#floyd on apron

[keithfloydno1fan]

This is fucking shit sorry doesn’t even look like him

[katskitoshi]

"W-WAIT, YOU'RE NOT A BOY?" with TWISTED WONDERLAND

synopsis: he's gotten to the point where he thinks he knows everything about you, until you (accidentally) spring on him that you're not even a guy.

characters: riddle, trey, cater, ace, deuce, leona, ruggie, jack, azul, jade, floyd, kalim, jamil, vil, rook, epel, idia, ortho, malleus, lilia, silver, & sebek x fem! reader

includes: mutual crush relationships (everyone -ortho), cursing, mentions panties and bras, slightly suggestive in some parts.

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if not for an unbirthday party where you needed an outfit that accommodated your body more, riddle rosehearts would have never noticed unless you outwardly told him. only now did he realize your more feminine features, and he turns as red as his hair. after realizing, he does treat you slightly more respectful because he was raised to treat women respectfully. besides being more respectful, flustered, and in love with you, not much changed in you two's friendship.

trey clover would have found out sooner or later even if his hand never touched your bra on accident while tying your apron. he straight up asks if you're a girl, and when you tell him you are he acts surprised and flustered. honestly, not much changes. he acts the exact same but gets slightly more protective of you.

when cater diamond found out over magicam that you were a a girl, he nearly died. he just though you were one of the guys that were more naturally feminine, only to find out you're actually a female. honestly, he's not mad. he still loves you! he'll help you keep it a secret if you wish, but if you don't want to, there probably won't be a student in the school who doesn't know you're a girl. but don't worry, he'll keep all those icky pervs away!

okay, okay. because he's a little shit, he wanted to prank you and it just happened to involve you dressing yourself. so ace trappola waited until he knew you were changing to barge into your room, only to be face to face with you in just a bra and panties. he screams, like a girl, more girly than you, and rushed out the dorm with his face red. the next day is awkward, but at least he knows his crush is a girl, and that you have a really cute body under the clothes that convinces others you're a boy.

it's just so strange, the feelings deuce spade has. he even calls his mom and tells her all about his little crush. but by the way he was describing you, ms. spade didn't think you were a guy. so deuce builds up the courage to ask you if you're actually a guy. to his surprise when you tell him you're not, he dies of embarrassment. queue delinquent deuce whenever someone makes some pervy comment (or generally speaks) to you.

honestly, leona kingscholar probably knew already. he could probably sense or smell the female hormones on your or something. i don't know, all i know is that leona knows. he doesn't really have to ask or anything. he just knows. and you think he knows because he treats you better than any other male in the school. his attitude towards you doesn't ever really change but he's definitely flirty with you.

ruggie bucchi is in the same boat is leona. they both can just tell you're not a guy. however, he fears you. male hyenas usually listen to their female counterpart, so ruggie usually just listens. however, when he realizes he has control and that you aren't a threat, he's definitely becomes more friendly around you. no matter how much he fears you, his crush never ever leaves.

i won't lie, but every person in savanaclaw probably knows you're a girl. jack howl included. he won't make it painfully obvious that he knows but he definitely lets you know subtly know he knows. he shows you great amounts of respect and sometimes can't help but feel absolutely vile for thinking of you in some... not so respectful ways.

look, you're gonna give the poor octopus a heart attack once he finds out! you're filling out a contract and you inform azul ashengrotto that you're a girl and ask for certain things to be changed. he simply dies on the spot from shock and is a blushy little octopus. he thinks of using you to convince more people to the monstro lounge, but he can't do that to his crush!

just as expected, jade leech finds out rather quickly. one walk in the forrest on a hot day and a crop top with some sweat soaking through was enough to spill the beans. of course he had his suspicions, but you confirmed them for him! he finds you somehow cuter with your secret revealed. don't worry, your secret is safe with him!

floyd leech always thought you were just so cute! so, he just has to squeeze you to show you his love, right? when he squeezed you, he felt something push against him. he realized what he felt was what all the female merfolk had. "oh, shrimpy! you have boobs!" and he enjoys squeezing your boobs more than you. it doesn't matter if they're big or small, he just can't stop squeezing them!

this shouldn't come as a surprise, but it takes kalim al-asim a long time to find out. i mean, he can quite literally see you naked and be like "wow! you're very female-bodied for a guy!" of course, he didn't find out that way, but he could have. he actually found out by spilling water on you and seeing your bra. anyways, he's surprisingly calm about it. he still treats you like a friend that he has an obvious crush on, so yeah!

jamil viper is surprisingly shocked at what he found out. a little cooking mishap caused you to take off your oversized hoodie and make jamil realize your more... feminine features on your upper body. of course, he's a lot more over protective of you, and oh! he just can't stop staring! he tries his best, but his crush is just a bit more apparent!

he had always had his suspicions. vil schoenheit always thought your more feminine appearance had been more than some accidental blessing. apparently, he was proven right when on a shopping spree he got a little look of your breasts while trying on some clothes. he'll bring you all sorts of clothes that he thinks will suit you, enjoying getting to see you try on the clothes. you can tell he knows your little secret by the more.. risky.. clothes, if you can even call them that, he requests you in.

rook hunt knew from the first second he saw you. you come into night raven and expect not to be observed by the hunter? how cute. he gets actual confirmation when he was watching you change one night. of course he looked away while you were naked (maybe not), but he saw your bra and completely knew. the next day, he obviously hugged you more to try and egg you on that he knows (and feel you), but don't worry, it doesn't take to long to find out.

okay, so epel felmier though you two were on the same boat. two really pretty men cursed by genetics somehow. but, after he takes you on a magic wheel ride and feels you against him, he realizes he is alone. he's obviously flustered but he feels more manly somehow? he protects you and comes off as manly as possible. surely other guys will see how manly he is if his crush, and the only girl on campus, sees it, right?

when idia shroud found out, he was more than surprised and honestly didn't even think he could face you ever again! with a bit of convincing from his dear little brother, he could face you again. although with pink tinted hair and a red face, he'll still see you! how did he find out exactly? well, he accidentally touched you boob when aiming to punch your shoulder after a won game.

