░ ✧*ﾟ aesthetic

You’ve had a landscaper and a house keeper since you were B O R N. The starshine always kept you warm.

[vitoed-blog]

arabellamarie:

arabella feels uneasy; vito, as usual, has drawn the truth from her, waked through the murky depths of her mind and unsettled the dust from its depth. it now floated dangerously close to the surface, just on the edge of her consciousness, so much so that she had to actively avoid thinking about it, about her and ethan’s fate. things were going to work out. they had to. she thinks he’s going to put up more of a fight, that he couldn’t possibly believe her so easily, but he does, lets her off the hook for now. “thanks, v.” she offers a weak smile, a shaky breath following moments later as she attempts to shake away the heaviness pressing on every inch of her body. “anyways…other than that it’s just been, like…work and volunteering. saving up. we’ve gone on a few amazing trips as a group, um…paris, las vegas. that was neat.” 

he realizes her uneasiness, and knows that it’s not worth pushing her beyond her limits just to get her to realize what was best. again, vito really doesn’t know what goes on in their relationship. he doesn’t know what’s best for the two of them and he doesn’t know if ethan really is the perfect match for his best friend. he smiles back as her, taking a sip from his glass of milk, then biting into the cookie again. the mention of trips get him to smile and he beams down at her. “paris?” she mentions his second home to him and he grins, turning his full attention onto her. “tell me about it. did you love it?” the beautiful city was his for so long, he’s now missing it a little at the mention of is. he should go back at some point soon.

[unamusedhalf-truths]

[vitoed-blog]

noxnovak:

nothing seems to be working. the fabric situated upon a mock human silhouette falls awkwardly with the lack of artificial shoulders. groaning, lennox takes a swig of her corona, the third one in the past two hours. she sways slightly on her feet, tipsy yet not wasted, as she eyes the aqua sequined material. this jacket would never work like this – the shoulders falling apart at the un - sewn seams. hearing footsteps pad down the hall, lennox shouts, “hey. you. whoever you are. get your ass in here. i need your help – i’ll give ya a beer if you do. it’s a cold corona.” her slightly inebriated state makes it easier to ask for help, more vocal with the liquid courage flowing through her bloodstream. 

there was no particular reason for being here. in all honestly, he was just looking for some company and knew this was where arabella was staying. maybe they could watch a movie or he could paint her nails or something. he was just bored out of his damn mind. but he heard a voice and stopped, looking to see a familiar face ask for help. well, it definitely gave him something to do. quickly trotting to her, he looked down to see what she was doing, vito having no idea what he was needed for. “yeah, what’s up?” he didn’t need the beer, either. he was just bored.

[vitoed-blog]

arabellamarie:

she gives his hands a grateful squeeze, soothed by the affection and intimacy behind the gesture. it was funny, in a perverse way, listening to his words, because had she been faced with the same problem, if one of her friends had approached her in such away, she would have said something almost identical. self-worth, happiness: she preached the two from the depths of her heart and yet never stopped to perpetuate the same ideals within her own life. still, she listens intently as he continues, his questions jumbling the thoughts in her mind and making her want to retreat, to push the clarity away and pretend like everything was alright again. ethan had fixed her, had made her whole again. she wasn’t broken when she was with him. at least, that’s what she had told herself in the beginning, but with each passing day her doubt grew, even if she wasn’t willing to admit it to herself. what was she so unsure about? “i’m not unsure.” she shakes her head, forcing her conviction. “it’s fine. we’re fine. we’re going to make it work.” 

she had only been in his home for five minutes and vito wasn’t going to start a fight with her. he refused to push his thoughts onto her in hopes that she would realize her unhappiness and do what was best. really, he didn’t know their relationship. he didn’t know what it was like for her. maybe it really was okay. maybe it really was worth fighting for. all vito knew was that she was unhappy in this moment, and he wanted her to know just how easy it was. he was all about making things easy. his hands draw back and he goes to pick up another cookie. “okay,” he says simply, nodding his head. “alright, ‘b. but i’m always here for you.” day or night, if she realizes what the problem is, he’ll be there to answer her phone calls.

