch on fast. I like that. Shows you aren’t a rookie. First thing we're you the ringleader or mere poser?

A silence settles before they both breakout into laughter. They laugh and talk about other subjects all the way to the end of the secret tunnel. Leo opens the hatch that reveals a hidden section of the garden maze that Justice hasn't seen before.

In the area was beautiful mahogany bench that was located under a blossoming cherry tree. As she stands and breathes in deeply letting the soft breeze wash over her, Leo sits on the bench. She thinks of the magically moments she shared with Calvin. How much she loves him and can't imagine being anywhere in the world.

Leo sits and watches her and notices each time she drifts off her face is the same expression that isn't too different from the look Calvin gives when he’s deep in thought. He realizes how much these two truly love one another and he couldn't be happier that his brother has the opportunity to experience what he found.

Leo calls out to Justice.

“Come take a seat and let’s discuss a few things.”

She moves to the bench and has a seat. “Alright then hit me the best you got.”

“Why did you come here? I mean you met Calvin for one night, what made you risk it all for something that very well isn't guaranteed.”

“Wow, you don't hold back punches do you? I wasn't expecting such a deep question. I thought you were the laid back Prince?”

“You’re not wrong about that. But when it comes to my brother I know him all too well. Takes care of everyone but himself. I need to know that the person he chooses will help support and take care of him when he won't.”

Touched by the love he has for his brother Justice says “You’re big softie huh.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah anyway answer the question.”

“When I met Calvin, I was going through the motions. Stuck in the dead in job, no family, and craving for more in life. Then here comes Prince Charming himself with the sweetest soul I've ever met. I felt a connection that I try to deny at first but when Maxwell brought this opportunity for me to come here, I had to take the leap. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was meant to be here.

Leo watches how her eyes light up discussing his brother. It's the same way.

“I was wanting an adventure that will break up my monotonous life. I didn't to expect find my other half, to find someone who’s so special and obviously needs someone to remind him that he’s human and not super man. That sometimes he needs saving. It’s just simple enough. I love him so much that everything before doesn't matter, I'm looking towards the future will have together.”

“Next one, It won’t be easy. Always in tabloids, prim and proper every second, hardly any privacy. My mother couldn't handle it what makes you sure you can because the worst thing is for him to be abandoned especially by the one he loves.”

“I can’t say I’ll be just fine. I can't say I'm going to understand all the politics and characteristics of a noble should know but I’m a quick learner. I'm going to ease in a reasonable pace all the while emitting grace of a wise Queen. I can say that I will never leave Calvin. All the people of this country couldn't rid me even if they came at me with fire and pitchforks. I'm all in for Calvin and for the citizens of Cordonia.”

Impressed with what she said Leo leans close and gives her a stony stare

“I believe you but remember if you break my brother’s heart you’ll have to answer to me.”

Before she could reply he breaks into a bright smile and says.

“Just kidding! I had you scared for a second didn't I?”

Peeved she says “Really Sly..?”

He interrupts her and says “Taking everything you’ve said into consideration and…”

“Wait that’s all? Two questions? We’ve could've done this back in the library.” Justice questions him.

“Tsk tsk still haven't catches on huh sis? It's all apart of the Leo experience. You get whisked away on adventure.” He tells her with a wink.

He tells her sincerely “As I was saying, in this little time we’ve spent I see that you are perfect for Calvin. Everything I want for him and everything he needs. Thank you Justice.”

Her eyes holding tears in the corner “No thank you. You both are providing me with something I lost years ago. A family.” she says with a small smile.

Leo moves and hugs her “Aww don't cry sis! This is a happy occasion. You get to be related to me!”

Justice responds dryly “A perfect reason to cry.”

He laughs it off.

“Don't even try, you’re stuck with having me as the best future brother-in-law. You know you love me.”

She breaks the embrace shaking her head,rolling her eyes slightly giggling and walks out of the entrance.

“Whatever you say bro.” She heads back to library to read. Leaving Leo in the maze with his thoughts.

‘Well looks like I won't have to worry about Calvin anymore’

He’s happy to know that his brother finally found the happiness that he’d found on a cruise ship a year ago.Before getting up he says aloud

“There’s something about these Americans we can't resist.” Shaking his head in amusement he leaves thinking mission accomplished.

#choices the stories you play #the royal romance #The royal romance book 1 #Liam x mc #leo x trr mc #choices fanfiction

19 notes · View notes

nelsonburfield-blog · 5 years

Text

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/nelsonburfield

Uhuru kenyatta and the Gikuyu were giving people long time piki piki even b4 you pay nothing, any youth who is willing but 4 2 years everyday you submit to meet your target of 500 bob then the motor bike is yours solely to build Nairobi and its environs and central kenya not to mention in East Africa as well and other tribes like the luo have clogged into it to also build their spheres.

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uhuru wa kenyatta just brided the japanis minister with the petty theft cash dude

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sunshine+updates+pamela+alexandria What is you-tube bar? Click the links below to redirect you. https://www.google.com/search?q=WHAT+IS+YOUTUBE+BAR&oq=WHAT+IS+YOUTUBE+BAR&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.6576j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 https://www.google.com/search?q=HOW+TO+SIGN+UP+ON+A+TWITTER&oq=HOW+TO+SIGN+UP+ON+A+TWITTER&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.8505j0j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ACYBGNREyb1Vnuwo3PxA7e1cmxB6l1JzuA%3A1568297780950&ei=NFN6XdDSOc6alwSY45aQBA&q=how+to+change+a+twitter+password&oq=HOW+TO+CHANGE++A+TWITTER+PAS&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0j0i22i30l9.18585.28239..30095…0.2..0.526.3644.2-11j1j0j1……0….1..gws-wiz…….0i71j0i13j0i13i30j0i7i30.SCoZ8nocups With plane tire that can land on water it can be remote controlled from above as the plane engine that rotates that wheel should be myogenic not connected to the plane gears above. To bring it out and in. That space that houses that engine wheel should be hollow 4 water not to rush in and still that plane can land on water. In the 1st scenario the forehead part should slant like the bonet of a plane to avoid friction with water which can make the plane to crumble and still fall on water. Achayo gi nyong'o hebu winja nena eee nyako ni, miyo tello, ng'ata, kata ostin moro cha wacho kamano. Nyili te manyien kisumo kadho kuomwa mokwong'o baba. Its a secrete agenda swears chumvi nyili says adrian. Wanmwakuong'o yawo gi b4 jomoko, kata migoshi. Winja nena ibe gima-awinjo tello

Ma-lando eeye chalo gi-toyota porte, ber to-not that tight, we abwasne achayo marateng no- eeye miyo, obi-elie jokanyama swears nashon bro.

