mors vincit nihil @sabbioneta - Tumblr Blog

( precious lee , cis woman, she/her ) — Look who it is! If you take a look at our database, you’ll find that LEONARDA FAUSTINA LIBERATA DA SABBIONETA is a 502 year old TEXTILE CONSERVATOR that’s been in Chicago for ONE MONTH. According to the file, they’re a mutant on LEVEL 3 with the power of IMMORTALITY. That must be why they’re EFFERVESCENT and FORGETFUL. If you ask me, they remind me of the full body sensuality of medieval devotion, the thick impasto of oil paints beneath your fingertips, and the scent of snuffed out candles. They are affiliated with NOBODY.

surelenore-arc

sabbioneta:

Leo doesn’t always have a good memory for faces. Or names. But there are some even she can’t forget: like Lenore’s. While her devout belief in God is something she has clung to more reliably than almost anything, even that has not been entirely unshakeable. There had been a time when that faith wavered, and she sought a solution with Lenore.

But when that solution was about as effective as every other Leo has tried (that is to say, utterly ineffective), she concluded that the problem was not God. So she went crawling back to Him on repentant knees, obviously. It didn’t occur to her that Lenore might hold a grudge over a thing like that. Leo certainly doesn’t have the capacity to hold grudges for decades or centuries!

“Lenore! You look wonderful. How are you? How’s Moonscar?“ Leo’s thoughts on Moonscar are… complicated, but she can certainly see the appeal of conditional immortality. She only hates her own because it’s apparently without limit, without end. But whatever she thinks, she doesn’t like villainising people anyway. People are so complex, and they always have their reasons for everything. Leo certainly wouldn’t presume to judge who is right and who is wrong; that’s for God to do.

lenore could handle people leaving moonscar. after all, at the start, it had been more for their protection than anything ( it wasn’t just immortality that the Moon had offered ) – should they choose to forsake it, that was their prerogative. and, in most cases, lenore held no ill-will towards those who came and went – especially as the years went on. it started with a focal point on cat island*, sure, but it branched into something more… nomadic. people would join, and people would leave. it was natural. no, what she could not handle – what she would remember for a century, hold onto for a century – was ( perceived ) betrayal. any hate she had in her heart had been directed towards one ( very large ) group: the christians. so it was not that leonarda had left. it was not that leonarda was immortal with no catch ( limitlessness… was there much to envy when the Earth would take her much deserved breather one day ? ). no, no – they had planned together, they had tried together. futile. and it was the futility of it that found leonarda in ‘his’ arms again – again, pretty ironic ! “ it’s adapting. ” which was to say, it was doing well, though the mission statement was warping as modernity swept through it. no one needed that same protection they once did. need was no longer much of a word – everyone wanted. the hubris of man, the downfall that would come… “ you’re looking rather wonderful, yourself. ” in the immortal words of ian anderson: he who made kittens put snakes in the grass ! “ how’s your god ? ”

sabbioneta

Adapting. It’s all you really can do, when you’re immortal. You don’t have a choice. The world moves on. Leo nods in understanding, and then her smile falters when Lenore asks how her God is. It could be a perfectly sincere question; Leo has had companions of all faiths over the centuries, and she never makes it a point of contention. To each their own and all that. But something in Lenore’s tone sounds rather scathing, Leo thinks. Now, it does occur to her that Lenore might be angry.

“Oh, you know. He doesn’t talk to me much. Not that he ever did, I suppose, but it seems He talks to everyone less. Not many mystics out there receiving visions at all any more, are there? I can't help but think He's disappointed, with the way His world has turned out."

#lenore #wherefore art thou so HOT lenore #i love milfs

ameline.

