POTRAIT.

"enrapture your soul." leo banks. freelance photographer, journalist, reporter for L.A SWIFT indie magazine. twenty eight. blackwood.

[fcklec]

nitaoward:

Nita walked her friend outside of her building and to his car. He had come over late the night before, and only stayed until morning because he fell asleep on her bed. She watched as he pulled out of his spot on the side of the street and drove off. She glanced around herself to find someone, then asked them, “Could I have a cigarette?”

“sure.” leo lifts up his own cigarette as he picks his pocket to bring out his pack, containing only about three left. there hasn’t been a lot of work in the department lately thus his time has been spent with aimless searching for sources he doesn’t even need. he isn’t a fan of downtime and he likes keeping himself busy. “you seem stressed.” he points out. 

[fcklec]

elizabethhfuller:

Divorces were not fun at all. Not only doing the endless paperwork required but the screaming matches between the once happily married individuals. it was enough to make anyone drink let alone a woman who watched all of her past relationships result in the same fate. A screaming match over dvds and toasters. The young attorney decided to treat herself to a night out. Her daughter was with her father for the weekend so she could really enjoy herself. Of course, Liz went to the local hole in the wall bar to get some tequila.

“I really don’t get how people can be so obsessed with hockey. I mean don’t get me wrong, I love watching them beat each other but these people are actually crying that their team didn’t win?” She laughed and took another sip of her drink. “They scream like the type of kids who needed that participation ribbon even though they shouldn’t have made the team anyway.”

“sadly i’m not into sports at all.” leo says, running his fingers through his thick and short hair. he never found the their appeal but this coming from a guy who’d rather waste his time buried in papers at his very own home or office. he’s not a sport buff though he does try to at least maintain some sort of exercise every morning. that’s literally the sportiest thing he does. “or maybe that’s bliss, i’d rather stay away from those bunches and keep myself safe. a lot of my collagues are basketball fans, it’s hard to not get lost when they start yanking me around to watch the games.” 

[fcklec]

‘ callxmexcj,

CJ had decided it would be in his best interests to go the bonfire, if only to get more used to the crowds. He really didn’t want to go, but figured staying in all weekend wouldn’t be the greatest for himself. He stayed on the outskirts, looking at all the people having fun, not minding being by himself. CJ smiled as he saw looking at him, and nodded. “Hey,” he mumbled.

“hey.” leo moves a digit away from the shutter of his camera. he knows he’s supposed to be enjoying the event but he feels just a bit anxious. he doesn’t do well with crowded spaces but work is work and he needs to get it done as quickly as possible. “nice evening, yeah?” he asks, hoping to sound casual and not stutter-y. 

[fcklec]

zacharyconnor:

the coffee shop was too packed for his liking, but zack barely had sufficient time this morning to look for another one. he would have to go to the office in about two hours yet his migraine was killing him from the inside. he tried to move around as rapidly as he could with a tall cup of latte in his hand, alas he had been a second too late. all seats were taken except for one and much as he dreaded it, he knew he would most likely to have share the table. slowly, he approached with a careful smile on his face. “i’m sorry to bother you. is this seat taken?”

leo has his mug half way to his lips, a little bit surprised that someone would even bother to come to the lone guy with piles of papers and a buzzing laptop on his table. leo isn’t necessarily preocuppied per se, infact he has just wrapped his last report on the ongoing blue collar drama. at first he wasn’t sure if he should let the other male in but he thinks it’s better to have a bit of company. that should fix his image as well. “sure, go ahead. i’ll warn you though. i’m not going to be a decent company.”

[fcklec]

‘ xopers,

okay, this boy was struggling. persephone’s smile only widened in amusement, but not in a malicious way. this boy was incredibly handsome, and he was definitely a tree she wouldn’t mind climbing, but she wasn’t about to go and taint something so precious. persephone looked him over momentarily, slowly licking her lips as if in thought. “alright,” she said with a nod, then turned on her heel so her back faced him. she looked over her shoulder to say, “i’m persephone, by the way.” then began to walk in her intended direction, hips swaying beneath her.

is she..? leo tries so hard not to tense all over again and focusing on her back as she struts so confidently. his tongue dries but he’s glad she’s no longer looking at him to see his nervousness although she must have noticed it before. how would one function around beautiful girls? his eyes watch the way her hair flows like ocean and thickly he swallows the lump in his throat. “le- leo.” he replies. “leonard, but you can just- please call me leo.” leonard just seems so formal. “persephone is a beautiful name.” he admits, trailing her steps. 