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And also the missile and the 4 in 1 drone and the rockets made disturbing the world peace bro.

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Search 4 these names on your Facebook they are Alexandria Pamela friends.

· Reply

· 13h

Top fan

Wesley Smith

You have beautiful God given breasts. Stop covering them with your hands….

· Reply

· 10h

Larry Loveless

You look amazing in everything you wear,, so I know your birthday suit is mind blowing.

· Reply

· 16h

· Edited

Heriberto Artalejo

You look super gorgeous!

· Reply

· 19h

Odrobina Attila

Perfect match. Your size and the the covers as well… :-) I love both of them… <3

· Reply

· 9h

Edwin Montalvo

I believe it looks great on you but it’s up to you to wear it

· Reply

· 17h

Top fan

Jimmy Jean Jacqués Zora

my darling, my heart you are perfect sketches, appetizing, a pralines, you are sweet. me perso I kiff

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· 16h

Top fan

الحنين ال الماضي المياحي

But he is very beautiful you are wonderful in it

· Reply

· 5h

Silvestre Alcaraz

Perfect size

· Reply

· 17h

Pete Cruz

Perfect size

· Reply

· 18h

Top fan

Chico Martell

perfect size

· Reply

· 19h

Steve Watkins

Looks fine size is perfect!

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· 11h

Top fan

Josh Isom

Good lordy. “Clapping hands”.

· Reply

· 5h

Leo Carlos

Never apologize for looking fine

· Reply

· 11h

Jake Stanley

No, no honey …ALL good with that size! 😍

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· 18h

Top fan

Gilberto Morente

You are a goddess 😍😍😘

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· 16h

Top fan

Troy Simon

Keep it Boo!! Wear it 2 Baton Rouge when you come.

· Reply

· 18h

Lorenzo Palmer

Wear the outfit around the house boo

· Reply

· 13h

Timothy Manning

Smaller outfit for you

· Reply

· 18h

Top fan

Moises Melendez

Perfect short dress two pieces.color..is awesome chick modelo on time.

· Reply

· 17h

Patricio Rodriguez

Eres Eskisita muñequita Saludos hermosa

· Reply

· See translation

· 19h

Top fan

Dick Cook

Outfit is perfect

· Reply

· 18h

Top fan

Michael Leftwich

I never liked blue until now.

· Reply

· 19h

David Woods

Hold on to it, one day, it will come in handy!

· Reply

· 15h

Fred Kennedy

I like it without an outfit

· Reply

· 19h

Joel Jimenez

Pull down your outfit baby

· Reply

· 18h

Ericgael Santiago

lindas piernas y lindo trasero

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· 15h

Robert Stone

Oh my god, I’m loving these outfits tho, when she turn around & all tht cake jiggle, my G, tht shit is legendary, I kno I sound like a big ol pervert, but I dont care, I dont, I really dont

· Reply

· 18h

Tranga Stieko

Ooh we don’t mind that at all.😁

· Reply

· 14h

Top fan

Fernando Cruz Valdez

Qué azul está mi cielo hermoso

· Reply

· See translation

· 18h

Top fan

Timothy Adams

Looks kinda tight on you.

· Reply

· 18h

Mychal Sheffield

Mother Nature was good to u

· Reply

· 18h

Simon Rodríguez

Ke rica esta bebe ke hermosas mami

· Reply

· See translation

· 18h

Brian Kennedy

Have you ever done nudes? If so where can I find them?

· Reply

· 17h

Robert Davila

K hermosas caderas y esa cukita hermosa

· Reply

· See translation

· 15h

Glenn Francis

Don’t hold the girls back. If they want out then set them free. ☺️

· Reply

· 19h

Top fan

Bk Jones

Look at GOD look what he can do

· Reply

· 19h

Top fan

Boulektoute Makhlouf

اوووووو احححححح كل شي جميل اما الموءخرة تبكي والصذر يجنن

· Reply

· See translation

· 10h

Artis Williams

Every inch… thrice daily…

· Reply

· 16h

Top fan

Carlos Antonio Gavidia Castillo

BELLEZA !!!!!!………………………..LA TALLA PERFECTA !!!!!!

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· 12h

LiKenny Williams

got some booty on UIC

· Reply

· 18h

Top fan

Meike César Davila Flores

Que hermosa eres mi amor eres la mujer perfecta,

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· 17h

Markee Dumpson

Not bad but does the top close more?

· Reply

· 19h

Top fan

Musto Biesse

Vücudun süper süper

· Reply

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· 11h

Mario Rossi

vestido assim onde você pode ir?

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· 15h

Roger Hernandez

Te ves preciosa mi amor k haria yo con todo eso en mi cama

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· 17h

Carlos Misael Vendramini Furtado

hahahahaha esta justo ficou engraçada Pamela mas esta valendo

· Reply

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· 18h

Jose Arellano

Wao que linda mami pero quitate la mano quiero ber tus lindos pechos

· Reply

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· 18h

Ramiro Niño

Sueltalas. Quita. Las manos. Linda

· Reply

· See translation

· 18h

Stacey Jermaine Goodman

No,no,don’t stop..un un,don’t b scuurred..

· Reply

· 14h

Top fan

Jeremiah Short

U look great in it u should keep it

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https://www.tumblr.com/blog/nelsonburfield

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mamashaysaid · 5 years

Text

What I’ve Learned (About Me)...

I've cycled around the Sun for 30 years and here's what I learned about myself, so far……

1. You can only please yourself 100% but don't expect others to give the same that you would give yourself. We all have our own way of how we satisfy ourselves 100%, and no one can do that for you and it's not fair to expect them to. Appreciate their effort to try, anyway.

2. I really dislike when I'm interrupted or not listened to attentively. Looking at the phone during conversation is a big pet peeve. I value great communicators and communication skills, both noverbally and verbally. I love words. Motivational words mostly. Honest words. Deep conversations about God and Life. I write it down when it touches my heart deeply. It sticks when it's in words.