[vitoed-blog]

esmeebotros:

Vito’s smile lights up Esmée’s entire bedroom, no need for the scented candles. Ocean breeze, lavender, and sandalwood linger in the duvet and pillowcases.Their flames flick in the face of the breeze. “I’m jealous.” Esmée admits this, canines sinking into her glossed lower lip. “Tell me your favorite part?” Vito reminds her of a simpler time before her ploys began sophomore year of high school. A retrospect. It pulls her back into her old self, a time still in Wonderland, not yet fallen down the rabbit hole. And for that reason, she struggles to put him in the same pool as everyone else in Gulf Shores, another rung on the ladder to the top. “Love… people tend to casually throw that word out.” At last, he touches her, an ankle, but skin, nonetheless. A tenderness to his touch. A hesitancy in his actions. 

“Ah, nothing,” her lips crinkle into a smile. “This and that. Beautiful men and women. A lady approached me about modeling… tell me, what do you think?” Esmée brings both bra straps down, eyes intense, striking a pose for her company–lips pout. “Could I? I doubt I could.”

His favorite part? He has to think. He spent a few months there and he wasn’t sure what his favorite part was. “The bright lights,” But he did, clearly, because it came out so smoothly. “Like, when you’re in Tokyo, and you’ve got all the neon lights and it just feels so alive. I’ve gotten some of the best photos there. I loved going down random streets, though. Like the small ones with merchants and just between buildings. I’m telling you, Es, you’d love it. I get that it gets thrown around a lot, but it’s like New York City just... a different culture.” He wanted to take her, show he exactly what he meant. He wouldn’t say that about anywhere, Tokyo seemed like a beautiful place. The neons would reflect so perfectly on her skin. His other hand moved to her other ankle and he was finding himself fitting between her feet, his own tucked under his thighs, just being excited. It was like he was young again, talking to the beautiful girl that made him nervous and not all at the same time.

And there it was; the nervousness. She pulled down her bra straps and he swallowed hard. The grin faded and he watched her. He didn’t really remember this part about her. Not to bluntly so, anyways. But he inched his way forward, crawling towards her so he towered over her, his fingers looped under the bra straps, watching her closely. She was so beautiful. “You don’t need to show more skin to be a model.” He slowly moves them back up to her shoulders, “And you sure as hell don’t need a modeling offer to remind yourself how beautiful you are.” His hands then rested on her shoulders, his hazel hues filling with that same glint she gave him before. Nothing had changed but their age.

[vitoed-blog]

esmeebotros:

Esmée’s room, an immaculate picture for all those who choose to view it. Without a job, the Palestinian beauty finds herself organizing the space, fluffing the pink pillows, and vacuuming the floors of her room of one’s own. A room in which even the light cannot catch the dust fluttering through space. After all, Adrie and Esmée had to fire Dorota, the cleaning lady, so Esmée took it upon herself to keep the space in tip, top shape. Appearances could not slid. After greetings ceased, Esmée plops on her made bed, occupied by a sea of pillows and blankets. “Keeping busy then?” Esmée fixates her gaze upon Vito, but her fingers still caress a single strap. She pretends not to take notice as it slides off her toned shoulder, now resting upon her tricep. “I adore sushi!” her initial thought when he speaks of Japan. An expensive habit of hers. “In New York, two blocks away from our apartment, was the most amazing sushi restaurant ever to exist. Would have eaten there every night if I could have, even at age twelve. Forget about me. What did you do in Japan?” 

Seeing her excitement made him feel so much better. Seeing that little outburst of words, he grinned, letting his head hang in a small chuckle. He brought himself forward, no longer paying attention to the bra strap but the words on her lips, and the tone she held so gracefully, “Well,” He started, taking a seat at the edge of her bed. “I ate he finest sushi,” He starts, looking at her with a warm grin. He was just so happy to see her. “And I learned a lot about their culture, studied their language, emerged myself in their everything.” He stops, thinking about that time and giggles, “I watched a lot of anime, too.” He also ate a lot of candy in that time. Japan really bent him out of shape. “I visited shrines. I actually stayed with this family my mama knew from work, and they kind of helped me get into the culture a lot and their ways of living. I really loved it. I think I’ll go back soon.” He turned himself to face her, “You’d love it,” He grinned, placing a hand on her ankle, showing a little bit of timidness. “But what about you? What have you been up to?”

