Idiosyncrasies of a Shadow // (ManxMan)

~Chapter 20~

[Ryland]

*~*~*

Self doubt is like a rose's thorns,

They grow as you grow,

They stick out like a sore thumb,

They cause, a sore thumb.

But just like the rose, if it's not nurtured, it wouldn't be growing.

So perhaps, self doubt, is necessary?

Complacency results in arrogance,

And arrogance is the lack of self doubt.

Maybe it's helpful to question yourself once in a while.

After all, rose's thorns keep the feral animals away.

*~*~*

Remind me how people always end up pissing me off, but I always end up forgiving their asses. Probably because I'm a gullible idiot and want the world to be a blooming flower of rainbows and unicorns.

"Please, I swear I'll re-do the cake!" Felix trails behind me. This man, right behind me, thinks it's a great idea to take a chunk out of the chocolate cake that I made this morning purposefully for the staff at my bookstore. It is New Years day and I am looking for relaxation, not a fucking idiot boyfriend that presses the wrong buttons at just the right intervals.

"Didn't Skylar teach you not to swear? If you can come close to baking something and not setting my damn kitchen on fire, I will gladly let you help. But you just keep fucking around and do nothing productive!" That might have been harsh, but I'm mad and that's a good enough excuse... I hope.

Guilt washes over me when Felix stays where he is, no longer trailing after me from bedroom to kitchen and back. I turn to look at him, arms crossed and pouting like an total moron. He gives me puppy eyes. Because that will work, comedic how a bulk man like him falls for someone of my calibre of idiocy.

"Alright boys. I'm hoping for a wedding, not a funeral. Step away from the knives." Dad comes into the scene. He must be very comfortable in his skin because he's not wearing a shirt. This old man needs to learn some manners. To be honest I'm glad that he's taking care of himself. Failed marriages can take a toll on people, I'm just happy that my father didn't fall victim to it.

"Dad, please put on a shirt." I run my hand over my face, clearly not impressed. If there is one thing I don't like, that'd be naked people around the kitchen. Admittedly waking up to a half naked Felix frying eggs or making waffles would be hot as fuck, but it's not practical. Oil could flick onto his naked torso and burn him, and the aftermath of a burn is worse than effort of putting on a shirt or the loss of not seeing my boyfriends half naked. The housewife theme keeps coming back doesn't it. "And don't you dare touch the cake."

"Well it already has a quarter gouged out, might as well have the rest right?" Dad says with a shrug, already with a knife, fork and plate in hand. He does have a point, there's already a sector missing in there, might as well finish the whole thing. It's not like I spent the whole morning baking myself to death or anything.

The door unlocks, in walks Skylar and his, apparently new best friend, Owen. I notice a wince every now and then when Skylar takes a breath probably just the cold air. He's not good under this type of temperature but he still loves it. "I smell cake! I hear cake! I see a very naked dad, too!"

Fucking hell...

Might as well get my whole 6 branches worth of staff, everyone involved in the Solomon Empire and Roman's entire rental store to come over and have a fucking rave. At this point, I'm less mad. More stressed than mad.