walk to clear the head, (open!)

[BROOKS, LEON]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background: url(http://i.imgur.com/S9CXo.jpg); padding: 7px; width: 400px, bTable][atrb=vAlign,top][style=background-color: #fafafa; padding: 5px; float: left;][/style]

[atrb=vAlign,top][style=background-color: #fafafa; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 9px; text-align: center; width: 300px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #494949; margin-top: 3px; margin-left: 3px;]words 335 · tags leon, open · notes wheee[/style][style=background-color: #fafafa; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 9px; color: #494949; padding: 5px; width: 290px; margin-left: 3px; text-align: justify; margin-top: 5px;]Sometimes, all it took was a walk to the store and back to clear his head. It really depended on the day. How many occupants his house currently held, how busy of a day it had been catering to said residents. The workload he'd had, even if he restricted himself to work that was mostly at-home. Whether or not he'd made it to the gym in the past week. The welfare of his daughter. It didn't seem like that much of a burden, all of it together, when he was in his routine. Until he gave himself a moment to sit down and really think. He only did that after things died down in the evenings, when his little girl was safe in her bed and his house quieted a bit. But as much as he may deserve it, he didn't always like to relax with the falling of the sun. Some nights, he preferred to keep himself busy. With shopping, for instance. And when you had on-the-run shifters around, there was always a need for food. But Leon didn't mind the shopping. If anything, it was some sort of small comfort that reminded him that despite the twists and turns that his life took, he could still be normal. If only for a little while now and then. So down he'd gone, walking the three or so blocks to the local grocery store and picking up the discount deals and grabbing whatever the list said he was running low on. And it wasn't too hefty of a trip on that particular evening; somehow, he'd managed to walk back out forty-five minutes later with only two big brown paper bags. Given his practice balancing them, it wasn't hard at all. He set off back for home, loot under his arms. The cool night breeze was a pleasant feeling against his face. The blond found that he wasn't in any particular hurry to rush home.[/style][style=background-color: #fafafa; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 9px; text-align: center; width: 300px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #494949; margin-top: 5px; margin-left: 3px; margin-bottom: -3px;]template by john of ote & btn[/style]

[Joy, Zacharias]

[atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=valign,top][atrb=style, background-color:#282828][STYLE=background-color:#282828; width:112px; padding:18px;][STYLE=opacity:.8; background-color:#333333; padding:6px; width:100px][/style] [STYLE=background-color:#333333; padding:6px; opacity:.8; color:#777777; font-size:11px; font-family:georgia italic; text-align:center; width:100px]430 words[/style] [STYLE=padding:0px; opacity:.8; color:#777777; font-size:8px; font-family:verdana; text-align:justify; margin-top:8px; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1px; width:112px]With eyes unimpressed You're sealing the conversations. And are you wondering how things could be? Just staring at the surface, When all the walls have tendencies. But it's not your fault when no one taught you how.[/style][/style]

[atrb=style, width:250px;][atrb=valign, top][STYLE=text-align:right; font-family:georgia italic; font-size:17px; background-color:#282828; line-height:16px; color:#777777; margin-left:-4px; padding:10px; padding-right:10px; margin-top:-1px;]how quick to forget, we are[/style][STYLE=font-family:arial; font-size:10px; letter-spacing:1px; text-align:justify; line-height:9px; padding:4px; background-color:#eeeeee; padding-bottom:5px; color:#777777]It wasn’t every day that one Zacharias Joy came across the ever elusive gift known as free time. In fact, his profession practically demanded that he relinquish any lingering hopes for a social life due to the weight of his responsibilities. Being the lead physician for the one and only center willing to administer treatment to Shifter-Kind, his office was almost always in a high state of traffic. The level of volume they saw on a daily basis was enough to squander any ideas he may have for frivolous activities. Heck, on one occasion he hadn’t gone home in nearly a month on account of their open door policy and his own refusal to take a much deserved day off. It was a wonder how his aunt’s, nieces, cousins and other extended family – specifically the women – ever found time to get married and have children. He certainly wasn’t siring any infants. Although, he was thinking that might have more to do with his choice in sexual partners than actual inability to find the time to do so. The steering wheel felt very foreign in his hands and he might have been gripping it tighter than necessary as he guided the car down the streets of Lower Banks. It had been a long time since he’d been able to travel these roads at such leisure. Buildings and landmarks jogged vague memories but it was almost like he was turning down the lanes for the first time. “I really need to get out more,” he mused in a chiding tone, craning his neck a little in order to properly read the bold print of the street signs because for the life of him Zacharias couldn’t recall where he lived. Well, not himself he knew where his own home was, he was more referring to his best friend and goddaughter, both of whom he hadn’t seen in ages. Assuring himself that he wasn’t lost, the doctor drove on for another fifteen minutes, very nearly convincing himself that he was going to wrong way and only seconds away from calling the blonde consultant when he spied that very somebody walking along the cement path, jostling two large bags of groceries. Wasting no time he slowly flanked the tall single father and pulled up alongside him as his window rolled down, “Ya know, it’d be easier to drive Leon.” He couldn’t help but smile to himself at the ease in which he could speak. Having not forgotten what it was like to have a friend beyond his field of study who he could talk to. [/style]