(platonic) a simple body scan gave ortho shroud the answers he needed. ortho is the biggest idia x [name] shipper on the planet! he'll call you 'big sister', and probably lock you in a room with idia if it'll help speed up the love-i-fication process. eventually he'll break the news to his brother, but he loves playing the waiting game with him. is idia getting any closer to finding out? no- wait, yes, wait-!

malleus draconia is an intelligent man. however, to crack this mystery, he'll need every clue and sign laid before him. once he pieces the picture together, he still might need to to clarify that you are in fact a woman. and don't forget, malleus is a gentleman. he'll treat you with love and respect as he courts you, beds you, and makes you his queen.

at some age, you just realize what everyone is, y'know? lilia vanrouge just knows that you're a girl. it probably started out at a gut feeling that ended up true. and maybe he'll let you know that he knows by giving you a cutely wrapped box of matching black and pink panty and bra set! maybe with a rose and a note that says 'be my girl?'

sleepyhead silver realizes completely by accident when he just wanted to lay on your shoulder. next thing you know, you've pulled his head to your thighs and when he tries to look up, he's meet with a new type of pillow. he's conflicted between staying awake or going to sleep upon this newfound discovery. either way, don't think that his sleepiness will prevent him from wanting to be as knightly as possible for you.

sebek zigvolt accidentally unhooks your bra when trying to fix your posture. it's an awkward moment and sebek is surprisingly quiet when he asks you your gender. his loudness returns as he begins yelling about how informal he's been to you. as a servant of his dear master malleus, he promises to treat you with the utmost respect!

[bradshawsbaby]

Sprinkles of Love

Pairing: Bob Floyd x Female Reader

Summary: It's Bob's birthday and you want to do something special for him. The problem is that you've only been on two dates, and you can't get out of your head about making that first move.

Word Count: 6.6k

Author’s Note: Happy Birthday to my #1 Guy, Lewis Pullman! I thought we all deserved some sweet Bob fluff to celebrate!

Warnings: Tooth-rotting fluff, featuring the jitters and nervousness that comes with a new relationship.

You glanced at your phone for what felt like the hundredth time that morning, your fingers itching to reach for it where it sat taunting you on the counter near the cash register.

Biting down on your lower lip, you peeked surreptitiously over your shoulder before finally picking it up, your finger hovering hesitantly over the green messages icon.

“Are you finally going to text him or are you just going to keep staring longingly at your phone all day?”

Your cousin’s teasing voice startled you, pulling you out of your silent reverie as you fumbled the phone, nearly dropping it to the floor in your haste to get a grip on it and shove it inside your apron pocket.

Alexandria just laughed in response, her dark eyes sparkling as she slid a tray of freshly baked oatmeal raisin cookies onto one of the display case shelves. Normally, you would have complimented her on how amazing they smelled, but given the knowing smirk she was sending your way, you stuck your tongue out at her instead.

“Stick your tongue out at me all you want,” she told you, throwing her hands up in mock surrender. “But I know you, and I know how badly you want to text him. So why don’t you just do it already and save yourself all the torment?”

“Lexie,” you groaned, your phone suddenly feeling like a rock inside your pocket. Why did your cousin have to know you like the back of her hand?

You were saved from having to elaborate, however, when one of the timers dinged in the kitchen, signaling that the newest batch of muffins you and Lex had put in a little while ago was finished. She shot a pointed look in your direction, making it clear the conversation wasn’t over, before turning on her heel and going to take the muffins out of the oven.

Since it was the usual mid-morning lull and the only customers currently inside the bakery were a college student working on her laptop near the window and two elderly ladies enjoying conversation over scones and tea, you figured you should be both a good cousin and a good employee and go help Lexie in the back.

Despite the fact that you had already been working at the bakery for a few months now—ever since you had moved to San Diego—you still couldn’t help but be blown away whenever it hit you that your cousin had really accomplished the dream she’d been chasing since you were little girls. For as long as you could remember, Alexandria had been wanting to open up her very own bakery, a cozy little spot where people could come to read, hang out, and relax, all while enjoying some homemade treats and delicious coffee. It seemed like just yesterday that the two of you were playing with her Easy-Bake Oven, and now here she was—living the dream as a successful small business owner. You couldn’t have been more proud of her. Or more grateful that she’d given you both a job and a place to live when you’d decided to follow in her footsteps and make the move out to California.

Lex was like the big sister you never had. She gave the best advice and she knew you inside and out. Which was normally a good thing, but judging by the way she was looking at you from under her dark lashes, you knew today was going to be one of those days where she insisted on pushing you out of your comfort zone.

You sighed in exasperation as you helped her set the freshly baked orange cranberry muffins—a favorite among her loyal customers—on the cooling rack. “I wish I hadn’t even mentioned it. It’s not that big of a deal,” you insisted, supremely conscious of the weight of your phone pressing against your thigh as you worked.

“If it’s not that big of a deal, then why do you seem to be making it one?” Lexie replied with that razor-sharp wit of hers, winking when you shot her a dirty look over your shoulder.

“I’m not!” you insisted, although you knew that was a complete and total lie. You were being ridiculous and you knew it, but every time you even thought about sending him a message, your heart started pounding inside your chest and your palms got all gross and clammy.

Lex crossed her arms over her chest, throwing an exasperated look heavenward. “Babe, you’ve already been on two dates with him and he wants to take you out on another. Do you seriously think you’re going to send him running for the hills if you send him a text wishing him a happy birthday?”

When you heard it out loud, it did sound pretty stupid. He was such a great guy, so sweet and attentive and caring, and he had done nothing to indicate that he was losing interest or that he would be freaked out by such a simple message. But still…

“I do want to text him,” you confessed, biting your lip as you carried the empty muffin tray over to the large sink where your cousin washed all her baking supplies.

“So what’s holding you back?” Lexie asked, her voice gentler this time as she leaned her hip against the counter, clearly trying to understand. She’d seen your heart get broken enough times to know that you were much more cautious now when it came to entrusting it to other people.

You sighed softly, fiddling with the strings on your pink-and-white striped apron as you tried to put your feelings into words. “It’s just—we’ve only been on two dates. I mean, they were really amazing dates, but still. Only two. And our birthdays only came up once in passing on our first date. He never mentioned it again, even when he called the other night to ask me if I’d like to go out this weekend. So on the one hand, I do want to text him to wish him a happy birthday, but on the other hand, what if it weirds him out that I remembered? What if he thinks I’m some kind of obsessive stalker and gets the ick and then ghosts me?”

“For wishing him a happy birthday?” your cousin questioned skeptically, her eyebrows rising until they were practically touching the edges of her blunt bangs.

“I’ve been ghosted before for less,” you muttered in embarrassment, knowing that your love life was a disaster compared to your cousin, who had been with her soon-to-be-husband since high school.

Lex softened immediately, stepping beside you and wrapping a comforting arm around your shoulders. “I know,” she murmured soothingly, rubbing your arm with a gentle hand. “But those guys were jerks who didn’t deserve you. From everything I know about this guy, he sounds so great. He seems like the kind of guy who would be happy that you remembered his birthday.”

Honestly, you couldn’t argue with her there.

Bob Floyd was unlike any man you’d ever met before. He was everything you’d ever hoped to find but had feared you never would, the kind of perfect that seemed too good to be true, the gentleman that you had thought existed only in fairytales.