[fcklec]

[fcklec]

“ nvahaswad,

“Oh. Just a birthday celebration.” Noah answered the stranger, keeping his expression light but professional. Even during easy hours, Noah knew he couldn’t keep his guards down ; some took opportunities like these for granted and filled him with regret days after. “Don’t judge. You hit your god forsaken mid-thirties and reckon you’d want to feel youthful again by delivering happiness to both the old and the youth. What better way to accomplish that than with free food?” 

“oh, it’s your birthday?” leo questions softly, now putting two and two together. this works even better for writing material, a bakery owner who utilizes his personal celebration as a way to conjure admirable marketing. finally leo doesn’t have to come home empty handed. “you’re  a wise man. i’m certain many will appreciate this.” he grins. “how much audience have you attracted?” 

[desert-rain-blog1-deactivated20]

Bunnies

[fcklec]

‘ desert-rain,

Hattan laughed. “Yes, the real world is much messier. We try to keep it more professional now but it’s…kind of hard.” He sighed a little, closing his eyes for a brief moment. For a moment he flushed and stuttered. “Um, well…” He almost felt the need to defend himself. “It doesn’t come up very often, a plus of my father’s historic obsession with our public perception. It has been intense, though.” Was he well known? “In Cairo my family is pretty famous. I don’t know about anywhere else. Elsayed is a distinctive name, though. It therefore needs to mean something, well…moral or upstanding or good or…”

“i bet. have you tried finding another person to keep an eye on you?” leo is familiar with awkwardness in the office and the big old rule to never form an intimate relationship with your coworker, while he mostly has only been naught but a witness to the dilemma he’s seen how a tense bond could influence everything. “i bet, um. i bet it has.” he stammers a bit but bites his lip to hide it. “you seem like a very chill guy though.” but he does know looks can be deceiving. “... okay, okay. i think i get it. remind me to never get on your bad side.” leo tries to joke. “it’s nice to have a powerful companion though. i’ve never met anyone as interesting as you.” 

[ccirillahir]

The love of my life looking absolutely adorable at GoodbyeCon

[fcklec]

‘ nvahaswad,

“Our store is having a special celebration today and you.. you get to pick two of our items for free.” Noah said, his grin widely reaching his crinkled cheeks. He just turned thirty six and he thought spreading the joy could further escalate the mood. The bakery owner waved his arm, showing rows of cupcakes, muffins, pretzels, croissants, and more. “Please, come have a look.” 

“what celebration?” his dark eyes narrow in curiosity. while free food does indeed sound wondrous he’s more interested in knowing more about the occasion, thinking it might be decent material for his upcoming report. “thanks, though. i’d love to take some of those cupcakes.” 

[fcklec]

‘ princessleiakurkovic,

“Maybe it’s better that way. For me at least. That’s a name. Sounds like a book character. Leia Kurkovic, nice to meet you.”

“wish i could have that effect. me? what you see’s what you get. a timid loser. says you, leia kurkovic. we sound like a couple of rpg characters. doesn’t help we’re about to become detectives.” 