3. Some parents are really supportive, always willing to help with their kids and grandkids, and will do this throughout their entire lives. Some parents are just ‘eh’. Love them both. Parents can only love, as much as they have been taught, learned, or conditioned.

4. 2 beers or 2 shots is my limit. If I'm not driving, 3 beers, 1 shot. This has been learned to an exact science. No more. No less.

5. I admire and respect an aesthetically fit body that is dressed in comfortable, but cute & modest clothing. I’ve been this way since birth and I will forever remain a “comfy as$ fashionista.” No jewelry is even necessary, but if so, gold it is.

6. It took me my whole LIFE to find out that BareMinerals BarePro Powder Foundation Camel 17 is my foundation color to a T. I’ve wasted, at least $300, over the years, trying to get answers (MUA opinions included).

7. When something is out of sight for so long, you really do forget about it.

8. Wishing for someone else's peace and for them to find their love and passions in life, even if it doesn't involve you... is the greatest gift of forgiveness that you can give yourself, and to that person.

9. I hate public speaking PERIOD. I’ll never get used to it or like it, in any form. I will literally have an anxiety attack or do everything I can to avoid speaking in front of people because I sweat so bad and feel nauseous. I think it's because I've never accepted that type of attention from other people - other than from my parents.

10. The goal in life is to raise a family with the man I love, doing what we love, and going wherever we want to go, while taking as many pictures as we can, to reflect on when we're old. Then, when we're so old, we'll catch up on all the good movies and shows.

11. I accomplished exactly what I set my goals to be when I was 20yrs old. I will always be proud of that. The odds were against our circumstances, to the point where I was scared of what our future would be. I have learning issues, mostly an attention deficit, and we as a family have special needs. The fact that I found a way to go around that & make it work, is a pure example of innovation and a mother’s determination to take care of her family. Thanking GOD for everything.

12. My kids are teaching me that being different is really beautiful. Normal is not even normal. Normal, just like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

13. You can learn from anyone, and everyone has a story. You are never too young to teach, and never too old to learn.

14. Being YOU. Not caring what ppl think of you, is the most liberating feeling. I’m always rough around the edges, but I keep it smooth (like Shea Butta😉🤭). Let go of worrying what people think of you. People are mostly thinking of themselves anyway.

15. Sometimes I curse. I'm loud. I crack jokes all day, if you let me. I'm a chatty cathy, at times, BUT, I also know how to be professional and handle my business in the corporate world. It's called BALANCE. Let go of trying to be someone you're not. I act accordingly. Don't try to label me. You can't.

16. When I was 9, I dressed up for Halloween as a business woman wearing one of my mom’s suits, red lipstick, & a briefcase, and then I dressed my 1 year-old brother as a cute little girl and called him my daughter LOL. I knew back then, that I wanted to be a “businesswoman” of some sort, in a billion dollar industry, so I could be as fine as I wanted to be. It was a simple dream for a 9 year old who loved fashion. Nowadays, it has manifested into my Mondays through Fridays.🤣

17. I’d rather have my little family on a daily basis, driving me crazy some days, instead of people who only show up only when we’re accomplishing great things. I love my little family, and even if I never make another best friend again, I know I’ll always still have the love from my little family.

18. Stay humble in everything you do. Even if you are a leader. People will appreciate you more when you're not trying to outdo them. Make everything team oriented.

19. You attract whatever kind of energy you put out there. You cannot outsmart the universe. What's meant to be will find its way. Be careful what you ask for. Have no doubt that it could really happen.

20. I let go of all toxic relationships in my 20’s. Even if that meant cutting ties with family, breaking up my family with my ex, and losing friends that came with it. If he/she/or it did not bring me peace or made me cry, feel insecure, unworthy, or undeserving, or like an “inconvenience” - I let it go. My 30’s will only accept people who truly give a fuck about me and mines, or not at all. I'm ok with either way, now. I’ve learned how to be alone, so now I can finally accept this.

21. My great grandmother was right.... after everything has happened, & after losing the people you loved with all of your heart... life still has to go on. Even when it hurts… and it will continue to go on, with or without you.

22. Mental illness is real. The sooner you accept it, the faster you will heal from it, and in return, everyone who’s been affected, can heal too. Not every illness is visible.

23. My granny told me I should do what I love doing even if it's "just beads". I regret not seeing her in the hospital before she passed. Brandi too. Jas too. Nanny too. I regret missing their last moments and not being there for them as much as I could, and I think I will regret this for a long time. I have to work on that.

24. Doing something without planning, literally anything, for me, is the only way I can do it. The only way for me to do things is to just do them. Even if it’s sloppy, I'm notorious for saying “RIP that damn bandaid off already”. Too much planning, for me = procrastination.

25. Stepping out of my comfort zone & choosing public speaking, working in a call center, & product specialty (as a trade), is literally the hardest thing I've ever attempted doing (aside from trying to make sales for the weight loss program in summer) .. but here we are, I'm doing it and from what people say, I’m actually good at what I do.

26. You cannot be mad at ppl for not thinking like you or having the same patience, or heart, or understanding like you. You are you, and they are them, and not everyone is going to mimic your style or CARE. This is why we are called individuals. What matters is ‘you like you’, b/c you have to live with you forever.

27. Generational curses are real. Sometimes, Karma can get to your kids. Sometimes, I think they got to mine.

28. God, Yahweh, the Tao, Nun, Allah, or whatever you want to call our Creator, is real. “Religion”, in itself, is man-made, and the churches are their “institutions”. It separates us, & sometimes (if not, most times), not for the better. The Tao is the END all, BE all. The Beginning and the End. If you want to get closer to God, try getting to know and understanding yourself. Start loving yourself. God is in you, and all around you. Therefore, you have all the power you need. I wish someone told me this earlier.

30. I'm loyal to a fault. That is the Leo in me. If you didn’t learn by now, I am a TRUE LEO - pride and all that shii. BUT, I can be a great, supportive, selfless friend. I’ll come through for the rough and ugly, hold you down, not judge your a$s & still get abandoned. It hurts like hell every time. Being loyal like this, I’ve learned that people have their own agenda & you will never know what that is. Trust who you know. Who actually shows up. As much as I like words, screw dialogue, “when will you be here??” is what I would like to know. 31. THIS IS A BONUS LESSON I LEARNED - Be kind... but also….don't take any BullShiit. NONE WHATSOEVER or people will use that as a gateway to walk all over your as$. There's a thin line in the middle, and I spent the last 30yrs trying to learn when to cross it.

