#Instant Coffee Market Share

[mordorintelligencemarketresearch]

The Instant Coffee Industry: Trends, Challenges, and Future Outlook

Introduction 

The instant coffee market has seen significant growth over the past decade, fueled by changing consumer preferences and advancements in technology. With the increasing demand for convenience, instant coffee has carved out a substantial niche in the global beverage landscape. This blog will explore the current state of the instant coffee industry, key trends driving its growth, challenges faced by the market, and future prospects. 

Market Overview 

The instant coffee market is projected to reach a size of USD 33.18 billion in 2024, with expectations to grow to USD 43.54 billion by 2029. This growth represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.58% during the forecast period from 2024 to 2029. This growth is attributed to various factors, including urbanization, a busy lifestyle, and a growing preference for ready-to-drink beverages. 

Key Trends 

Health Consciousness 

Consumers are becoming more health-conscious, leading to a rise in demand for organic and low-calorie instant coffee options. Brands are responding by introducing products that emphasize natural ingredients and sustainability. 

Premiumization 

The shift towards premium products is evident as consumers seek high-quality instant coffee made from specialty beans. This trend is creating opportunities for artisanal brands that focus on unique flavors and ethical sourcing. 

Innovation in Product Offerings 

The industry is witnessing an influx of innovative products, including flavored instant coffees and ready-to-drink formats. Brands are experimenting with various formats to cater to diverse consumer preferences. 

E-commerce Boom 

The rise of e-commerce has transformed how consumers purchase instant coffee. Online platforms provide convenience and accessibility, allowing brands to reach a wider audience and offering consumers a greater variety of choices. 

Challenges 

Despite its growth, the instant coffee industry faces several challenges: 

Quality Perception 

Instant coffee has historically been perceived as lower quality compared to brewed coffee. Overcoming this stigma requires brands to educate consumers about the advancements in processing and flavor profiles. 

Supply Chain Disruptions 

The coffee supply chain is vulnerable to disruptions caused by climate change, political instability, and fluctuating prices. Ensuring a stable supply of high-quality beans remains a critical challenge. 

Competition from Fresh Coffee 

The growing popularity of specialty coffee shops and home brewing equipment poses a challenge to instant coffee sales. Brands must differentiate themselves through quality and convenience to remain competitive. 

Future Outlook 

Looking ahead, the instant coffee market is poised for continued growth. Here are a few key predictions: 

Sustainability Initiatives 

Brands are likely to focus more on sustainability, sourcing coffee beans ethically and implementing eco-friendly packaging solutions. This shift will resonate with environmentally-conscious consumers. 

Technological Advancements 

Innovations in processing technology will enhance the flavor and aroma of instant coffee, bridging the gap between instant and freshly brewed coffee. 

Diverse Consumer Demographics 

As instant coffee gains popularity among younger generations, brands will need to tailor their marketing strategies to appeal to this demographic, focusing on digital engagement and social media. 

Global Expansion 

Emerging markets, particularly in Asia and Africa, present significant opportunities for growth. Brands that can adapt to local tastes and preferences will be well-positioned to capture market share. 

Conclusion 

The instant coffee industry is undergoing a transformative phase characterized by evolving consumer preferences and technological advancements. While challenges remain, the future outlook is optimistic. By focusing on quality, sustainability, and innovation, brands can thrive in this competitive market and meet the demands of modern consumers. As the industry continues to evolve, it will be fascinating to observe how it adapts to changing trends and challenges ahead.    For a detailed overview and more insights, you can refer to the full market research report by Mordor Intelligence: https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/instant-coffee-market 

[downincmi]

Instant Coffee Market Trends: Embracing Sustainability in Production

The Invention of Powdered Coffee The origins of powdered coffee can be traced back to the beginning of the 20th century. In 1903, David Strang from New Zealand patented a process for producing soluble coffee by compressing roasted and brewed coffee grounds into a dry cake. However, it was not until the 1930s that a truly commercially viable process was developed. In 1938, an American chemist named George Constant Loumidis developed a method of flash drying using spray drying technology. This allowed coffee solubles to be rapidly dehydrated, preventing deterioration of flavor compounds. However, it was not until the 1950s that powdered coffee really took off. Mass Market Success in the Postwar Era After World War II, Nestlé and General Foods invested heavily in improving spray drying technology for coffee. This allowed powdered coffee to be produced on an industrial scale. As soldiers returning from the war were familiar with powdered coffee rations, the market was ripe for this new convenience product. Powdered coffee filled the need for a quick morning beverage that could be easily prepared anywhere. It was also significantly cheaper than ground coffee beans. Sales of powdered coffee skyrocketed during the postwar economic boom of the 1950s. By 1960, over 50% of coffee consumed in the United States was instant. The new mass-produced powdered coffee also helped spawn the cafe culture that became widespread in the postwar period. Global popularity and varieties of instant coffee While initially most popular in North America and Western Europe, powdered coffee saw worldwide growth throughout the latter half of the 20th century. In many parts of Asia and Africa with tropical climates unsuited for coffee plant cultivation, powdered coffee filled an important niche. It remains most popular today in China, India, Indonesia and Brazil, the Non-Arab Middle East and North Africa. With globalization, myriad powdered coffee varieties have also emerged. From cushioned ground robusta blends to soluble Arabicas with creamers, there are options to suit varied tastes. "3-in-1" products combining sugar and cream/milk are especially prevalent in Asia. More upscale single-origin and specialty powdered coffee gaining popularity as consumer palettes evolve. powdered coffee practical convenience continues fueling wider global reach. Coffee Preferences and Consumption Trends While instant coffee remains popular for its convenience in many parts of the world, consumption patterns and preferences are gradually changing. As economies developed further post-WWII, the ground coffee market regained lost share in North America and Western Europe. Freshly brewed coffee from cafes became desirable coffee experiences. With globalization of specialty coffee culture, many consumers now appreciate distinct flavors from single-origin Arabica beans prepared carefully. There is rising interest in ethical sourcing and sustainability too. Yet powdered coffee still commands over 20% market share in the USA. Consumption is higher in developing nations where it supplemented traditional coffee drinks like Turkish/Arabic coffee. With flavored and upgraded products, powdered coffee looks set maintain significant worldwide demand for convenient caffeine.

[marketwire]

According to the International Coffee Organization, coffee exports in the initial half of coffee year 2018 to 2019 (October 2018 to March 2019) witnessed an increment of 4.1% over the same period in 2017 to 2018, taking the total shipment to 63.15 million bags compared to the 60.63 million bags shipped during the same tenure in 2017 to 2018.[1] Modern hectic lifestyles have altered traditional F&B consumption patterns with the advent of convenience foods targeting the ‘on-the-go’ food trend. The traditional approach to coffee consumption is witnessing a disruptive revolution with instant coffee capturing a major share in the market. Instant coffee enables people to make a cup of coffee by just stirring coffee powder into hot water. This market has abundant potential with lucrative demand from the millennial population which is driving the instant coffee market size to a staggering $2,968m as of 2018.

[moo-blogging]

Nothing in my head but a soft and loving evening with Levi (modern day).

It had been busy. Work was hectic and limitless. Levi had to travel away for an emergency meeting. You didn't even get to say goodbye to him. He called you when you were doing overtime, packing his things and promising to be back as soon as possible. You wished him luck and hung up.

Day 1 was okay without Levi as you fell asleep immediately.

Day 2 you came home with a net of tangerines. There was a pop-up farmers' market on your way home from work. The shiny, orange coloured tangerines managed to grabbed the attention of your tired eyes and you stopped to pick them out. The tangerines were slightly larger than your palm. They felt firm and fresh as you squeezed them. You instinctively held it to your nose and inhaled a soft soury scent of the tangerine. That night, you peeled and ate 2 tangerines by your kitchen counter in semi darkness.

Day 3 you stared at the tangerines and wondered if you had over-bought it. The bring coloured tangerines looked so distinct against your white countertop, welcoming you for a bite. You'd love to, but you didn't move. Instead, you checked your phone and read Levi's message for the 15th time. "Will be back asap. Love you y/n" you stood up and made a bowl of instant noodles.

Day 4, Levi came home. The moment you received his message that he had touched down at the airport and was coming home in half an hour, you heart leaped with happiness. You turned the lights on and took a fruit bowl from the cabinet to carry the tangerines you left two days ago. You placed the bowl of tangerines on the coffee table, waiting for your husband to come home to you.

When Levi walked through the door, you threw yourself at him. Your arms around his neck, your chest pressed against his, your heart finally finding its one and only beating partner. Levi pulled you in tightly as well, inhaling you into his chest. Your scent recharged him after days of emotional drainage.

"Have you eaten?" You asked. "Yes, on the plane," Levi said as he dropped his bag and coat onto one of the ottomans. He saw the bright tangerines. "You bought tangerines?" He asked, eyes lit up. You nodded and grinned. Levi's face mimicked your happiness. He unbottoned two of his upper shirt buttons, and idly rolled his sleeves to his elbows. He sat down heavily on the sofa and took a tangerine into his palm and started peeling it.

You sat down on the floor beside him, leaning against his leg and watched as Levi's delicate long fingers peeled the tangerine. How his thumb dug unti the eye of the tangerine, peeling firmly as the sweet and soury scent of tangerine engulfed your senses. The soft peeling sound of the tangerine brought calm to your nerves.

You looked up and watched your husband, whose face was tired but still handsome, focusing on the tangerine. Levi's eyebags had darkened, you noticed. It must have been tough for him too. The sweet frangrance of tangerine mixed with Levi's scent of sweat and the mild smell of detergent on his clothes put your mind at ease. This is home, you thought.

Levi's eyes shifted toward you and instantly, you lifted your face and were greeted with Levi's lips on yours. You closed your eyes, savouring the kiss from your husband. You pulled away just to watch Levi's dreamy silverish blue eyes and you leaned in to kiss him again. He kissed you back deep and passionately, pulling and pushing as you conveyed your love and yearning for each other while being apart.

Reluctantly, you pulled away, your sheepish grins mirroring each other's. Levi looked away first, peeling the last peel of the tangerine and offered you a slice of its flesh. You gently took the piece into your mouth and chewed onto it. The tangerine was sweet and juicy. You locked eyes with Levi as you slowly ate the tangerine while Levi put a slice into his mouth. You smiled at each other as you shared the tangerine. Levi feeding you piece by piece, and you watched him as you leaned on his leg.

"Another one?" Levi asked as he gave you the last piece. You nodded. Levi reached for another tangerine in the bowl. You were pretty sure the tangerine was sweeter and juicer when you had it with Levi.

[pedrospatch]

stay

Post Outbreak! Joel Miller x Reader

summary: You’re in Jackson with Joel and Ellie after Salt Lake City and the loss of somebody you failed to protect haunts you and leaves you wondering if the wound will ever heal—and how you’ll ever go on if it never does.

warnings/tags: 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI. JACKSON ERA. child death, reader takes the life of a child. (TW) implied panic attack, implied SI, reader has a moment where she contemplates taking her own life, NO ACTUAL ATTEMPT. angst, soft, caring Joel. no age specified for reader, no physical descriptions of reader.

word count: 3.7k

2024

Late Spring

Jackson, Wyoming

You’d woken up early that morning, right before sunrise.

Eyes fluttering open, you blinked furiously into the darkness of the bedroom. Your bedroom.

Your bedroom in an actual house. One that didn’t have crumbling, dusty walls.

One that was an actual, real place to call home.

As you tried to move, the strong arm around your waist tightened and held you firmly in place.

Turning your head, you saw Joel’s face just inches away from yours. He was still fast asleep, his bare chest slowly rising and falling with each and every peaceful, tranquil breath he inhaled and exhaled through slightly parted lips. He’d finally stopped mumbling in his sleep.

You’d been in Jackson with him and Ellie for just about a week or so now, and you still hadn’t quite gotten used to it—waking up in a soft, warm bed with his arms around you.

Maybe you would never get used to it.

Being careful not to wake Joel, you slipped out of his grasp and sat up. Swinging your legs over the side of your shared bed, you planted your two feet on the cold, hardwood floors and stood up, doing your best to move around without having to turn the lights on so as not to disturb his slumber. You quickly but quietly searched around, using both of your hands to feel for the thin, cotton white tank top and dark gray pajama bottoms that had been discarded, strewn somewhere across the master bedroom the previous night by none other than Joel Miller himself. He had gotten rid of them as he’d hovered over you, tossing them carelessly over his shoulder so that he could spend the next several hours learning every single part of your body, almost as if he’d been getting to know it for the very first time.

It took you a minute, but you’d finally found your clothes, tugging them on before padding your way into the bathroom where you flipped on the lights and began running the water in the sink to brush your teeth—hell, even having a clean toothbrush and real toothpaste were sweet little luxuries that were also taking some getting used to.

You finished washing your mouth and splashed a bit of cool water onto your face, drying it off with a hand towel before turning off the sink as well as the lights. Leaving yours and Joel’s bedroom, you made your way downstairs into the kitchen. Joel and Ellie were also early risers, and they would be up within the hour. Since you were up, you figured it would be nice to have a hot breakfast ready and waiting for them.

First thing was first, you started an instant pot of coffee for yourself and for Joel, although truth be told it was mostly for Joel, as the man refused to drink anything else in the mornings. As it brewed and the dark brown liquid dripped slowly into the glass pot, you moved over to the refrigerator and pulled open the door. The sight of a fridge stocked with real, proper food was almost like a fucking dream. You reached for the small basket of farm fresh chicken eggs that you’d picked up from the community’s market earlier that week when you and Ellie had gone food shopping. You set it down on the counter and looked through the wooden cabinets, grabbing a large, white porcelain bowl to scramble up the eggs in. You held it in your hands, an odd feeling washing over you.

Oh yes, this would all certainly taking some getting used to, all of it of it would take some getting used to—having shelter, running water, food and clean clothes. Not spending every goddamn fucking day fighting just to survive.

You glanced down at the bowl you gripped in your two hands, and felt your heart squeeze painfully inside of your chest.

Any normal person would have been relieved to be in this safe haven. Happy, even.

But not you, because all that you could think about was Lily, and how she wasn’t here.

2023

Early Fall

Midwest United States

The bite mark was on her shoulder.

It was still fresh, but the clock was already ticking like a time bomb.

You knew that. She knew that.

Everyone in that fucking basement knew that.

“Please,” Lily begged you, clutching fistfuls of your jacket. “Please.”

“No,” You choked out, feeling like someone had just punched you in the gut, knocking all the wind out out of your lungs. You turned back and looked over your shoulder at Joel, who stood there with his jaw clenched tightly, his dark brown eyes fixed on the dirty floor. Beside him, Ellie was wringing her hands together, fighting back her tears. You turned back to Lily, somehow finding your voice again. “No. I can’t do it. I won’t fucking do it.”

You blamed yourself for this.

The house the four of you had chosen to occupy for the night hadn’t been completely cleared out. You should have known better than to even think about cutting corners, you should have checked every goddamn room from the ground up, twice. If you had been more thorough, you would have realized that there had been a clicker down in the basement, silent and still, that is until Ellie and Lily had gone off exploring the entire house in such of possible supplies and garnered its attention, riling it up. It had gone after the girls while you and Joel were upstairs, and although Ellie had managed to shoot it dead in seconds, the damage had been done—the clicker managed to sink its teeth into your twelve year old sister, infecting her.

“Please, please don’t let me turn into one of those things,” Lily sank down, falling onto her knees in front of you. Letting go of your jacket, she clasped her hands together in a pleading motion. “Please! I don’t want to turn, not like mom and dad did. Not like Sam did. I need you to end it here, right now before it’s too late.”

“No!” You bit out the word once again through gritted teeth, white hot tears burning your eyes. “I won’t do that.”

Joel stood there, not knowing what to say or what to do.

Hell, there was really nothing he could say or do, was there?

Lily was infected—it was already a fucking death sentence.

And while he understood that she wanted to go out her way, he also understood that you couldn’t even fathom having to do the unthinkable. That you couldn’t even think about putting a bullet in your kid sister.

“I don’t have the guts to do it myself,” Lily said, her voice trembling. “I barely know how to use a gun. Please, you have to do it for me.”

You stared at her desperate face, the first of every single fucking tear that you would ever cry for the rest of your life finally slipping out of the corner of your eye and trickling its way down your cheek.

It was what Lily truly wanted, but how could you take her life?

The child that you’d raised yourself for the last ten years. Life could be so fucking cruel in a world like this one, but this, this was something else.

