alicexcheng

[alicexcheng]

"It's the least you could do after ruining my iced latte." Alice said as she grabbed a napkin and started wiping down her arm from the coffee spilled on her. "If this is you being deprived from sleep, I worry about your work ethic then. Haven't you heard of melatonin? Really helps with getting a good nights rest."

Open starter: @aurorabaystarter

Where: Local coffee shop

Helping to keep the Aurora Bay Times going wasn't always easy, as it sometimes left Shyne completely drained and just wanted to sleep it off or have a drink. It had late nights for him, but he'd never want to change that. He rather enjoyed the job and sometimes helped get stories as it came to it, but really he was just a helpful illustrator.

To get the day going, he needed caffeine so he was going to get a much needed drink, but being lost on his phone he bumped into someone. Blue eyes widen and Shyne was quickly apologizing. "Forgive me, let me buy you a new drink at least. I'm sorry, just a mix of work and being sleep deprived."

[alicexcheng]

"Honestly, I couldn't get into watching Shape of Water, I was to weirded out with the fact she was in love with a fish." Alice said with a slight judgement tone. "I mean damn girl, I know the dating pool is very shallow and lame but really...a fish? I can only imagine the smell or taste of kissing those fish lips."

"I suppose you can say that, I sometimes work with a bunch of idiots. The amount of times I had to correct some paper work because they half assed it. Like c'mon, we are getting paid to argue, we might as well have the facts straight before going into that court room." Alice grimaced and shakes her head. "I think I'm getting to the point of life where I should have just became a trophy wife worrying over something like...redecorating the dining room."

"Shit. You're right-" He looked away in faux thought. "Monster relationship movies. I'd say we'd corner a market, but I think we'd need to make them all at least a little sexy, you know? Shape of Water? That movie killed but I think part of it was its commitment to the monster fucker bit." He had heard the term plenty since hosting shows. It was one of the 'odder' things people mentioned (he didn't find it weird at all, but people could.)

A shake of his head as his attention returned to Alice. "Shit. Nah. I can't do all of that. I can commit to a bit with the best of them. But that? I am not smart enough for that."

Finally, a shrug. "Forced? Nah. Something less than that. Just us doing our job until we find something really flashy. We've all got our neutrals at work, huh?" @alicexcheng

[alicexcheng]

"You seriously think getting me a puppy would be a good idea? The one person who can barely keep her plants alive and well?" She quirked an eyebrow at him, biting back the smile from appearing on her face and failing to do so. Sure she wouldn't mind having a little...furball of joy as Colton claimed. But she knew having a pet was a lot of work and responsibility that she didn't exactly have the time for. Between her work and well...her work was a main thing to keep her busy these days. Having to look over cases and attending court, the list was never ending. Especially when it involved divorces.

"As if I would faint wearing Chanel Colton, be for real." She said with a simple eye roll. She grabbed her fork and started eating, chewing slowly as she added after swallowing the food, "As for telling your mother how annoyingly decent and catastrophically generous you are...she will know that I was simply lying."

He huffed amused. "Alice...Al, darling" he started smoothly "light of my life —everything about me is stunning." Was it though? It'd depend on who was asked. "You should know better by know." He smirked.

Holding up a finger he tilted his head down but looked up at her kind of like he did when they were little and he had done something devilish, as his mother would tell her friends later, or..well..something Alice would roll her eyes and call him an idiot over. "I'm sure there'd be very very detailed Minutes involved. Possible a ten-page affidavit too." Colt chuckled. "But let it be noted, your Honor, that I would absolutely get you a puppy. In fact I am appalled by my own oversight." he said theatrically, hoping her hangover was still working in his favor "Yes, indeed..the fact I have yet to get you your very own furball of joy is..an oversight so grand the universe must be gasping in disbelief." Good God, he sounded like his father.

