Apollo
Godly Parent
Heterosexual
Sexuality
Dating Dakota King
Relationship Status
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Rex
Camp Half-Blood
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Post by Ashley Bates on Jul 9, 2016 21:33:13 GMT -5
Ash gave Dakota a look that begged the question did she really just ask that of him. If anything in his youthful pride he hadn’t been surer of anything else other than his love for Dakota. In fact, that had been where the problems began. They had both learned a lot since then however and had grown a lot too. His feelings weren’t any different now but his time with Dakota had definitely taught him one thing if nothing else. Love wasn’t easy and it didn’t come without lots of work. “That night was a breakthrough though. Despite everything it might have been very different if I hadn’t found you and we hadn’t talked.”
He smirked as Dakota’s thoughts turned a little dirty. He had never been one for many gimmicks in that department but he did like this side of her. The sweet sexy side that it had taken him so long to get the opportunity to see. It had definitely been something that he missed in his time apart from her but he would no longer have to spend his nights wondering how she was or what she was thinking about without him there beside her. In fact, that did bring up something else. “Well if you play your cards right we can always continue our celebration in the bed room. I forgot my lasso this time though.”
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Apollo
Godly Parent
Heterosexual
Sexuality
Dating Dakota King
Relationship Status
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Rex
Camp Half-Blood
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Post by Ashley Bates on Jul 9, 2016 0:07:30 GMT -5
Ash stayed awake for a long time after they had laid back on Dakota’s bed. He didn’t know if she would remember this in the morning, didn’t know if anything they had discussed would stick but if it didn’t he would be there to remind her. For now he just wanted to enjoy this as long as he could. Dakota in his arms, snuggled against his body and looking peaceful and content while she slept just felt so right and even if she didn’t remember he would.
Eventually Ash did fall asleep holding her closer than he ever thought he would get the chance to again and when he did it was the pleasant dreams of what they could be that came to him. There would be challenges in the morning he had no doubt but maybe they could face them together…maybe. It may have been foolish to hold out hope but hope was a good thing, perhaps the best thing and it would satisfy him for the time being.
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Apollo
Godly Parent
Heterosexual
Sexuality
Dating Dakota King
Relationship Status
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Rex
Camp Half-Blood
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Tag me @rex
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Post by Ashley Bates on Jul 9, 2016 0:05:17 GMT -5
Ash set back with the last few bites of his meal and thought about some of those wild times they had together. Their relationship had certainly never been easy and they had both made a lot of mistakes but they had come through on the other side. He supposed many couples would have given up and not survived at all if they had to face similar situations but thanks to hard work and a lot of stubbornness Ash and Dakota had turned out to be something special.
“You made it all worthwhile. Every twist and unexpected turn.” He said as he watched her. “I would do it all again as long as the same girl waited for me at the end.” Dakota had been like one of the wild horses on the ranch, beautiful and untamed and he had been too young and eager. Fortunately like any good cowboy Ash wasn’t one to give up and it had paid off in the end. As for whose fault it was that things had been so rough in the beginning the same was true both then and now. It didn’t really matter. “The next time we decide to do this I might employee some of that rodeo tie-down roping to keep you from getting away from me though.”
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Apollo
Godly Parent
Heterosexual
Sexuality
Dating Dakota King
Relationship Status
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Rex
Camp Half-Blood
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Tag me @rex
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Post by Ashley Bates on Jul 6, 2016 23:25:26 GMT -5
Ash had already decided that he would stay if she asked him too. He was already hard pressed to find a reason to leave. All he needed was her invitation and he would take it. What he didn't expect was the needy look or the pleading tone. Was it the effects of the alcohol talking or did she actually want him around? He decided that it really didn't matter and he couldn't care less. She wanted him and he was all too willing to oblige.
It was a good thing he did as Dakota decided that she was too tired for decorum and proceeded to get a little more comfortable by getting a little more comfortable. Ash watched a little surprised at first and then his face relaxing into that amused little half smirk that he sometimes gave but when she patted that spot beside her on the bed he came. "Dakota," He said still wearing that smirk as he sat down and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I don't think I'm going to be going anywhere any time soon."