wasn’t that the root of the despair ? wasn’t that why she had had to leave in the first place ? she was born to be a wanderer, born to be free. she was born to travel and partake in as many adventures as her long life would allow her. ameline, on the other hand, lived up to his mutation. he stayed, still as the stone that coated his skin, in the cathedral. he would still be there, unmoving, if it weren’t for a passing flight of fancy and the freedom to partake in it – a flight of fancy that he now did regret. very little changed in a decade, and so much changed in a decade. but to pretend… to pretend that they were not doomed by their very purposes, to pretend that they could be just the same as any two given humans, ameline offered a smile that wavered for only a second. “ it would be my honor to accompany you. ” and it would be ! you know, if they went on one right now, it’d be perfect timing ! but when everything was clear and safe… leonarda deserved better than a statue ( both in the metaphorical and literal sense ! ). “ this… city – it is an adventure unto itself, is it not ? ” ameline tilted his head to the side… bewildered ! “ like some sort of… breakfast slave ? ” now, he did not support the idea of breakfast slavery, but… that was just further proof that the modern world had become quite convenient. perhaps he could not blame the skyrocketing sloth – the world was catering to it ! leonarda’s hands atop his, he eased himself back down to the bed. she was gorgeous. deep eyes, warm skin, a soul nearly visible. what had he done to deserve such light in his life ? but her concerns, he believed, were unfounded. he raised a cold stone ( how he wished he could offer her the warmth she offered him ) hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, eyes set on hers. “ to have a family with you would have been such a great joy, leonarda, but you mustn’t need to think about doing it for me. ” it had been something she’d wanted dearly, a family, but he could not accept the simple slip of ‘for you.’ “ you have given me more than i could ask for. ” what a wish to have, though – children with leonarda, a family built with the woman he loved more than he could express. but it was a part of their plight, was it not ? leonarda had become incapable. ameline did not roam. in a different world, perhaps… “ perhaps we can have family gatherings with our ancestors, yes ? one big family that way ? ” he proposed, only half-joking. @sureameline

She smiles, relaxed and happy; to the modern ear Ameline probably sounds terribly old fashioned, but to Leo he sounds comfortingly like home. There is an earnestness and a romanticism in the old ways that the modern world has lost to cynicism. Everyone is so damn cynical now, so damn smart, and there’s an utter lack of charm to it. Leo misses chivalry; not because of the gender roles or the patriarchal aspect, but because of what it stood for. A chivalrous person was a person that respected and cared for those that could not care so easily for themselves. That is how Ameline guards Leonarda’s heart: chivalrously. Earnestly. It is not a task any modern person could be trusted with.

With that said… his old fashionedness does make her giggle. Most consider Leo old fashioned; they have not met Ameline! See, Leo knows about food delivery. UberEats is beyond her, but she’s quite capable of telephoning nearby restaurants. “Not like a slave, silly goose! They are paid, and of course we tip them for their efforts.” Leo hasn’t connected her generous tips to the prompt, excellent service she receives but she thinks little of tipping fifty dollars for a breakfast order. Money means little to her, and it makes her so happy to see how excited the delivery person gets when she gives them the money. That makes her far happier than the money itself ever could.

Ameline may consider his hands cold; Leo thinks of them as cool, refreshing and healing as fresh spring waters on tired feet. He tucks a strand of hair behind her ears and Leo closes her eyes briefly, allowing herself to get lost in the feeling. The cool stone of his touch is a greater comfort than warm flesh could ever be. Perhaps it is the sense of permanency stone has over flesh; that is the greatest reassurance, for an immortal. “I want it for you, but I want it for me, also. Not that my wants can change reality. But I just thought… I thought that my children were the best thing I had ever done. They were so wonderful. It grieves me to know I can never bring such beauty and vibrancy to the world again. I would very much like our families to meet, though, I hope you’re not teasing me. I know any descendant of yours must be as wonderful as their ancestor. Although, you know, neither of mine that I’ve met thus far seem to take much after me. Both rather less sanguine; rather more phlegmatic.”

#ameline

terrence.

questions have long since grown dull for them, but… they’re used to it from all the same people. leo is a new face, with different questions, so maybe that’s why they don’t agree and excuse themselves back to their apartment. if terry says yes, quite the same and meanders back on home, he can continue to do all the nothing he wants. but maybe it’s more complicated than nothing, despite what they would rather believe. “it’s more effort, i’ll say that. not sure if it feels the same. takes me a while to process that.” to think back and remember what they did feel, if anything, at any given moment. they just don’t retain enough to go back for. “i don’t like being bored, either.” that’s more than nothing. not liking. but the problem is, they don’t like too much these days. “i just haven’t found something to take the edge off.” @cursedflesh

Well, it sounds like Terrence just hasn’t found the right pastimes to occupy them! Alright, there’s no ‘just’ about it. Coming to terms with immortality is complex and upsetting. “I tried all sorts of things when I realised the truth about myself,” she commiserates. “You know, you try the dangerous and adrenaline inducing things but it feels so hollow when there’s no true risk; you lose yourself in feasting but it won’t ever really slake your thirst or fill your belly; you indulge in lust but nobody can make the knowledge of impending loneliness go away. Every time I heard mortals wishing for immortality, I would want to shake them, you know? And say, don’t you know what a gift the finite is?”

#terrence

ezra.