"You'd better. I'm putting in the work here." Colton chuckled. Picking up his fork and knife, he offered her a look of mischief and slight chaos. "Make sure to tell my mother how annoyingly decent and catastrophically generous I am." he grinned. He was only half joking. Or was he? "Now. Eat." he pointed to her plate and everything on the table. "I can't have you fainting on this place's fancy chairs..." || @alicexcheng

[alicexcheng]

🍒 (cherries) - Does your character have a best friend? How long have they known each other? What do they like most about each other? How did they meet?

"I have tons of best friends, but the ones I consider the closest would be Gavin and Colton. They both seen me through my thick and thin and still continued to be best friends with me. Let's hope they don't get tired of me sometime in the future." Alice said laughing, "I became friends with Colton during my time in New York, we just hit it off and since then we rely on each other to discuss our relationships and at least the best advice we can possibly imagine. Our parents still hold hope for us marrying one another one day but that's not going to happen. Love him but no, I feel like it would be mostly me yelling at him over stupid things which I mean I do now but married life? No thanks."

"With Gavin, we have history. We met, we liked each other enjoy to discuss about our problems and just the rest is history. We still continue to stick in contact even after life became so much that now I can say he is one of my longest best friends." Alice toyed with her fingers as she smile lightly at the mention of Gavin. "But I have feelings for him that I don't think will ever reach the surface of beyond friendship because the fear of losing that friendship is a lot stronger than finding out."

@gavin-carrigan @eternalconsxlationprize

[alicexcheng]

Alice let out an exaggerated gasp, pressing a hand to her chest as if deeply moved. “Wow, Colton. Your self-awareness? Stunning. Truly, a moment for the history books.” She smirked, tilting her head. “But I’ll be sure to pace myself—I wouldn’t want to faint too soon and miss the moment you finally live up to all this hype you’re giving yourself.”

She leaned forward, resting her chin in her palm as she fixed him with an amused look. “And let’s be real, if you ever showed up with a puppy, I wouldn’t be the one fainting. I’d be too busy documenting the moment because clearly, something catastrophic would have to happen to make you that generous.” Her smirk widened. “End of days, maybe? An alternate dimension where you’re actually just a softie at heart?”

Alice tapped her fingers idly against the table. “But don’t worry, when the moment does come, I’ll be sure to make a dramatic show of my shock. Just so you can bask in it properly.” She sat back, eyes gleaming with mischief. “Until then, I’ll be keeping my expectations firmly grounded in reality. No flying pigs necessary.”

Colton let out a slow, dramatic exhale, shaking his head as if deeply moved by her unwavering support. "You..you truly are a saint. Bearing my burden of being this tolerable? That's the real sacrifice here. I don't know how you do it. Truly inspiring." He smirked, tilting his head as if considering something. "And pigs flying, huh? You have so little faith in me. I'm almost offended." Almost being a key word here. "But fine, keep your skepticism —just don't be shocked when I do pull off something outrageously decent, and you have to eat your words and make a full recovery plan. I'll be sure to send medical personnel in advance."

His gaze flickered with amusement as she kept up her teasing. "Breaking the space-time continuum with my kindness? Now that would be impressive. I’ll put that right next to ‘buy a puppy’ and ‘surprise vacation’ on my extremely generous to-do list." He shot her a dry look. "Though let’s be real, if I did show up with a puppy, you’d be the one fainting, and then I’d really have to deal with the fallout. That’s too much responsibility, even for me." Colton chuckled.

He leaned back again, smirking. "But fine, go ahead and save the fainting for when I least expect it. Just don’t expect me to catch you. You know, gotta keep the balance of ‘annoyingly decent’ and ‘still an ass’ in check." he joked.

[alicexcheng]

ONE TREE HILL (2003-2012) 1.16 ✾ The First Cut Is the Deepest

[alicexcheng]

Alice couldn’t help but laugh, the sound light but filled with an edge of fond sarcasm. "Ah, yes. The weight of being that tolerable must be absolutely unbearable," she said, her tone dripping with mock sympathy. "But I’ll do my best to support you through it, Colton. You know, a burden shared and all that." She raised an eyebrow, the faintest smile tugging at her lips. "I guess we all have our crosses to bear, don't we?"