[vitoed-blog]

arabellamarie:

at the comforting touch of his hand she realizes just how much she’s missed him, just how important his presence is. over the past years they’ve drifted together and apart, circumstantial wedges separating them only for them to be drawn near again. still, even during the periods when they hadn’t spoken for days, weeks, months…even then, she knew a phone call would bring the sound of his voice and that he would support her no matter what. just that simple knowledge was enough to calm her slightly; having someone who would hold her hand through the worst of the darkness, someone who had held her hand thus far - that was enough. she meets his eyes, listening intently to the advice he offers and thinking of ethan, of the beginning. simplicity at it’s finest, best represented by the innocence of a new love, all giggles and stolen kisses and butterflies peppering stomachs. were they a good match? or had their time run out? golden memories shatter only to be replaced by those darker; their first fight, then the next and the next, each falling into place after the other, each stemming from their clear cut differences. she’s aware of her feelings of insecurity, of feeling like her emotions might blemish him. that her unspoken darkness was all-consuming, too much for someone like him to undertake. feeling broken, unworthy. “but are we a good match?” she vocalizes the thought, voice hoarse as she looks away to think. “that’s the million dollar question, isn’t it?” a brief chuckle, laced with the acidic taste of defeat, followed by a sigh of resignation. “thanks, though.” with a shy smile, she punctuates her words with a nod of gratitude, retreating her hand just in case he feels uncomfortable by the prolonged contact. “it’s not all bad, though. ethan and i, i mean. there was good in the beginning. and there still is. he makes me laugh and he cares so deeply for other people. he’s such a good person. i- “ she pauses, thinking her words through for a moment before she continues, voice demonstrative of the tenderness she feels towards him. “i don’t know if i love him… but i sure as heck care a lot for him. an unspeakable amount.” 

there it was. the two of them, they were different from one another in that way. the two of them had these different views upon the world, and it was good for their friendship, it brought light upon the truths they could not see. this was one of those times where vito’s eyes were needed for her. she babbled on and vito let his shoulders slump, setting down his cup of milk to take her other hands in his, now holding both of her hands together in his. “but it isn’t, arabella. it really isn’t. your happiness should be the ultimate goal of your life and it’s so simple to just get there. as human beings, we like to make things complicated for ourselves and it’s pointless.” he whispers, bending down like it’s all some secret. “think about it, does he make you happy? that’s all that matters. fuck everything else, if you’re not happy with him, if you don’t wake up to his face and think ‘gee, what a lovely face to wake up to’, then it’s not right. you shouldn’t make things so complicated for yourself when all you have to do is figure out which outcome makes you the happiest and go for it. life is too long to be unhappy for just a sliver of it.” and he finishes, letting out a deep breath and he lets go of her hands. vito was never a man in love, but he’s been a man whom has woken up next to a face that’s made him smile. every person deserves that. it sounds like arabella had that with ethan in the beginning, but that was the beginning, and now she’s hurting. “what are you so unsure about, hm? you’re thinking about it, and that right there tells you what you need to know.”

[vitoed-blog]

esmeebotros:

Esmée planted a snapchat, but she never planned the benefits she would reap. Bikini bottoms without a top, a coy line from the Titanic, and Esmée’s face… it proved a deadly concoction. The open window let in a draft, prompting the Barbie to put on a pair of Calvin Klein’s and a simple black t-shirt bra. It would not disappoint. As she finishing changing, a rapping ensues on the glass window and Esmée ushers in Vito, a man she has an intimate history with. “Hiya,” the Dutch beauty greets with a head tilt to the right side. “So, catch me up on life and do not tell me to read page six… I want to hear it from you.” She runs a finger along her black bra strap, maintaining eye contact with the ruffled-haired boy. 

Climbing his way into the bedroom, Vito found himself kicking his shoes off, keeping them by the window as to not make a mess in her room. He thought about her question. What did she really want to know? Of course, he’d spare her of the whole, you know, ‘my dad killed himself’ thing. She probably knew that anyways. “I’ve been traveling a lot.” He shrugs. watching her closely, he slides his backpack from his back and sets it on the ground. She’s even more stunning in person; she looks better than before. He wants to reach out and touch her cheek. “I spent a lot of time in Japan.” He bites his lip, standing on what is nearly the other side of the room as her. “And...” His voice grew soft, “uhm..” but he came up with nothing. She was good at taking the words from his mouth. Hands remained at his side, clueless as to what to do, or where to go. His tongue was tied and he just watched her, hoping he could touch her.