“no, no, you’re right. quite undignified, that. wouldn’t want that for her at all.” obviously, ezra isn’t totally serious. he doesn’t think that a turtle would have any idea what dignity looked like… or even what it meant at all. but leo is the eccentric sort, so he takes a humorous approach, rather than outright questioning her tortoise-related logic. besides, the animal isn’t the important thing here ( unless she’s also going to be trying a few things on ) the dresses leo’s collected over the ages are. his eyes light up, however, at the mention of sword play. “handy with a sword, are you? now there’s something i’d like to see. err, another time, of course.” probably not ideal to wave around sharp objects with such delicate material laying about. and unfortunately, although less pressingly, he shouldn’t take that much time for his break. he does have to return to work at some point. later, though. “now that,” he starts, eyeing her suggestion; “is a dress. can’t imagine trying to waltz around with five feet of hips on me. i think mine are about a foot across as is.” more than that, but not by much. he’s always been exceptionally narrow. “i think it’s fantastic. you’re’ not the prudish sort, are you?” he asks, already going for his shirt. obviously he’s not going to put anything on over his grungy work clothes. @smitebound

“Only if you’re going to fight me! Swordsmanship is a ‘takes two to tango’ sort of game, not much to see if it’s just me,” Leo says. She’d love to duel Ezra! She has always thought sword fighting is tremendous fun, and a very useful skill to have. Well, less so these days. But in the past, it had certainly had its uses.

He seems pleased by the dress, which delights Leo; she loves sharing historical fashion with people. “I’ve been accused of being a lot of things over the years, prudish isn’t one of them,” Leo promises as Ezra immediately begins to strip. While she has been in more than her fair share of lewd scenarios, she has also been around enough nudity to easily desexualise it when its proper.

Having received no particular flirtatious energy from Ezra, and being in any case rather distracted with thoughts of her beloved Ameline, this definitely feels like a moment to be normal about nudity. He is fascinating though, strong and sickly looking at once. Sorting through a few slips, she says over her shoulder: “You can keep your underwear on, though. Hmm… I’m not sure any of my slips will be long enough for you, but they should cover your breadth anyway. Most of these are my old clothes and we’re obviously not quite the same size.” To say the least. Leo crosses over, regardless of Ezra’s state of (un)dress, holding the underdress up to compare to him. Tutting, she says, “Well, it doesn’t really matter, it was more to protect your skin from the bodice and the over-garments from sweat anyway, not to cover your legs.”

#ezra

suremarkj:

“ think we lost the last bit of privacy we had when we traded landlines for… ” he held up his phone to finish the sentence for him. who among them could live without a cellphone in this day and age ? – not that mark had known any different time, so to speak… but, as a private man, he could compare the days of yesteryear – decade or two ago – and where they were now… and privacy was damn hard to come by ! he’d made a living off of the phone, sure, but at what cost ? “ makes the world go round, don’t it ? ” it afforded him his properties – private address and public address ( where all mail was to be directed to ) – thus, it afforded him the closest thing to privacy that he could get. he had that much to thank money for. but nothing made half as much money as exploitation, and what a good example terry was ! “ well, think if anyone can help a fella like him, it’d be you. don’t know anyone else with as much experience. ” even his mutant followers ! the oldest among them was… 143, he wanted to say ? would it be a lie to say leo came off as a bit air-headed ? a bit lost ? no, not really – wasn’t her fault the world changed too damn fast for her to keep up with. but would it be a lie to say she didn’t have any wisdom to share ? goddamn, she was the wisest person mark had ever met. mark had… eleven siblings (i think… i forgot…), dozens of cousins, aunts, uncles – the whole drove ! – but that didn’t mean he had any family, not really. when the blood of the covenant was thicker than the water of the womb, and when everyone in his hometown who shared his last name had worshipped him then driven him away, the water of the womb… well, it sucked ! but now, he supposed, he did. he had leo, no matter how distant they were. and, even if he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to see her as anything but the friend he’d known her – even if he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to see her as some kind of grandma – it was nice to know. it was nice to know that he shared blood with someone who didn’t worship him, didn’t loathe him, didn’t fear him. “ i thank you for that. ”

“I hope you’re right,” Leo says, earnest as ever and uncharacteristically somber. She has felt so alone for such a long time, and it means more than she can say that Mark so readily accepts her as a member of his family. She can only hope (in absolute vain) that Terrence will receive her just the same. All she wants is a family, and the traditional sort is a door many centuries since barred to her; this is the best she can do.