At his mention of the fainting couch, Alice’s eyes narrowed playfully. "Oh, please. The day you do something 'outrageously decent' is the day pigs fly, and even then, I'll need a full recovery plan. But fine, I'll humor you," she added with a dramatic sigh. "I suppose I’ll prepare myself for the shock of a lifetime. Just try not to make it too spectacular, okay? I’d prefer to keep my dignity intact, thank you very much."

She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms with a smirk. "And look at you—suddenly all ‘thoughtful’ and ‘tolerable.’ I guess miracles really do happen." Alice gave him a look of mock concern. "Though, if you're pushing it to ‘moderately tolerable,’ I'm not sure the world is ready. You might break the space-time continuum with that level of kindness."

When he leaned back, acting all dramatic and cheeky, Alice shook her head, her lips curling into a grin. "Oh, I’m sure you’ll come up with something amazing, Colton. I’m so looking forward to it. Just don’t expect me to be impressed unless you throw in a puppy or a surprise vacation. That's the level of generosity I’m talking about." She winked at him, her voice dripping with playful sarcasm. "And don’t worry. I’ll save the fainting for when you least expect it."

Colton let out an exaggerated sigh, shaking his head as if carrying the weight of his own so-called brilliance. "You know, it's exhausting being this tolerable. Truly, a burden. But I'll soldier on —for the people." He smirked, watching her with amusement. "And I appreciate your restraint in only being mildly sarcastic about my heartfelt gestures. Really, it's the small mercies that keep me going." At her mention of the fainting couch, he chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, it's not for me, Al. It's for you. One day, I'm going to do something so incredibly, outrageously..decent that it's going to send you into full-blown shock. And when that day comes, I want you to be prepared. Wouldn't want you hitting the floor ungracefully."

His grin turned smug as she sighed dramatically about having to live with him. "It's good to see you finally accepting your new reality. The ‘thoughtful, tolerable’ version of me isn't going anywhere. So, really, you might as well start preparing for even more unsolicited kindness. Maybe I'll even push it to moderately tolerable —if you're lucky." Which, come on, was easy considering he hadn't mopped around even once to her over a certain ex as he used to. Alice had to give him credit for that!

He leaned back, watching her with faux contemplation. "Alright, I'll give you time to recover before I hit you with my next act of overwhelming generosity. But I will be brainstorming. And when the time comes? Oh, you will be impressed. Just don't faint. I can only carry so much responsibility at once." he said cheekily with a wink.

[alicexcheng]

Alice chuckled, shaking her head as she leaned back in her chair, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Mothra and a nuclear dinosaur, huh?" she said, her smile widening. "I mean, that's... definitely one way to describe true love, but hey, if it works for them, who am I to judge?" She tapped her fingers lightly on the desk, pretending to consider it seriously for a moment. "Maybe we should start a whole new genre of 'monster couple' memes. Mothra and Godzilla could have some serious relationship goals."

At his suggestion of spicing things up, she raised an eyebrow, a grin tugging at her lips. "Scavenger hunt style? Well, that’s one way to make paperwork exciting, I guess. But if you're going to do that, you’ll have to get creative. You can't just leave little sticky notes around. I'm talking full-on treasure maps and cryptic clues. You can’t just half-ass it, right?" She leaned forward, her tone teasing but playful.

"And as for you and Reg? Just trying to stay excited, huh?" she added with a little laugh, rolling her eyes. "That sounds like a whole lot of forced enthusiasm. But hey, at least you’re making it work, right? Better than sitting around pretending everything’s fine and you’re not counting down the hours until it’s over."