Still, what other choice was there?

It was either end it now, or abandon her in this old, crumbling house, leaving her all by herself to lose her mind.

Lily didn’t want that, and if her one final wish was to die on her terms, then you had no other choice but to fucking grant it for her. It didn’t matter how hard it was going to break you.

She didn’t have another option, and neither did you.

“Okay.” The agreement finally left your lips shakily. Your heart slammed hard against your chest wall, and your entire body had gone ice cold. “Okay.”

“No!” Ellie screamed, shoving you out of the way so roughly that she almost knocked you over. She grabbed Lily and hoisted her to her feet, wrapping her arms around her. Ellie held Lily protectively against her side, eyeing the spot where she knew you kept your gun tucked in the waistband of your jeans. “No, please, there has to be something we can fucking do!” She thought back to Sam and how what she’d done with her blood and his bite wound hadn’t worked to save his life. She held Lily tighter, knowing nothing else could be done and that her name would only be added to the growing list of people that she’d lost.

“Ellie,” Joel said her name softly, the softest that anyone had heard him say it since she’d come into your lives.

Her brown eyes met his and a tear escaped her.

“Fuck,” she whispered, devastated.

“It’s okay, Ellie. It’ll be okay.” Lily placed a hand on her arm. As she did so, everyone caught a glimpse of the way it’d twitched. “I don’t have much time left,” she said, nudging Ellie. She turned to face her, and offered her an encouraging smile. “Keep on going, okay? Do it for Tess. Do it for Sam. Do it for me. Do it for the whole world. Promise me that you’re gonna make it to the Fireflies. Promise me that you’re gonna make it to the very end. Please.”

“I promise I’ll make it to the end,” Ellie whispered, pulling her into her arms one last time.

Joel looked at you as you took out your pistol with a trembling hand.

“M’so sorry,” he whispered, gently touching your shoulder. He then turned to Ellie and beckoned for her with his hand. As much as Joel didn’t want to leave you to do this alone, he knew he had to get Ellie out of there and out of the house. “C’mon.”

Helpless, Ellie meekly nodded her head without protest.

“Joel, be sure to cover her ears,” You instructed him quietly. “Even outside she might still be able to hear it.”

Joel gave a small, tight nod of his head. He walked over and gingerly touched Lily’s cheek in his silent goodbye to her before taking Ellie’s arm. “Let’s go,” he murmured, pulling her over towards the stairs. A few seconds later, the two of them were gone and the door of the basement shut closed with a loud, aggressive slam that you knew had to have come from Ellie.

Swallowing harshly, you went up to Lily. Taking her into your arms, you pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. It felt abnormally warm, a sure fire sign that the infection was running rampant inside of her—that she was running out of time.

“I’m sorry ,” Your voice broke in the middle of your apology. You held her close, your hand cradling the back of her head as she nuzzled her face into your neck, inhaling your scent deeply for the very last time. “I’m so sorry that I couldn’t keep you safe and sound like I promised I would.”

“Look at it this way.” Lily’s arms tightened around your waist. “Nothing or no one will ever be able to hurt me ever again. I’m gonna be safe up there in heaven with mom and dad and the three of us are gonna be watching over you. And Ellie and Joel, too.”

It was unbelievable. Here she was, fucking twelve years old and about to die, and she was trying to comfort you.

You held her even closer, nearly smothering her as the two of you began to cry in each other’s arms.

After a few minutes, Lily pulled away from you.

Her twitches were becoming more frequent with each second that ticked by.

“Please, let’s just do this before it’s too late,” she said, dabbing at her eyes with the back of her jerking hand.

You rigidly nodded your head, your legs feeling like jello as you took several steps backwards, leaving about six feet of distance between the both of you.

You lifted your arm, aiming the barrel of the gun at your little sister.

“I love you,” Lily offered you a feeble, watery smile.

“I love you too,” You whispered back to her before your finger finally pulled the trigger.

You closed your eyes, your heart sinking deeply as you tried to forget the way that she’d been gone before her body had even hit the cold, hard ground of that basement.

Instead, you tried to think of something else. But you just couldn’t.

Lily should have been here with you. With Joel, with Ellie. Her family.

Not dead, buried in a shallow grave somewhere in the middle of fucking nowhere.

She would have been so happy here in Jackson.

Safe.

She would have been safe.

“She’s gone,” You told yourself, willing the fact to get through your thick skull once and for all.

As the image of your sister’s sweet smile came into your mind again, something in you finally snapped, like a rubber band that had been pulled too tight for far too long.

“She’s gone!” Your scream tore itself from the back of your throat. “She’s gone! She’s fucking gone and she’s not coming back!”

Taking the bowl in your hands, you flung it across the kitchen with all your might, watching it as it hit the wall and shattered into pieces. You turned back towards the cabinet, both hands reaching for anything and everything you could get your hands on—plates, bowls, glasses. Once the cabinet had been emptied out, you went for all of the dishes and appliances on the counter, throwing and breaking everything in sight. When you’d finally run out of items to destroy, you sank down to your knees right onto a pile of broken glass. As you did so, you noticed one particularly large shard of glass with a pointed, jagged edge.

Picking it up, you grasped it so tightly in your trembling hand that you began to bleed as it sliced into your palm.

Was it even fucking worth it?

Being alive without her?

What was the fucking point?

The guilt of what happened to Lily would eat you alive for the rest of your life, especially here in Jackson, where you were living the very same life that you had wanted to provide for your sister for so many fucking years but never could.

Your eyes glazed over the sharp point of the glass, and then flickered to the thin, delicate flesh of the lower portion of your forearm—a gun would be so much quicker, less messy. It would be painless, and a hell of a lot better than nicking a vein and letting yourself bleed out on the kitchen floor.

But if the opportunity presented itself, why not take it regardless of the method?

Still clutching the glass, images of Joel and Ellie suddenly flashed in your mind.

They were family.

Your family.

As much as you wanted to put an end to the pain, you knew with every fiber of your being that Lily would want you to stay. If not for yourself, then for them. Because that was the kind of girl she was.

So good, so sweet. Full of hope.

Everything had blurred and your mind was lost in such a thick haze that it took you a minute to realize that Joel was shouting your name—the sounds of your screaming, of glass and porcelain breaking, it had woken both him and Ellie and they had ran down the stairs in a panic.

Ellie gasped your name and started towards you, but Joel grabbed her and held her back when he realized she was barefoot. “Careful, the glass!”

“Joel, fucking do something!” Ellie demanded, her eyes widening in horror when she saw the glass in your hand and the way that you’d been looking at your wrist in something of a trance.

Joel hadn’t been wearing any shoes either, hell, he’d barely managed to tug a shirt on over his head and it was inside out, but he quickly and carefully made is his way over to you. He crouched down beside you and immediately took your arm, giving it a shake so you would drop the shard of glass.

His warm touch brought you back to earth.

“Joel?” You squeaked out his name, your heart pounding.

You felt tears prickling at your eyes, and you opened your mouth to let out a sob, but nothing came out. Your cries were lodged in the back of your throat and you felt stuck in your lungs. You suddenly felt like you couldn’t take a breath and started to hyperventilate.

“Hey, hey, hey. Breathe. Look at me,” he said. He palmed the side of your face and gently, but firmly forced you to meet his gaze. Your eyes were wide, pupils dilated. “Look at me, I’m here. We’re both here, me and Ellie. We’re right here. Breathe for me darlin,’ just breathe.”

You frantically nodded, as if to tell him, I’m trying.

It took a minute or two until finally, your gasps for air slowed down.

When they finally did, you began sobbing uncontrollably.

“Oh baby. C’mere,” Joel murmured. He pulled you up to your feet and moved you to a spot that wasn’t covered in broken dishware. He held you against his chest, stroking your hair.

Ellie joined in, and they both just held you in silence until your wails of agony subsided several minutes later.

“I’m sorry,” You apologized through little hiccups. “I’m so sorry—”

“Don’t fucking be sorry,” Ellie immediately stopped you, her hand rubbing at your back. She pulled back and looked at the blood stain on Joel’s light gray t-shirt. “Oh shit, Joel. Her hand, look at her hand.”

Joel looked down, alarmed, but he remained calm. “Ellie, go upstairs into our bathroom. There’s a first aid kid under the sink.”

She nodded and whirled around, bolting out of the kitchen.

In the blink of an eye, she’d returned with a small white tin box with a red cross etched onto the lid. She handed it to him. “Here.”

Taking it in one hand, Joel used his other hand to guide you over to the kitchen table. He sat you down and then pulled a chair out for himself, taking a seat across from you.

“She going to be okay?” Ellie asked, worriedly.

“Doesn’t look too deep, at least not deep enough to need stitches. It should be okay,” Joel stated as he opened up the first aid kit. “Ellie, mind if I have a minute alone with her?” He saw her open her mouth to protest and gave her a look. “Please.”

She huffed, but nodded. She touched your shoulder lightly and left the room, though both you and Joel were positive she’d stick around out in the hallway to eavesdrop.

“I’m sorry,” You whispered hoarsely, breaking a silence that had fallen over the two of you. “I’ll clean this mess up—”

“You think that’s what I’m worried about?” Joel asked, placing your hand in his lap as he poured hydrogen peroxide onto a wad of cotton. He picked it up and gingerly started cleaning your wound. He sighed, shaking his head. “Funny thing is, I knew you’d snap sooner or later. But truth be told, darlin’ I didn’t think this would be the way you’d let it all out.”

You stared at him. “What do you mean you knew I’d snap?”

Joel looked up from your cut, his gaze meeting yours. “I know you like I know the back of my own fuckin’ hand,” he reminded you. “And I know what you’ve been carryin’ around after what happened with Lily. That feelin’ you’ve been bottlin’ up for months now. I know what it’s like to carry that kinda burden on your shoulders. It’s heavy, and at some point, you ain’t got no choice but to put it down.” He paused. “Only, I was hopin’ you would do so by talkin’ to me, not destroyin’ the kitchen of this house.”

“I don’t know what happened,” You admitted, softly. “One minute I was down here getting ready to make us all breakfast, and the next, I just fucking lost it.” You chewed anxiously on your bottom lip. “I just kept thinking about how Lily should be here with us. And how she would be, if I hadn’t failed her.”

Joel frowned. “You didn’t—”

“I fucking did, Joel. I failed at protecting my sister. I failed at keeping her safe, alive.”

Letting out another sigh, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against your forehead. He spoke, his lips ghosting over your skin. “Baby, you can’t keep blamin’ yourself for somethin’ that was out of your control.”

“But it was in my control, Joel. I should have checked every goddamn crevice of that fucking house, because if I had, Lily would still be alive. She would be here in Jackson with us, living the life that she always deserved to live.”

Joel leaned his forehead against yours. “Look, I know that nothin’ I say is goin’ to make it better. Nothin’ I say is goin’ to bring her back and m’sorry,” he said. “But you need to know that it wasn’t your fault. You did the best you could. I know that her bein’ gone hurts. Trust me I know that feelin’ all too well.”

Another tear slipped down the side of your face and he reached up, lightly brushing it away with his thumb.

Of course he knew the feeling.

The scar on his temple was a testament of how well he knew that feeling, of how he knew exactly what it felt like to want to end it all after losing someone so precious.

Only, he had actually tried to end it all.

Joel’s voice broke into your thoughts. “I need you to know that you’re not alone, baby. You ain’t gotta carry your grief alone. You’ve got Ellie, and you sure as hell got me. We’re both here to help you through anythin’ that you need, alright? We’ve got you—I’ve got you.”

“I know you do.” Your voice broke once more and you swallowed back another sob.

Joel brushed his lips against yours. Sitting back into his chair he lifted your hand and inspected it thoroughly. “Don’t think there’s any glass in it,” he observed. He started bandaging your hand with a roll of gauze from the first aid kit.

“Thank you, Joel,” You murmured as soon as he had finished patching you up. “And I’m sorry. Not about the mess, but about what I thought about doing.”

Joel reached out, cradling the side of your face. His thumb grazed the soft skin of your cheek. “I need you to stay, baby,” he whispered, his own voice thickening with emotion. “Me and Ellie, we both need you to stay. You understand me?”

You placed your hand on top of his, nodding as your eyes met his once more.

“I’ll stay,” You promised him.

[chimivx]

That one fucked you over last year, this one is fucking you over this year, you had no idea she was involved with him, someone over here has been lying to you, you didn't mean to end up in that ones bed, he told you he loved you... Does anyone even trust anyone anymore?

👫 -> college!teez x fem!reader/oc {frat/sorority} #️⃣ -> 6k (part THREE of ten) ‼️ -> 18+, sexual content, drugs/alcohol, college life, all the drama, heavy angst, infidelity adjacent moments, mean boys, mean girls, mentions of anxiety/depression… IF I MISSED ANYTHING PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

march 9th ~ saturday ~ last semester ~ 2:39 p.m.

“Do it like this instead.”

Tori’s quiet voice filled the air in the corner of the library you occupied. Around one of the black metal tables on the second floor of the Conoscenza you were surrounded by open books, notes, loose sheets of random paper blowing around, and a plethora of pencils and highlighters. Smack in the middle of the semester, with spring break less than two weeks away, it was crunch time. Grades needed to be high, you were about to be the upperclassmen of ITZ, and you needed to impress the current upperclassmen of ITZ.

Leaning over the blonde boy slouched over the table to her left, Tori laid an arm over his back for reassurance and took his pencil from him, marking some things on his paper that made his pout disappear. He stared at what she did, blinked a number of times, and sat up with a sense of shock. Gulping, he reached out his hands and grabbed her face, pulling her close for an abrupt kiss before he let her go to finish his work.

Tori, with a giggle, wiped the corner of her lips and shoved his shoulder, though he wasn’t paying attention any longer. “You’re crazy.”

Mingi turned his head from where he had it hanging over his book and shot her wicked smile. “You’re hot.” She had to slap her hand over her mouth to keep her laughter from echoing against the walls throughout the space. 

Shaking your head while you marked your paper, you kept your smile to yourself. Their relationship had been the best thing to come out of Nasara thus far in the almost two years you’ve been here. In fact, joining ITZ and meeting the ATZ boys from the brother fraternity down the street from the sorority had been the best thing to come out of Nasara.

The classes were great, sure, and the campus was stunning, yes, but those boys… They were something else. 

Yunho joined the fraternity this year, he and Seonghwa were freshman recruits last year just like you and Tori were. Mingi was as well, but he and Tori didn’t meet until recruitment was over and the sibling houses had the annual dinner. The look on their faces when they both realized they had the same last name… Priceless. They were close in an instant.

Turns out Yunho and Mingi were inseparable as well. Those two met freshman year, sharing a requirement class like you and Yunho had. Mingi was majoring in marketing like you and Tori, which made total sense for his involvement in the fraternity, quickly acquiring his role as Social Chair like Tori. The two had the brain power and the creative ideas on hand, they could whip them out of thin air, the roles were made for them.

Yunho was majoring in history, the type of major that’d have girls nodding off on the ATZ couches if he started yapping about it. Not you though, you quite enjoyed listening to the gorey details of why the world is the way that it is today, he had a specific way of telling it like a story, his own passion for the subject evident in his honey brown eyes. Some nights he’d call you if his homework sparked the verbal throw up, apologizing for the two o’clock wake up call, but I have to tell somebody about this or I’ll freak the fuck out!

He was at the ATZ house right now, having turned down the study and homework sesh invite Tori sent out to the group chat the four of you have. Something had come up with Mina, one of the ITZ freshmen recruits. They were getting coffee after her afternoon class, or something like that. It seemed like an excuse to ditch another hang out you girls orchestrated, he’d always show up to one, then wiggle his way right out of another.

Within the last couple of months since everyone’s been back from winter break the two of them have been closer than they were at the start of the year. Granted, they didn’t know each other until Mina attended the dinner after being recruited, so it’s plausible they’ve just grown toward one another since she’s been working with the sorority. It’s been great having Mina around, she was exceptionally smart and always on time. Always dressed nicely, she was cute too, you guessed. Her hair was always done, her nails were never chipped, and she was never caught lacking.

This is the third time he’s used her as an excuse to ditch you guys.

“Do you think Yunho likes Mina?” you asked, scribbling words at the very bottom of the page of your notebook, flipping it over to start fresh on the back of the sheet. Looking up at them, Tori and Mingi having gone very quiet, they were both looking back at you with squinted eyes. “What?”