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fashiontrendin-blog · 6 years

Text

Your July Horoscope Is Here and Thinks You’re Doing Great, Sweetie

https://fashion-trendin.com/your-july-horoscope-is-here-and-thinks-youre-doing-great-sweetie/

Your July Horoscope Is Here and Thinks You’re Doing Great, Sweetie

Hi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry for the excessive exclamation points, but I’ve heard that the artist formerly known as “repel-o-scopes” inhabits one of the few cheerful, sunshiney corners of the internet — the kind where you can feel free to make a mini horse reference, which is usually the only kind worth making, imo.

Amelia already clued you in that someone would be hijacking hers and Susan Miller’s well-oiled machine this month, but allow me to officially introduce myself. I write the monthly astrology-meets-personality columns on Man Repeller that you know and love (or that you never read and don’t care for. Whatever. I’m a Leo and I never get offended. I also never bring up the fact that I’m a Leo, like, ever).

If you do know me at all, you know that I think the stars are my dearest friends and that astrology, in its most basic essence, is a vehicle for self-discovery. Full disclosure, I wholeheartedly love anything that claims to know me on an unreachable molecular level. (I’m an INFJ, in case you were wondering.) I also ask this question whenever I meet someone new: If you were a fruit, what kind of fruit would you be? Hmu in the comments with your answer and let me know your zodiac sign as well for an extremely un-scientific study I’m working on. Hint: Every Cancer I’ve ever met has reminded me of lychee.

I may not know as much as our friends at AstrologyZone, but I do know that by the end of July, FIVE PLANETS will be in retrograde, so you may be needing guidance. Let’s get into it.

Cancer

Speaking of lychee: throw some into a flute with peach juice and sparkling wine and you’ve got yourself an Instagram-ready birthday cocktail!!! Drink a few and document the whole experience. You deserve it.

You also deserve a fun-filled birthday month, wherein you hear the phrase “ask and you shall receive” aplenty. Luckily, that’s exactly what the planets are poised to give you! Since Cancer is ruled by the moon, you will float through July largely unaffected by the multiple retrogrades; instead, on the 13th, your floating rock in the sky will give you a little birthday present in the form of a new moon.

New moons offer new perspectives, fresh starts and opportunities for personal rejuvenation. When a new moon hangs out in the Cancer constellation, it’s even more sensitive to your needs and emotions, which makes this one especially powerful. In other words: cancel plans and treat yourself. I won’t tell you to grab a bath bomb and settle in with a candle or two, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it.

We’re not done yet! More good news aplenty!!! (I’m really into that word right now.) The 5th is a good day to flirt up a storm, since you’ll be getting a boost from lucky Jupiter and magnetic Scorpio. Your charms will be downright irresistible and it would honestly be rude not to take advantage. (If you’re already in a relationship: so? You can still flirt up a storm.) Plus, you’ll be able to pull off any look, so throw on some lingerie and a maybe some dad sneakers, if you’re into that kind of thing.

Leo

Hey fellow sun babies! It’s not our time to shine just yet, although I know we all hate hearing that. I guess technically, for a Leo, it’s always time to shine. This is especially true if you’ve been using this summer to indulge in some bright orange highlighter and bejewled eye lewks, which I think you should.

You probably already know this, but the start of Leo season on the 22nd will bring a rush of white-hot energy. You may not know that shortly after, the 26th might put a damper on your plans to enlist your squad to photograph you in various thirst trap poses by the pool. That’s right, folks: Mercury turns retrograde in Leo at the end of this month and everything will be ruined.

Just kidding! As the old saying goes (?), a little retrograde doesn’t get a lion down. You’ll probably just feel a bit extra frustrated by flaky friends and a bit more sensitive when it comes to criticism. It’s important to remember, especially when Mercury retrograde welcomes an overflow of miscommunication, not to take everything so personally. Go ahead and delete that Slack message to your boss because responding to your email with “sounds good” and no punctuation does not mean that she’s mad at you.

Virgo

Crack open that Febreze ‘cause you’ll be the life of the party this month! By “life,” of course, I mean the caring, responsible voice of reason and by “ party” I mean July’s petri dish of emotional upheaval. It’s a good thing you always carry hand sanitizer, tissues and a label maker because July might get messy (for everyone else).

For you, dear Virgo, July will see your relationships thrive. On the 10th, you will welcome Venus into your midst and she is one saucy minx. Venus is the planet of love, affection, beauty, harmony and — excellent news! — she is sailing straight through the sky. No retrograde nonsense here! People will gravitate towards you during this time, asking for advice or perhaps a shoulder to cry on.

Now enough about everyone else, let’s focus on your own specific agenda (I know, I know, I’ll stop flirting. I know you love a good plan). On the 12th, you’ll be promotion-level productive, so make sure you have plenty of coffee at your disposal. You’ll feel the urge to work on the 14th but it’s a Saturday so put the damn computer down and go for a walk; this is actually a great day to be personally productive, so call your mom or enjoy a date night. The 22nd will be the best of all, but it’ll also be full of surprises, so I can’t tell you why.

Libra

There aren’t any fun zodiac-themed greetings for Libras because what kind of cute joke can you make about scales? Who decided that Libra would be the only sign represented by an inanimate object? If I were one of you, I would sue. (Also notable: When I began to search “why is Libra represented by an object” the first thing to auto-fill was “why is Libra the best sign,” which, true.)

But anyway, hey! You cuties can pretty much kick back this month. Nothing’s floating in or around your aura, and your ruling planet is hanging out with Virgo, which will have a significant chilling effect on your loud-ass mental whirrings. Three cheers for a good night’s sleep!

Not to sound like your mom or your money-tracking app, but the beginning of July would be a great time to balance your budget. Jupiter’s final days of retrograde will seriously impact your impulse control. Since you already gravitate towards pretty things and warm weather can feel like an invitation for an all-new wardrobe, this is a good time to practice financial restraint — mostly because you’ll probably fail, but at least you’ll have some perriwinkle hoop earrings that you bought on sale to comfort you.