[vitoed-blog]

arabellamarie:

she grabs another cookie, following his lead and biting into it before taking a sip of her milk. the perfect combination, though it screams of childhood, of sweet treats and innocence. start with ethan. “ethan’s great. we’re great.” the lie slips off her tongue reflexively, a response so habitual by this point that she doesn’t need to think about it before it worms it’s way out. “i mean…” she sighs, meeting his eyes for a brief second and feeling guilty. a flashback: arabella, annalise, and vito curled up, asleep, all still young and untouched by the cruelty of the world, arms wrapped around each other as their parents converse in the next room over. and another: again they’re entwined, though this time arabella’s face is stained with tears, and annalise is notably absent. and again, years later, a tragic embrace, though the tragedy this time is vito’s and arabella is the one who must comfort. thousands of moments punctuate the extent of their friendship, some happy and some less so but all pointing to the same screaming thought: she can trust him. and she owes it to him to be honest. “he just doesn’t get it sometimes.” a sigh of relief; the words have finally been spoken. for the first time, she acknowledges it aloud, though the act brings disappointment along with its freedom. for if she vocalizes it, if she tells vito the thoughts which thus forth have only inhabited the dark corners of her mind, then she has to admit it to herself. she has to admit that things are not perfect. “he doesn’t understand that people don’t always have to be happy all the time.” pausing for a moment, eyes fixated on the surface of the countertop, she feels the cavern the confession has left somewhere just below her ribcage. “it’s what makes him who he is; he’s the epitome of optimism. sunshine and lollipops and good times. and it’s one of the things i love about him, but…he doesn’t get it” 

vito wasn’t a man of love, or romance. vito wasn’t a man whom grew up feeling love for himself. he had his parents to reflect on. his parents; who loved each other very much, but weren’t by each other’s side all hours of the day. they’d all go days, maybe even weeks without seeing his mama and they made it work, somehow, but it wasn’t as if vito could watch and learn. his father passed at the age where vito would be able to comprehend it all fully. so this whole thing with arabella and her boyfriend, he felt lost, and that made him feel guilty. the only times he has cared for someone, it hasn’t worked out. clearly, because here he is; loveless. but what he does get, is arabella as a person. he gets that she would need someone who is sunshine and lollipops, to keep her up rather than down, but she needs someone who can respect her sadness. everyone needs to be sad sometimes. it was just unfortunate that ethan could not see that. according to her words. vito just took a deep breath in, rest a large hand on top of hers, showing an ounce of comfort. he always appreciated when she confided in him. it meant she trusted him, and vito doesn’t get a lot of that nowadays. “i think... when it comes to love,” he started, thinking out loud and looking her square in the eyes, which he didn’t often do as a socially inept person. “there are things we as humans cannot provide for the other person. i think finding the perfect match is improbably and highly unlikely. but it’s very likely to find a good match. there will always be problems, ‘bell, the only thing is that you have to decide what problems you can live with, and which ones you can’t. maybe you need to talk to him, or maybe you time has just run out. mama always said there’s sacrifices in life, but you gotta pick an’ choose them.” he was probably the worst person for advice, but he still smiled, trying to show he was helping.

[vitoed-blog]

olivereyse:

“Candids are the best pictures, I think,” Oliver continued as they walked, occasionally raising the camera to his eye to snap a photo. “They seem more real, y’know?” He made sure to be careful with it, holding it in his hands even though it was already hanging from his neck. It was a beautiful day; the sun was shining, but the temperature wasn’t unbearable, and there was a nice breeze. “So,” he said cheerfully, interrupting the silence that had fallen. “Where’re you from? I mean, like, is it somewhere else in the US, or somewhere totally different?” 

Oliver was correct, and Vito was just glad that the two of them were on the same page in the means of that candid was just better. Vito nodded and continued to walk along with him, watching as Oliver carefully took pictures of their surroundings. Vito’s hands were shoved into his pockets as he soaked up the vitamin D, enjoying the feeling of it on his skin. But he looks up at Oliver at the question, raising an eyebrow. He wasn’t really used to people asking him such random questions. Nevertheless, he answered. “Well, I was born and raised in Los Angeles. But, I’ve got Cajun in my blood and spent a lot of time in the French Quarter growing up. Still do.”