“The freshman who always wears skirts?” Tori raised a brow, her eyebrow piercing catching the light from the large windows to your left. You nodded and Mingi let out a laugh.

“Wouldn’t surprise me,” he said, catching a glimpse of Tori. “She’s exactly his type.”

“She is?” You scrunched your nose and Mingi rolled his eyes with a dramatic nod.

“Duh, hello,” he said, his raspy voice springing off the walls. “Have you seen her?” Exchanging glances with Tori who waited for an explanation as well, Mingi sighed. “She’s studying pre-law, she’s eighteen, she’s always in a skirt, she’s got that good girl look about her, and she works like he does.” 

Tori was speechless, her lips parting without a sound. Narrowing her eyes in thought, her gaze traveled to the table. “I get it,” she whispered.

“Okay?” you sneered, shrugging your shoulders. Leaning onto the table, slapping your pencil down, you said, “I study marketing, I’m twenty, and I work like he does.”

Mingi shook his head, eyes going wild. “Do you want a date with Yunho!?”

“No!”

Several heads turned toward your table shutting you and Mingi up. 

Taking a breath, you laughed within it and shrugged again. “He’s always ditching us for her,” you muttered. 

Tori frowned, tapping your foot with one of hers. “He’ll come around,” she said, trying to ease the obvious upsetness you were trying your absolute hardest to hide. “Let him have a crush,” her eyes flickered to behind you, “You know what that’s like.”

Hands covered your eyes, the world going dark for all of three seconds.

“Guess who?” That soft voice could lull you to sleep any night.

Taking his hands into yours, pulling them from your face you whipped your head over your shoulder and smiled up at the dark haired boy nibbling his bottom lip. When you met his gaze, his slender upturned eyes sparkling toward you, he laughed that wonderful laugh that fed your smile.

“What are you doing here?”

Wooyoung laced his fingers with one of your hands and slid into the empty chair beside you. Scooting it closer he rested an elbow on the table and let his cheek melt into his fist.

“I wanted to see you,” he said, pouting his lips, toying with the fingers he held. His soft skin sent a chill down your spine, his thumb tracing yours with a careful tenacity. “And I knew you’d be here with these two.” Nodding his head toward Tori and Mingi both focused on their work. Wooyoung pointed his gaze to your fingers before they popped back up with a question. “No Yunho?”

Sighing, you shook your head. “Mina.”

Wooyoung tilted his head the other way and his other hand slid over your thigh, his body leaning over yours. “Awh, I’m sorry,” he breathed, his voice so low neither of your friends would be able to make it out. His honey colored skin, smooth to the touch, was unbearable this close. The curve of his nose, his full, round lips, insatiable.

“It’s okay,” you whispered, and he furrowed his brows.

“Not okay,” he mimicked your tone. “You want me to say something to him?”

“No, God, please don’t.”

Wooyoung shifted his jaw. “You sure?”

“Yeah,” you squeezed your eyes shut for a second, “Don’t make me one of those girls, please.”

One of his fingers touched beneath your chin. Opening your eyes to look at him, he smiled once he had your focus, and he whispered, “You’re my girl, Ro.”

september 6th ~ saturday ~ 2:41 a.m

Pulling the door closed ever so quietly, not making a single peep, a single squeak, you exhaled through your nose and twirled on your wobbly toes to start down the staircase. The mission was to find Tori, acquire Mina, wherever the hell she may have ended up, and then bolt the fuck out of ATZ until further notice. You’d make it down the stairs, gather your friends, and nobody would ever know that you were ever here!

Except Seonghwa.

Still drunk, you felt great. Really, really great. Like, you’d need to thank Seonghwa for the full body factory reset. Later on when nobody would hear you, of course. Vice President Seonghwa made you feel things you couldn’t make yourself feel. Your chest warmed at the thought of it like you hadn’t just had it for an hour.

Pushing air from your lips as you turned, an electric jolt went through every vein your body possessed, freezing you in place in seconds. Wooyoung was standing at the top of the stairs.

It looked like he was heading down, his body was partially turned around the post where the railing began and the stairs went down. He had a hand on the post, the other hanging by his side. He looked good, and it sparked that dreadful feeling in your gut, the I like this boy feeling. Dressed in all black, head to toe, black baggy t-shirt, big black acid washed denim jeans, black sneakers… His hair was awful, hanging loose in waves around his face, parted in the center, framing his insane profile.

He was devastating, and he took you by absolute surprise. Usually one would hear him before they saw him.

Judging by the way he was looking at you, you took him by surprise too.

He definitely wasn’t expecting to catch you sneaking out of Seonghwa’s bedroom tonight, much like you weren’t expecting anyone to be there to catch you sneaking out of Seonghwa’s bedroom tonight.

Taking the smallest breath, putting your hands by your side, you grabbed fistfuls of blue fabric. Wooyoung let his eyes drift down your body. When they came back up your cheeks were flushed, your heart beating a mile a minute. He was unreadable as usual. The way his eyes were always pointed made it hard to assume what was going on in his brain even if being under his gaze typically made you blush. 

This time, you did not like how it felt.

He didn’t move, and neither did you. 

Standing in the hallway for what felt like an eternity, it wasn’t until you heard noise from the bedroom behind you that you knew you had to leave. You needed to walk away, to get the fuck out of the house.

But, he’s caught you. The boy with the biggest mouth at ATZ.

You knew what you had done. Now that you’ve sweated out some of the drunkenness, you were fully aware of what had happened. You had sex with Seonghwa. Just this afternoon you were kissing Yunho. And, all week you’ve been indirectly lying to every one of your sisters you’ve spoken too, especially Tori.

Yunho was a secret, and he always will be. How hard could it be to keep another?

Parting your lips, you took a breath and swore Wooyoung’s eyes widened.

“Please don’t say anything,” you whispered.

It took him a few seconds to process. He seemed to retreat inside himself for a moment, his eyes glued to yours. Taking in your appearance once more, he gave you the smallest nod, and waved you down the stairs with the hand at his side.

Exhaling heavily you hurried past him, gripping the railing with a vengeance, attempting to barrel down the stairs as fast as humanly possibly. 

Halfway down, his voice shoved a knife into your gut. “Hey, Ro?” You paused and turned your chin, finding him leaning over the bannister, watching you. Without a change to his stoic expression, he sighed. “You look good.”

Oh, god. Oh god.

He didn’t deserve an answer. Whipping the other way you continued your pursuit down the stairs, ignoring the crinkling of your chin or the welling up of tears in your eyes. He wouldn’t get the satisfaction of seeing you cry.

Though, you’re unsure if these tears were really for him.

The bottom of the stairs had a few boys sitting on them, a couple standing in front of them. They were laughing, a red cup or a can in all of their hands. None were recognizable, so you plowed through them, using the shoulder of a boy with dark cropped hair and a beautiful jaw to guide you through. A noise was shared between two of them, the one you grabbed and the blonde one he sat next to. You didn’t bother to look back.

Dozens more people must’ve arrived in your absence. Pushing down the hallway toward the kitchen you were chest to chest or chest to face with most, the eyes following you as you brushed past the sweaty bodies. The air was hazy now, and getting hazier the closer you got to the kitchen, and the smell grew stronger as well, which only meant one thing.

Turning into the kitchen you dodged a sophomore with a cup in his hand, his entire body turning to watch you rush to the back of the room. A couple girls were sitting on the island, a boy leaning against the counter across from them, his arms folded over his chest and he spoke arrogantly loud. Both girls seemed into him for the time being.

As you passed through the space between them you heard him mention he was a part of the fraternity, clearly lying to the girls twirling their hair around their fingers. When they showered him with praises of admiration, you paused and backtracked. The girls, definitely freshmen, looked down at you from where they sat, their eyes lighting up. They exchanged whispers of your name, and the boy two feet away from them shot you a scowl.

“He’s lying,” you said, complete deadpan. Looking at the boy, he could pass for a member, he had the muscles, the face, the aura… But, he’s failed to get through. He’s tried twice. Yunho warned you about this boy before. “He can’t get in.” If looks could kill he’d have you on the floor. You smiled, then turned to the girls who hadn’t looked away from you. Putting a hand to the side of your mouth, you said loud enough for everyone around you to hear, “Think his dick is too small.”

Together the girls giggled, and the way they fell into one another reminded you of you and Tori. They were adorable, and they seemed nice. Clearly they already knew who you were, so you took two steps closer to them and put on your best sorority sister face.

“Will I be seeing you two soon?” you asked. Sitting up straight, they both composed themselves and nodded. You made it a point to scope out what they were wearing, making sure they noticed, not that you cared. It was for the bit. The bait. Pull the freshmen in, make them want to stay. On the outside of it all it’s a mystery, but that’s the ploy. “Good,” you looked them in the eye and smiled. Taking note that the boy had hurried off elsewhere, you cocked your head toward where he was standing and cringed. “Do yourselves a favor… From experience, stay away from the boys.”

The girl with shorter black hair and the cutest button nose lifted her hand for a quick second, catching your attention for a few moments longer before you rushed away. “Is there anyone else from ITZ here?” Her eyes were full of hope, as were her friends. “We’ve been coming here almost all week hoping to see you guys.”

You popped your bottom lip, expressing your regrets. “We haven’t been around,” you said. Because our president banned us from coming here. “We’ve been… busy.” That wasn’t a lie.

The girl nodded. “Oh, okay,” she said, sharing a look with her friend. “We’ll see you soon, then!” Both girls put on their best face, one you returned.

“See you soon,” you said, and then you were off, weaving through the kitchen toward the table where the nightmare of this night began. 

“Vernon left, I told you already, listen dipshit.”

If you could hear him before you saw him that meant he was pissed.

Hongjoong stood behind a chair, his eyes flashing wildly around at the brothers and other boys sitting around the table. He looked nice, he typically did. He and Seonghwa were the two members to always show up and show out. Button downs, sexy slacks, impossible shoes and accessories to flash their money… He looked expensive, especially with his caramel hair pushed backward. 

Grabbing onto the shoulders of ATZ’s Treasurer, Jongho, a massive boy in a denim jacket, Hongjoong shook him and leaned down to whisper something in his ear, his eyes pointed across the table at a junior who liked to hang around at these parties. The crappiest rolled joint you’ve ever seen was being passed around from boy to boy, from mouth to mouth.

“He left because he wanted to,” Jongho said, hitting his president with a side eye. He was a sophomore like Mina, but with much, much bigger balls. No one messed with Jongho, he was ATZ’s main muscle. Kid didn’t fuck around.

“He left because he can’t fail a drug test, smartass,” Hongjoong hissed. 

When it came to Hongjoong though, Jongho obeyed.

Stretching across the table, half standing, he snatched the joint from between the juniors lips and jammed it on the table, putting it out. The moans, groans and protests from the crowd around them were agitating, and Hongjoong felt it too. It took one snap of his head around the circle for everyone to shut up. Jongho smirked and sat back in his chair, turning his head your way as you approached their side.

“Get up,” Jongho muttered to the boy in the chair beside him, nudging his shoulder and waving him away. “Up, go.” A warning filled his tone, one he only showed once before things took a physical turn. Most knew, and if they didn’t, they were gonna learn.

“Jongho, it’s okay,” you said, attempting to give him and his president a smile. Hongjoong tipped his chin backward and narrowed his eyes.

“The hell are you doing here?” He had a way of making someone feel so incredibly small without even trying.

The boy in the chair disappeared in seconds, but was sure to take a look at you before he stumbled elsewhere, flinching as Jongho nearly jumped out of his chair with a fist clenched.

“Sit,” the sophomore said, nodding to the chair. 

“I can’t,” you breathed, “I need to find Tori.”

Hongjoong remained unchanged. “Go find Mingi, she’s sure to be there,” he said, a curiosity pooling in his sharpened eyes. “What the hell are you guys doing here?” It was a genuine question.

“We… snuck out of the house,” you mumbled, and Jongho snickered.

“Is Yuna here?” Jongho asked, his straightened brows softening with his question. You answered him with a head shake and a tilted frown.

“Me, Tori and… Mina.” Her name came out of you in a whisper. Both boys snickered, their hands connecting to one another in some way. “I know,” you sighed.

“Yunho’s girl,” Hongjoong nodded, looking at you with a sharp turn of his head.

The words made your heart squeeze. “Yeah,” you pushed from your lips, flustered. “Yunho’s girl.” Jongho smirked.

“So, you’re here, and Yeji doesn’t know you’re here, and you’re not supposed to be here,” Hongjoong said, slapping a hand back to Jongho’s shoulder. The sophomore shot him his smirk, then it found you again. “I like this,” he said, matching his brother's face. “Where are you coming from right now?” Hongjoong nodded his head around, questioning your route.

“Why?” you asked, flickering your eyes from him to Jongho and back.

Hongjoong’s gaze traveled down your body some. His smile was small, then he shook his head. “Just wondering,” he said. “Tori’s in the living room with Mingi, Yunho and Mina.”

“Thanks,” you sighed, spinning around to exit the kitchen, missing the way Hongjoong looked at Jongho and tapped his neck, the amusement on their faces sparking laughter.

By the archway to the kitchen San stumbled inside completely shirtless with a boy beneath his arm equally as trashed as him. The two were mumbling to each other, smiling and giggling. Passing by, you grabbed Sans arm and gave it a squeeze. He looked up from his toy with his lip between his teeth, the knockout’s eyes drunk and utterly fucked.

“Aurora,” he slurred, facing you, bringing the boy with him. Taking a hand softly to your jaw he grinned, his head shaking, “I love you, I love you!”

Taking his hand in yours you returned it to him and smiled. “I love you,” you teased, leaning toward him. Glancing to the boy beneath his arm, the cutest blonde thing, definitely a freshman, you winked and started away from them. “Have fun.”

Yeosang was in the dark hallway just outside the kitchen, a girl inches shorter than him attached to his front with her hands on his arms. They were speaking things to each other only they could hear without a care that chaos ensued around them. The gentlest smile rested on his lips, the boy just as pretty as the one San was currently dragging around. One of his fingers pushed the girl's long brown hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. He was so entranced, he didn’t even see you pass by.

There was no time to say hi, you had to leave. Seonghwa probably made it back downstairs now, you were not sticking around to say goodbye.

ATZ’s living room was huge, much like the rest of the house. Through the archway to the right when one came in through the front door, it stretched all the way toward the back of the house in relation to the kitchen, separated by the hallway. Couches lived in the first section, crowded with bodies, male and female, either on top of one another or trying to get into whatever was happening on the inside.

This was the room the music blasted from. The boys got the speakers on the walls within the last two or so years, changing the game for every party to come. Lights dimmed in this room, everyone was lit up by the softest orange glow, making one squint to make someone out. Faces were blurry to you, and it’s partially because you were still drunk.

The air was sticky, hotter than the rest of the house, and everything smelled like beer or liquor. Making your way past the couches and hordes of bodies on them, you sunk through the more open archway into the second side of the living room where the tables of games were set up and the leather couches were pushed to the walls. Pushing through two guys who were moving opposite you, you clipped a shoulder on accident and whipped around to apologize, the tiny smile familiar.

“You’re good,” Vernon bobbed his head. His curly brown hair framed his forehead, his rich brown eyes peeking beneath it. “Tori’s in there, she was looking for you.”

“Thanks,” you said, then furrowed your brow. “Hongjoong said you left.”

Vernon rolled his eyes, huffing a laugh. “I’m going to my room. No one told me they’d be smoking. Just wanted Yunho to know where I was.”

Pouting your lips a bit, you said, “It was good to see you.”

His smile was charming, the most adorable smile of all ATZ. “You too, Ror. Tell Isla I’m thinking about her, okay?”

“Sure,” you nodded, and he was off.

“Aurora!”

A wave of comfort washed over you. Tori’s voice. Finally one you were fine with hearing.

Following the sound you found her beside Mingi in front of a table with red cups littered all over it, bottles laying on the floor around it. She had one in her hand and lifted it in the air as you hurried to her side. Bumping into Mingi’s chest, you latched your arms onto Tori’s and yanked her away from the table, her face screwing up in confusion.

“We need to leave,” you spoke over the music, both you and Tori nearly shouting at one another with how loud the chatter and music was. 

“What are you talking about?” she asked, sipping her cup. Her hair was flipped to the side, the waves looser, fluffier. “Where have you been? Me and Mina have been looking for you for like an hour!”

Mina.