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Apollo
Godly Parent
Heterosexual
Sexuality
Dating Dakota King
Relationship Status
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Rex
Camp Half-Blood
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Tag me @rex
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Post by Ashley Bates on Jul 6, 2016 23:22:10 GMT -5
Ash had never been a planner. Instinctive, able to roll with the punches and scary sometimes in his seemingly single minded determination but planning and organizing could be left to those who had a better handle on it. Oh he would make decisions when he needed to, he was good at defining a course of action, but if this thing was going to be anything else besides an exchanging of vows and a ride off into the sunset he would need a woman like Dakota at his side. Fortunately it looked like she was more than up to the task.
“I’m sure Blue Sky would appreciate the chance to get out and about. Plus she would be much more characteristic of us than a stretch limo.” That was a good way to describe it. Everything was turning out to be very characteristic of the things they had enjoyed and shared over the years. A love for riding, the smaller country wedding, Ash wasn’t sure what he had expected but it was nice that they could pay tribute to some of those things they had been through together. It was special that way. “We’ve had a pretty wild ride together over the years haven’t we?”
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Apollo
Godly Parent
Heterosexual
Sexuality
Dating Dakota King
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Rex
Camp Half-Blood
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Tag me @rex
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Post by Ashley Bates on Jul 6, 2016 20:23:20 GMT -5
Rex
* ASHLEY BATES
* THEODORE DEAN
* FREEDOM BLAKELY
* CAMERON JAMES
* JENNIFER KAIL
* VIRGINIA GRACE
* ANDREW DESHER
* AUSTIN JENNINGS
* TAWNY MITCHELL
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Apollo
Godly Parent
Heterosexual
Sexuality
Dating Dakota King
Relationship Status
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Rex
Camp Half-Blood
Offline
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Tag me @rex
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Post by Ashley Bates on Jul 5, 2016 22:17:10 GMT -5
Ash watched Dakota for a moment. She definitely looked a lot better than the state he had found her in and that made him feel a little better about everything. Even though he hadn't really gotten the answers he was looking for he thought he had some answers that he needed. Even if this crazy beautiful girl he had fallen in love with hadn't figured everything out yet she was starting to admit that maybe there was something there and that was enough for now.
"Will you be alright?" He asked her hopefully. "No more regrets. I can stay here a little while longer if you want. We could talk or I could listen..." Talking and listening were some of the last things on his mind right now but he did want to help her and it was likely that she needed to figure things out on her own now. Still, he didn't really want to leave. It had been so long since things between them had reassembled anything close to normal and this was nice.
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Apollo
Godly Parent
Heterosexual
Sexuality
Dating Dakota King
Relationship Status
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Rex
Camp Half-Blood
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Tag me @rex
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Post by Ashley Bates on Jul 4, 2016 22:43:44 GMT -5
Dakota knew him better than just about anyone and it probably shouldn’t have come as a surprise that she knew what he liked. Fortunately they usually came to agreement on many things just because of their similar outlooks on life. A medium sized wedding wouldn’t be so bad although he would have suffered through just about anything with the prospect of Dakota waiting for him on the other side. After everything they had been through it wouldn’t even be that difficult but it was good to know that they both were thinking along the same lines.
“A medium sized wedding will be fine. Make it too small and we might forget someone and never hear the end of it." He said as he plated himself up a hearty helping of what they ordered. Now that the question had been popped he was found that he was starving. Luckily the food had come in good time. “If you wanted we could have it at the ranch. Nice, quiet, private. Seems like the perfect place for something like this. Plus I could even get you riding off into the sunset afterwards.”
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Apollo
Godly Parent
Heterosexual
Sexuality
Dating Dakota King
Relationship Status
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Rex
Camp Half-Blood
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Tag me @rex
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Post by Ashley Bates on Jul 4, 2016 22:38:27 GMT -5
Dakota was trying. He could see that. It obviously wasn’t easy for her and she still had a doubts and uncertainties but she was trying and that was a far cry from using charm speak on him to avoid conversations. She liked him. Maybe she wasn’t so sure on everything else she was feeling but if she was willing to admit that then maybe there was hope for them yet and Ash supposed if she wasn’t willing to give up on them yet then he shouldn’t be either.