[vitoed-blog]

+esmeebotros​

vito had to push back his messy hair, standing at the foot of her window as he spent a few seconds trying to catch the breath that had long run away from him. of course, he was a little eager to see esmee. he hadn’t seen her in a long time, really, and she looked damn good from all he could see in her selfies. so he climbed his way up to her window, thankful for the fact that he was in shape and his upper body was built with a fair amount of muscle. it used to be a much more difficult task when he was younger. reaching the window, he holds a grin and taps against the glass, waiting for her to approach.

[vitoed-blog]

walkcrs:

“she is smart, indeed,” walker agrees with the man. “but you also must have something going for yourself. like, you know what i mean? everyone has a path they want to choose, so what’s your? but what i said earlier, if you don’t want to say anything about then you don’t.” he was trying to pry into anyone’s business more than he knew should be. but it oddly always sparked a curiosity bone about how much others differed from himself.

now he was a bit uncomfortable. it was like he was talking to all of his mother and sister’s friends. vito wished he had a passion in writing, or teaching, or something at least a little normal than what he was actually passionate in. it’s like he loses respect the second he says ‘i like to paint’. like he’s just a deadbeat kid who’s living off of mama’s money. vito plays with his fingers and shrugs. “i dunno. i--- i mean, i’m still pretty young. i haven’t exactly found my path yet.” 

[vitoed-blog]

arabellamarie:

she makes as if to consider the idea, tapping one finger to her cheek and looking around with a look of consideration. “but, my dear, i couldn’t possibly live in a house with such horrendous wallpaper.” she giggles, clearly not serious. if anything, the reason she couldn’t live there was because of the memories. ghosts of her and vito’s past saturate the air and if she lingers on the thought she finds it hard to breathe. it’s easy to joke around with him, so much easier than with those newer to her life. he’s linked to a time before everything and she finds herself reverting to an old version of herself, one more carefree. younger. “right, ethan. of course.” she’s back to her old self, consumed with worries as she wraps her arms around herself. her boyfriend shouldn’t be an afterthought. “who knows what the future holds?” she says lightly, though the words hold more significance than she lets on. trailing behind him as he enters the kitchen, her eyes continue to search their surroundings, each sight reminiscent of a distant time, another era. “oh, trust me, it’s not all worth hearing.” she tries to brush off his curiosity, knowing from experience that such a wish is futile. they’ve always told each other everything; they’ve always been intrinsic parts of each others’ lives. she leans her elbows on the counter across from him, hands clasping around the glass with a nod of thanks. with a small sigh, she meets his eyes, so familiar and yet seeming so distant with the time they’ve spent apart, and knows without a doubt he won’t let her slide her way out of the question. “where should i start?” 

there was always a little part of him that worried about her. she had some really troubling things in her life and he was pretty certain she wasn’t completely past all of it. neither was vito, so it was okay. they were both probably sad about their lives, but vito didn’t worry about himself. he knew his own head, his own intentions. arabella, on the other hand, he did not. who knew what she was thinking or planning or going through, the hadn’t really been primary parts of each other’s lives in years. maybe he could rebuild that for them. he goes to grab the plate of cookies, bringing it back to their glasses where he grab one, taking a bite and sipping his milk. he rolls his eyes are her modest reply, and thankfully, she carried on, knowing very well he’d work something out of her. but she asked, and vito found himself putting his glass and cookie down to think about the proper approach to her question. “well, you could start with ol’ ethan. that’s a good place to start, right?” he was just unaware, smiling warmly as he chewed. never had he met the guy, but he was the one who held arabella’s heart so he couldn’t be too bad. but arabella was close to him, and now especially since his family is barely in his life. he can’t help but feel protective; as if no one is good enough for her.

[unamusedhalf-truths]

[vitoed-blog]

Favorite place in Gulf Shores?

“ the beaches, hands down. but i spent a lot of summers just wandering around to know secret little nooks and cranny that i like to spent my time in. where i’m secluded and can be all alone and sometimes even romantic if you want it to be. those are my favorite places. “

[vitoed-blog]

why are you here?

“ because i felt that i wasn’t living up to my potential and needed a chance to fully grow as a human being and i wasn’t getting that just by traveling the world. why gulf in specific? well my parents had a vacation home here and it was the next best thing to home without any family being close like LA or New Orleans. “

[vitoed-blog]

how's gulf shores treating you so far?

“ well i mean, i’m not dead, so i think it’s pretty good. i’ve taken a trip down memory lane and that’s always nice. not to mention i think i’m making friends. that or people are just very nice to my face and i always appreciate that. “