“Where is she?” Avoiding her questions you picked your head up to search over her shoulder. Her boyfriend was at the table flipping cups, knocking drinks back like it was nothing, shouting at his friends and banging his fists on the flat top when his side of the table won. Behind the table Mingi commanded there was a couch, the leather one you were stuck to a few nights prior. Through the mass of people you could make out a little brown bob. “Come on,” you mumbled, grabbing Tori’s hand. 

She was throwing the questions at you again, telling you all about what she and Mingi have been doing and how much fun she was having, how happy she was to be back here. Pushing through a group of girls hovering by the end of the table, Tori made sure to let them know that Mingi was hers, passing by him with a kiss, grabbing a fistful of his hair, yanking him lower so he’d reach her lips. He parted from her with a whoop, pointing at her as she threw him a smile over her shoulder.

“When we came back down we found Yunho and Mina in here, and they said you left them,” Tori said, stumbling into your back as you redirected your path around the living room, avoiding the pong players.

Huffing, you shook your head and said, “This is Yunho’s house, I didn’t leave him anywhere.”

“What happened?” she asked, trying to turn you around. Pushing her hands away you shook your head again. “Aurora, you’re not okay.”

Whirling around, your hair falling into your face, you pushed it away with both hands and shot her a glare. “I saw Wooyoung.”

It was the first thing you could think of that was safe enough to get her off your case. Everybody knew about Wooyoung. He made the perfect alibi. No one would find out about Seonghwa. If people found out about Seonghwa, then Yunho would find out about Seonghwa. Sobering up now, none of this should have ever happened in the first place, and you regretted every second.

Somewhat.

“Oh,” Tori frowned, her brows softening above her big eyes. “I’m sorry. Did he say anything to you?” Clenching your jaw, you averted your eyes from hers for a moment, and opted for a headshake. “Did he see you?”

“Yeah,” you said, gulping, feeling a lump forming in your throat. “Tori, we…” She nodded, reaching for your hand, encouraging you to keep speaking. “We haven’t even been here a week and I feel like so much is fucked up.”

She tilted her head. “What do you mean? Wooyoung? Or, with the house?”

“Both,” you breathed, shrugging your shoulders a few times. “I'm so overwhelmed.”

Tori straightened out and held your hand tighter. “Okay,” she said, setting her gaze over to Mina on the couch next to Yunho. “Let’s go, we’ll leave. I’ll grab the kid, do you wanna head outside?”

“No,” you said, voice quiet. She glanced to the grip you had on her and then set off to the other side of the room, keeping you close by.

The sight of Mina hanging off of Yunho's lap was nauseating at best, you’re certain you turned green. Her hands were to herself, but he had one of his around her back, his fingers grazing the softness of her pink sweater. She leaned into him, but not too much. 

It totally gave prude. Sorry, Mina.

Yunho, wedged on the edge, angled toward her, had his other arm along the couch, moving it as he spoke. His lips were moving a mile a minute, and his eyes were darting about. He was talking about school. He was telling her a story, and she was listening, eyes full of stars as he made her laugh.

Those were your stories.

Everyone hated Yunho’s stories, they called him boring. You were the only one who liked them.

She wasn’t supposed to like them.

“Hey, Mina,” Tori said, catching both of their focuses, Yunho stopping mid sentence. They looked up at her with smiles, Yunho’s faltering when he found you cowering behind your best friend. “We’re leaving.”

“Oh, sure,” she said, glancing over to her boy who had his eyes stuck on you.

Sitting forward, taking his arm from Mina he stood up with her and came closer to you. “Are you okay?” he asked, his brows worried. “What happened?”

“Do I look that horrible?” You tried to laugh, but he wasn’t having it. 

“No, it’s just,” he paused, his eyes traveling down some of your body, eyeing the bare skin you were showing off tonight. All at once his energy shifted. His lips tightened ever so slightly, and his eyes flickered up to yours like you had slapped him across the face but Tori and Mina weren’t supposed to know. It was a quiet anger. “Nevermind,” he muttered, turning around.

“I’ll see you soon, I guess,” Mina said to him, having to tip her chin all the way up to look at him. “I don’t know when-”

He grabbed her face and kissed her.

Taking her by complete surprise, he cupped her cheeks, pressed his fingers up into her hair, and engulfed her lips with his own. Not once, not even twice. She melted into it, her entire body forming to his, her hands slipping around his back. You knew what these kisses felt like. You knew every thought going through her pure, little genius brain right now. He’s got her wrapped around his finger.

Just like you.

Tearing your hand from Tori’s you disappeared into the crowd, bumping into the pong table taking out a few cups. Pushing past people, physically pushing them, you bit down so hard on your bottom lip to keep from crying that you’re certain you drew blood. Flying past Mingi, he called after you, but you kept moving. Nothing was going to be able to stop you.

Through to the first half of the living room, you kicked cans with your feet, dodging bodies like it was your job. People who recognized you tried to stop you, tried to ask you what was wrong. The rage made you blind, made you deaf to anything other than your rampant mind, the thoughts that wouldn’t cease. 

Why the fuck did he do that?

In front of you? What the fuck happened?

Bolting out of the living room into the hall, you bumped face first into the chest of what happened. His arms caught you, and once he realized it was you, he dropped his hands.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I… Ror?” Seonghwa put his hands to your shoulders tentatively, dropping his chin to catch a glimpse of the tears streaming down your face. “What… What happened?”

“Hwa,” your words were jumbled, broken, a mess. “I don’t even know, I can’t think about it, he was in there with her, and he just, I don’t know…” You shoved your arms beneath his, wrapping them tight around his back. He slid his around your neck, one in your hair and the other over your shoulder. He let you cry.

Feeling him take a breath, he brought his lips to your ear and whispered, “Fuck him, Ror. He’s not worth it.” 

Turning your head to the side, you sucked down a breath and shook your head. “I can’t, I can’t… I like him. I like him a lot.”

Seonghwa sighed, his fingers dragging through your hair calming you down. “I know,” he whispered. “They’re coming this way, Tori and Mina.” Letting him go in an instant with a step backward, you looked up at him and he pouted his lips. His hair, slightly disheveled, was pushed to the side. God, he was gorgeous.

“I’ll see you,” you muttered, gesturing to the door behind him.

His eyes did the thing that Hongjoong’s did. The thing that Yunho’s did. And, he smiled. “Call me, okay?”

“Aurora?” Tori shouted from behind you, the two girls closing in on you.

Returning his smile, you nodded and wiped your cheeks. “Thanks, Hwa.”

He stepped aside for you to pass by, bowing his head as he did. “Anytime.”

september 6th ~ saturday ~ 5:13 a.m

Seonghwa sat on the edge of his bed, pulling his shirt over his head, kicking his shoes off. Shaking his hair out as he threw the button down on the floor, his eye caught on the piece of fabric it fell on top of. Taking himself over to it, unbuttoning his pants as he did, he lifted his shirt and picked up the piece of lace with one finger.

Aurora’s.

His door opened without warning. 

Closing his hand over the lace, the entire thing fitting in his palm, he lifted his head and shot the intruder a wild look. Yunho, shutting the door behind him, gave Seonghwa the nastiest look. Clearly there was a fire burning within him, the smoke pouring out of his ears as he took wide strides toward him.

Seonghwa didn’t flinch. Instead, he simply laughed at his question.

“Did you fuck her?” 

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Yunho grit his teeth. “Rory,” he said. “Did you fuck her?”

Seonghwa, amusement in his eyes, wet his lips. “Why do you care if I did?”

“So you did,” he snapped. “You’re sick, Seonghwa, I saw her neck, you gave her that nasty ass hickey.” Seonghwa smirked, his teeth poking out from his lips.

He left his mark. That was his thing.

Messing with the panties in his hand, he shifted his jaw and thought to himself for a moment, then said, “I didn’t take you as a two timing jackass, Yunho.”

Incapable of holding his own in a match like this, Yunho blew air out his lips and shook his head. “What are you talking about? Rory’s a friend, I’m checking on her.”

“Are you?” Seonghwa raised a brow.

“I am,” Yunho nodded, taking one step closer. “She’s not gonna be one of your girls, Seonghwa, she won’t do that. You’re… weird, man. Putting that mark on them like they belong to you now, that’s sick.”

“Sounds like you’re a two timing jackass, Jeong,” Seonghwa said, voice so low it boiled Yunho’s blood.

“I am not,” he sneered. “She’s a friend.”

“Is she?” Seonghwa lifted his hands, taking the little lacey thong from his palm, hooking it on a finger. The way Yunho’s face shifted into a fit of blind rage made Seonghwa snicker. “Two timing jackass.”

He let him take it. Yunho snatched the lace from his hand and took three steps backward. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he exchanged a look with his higher up and sighed.

“What’d she tell you,” he said, quiet as ever.

Seonghwa started back for his bed, pushing his pants to his ankles as he did. “Enough,” he said, kicking his feet free. Rolling onto his bed he pulled himself beneath the blanket and searched for his phone. “She loves you, bro.”

He started to tap away at his screen, leaving Yunho to wallow in the shock himself. 

“No, she doesn’t,” he breathed, tiptoeing to the door, toying with the fabric in his hand. Seonghwa hit him with a side eye and scoffed.

“You’re an idiot,” he said. “She’s been in love with you for a long ass time, Yunho. That’s why Wooyoung dropped her, he couldn’t get through to her. Aurora was the first girl he’s felt something for, and he had to hurt her. You know, I’m not even sure she knows she’s in love with you. This makes you a two timing jackass. How long have you two been fucking?”

Yunho glanced at his feet. “May,” he admitted, and Seonghwa rolled his eyes.

“Well, congratulations, she’s spectacular,” he released a breath and focused back on his phone. “I can see why half of you are obsessed with her.”

With a hand on the doorknob, Yunho shook his head and pulled the door open. “Don’t ever talk about it.”

Seonghwa looked at him. “What, you and Aurora’s affair, or me nutting in her?” The smile that pulled at his lips made Yunho curl his.

“Both,” he snapped, and flew from his room, the door slamming behind him, leaving Seonghwa in pleasantly satisfied laughter.

NU home ✧ nice for what masterlist ✧ talk to me ✧ thank you for reading <3

you do not have permission to copy or translate my works without my consent.

[literaila]

PETER PARKER ANGST????❤️🫡🛬🤭😍🗣🙀🫡😀🫡🫶😀😟🫶😟❤️ (if you dont write it ill sob violently on the floor ☹️)

we could call it even

tasm!peter x fem!reader

summary:

"peter parker," she says, "you're like a legend around here."

warnings: unspecified angst, series, no fluff, no explanation

a/n: might i introduce a playlist entitled stupid boy which i listened to while writing this (and the other parts????)

*

there's a specific time of night that is appropriate to go to the market. 

or inappropriate, depending on how old you are. 

if you're in your sixties and sometimes feel like your joints are just notches that need to be oiled, midnight probably isn't your designed time for grocery shopping. seven in the morning is typically the best time for swollen lungs and--literal--broken hearts. 

but if you're you, exhausted from running around all day, unpleasant from all of the people you've talked to, and trying to avoid anyone (everyone) you might know--and secrets you don't feel like sharing--then midnight is a perfect time. and perfectly normal, thank you very much.

you're not even sure why meyer's is open this late. there's no way the owner, jerry, is staying up until midnight to check out the lowlifes or drunk teenagers stopping by, and you know that these aren't prime business hours--evident by the crickets you can hear behind the 'fresh produce' section. maybe he forgets that it's open, and that susan--the only person willing to work here--is still on the clock. or maybe he's just taking pity on you. you don’t think he’s ever there, but maybe he hides around corners, noting the new lines on your face so he can report it back to every person in town. gossip is like a disease, and you’re never alone in a place like this. never quite at peace. 

you look around the next shelf for jerry, or a gust of wind that follows him running away. there’s only silence. the echoes of your footsteps. 

it doesn't matter why meyer’s is open. you're thankful for this time alone. or at least by yourself.

it's a welcome change to have no one judge you for your selection of deli cheese and baked goods. or the three containers of instant coffee you've hidden underneath it all. just out of habit. 

tuesday nights are yours, and the market is your chosen domain. 

usually, that is. usually, you're all alone. usually, you can run around on the carts and pick up anything you accidentally knock over. you can spill an entire bottle of wine on the floor and no one will blink an eye. jerry wouldn’t even be able to hear it from three feet away.

but tonight--on this tuesday when your feet hurt a little bit more than necessary, and your eyes are twitching at all of the lights--apparently you're not alone. 

which you wished you would have realized before you started humming 'single ladies' a bit too loudly. 

you wished you would have skipped shopping at all, really, as soon as you see his face. 

his wide eyes--surprised and silvered by age, much like yours--and his open mouth.

in a different world, you would be shocked--shocked instead of scared--and you might run to him. you might ask him why he didn't tell you he was coming? what is he doing here? in a different world, you two would be the only people in the market and it would be fine. 

it might even be great. 

this subtle shift in autonomy wouldn’t hurt the peace you’re looking for on this tuesday night.

there wouldn't be this obvious horror story standing between the two of you, this looming presence. the history of a thousand lies, bruise after bruise, and scars so red that they could burn through the ground. glass shattered around your feet.

the lights might as well start flickering. you should probably call out "hello?" even though he's right in front of you, and if he was going to murder you, he probably wouldn't answer. a door should creak. 

you should probably go. 

you should probably run away before he can take a step closer. you don't look a threat in the eye and smile at it. you don't feed a stray cat. 

it always comes back. 

why is he here? 

you take a step away. as soon as you notice him--behind, between, all over you--silence ensues. you might as well be at a loss for words. you don't have much to say to him. 

not to that look in his eyes, or his receding hairline, or that peak on his mouth. 

because peter would be here. at this time. and he would be trying to hide a smile, a smirk, when he's not even supposed to be within a five-hundred-foot vicinity of you. 

actually, maybe you forgot to mail that restraining order. 

but the words come out anyway because your body has always betrayed you when it comes to him. 

"peter?" you blurt out, and just saying the word stirs the simmering feeling inside of you. just saying his name is enough of a warning. 

"hey," he whispers and takes a step closer. you step back. he leans away like he knows his proximity is toxic. "sorry, i didn't mean to scare you." 

i didn't mean to. 

and yet. 

you breathe and forget how to blink. he might disappear. "peter," you repeat, as a form of masochism. you don't breathe at all. 

"sorry," he says, again. he doesn't say what for. there could be a million things. 

"um," you choke out, looking around--away from him and his manipulative eyes. "what?" you laugh to yourself, hand running over your face. you roll your eyes back into your head and laugh again. you shake your head. 

you look at peter, at his furrowed brow and inward stance, and you snort. look away from him before it's too late. 

you're laughing like something is funny. it's not. 

it's really not. 

"are you..." peter is swallowing. you'd like to pretend that his voice is hollow and cold, much like that cave inside your chest, but it's not. you recognize that concern, that softness in his voice that used to be just yours. "are you okay?" 

you almost giggle at him. it comes out as more of a cough. 

you wonder if you look like a ghost. some remanent of who you used to be--the person that only peter used to know.

"peter," you sigh, and step away from your cart. into the shelf you've been backing yourself into. 

you step away from him, still shaking your head. 

"i've got to--" you trip as you turn around and say to mostly yourself, "i've got to go." 

groceries, and peter, be damned, you think, as you walk out of the building and prepare yourself to never ever come back. 

it wouldn't be the first time. 

*

you are having your daily debate with mrs. brooke about the amount of calories in each pastry, in which you tell her that you only measure the amount of pleasure someone might get out of each one—which earns you a lovely sneer—and that she should try the blueberry scone. 

she always rolls her eyes at you, says something about watching her weight even though she’s looked the same since you were five years old and sneaking through her yard to catch the neighborhood cat. and then she leaves with a breakfast sandwich. 

it’s actually one of the most enjoyable parts of your day. 

here’s the thing about knowing every single person that comes into the shop: you know exactly what they’re going to order, and you know what type of conversation you’re going to have with them. 

mrs. brooke always stresses about her breakfast, her smile a tense sort of pleasant, but by the time she leaves her head is held a little higher. if she chooses the sandwich instead of the scone, then she’s started her day off right. you used to feel exasperated by her indecisive nature, but now you find it kind of adorable. 

mr. meyer—jerry—just comes in so he can complain about the surplus of options on your menu. he wants a black coffee, and he wants to complain. you always smile at him and ask if he’s sure he doesn’t want to try the raspberry green tea. he finds this less than humorous. 

every kid wants some kind of hot chocolate—which you actually have an excessive amount of—and no matter what their parents say, you sneak some extra marshmallows in. and everyone pretends otherwise. 

susan—your kindergarten teacher, now friend—asks if you’ve met anyone special lately. it doesn’t matter that the selection of single people your age is always the same. there’s got to be someone special, she says to you and leaves with a cider she tells everyone is a latte. 

there are the people who want their lattes and mochas, those who want some alternative milk that they complain about—even though you’ve tried every brand on earth—there are the people who don’t ever buy anything, and just come in to pretend they want something and talk to you. they gossip about the other people in town as if you aren’t well aware of everything that goes on.

you roll your eyes, but you appreciate the company. things get pretty boring when you can guess everyone’s schedule. 

but you like your tiny tea shop. you like the consistency. you enjoy the smiles you throw out, and the complaints you receive. it’s a routine, and nothing goes wrong. you're in control of this one thing, and that's just how you like it. 

in control, that is, of course, until you see him when mrs. brooke is walking away. 