“Hey…” He said as he reached up to turn her face back up to his when she looked away. “…I like you too.” He had said much more than that on another occasion and it had blown up in his face. He still held on to those feelings now but there was something important about changing things up this time. He thought she needed to know that in spite of everything he did still like her. Not only as a friend or even as a make out buddy but as a person too. Dakota was still important to him.
“I like you and I don’t regret our time together either. I never wanted to hurt you and I’m sorry that I have but no matter what kind of mistakes we’ve made I have always wanted what was best for you. If that’s time to figure out some things then I can wait but know this. When you’re ready I'll be ready too.”
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Apollo
Godly Parent
Heterosexual
Sexuality
Dating Dakota King
Relationship Status
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Rex
Camp Half-Blood
Offline
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Tag me @rex
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Post by Ashley Bates on Jul 4, 2016 1:27:45 GMT -5
Dakota listened to him and that was good because it lent what she said next a certain amount of gravity that he could believe. She didn’t regret kissing him. That was news to him, but even if the situations hadn’t been right for them that was at least something that they could work with and maybe build off of if she wanted. It wasn’t much but maybe it was a beginning to fix the messed up situation they had gotten themselves in and to stop hurting one another over and over again. It wouldn’t be easy but things that were worth it rarely were.
“We could stand to work on our timing a bit I think...” Ash agreed. “…but hearing you say that does clear up a few things. Why don’t we try to work on making the situation right? You’re feelings, the uncertainty, what this is…we’ll figure that out along the way. Together. Until then let’s stop walking on egg shells around each other. I think we’ve both spent enough time making ourselves unhappy and I don’t know about you but I’m tired of getting things wrong between us.”
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Apollo
Godly Parent
Heterosexual
Sexuality
Dating Dakota King
Relationship Status
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Rex
Camp Half-Blood
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Tag me @rex
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Post by Ashley Bates on Jul 3, 2016 22:07:47 GMT -5
Ash wiped away the tear stains that had covered her cheeks without a word. Even as she tried to apologize for the state of her room the boy waved away her concern. It was not Dakota’s room that he had come here to see and it wasn’t like he expected to show up unannounced and for her to be completely prepared to welcome him. As it turned out this entire night was pretty unexpected for both of them and whether Dakota had bothered to clean her room or not was the last thing on his mind.
What was on his mind was making sure the girl was alright and to an even greater extent that kiss. How could one girl have such an ability to leave him completely baffled as to what to do? Ash, who had never had trouble deciding anything any his life, didn’t know how to proceed and just when he thought he had Dakota all figured out she would kiss him again and throw his world into confusion again. Did he want the girl? Desperately so, but how could he trust her when she didn't even seem to know what she wanted?
“You’ll be alright.” He said gently as he finished his work and leaned in to kiss her cheeks if she would let him. As he settled back in beside her he spoke again. “Make me a promise Dakota.” His voice returned to that serious calmness that was all too common for him and he stared at her with piercing intensity from his pale blue eyes. “Promise me that you will stop trying to bury all these fears and regrets. Be true to yourself. If that means that you and I can never be together…well it is what it is but don’t let fear be what keeps you from being happy.”
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Apollo
Godly Parent
Heterosexual
Sexuality
Dating Dakota King
Relationship Status
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Rex
Camp Half-Blood
Offline
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Tag me @rex
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Post by Ashley Bates on Jul 3, 2016 22:04:16 GMT -5
The doorbell rang providing them with a momentary distraction from their happy talk of the future and the things that they had planned. As Dakota left to pay for the food Ash got up from the couch to make himself useful by grabbing some plates and utensils. When she returned with their takeout and a smile he nodded his agreement at her statement and laid out a spot for them at her table. As it turned out he thought there were quite a few good things in this room at the moment and the food was only one of them. Still, he knew that they were both pretty hungry and there was no sense waiting around.
“I’m sure it will taste just as good too. You did get our favorite after all.” Ash set down at the table across from the spot he had laid out for her and motioned for her to join him. “Might as well dig in before it gets cold. Besides, there’s still lots of things to talk about.” He paused for a moment to allow her time to join him and then continued. “I don’t suppose you’re the small wedding type are you? If we start inviting too many of our siblings things might get out of hand quickly.” Ash knew what type of wedding he would have preferred but considering how large their extended families were that might get difficult. Still, he thought a small ceremony with some of their close friends would be nice. He just wondered what Dakota would think.