[STYLE=font-size:9px; letter-spacing:1px]© OXYMORON OF BTN[/style]

[BROOKS, LEON]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background: url(http://i.imgur.com/S9CXo.jpg); padding: 7px; width: 400px, bTable][atrb=vAlign,top][style=background-color: #fafafa; padding: 5px; float: left;][/style]

[atrb=vAlign,top][style=background-color: #fafafa; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 9px; text-align: center; width: 300px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #494949; margin-top: 3px; margin-left: 3px;]words 380 · tags leon, open · notes wheee[/style][style=background-color: #fafafa; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 9px; color: #494949; padding: 5px; width: 290px; margin-left: 3px; text-align: justify; margin-top: 5px;]People said that the Lower Banks were a dangerous, risky sort of place to live. Maybe parts of it were -- but Leon found that the side of the city could be peaceful at times. Like now, he mused. It was quiet, the streetlights let off serene little glow, and sometimes, if you looked hard enough, you could see the stars. He was paranoid enough to keep his eyes and ears always open, but that didn't mean he didn't take the time to enjoy his trip. As much as he could, anyway. The more time he took getting home, the longer he was a bit farther from Willow than he preferred to be. But at least she wasn't home alone, and it wasn't that long of a trip should he choose to hurry. It was those little things that Leon chose to focus on that kept him distracted. Enough so, in fact, that he didn't pay any attention to the distant hum of a car as it came around a corner and turned its headlights on his retreating back. Only when is shadow continued to grow did he glance over his shoulder. That car looked familiar; he gave himself the shadow of a doubt until he could finally peer past the disruptive light at the driver. A small, warn smile crossed his lips. He hadn't seen that face in far too long. The window rolled down and he stopped walking to greet his friend. "Where's the fun in driving?" He countered. "The store isn't that far, and it's nice tonight." Leon allowed himself a moment to give Zach a good analysis. In a way, they were similar: both of them tended to take on more than they probably should. Zach, however, took it much farther to the extreme. "Good to see you haven't worked yourself to death yet," he commented with the quirk of an eyebrow, "it's been a while." If the doctor had the time to drive around the Lower Banks, then Leon couldn't help but wondering if he intended to stick around for a bit that evening. It'd be nice to spend some time with the man for the first time in what had far too long.[/style][style=background-color: #fafafa; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 9px; text-align: center; width: 300px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #494949; margin-top: 5px; margin-left: 3px; margin-bottom: -3px;]template by john of ote & btn[/style]

[Joy, Zacharias]

[atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=valign,top][atrb=style, background-color:#282828][STYLE=background-color:#282828; width:112px; padding:18px;][STYLE=opacity:.8; background-color:#333333; padding:6px; width:100px][/style] [STYLE=background-color:#333333; padding:6px; opacity:.8; color:#777777; font-size:11px; font-family:georgia italic; text-align:center; width:100px]411 words[/style] [STYLE=padding:0px; opacity:.8; color:#777777; font-size:8px; font-family:verdana; text-align:justify; margin-top:8px; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1px; width:112px]With eyes unimpressed You're sealing the conversations. And are you wondering how things could be? Just staring at the surface, When all the walls have tendencies. But it's not your fault when no one taught you how.[/style][/style]