"Out there somewhere. Lost. But not forgotten and I will continue to carry the flag and torch for him. Maybe he'll find a nice Mothra build to link up with. One a moth, one a nuclear dinosaur. True love. Like what Avril Lavigne was singing about all those years ago," He tapped on the desk and then settled down into the chair across from her with his face still riding out that initial small smile.

"No? Sounds we need to spice it up. Should I start hiding your papers around the room? Work but make it scavenger hunt style. But I'm open to other ideas of course." A click of his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Me? Nope. It's a slower time. No big talks anymore now that we're passed the holidays. It'll roll back, but until then- it's Reg and I trying to sound excited about things." @alicexcheng

[alicexcheng]

Alice was quiet for a long moment, letting the weight of Gavin's words sink in. She always hated seeing him so vulnerable, especially when it came to something as personal as his relationship with Bennie and the music that used to define him. But the truth was, she understood the pull of both. Music had been his heartbeat, and so had being a dad. She leaned back slightly, her eyes soft but steady as she studied him. "You know," she began gently, her voice quieter than usual, "I don’t think you're a bad dad for wondering about going back to music. It’s natural to miss something you loved doing, something that felt like a part of you." She gave a half-smile, the kind she reserved for moments like this—when words had to carry the weight of years of unspoken things. "And you’re not a bad dad for questioning what would make you happy again. I mean, really happy, not just getting by. I think Bennie would want you to be whole too, not just playing the role."

Her smile faded a little as her voice softened even more. "But... I also get the fear. I know you worry about letting him down. But you’re not letting anyone down, Gav. Not Bennie, not me. Hell, I’ve seen you with him. That’s a whole other level of dedication. You’re not failing him because you miss music. You’re just being human."

Alice's eyes flickered to his, catching something in the way he was looking at her—something deeper, more complicated. "As for everything else…" She hesitated, letting her words hang there for a moment. "I don’t think there’s a single thing in your life that screams ‘mistake,’ Gavin. You’re a great dad. A great teacher. The things that didn’t work out before? They don’t define you. And if you're regretting anything, it’s because you’re the kind of person who cares enough to regret. But regret is just... a weird little shadow, you know? You carry it, but it doesn’t have to follow you forever."

She leaned forward slightly, her tone lighter now, but with that same undercurrent of sincerity that always came when she said things that mattered. "And just so you know, I’m here. I’ve always been here. I get you, Gav. Even when you don’t get yourself." A faint smile curled at the corner of her lips. "If you ever need a break from all the responsibility? You know where to find me." Her eyes met his again, steady and open, like she was leaving space for whatever he needed to say next. Whether it was about music, regrets, or just about whatever was going on in that head of his.

The way Alice could read him so well could have been alarming, but not to Gavin. Because if anyone knew him and the real him it was her. It was why the risk of losing her was far too great. He could stand being her friend forever. Maybe he could stand seeing her fall in love with someone else. It would hurt like hell and break his heart bur he would stick by her because she’d done the same for him and because a half a relationship was better than none at all. He’d risk his feelings just to hear her joke around with him and just be able to be around her . Because the alternative where she wasn’t in his life was perhaps too much to deal with.

“ I’m not into death defying stunts. My reckless days are long behind me when I hung up my guitar “ he admitted with a small smile. He missed playing more than anything but he didn’t miss that life. He honestly hated that aspect of music. “ I used to love what I did. I used to wake up every morning excited I got to play somewhere or record a song. And then it because I was excited to be a dad, excited to teach people. Or was I just telling myself I had to be excited to teach because I couldn’t be a dad if I wasn’t there all the time? “ Gavin admitted. “ I feel like I’m a bad dad for even questioning going back to music again, cause I don’t want to let Bennie down “ he admitted further he also didn’t want to let Alice down either. He’d be gone more and he like being in her orbit. “ before teaching. I wouldn’t trade being a parent for anything in this world. But I miss the music. I don’t miss being divorced. I didn’t think that was ever gonna happen. I don’t want to talk badly but realizing I may have picked the wrong person and giving up my life knowing there was a lie underneath it. It makes me have some regrets” there it was still just hovering below the surface. The fact that while he loved being a dad and he wouldn’t change anything when it came to his son. He knows he made a bad choice. He should have always chose Alice, but he didn’t know. He didn’t know if she felt the same. And even now he doesn’t know anything just the fact he’s got a regret the size of his heart in his life. @alicexcheng