It had been over a month now since he’d stepped off a storybook page and walked into your life.

You could still remember that afternoon so clearly. It was a Saturday, and the bakery had been surprisingly dead. Lexie had decided to run to the bank, leaving you in charge of things in her absence. You’d been rearranging some of the pastries in the display case when the bell over the front door chimed, signaling a customer.

Stepping up to the counter, the words of greeting died in your throat when one of the most handsome men you’d ever seen in your life approached, a shy smile stretching across his face.

“Hi,” he greeted you in a soft-spoken voice, shoving his hands into his pockets. He was dressed simply in a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt, and yet you’d never seen a guy look better.

“Hi,” you echoed, your eyes widening as you got lost in a gaze as blue as the cornflowers that grew in your grandparents’ backyard.

The two of you just stared at each other for a couple minutes, neither of you saying anything, even as the air between you seemed to spark and hum with electricity.

“Um, I was, uh, hoping that you still had some cupcakes left. I know it’s a little later in the day and my neighbor who recommended this place said that you should always get here early, but, um, I have a little barbeque that I’m going to and I wanted to bring some dessert. I’m hopeless at making anything myself,” he rambled, his eyes crinkling as he laughed somewhat nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

It was only when he cleared his throat awkwardly a moment later that you realized you hadn’t yet responded to him.

“Oh! Cupcakes!” you exclaimed, your voice coming out a little louder and squeakier than you had intended. “Of course!” Running your hands down the front of your apron, you shook your head slightly to try to knock some sense into it. You walked over to the display case, indicating that he should come take a look. “Normally we’d already be sold out of a lot of these, but it’s been quieter today than usual, so we still have plenty left. I guess it’s your lucky day.”

“Seems like it,” he smiled, his blue eyes latching onto your face.

Something about the way he said it made your insides feel as gooey as the batter Lexie used to make her double chocolate fudge cake.

“How many cupcakes do you need?” you asked, working overtime to keep from getting flustered.

“I think two dozen should be fine,” he replied, his eyes roaming over the display case shelves. “Hmm, they all look so good, I wouldn’t know where to start. Do you have any recommendations?”

“The lemon zest cupcakes are really popular. So are the red velvet and the coconut cloud. Oh, and the German chocolate.” You laughed sheepishly. “Honestly, they’re all really good.”

He laughed in response, a small dimple appearing in his cheek that only further endeared him to you. “Which one is your favorite?” he asked, his voice so earnest it made your chest ache.

You didn’t even have to think about it. “The funfetti,” you told him, indicating the vanilla cupcakes baked with rainbow chips and topped with swirls of vanilla frosting and an extra dash of sprinkles.

“I’ll take a dozen funfetti cupcakes then. And you can surprise me with the other dozen,” he grinned, making you smile.

“I hope you and everyone at the barbeque enjoys,” you said after you finished ringing him up, sliding the two boxes of cupcakes towards him.

“I’m sure we will. This place comes highly recommended,” he replied with a smile. “Are you Lexie, the owner?”

“No, no, I’m her cousin,” you explained, introducing yourself by name.

“I’m Robert Floyd,” he said, holding out his hand to you. “But everyone calls me Bob.”

“Very nice to meet you, Bob,” you beamed, sliding your hand into his and shaking firmly. His hand was large and warm and calloused and it felt like yours had been made to fit inside it.

“Nice to meet you, too,” he murmured softly, holding onto your hand for another second or two before slowly releasing it. He was quiet for a moment, then added, “I’m sure I’ll be back again soon.”

“We serve really good coffee,” you said suddenly, desperate to find a reason to get him to come back. “And we open really early. You know, if you want to get some on your way to work.”

Bob’s beautiful blue eyes twinkled behind his glasses. “I’ll be sure to do that. Thank you.” He picked up his boxes of cupcakes and turned towards the door. Before he left, he shot you one last smile that melted your insides. “See you around.”

After that, Bob Floyd had found plenty of reasons to stop by the bakery. The following Monday, he’d stopped by in the morning to grab coffee for him and his friends on his way to work. That was when you’d learned that he was a naval aviator stationed at North Island.

“You were right about those funfetti cupcakes,” he told you, patting his stomach with a grin. “I think I ate about half the box before I thought to share them with anyone else.”

Your eyes crinkled and you felt your skin grow warm as you smiled in response. “Good, I’m so glad.”

You made sure to slip a cupcake in with all his coffee orders, a gesture which he didn’t fail to notice, judging from the extra large tip he left in the jar.

“See you soon,” he smiled, balancing all that coffee in his large hands as he backed out of the bakery.

From then on, he was there practically every day, stopping in for coffee or for some cupcakes after work. He often picked up things for other people—his friends or his neighbor who had recommended the bakery to him. But for himself, he always stuck with the funfetti cupcakes.

“I know I should branch out and try something new,” he told you one day through a mouthful of sprinkles. “But I can’t help it—these are just so good.”

It had taken nearly two weeks for Bob to work up the nerve to finally ask you if you might be interested in getting dinner with him sometime. You’d had to bite your tongue to keep from immediately screaming, “YES!” in his face,

The two of you spent your first date at a gorgeous little seafood restaurant right on the water, and then went for a long walk on the beach afterwards. It was truly the best date you’d ever been on. Bob was a perfect gentleman, attentively listening to everything you had to say and making you feel as though he actually cared about what was important to you. He’d even draped his jacket over your shoulders as you walked by the water, noticing the way you were shivering slightly in the dress you’d worn. You had been hoping he would kiss you at the end of the night, but like the gentleman that he was, he’d simply brushed your cheek with his lips, asking in a hushed voice if you’d like to see him again.

You wanted that very much.

On your second date, Bob took you mini golfing, something you’d told him that you hadn’t done since you were a little girl. You didn’t think you’d ever laughed so much as you did that night, no matter how terrible you turned out to be at miniature golf. Just like on your first date, Bob walked you to your door at the end of the night, his hand resting on the small of your back as you turned to look up at him, your eyes begging him to give you a proper kiss goodnight.

He had to duck his head slightly as he leaned in closer, a lock of his honey-colored hair draping across his forehead as his gaze latched onto yours, your breath mingling as the two of you inched closer and closer.

It was a soft kiss, sweet and chaste. His lips just barely brushed against yours, sending a shock of electric currents up and down your spine. When he pulled back, the both of you were flushed and stammering.

“C-can I call you tomorrow?” he asked, still so shy even after two dates.

“I hope you do,” you whispered with a smile, squeezing his hand before slipping through your front door.

Faithful to his word, Bob had called you the next day. The two of you were supposed to be going out again this weekend.