“oh!” she says, pausing, her drink shaking in hand, her pink fingernails a smudge against the shadow suddenly coming from right in front of you. she is just a foot too close to him. “is that peter parker?” she asks, saying his voice like an omen, turning around so she can set her cup and bag down, and then hugging him so hard you can see her muscles working beneath her sleeve. 

“hey, mrs. brooke,” peter wheezes out, a strangled smile on his aged face. his same eyes.

he is just as surprised as you at her sudden outburst, the cooing noises she's making as she attempts to crumble him.

“look how handsome you’ve gotten! and so strong. what are those new yorkers doing with you?” 

“definitely not trying to squeeze me to death.” 

mrs. brooke laughs, somewhat vindictively, and she turns back around to look at you, with wide eyes. “did you know he was in town, dear? why didn’t you say anything? i almost had a heart attack.” 

peter clears his throat before you can throw any type of face on. any mask. “it’s a surprise,” he mock whispers, and his eyes dash to yours, then away, just as quick. “don’t tell anyone.” 

“it’s not like they’d believe me anyway,” she scoffs, “you’re a legend around here.” 

“i’m honored.” 

she laughs again, then grabs her cup. “oh,” she whispers, too loud. her eyes are tight, as if she’s intruded. “of course. i’ll leave and let you two talk.” 

and within a blink of an eye, she is running out of the shop, faster than you’ve ever seen anyone escape from here. 

and peter is there, standing in front of you. his face is smooth, calm, his eyes roaming over your face like he still has the privilege of knowing any of it. 

and your heart might be racing, if it was still there. 

"hi," he whispers. it is quiet enough for you to feel it in your chest. his voice and the memory of it. 

does he sound different? has he really changed that much in the last two years? is his face a bit worn? are his eyes a different color? 

but it doesn’t matter what rattles through your head—when you look at peter, you just see him. your peter. 

except that he’s completely different. 

you clear your throat, looking away and pushing off of the counter. “what can i get you?” 

peter blinks. “oh, um…” he looks at the menu above your head, back to you. “what—“ he swallows. “what would you recommend?” 

“it’s all good.” your voice is clipped. you should’ve said pure brewed black tea, no ice, no sweetener, no cup. just to get him out of here. you should've recommended the starbucks three towns over.

he swallows, again. a hand rakes through his hair. “i… just a sec.” 

there is a single second where you grant him the patience you would give every other customer—smile politely and let them know to ask if they have any questions. a single second where you treat him like anybody else. 

and then you say: “do you want a mocha, peter?” with an anger that shouldn’t—can’t—be contained inside of you. 

you wince at his name. the singe of his brand on you, going down your throat. 

peter seems to watch this on your face, because he’s even quieter when he answers, “sure, that’d be great.” 

at least some things haven’t changed.

so you grab a cup, writing his name on it, and move to grab the milk. 

you turn around and pretend like you’ve just forgotten he’s there. 

peter doesn’t take this hint. 

“so…” he says, his feet are loud as they tap on the ground. “you still work here, huh?” 

you barely grunt a response, spilling chocolate in the cup recklessly. if peter dies of a clogged artery it won’t be your fault. 

“that’s nice. felix always loved you. and you loved working here, back in highschool.” you have to face him as you steam the milk, and you try not to pointedly stare. not to roll your eyes or hiss at him. “it’s different though. the decor, i mean. but nice. i like it. did you do it?” 

“yes.” 

you grab his cup, pouring the milk and shoving the cap on it. “here,” your fingertips burn as you pass it to him, and you don’t think it’s because of the drink. 

“thank you.” 

you both stand there; peter blinks and doesn’t leave. 

he coughs. “i didn’t pay.”

“mrs. brooke would kill me if i made you pay for your first drink back home.” 

“well, she knows where you live,” his lip twitches, but he doesn’t laugh. 

and neither do you. 

“is it just you here?” he asks. “no felix?” 

“he sold me the shop a year ago.” 

his eyes widen. “oh. oh! that’s great. congrats.” 

“thank you.” 

you don’t move your eyes from his face, because it’s suddenly not fair that he’s here. that he’s allowed to intrude like this. 

“it’s good to see you,” peter relents, a fake smile playing on his lips. 

you falter. your heart turns in your chest, just so it doesn’t have to look at him anymore. “i’m working, okay?” you say, whispering. “i can't do this right now.” 

“right. yeah.” peter trips on a step back. his eyes are scanning your face again. “i’m sorry. i shouldn’t—“ he blows out a breath. “i’m sorry.” 

you nod. watch the ground as he stumbles over it. 

“i mean it though,” he adds, like he hadn’t thought about it. “it’s good to see you.” 

and then peter swallows. you blink at him. 

when he turns around the bell rings as he pushes it. and peter doesn’t look back. 

he’s right about one thing, at least. it is nostalgic. 

*

"when were you going to tell me?" your mom asks, leaning against her kitchen counter--the same one you scribbled on as a kid, smiley faces still apparent. she's doing that fake smile thing. the one that makes you want to storm off and slam the door like some mistreated teenager. 

you don't, but both of you know that you think about it. for at least five seconds

"tell you what?" you ask, instead, setting the groceries you brought for her on the counter. 

"about peter." 

your eyes close. he would follow you around, wherever you go. he's probably hiding in some vent, smiling maliciously. 

there's that teasing voice in your head saying small town, small small town, but you just turn around, ignoring it, and her, and raise a brow. "peter parker?" you repeat, rhetorically. "twenty-six, new york. brown hair, brown eyes. lived here his whole life, has an aunt who lives next door, tried to steal our cat when he was nine..." you drawl off, making a point to smile. "ringing any bells?" 

she throws a dish towel at you. "you know thats not what i meant." 

"do i?" 

you wipe the counter with the towel, then fold it nicely on the counter, all the while avoiding your mother's eyes. 

but you know she won't leave it alone. the same way she hasnt left you alone once in the past four years, like she can dig your feelings up from whatever grave you buried them in.

there's a part of you that wants to crawl over to her and ask her to make you some hot chocolate, to watch some childrens movie on the couch with you. you want to be the little kid who would've depended on that knowing glance she's still giving you. the little kid who idolized her and wasn't afraid to admit the truth--even if you did steal that chocolate bar from under her sink.

but you're grown, and this doesn't matter. not in the long run, anyway. 

you look up, expectant eyes. she has your same eyes, and meets them.

"linda told nancy, who told jerry, who told me over the phone..." she shakes her head. "but may was here earlier." 

"yeah? how is she?" 

"good, busy, i'm guessing, because you know how she dotes over him." 

"yeah..." 

you fold the towel again, running your fingertips over the embrodered flowers. 

"have you seen him?" 

you swallow, and nod absentmindedly. you're not going to tell her about the grocery store. "yeah, he came into the shop yesterday." 

she taps your hand, and you let go of the rag. she hangs it back over the oven, the ebbing silence more like a threat, her hands falling to her hips. "why didn't you say anything?" 

"it's not a big deal. he came in, ordered, and then left." 

"and there were no words between the two of you?" she prods. "no wandering eyes? you just read his mind instead of taking his order?" 

you grit your teeth, rolling your eyes. "he asked for a mocha and i made it for him." 

"nothing else?" 

"he said it was nice to see me." 

she waves a hand at you. 

"and i said that i was working." you sigh, leaning against the counter. "that's all." 

"you're not freaking out?" your mom ducks her head so she can meet your eyes. her face is sullen, but her smile is genuine. 

it's like talking to a counselor. 

"why would i be freaking out? he had to come back sometime." 

she scoffs. the little necklace your dad gave her dangles from her neck, and you watch it. "i don't know," she says, using the same voice you do when she tells you not to take a tone with her. "maybe because you havent spoken to him in the last three years?" 

yeah, the same voice says, rough and patronizing, you haven't spoken to him in five years. why is that, again? 

but you snort at your mom, a defensive smile making its way to your lips as you look at her. "water under the bridge," you say, dismissing it. 

you don't want to talk about this with her. you don't want to talk about this with anyone. 

because the only person who might actually understand is the same person who left three years ago. who came back with no warning at all. 

"did may say when he got here?" you ask, voice escaping before you can stop it. 

"just a day or two ago, i think. why?" 

"is he here for the holidays?" 

"yes. she said he plans to stay until at least january. he's between jobs, i guess." 

"oh." you smack your lips and move away from her, back to the groceries, which is the reason you're here in the first place. you take out the milk jug, walking to the fridge, but a soft hand stops you. 

your mom is smiling when you turn towards her. "you don't have to talk about it," she's saying, her voice smooth and comforting. "i don't--i don't know what happened between the two of you. i just mentioned it because may said he was talking about you. it..." she drops off, wincing. 

"what?" 

"it might be good to talk to him. put the water under the bridge." 

you roll your eyes, nose twitching. you don't need to say anything, you won't. your mother is just another town gossip, and her opinion has no sway over you. 

even ask the words sink in. 

"now put the rest of those away," she says, ruffling your hair, "i know what happens when you take your 'breaks.'" 

you push her and put the milk in the fridge. 

*

you're mopping the floor when the bell rings, and a cold brush of air trails goosebumps up your skin. 

it's late enough in the season to no longer smell like the leaves falling onto the ground, or the grandesur pine needles showing off their lifespan. it's cold in the shop now, and you have three coats in the back. 

but the person who walks in is only wearing one. one you recognize from several years ago, with the holes in the sleeves from when he jumped over your fence and sprained his ankle. the stain on the front when may threw a plum soaked rag at him and you'd laughed so hard that you'd fallen to your knees on the floor and couldn't breathe. 

peter's face is wain. his eyes are cautious as they meet yours. 

you're not used to anyone coming in at 5:55. everyone knows you close at six, and the few people who'd dared to come in and order a drink a minute before you flipped your sign have learned their lesson. 

but peter hasn't learned anything. 

"i know," he says, like tracking your mind. "you close at six. may told me." 

"okay." 

you're still holding the mop, sure that his footprints would leave mud all over your floors. 

"i don't want to buy anything. or--" he breathes out, hands wringing at his sides, probably from the cold. "i will. if you want me to. but that's not why i came. i wanted to see if you..." 

he does a sweep over you, and his words fall in the air, as if he's just realized something. 

you look down at the snowflake apron your mom bought last year. it's not that dirty. 

you look back up, brows furrowed, and peter's expression matches yours. "yes?" you prod, feeling that anger simmer in the core of your chest. but you've been rude enough to him. 

your mom's words ring out in your head. 

it might be good to talk to him. 

peter swallows, whatever emotion on his face fading. "i wanted to see if you would go to dinner with me. or take a walk. or--or i'll buy you groceries, since you left yours the other night. it doesn't matter. i just want to... talk to you." 

"you want to talk to me?" 

peter nods. "i can wait outside, while you finish." he waves a hand, like an explanation. "it doesn't have to be long. just five minutes?" 

you watch peter, his face a world of feeling that you can't recognize anymore. 

and maybe that hurts the most. not him being here, not the distance or the time you've let edge you apart, but the fact that it's changed things. peter has changed and you've just let that happen. he's got a life seperate from you and there's no one to blame. he'd reached out enough, initially. months of letting his calls go to voicemail and ignoring may when you saw her in the street. 

putting yourself back together in the misshaped way you are now. peter probably doesn't even recognize you--not like this.

maybe it's your fault. 

but you find yourself nodding anyway, ignoring the guilt seeping through the cracks of you. you nod, and peter's face changes. 

it's not the first time you've noticed his eyes, or watched relief ease into him, but it's just the same. 

"yes?" peter asks, his voice rough and dry. you look at that jacket again. 

"where's your coat?" 

"my..." peter looks down with you. "oh, my coat. all of the ones aunt may kept were too small, and i thought--" he scratches his neck. "well, i forgot how cold it gets." 

you nod, slowly. 

peter nods back. 

you stare at him a moment longer, and then break away from his unfamiliar gaze. 

"just give me five minutes. i just need to put this away, and grab my stuff, and..." you swallow. 

"okay. great. do you want to me wait outside, or should i?" he gestures around, looking as uncomfortable as you've ever seen him. 

"you can sit. just--don't get any dirt on the tablebases." 

"okay. thank you." 

you nod, one last time, and look away from him. 

your heart runs circles around peter as he sits at one of your tables, his long legs not fitting beneath it. it taunts you again and again as you try not to notice him breathing, try to ignore him completely. 

you dup the mop water, spilling it on your shoes. you wipe down the last counter, the syrup sticking to your hands like a scar. you walk around the shop trying to find something else to do so you can avoid this as long as possible. your feet are cold and your hands feel abnormally dry. maybe you need to go home and shower. maybe you shouldn't be doing this at all. 

you sit in the office for a moment, wishing you could watch peter without him knowing. scope him out before you hear what he has to say. 

and--

okay, maybe there's a part of you that's been waiting three years for this. 

that dream where he's there even though you don't want him; that moment when he apologizes and you forgive him automatically, because your heart has always been small and fragile around him; that fantasy where peter comes home and he's the same teenager you used to walk around town with at two in the morning, the same brown eyes laughing as you both slipped on ice and fell on top of eachother. 

you won't deny that you've thought about this before. what you might say to him if you got the chance. 

but as you grab your bag and hang your apron around the chair in the office, the words have gone some place else. what could you say to him to make any of this make sense? 

still, you clear your throat when you walk out, feet aching from standing all day. you blink at him as he struggles to get up, pushing your chair in, the legs scratching on the floor the only sound between the two of you. 

[mariees-love]

miguel’s off day

miguel x gn reader (fluff, .5k words)

On a rare day off in Miguel O'Hara's busy life, he decided to spend it with you, his favorite person. The bustling city of Nueva York provided the perfect backdrop for a day of unexpected adventures.

The morning sun painted the sky in hues of pink and orange as you strolled through the streets, hand in hand with Miguel. He was dressed casually, a break from his usual Spider-Man 2099 suit, showcasing a side of him you rarely got to see. His smile was contagious, and you couldn't help but be captivated by the joy radiating from him.

"Let's start the day with something sweet," Miguel suggested, leading you to a charming little café. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and pastries welcomed you. You shared a cozy corner, sipping coffee and indulging in delicious treats. Conversations flowed effortlessly, a mix of laughter and quiet moments that spoke volumes.

After satisfying your sweet tooth, Miguel proposed a visit to the city's futuristic park. As you walked through the serene greenery, Miguel pointed out the advanced technology integrated into the surroundings. However, his attention was more on you than the marvels of the future, cherishing the simple pleasure of spending quality time together.

The two of you stumbled upon an outdoor market filled with vibrant colors and eclectic stalls. Miguel insisted on trying exotic snacks, and you couldn't resist joining in the culinary adventure. From futuristic fruit to peculiar pastries, each bite was a shared experience, creating memories you'd cherish.

Amidst the lively market, a street artist caught Miguel's eye. With a mischievous grin, he pulled you towards the artist's stand. Miguel convinced the artist to draw a playful caricature of you both, capturing the essence of your relationship in whimsical strokes. The finished piece became an instant treasure, a reminder of this special day.

As the sun began to set, painting the city in warm hues, Miguel suggested a rooftop escapade. The view from above was breathtaking, skyscrapers piercing the sky as the city transformed into a sea of lights. Wrapped in each other's arms, you shared dreams and aspirations, basking in the tranquil moment.