[alicexcheng]

Alice laughed, her eyes lighting up at the praise. “I’m glad you like it! Honestly, I’ve been thinking it needs to be on a T-shirt, a mug, maybe even a limited edition phone case.” She raised an eyebrow, clearly entertaining the idea. “You’ll be the first to get one. I’ll even throw in a free ‘sophisticated chaos’ sticker.”

Her grin softened as she watched Ceyda work through the rack of dresses, the creative energy practically radiating from her. “Exactly. You’ve got the vibe, now just own it. Who cares if it’s a little out there? The whole point is to take something that’s not supposed to work and make it work.” Alice gestured toward the sequined top. “That’s it right there. Lean into the sparkle. Who says you can’t turn thrift store finds into runway magic?”

She leaned in, her voice low but with that usual spark. “And between you and me, the more absurd the combination, the better. I say we add a feather boa to that sequined top. Trust me—it’s a statement piece waiting to happen.” Alice gave her an exaggerated wink. “We’re not just ‘thinking outside the box,’ we’re burning the box and starting a whole new trend.”

“Okay, first of all,” Ceyda said, holding up a hand like she needed to pause for breath, “I’m going to need you to trademark ‘sophisticated chaos is the new black,’ because that’s incredible.” She shook her head, still grinning as she glanced back at the dresses in her hands.

Her gaze lingered on the garish colors and dated fabrics, and she found herself imagining exactly what Alice described: sequins, tulle, maybe even that blazer. “Honestly, though? You’re right. Why am I overthinking this?” Ceyda draped the blue and green dress over one arm and picked up a sequined top from a nearby rack. “If we’re going thrift store couture, I might as well lean in.” @alicexcheng

[alicexcheng]

Alice couldn’t help but laugh at Colton’s mock offense, shaking her head with a grin. "Oh, please," she teased, waving a hand dismissively. "You’ve got a reputation for being annoyingly decent to uphold. I’m just trying to save you from the pressure of being too perfect. You know, the world can’t handle that much brilliance at once. It’s for your own good." She winked, leaning back with an exaggerated sigh. "You’re welcome, by the way, for only being a little bit sarcastic about your thoughtful gestures."

At his mention of a fainting couch, Alice's smile softened, and she raised an eyebrow, clearly entertained. "A fainting couch? Really? I feel like I might need one after listening to you claim the title of ‘annoyingly decent’ without even a hint of irony." She leaned in slightly, her voice lowering to a mock-serious tone. "I’ll be sure to keep one in the back of my mind for future dramatic moments. You know, just in case."

Her eyes twinkled as she met his gaze again, her playful expression never quite leaving. “As for the ‘thoughtful, tolerable’ version of you… well, I guess I’ll just have to learn to live with him." She gave him an exaggerated sigh, resting a hand on her heart. "Such a burden. I’m glad you’re making the effort to stick around though, clearly doing the hard work of being just decent enough to not make me cry from too much sweetness.”

Alice smirked at his suggestion of another gesture. “Oh, I’m definitely not ready for more brilliance just yet. Let’s give this one a chance to settle in before you overwhelm me with your... charm." She paused, then added with a playful tone, “But feel free to start brainstorming. I won’t stop you from planning your next big move.”

Colton raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly with a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth faking offense. "Shockingly tolerable taste? You're killing me. I pour my heart and soul into one thoughtful gesture, and you're already setting up disclaimers? Don't worry, though —I'll try not to let it go to my head. Wouldn't want to ruin my reputation as ‘annoyingly decent,’ after all." he smirked.