But that brought you back to your current dilemma—his birthday. You knew you were being stupid about this. Texting him for his birthday wasn’t tantamount to a marriage proposal. It wasn’t like you were trying to throw him a surprise party or invite yourself over for cake. It was a text message for crying out loud. And even though it had only come up once, he had told you when his birthday was. It wasn’t like you had gone to North Island and asked to see his personnel file.

The truth was, you were just terrified of screwing things up. You’d gone on plenty of dates with guys who had seemed really nice, who you had really thought were into you, only to be ghosted or flat-out rejected. Deep down inside, you knew that Bob was different from all those other guys, but still—the thought of sending him running made your stomach twist into knots.

“Babe, you know what I’m going to say,” Lexie murmured, your cousin’s voice pulling you out of all your convoluted thoughts. “If you never take a risk, then nothing’s ever going to change. I know you’re nervous, but just go for it. The worst that happens—seriously, the worst case scenario—is that he ghosts you. But you know what? If he does that, then he wasn’t worth your time anyway. And if he doesn’t? Well, maybe he’ll start to fall even harder for the gorgeous girl who remembered his birthday.” She grinned, wrapping both arms around you and pulling you in for a tight hug.

“Ugh, why do you always have to be right?” you grinned ruefully, pulling back from your cousin’s embrace and fiddling nervously with the scrunchie on your wrist.

“It’s a gift,” she replied with a wink, turning to look over her shoulder when the bell over the front door chimed. “I’ve got it,” she told you, squeezing your arm before heading back out to the front.

That left you alone in the back kitchen, your phone burning a hole in your apron pocket and your heart hammering inside your chest.

“Okay, don’t be an idiot,” you murmured to yourself. As far as pep talks went, it was far from the most inspirational, but it did the job as you pulled your phone out. “It’s not too much too soon. It’s just a text,” you breathed out. “It’s just a text.”

Opening your messages, you found Bob’s name—he was right near the top after texting you just yesterday—and opened up your conversation thread, chewing on your bottom lip.

Before you could talk yourself out of it, you tapped out a quick message that you hoped was short, sweet, and to the point and hit send.

Happy Birthday, Bob! I hope you have a wonderful day! 🥳🎉

You felt hot all over as you shoved your phone back into your pocket, your pulse stuttering in your veins as you wondered how long it would take him to see it. From what he had told you about his job, he often spent hours in the air each day, so chances were good he didn’t even have his phone on him right now.

You weren’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Taking a deep breath, you squared your shoulders and determined not to think about it. A task that was much easier said than done. But as you walked back out into the main part of the bakery, you found that a small crowd had formed, so you jumped into assisting your cousin behind the counter.

“Well?” Lexie asked under her breath as you helped her fill a couple boxes with a dozen cinnamon chip muffins.

“I sent it,” you murmured in reply, purposely avoiding her direct gaze. “But I haven’t heard anything back yet.”

As much as you had tried not to, you’d been compulsively checking your phone every five minutes.

Lex shrugged and waved it off. “It’s still early yet,” she said confidently, carrying the boxes over to the patiently waiting customer.

You threw yourself into various tasks around the bakery, anything that would keep your mind off your phone. You restocked the shelves in the display cases, organized the money in the cash register, wiped down the counters in the kitchen, scrubbed the baking pans, frosted cupcakes, replaced the coffee beans, and waited on any customers who walked in.

A couple of times, your phone buzzed in your pocket and your heart jumped into your throat, only to sink down to your stomach when you pulled it out and found that it was just an email notification or a text from your mom.

The longer you went without hearing from Bob, the harder you had to work to convince yourself that he wasn’t ignoring you.

No. He wasn’t ignoring you. Bob wasn’t like that. You were sure of it.

It was a little after noon, just when you’d taken a cup of coffee into the back for a short break, when you felt your phone buzz again, vibrating against your thigh through your apron. Swallowing nervously, you put your coffee down and reached into your pocket, a small gasp escaping you when you saw Bob’s name on the screen.

You could scarcely unlock your phone fast enough, opening up the text thread to read his reply.

Wow, you remembered! That means so much to me. Thank you! ☺️ Sorry it took me a little while to respond—we were doing some test flights, but I’m on my lunch break now and I’ll be on the ground for the rest of the day. How are you?

It took every ounce of self-restraint you had not to scream and jump up and down like a little girl. It felt like a boulder had been lifted off your shoulders. You hadn’t freaked him out! He hadn’t ghosted you! It was just like Lexie said—he was happy that you remembered.

Grinning like a fool, you leaned against the counter and typed out a response, not caring that your coffee was getting cold.

I’m doing great! Glad to hear you got some flying in on your special day ✈️ Doing anything to celebrate?

It was only after you had sent the message that you began to fret that it sounded like you were being nosy about his plans, or worse, trying to insert yourself into them.

But then Bob responded a minute later and put your worries to rest.

Nothing too fancy. My friends ordered lunch and got me a cake. They sang “Happy Birthday,” too, even though I begged them not to lol. I usually keep it pretty lowkey on my birthday.

You smiled as you wrote back, Was it a funfetti cake?

His next response came in no time at all, and it made your stomach flutter to imagine that he was focusing entirely on you and your conversation during his lunch break.

If only! It was really good, but I don’t think anything compares to those funfetti cupcakes 😋

At that moment, Lex walked into the back, stopping dead in her tracks when she saw the huge smile plastered on your face. It felt like it was going to get permanently stuck there.

“Well, well, well,” she grinned, sidling up next to you. “Should I take that glowing smile to mean you finally heard back from your lieutenant?”

You ducked your head shyly, your cheeks growing warm. “He isn’t my lieutenant,” you insisted.

“Mhm, sure,” your cousin grinned, laughing loudly when you nudged her in the side. “So it worked out after all? He didn’t say you were a freaky stalker? I shouldn’t be expecting the police to burst down the door any minute?”

“Okay, okay,” you groaned, realizing how ridiculous you’d been behaving that morning. “You were right. It all worked out. He was very touched that I remembered his birthday,” you murmured, sheepishly scuffing your sneaker against the floor.

“I’ve gotta say it—told you so,” Lex smirked victoriously, wrapping her arms around you and planting a kiss on your cheek.

“Yeah, yeah,” you muttered, feigning annoyance even as you grinned and returned your cousin’s hug. “You know, Bob was actually just texting me that his friends at work got him a cake, but that it just doesn’t compare to your funfetti cupcakes,” you told her with a proud smile.

“What can I say? They are pretty damn delicious,” she winked, her chest puffing up with pride. A sudden thought struck her as she looked at you. “Hey, what time does Bob get off from work?”

“I’m not sure exactly. Usually around six or seven, I think,” you told her, your brow wrinkling in confusion. “Why?”

“Hmm, perfect,” Lexie mused, tapping her chin as she glanced over her shoulder.

“What do you mean?” you asked, arching an eyebrow. Your older cousin was always plotting something.