[atrb=style, width:250px;][atrb=valign, top][STYLE=text-align:right; font-family:georgia italic; font-size:17px; background-color:#282828; line-height:16px; color:#777777; margin-left:-4px; padding:10px; padding-right:10px; margin-top:-1px;]how quick to forget, we are[/style][STYLE=font-family:arial; font-size:10px; letter-spacing:1px; text-align:justify; line-height:9px; padding:4px; background-color:#eeeeee; padding-bottom:5px; color:#777777]A grin stretched across the bearded man’s profile as a wave of nostalgia was ushered in. It had been far too long since he’d last seen the tall blonde. The man was his confidant, a brother in all things but blood and whose daughter was the yet another sister to his ever-increasing family. They’d been a balm to his soul after the incident that had left him riddled with scars and partially blind, seeing to his health both physical and emotional, until he had found his footing. He owed them more than a card every holiday or a phone call once in a blue moon. The Joy family, while vast and stretching to every region, there was simply too many of them to adequately care for, and eventually, some of them slipped through the cracks. Leon and Willow Brooks were the closets things he had to relatives in this city and he was determined to do right by them. Zacharias laughed, “I’m getting there Leon, I’m getting there.” He remarked playfully despite the grain of truth that came with his words. One of his overly virtuous morals demanded he be available at all hours of the day and night to render assistance to the cities Master’s and their injured slaves. No other hospital would take a Shifter. Something that he found was counter-productive in a metropolis such as theirs. But he supposed if there were other facilities and people capable of running them, he’d be less well off financially. He sighed, tilting his hat a few centimeters higher on his head, “Too long. Sorry for not stopping by sooner.” The apology racked with lament despite the smile. “With the holiday coming up we’ve seen an unusual uptick in shifter battles, especially those performed outside of the Arena grounds and it’s been taxing to keep up with the amount of new patients coming in and out.” Groaning in memory at some of the wounded that had been wheeled into the small sickbay, “Things have calmed down for the moment. And my nurses kind of kicked me out this afternoon, said I needed to leave before I moved into my office entirely.” The last spoken sheepishly, he’d have to remember to do something nice for those girls later on. “Anyway, since I am hobby-less and you’re a homebody, I figured you could use the company. Plus I need to see my little Willow and make sure she hasn’t forgotten me. Wanna climb in?” [/style]

[STYLE=font-size:9px; letter-spacing:1px]© OXYMORON OF BTN[/style]

[BROOKS, LEON]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background: url(http://i.imgur.com/S9CXo.jpg); padding: 7px; width: 400px, bTable][atrb=vAlign,top][style=background-color: #fafafa; padding: 5px; float: left;][/style]

[atrb=vAlign,top][style=background-color: #fafafa; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 9px; text-align: center; width: 300px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #494949; margin-top: 3px; margin-left: 3px;]words 447 · tags leon, zach, open · notes i feel so derpy with these posts, whyy[/style][style=background-color: #fafafa; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 9px; color: #494949; padding: 5px; width: 290px; margin-left: 3px; text-align: justify; margin-top: 5px;]Leon was a lonely sort of man. He was far from alone in the world -- the brightening presence of his daughter, the sometimes lively come and go of guests in his home, and the steady flow of business made sure that he was still required to partake in human interaction. But for all practical purposes, he had no friends. The circle of close buds and drinking pals that he'd acquired through his jock years of high school and college career had been all but abandoned by both parties with the loss of his wife and the gain of a daughter whose species suddenly became his lifelong concern. He hadn't coped well with Clare's passing in the first place, and the sudden responsibility, along with the sudden intensity of depression, had turned him into what the rest of the world saw as a sort of recluse: in the very least, a shell of the man whom he had formerly been. Zach was the one who hadn't been lost in the wake of everything, and he was Leon's sole confidant prior to their falling-out. When that was finally mended, however, things had fallen smoothly back into old routines. Even now, it was so easy to be fluid and himself around the other man. The sound of Zach's laugh was something that the blond decided he hadn't heard enough lately. But the two of them were, under their public ruses, in the same business: shifter rescue. And Leon could certainly sympathize with his friend's drive and devotion. The image that the doctor painted with his words wasn't particularly serene. "Good for them," He remarked, with a small, sly sort of smile, "I have half a mind to lock you up in my place for a couple of days. You deserve a little bit of time off." The single father smiled at the offer of a ride, and juggled the two paper bags long enough to open the backseat door and situate them. As nice of a night as it was, he'd pass it up if it meant behind honored by Zach's ever-fleeting presence. "I think it'd be an honor." Playful banter -- even such as mild as this -- was something Leon offered to few people, but his best friend was at the top of the list. He closed the back door and instead opened the front passenger side one, slipping into the seat beside the darker-skinned man. "Forget?" He chuckled. "I don't know whether to be proud or jealous of how much she idolizes guys like you. I can't keep her nose out of every medical book she can get her hands on." His little Audino, Willow was.[/style][style=background-color: #fafafa; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 9px; text-align: center; width: 300px; text-transform: lowercase; color: #494949; margin-top: 5px; margin-left: 3px; margin-bottom: -3px;]template by john of ote & btn[/style]