One expense the stars will encourage this month is travel. Quit eyeing that ridiculously cheap round-trip flight to Paris and grab a baguette instead! You probably can’t take it on the plane but, you know, it’ll get you in the mood.

Scorpio

My regrettable ex-boyfriend is a Scorpio which leads me to believe that you’ll be causing trouble this month, but I would say that every month, so I’ll try to put my personal biases aside for now (even though everyone has an ex who’s a Scorpio; it’s kind of your thing).

On the 10th, Jupiter will leave retrograde and that is such good news. It’s especially fortunate for you since Jupiter has been hanging out with the cluster of stars that allegedly resembles a scorpion, so you’ll probably feel a sudden wave of confidence and electricity. This is an excellent time to take risks and watch them pay off — right in front of your very eyes! Be bold with your propositions and you may just find yourself on a date around the 22nd. If romance doesn’t interest you right now, get your friends together and indulge in a heart-to-heart. Venus’ understanding, compassionate energy will be on your side.

Also, a word of caution: I said “take risks” and “be bold” but I did NOT say “act without thinking” and “be impulsive.” Jupiter’s morale boost will last for some time, so don’t rush into anything! July’s blessings will come in the form of a slow burn, so chill out as much as you can. Drive around at twilight and blast Drake, as you are wont to do. His brand new album Scorpion has 25 freaking songs which is, length-wise, basically the rapper’s version of Avengers: Infinity War, so you don’t have to worry about getting bored. Plus, there’s a track called “Emotionless” AND one called “In My Feelings,” so if this isn’t a Scorpio’s ideal soundtrack of extremes then idk what is. Bottom line, marinate with your options before hopping on a flight to Vegas and betting it all on black 15 (…just my ex? No? Okay).

Sagittarius

Alright my celestial equestrians, you can finally stop tripping over your own feet and succumbing to bottomless YouTube spirals wherein you watch “RIP Vine” compilations on a loop. Jupiter is FINALLY figuring itself out on the 10th, and as your ruling planet, it owes you a personal apology when it does.

Sagittarius is a naturally lucky sign — thanks in large part to Jupiter, the planet of luck, expansion, celebration and encouragement. Having Jupiter watch over you is like having an internal treasure map. So its retrograde was probably super frustrating for the archers of the world because it slows everything down; it causes dreams to sputter and ideas to be questioned.

The 10th, then, will be like a breath of fresh air. It will also bring a ton of financial benefits. I might even advise you to invest if I knew anything at all about investing. Jupiter’s remaining placement in Scorpio and the second house seems to suggest that you may come into some money through inheritance or insurance…..but that has the potential to seem pretty dark so let’s forget I even brought it up. If you suddenly find a wad of cash in your underwear drawer, I wouldn’t question it. July is all about infuriatingly unwavering optimism.

Capricorn

I should let you know up front that I have an inexplicable soft spot for Capricorns, so what I’m about to tell you hurts me more than it hurts you. But try to look on the bright side: A Leo (me) loves you with all her heart, and that should feel like the sun is giving you a hug!!!

Pluto is still in retrograde and it’s still trying to drag you out into its reject outer orbit. Being the planet of change and transformation, Pluto retrograde in Capricorn is a particularly tumultuous time — especially at work or within traditional family dynamics. If you’ve recently felt the urge to withdraw, you’re not alone.

Tread particularly lightly on the 12th, when Pluto picks a fight with the sun in Cancer. Both placements care deeply about the domestic sphere, but in opposition, their brief squabble will increase sensitivity and concern; you may be left feeling unmoored and insecure. Reach out to friends for support and resist the temptation to lash out at family members.

OKAY, back to the fun stuff! You didn’t think I’d leave you on that gloomy note, right? On the 14th, I’ll bet that you get a note or bouquet from a secret admirer or something. Romantic and furtive forces are afoot, colluding for your benefit. Then on the 28th, all your secret fuzzy feelings will be validated when Venus swoops in to offer you a grand gesture. Remember to be open and vulnerable and accept love with an open heart!! (And I’ll remember to sign the card on your bouquet this time!)

Aquarius

I don’t typically like to swear when I’ve been hired to produce something in a ~professional capacity~ but HOLY SHIT this is YOUR MONTH. The blood moon on the evening of the 27th and morning of the 28th will be the LONGEST LUNAR ECLIPSE IN A CENTURY and if that doesn’t make you want to swear and type in caps lock then you’re not a real Aquarius!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you’re not in the eastern hemisphere, you won’t be able to see this astral phenomenon, but I guarantee that you’ll be able to feel it. This will probably be a day full of surprises, unexpected happenings and unconventional behavior. In other words, this is an environment where the water bearers thrive. It may also be a day of endings, but not in a sad way — if you’ve been waiting for “the right time” to let go of whatever is hurting your heart, unconsciously or otherwise, this lunar phase boasts fertile, encouraging soil.

Also, if you’ll allow me to rewind a bit, the 5th is the perfect day to tell someone to fuck off (I’ve already sworn for you once, I may as well get it out of my system now). Mercury in Leo is about to square up with Mars in Aquarius, combining the explosive powers of honesty and action. You’ll get a little riled up — but in an understandable, righteous way — and whatever you’re mad about, I think you should go with it. How often do you get to rightfully put someone in their place and justify it with a horoscope?

Pisces

Oh boy, my fishy friend, here’s the deal: You’ll be dealing with a double-whammy in the nostalgia department for a little while. Your ruling planet, Neptune, is home in Pisces and that probably feels comforting, albeit a little overwhelming — like how it might feel if your mom crashed on your sofa for a couple weeks. You may love the taste of familiar home-cooked meals from childhood, but your emotional barometer is extra sensitive.

On top of that, Neptune sailed into retrograde on June 18th (as is the theme with fickle planets this month), and you’re probably still adjusting to its effects. Before we get in any deeper, I’d like to get a few things out of the way: don’t text your ex; don’t question the decision to quit the job that you literally left months ago; don’t look at your “On This Day” memories on Facebook.

In general, don’t get lost in romanticism or reveries — particularly on the 8th, because someone from your past is going to reemerge and I can’t promise that entertaining their sweet nothings will leave you with anything except an empty bottle of wine and half-finished cheese plate. Entertaining guests isn’t always satisfying.