Briefly, the light of excitement flares in her as she considers how many near relatives Mark has. All Leo’s family, now, too! But dearly though she’d like to seek them out, it occurs to her almost as quickly that that would probably cause Mark some level of distress. “Of course, I will keep my distance from your part of the family. I found you first, so you get priority. I don’t approve of any upset or fighting in my family anyway, so I disapprove of them on that account already. And you know, if you ever need anyone to speak with them about their conduct... I have some good friends that are rather better at being threatening than I am.“

Leo herself is of course about as threatening as a teddy bear but she has plenty of friends in high places whom she wouldn’t hesitate to call upon in aid of a family member. Mark’s other side lost the right to consider themselves family when they treated Mark poorly! His vendettas are now Leo’s vendettas.

#mark #naut tiktok in YOUR OWN ABODE #truly awful #put ya headphones in girl :///#aljkdfgh every sweet home alabama has my lil brain like :/ are we for real joking tho bc. i read a lot of gothic horror #and :////////// sometimes its abt exploring THE THEMES you know #and pls dont be sorry every reply is a pleasure from u :PRAY:#ps mark so valid for forgetting how many siblings he has i think past 6 you just stop counting

cursedflesh:

“sure, but it’s not that stopping me. i just don’t see the point.” that’s how terry feels about everything these days. what’s the point, what’s the point, what’s the fucking point? at least while fully alive, life had been pleasant. not always good, but overall… something that got him up out of bed every day. something he could look forward to. something full of potential, of passion, of good things. what do they have now? everything is a burden and as far as they can tell, there’s no way to end that torment. “i don’t feel it, anymore.”

terry only shrugs. boring. everything is boring! at least being selfish is easy. “i’m doing something different now, aren’t i?” but that’s not what leo had asked. “no, i don’t. i don’t feel much of anything. all i’ve got is boredom, so might as well make sure it’s easy.” and involving himself in people’s lives, for better or for worse, is not easy… most of the time, it’s a problem. they start asking for things they don’t, can’t, give and get upset when they say as much. people are sentimental creatures; it’s just nature… but they still like to push that on them, too.

It’s sort of hard for Leo to understand, but she is trying. Obviously their immortalities, even if related, are not the same. She has given in to the relentless depression of life unending time and time again in a bitter cycle, but overall? If life is going to be long and pointless, she may as well keep herself occupied, may as well try to be kind. It doesn’t seem as though Terrence has a ‘may as well’ facet to it.

“So this, going on a walk with a stranger and a distant relative, does that feel the same as just sitting and home doing nothing, but with more effort? I am sorry for all my questions, I’m just trying to understand. I’d rather feel anything but boredom.“ Pain, heartbreak, grief, rage, they’re all preferable to boredom because at least they keep things interesting.

#Terrence

luckythings

#face.#i need her so bad....

smitebound:

“shame, that. the dropping, i mean… would be an excellent way to spice up a party if she didn’t.” the tortoise, of course, has no concept of what a party even is, let alone on how to be good at one. “doesn’t look a day over… oh, eighty-five, i’d say,” he adds, a breath of laughter chasing close behind. lettie certainly doesn’t look young—she had more wrinkles on one leg than his ancient ( may she rest in peace ) grandmother did across her whole body. but turtles tended to be on the wrinkly side, didn’t they?

a flicker of amusement curls at the edge of his lip. god-fearing? ezra doesn’t think tortoises are generally god-fearing. nor should they be! god is nothing to be afraid of. “fair point, there.” nodding, ezra reaches out to gently caress one of the dresses. it doesn’t surprise him at all that several are older than quite a few empires. “don’t you worry, i’ll make sure i don’t mess them up. would be a crime against the world to ruin one of these. anyone else did and i’d have their head! would hope you’d give me the same treatment.”

“Well, we could always attach some sort of sticky tape or something, but I don’t think it would be terribly dignified, and you see Lettie is a lady of great dignity. I’m the undignified one of the household,” Leo grins; she often manages to be both the most dignified and the most undignified in any given household. Her age and old fashioned customs often lend her an air of dignity, but her utter lack of fucks to give makes her terribly prone to acts of great indignity without a second thought.