He pretended to consider her next comment, tapping a finger to his chin. “A full Jane Austen delivery with a curtsy? I don’t know if I could survive that. The sentiment might physically hurt me. But hey, if you’re committing to the bit, I’ll make sure there’s a fainting couch nearby. Wouldn’t want to disappoint." Colton was sure if he asked his mother, she'd have one somewhere too. His teasing softened as he met her gaze though, the grin lingering but quieter now. "You're welcome. Always. And don’t worry —I’m ready for the complaints to start rolling back in. Just know you're never getting rid of the ‘annoying, thoughtful, tolerable’ version of me. That guy’s here to stay for you."

He leaned back, flashing her one last mischievous look. “Now, should I start workshopping a new gesture to top this one, or are you good with just basking in my current brilliance for a bit?” A guy could never be prepared enough... || @alicexcheng

[alicexcheng]

Alice couldn’t help but laugh at Tobias’s enthusiastic greeting, leaning back in her chair and giving him an exaggerated bow. "Ah, the great Tobias, master of the mechanical mischief and creator of walking spoon monsters. Truly, your legend grows with each new invention," she said with a dramatic flourish, before giving him a teasing grin. "As for your poor, lost Godzilla—he's probably out there right now causing chaos in some small town. But we can’t save them all, can we?" She rolled her eyes affectionately before leaning forward again, her smile softening. "I’m glad you’re not off making another one though—God knows you’ll probably give that poor creature a complex with all the walking and wandering you make him do." She smirked, but then her expression shifted slightly as she considered his question.

"Nothing too exciting happening on my end," she said casually, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I’m just trying to get a few things in order today, but you know me, I’m always working on something—just doesn’t always feel like the fun kind of work." She gave him a pointed look, a little grin pulling at the corners of her lips. "But if you’ve got time to waste with me, I’d say that’s a much better way to spend the morning. What about you? Got any new projects I should be worried about?"

"Oh, greetings to the great Alice and in all of her glory this fine morning!" Tobias drums up a little more enthusiasm than his usual deadpan tone. "You know? That is a very likely thing to happen. I tinker so much. Badly, of course. But I did manage to build a giant mechanical Godzilla made out of wooden spoons and extra sponges I had lying around the house. Damnedest thing? He walked away. Lost. Out there in the world without his dad. Shame.

"But I am here now, not ghosting in favors of making a new Mecha Godzilla or nap. Here for you as long as you need me," Tobias returned to his normal tone and leaned onto the table by the other. "How's it going? Did I miss something fun? You working?" @alicexcheng

[alicexcheng]

Alice leaned back slightly, eyes softening as she watched Gavin, recognizing that familiar tension in his voice. He was trying to avoid whatever deeper truth he was holding onto, and she knew he wouldn’t make it easy to get to. But she was patient with him, always had been. It wasn’t that she needed the full confession all at once; she just wanted him to stop running from whatever was weighing on him. She raised an eyebrow at his comment about the circus performer, a smirk pulling at her lips. "Well, maybe if you were juggling knives or riding a unicycle, I'd consider it a red flag. But, I guess corners are cool… in the right context," she teased, lightening the mood for a second, though she could feel how heavy everything was for him underneath.

When his tone shifted again, more vulnerable, Alice’s smile softened. "Gavin..." She leaned forward, her voice gentle but firm. "First of all, you’re not wasting your time teaching. You’re doing good work, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now. But I get it, you feel like you’ve lost that spark, like you're stuck in the middle of something you don't even know how to name. That’s… a mess, yeah." She let out a sigh, making sure he knew she wasn’t brushing it off. "But you're allowed to feel like that, you know? It’s okay to not have it figured out yet. We all go through that phase where we feel like we're spinning our wheels and questioning everything." She bit her lip, debating whether to nudge him a little further. "You said you gave up on what made you happy? You mean before teaching? Or...?" Alice let the question hang in the air, watching him carefully, letting him know she was ready to listen if he wanted to go there.