The day wouldn't be complete without a touch of adventure. Miguel, ever the thrill-seeker, proposed a friendly race across the city's rooftops. The wind rushed past as you swung and leaped from building to building, laughter echoing through the night. The cityscape became your playground, and for a moment, you felt as invincible as Spider-Man himself.

Exhausted but elated, you found yourselves perched on a quiet rooftop, catching your breath. In the soft glow of the moon, Miguel gazed at you with genuine affection. "Today has been perfect," he confessed, his words carrying the weight of his feelings.

As the night embraced the city, Miguel and you shared a sweet, lingering kiss, sealing the day's magic. In the quiet moments that followed, surrounded by the city's heartbeat, you realized that sometimes, the best adventures are the ones shared with the one you love.

[maladyinpink]

Morning Sickness -

Hell/uva Boss -

Alrighty y'all, thank you to everyone in the community that's responded and shared with such sweet and welcoming feedback. 🥺💕

Excited to share with you, the sister fic to TIATO (The Imp and The Owl), and the first part of the sick!Millie and caretaker!Moxxie fic, written for @sweetlysniffly for this post. Thank you for the inspo!

Part 1: Morning Sickness: Takes place directly after Sins/Mas and just before TIATO

Part 2: (Name TBD) Will take place during TIATO

CW: Snz, Illness, Emotional pain/comfort, themes of deep anxiety, brief mentions of vomit (the character is pregnant), mentions of child maltreatment. I swear it gets fluffy guys, BUT these characters canonically are going through the ringer. Everyone's walls are coming down...Oh...And MORE puns 😈💗 enjoy!

"OH, look at that, you just landed on my tower...again! Pay up, bitches!"

The group had been playing Mammonopoly for the past few hours and a collective but good-natured groan released around the table as Blitzø's piece landed on Loona's space for…the umpteenth time. She drunkenly laughed and raked in the pastel-colored bills that everyone shoved forward and took another shot.

"Might I say, it doesn't seem fair that all of the players have to pay when only one person lands on a property?" Stolas, sitting up on the couch, had leaned to whisper over Blitzø's shoulder. After the pair had made their way back inside from the balcony, he'd politely refused the offer of playing, but quietly sat and watched…and was utterly confused by the…so-called rules.

"Yeah, you're right! Jesus! Wonder what fucker marketed this shit?" Blitzø whispered back sarcastically and tapped the game box.

"Ah, point taken." Stolas grimaced.

"Your turn, Mils!"

"Hm?"

Millie seemed to be lost when Blitzø tossed the dice in her line of sight on the coffee table. She leaned forward to pick them up, and knew she'd made an instant mistake. Her stomach lurched and chills ran up her shoulders. Immediately reminded of IMP's mission to Antarctica, she wondered how the room had managed to get so cold? Millie gulped and forced what she hoped was a determined smirk. She took the dice, about to roll, but the room starting to kaleidoscope around her easily changed her mind.

"Here, Mox, roll for me…I think I'm gonna sit the rest of this one out." Millie said, her voice sounding tight and rushed as she handed the dice to her husband.

"Are you sure? Honey, you love Mammonopoly!"

Moxxie looked at her, bewildered. Millie pasted on a paper-thin smile and nodded, handing over her player token and dropping the dice on the board.

"Not as much as you, baby!" Millie blurted out, in a rush to leave, "Just gotta run to the lil' imp's room, real quick, 'scuse me!"

The room tilted as she made her way to the bathroom, her hand pressed against her stomach. The party carried on outside, but once inside, she leaned over the sink, feeling the bile rise up her aching throat. Millie's eyes clenched as she tossed her Sinsmas cookies. This was the third time today.

Several hours ago, when the party had begun, after a second upchucking and seeing that terrifying plus, she'd hoped a call to her sister would help her figure out what to do next. Sallie Mae, though she sounded scared as well, had responded with unconditional support, told her to breathe and asked if she was absolutely sure.

"Sure as fuckin' peanut butter an' pickled onions on toast, Sal." She'd laughed bitterly through her tears, not wanting to look at the positive test that had dropped on the floor.

That'd been what their own mother had craved when she was around 5 weeks pregnant with their younger brothers. And what she'd been eating in front of Moxxie's moderately disturbed mug just the other morning. Back at the ranch, the expecting hell-hogs tended to get moody around 5-7 weeks when breeding a litter. And emotions had been a bit volatile recently, to say the least. Both girls cried, said teary I love you's and agreed she was at least a month along, before the call ended.

Now with more answers and support, she still felt so lost, drowning in uncertainty. And...somehow freezing in a fucking fur-lined sweater dress. She took a deep breath and blinked at the fearful imp she couldn't recognize in the mirror. And shivering, nose starting to run, felt an itch stem in the bridge of her nose.

"Hihnk'XHT…Hee'XHT'ieww!…shit." Millie barely stifled the sneezes toward the floor and swore under her breath. Great, another setback to add on to their steaming shit-pile of worries.

But, she could push past this! It was just a little sniffle. The team couldn't afford any more snafus. So she tried to compose herself and stay calm, wiping her nose and mouth with a kleenex and running her claws through her hair. A few sneezes were the least of her worries. How was she going to handle this recent development?

Why now? The thought pummeled and clanged through Millie's mind like a sledgehammer. She looked again at the mirror and put a hand to her middle. She'd known something was off for a little while, but of course, had kept it to herself and pushed through as always. You couldn't miss work just because of a little tummy ache. So she'd put her mind on her work and chalked up the icky feeling to the constant shitshow of the past month. Everyone was going through a lot, not just her. She couldn't be selfish. She had to be there for her team. She HAD to be strong.

After all, Blitzø had narrowly escaped an execution ruled by Satan himself, thanks to the tremendous sacrifice of a prince of the Ars Goetia. The hearing had aired on screens spanning across all 7 rings and gained the members of IMP a massive influx of recognition and respect. And while a huge increase in clientele and training the new interns were positives, it was still a lot to handle all at once. So many changes had happened in just the span of a month and during the holiday season.

Just that afternoon, they'd decapitated a 35ft ice monster, stood by in the cold as Stolas cried on his knees over losing connection to his daughter. And, now there was this. There was always the risk, but she and Moxxie had always been careful. Why now, did life have such shitty timing? She took a shaky breath…No. They could enjoy this night. She could be strong-

A sudden knock at the door had rattled her out of her thoughts, Millie jerked, knocking her head slightly on the edge of the sink. She winced but steadied herself and called out, "Sorry, I'm alright! Just a sec!"

"Moxxie, I'm fi-"

She opened the door and stepped outside to see, not her husband, but an awkward looking Stolas, who was…twiddling his thumbs as he waited.

"Oh- M-my goodness, I am SO sorry, Big Guy!" Millie nervously smiled, her drawl sweet as punch.

"No No! I apologize, I just had to use the-..." Then he looked up with concern, and seemed to see right through Millie's facade. "Sorry, are you quite alright? Forgive me, but you look…quite flushed."

"Oh, you're too sweet, Stolas, I'm fine," Millie waved him off with a lie, a little too quickly, "Just a lil buzzed, that's all…" Another lie, she hadn't had a drop to drink all night. She had to get the attention off of her somehow, then she realized, "Uh…How are you holdin' up?"

Millie felt awful the moment the question had crawled out of her teeth. Her question wasn't completely insincere, she was truly sympathetic. She knew he shouldn't have to be reliving the day more than he already was, but the fighter couldn't think straight and she'd panicked. Stolas couldn't respond at all, his gaze lingering on the imp in front of him a second longer than usual. Millie felt four red eyes piercing through her, like he could see her thoughts clear as day. But then he blinked, and it was gone. He looked at the floor and seemed to freeze there, spiraling.

Millie nodded, "S'alright, m'sorry...I know you're goin' through some real tough shit...don't have to tell me nothin', alright?" It was a little awkward, but she'd at least tried to give him some warm reassurance.

The owl looked past her and offered a curt nod. He headed into the bathroom and closed the door. Millie let out a rigid exhale she hadn't known she'd been holding in and walked back to the living room. The game had seemed to unofficially run its course and had migrated into fun inebriated conversation. All was well, but as she sat down, she couldn't stop the chills. But…no one seemed to suspect a thing. Right?

"...Millie, you're shivering." Moxxie's voice, quiet as it may have been, almost made her jump. She should have known he'd notice and start to prod at the first sign. Millie huffed. She was fine! Clearly, this was ridiculous.

"Oh, Sweetie, quit your worryin'...m'fine. If anythin', it's a little cold in here."

"Well…I can fix that! Get over here, good lookin'!" Moxxie waggled his eyebrows, nuzzling against his wife's shoulder and pulling her in to snuggle.

"Moxxie!" Millie's sweet little giggles tinkled out like music as Moxxie embraced her…but didn't last long. She shuddered under his touch and nuzzled back, so desperate for warmth, her little buck teeth chattered. And Moxxie, ever the attentive husband, couldn't help but study her with quiet concern. Millie hoped a saccharine smile would get her through, teeth like marshmallows, hiding the forest fire in her head.

"S-somethin' wrong, Sweetie?"

"Well- Yeah...You just feel a little warm?…And you threw up earlier?…And don't take this the wrong way but you look a little…peaky." Moxxie seemed to be quickly putting the pieces together and she had to stop it.

She scoffed, feigning bravado, "Tch, Peaky? Moxx, there's nothin' to worry about, I told ya to quit worryin', I don't-"

"Is your stomach still queasy? Oh crumbs, was it the cookies? Maybe I took 'em out too early! You know salmonella is rarely fatal, but if you were already susceptible- "

"Moxxie!...I am fine! Jus' stop fuckin' ramblin', all this noise, you're makin' m'head hurt." Okay, that came out way harsher than she'd meant it to, and it showed as Moxxie had pulled away, looking confused and a little wounded.

"Sorry Moxx, I-…Shit…did it again, didn't I?…uh oh! - Hnk'TCHi!"

Moxxie's eyebrows flew up and he reached out a gentle hand toward Millie, growing very worried, "Bless you, honey-"

She pulled away and let out a huge sneeze into her wrist over her other shoulder.

"AtSH'SHEW!"

"Bless you…"

Millie couldn't look Moxxie in the eye, she was utterly drained. He leaned over, holding her flushed face in his hand to feel his poor wife's forehead and then her cheeks.. He frowned, a furrow forming between his brows as he took her hand, not needing another sign to know it was time to leave.

"Yep…I thought so…" He kissed her forehead and looked her in the eye, "We're going home, Millie." Millie looked up at him, apologetic. So much for being strong.

"Hey Sir?...We're gonna call it a night." Moxxie called over to get Blitzø's attention out of the loud drunken conversation, his hand firmly around Millie's waist, helping her stand up.

"Already?!" Loona slurred, her eyes waving wildly around the room, holding up a game box for 'Settlers of Satan' in one paw, and somehow, another bottle in the other, "But we were just about to start the next game...with. more. DRINKS!"

Moxxie gave Millie a pointed look, and she finally spoke up, "Nah, we really best be goin'."

"That'sss…bullshit! Dad! Back me up! Y-you know what I think, Dad? These guys…are too fuckin' chickenshit tooo-"

Loona's words were cut off as she sprinted out of the room to the balcony, and the entire party cringed at the sound of her retching and a car alarm going off from the street.

"...Oh my fucking god...I'll hold her hair back, c'mon Russ." Loona's tipsy friend Gigi sighed and headed out to the balcony, pulling along the equally drunk fluff-ball behind her.

"I'm sorry, B, really," Millie called out as Moxxie helped her shrug into her coat, she put on another tight smile as they headed out the front door, "We would'a stuck around, it's just been a really long day."

Blitzø waved her off, "Nah, you're fine, Loona an' her friends're shitfaced...I'm tired as a fat bitch...an' Stolas is…" He trailed off, looking back into the apartment at the bathroom door. "...I'm sure we all wanna crash after this absolute clusterfuck of a day. You kids head home and get some rest, I'll see ya after the New Year.

Millie smiled, a real smile this time, "Merry Sinsmas, Blitzø."

"Merry Sinsmas!…Now! If you'll excuse me, I'm just gonna go-"

They all winced at the sound of Loona vomiting again. "...Handle that."

••••••••••••••••••••

The cab ride home was silent and Millie leaned her head against the cool window, passing building after building decorated with tinsel and rainbow lights. Her eyes welled up with tears and the lights streaked. Moxxie sat beside her and looked over every few moments with an anxious gaze as she sniffled and rubbed her nose on her sweater sleeve.

Finally, once the door to their apartment closed behind them, Millie couldn't hold it in any longer. The tears spilled down her cheeks as she turned to face Moxxie. "M'sorry," she choked out, her voice barely audible.

Moxxie's eyes were full of pure compassion. He stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, "…Millie, if you weren't feeling well, you don't have to hide things from me…Why didn't you tell me?"

"I know, Moxx, m'sorry...I just-...I wanted us to have this night." She snorted back what must've been running out of her nose and she knew it was an ugly sound, but she didn't have any energy to care. Her body now feeling like it was roasting on a spit, she sobbed out, "Shit, we've just been dealin' with so much an-"

"I know…Too much. And it's finally getting to you...It's okay...It's okay." Moxxie did his best to calm her cries, holding her and stroking the back of her head.

Moxxie led her into their bedroom. He helped her into bed, her legs feeling like jelly beneath her. He climbed in next to her, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her in closer to his side.

But she pulled away gently. "Moxxie?...I think…I might need a lil' space tonight."

"...Honey?"

Her voice quivered, "It's just... I-I don't want'cha gettin' sick. Whatever I'm gettin'...it's nasty. I don' wanna spread it."

Moxxie was silent for a moment, then nodded solemnly, but still wore a smile. He knew something was wrong, but put his trust in her. He pulled back the covers and tucked her in, making sure she'd be warm enough.

He pecked a chaste kiss to her cheek. "Millie I-...I understand…If you need anything, just tell me...I love you…Merry Sinsmas."

"Merry Sinsmas…I love you too...M- Moxxie?...I'm-"

The room was already empty. He had left as quietly as he could, giving her the space she had asked for. Millie felt a lump form in her throat. She rolled onto her side, her hand brushing and clawing at the spot on the pillow where his head had been. Fuck, she felt like a monster. She'd lied. She'd snapped. And now, she had sent her husband to sleep on the couch? On what was supposed to be a happy night. She growled at the overboil of thoughts in her troubled mind and channeled it into a punch into the headboard. Her eyes filled with tears that spilled over onto Moxxie's pillowcase. The fabric grew damp under her cheek as she wept, her sobs muffled by the pillow.

Could this monster be a mother? She was a Wrathian thug, a brawler. And sure, Blitzø had taught her she could be more than that. But could she do this?...Be this? She'd never imagined this for herself...for them. She and her husband committed murder for a living. It was a job she enjoyed and she'd potentially have to throw it all away. What kind of childhood would the spawn of two hired assassins have?

The thought was laughable…really. So absurd, she couldn't help but let out a little watery snicker. It grew into a chuckle, and before she knew it, she was laughing into the pillow. It was a delirious laugh fueled by a mix of anxiety, probably hormones and the piping hot fever. It all was just too much, she couldn't stop the giggles.

But the laughter eventually devolved into a coughing fit, her chest burning and her eyes watering. She gripped the pillow tightly, trying to muffle the sound, not wanting to wake her poor husband that she'd sent to the couch. He was probably worried sick about her, and she didn't need to add to it. Finally, the coughs subsided, leaving her gasping for breath. And the room had grown quiet again.

Exhaustion had pulled down her eyelids, and she let herself into sleep. Dreams descended quickly, a whirlwind of chaotic images and confusing sounds. A tiny tail, two little stubby black and white horns and… a little scarlet claw reached up for her own. But it was gone before she could grasp it, replaced by an audible chop and the cold steel of an axe.

••••••••••••••••••••

Millie twisted awake out of her feverish nightmare, almost giving her neck whiplash as she'd been curlicued in a ball under the blankets. As she pushed herself up against the pillows, she felt like she was hauling a bag of wet sand, as she was completely stuffed up. Her nose like a drippy clogged drain, she snorted back what felt like a wall of mucus in her sinuses. A few seconds later, a little fit of harsh congested sneezes barreled out.

"…Heeh…Hee'ESH'HEW!…HAtSH'CHEW"

"...Bless you." A voice gently called from the doorway.

"ES'HEW!...yitSCHiEW!"

Once Millie could finally blink the sleepy rime out of her eyes and scrub at her nose, she got a good look at her husband, who was carrying a tray, full of sick day essentials from their medicine cabinet.