But you know what else is gonna experience a resurgence in July? Yes, the Mission: Impossible franchise, but MORE IMPORTANTLY, your reputation! I know that sounded like a backhanded compliment, but I promise I didn’t mean it that way. I just meant that the 24th will bring a bright moment of clarity. Whatever has been holding you back will feel suddenly more manageable, and people will notice your surge of focus, motivation and creativity.

Aries

Not to sound like a total downer, but this month won’t be a walk in the park for the rams of the world. Mars retrograde, which only happens about once every two years, is upon us for the entire month and it just won’t leave us alone!!!!!!!!

Mars’ moonwalk through the sky generally causes sluggishness and lack of motivation. If this just sounds like a regular summer slump, don’t be fooled: you may notice projects or relationships that fizzle to a finish for no reason at all. This retrograde spares no mortal but because Mars rules Aries, you will feel its effects more than the average human (but then again, you feel most things more than the average human, you fiery little wingnut. Love you!).

I’m not just here for the bad news, however! I’m here for Mars retrograde as an opportunity to scale back and reevaluate. You’ll probably feel more patient; more inclined to think things through before jumping in, horns first. Rams tend to be “Go, Diego, Go!” but under the scorching summer sun, this is the perfect time to recharge: pop on a pair of tiny sunglasses, throw on some lime green pants and head to the beach instead! You have the planets’ permission.

Taurus

I assume you are familiar with a little term that’s been making the Twitter rounds recently: Big Dick Energy. If so, I would like to applaud and apologize simultaneously. The former because, congratulations, you are plugged into internet culture! The latter because, honestly, I am not entirely convinced the former is a good thing. And also because BDE has forced me to consider the sexual magnetism of people I’ve never wanted to, from Pete Davidson to Troy Bolton’s father (although, to be fair, also some people whose sexual magnetism I think about daily, like Rihanna).

That wasn’t entirely relevant to the task at hand, I just wanted to make it known that Taurus is the sign that most obviously and commonly exudes BDE in the zodiac. Okay, back to the real news.

So on the 12th, your ruling planet Venus — which is hanging out with your fellow earth sign Virgo — will mingle with Uranus — which is currently hanging out with you, Taurus — and I know that sounds complicated but I’ve got the spicy breakdown. Things are gonna heat way the hell up, you will feel sexy and your BDE will reach its greatest and most powerful frequency (now you see why I had the acronym on my mind! It’s all coming together!!).

It’s natural to feel a little frustration on the 25th, when your desire to be seen and desire to hide will reach a maddeningly similar level. One-on-one intimacy will serve as your middle ground, an island of comfort in the midst of inner chaos. Okay, I’m making this sound more dramatic than it is. Just avoid parties and call your best friend.

Gemini

This is unrelated to your horoscope, but I was just looking at photos of Mary-Kate and Ashley and feeling resentful that their transcendent power has been overshadowed by their departure from “the grid.” I have a Gemini moon and I still feel their twin influence (twinfluence? I’ll show myself out) every single day.

As usual, since you are a chatty little star child, Mercury retrograde will hit you like a ton of meteorites (“a ton of bricks” feels too mundane for our purposes). Mercury is your ruling planet, so it sucks that it’s the planet most often working in reverse — but it’s also kinda cool because Sage the Gemini’s banger “Reverse” works for you on multiple levels at various points throughout the year. Everyone loves a playlist staple!

This retrograde starts on the 25th, which is a Monday, so try to get important work done before that. In fact, if you have any vacation days saved up, just get lost that week and we’ll touch base again in August. I think we’d all prefer to be left alone by the Geminis in our lives as they adjust to the first five days of Mercury’s pre-medieval torture.

Luckily, pre-retrograde July will treat you well. You may even be offered a job, a raise or some kind of promotion, so keep those peepers peeled for opportunities to strut your stuff (as if you don’t already).

Illustration by Cynthia Merhej.