Gavin made a face at being called a hypocrite, cause he knew Alice had him in one of his moments where he was deflecting from himself. She knew him a. It too well and it showed in how they were with one another and honestly someone other than his sister needed to call him out on stuff. He just really didn’t know where to start or how much he could say before he ruined everything and honestly Gavin didn’t want to say goodbye to Alice if he cost them their friendship because he couldn’t keep his own heart in check.

“ I’m not choking on them. I just, I really don’t know where to start. I don’t know Alice everything still such a damn mess lately “ he admitted. It was something. It was a start into one of the million confessions he left like revealing. Did he want to start with his feelings? That would be starting way too big. He couldn’t. Should he mention Izzy and Clara? Or would that ruin everything too? His only course of action was the way he started feeling connected out now. That made sense to start

“ why would a circus performer be a red flag? Like corners are pretty cool?” He noted before letting out a sigh “ I’ve felt stuck for a long time. And I have no idea what I’m doing with my life now because of it. Am I wasting my time teaching because I gave up on what made me happy ?” @alicexcheng

[alicexcheng]

😉 …someone my muse has had sex with.

“Overall, or just the last person. I don’t have a long list, but…

Last one was Alice, and that’s current, too. I’m not sure what she really sees in me. It’s not serious in any way. Sometimes you have an itch that needs to be scratched, and we get that out of each other. It works for now, and when it doesn’t anymore, then it stops.”

@alicexcheng

[alicexcheng]

💕 ...someone my muse loves

" I can't really talk about it too much cause I'm worried if I put it out there it will never happen. I've fad feelings for the same person for a while and I don't think she knows. She's my best friend and I just worry that it will ruin everything if she knew. But I do love her. " @alicexcheng

[alicexcheng]

closed starter: @seversilencetobias

The warm hum of the coffee shop surrounded Alice like a comforting blanket. The smell of freshly ground beans mingled with the faint sweetness of pastries, and the low murmur of conversations filled the air. She was perched at a corner table, her laptop open in front of her, a pile of legal briefs neatly stacked to one side. She took a sip of her latte, savoring the fleeting moment of calm before diving back into work.

The familiar chime of the door opening pulled her attention briefly, but it was the voice that followed—a smooth, confident tone that could only belong to one person—that made her glance up. “Well, look who finally decided to show up,” she teased, a grin spreading across her face. “I was starting to think you’d ghosted me for a nap or some top-secret tinkering project.”

[alicexcheng]

Alice glanced up from her seat on the bench nearby, the chill of the winter air painting her cheeks a soft pink. She watched Lavinia’s tray of teas with a growing smile, the steam curling up into the cold like little wisps of magic. “Well, aren’t you just a walking advertisement for cozy,” Alice teased lightly, standing up and sauntering over. “Alright, you’ve got my attention. Which one of these is going to change my life today?”

Her eyes flicked to the labels, lingering on the mention of lavender. She chuckled softly, tucking her gloved hands into her pockets. “Too relaxed, huh? Sounds dangerous. But honestly, if you’re handing out cozy in a cup, how could I say no?” She tilted her head, a playful glint in her eye. “What’s your personal favorite? I’m putting my faith in you, tea guru.”

for: @aurorabaystarter (0/5)

It was shaping up to be one of the slower days at Serenity Tea Room. Days like today were typically early days for most employees, if they felt like leaving early. Today was one of the days in which a majority of them had taken the offer, so it was just her and a skeleton crew by three pm. In order to keep herself preoccupied Lav brews up six different types of tea and separates them into little sample cups. She places the cups neatly on a tray, then creating labels for each little section to help identify which tea was what.

With a light, but cozy, winter jacket on Lavinia makes her way outside. This was her way to both promoting the tea shop but also to help keep the citizens of Aurora Bay warm while they were out and about. “Hello! Would you like to try one our teas today? Great way to keep yourself warm, and energized. Except Lavender, that one might make you a tad too relaxed.”