Teddy

“Per aspera ad astra. I’d heard a variety of translations, but the one I liked best was Through the thorns, to the stars.”
― M.L. Rio, If We Were Villains

“Were you in love with him?'
'Yes,' I say, simply. James and I put each other through the kind of reckless passions Gwendolyn once talked about, joy and anger and desire and despair. After all that, was it really so strange? I am no longer baffled or amazed or embarrassed by it. 'Yes, I was.' It's not the whole truth. The whole truth is, I'm in love with him still.”
― M.L. Rio, If We Were Villains

“You can justify anything if you do it poetically enough.”
― M.L. Rio, If We Were Villains

“What's your name?"
"Cleo," said Cleo.
He nodded. "Approriate."
"How so?"
"Cleopatra, the original undoer of men."
"But I am just Cleo. What's your name?"
"Frank," said Frank.
"Short for?"
"Short for nothing. What of earth would Frank be short for?"
"I don't know," Cleo smiled. "Frankfurter, frankincense, Frankenstein...."
"Frankenstein sounds about right. Creator of monsters."
"You make monsters?"
"Sort of," said Frank. "I make ads.”
― Coco Mellors, Cleopatra and Frankenstein