“I mean that the bakery closes at five-thirty,” she said, as if you weren’t already well aware of that fact. When she realized that you weren’t exactly catching her drift, she went on, “Which means you could invite Bob over for a little after hours birthday treat if you’d like,” she grinned.

“Lex!” you gasped, scandalized.

Your cousin threw her head back laughing. “I didn’t mean that you should jump his bones in the middle of the bakery! I’d actually prefer it if you didn’t do that,” she chuckled teasingly. “I just meant you could surprise him with something sweet, on the house. Something we make here,” she added with a pointed look that made your cheeks grow hot in embarrassment.

“Oh,” you mumbled, nodding your head slowly. “Right. Of course.” You cleared your throat slightly. “Are you sure you wouldn’t mind?”

“Of course not! Anyone who makes my cousin this happy is welcome to free cupcakes anytime,” Lex said firmly, cupping your face in her hands and beaming at you.

“You’re the best,” you told her, throwing your arms around her and squeezing her in a tight hug. “I’ll text Bob now and see if he thinks he’ll be up for it.”

“If you’re the one asking, I’m sure he will be,” she winked, nudging you playfully before turning to go back to the front counter.

Once she was out of sight, you turned your attention back to your phone and bit your lip, trying to think of the best way to phrase what you wanted to ask him.

Speaking of funfetti cupcakes, any chance you’d want to swing by the bakery on your way home from work? We close at 5:30 today, but we make special after hours exceptions for our best customers 😉🧁

Was that stupid? That probably sounded stupid. Would he think that you were suggesting a quickie on the bakery floor the way you thought your cousin had been suggesting? Oh God, could you unsend that message before he got it?

I would love to! Is 6:45 too late?

This man didn’t cease to amaze you.

No, that’s perfect!

See you then ☺️

You tried your hardest to smother the smile that was threatening to completely overtake your face, but you couldn’t do it. This man gave you butterflies like you’d never experienced before in all your life, and the thought of getting to see him in just a few hours made you feel like you were going to burst from excitement and anticipation.

You didn’t even have to tell Lexie what Bob had said. The second she saw your face, she just smiled knowingly and told you, “I’ll be out of here by six.”

Time had never seemed to move so slowly as it did that day while you waited for closing time to finally come around. Lex observed your growing impatience with amusement, giving you as many odd jobs as she could to hopefully make the minutes go faster.

When the clock finally chimed five-thirty, you practically sprinted towards the door, locking it and flipping the closed sign around to ward off anyone who might have tried to stop by for a last minute treat.

“Good thing business is so good or I might get mad at you for scaring off customers,” Lexie teased.

True to her word, your cousin helped you clean up and then was heading out the door by six o’clock.

“Have so much fun,” she told you, blowing you a quick succession of air kisses. “And tell Bob happy birthday from me,” she added with a wink before slipping out the door.

With your cousin gone, that left you about forty-five minutes to finish getting ready before Bob arrived. You quickly set a playlist of classic 60s tunes to play softly through the speakers—you and Bob had discovered you had a similar taste in music about halfway through your first date—and then hurried into the bathroom to fix up your hair and apply a little bit of make-up. You usually didn’t bother with much when you were working, but you wanted to look nice for Bob.

Once you were done getting ready, you went into the back to get his little birthday treat set up—Lexie had made a fresh batch of funfetti cupcakes towards the end of the day just for the occasion. You had just finished placing one of the cupcakes on a small plate with a lace doily and inserting a candle into it when you heard a faint knock on the front door.

Your heart rate immediately began climbing as you ran your hands over the T-shirt and jeans you’d worn today, hoping you looked halfway presentable. Taking a deep, fortifying breath, you stepped out into the main part of the bakery and felt your legs instantly turn to Jell-O at the sight of Bob standing at the door, a bouquet of your favorite flowers in hand. You’d only told him once in passing how much you loved them, and he had remembered.

Wow, that really did mean a lot.

“Hi,” you greeted him, standing in the open doorway and beaming up at him.

“Hi,” he echoed, that little dimple making an appearance as he smiled down at you. After a beat, he seemed to suddenly remember that he was holding the flowers in his hand. “Oh, these are for you,” he said, holding them out shyly.

“They’re beautiful, Bob,” you breathed out softly, accepting them with a smile and pressing them to your nose. “My favorite. You remembered.”

“Just like you remembered my birthday,” he said, his blue eyes sparkling with an emotion you couldn’t quite name, but which you knew you felt just as much as he did.

The two of you stood there like that for a few moments, just gazing into each other’s eyes and smiling dreamily. Then you came to your senses.

“Come in, come in,” you told him, stepping out of the doorway so that he could enter and then closing the door behind him. “Gosh, these really are such beautiful flowers. That was so sweet of you. You didn’t have to get me anything. It is your birthday, after all,” you said, guiding him to a table in the center of the room.

“I wanted to,” Bob replied, taking a seat. He was still in his flight suit and he looked so handsome. “I’m happy that they made you smile.”

“It’s hard not to smile when I’m around you,” you told him, the words slipping out of your mouth before you could think twice about them. Your cheeks grew warm when you realized how vulnerable they were, and you buried your face in the bouquet once more.

Bob’s cheeks had grown rosy as well, and you noticed that his leg was bouncing nervously underneath the table. “I feel the same way,” he murmured softly.

You could have thrown your arms around him and kissed him right then and there, but then you recalled the actual reason why you had invited him over.

“I have a surprise for you,” you said suddenly, smiling brightly as you laid the bouquet of flowers down on the counter. “Wait right here and close your eyes,” you told him, waiting until he had done so before hurrying into the back and lighting the candle you’d tucked into his cupcake.

When you stepped back into the main room on quiet feet, you found that Bob was still patiently sitting with his eyes closed. Your heart swelled with deep affection—and was it possible something even deeper? You had never met anyone like him and you were certain you never would again.

It was at that moment that you realized “Be My Baby” by The Ronettes was currently playing through the speakers, as apropos a sign as you could imagine.

You cleared your throat slightly as you approached the table, the candle sparkling in front of your face as you brought it closer to the birthday boy.

“I know you said you weren’t a big fan of being serenaded with ‘Happy Birthday,’ so I’ll spare you my vocals,” you teased, setting the plate down in front of him. “But Happy Birthday, Bob.”

Opening his eyes, Bob glanced from your face down to the cupcake and then back up to you again. He seemed at a loss for words, his eyes growing wide behind his glasses.

“This is—this—thank you,” Bob finally said, his voice sounding a bit hoarse. “I can’t believe you did all this for me.”

You smiled, sitting down beside him and gently resting your hand over his. “Blow out your candle before it melts into your cupcake,” you giggled.