His passion for preserving the dresses is enthusiastic, maybe too enthusiastic to be totally sincere, but as long as he behaves himself she won’t comment. “I’m not really the violent sort, but with that said… I’m rather handy with a sword. So do watch yourself.” she sort of teases, sort of threatens. Unfortunately Leo does not yet know Ezra well enough to be aware that attacking him with a sword would probably only bring him great delight. “Now… I think the most extravagant number I have would be this one…” Leo hefts through the fabric (though she only brought a few dresses, they are heavy with rich fabric and ornamentation). She extracts a bundle of fabric in pale jade green brocade with embroidered flowers, lace dripping like white wisteria from the sleeves. “Now, the fabric might look quite understated–” (it really doesn’t) “But this is an eighteenth century dress, I wore this in Versailles, and it’s one of those dresses with panniers that make your hips about five feet wide. What do you think?” It’s hard, with older fashions, to get an idea of how they’d look on because so much of their appearance is given shape by the underwear, but hopefully the promise of extravagant panniers was enough to tempt Ezra! Leo had certainly enjoyed them, wearing dresses as wide as she was tall. Tremendous fun at balls.

#ezra #i picked this gif not because it fits #but bc i like to see her boobs jiggle #i am correct to do so

cursedflesh:

“s’pose that makes sense, if you’ve got a taste for it.” that kind of reckless debauchery left them in death, however. the life of a famous musician is full of that sort of thing. drinking too much, taking the wrong ( and right ) drugs, dancing until their feet felt like they would fall off… only to get up and have to do things early the next day. now, with drinking doing nothing but sitting dull in their dead stomach and the lack of blood flow ( to say nothing of sensation in and of itself ) making… other activities… difficult, there’s no point in throwing themselves in to the same mistakes. “lost mine, though. can’t get drunk. can’t get it up, either.” maybe too much information for someone they’ve only just met, but shame has left them too. something tells him it’s left her as well.

leo does make some good points, although listening to them is another thing entirely. “sure, i’ve gotten selfish. you’re not wrong about that. but so what? it’s my life.” or rather, lack of it. “i put some effort in for the people who need it, and anyone else just isn’t worth that.” like now, for instance. he’s not happy, but he’s here. he’s walking. he’s talking. what more would people want out of them? usually, something that they’re just not capable of giving anymore. is it any wonder that he ends up pulling away? understanding is as rare as selflessness.

“Well, there are plenty of ways to have sex that don’t include erections or penetration, but I take your point.” Leo resists the urge to go into detail about what AFAB people did historically to make love; obviously that’s not the only thing holding Terrence back, and in any case, they’re family! Generally one doesn’t go into too much detail about sex with one’s family.

And there’s the catch: Terrence can see the selfishness in their behaviour but doesn’t care to do anything about it. “Isn’t it boring? Not caring about anything or anyone? I mean, don’t you ever find yourself inclined to do things just to do something different?“ Often over the years that’s been what keeps Leo going, more than anything. Just dodging boredom.

#Terrence

smitebound:

as leo putters off to search out her camera ( hopefully the right kind! ) ezra is surprised to find another houseguest meandering over—a massive, table-sized tortoise. in anyone else’s house, this would be assumed to be some sort of bit. who in the hell has a big, ol’ turtle wandering around? for leo, it seems perfectly reasonable. she’s old. this tortoise is undoubtedly old. why go for a dog or a cat when not only will this animal live over an average lifetime, but can also serve as an incredible drink holding station at parties, too? he wonders if she’s ever tried that. thinks about bringing it up when she gets back.

but, true to his nature, he completely forgets that thought the moment leo comes back with the camera—and several very, very expensive looking dresses. perfection! “that’s exactly the right camera!” he confirms, afterwards glancing back toward the tortoise. oh, yeah! that exists. “very nice table you’ve got, here. how old? older than my gran, i’d think. she won’t mind if we put on a little show here, will she?” probably not. lettie seems old enough that she won’t mind anything at all… other than being denied fruit, of course.

"Hm?” Leo assumes Ezra is talking about one of the many occasional tables scattered around, glancing to where he’s pointing. But he means Lettie, of course! “Oh, gosh, I don’t know exactly... she must be pushing a hundred, a hundred and ten? I definitely got her... after Queen Victoria died. Though I’d not recommend using her as a table, she has the most awful habit of running away with your drink. Not that she’s terribly hard to catch, of course, but she will drop things...” It is an inevitability of having a giant tortoise: people rest things on her. Sometimes they don’t even realise she’s alive until she starts ambling away!

“Anyway--! She’s seen worse than a little fashion show. Poor thing’s probably seen more than any god fearing tortoise ever should-- isn’t that right, old girl?” Leo gives Lettie a tender pat on the head. “Now, just promise me one thing: treat the dresses very carefully! Some of them are older than the United States. And I’m of the opinion that clothes were made to be worn and used and loved, but I’m also of the opinion that they ought to be treated with a lot more respect than what fast fashion these days allows for.” Leo loves fun and games but ultimately, she values the preservation of memory. That’s as important as fun, to her.