[fcklec]

‘ xopers,

persephone watched and listened to the boy’s attempts at what she assumed was being smooth, or flirtatious. she knew the effect she normally had on others, especially when she was putting on a show, and the feeling was exhilarating to say the least. “ma’am? i hope i don’t look near elderly.” she teased, continuing to lightly flirt with the boy fidgeting in front of her. “it helps my case that you think i’m more than alright, then.” persephone flicked her hair over her shoulder and looked around them, the street empty besides the two of them. “it’s pretty quiet right now - i wouldn’t say i’m in any danger.” persephone commented, shrugging her shoulders lightly. “unless i can use the i don’t feel safe excuse to get you to walk me home?” she quirked one eyebrow in question, looking up at him expectantly. 

typically rigid fingers shake and the brunet feels his stomach flip a few times, thinking how foolish he must have sounded. he doesn’t know what else to say or do without looking like a complete idiot but what he does know is shrinking away will only turn him into a wuss. and he’s not a wuss or at least he tries not to be. “you’re not.. you’re not elderly. you’re pretty, no.. i mean, yes. sorry. i don’t know what’s going on with me. i think i’ll just shut up.” he wants to swipe the sweat from his forehead but wouldn’t that only make him seem greasy? leo, come on. think. “i could walk you home. if you want me to.” he tries out a smile. “though i’m sure you can totally.. kick ass, if necessary. but i wouldn’t mind that. walking you home.” 

[desert-rain-blog1-deactivated20]

Bunnies

[fcklec]

‘ desert-rain,

“People love bodyguards. It makes for a great romantic ideal for the modern age, I think. The kind of like…fairy tale thing that people want most out of life.” He laughed a little, and then blinked at Leo’s reaction. “Only sometimes,” he said, as if that made it any better. “And if I know they’re like, warlords or terror cell leaders or something. Child soldiers and so forth are safe. From me at least.”

“i mean true, though i that trope tends to abandon all consequences as well as encouraging the notion that risking your occupation for romance is cute and sweet. if only real life were that easy.” leo feels more nervous around him now after knowing he might have blood on his hands but he doesn’t want to show it. “that’s... quite intense.” scary, he thinks. “are you well known?” 

[fcklec]

‘ i-zion,

zion couldn’t help but let out a quiet chuckle as he noticed the other’s slight embarrassment. “savoir?” thick brows raise as a smile forms on his features, shaking his head from side to side slightly. “seems a bit extreme to call a returner of a pen, yeah?” the male joshed, allowing yet another laugh to slip from his lips.

leo sheepishly chuckles. “not so extreme when a massive part of your life relies on that pen. it’s a very important pen, you see.” a soft smile parts his lips as he remains to continue showing his gratitude. he’s so relieved that he feels like his thanks was not enough. “but seriously, man. thank you. i should get you a drink if you like.” 

[fcklec]

‘ xopers,

it was easy to pick up on the boy’s immediate reaction, and a grin began to form on her plump lips. “i guess you’re quite right.” her british twang rang through, and she lightly tilted her head to the side, eyebrows furrowing as she responded with, “i’m not flat on my ass, so i’d say i’m quite alright. plus, i’m in the presence for a very attractive skyscraper of a man, so-” she shrugged. he was only really so tall compared to her because the woman was barely two inches over five feet. “but i don’t think it’s safe for you to be skipping around so late, unless you’re the murderer our parents always warn us about.”

leo feels his body tense. he wishes he wasn’t so socially inept and fragile so he could at the very least reciprocate what he meekly assumes as little flirtation but now his onliest response comes in the form of an awkward behavior. “oh... i-i didn’t mean that. i meant to ask if you were hurt or not, ma’am.” he says and he feels like smacking himself for that stupid sentence alone. “you’re more.. you’re more than alright.” leo starts to think that he needs to stop, he scratches his neck and turns his red face to the side. “i’m not. i’m just a guy, trying to compile reports. what about yourself? it’s a bit late here and it can get pretty dangerous.” 

[tw-edits]

[desert-rain-blog1-deactivated20]

Bunnies

[fcklec]

‘ desert-rain,

“Oh, it’s lovely,” he replied lightly. “It’s no wonder I fell in love with him to start with.” He laughed. “No. I’m not mafia. I could be for my habit of throwing people I don’t like from thirty thousand feet. But I like you.”

“true. i would’ve had my feet swept right away.” leo mutters though his stretched lips show wry playfulness. he’s never really anyone to wholeheartedly protect him. it’s sad but at least he learned indenpendence from it. his words made leo stutter. “w-what?” he asks dumbfoundedly. “you throw people to their death?”