He grinned at the sound of your laughter, leaning in closer to blow out the single candle, though he kept his eyes fixed on you the whole time.

“Lexie baked them fresh this afternoon. There’s a whole bunch more in the back that I’m going to be sending you home with,” you told him, your heart skipping a beat at the way his face lit up.

“What did I do to deserve all this? This is the best birthday present ever,” Bob chuckled, wrapping his fingers around yours and squeezing lightly.

“I’m glad you think so,” you murmured, glancing down at the table shyly. “The truth is, I was a little nervous to text you earlier.”

Bob looked surprised at your admission. “Why?” he asked, astonished.

You bit your lip and hesitated, but then decided to be honest. Like Lexie said, if you never took a risk, then you never got to see anything change. “I know this is going to sound so stupid, but I was worried you would think it was too much if I texted you for your birthday.”

“Too much?” he repeated, his brow crinkling in obvious confusion.

“You know, just because you had only mentioned your birthday once. I thought maybe I would seem too desperate or clingy or something if I reached out. I thought it would freak you out,” you confessed. “I know that sounds pretty dumb when I say it out loud.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Bob assured you, shaking his head slowly. “I know what you mean. To be honest, I think I’ve had that problem myself. Y’know, coming off too eager and scaring girls away,” he admitted, blushing as he ducked his head.

“Oh, Bob,” you murmured in understanding, lacing your fingers through his. With all the other things you two had in common, it shouldn’t have surprised you that a crappy dating history was something else you shared. “You could never scare me off,” you promised him.

Lifting his head, he smiled at you and reached out slowly, his fingertips stirring a few wisps of your hair as he brushed your cheek lightly. “And you could never freak me out. It meant so much to me that you remembered my birthday. It made my whole day, in fact. Even more than the funfetti cupcakes,” he said, his eyes crinkling. He was quiet for a moment, thoughtful, then added softly, “I remember everything about you.”

“You do?” you whispered, feeling a sudden surge of emotion well up in your throat.

He nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving yours. “Your favorite movies, the fact that you like tomatoes but hate ketchup, the way you throw your head back when you laugh really loudly. Your favorite flowers. I remember it all.”

“Bob,” you breathed out, the tears brimming in your eyes as your gaze dropped from his eyes down to his mouth.

You weren’t really sure who moved first, but soon enough, Bob was holding you in his arms, your lips pressed together in a kiss that was much less chaste than your first one, but just as sweet. Your arms snaked around his neck, one hand burying itself in his soft hair, the other resting on the nape of his neck. He let out a soft groan in response, one of his large hands resting on your hip and the other splaying across your back, holding you close.

It was a kiss that was so much like Bob himself—gentle, kind, tender, sweet, affectionate, attentive. He didn’t demand more than you were willing to give, he didn’t try to take anything from you. He just wanted to make you feel how much he cared about you, wanted to make you feel special and cherished. And he did. You hoped more than anything that you were doing the same for him.

Because the truth was that you were already falling for Bob Floyd, and falling hard.

When the two of you finally pulled back—a mutually hesitant parting borne solely of the need for oxygen—you smiled breathlessly, closing your eyes as Bob rested his forehead against yours.

“Okay, maybe that was the best birthday present ever,” he chuckled quietly, his lips brushing against your temple.

“I think so, too, and it’s not even my birthday,” you grinned, resting your head against his shoulder. “Are you going to have your cupcake?” you asked, glancing down at where it sat on the plate, still untouched.

“Mhm,” Bob nodded, wrapping an arm around you and brushing his fingers up and down your arm. “But there actually is something I’d like to ask you first,” he said, suddenly sounding nervous.

Lifting your head, you looked up at him, trying to figure out why he suddenly looked so flustered.

“Of course. What is it?” you questioned, resting a hand on his arm.

“Well, all of this has been amazing,” he began, pushing his glasses back up onto the bridge of his nose. You had noticed they had a tendency to slide down when he was particularly nervous. “But there actually is one more thing that I’d really like for my birthday this year.”

You raised your eyebrows curiously. “What is it?”

Bob swallowed deeply and then looked directly into your eyes. “Will you be my girlfriend?”

Your lips parted as a little gasp of delighted surprise escaped you. It may have been Bob’s birthday, but it felt like you were the one being showered with gifts today.

“Oh, Bob, yes! Yes!” you exclaimed, throwing your arms around him and pressing another kiss to his lips.

“Yes?” Bob repeated between kisses, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Yes,” you told him seriously, cupping his cheek in your hand. “Nothing would make me happier.”

“Oh, darlin’,” he breathed out, the term of endearment falling easily off his tongue in that adorable midwestern accent of his. He pulled you into his arms once more and kissed you soundly.

You giggled softly as you reached for the funfetti cupcake and removed the candle, holding it up for him to take a bite. “Happy Birthday, Bob.”

[merakiui]

floyd who gets a summer job doing yard work and other heavy lifting for a widowed milf darling. :) working his tail off in the sun, sweating and shirtless, and happily trotting over to the windowsill or back porch when you call him in for a break. sipping the homemade lemonade you’ve stirred up or indulging in a slice of pie you’ve left to chill on the window!!!

floyb watching you in your garden, picking fresh strawberries or basil to use in your dishes, and he’s never been more down bad. you’re so cute in your spring dress with its soft, frilly apron… how is he supposed to be normal when you call him ‘sweetheart’ in that sweet, lilting voice of yours? compared to him, who is all hard muscle, you’re so soft and squeezable… he’s infatuated.

[0mg-bird]

Cake Batter ~B Floyd x Fem! Reader

Summary: How Bob comes home to an expected mess, both of his girlfriend and the dinner.

Warnings: Just fluff and some language.

You practically danced around the kitchen, making sure all the different things you had going were turning out the way you planned. You had sent Bob off to work after a morning of rolling around in bed, apologizing that he had to spend his birthday with fighter pilots and not you in lingerie. Then, you had showered and gotten dressed and rushed off to the store. You were determined to make his favorite meal, all from scratch, so you searched the store for every ingredient needed. You never claimed to be a chef, but you were going to try your hardest to make the best dish possible for the man you’ve been in love with for six years.

Music played in the background as you danced around the kitchen, mixing things in this bowl, seasoning vegetables in that one. You truly believed there was a method to your madness.

Then, slowly, it started falling apart.

Your cornbread burns in the oven, the roast you started early somehow still isn’t tender, you forgot to add the carrots in to simmer with the broth and you start questioning if the lettuce for a side salad is rotten or not.

Panic starts to set in when the clock inches closer to the time Bob said he’d be home. You turn the heat up in the slow cooker, then try and focus on making his birthday cake instead.