#ezra

cursedflesh:

it’s hard to care about anyone else’s preferences nowadays, but it’s still good to know that leo can handle some noise. not that they usually are the one making it, but still. it shouldn’t come as any surprise, of course, that someone who’s lived so long would have gotten used to a wide array of things that nobody else has. drums? try bombs!

“s’pose not,” they agree, shrugging a shoulder. truthfully, terry thinks they could go for more missing out, given what they do have to eat… but again, he’s definitely not going to get into a conversation about that. not now, preferably not ever! “pointless, meaningless… whatever you want to call it. that’s about all there is for me, anymore.” but that’s just how it is! he can’t die, so whatever point there is to living has pretty much been snuffed out with the pieces of them that stayed beyond the grave. “you’ve probably lived long enough for it.”

.

“Oh yes,“ Leo agrees with a small nod; she’s lived long enough for everything. She does understand the pointlessness. “Though I think I dealt with my resignation to the pointlessness with more... debauchery and recklessness. Because I would think, well, if nothing matters and nothing can hurt me then I might as well drink whatever I want and bed whomever I want and go wherever I want, because ultimately it doesn’t make a difference. And maybe it doesn’t! But just because it’s meaningless to me, that doesn’t mean it’s meaningless to everyone, you know? Whether I like it or not, I am here for the foreseeable future, and if I can’t find any meaning for myself then I can at least try and help others find meaning or joy. In the end resigning yourself to meaningless doesn’t absolve you of life’s responsibilities, it just makes you selfish.”

That is as close as Leo comes to tough love: insinuating that Terry might be thinking selfishly. And maybe they won’t even care about that! But all Leo can do is say her piece and hope to be heard. It’s a small hope. After all, she’s been begging God to listen to her for centuries. By now she’s quite accustomed to being ignored.

#Terrence #drums? try bombs! so true terry

smitebound:

“one of the best tool’s you can have in your arsenal, i’ve found. if someone can’t shake you down, they’ll never have power over you.” a bit dramatic, but ezra has always had a flair for that. “that said, burlap? think i’ll stay away from it. i prefer to look above my means, not below.” his affinity for luxury has every truly been explored. every once in a while he’ll get an opportunity ( sort of like this! ) to inch his way into higher living, but he can never make it last. he’s always been quick to take advantage of a hand willing to feed.

ezra chuckles to himself. “no screens involved on these. prints out the little bugger when you snap a picture. don’t have to take it in or find a nice printer.” there is something to be said for physical reminders, as leo had said. of course, sentiment has nothing to to do with it for him. something to help look back and find gratification in it. “wouldn’t mind having some of them hanging around my apartment, if you’ve got the right equipment.”

“Ooh-- that rings a bell, you know, I think I might. Hang on--“ On the whole Leo is a gracious host but she does have a terrible habit of wandering off and losing track of time. Centuries of time will do that to you; leave you with no real notion of how time passes to most people.

In her absence, Ezra will find a giant tortoise ambles in at an unhurried pace, curious about the newcomer. When Leo comes back, a polaroid camera dangling from her wrist and a stack of several heavy, extravagant dresses in rich, heavy brocades and velvets, she almost trips over the tortoise. “Oops! Hello. I see you’ve met Lettie. She’s very friendly, you can give her some fruit if you like; is this the right sort of camera?” she asks, sweeping over to set the dresses on a clear table and holding the camera up for Ezra to see. Though Leo may often appear clumsy and careless in her movements, it’s more than she moves with the confidence of someone that has had centuries to grow accustomed to her body and the world in which it interacts; she is in fact very careful when it comes to things like her old dresses.

#ezra

cursedflesh:

“as long as you can handle some noise. drums is my specialty.” or… again, it used to be. terry isn’t nearly as confident ( or interested… ) in the practice as they used to be. but that’s neither here nor there. they could have filled novels upon novels with the drawbacks of what had happened to them ( and maybe… a single page, if that, of pros ) and it would have made no difference at all. what’s happened has happened and that’s the end of it. “every once in a while,” they admit, carefully omitting the worst of it—for now; “but i usually don’t bother. i tend to go without, nowadays.” and it is what it is. if they have to dig someone up and cringe while crunching on embalmed remains… so be it. better than the alternative.

“I love drums,” Leo reassures them. And she does! They’re wonderful for accompanying dance and song, and while she doesn’t know much about how drums are used these days, she’d be happy to learn from Terrence.