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dawyer · 7 years

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Rittenhouse Shuffle

You shuffle along the subway platform to where you know you must exit at your destination station. You listen to the water dripping somewhere invisible to your eye. It's a Monday morning during rush hour, yet the station is so empty and quiet that you can hear the drips as loud as bombs, and even time them at 5 seconds between each one. You envision each drop dripping in your feet like your leaky faucet does in your bathtub while you're trying to bathe and clear your mind, yet it's futile. A cold, hard drip. You board the train, usually full at this hour but not today. You take not of the red and blond whiskers on a light-skinned black man's upper lip. His eyes are closed. A Haitian-looking woman clutching a large handbag, and a bum who robotically looks up and down every 2 seconds, like he is agreeing with something, with probably anything you can ask him. He is 100% with you buddy. You listen to your podcast about the latest software, Lenny the Tech Wiz Show. You arrive at your destination and walk down the three empty blocks and through a ghostly Rittenhouse Square to your office building. You take the elevator to the 15th floor. You unlock your office door and a gust of dry, stale air pushes and shoves itself into your lungs like someone sticking a funnel of sand in your mouth. You are a mouth-breather. You want to learn how to use your nose, but it seems perpetually blocked. Your office is vacant. Your start-up tech company is void of human warmth. Everyone is gone. You go to your post and you do some front-end development. That's your job title, front-end developper. The back-end developer is not there for you to consult with, so you make a list of questions, concerns and to-do's for him. Upon his return. You make yourself a coffee at the mojo java machine. You stare into space. The space you stare into is so grand, so vast without your colleagues here today. You relish in the placid office. You think that all your colleagues may have A) died or B) been taken hostage by your rival Philly company, Goya Hermanos Tech. You decide your only concern is if you do not receive your regularly scheduled direct deposit this Wednesday. You catch up on all your leftover work. You look at the whiteboard calendar to see if there are any projects to get headstarted on. You see the letters Mlk on today's square and begin to wonder what project this is. You search on your computer's network for any files named Mlk, but to no avail. You also search Milk. To no avail. You go and get another coffee and see the back-end developer's favorite coffee mug. This mug says *You can bake it after all!* with a picture of a muffin walking down the street, throwing a berret into the air. You place the cup on the platform and press LATTE instead of your regular REGULAR. You know that your counterpart loves those frothy lattes. You close your eyes and pretend that his lips are now your lips, those two pillowy sailboats rowing side by side, those lips you see everyday at work meetings, often repeating the same thing twice or thrice because you get lost in the space between them and then you ask him to repeat himself. You think he thinks you're slow. You try to bring yourself back to reality by looking down at the meeting agenda, but even then you smell the freshness of your counterpart's laundry detergent, activating the good old reveries of past work meetings. These post-lunch work meetings are always your favorite time of day, despite the post-lunch slump. Your fatigue swirls around those lovely lips like a happy twist of chocolate and vanilla trying to keep eachother cold against the nasty hot elements. Most of your coworkers assume you must get stoned out at the loading dock during your lunch break. You walk over to the L-shaped desk in the corner of the office, the one with the best view of Rittenhouse Square. You can see a large number of Philadelphians playing in the park, building snowmen or trying out cross-country skis to fulfill ambitious New Years Resolutions. You sit down at the desk and pull up the login page on the computer screen. A background featuring Cloud from Final Fantasy VII riding a bright yellow chocobo through a forest trail. Who knew a yellow-haired man on a giant yellow bird could look so sexy, you think inwardly. You type the usual office password, GANDALF1999 "Login attempt failed, 3 attempt(s) remaining," the screen flashes. You take a sip of your latte and try again, this time with BONJOUR123 "...2 attempt(s) remaining." LEOLIPS "...1 attempt(s) remaining." You stare at the screen as you take the latte, hands shaking. You scan your brain for another possible password the office uses, when you hear the front office door slowly open. You jump to your feet and, when pushing the keyboard drawer underneath the desk, bump a key. The computer's mainframe begins to beep a terrible mechanical sounding beep, the kind you know musn't be good. You don't look back though and try to look "cool" standing only a few steps away, towards the window. A man with a blue uniform enters. "Oh, hey, surprised anyone is here," he says while scratching his salt-and-pepper stubble, then begins to push a vaccuum cleaner into the room. "I hope you don't mind me," the janitor says, and begins vacuuming. He turns back towards the computer monitor, now flashing, "Override window time remaining... 22... 21..." GANDALF1999 "...19 ... 18... 17" MOONCOSMICPOWER "You have successfully logged in," the monitor flashes. You search the back-end developer's project database for the letters Mlk and Milk, to no avail. Except for a local raw milk sourcing and delivery app that he barely began, a couple years back. You get up and make another latte, then check to see if the janitor is watching (he is not, he is texting someone). You search the BE developer's personal database for an address, a photo, anything. You see a folder entitled LIFE INSURANCE and you click. You see a few topless photos of him. You think you have seen one of these photos briefly on NuLuv a while back, but you deduce that he may have blocked you or deleted that app. You stare at the photo, his dark hairy chest and big Italian arms. Despite the BE developer's small stature, his arms are immense. Like his lofty lips. Your phone rings, it is a number you do not recognize. "Hey man, it's Leo." "Oh.. hey.. hey! What's up Leo?" You say, finding the words slowly. "I called Rick, cuz I got an alert saying someone overrided the system at my post." "What? Really?" "Yeah, but Rick said he isn't there because it's Martin Luther King Day after all. Are you there?" "I went in earlier, yeah." "Did you see anything fishy at my post?" "No I just went to pick up some frozen meals I left in the fridge. I didn't know all the stores were closed today." "Meals? Ha ha whatever man. Anyways how's my favorite little fudgepacker doing these days. Go on any escapades in the Gayborhood?" "Nah, been lying low since New Years Eve. Still recovering from a hangover that seems to have lasted for weeks." "Shit you're a lightweight bro." "Thirty-year-old body ain't like it used to be. How's Christy?" "She's being her bitchy, stormy Greek self as usual. Always talking about wanting to have kids pronto or she is gonna pack up and go back to Jersey. I told her ciao, sayonara, and said some shmucks in Princeton might love to get their hands on her big ass. But she won't get the picture and sticks around." "Gotcha. Sounds like a dilemma." "Fuck she's yelling at me again. Anyway I'm not ready to get married and all that jazz. Life's too short know what I mean? Like I really like working with you and Rick, you really absorb what I'm saying and all my ideas even if you tend to zone out a lot while I'm blabbing. Anyways you guys make me feel valued, really. But her and that goddamn bio clock? Fuggadabuddit. "Yep I'm here for you man." "Alright she wants me to stop calling my 'other girlfriend' now, she always says that when I call you. Ciao bro, see you tomorrow." Click. You sit and finish your latte as you wait for the janitor to leave. The janitor says, "Happy holiday." You pull up the topless photo of Leo again and then turn in the swivel chair to face away from the door. You pull up your shirt a little, exposing your wheat belly, and pull down your pants, close your eyes, rewind and listen to Leo's saucey voice again in your head. You open your eyes, stare at those full lips like ruby slippers on either side of your member, and you pleasure yourself. Your phone rings again, but you won't answer this time. The light next to the computer monitor's camera turns bright green.

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leoxrobertson · 7 years

Text

The Tragic Conclusion

Wasn’t I talking about LitMags?

Oh yeah! So something about these LitMags: once a writer gets into the ones at the very top, they are golden for life. They become near untouchable. Many readers writers and editors are afraid to criticise them because they fear the writer has something they, with their lesser taste and poorer reading skills, are unable to understand. Now, I have to imagine, given the expertise and experience of the editors of the top mags that indeed, for the most part, these are the best living writers, but some of them I’m like, ‘Dude: I know he got published by … but you’re allowed to say that paragraph was shit, you know?’

I previously joked that Don DeLillo was the dad of all literary writers, and what I mean by that is when you see them write essays and quoting him, it’s given that this is the closest the highly (but not wholly) subjective world of fiction has to facts. You’re still allowed to disagree with anything the guy says—but again, it’s a good idea to accept, after scrutiny of course, most of his ideas, because we cannot discount that the guy has a lot of experience. Experience counts for something but not everything. Not knowing the rules can be useful, but less so than knowing them. A balance of arbitrarily assigned qualities, like a culture, a personality and so on.