While pulling another mixing bowl down, you get lost in thought. Hands wiping at your apron, you huff at the remembrance of your families doubt. They make countless jokes about all the faults you’ve been through over the years. Bleaching your laundry, locking keys in the car, forgetting to pay the water bill, and most of all, soiling every meal in some way.

It’s like you’re a bad omen when it comes to every task an adult should complete successfully.

Your father once said the real reason Bobby didn’t pop the question was because he was scared of having a wife who’d accidentally poison him.

You shake yourself free from that absurd claim, then go back to your measurements.

How much flour did you put in already? Was that too much sugar?

You shrug, humming to yourself as you turn to the fridge and retrieve some eggs.

Cracking them open, you drop half the shells in the batter, making you curse and fish them out with a spoon. Whisking away, you don’t see the initial spark of the outlet where the slow cooker is plugged into, but when you smell something odd, you see the flame coming from the wall.

You gasp and shout, hastily setting the mixing bowl down, it teeters on the edge of the counter.

You grab a towel, trying to throw it over the fire, this is when you really begin to panic. The flame burns your hand, making you cry out but continue to smother it until it extinguishes. Tears well in your eyes from the pain, but when you hear the crash of the bowl and turn to see the cake batter splatter everywhere on the floor, you cry with defeat.

What do you do now?

You’ve ruined it all.

You immediately grab a wet rag and sink to the mess, trying to wipe it up. Your hair falls in your face, tears fall fiercely.

As far as your dearest Bobby goes, he pulls into the driveway, relieved he is finally home. His key turns in the door, and he expects you to be reading on the couch, maybe watching a movie. He pictures you greeting him with a kiss, telling him about dinner reservations you made maybe. What he doesn’t envision is the scene unfolding as he comes into his small house.

“Honey?” He calls, clicking off the stereo. Immediately he hears the sound of your cries. Panic floods him.

He follows the sound into the kitchen, a brisk pace about him. There, he finds you on the floor, wiping up a mess, covered in cake batter, face red, loose hair falling against your damp cheeks.

“What happened?” He asks, and your eyes lift to him with pure sadness. You speak but your words are sobbing and broken. “I-I was making dinner and then the-the cornbread burned because I left it in too long while chopping vegetables and I forgot the carrots and I put too much flour in the cake and then the kitchen caught on fire-”

“Fire?” He panics, looking around, sure enough there’s a large scorch mark on the wall where the outlet is.

“Mhm.” You nod, getting to your feet. “And I didn’t know what to do- why don’t we have a fire extinguisher? And then the batter fell and made a mess and I was trying to clean it up before you came home and saw but I wasn’t fast enough and now it’s all ruined!”

He comes forward, not caring that he’s stepping in the residue of batter. He holds your shoulders. “Hey, it’s okay, just breathe.” He shushes, but you can’t even look at him.

“I ruined it, it’s not okay! I-I had a plan, I was determined but I fucked it up.”

His arms are wrapping around you, his hand on the back of your head, he’s whispering to you to calm down, that everything’s okay.

“I’m sorry, Bobby.” You cry into his shoulder.

“It was an accident, I’m not mad at you.” He says, pulling you back. He holds your face between his hands, his thumbs wiping away the tears that come. “Just breathe, you didn’t ruin nothing, okay?”

You shut your eyes, nodding. Your hands go to hold his wrists, but you wince at the pain. His eyes widen. “What is it, sweetheart?”

“I burned myself.” You sniffle, lifting your hand to show him.

Bob pulls you to the sink, holding your wound under cold water to give you some relief. “It’s just been a rough day, huh?” He asks, not in a mocking tone. He’s so utterly genuine, you want to cry all over again because he’s too perfect for you.

“I wanted you to feel special, I was going to master your favorite meal and it was going to be great.” You say, feeling defeated.

“I believe you, and I bet it was gonna be great, baby.” He says, grabbing a towel and wrapping your hand.

As he guides you away, lifting you to sit on the counter top, he kisses your fingers before going to grab the first aid kit.

You feel dumb, it was his birthday and yet he was talking care of you.

He gently rubs some Vaseline over the burn, then wraps it with a bandage. “See? All better, and the world didn’t end.” He smiles at you.

You shake your head. “I’d make a terrible wife.” You say, looking down at your feet.

Bob’s brows furrow, not liking the way you talk about yourself. “Hey…” He says, rubbing your knee. “Who says that, huh?”

“Me. My family.” You admit, wiping your face.

“Well, that’s a silly thing to say, isn’t it?” He asks, coming to stand between your legs. His finger lifts your jaw, forcing your head up to look at him. “One bad meal doesn’t matter.”

“I am a terrible cook, I over season, I burn, I make a mess. I can’t even cook a frozen pizza.” You say, and he pauses.

He can’t deny it, but he won’t say that.

“You’ll get better with time. Besides, I can cook so it’s fine.” He pushes your hair back, smiling.

“I’m cursed, Bobby, that’s why you don’t want to marry me.” You huff, looking into his big blue eyes that squint a little at your accusation. “I never said I didn’t wanna marry ‘yuh.” He says.

“But-”

“But nothin’. I’d marry you tomorrow if it was up to me, honey, but I want to make sure we are settled in every aspect before I make you my wife. It has nothing to do with whatever curse you think you have. You ain’t got no curse, you’re perfect.” He means every word, cradling your head with his gentle hand.

Slowly, you nod. “I’m sorry your birthday wasn’t better.”

He pulls you from the counter. “I came home to you, my birthday was great.”

His sideways smile makes the corners of your lips lift, and suddenly you’re leaning into him, kissing him deeply. Bob grips your hips, holding you to him as he groans at the fever of your mouth.

After a moment, he pulls back. “Let’s clean up and then we’ll go out to eat, okay?”

You nod, kissing his cheek. “Okay.”

All this mess over some cake batter.

[traumxrei-archive]

【 iii. picture perfect shopping 】

summary: for a debutante, one must be the most eye catching at the ball. yuu decides to take floyd shopping with them. what they didn’t realize was how picky the prankster would be when it came to their outfit…

word count: 1.6k

author’s note: floyd leech my beloved <33 i love this guy sm, and i feel like he’s one of the twsties who’d have rlly good fashion ^^

[ the perfect debutante series | or read on ao3 (coming soon) ]

"Master~" Floyd groaned, fiddling with his tie. "Do I have to wear somethin' so uncomfortable?"

Today Yuu was supposed to go clothes shopping. Floyd, who had previously looked bored out of his mind, suddenly shot up and volunteered himself. And since none of the others protested, the rest was history.

"Why not?" The corners of Yuu's lips twitched as they buttoned Floyd's vest.

Yuu supposed that they had a bit of a mischievous streak when it came to their own maids. Especially with Floyd Leech. It wasn't often that they had something to tease the maid with.

Floyd grabbed their hand, stopping them in their tracks, "Aren't I supposed to dress you?" 