Alright, so food seems like a no-go. Which is a terrible shame, but Leo won’t be deterred. So, no food, no passion for his old music: Leo begins to keep a list in her head (she feels it might be tactless to verbalise it in front of poor Terrence, like it’s a laundry list of things they cannot enjoy). Bracingly, she says, “Well, if it’s not necessary then I suppose you’re not really missing out! Does it all just feel… pointless? Meaningless?” On the outside, it’s true, they couldn’t appear more different; but over the years, Leo has felt it all. Rage and depression, an acute awareness of the meaninglessness of it all. “I think I might understand you better than you think.”

.

#Terrence

smitebound:

“right you are, there!” he agrees, more cheerfully. that’s always been a positive saying in his life… but then, ezra never likes to be stuck in one place, in one thing, for too long. that’s why most things he does end in failure. relationships, jobs, apartment leases… he can’t stick with it! but none of that ( usually… ) matters too much for him. he’s always looking forward. “the bread, good g-d!” he exclaims, throwing his hands up. thankfully, with nothing in them. “can’t have a proper slice of toast;” with… beans… “without it tasting like i’m scarfing down dessert. never thought i’d say this as a kid, but you do get tired of it.” he shakes his head, sighing. “hell, ask for a biscuit and they give you a sugary monstrosity!” good for when gabby wants something, but there is something to be said for less… cavity-inducing foods.

after popping another goody into his mouth, ezra pauses in consideration. “you know, if i had a proper tailor for it… i might be able to pull that off. ‘course, not my first choice.” no, he has enough rags laying around for a lifetime! or… maybe not. he tends to discard more than he keeps. either way, his fits don’t tend to be extravagant… hard to manage with his price range! and his profession. and his hobbies… “hoop skirts?” he continues, switching gears toward her line of thinking. “know what, i think that might be fantastic enough to work. don’t suppose you’ve got an old polaroid camera laying about, have you?” if there’s one thing more exciting than sexy pictures, it’s the kind he can string up without printing himself!

Ezra sounds so cheerful about the idea of impermanence! It’s not something Leo thinks she will ever really be able to understand but she does allow his attitude to lift her, and finds herself smiling a little more warmly. It always makes her happy when she finds someone she can share things with, even little cultural things like the strangeness of American cuisine. His Irish roots and her Italian roots may not have much in common, but it’s amazing what feeling like an outsider can do for one’s sense of belonging.

And she loves his conviction that he could make a potato sack look good! Laughing, Leo says, “There is a lot to be said about confidence, it’s true. If you’d ever like to give it a go, feel free to bring me some burlap and I’ll get you fitted.” She prefers working with more luxurious materials, obviously, but has always been partial to a fun little side project! Leo would never wear burlap herself, of course, the material is far too scratchy and she prefers silks and velvets. “I believe I do have some cameras somewhere… which sort is a polaroid? I’m not very up to date on these things, I don’t have any of the fancy ones with the little screens on the back… I thought everyone liked to take photographs on their telephones these days?” Leo is trying so hard to keep up!

#ezra

sureameline:

leonarda was the first woman he had loved. leonarda was the last woman he had loved. never could he see himself loving anyone else as much as he did leonarda, and never could he see anyone else loving him as much as she seemed as she did. she was God’s grace personified, her warmth and her light shining as the sun shone through the midday rose. he could wish for nothing more. sometimes he believed that she was closer to The Mother of God than anyone who walked the earth. he believed, perhaps, that that was why she had been blessed with the gift of immortality. but he understood – yes, he understood – why the blessing may feel so akin to a curse for her. he considered his life without the cathedral… even if he looked like a normal man, searching for meaning in the long and everlasting life would be an uphill battle. but there was a reason behind it all, he knew that for certain. and he knew that she had been hand-picked to spread her light, the light of God, around the world. to remind all mortals that He was alive, miraculous and giving, as He had always been. to make sure that He would never be forgotten. and he did not deserve her forgiveness, for he did not deserve His forgiveness, but his heart still swelled when it graced her lips. he could not bear an eternity of leonarda being despondent, much less because of himself. “ i thank you, leonarda, but you mustn’t believe they were dramatics. you must feel what you feel, and i do not wish you to believe you are wrong for it. ” she had every right to feel betrayed, he thought. he had loved no one but she, but he had made the grand mistake of falling. “ you brush the inside of your cheek ? and that is all ? ” what ease… “ the modern world has… advanced. ” on one hand, you had kappa ; on the other hand, you had swabbing in the inside of your cheeks ; on yet a third hand, you had men and women pretending to be high-schoolers singing about God inside a technicolor television… he had certainly been missing some advancements while in the belfry !

