chubby little frame shifting uncomfortably in the straw, arms pinned behind back making movement difficulty, the posture collar keeping head unnaturally straight

hydration

returns to the farm after a LONG day and night working for a neighbor

quiet...

Inside
Horoscopes and Astrology were so far out of his wheelhouse that any attempt at humor by him would have likely been met with a derisive scoff.

Also, some people take that shit seriously. People that, uh, tend to have visible similarities to the woman sitting across from him.

And then, you continue on, explain your retrograde Neptune. He wanted to say, much like a jaded mechanic 'well, there's your problem right there.', but he doesn't. He just listens, and nods until you say 'house of pleasure', and then his eyebrows uptick a little.

"I got a couple goin' on right now... One, I gotta know what the 'house of pleasure' is...

And two, you finna get outta here? We could go find somewhere that's got some sorta breeze goin' so I can stop sweating in this outfit."

Lips spreading in a broad grin.

"Like the cool air off the Atlantic at the Midway or somethin'?"

Second location second location.

*crossing the room to my sofa*

Inside
"Eh I mean, look I'm not so deluded as to live my entire life based on—no we're fine," she felt a little discouraged that you proceeded more seriously, rather than handshake her offering to make a joke out of it.

Moreso you felt avoidant, like rather than even acknowledge that she coulda mis-stepped, or even correct her by confronting what happened and clarifying that it was not a problem, you just glided past it.
Typical water sign!

"Yeah, I mean my Neptune is in retrograde so it's time for new beginnings, and also on July 5th, Cancer sees a new moon in my fifth house — the house of pleasure."

This doesn't mean a damn thing to you, does it? Qalli's hands lowered, bringing down her own barrier in hopes that she might inspire you to mirror the same — in the abstract, anyway.

Eyes up and open, a subtle twist of latent anxiety as, well, even the slightest interest in her interests felt encouraging.

"…penny for your thoughts?"

*sliding in*

https://cc.ashemaletube.com/images/2011-10/68/4e8d726891672/4e8d726891672-full-0.jpg
https://cc.ashemaletube.com/images/2011-10/68/4e8d726891672/4e8d726891672-full-7.jpg
https://cc.ashemaletube.com/images/2011-10/68/4e8d726891672/4e8d726891672-full-8.jpg

...in search of a lullaby

🌸

happy birthday, cait~!

https://cc.ashemaletube.com/images/2021-12/e8/61ae71e8a9f75/61ae71e8a9f75-full-0.jpg
https://cc.ashemaletube.com/images/2021-12/e8/61ae71e8a9f75/61ae71e8a9f75-full-10.jpg
https://cc.ashemaletube.com/images/2021-12/e8/61ae71e8a9f75/61ae71e8a9f75-full-13.jpg

i love them all, but that parrot is incredible!

Inside
He brought no more attention to the tab after it was paid. Out of sight, out of mind.

You tap your fingers together, and he produces his tongue, scraping it against his upper row of teeth before biting down on it for a second. A test, a need. He purses his lips together, which could be seen as disappointment.

But then it kinda breaks, and he grins a bit. You obviously didn't mean anything by it, and far be it from him from being an over-reactive child to a word.

"...Bingo. Cancer."

He points at your own tapping nails, and his grin expands just a bit.

"I'm not up on my zodiacs, what that mean? Cancer-Pisces play nice, or nah?"

amazing!

https://cc.ashemaletube.com/images/2019-01/34/5c44bb34ee394/5c44bb34ee394-full-16.jpg
https://cc.ashemaletube.com/images/2019-01/34/5c44bb34ee394/5c44bb34ee394-full-17.jpg
https://cc.ashemaletube.com/images/2019-01/34/5c44bb34ee394/5c44bb34ee394-full-39.jpg

oh! i am so sorry i missed it! HAPPY BIRTHDAY a little late, cait~

Inside
Qalli swallowed with a little difficulty as you took the privilege of paying for dinner, her eyes awkwardly pivoting from the bill back to your face, taking in the mental replay of your reaction.

Her hands came up, elbows on the table, a gentle baby-rattle of noise of her index fingers pointed at each other, timidly tapping the lacquer of her fingernails against one another.

"Uh…"

Well, maybe your language for dissipating awkwardness was humor, as you already demonstrated.

"…Cancer? Are you a lil crabbi boi?"

Hopeful, like there had to be some predictive power to these signs, right? Please don't dismantle her entire worldview on the first date.

Waterboys