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Apollo
Godly Parent
Heterosexual
Sexuality
Dating Dakota King
Relationship Status
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Rex
Camp Half-Blood
Offline
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Tag me @rex
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Post by Ashley Bates on Jun 19, 2016 21:11:49 GMT -5
She smiled and that was a very encouraging sign even if it was a sad one. He could understand that sadness but he thought they could work to fix that if she would let him. For now though he had gotten her calmed down and that was a start. Getting Dakota back to her room so that her siblings didn't come home and find her passed out drunk was definitely another step in the right direction in Ash's opinion.
He followed Dakota to her room with a steadying hand on her back ready to catch her if she fell or stumbled. He had never been to the girl's room so he let her lead him to where it was. Once there he helped her to the bed and got her sitting. Once that was accomplished he began looking around for some kleenex or something for her all the while taking in his surroundings. He hadn't really expected to ever get to see this room after everything that had happened and yet here he was. If there was one thing he was learning about Dakota it was that nothing could be expected.
"I can honestly say…" He commented as he found what he was looking for and came over to sit by her with a box of tissues. "…I never thought my first visit here would be under quite these same circumstances." He paused here as he took one of the tissues and began wiping her face free of tear stains. "Are you feeling a little better at least?"
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Apollo
Godly Parent
Heterosexual
Sexuality
Dating Dakota King
Relationship Status
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Rex
Camp Half-Blood
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Post by Ashley Bates on Jun 16, 2016 16:15:16 GMT -5
Again Ash found himself watching as she leaned in closer to him and again he let her press her lips to his in another one of the surprise kisses. He supposed that since she had done this twice now it could mean something but he had gotten his hopes up before. Instead he chose to enjoy this moment, this kiss, and enjoy it he did. There was a moment when when the the kiss threatened to ignite into one of those truly passionate kisses and Ash thought that he could take this further if he wanted. He wanted to, gods did he want to and he thought that this time Dakota would have let him but he could taste the booze still on her breath and that served to anchor him.
He didn't want this to be how things really began between them. How would he feel if he took advantage of this situation now only to find out that she still had not decided, still had not accepted him after all. That would lead to even more regret and heartache between them and they had already had enough of that for one life time. He didn't want that, not now, not ever. She was his beautiful Aphrodite girl but this wasn't what she needed right now. Ash knew it and he couldn't bring himself to push the boundaries.
Reluctantly he pulled away from her before things could get too hot and heavy. He looked at her for a long moment, a hand going to stroke her hair as he watched. Finally he nodded to himself and spoke to her in that calm and reasonable voice. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up. After that I'll stay, if you want me to, but for now I think you can be done with crying."
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Apollo
Godly Parent
Heterosexual
Sexuality
Dating Dakota King
Relationship Status
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Rex
Camp Half-Blood
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Tag me @rex
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Post by Ashley Bates on Jun 15, 2016 22:52:31 GMT -5
Ash wished he could say more but as always he was not a guy accustomed to expressing himself with many words. He had said what needed to be said, uncovered the elephant in the room as it were and he hoped that would be enough because he didn’t know what else he could say. Fortunately his words did seem to be having some effect. If nothing else she seemed to be thinking about what he had said. That was at least something.
When Dakota spoke up again Ash watched her for a moment. He really did hate seeing her like this. He hated that she was confused and scared and hated himself a little for being the cause of it. There wasn't really much he could do to fix all of that but his eyes found her trembling hands and an idea occurred to him. She might not appreciate his touch, had even made it pretty clear that she wanted to be at a distance from him but once the idea occurred it seemed like the right thing to do.
Without a word he reached across the distance between them and laid a hand on hers hoping that she wouldn't jerk away. He did love her in spite of everything that had happened and he would be damned if he left her now after a statement like that. "It's okay to be scared Dakota but what are you afraid of, me or what you might feel? Love isn't something to be afraid of. A loveless life is a lonely life but you don't have to be afraid and you certainly don't have to be alone."
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