"…G'mbordin'." she rasped out a greeting more akin to a frog.

"Good Morning…" Moxxie set the tray down, and felt under her bangs with the back of his hand, "You…are very hot, Sweetie."

"You...are such a flirt…hhh…ESh'HiEww!"

Moxxie chuckled and kissed the side of her temple, "Not like that..."

Millie took one look at the tray, complete with Tissues, Baphometophen, Belli-Buttons Antacids, Deep-Throat brand cough drops, decongestant, expectorant and was a little overwhelmed. She mentally cursed her overly attentive husband. She wasn't sure how medications would affect her body in this state, with this...thing inside her.

She deliriously shook her head at the tray, "Uh-uh- No…I- I don't ndeed all that shit…d'ain't that serious."

"But, Millie-"

"It's jus' a cold..I said no."

Moxxie's face fell at the defensiveness in her tone, but he patiently nodded, understanding. "Okay...Uh, can you at least lemme get you something to eat?...Maybe some tea?"

Millie managed a nod, and looked away, feeling guilty for snapping at him...again, "Tea'd be ndice...Thagk you, baby."

Moxxie nodded with a smile, leaving the tissues, and taking the tray with him. She heard him in the kitchen, the clinking of pots and pans and the hiss of the kettle. She grabbed a tissue and grumpily snorted and rubbed at her nose, feeling like a catapult as she leaned back and had to pitch a heavy sneeze.

"Ack'SHiEW!"

"Bless you, Sweetie!" She heard from the next room.

Sweet Lucifer, she loved that man. He was too good to her. He'd probably make a wonderful father. They'd even talked about it before, but it'd been a hypothetical for the future. Far in the future. Sure, she'd helped her mother around the house with the younger siblings since infancy. Sure, they'd been married almost 2 years. Sure, having a kid at 27 was okay…when you were planning for it. But this had come out of nowhere, it wasn't the same as having your own. She was so scared of the unknown, the changes her body would go through, how this would impact their life, their job, their relationship. That's …if she was even keeping this.

Within another hour of her stewing in her thoughts, the door squeaked open, and Moxxie entered, carrying in the tray again, this time, with a steaming mug and a bowl.

"Here, Sweetie."

"Whassat?" She drowsily pointed to the bowl, once Moxxie set the tray down.

"It's soup!...Well, it's my...Mom's soup."

His Mom? Millie felt her heart swelling, "D'Aww, Honey…You didn't hafta go'n…do that."

Moxxie looked down at the steaming bowl with a sad smile, "It's called Pastina, but this one is special, it's what she used to give me when I was sick, down in Notamafia...I know I don't talk about her often...I never told you that story, huh?"

Millie shook her head with wide yellow orbs and took the warm mug of tea from the tray and sipped. Moxxie never tended to say much about his childhood and she had respected that. After the experience of meeting his father, she understood why it'd never come up in conversation. He hesitated and his expression became a bit sullen as if he were numb.

"It was raining...real hard one night," he began, his yellow eyes froze over with the memory, "...Dad sometimes took me out with him to his office…He'd been teaching me to shoot, how to aim and hold steady?...He'd call it-…'bonding', 'learning the family business'...But he just wanted another pawn......That night, he put a beretta in my hand, cocked and loaded, and told me to shoot at the dartboard… It took a while, but I'd practiced and I eventually…hit a bullseye…I thought he'd be proud...Of course, it didn't take long to find out that wasn't what he really cared about…He just wanted me to shoot."

Moxxie's memories faded to childhood in the greed ring, 6 years old, his horns still barely growing in. Holding the gun and hopefully looking up at Crimson for his approval after trying for hours. Millie knew that the story was about to take a turn for the worse and her eyes started to well up.

"...Dad took me outside, reloaded the barrel and told me… to try to hit another target...and we wouldn't go back inside until I hit it...until it hit them…" Millie's heart shattered for her husband, for the abuse he'd had to suffer.

"...We sat there for hours… soaking and so fucking cold, and all I could do was stare...I couldn't do it, Millie."

She croaked, rubbing away hot tears, "Course not baby, not with your heart…That cocksuckin' psycho…No young'un should be forced into that…used an' made to feel they don't matter...Baby- I am so sorry."

At that, Moxxie smiled back at Millie, as if he was thanking her, and a fond bittersweet look came over him at the flashback of his mother rushing over and pulling the gun out of his hand, dropping it in Crimson's lap. Carrying her son inside out of the rain, she'd given him a bath and tucked him into bed. He shook out of the memory and a little fanged grin started to form.

"Uh-...Anyway...Mom found me…took care of me…It's a miracle that Dad and I didn't catch pneumonia out there…but we both got pretty close...It was the weakest I'd ever seen him! And that piece of shit...begged my Mom, like he was on his fucking deathbed…to make 'Pastina...like my Mudduh used to make'." He said, imitating a sorry sounding Crimson, complete with thick accent.

Then his smile grew wider…and he snorted. He chuckled and shrugged, suddenly surprising Millie who was still in tears.

"It's funny, cause it's usually such a gentle dish...Mom, added her love though. A little bit of cayenne, a pinch of chili flakes...Wrathian spices! 'To keep you warm, Mijo'..." Then, he shook his head, unable to contain himself, "Let's just say, she put a little extra in Dad's, I'll never forget..."

Through her tears, Millie began to chuckle too, as her husband's laughter grew louder and contagious.

"...He crawls out of the bathroom, on his hands and knees, whining 'OHH, my coolie!...Mammina!...Di puttana...Fra Diovolo Pastina!'..." Moxxie took great pleasure in mocking his father in a rare moment of weakness, writhing like a worm. That slimeball had deserved every second of suffering.

Millie wiped the tears away from her eyes and let out a congested little giggle. Moxxie immediately took notice and beamed back. Laughter was the best medicine.

"Aha!...Lit a fire under his ass...Smart woman!-..."

"...You remind me of her, you know?..."

...What?

"Beautiful, intelligent, inventive and funny…and a fighter, so strong even on the hardest days and so much love to give."

Moxxie's speech hung in the air. The tears immediately returned in full force and rolled down Millie's cheeks, in utter shock and silence, until a rough cough pounded its way out of her chest. She took a bite of the soup.

"S'real good, Moxx...Thank you."

Millie continued to eat little bites of the little star pasta, the burn of the liquid running down her throat, clearing her sinuses, but doing little to soothe the emotions brewing within her. She felt his pain, his fear, his love. Real love. She'd never realized it before, but it was possible that was why family was so important to him. What kind of childhood would the spawn of two hired assassins have? If they decided to go through with this, together. A loving one. And if not, she knew, he'd support her.

"Moxxie?..." she started, setting the mug down and turning to face him, her voice shaky.

"What's up, Sweetie?"

Millie's voice cracked, the words she wanted to say lodging themselves in her throat. If he could start opening up more to her, why couldn't she do the same?

"M-Moxxie...I'm so sorry-...An' I just…I wanna tell you…I'm-...

…Y'ESH'HEW!"

Goddamnit. Here came the effects of the spices. Moxxie picked up the box of tissues and held it up with a smile. Millie gratefully took a few tissues, rubbed her watering eyes and released a thick blow.

Okay. She needed to tell him, soon. That was being strong. But for now, she'd focus on letting her walls down a little, letting her sweet husband love and take care of her. She was exausted and needed to overcome this first. When she wasn't feverish, of sound mind and able to pronounce her m's and n's…then she'd tell him.

"...I love you…so much." Moxxie looked at her, his smile wide and full of unconditional love.

"I love you too...and I'm sorry you don't feel well...And, just in case, I think you're going to need these…for the next hour or so."

He edged the tissue box closer to her on the bed, moved the tray and wiggled his way under the blanket. Millie honked another stuffy blow and Moxxie wrinkled his nose and snickered, cuddling into her side. And to his happy relief, she nuzzled back. There was his Millie!

"Wanna watch something?" The sick imp whined as Moxxie got up to open their DVD cabinet across from the bed, but had an answer right away.

"Cleaverhand 6?...It's m'favorite…an' I'm siiick baby." Millie pleaded, eyes swelling to an adorable size, complete with a big pout for good measure.

Moxxie rolled his eyes, "Millie...You just watched that last week...don'tcha think that's a bit much for a sick day?

"So what?...Uh-Ultimate Cleavage, is-…yITch'HIEW!...-b-better than Cleaverhand 2: Electric Boobaloo and only slightly worse than…than!- ACK'ESh'ieew!...Cleaverhand 7: Final Cutlet…Eck'Etss'Hew!"

"Bless you...You're sure?" Moxxie flatly challenged her, they had just had a little tiff about this, just last week. It was a useless argument, as he was too much of a sucker for the big round pleading eyes across from him.

"Hell yes!…C'mon baby," she begged again from behind a tissue, "…We ransacked that abandoned Cockbuster for a reason."

"Well, we also found that limited 1926 edition of Faust? Remember?...Doesn't that sound relaxing?"

"..."

Moxxie sighed, "Cleaverhand 6 it is..."

••••••••••••••••••●●

Millie had begrudgingly spent the next few days in bed, and while she was gradually improving each day, a maddening cabin fever had been setting in. With a little persuasion she'd managed to take some medication to lower the fever and an antacid to settle her stomach. It was disheartening that she'd resisted and even tried to push through, as it was hitting her pretty hard. Moxxie wouldn't say it came as a complete surprise though.

While he was a fan of modern medicine, Moxxie knew his wife would rather handle things the 'Ol' Fashioned Way', 'let nature run its course'. The last time he'd gotten the flu, she'd bundled him like a burrito, she'd made him stew, whispered sweet nothings into his ears and...put potatoes in his socks? It had 'worked for her great Uncle Bocephus', so why not try it?

So she'd been recovering, but she'd also been rather high strung lately, and the isolation and boredom didn't help. There was also…something else going on. Moxxie could feel it, every time he looked at her. Something plaguing her mind. But he couldn't force her, and he trusted that she'd open up in her own time. He longed to know what was going on, or at least ease her troubles, or make her smile.

He'd been grateful the Sinners had been celebrating their New Year's Eve. The passing of another 365 days on Earth. The hellborn didn't exactly celebrate years spent in The Rings the same way, as the concept and passage of time was a bit more complicated in Hell. Nevertheless, it'd been a wonderful distraction from all the misery.

A thrilling display of fireworks across the city, had them both cuddled on the floor in a blanket near the front window to watch. Moxxie had made them both Cocoa, and they'd shared a kiss, wishing all the sinners well. It was beautiful, but seeing his Angel of Death smile, after being stuck in bed all week, put the fireworks to shame.

[yakuzacanons]

Yakuza Character Drink Headcanons

A brief break from the romance posts since I realize I did two in a row. Also thank you for all of the love you’ve shown my posts. Especially love when y’all write in the tags. Reminder that you can send any submissions or requests of any kind my way. Until then, enjoy this shorter post and I’ll see y’all tomorrow!

Kazuma Kiryu

Mostly drinks just water. Dislikes overly sweet drinks. Will totally go on whiskey distillery tours if given the choice. Favorite alcohol is whiskey. Has never been blackout drunk. When drunk, he just gets tired.

Majima Goro

Likes mildly sweetened drinks as well as sour drinks, like lemonade. Boba weirds him out (”Drinks are for sippin’ Not chewin’ on stuff!”) and he’s not a fan of coffee. Likes all alcohol but loves sharing a beer with Saejima most. A loud menace and easily provoked when drunk.

Saejima Taiga

Black coffee at the start of the day. Likes milkshakes. Fascinated by Ramune (”Why’s this drink got a lil’ ball inside?”) but tends to break them when opening them due to his strength. Favorite alcohol is beer, hands down. Gets hiccups when he drinks but rarely gets more than tipsy.

Akiyama Shun

Drinks mostly fruit juice of any kind. Almost never drinks water, he’s practically a camel. He’s a big fan of champagne but knows it’s not practical so usually gets whiskey or shochu. He’s a flirty drunk and giggles a lot.

Tanimura Masayoshi

Chugs soda like there’s no tomorrow when he’s working. Prefers soda over coffee. During sit down meals, he drinks tea, mostly chrysanthemum tea. Fond of boba drinks. Likes to drink shochu but is a total lightweight.

Ryuji Goda

Really into tea. Especially traditional tea ceremonies. Has his own personal tea set and takes it quite seriously. Honestly doesn’t drink much else. For alcohol, he dabbles in whiskey or champagne but knows his limits very well and will never get publicly drunk.

Mine Yoshitaka

Drinks protein shakes when he works out. Otherwise, it’s mostly water or herbal tea. Is surprisingly into cocktails and finds bartending to be rather interesting. Has a personal minibar at home. Never has more than one drink in public so he never gets drunk outside of his home.

Daigo Dojima

Like Ryuji except with coffee. Very interested in brewing his own coffee and will always take time to brew himself a cup in the morning. Hates instant coffee. Likes rum and whiskey. Drinking gives him headaches so he doesn’t do it often.

Nishikiyama Akira

Smoothies and fruit juice all the way. He does genuinely like the taste but also does it because it’s popular with the ladies. Tries to get into whiskey but really prefers vodka. Not great at knowing his limits with alcohol.

Tachibana Tetsu

It’s coffee in the morning and water at night. Detests soda. The carbonation feels uncomfortable to him. Seldom drinks, mostly because he’s a total lightweight and most alcohol makes him totally nauseous. Likes gin and tonic the most.

Haruka Sawamura

Boba tea drinker. Likes to get all kinds of toppings put into her drink. Blends her own juice at home using fruits from the market. Particularly fond of guava or strawberry juice. Has never tasted alcohol but the smell reminds her of cleaning products.

[sokowachi]

Liquidity Pools Simplified: What They Are and Why They Matter

If you're new to cryptocurrency, you’ve probably heard the term “liquidity pool” tossed around. But what is it, really? And why is it such a big deal in the world of decentralized finance (DeFi)? Let me explain this in a way that’s relatable, simple, and easy to understand—like having a conversation with a friend over coffee.

What Exactly is a Liquidity Pool

Imagine walking into a small village market where people barter goods. You’ve got apples and want oranges, but there’s a catch: you need to find someone with oranges who also wants apples. This process can be slow and frustrating.

Now imagine there’s a stall in the market that always has apples and oranges in stock. You can trade your apples for oranges instantly, without waiting for someone else to show up. That stall? That’s essentially what a liquidity pool is in the crypto world.

A liquidity pool is a digital reserve of two different cryptocurrencies, or tokens, that are paired together and available for trading at any time. It’s like a constantly stocked shelf, ensuring that trades happen quickly and smoothly without delays.

Who Provides the Tokens in Liquidity Pools

Now you might ask, “Where does this steady supply of tokens come from?” The answer is simple: people like you and me—called liquidity providers.

Liquidity providers deposit equal amounts of two tokens into the pool. For example, if you’re contributing to a pool with ETH (Ethereum) and USDT (Tether), you’ll need to provide both tokens in equal value.

Why would someone do this? Because it’s profitable. Whenever someone makes a trade using the pool, a small transaction fee is charged. That fee is shared among all liquidity providers based on their contribution. Think of it as earning rent on property you’ve invested in.

How Do Liquidity Providers Earn

Let’s say you provide liquidity on a platform like STON.fi. Every time someone trades in the pool you’re part of, a fee of 0.2% is collected. That fee is then distributed among all liquidity providers based on their share in the pool.

For example, if you contributed 10% of the total liquidity, you’d earn 10% of the fees. It’s like owning a share of a vending machine—every time someone buys a snack, you get a cut of the profits.

Why Are Liquidity Pools Important

Without liquidity pools, decentralized exchanges (DEXs) wouldn’t work. They enable instant trades without needing a buyer or seller on the other side of the transaction.

Think of them as the engine of a car. Without the engine, the car doesn’t move, no matter how shiny it looks. Liquidity pools ensure that trades happen efficiently and that markets run smoothly.

How to Join a Liquidity Pool

If this sounds appealing, you might be wondering how to get started. Here’s a simple roadmap:

1. Choose a Pool: Look for a liquidity pool that matches your goals. Popular pairs like ETH/USDT or BTC/ETH are often good starting points.

2. Deposit Tokens: You’ll need to provide equal value of both tokens in the pair. For example, if you’re adding $500 worth of Token A, you’ll also need $500 worth of Token B.

3. Start Earning Fees: Once your tokens are in the pool, you’ll start earning a share of the transaction fees based on your contribution.