So what to say about who is publishing and reading what? Well, I would like the approval of established institutions and I would like them to understand what I’m doing. And I would also like to see in their feedback some indication that I have something salvageable, because FundamentalBads make me think they don’t think I have anything interesting to say, or that I am somehow underprepared for the task of writing short stories. My frustrations don’t stem from taking rejection personally—that is, I don’t believe at all that rejections tell me ‘You don’t have permission to report on the human heart’—rather, I’m annoyed at a one-sided misunderstanding I have no power to remedy, like hearing half a stranger’s conversation over the phone in a café and them up and leaving without you ever knowing what the hell the full chat was.

To my point, though: I would like the approval, but I don’t need it to know that I wrote some killer stories, which I loved, loved writing, and they are, to the best of my ability right now, the purest synthesis of what I consider my most important thoughts. Which is the whole point! And I’m able to extract them from my head!

Some people don’t even have a creative outlet: how do they do it? Live, I mean? If saving a life is the most important thing we do, I’m so sure that of the many struts beneath my existence, writing, and reading, have swollen to unknowable strength. Less so than loved ones and reality, I should add. But they’re pretty damn important. Words aren’t all that, mate, though.

A lot of people like to encourage writers, but I feel it’s half-hearted a lot of the time because it’s something you’re supposed to do so you look good. Or something you do because you do it in the hopes that it will make you feel better about not wanting to do it. But have I made myself look good? I hope not! Anyways my advice to writers and to everyone is: don’t be so embarrassed. It’s only life. But also, it’s LIFE, you get me? It’s unbecoming of you to be so self-conscious. Trust me: less people are watching than you think and the ones that are looking are too wrapped up in themselves anyways. Why is a large audience thought of as such a benefit anyways? Who needs all that responsibility, necessarily? Go for it man! It’s yours! Have at it!

So you know what? Because I appreciate recognition, I am happy to be part of your indie agenda, but not if you’re rallying people around you because your father was distant or your parrot is sick. You should be writing about that shit, not dragging people into your sad sack net. You know how many children I have? Fuck all. I have fuck all kids. But some days I feel like the dad to 20 people, because 20 people had bad dads that life-day. That sure sucks, but I didn’t do it!

I was thinking randomly recently that the one thing businesses are all lacking is emotional health, or people with happy childhoods. Jesus, I mean my heart bleeds for you Karen, but I was just asking if you had any fucking staples, right?! To my knowledge I never set fire to your grandmother’s favourite piano in the abandoned car park by your flat. I seriously just thought you had staples.

I think Leo’s lost the plot.

(The name of my new book podcast is “Losing the Plot” btw: get in touch using losingtheplotpodcast [at] gmail [dot] com! Interested in talking to writers, editors, readers, about books and life at large.)

On authenticity again: if you’re you, you can hear anything about yourself and it doesn’t really hurt so long as you have a sense of humour about yourself, which, if I’m burnt out, is the very last thing to go, and the most painful thing to leave me, which it does about twice a year, but it’s the very last because it’s the most important.

You know how hypothermic people, in the very last stage of shutting down, they do a thing called “paradoxical undressing”, where the constricting vessels that were keeping the blood to their core give up, and the blood floods to their skin all of a sudden, and they feel suddenly very hot, despite being so cool they’re about to die (like, uh… I wish I knew someone cool to put in here, but I don’t know any cool people because I am not cool. Glasgow people stay under the tyranny of cool for a long time, I’ve noticed. They try to collect “body stories”, stories where they put themselves at risk of physical harm somehow in order to collect some funny story—dodgy one-night stands, drugs and drinking, weird holidays and so on. The “body story” lifestyle is highly attractive to those aged about 16-25, but hopefully it wears off as fast as possible, because if anyone finds these stories funny, they don’t care about you, and this should be realised ideally early on. That’s really the purpose of the stories: I did this—do you care? The answer is often ‘No.’ So the question begs, ‘If I don’t care about myself, who does care about me?’ And the answer to that is, ‘Honestly, you shouldn’t go testing that, primarily because if you don’t care about yourself, anyone else caring has significantly less meaning, and once again, Karen, I am not your dad! I just wanted the damn staples!’ And suddenly you reach an age where all these body stories you wasted so much time collecting now embarrass you to recount, and the time has gone, and you have no network, because the club and pub and lane and holiday crew had so little self-esteem between them, and kept each other pathologically afloat for so long, that you might have just stayed at home browsing pro-ana chat rooms. This is the slippery slope argument of cool. I freed myself from the tyranny of cool when I was seventeen and realised I would never be cool. This prompted one of my friends to ask another, when they were in a club and out of earshot, ‘Why does Leo dance like that?’ I’ll tell you the answer: THIS IS WHAT I LOOK LIKE WHEN I’M EXPRESSING MY JOY YOU COOL PIECE OF SHIT!!) So anyway: when I’m burnt out I turn increasingly serious, which only binds me further, much like someone close to hypothermic death might convince themselves they’re too hot, and start to take off their clothes. Luckily, Oslo winters are mild.

But when it comes to rejection letters: it doesn’t beg to dwell of course, but it’s the frustration of miscommunication, not the ad hominem attack, that hurts. The mismatch of interpretation versus intent, and so on, and we should do as much as possible to minimise mismatches and miscommunications. To do this, I would acknowledge the following:

- You are an authority, but only on yourself, and barely even then.

- Don’t fake it: you have made it. Yes, look around you. This is what “it” looks like. “It” is your life, and it is right now.

- Don’t have something to look forward to, because again, your life is happening today.

I wrote this in my journal—a new Word file I open every day—I typed out: this is really happening. This is your life. It is right now, not later, and it looks exactly as you are perceiving it. And suddenly I was free and overjoyed at everything around me and filled with gratitude for all the things I had in my life, because in that second I stopped expecting more. And now when I’m reading, I appreciate these windows into other worlds, other writing styles, because they are not my worlds, my skills, my styles—they could not be further from a commentary on me at all in these respects. They are not representative of skills or lives I have been denied. Because now I know that for a significant enough chunk of time that I am stuck here, in this brain, in this head, in this mortal body, this country, this job, with these tools, this marriage and family (no complaints on the last two, listing only for the sake of completion), this one, singular, somewhat unique and somehow completely the same, life? I can escape.

THE END!!

#creative life #creative writing #writing advice #writer advice #author advice #amwriting #amreading #amediting #fiction #books #ebooks

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