Ameline is too kind. Leo was dramatic; but only for Ameline. Though she is always warm and loving towards everybody, it is rare for her to truly feel a special bond with someone. The fear of their inevitable departure was too much; she still aches from centuries old heartbreak. As it is, any fleeting dalliances or friendships she makes now, she is careful not to love them too much.

But Ameline won’t leave her. Even if she had, selfishly, left him once. “I–” she hesitates, wondering if she can continue this thought honestly. Leo feels, in her heart, that she can. “I will not leave you again. With God as my witness, I swear it. But–” she allows a little, mischievous grin even through her tear-darkened lashes. “If I feel compelled to travel I may try and drag you on an adventure with me.” Ameline is perhaps the only person that can make eternity less daunting. There are other immortals, but none, as far as she knows, as old as he.

“The world certainly has advanced,” Leo smiles sadly; it goes without saying that, for the two of them, the world may change but Leo and Ameline remain much the same as ever. “Not always for the worse. One convenience I’m quite fond of… there’s a terribly good cafe near here, and if I call them, they will bring breakfast right to my door. We could have breakfast in bed,” she suggests, pulling Ameline gently by the hands to lie back down, wrapped up in each other. With a warm sigh, she whispers, “I was only sad because thinking of you having a family made me think, we can never do that. I can never do that for you.” Ameline would be a wonderful father. He deserves a family. But even when they had met first, all those centuries ago, Leo had been too old to bear children.

#ameline #he can call her dingding SOON! its gotta be canon its just gotta #PLEEEEEEEASE ameline MUST introduce leo to glee...#she'll be so confused but i KNOW she'll stan mercedes #ameleo sharing their Big Gay Moments over glee <3 real bonding moment

suremarkj:

after some careful scanning of his phone screen ( did he need glasses or was instagram just impossible ? probably both. ), mark tapped the ‘mute’ button at the bottom of the video. if there was one thing that drove him to the brink of insanity ( but, like, the regular kind of insanity ! ), it was hearing a video loop and loop and loop and loop. who the hell asked for that ? you miss something in the video, you manually hit replay ! no one needs to hear the same shit playing over and over and over again for minutes on end ! it was the reason he’d given up on public transportation, would rather drive in chicago traffic – everyone in the damn subways were always listening to their damn tiktoks out loud ! and letting the damn video loop ! he had gone insane enough to follow a few out and flay them alive… and that was on tiktok and instagram’s hands ! “ don’t sound half bad. everything’s on the grid now, huh ? you got a phone, you sacrifice privacy. ” mark didn’t know much, but he knew about: 1) targeted ads, and 2) ip addresses linking back to locations. and they were doing everything they could to make life more and more impossible to live without a smartphone of some kind ! even he’d been apprehensive about bringing his phone to his private address, but the one time he had – the one time he needed to scan something for his mail – he’d been left vulnerable. already exposed to the world, why leave it behind when the world wanted him to need it more than ever ? mark had not come to terms in the public. mark had not come to terms by himself. he had been His vessel for a couple of years, then he had been an abomination who cast his own self out – safer, better. he was as famous as he could be in his small community when it manifested ! and, when the ugly side made itself known… “ confusing to… develop in the public, come to terms in private, i imagine. ” he knew ! it was confusing ! “ hope his friends stuck beside ‘im. don’t know which tabloid’d sell better – death hoax or famous mutant. ”

“It’s rather frightening, isn’t it? But… panem et circenses, I suppose. People are willing to sacrifice their privacy for the convenience and fun of phones.” Her colleagues at the museum often say ‘okay, boomer,’ to Leo’s attitude about smart phones and technology. But she just thinks, if the government had tried to be half so invasive as companies are nowadays, back when she was young(er), people would riot. The right to privacy is one of the most basic of all.

It’s all starting to feel very cynical, really. Don’t know which tabloid’d sell better -- death hoax or famous mutant. “It always comes back to money in the end, doesn’t it.” Leo frowns. “Terrence shouldn’t have had to have his dignity bartered with and sold like that. Do you think I can… help him in some way?” Leo looks anxiously to Mark for approval. “I’ve known so many mutants, lived so many lives. A lot of the time it feels meaningless but I really think if I could help a grandchild through a problem, it might be worth it. And of course,” she smiles warmly, laying her hand over Mark’s and giving it a maternal squeeze. “The same goes for you. Any problem, however big or however small, I would love to be there to support you.”

#mark #ME AS MARK FR #ppl playing vids on their phones in public fills me with a murderous rage #NAUT SWEET HOME ALABAMA (so true though)

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