Key Metrics to Consider

Before jumping into a pool, it’s important to evaluate a few things:

APR (Annual Percentage Rate): This shows how much you could potentially earn in a year, based on recent trading activity. It’s like checking the interest rate on a savings account.

TVL (Total Value Locked): This is the total value of tokens in the pool. Higher TVL usually means more stability and less risk of price swings.

24h Volume: This shows the trading activity over the past day. Higher volume means more transactions and potentially more earnings for liquidity providers.

Risks to Be Aware Of

Liquidity pools are not without risks. The biggest one is something called impermanent loss.

Let’s use another analogy. Imagine you own a lemonade stand and sell lemonade for $1 per cup. One day, the price of lemons triples, but you’re locked into selling your lemonade at the old price. You’ve lost potential profit.

In liquidity pools, if one token’s price changes significantly compared to the other, you might end up with fewer valuable tokens than you started with. This is called impermanent loss because it only becomes a real loss if you withdraw your tokens while the prices are still unbalanced.

A Win-Win Situation

Despite the risks, liquidity pools remain a cornerstone of the DeFi ecosystem. They benefit both traders and liquidity providers:

Traders enjoy instant transactions without delays.

Liquidity providers earn passive income from fees.

It’s a win-win, like a farmer’s market where both buyers and sellers benefit from the community’s participation.

Liquidity pools might sound intimidating at first, but they’re a simple and effective way to earn passive income while contributing to the crypto ecosystem. Whether you’re a seasoned trader or a curious beginner, understanding how these pools work can open up new opportunities for you.

Remember, like any investment, it’s important to do your homework. Start small, choose reputable platforms, and evaluate the risks carefully. Over time, you’ll see how liquidity pools can be a powerful tool in your crypto journey.

So, are you ready to dive into the world of liquidity pools? Let me know your thoughts or questions—let’s grow together in this exciting space!.

[global-research-report]

Unlocking Growth in the Flavored Powder Drinks Market: Innovation and Consumer Preferences

The global flavored powder drinks market size is estimated to reach USD 94.86 billion in 2030 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 3.0% from 2022 to 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The factors propelling the growth in demand for flavored powder drinks are continuous innovation among flavors by key players to attract more consumers which is accelerating the global market growth. In addition, the emergence of flavored powder drinks infused with various vitamins and minerals to provide instant energy is another factor attributing to the growth.

However, leading companies are adding new flavors and tastes to their product portfolio to increase their customer base creating high opportunities for growth in the flavored powder drinks industry during the forecast period. Moreover, the health benefits associated with flavored powder drinks such as instant energy, an increase in immunity system along with adequate hydration are some factors attributing to the global market growth. True Citrus company has launched an innovative product range, especially for children with low sugar, clean-label powdered drinks range to capture maximum market share and future opportunities in the coming years.

The fruit-based segment led the market with a significant market share. Fruit-based powder drinks are infused with various vitamins and minerals which is one of the major factors attributing the segment growth. Fruit-based powders are extracted from real fruit pulp which can retain the quality vitamins and nutrients in the powder form for a long time. Therefore, the powder form can be stored for a long period and can be easily consumed. Moreover, fruit-based powder drinks can improve the immunity system due to the availability of multiple nutrients loaded with. Hence, these factors are expected to drive the fruit-based segment’s growth during the forecast period.

The online channel is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR from 2022 to 2030. This can be attributed due to the availability of various local and branded products within a single application. Consumers can directly compare their required products through different websites and then decide their purchase is one of the major factors driving the online channel segment. Moreover, consumers can get offers and discounts with combos among the online channels which further attributing them to buy from online channels. Hence, these factors are expected to drive online channels as the fastest growing distribution channel during the coming years.

North America has captured a significant market share in the global market in 2021. In this region, key players are adopting innovative flavors and packaging to attract a large number of consumers are one of the major factors propelling the flavored powder drinks in this region. In addition to that, top companies such as Abbott, True-Citrus, PepsiCo, Inc., and others are highly contributing to the revenue generation of the flavored powder drinks industry.

Major players in the flavored powder drinks market include Nestle S.A., Mondelez International, The Coca-Cola Company, Kraft Heinz, Cargill Inc., Unilever, PepsiCo, Inc., Mars, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline Plc, and Abbott. These market players face intense competition from each other, as some of them operate at several locations and have large customer bases. The presence of many small-scale players is also leading to increased competition.

Flavored Powder Drinks Market Report Highlights

The Asia Pacific captured a dominating share in the flavored powder drinks market with a share of over 40% in 2021. The market is primarily driven by the developing countries where the students and working population are increasing. Hence, they are highly demanding instant drinks during their breakfast and school hours to keep hydrated all day is one of the major factors enhancing the regional growth

The coffee-based segment is expected to grow with the 2ndfastest CAGR of 2.5% from 2022 to 2030. This can be attributed due to the instant energy booster formula infused in the coffee powder being one of the major factors attributing to the sales of the flavored powder drinks. Additionally, coffee powders can support the brain to function correctly and can protect against liver conditions further enhancing the coffee-based powder drinks among consumers in the long run

Supermarkets and hypermarkets segment has captured a dominating share in 2021 with over 40%. This can be attributed due the availability of large stock of products under the same roof driving the sales of powder drinks among the consumers. Moreover, sometimes these channels also offer discounts such as buy one get one free further attracting consumers to purchase from supermarkets and hypermarkets.

Flavored Powder Drinks Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global flavored powder drinks market based on flavor, distribution channel, and region:

Flavored Powder Drinks Flavor Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

Fruit-based

Coffee-based

Flavored Powder Drinks Distribution Channel Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

Hypermarkets/Supermarkets

Convenience Stores

Online

Others

Flavored Powder Drinks Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

North America

US

Canada

Mexico

Europe

UK

Germany

France

Italy

Spain

Asia Pacific

China

India

Japan

Thailand

Indonesia

Central & South America

Brazil

Middle East & Africa

South Africa

List of Key Players

Nestle S.A.

The Coca-Cola Company

Mondelez International

PepsiCo, Inc.

Mars, Inc.

GlaxoSmithKline Plc

Unilever

Abbott

Cargill Inc.

Kraft Heinz

Order a free sample PDF of the Flavored Powder Drinks Market Intelligence Study, published by Grand View Research.

[starseedfxofficial]

AI Bots and Capital Allocation: Insider Secrets Traders Need to Know Imagine an army of artificial intelligence bots managing your capital with the precision of a master chess player. No emotional blunders, no hesitation, just a cold, calculated focus on maximizing returns. While this might sound like the stuff of sci-fi, AI in trading is no longer just a buzzword—it’s a game-changer. But here’s the catch: handing over your funds to bots without a strategy is like hiring a clown to guard a bank vault. Funny? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely not. In this article, we’ll pull back the curtain on how AI bots can revolutionize capital allocation, highlight common pitfalls, and share ninja-level tactics to stay ahead in the Forex game. Section 1: Why Most Traders Get AI Bots Wrong (And How You Can Avoid It) The allure of AI bots often blinds traders to a simple truth: they are only as smart as the strategy they execute. Using an AI bot without understanding its algorithm is like buying an expensive coffee machine and filling it with instant coffee—it works, but you’re missing the point. Myth-Busting Facts: - Bots Don’t Guarantee Success: They follow rules, not intuition. If the rules are flawed, so are your returns. - Capital Allocation Still Matters: Even the best bot can’t save you from over-leveraging. - Human Oversight is Crucial: AI bots may not panic, but they also won’t stop you from panicking when things go south. Section 2: The Hidden Formula Only Experts Use Capital allocation with AI bots isn’t just about distributing funds—it’s about creating a layered defense strategy. Think of it as building a financial fortress with AI as your loyal sentry. Elite Tactics: - Diversification: Allocate capital across multiple bots with distinct strategies (trend following, mean reversion, etc.). - Risk Weighting: Assign higher capital to bots with consistent performance but cap their maximum drawdown thresholds. - Dynamic Rebalancing: Use bots to monitor other bots—yes, you can have a bot babysitter for added security. Section 3: How to Predict Market Moves with Precision AI bots excel at analyzing data, but pairing their insights with your intuition is the real magic. Here’s how you can channel their analytical power: - Pattern Recognition: AI bots can spot hidden patterns in market data faster than any human. For instance, a bot might notice that the EUR/USD pair surges every third Tuesday of the month (don’t ask why—it just does). - Real-Time Adaptation: Unlike static strategies, bots adapt to changing market conditions, ensuring your capital allocation remains optimal. Pro Tip: Regularly test bots in demo environments to keep their algorithms sharp and attuned to market trends. Section 4: Underground Trends in AI and Capital Allocation Trend 1: Reinforcement Learning Algorithms This cutting-edge AI technique allows bots to learn from their mistakes, much like a trader journaling losses—minus the existential crisis. Trend 2: Sentiment Analysis Bots These bots analyze news, social media, and even Reddit threads to gauge market sentiment, giving you a strategic edge. Trend 3: Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Bots DeFi is merging with AI, enabling capital allocation across decentralized platforms. Think automated yield farming—only smarter. Section 5: Why Capital Allocation Is Like Baking a Perfect Cake Stay with me here: - Flour (Capital): It’s the foundation, but too much or too little can ruin the outcome. - Sugar (Risk): Adds flavor but overdo it, and it’s a disaster. - Frosting (AI): Looks good, tastes good, but only works if the cake underneath is solid. The secret? Balance. Allocate wisely, monitor constantly, and adjust based on market conditions. Conclusion: Artificial intelligence bots aren’t a magic bullet, but they’re an unparalleled tool when used strategically. By mastering capital allocation, diversifying risk, and staying ahead of trends, you can harness the full potential of AI in Forex trading. Just remember: even the smartest bot needs a smart trader behind it. —————– Image Credits: Cover image at the top is AI-generated Read the full article

[wellnesstribe]

Mushroom Coffee Market Insights: Trends, Growth, and Future Potential

The Mushroom Coffee Market has emerged as a unique niche in the health and wellness industry, combining the benefits of coffee with functional mushrooms like lion’s mane, chaga, and reishi. This innovative beverage has garnered significant attention for its claimed health benefits, including improved focus, enhanced immunity, and reduced anxiety. As consumer preferences shift toward healthier alternatives, the mushroom coffee market is experiencing robust growth, fueled by trends in health-conscious living and plant-based nutrition.

Rising Demand for Functional Beverages

Functional beverages, which offer health benefits beyond basic nutrition, have become a significant driver of the mushroom coffee market. Consumers increasingly seek products that enhance mental clarity, physical performance, and overall well-being. Mushroom coffee, with its dual appeal as a caffeine source and a functional beverage, fits perfectly into this evolving demand landscape.

The inclusion of adaptogenic mushrooms, known for their stress-relieving properties, has been a pivotal factor in its popularity. These mushrooms provide a natural solution to managing modern-day stress and fatigue, making mushroom coffee an attractive choice for individuals leading fast-paced lifestyles.

Consumer Awareness and Market Growth

Consumer awareness about the health benefits of functional mushrooms has grown substantially in recent years. Social media influencers, wellness blogs, and health experts have played a crucial role in educating the public about the advantages of integrating mushrooms into daily diets. This has encouraged consumers to explore alternatives like mushroom coffee, contributing to market growth.

Moreover, eco-conscious consumers are drawn to brands that emphasize sustainability. Mushroom coffee companies often highlight their use of organic, sustainably sourced ingredients, which appeals to environmentally aware consumers.

Key Players and Innovations

The mushroom coffee market is characterized by a mix of established companies and emerging startups. Brands like Four Sigmatic, Ryze, and Mud/Wtr have captured significant market share by offering unique blends and flavors. Product innovation remains a cornerstone of the market, with companies experimenting with different mushroom species, brewing methods, and packaging formats.

Ready-to-drink (RTD) mushroom coffee products, single-serve pods, and instant blends have gained traction among busy consumers who value convenience. Additionally, the incorporation of exotic flavors and additional nutrients, such as collagen or ashwagandha, has enhanced the appeal of mushroom coffee.

Challenges in the Market

Despite its growth, the mushroom coffee market faces challenges. One major hurdle is the relatively high price point of these products compared to traditional coffee. The cost of sourcing and processing functional mushrooms is higher, which translates to premium pricing.

Additionally, educating skeptical consumers who are unfamiliar with the concept of mushroom coffee remains a significant task for marketers. Overcoming the perception of mushrooms as solely culinary or medicinal rather than a viable coffee ingredient requires strategic marketing and consumer engagement.

Future Outlook

The mushroom coffee market is poised for substantial growth, driven by increasing investments in research and development, marketing campaigns, and the entry of new players. The integration of e-commerce platforms has further expanded the market’s reach, allowing consumers worldwide to access these products.

As more research highlights the potential health benefits of functional mushrooms, the market is expected to witness broader adoption. Collaboration between mushroom coffee brands and health professionals could also enhance credibility and consumer trust.

Conclusion

The mushroom coffee market is more than a passing trend; it represents a shift in consumer preferences toward functional, sustainable, and health-enhancing products. As this market continues to grow, it offers exciting opportunities for innovation and expansion. Brands that can effectively balance quality, affordability, and education will likely lead the way in shaping the future of this burgeoning industry.

[homezdesigners]

Affordable Interior Design Solutions for Homes in Faridabad

 Creating a beautiful home doesn’t have to drain your savings. With a growing interest in stylish yet cost-effective interiors, homeowners in Faridabad are exploring innovative ways to transform their spaces without overspending. In this blog, we’ll share affordable interior design solutions that cater to Faridabad’s diverse needs and preferences.

1. Plan and Prioritize

Before diving into any interior design project, it’s crucial to plan and prioritize. Determine the areas that need the most attention and allocate your budget accordingly. For instance, focus on high-impact spaces like the living room or kitchen, where design changes will be most noticeable.

2. Repurpose and Upcycle

Faridabad has a rich tradition of craftsmanship and DIY culture. Leverage this by repurposing old furniture or upcycling items. For example:

Convert an old wooden door into a coffee table.

Repaint metal furniture for a fresh, modern look.

Use leftover fabric to create colorful cushion covers or curtains.

3. Opt for Local Materials

Using locally-sourced materials is not only budget-friendly but also supports local businesses. In Faridabad, you can find affordable stone, tiles, and wood that add a unique touch to your interiors. For instance, opt for terracotta tiles for flooring or locally crafted jute rugs for a natural aesthetic.

4. Invest in Multi-Functional Furniture

Space-saving and multi-functional furniture pieces are a great investment. Look for:

Foldable dining tables

Sofas with hidden storage

Beds with built-in drawers These options not only save space but also reduce the need for additional furniture, cutting costs.

5. Embrace Minimalism

Less is more when it comes to affordable interior design. A minimalist approach focuses on functionality and simplicity, reducing the need for excessive décor or furniture. Neutral tones, clean lines, and strategic lighting can create an elegant yet cost-effective look.

6. DIY Home Décor

Get creative with DIY projects to personalize your space:

Create wall art using inexpensive materials like canvas and paint.

Make your own plant holders with ropes and jars.

Frame family photos or artwork to add a personal touch.

7. Shop Smart

Explore local markets in Faridabad for affordable home décor items. The city’s bustling bazaars offer a wide range of options, from antique mirrors to handcrafted pottery. Additionally, look out for discounts and sales at furniture stores and online platforms.

8. Lighting Makes a Difference

Good lighting can dramatically enhance your home’s ambiance. Instead of expensive fixtures, opt for:

LED string lights for a cozy feel.

Floor lamps or table lamps from local markets.

DIY pendant lights made from jars or baskets.

9. Wall Treatments on a Budget

Walls set the tone for any room, and there are many budget-friendly ways to revamp them:

Use peel-and-stick wallpaper for an instant makeover.

Add a fresh coat of paint in a trendy color.

Hang affordable wall decals or stencils to create patterns.

10. Green Touches with Indoor Plants

Plants are an inexpensive way to add life to your interiors. Visit local nurseries in Faridabad for a variety of indoor plants like pothos, snake plants, or peace lilies. Use recycled pots or baskets to keep costs low.

Final Thoughts

Affordable interior design is all about creativity, resourcefulness, and smart planning. With these tips, homeowners in Faridabad can achieve stunning interiors that reflect their personality and lifestyle without overspending. Remember, it’s not about how much you spend but how thoughtfully you design your space.

Ready to transform your home? Start with small changes, and watch your space come to life!