"I suppose," Yuu glanced up, his eyes boring into theirs. "But wouldn't you rather do something more interesting instead?"

Floyd seemed to switch tactics, "Can't I wear my normal uniform? These pants are too stuffy."

Yuu thought about it. About the way Floyd preferred loose skirts that fell just above his knees. Or the way his apron was always stained with something or another from running around all day. Wearing fitted pants probably felt strange in retrospect.

But they had to appreciate how Floyd looked from an aesthetic point of view. The pants all but accentuated his height, coupled with a fitted coat and vest. Floyd looked the spitting image of a young master rather than a maid. (They patted themself on the back for choosing such a perfect outfit.)

"Hmm, but you look handsome like this too," They smiled because Floyd was always weak when it came to compliments.

They knew they won the argument as soon as Floyd released a long sigh "If Master says so~"

"Besides, we aren't trying to attract attention. If it weren't for the ball..."

Floyd grinned then, "Don'tcha worry, all I gotta do is get you lookin' the best at the ball, right Master?"

Turned out that Floyd was quite picky when it came to clothing. Maybe that was why Jade seemed quite apologetic as he was sending them off. What they thought would be a simple shopping trip turned out to be a quest for "only the best that fit Master," as Floyd put it.

"This material...isn't it on the cheaper side?"

Or, "Nah, this color doesn't match your eyes."

Or, their personal favorite, "Master, you're rich, so shouldn't you get a bigger rock?"

Yuu would’ve laughed at all of Floyd’s comments if it wasn’t considered rude to the store owners. The good thing was that Floyd had basically done the hard part for them. He had chosen a suitable outfit on their behalf, swathing them in Night Raven grey, adorned with gold trimmings. And then there were the boots made out of leather from a foreign land. Yuu probably would've chosen without worrying too much about quality if it weren't for Floyd, but he seemed determined to watch over their purchases like a hawk. 

Their feet were getting a bit tired, but Yuu couldn't bring themself to say no when Floyd entered another store.

"This time we'll find a good brooch," Floyd said as he opened the door, letting them into the store. "Something bi~g and shiny so that those garbage minnows won't look down on you."

"I'm sure I don't need it," They reassured.

Yuu knew why Floyd was worried. There were plenty of unsavory rumors going around about them, after all. It had been happening for a long time, ever since they attended NRC. 'The young heir is socially inept', or 'A mere teen cannot inherit the Night Raven Duchy, much less an orphan!', or even their least favorite rumor, 'The loyalty of their staff is due to their status.' It didn't matter much to them anyway. By the end of their Debutante, they would make sure that no one would be able to run their mouths about the Duchy or their people.

"Welcome, customers!" The salesman greeted cheerily. "Please have a seat." They both took a seat, and soon the scent of tea leaves seemed to fill the room as they waited. Floyd was already eyeing the display cases, eyes calculating. 

The store owner poured them each a cup of tea. His eyes glanced between the two of them before finally landing on Floyd, “What would you like to see, good sir?”

Ah. It seemed that this store owner had mistaken them to be a servant, and Floyd their master. It made sense, given the more simplistic clothing they decided to use if only to disguise their shopping trip. Floyd expression had dropped. They could feel the anger starting to radiate from the maid.

“Hey,” There was a cold expression on Floyd’s face. “Don’t look down on my Master like that.” Oh Sevens.

They tugged at his sleeve, before whispering, “Floyd, don’t—" 

“Master?” The owner glanced at them for a moment, not even noticing that he interrupted them. “Are you sure?”

And that seemed to be the final straw for Floyd.

He slammed his hand on the table with a loud bang and Yuu's heart felt like it stopped in their chest. Horror dawned on them as they watched the table shake, the tea set wobbling before shattering with a spectacular sound. CRASH! Hot tea spilled all over the surface of the table, splashing Floyd's arm.

“Floyd!" They hurriedly grabbed his arm, jerking it from the steaming puddle of tea.

Floyd continued to glare at the man, “It seems there’s a minnow who doesn’t know his place.”

They injected as much authority as they could into their voice, “Floyd Leech, I want you to calm down. This behavior is far from appropriate.” They watched as Floyd’s shoulders tensed, conflict passing his expression. The store owner didn’t dare to move either, face frozen in shock.

An eternity seemed to pass before Floyd released a harsh breath, “As your benevolence wishes, Master.” A frustrated expression crossed Floyd’s face before he was turning toward them, sinking to the ground. His forehead pressed against their knee, and Yuu fought not to comfort Floyd for a second.

Instead, they looked up. Yuu stared at the spilled tea with disdain, “Well? Clean up the mess. I'll compensate for the broken tea set.” 

“Y-Yes, of course,” The man seemed to sweat even more as he bowed. “And...may I know your name?” The nerve of him to ask after all that.

“Your ignorance astounds me. Most know me as the heir to the Night Raven Duchy.” And the owner turned white as a sheet. Good. That should teach him not to forget their face ever again. As the man stumbled out, they turned their attention to Floyd.

Yuu finally let their hand card into Floyd’s hair, “Floyd. You’re not upset with me, are you?”

“‘M not,” His voice was muffled, and they could feel him press his cheek against their knee. “Are you mad at me?”

They let out a light laugh, brushing the hair out of Floyd’s eyes. He was staring right at them now. “I’m not. I understand why you were offended. Now he’ll never forget my face for as long as he lives.” Floyd had a bleeding heart when it came to those that challenged their status, more than any of their other maids. And that big of a blunder coupled with the fact that the debutante was soon… It was no wonder Floyd had snapped.

"But Master..." Floyd was pouting now. "You don't hafta compensate him."

"I have to compensate him for the damageds. But the Night Raven Duchy will never give him another penny ever again," Yuu held up their palm. "Now show me your hand.”

Floyd obediently lifted his arm, which was all but soaked in tea, “It doesn’t hurt.” The skin was reddened slightly, and they frowned, wishing that they had intervened quicker.

“Still, we should have the doctor take a look later. And you should get changed,” Yuu traced over the wetness of his sleeve. “I…have your uniform. It's in our carriage, down the block.”

Floyd’s head shot up, eyes glittering, “Really?”

They nodded, sheepishly, “If you really were uncomfortable in those clothes, I wasn’t going to force you to keep wearing it for the whole— Woah—“ Floyd stood up, leaving the store before they could finish their sentence.

The owner finally returned. They wondered if he timed it so that Floyd would leave before he entered. They glanced at him, “Do you happen to have a fitting room here?”

“E-Excuse me? This is a jewelry store, but we—“ The door opened almost violently as Floyd walked back in, expression dangerously dark once more. They tapped a finger against their arm. The owner coughed, “W-We have an empty storage room at the back, p-please go ahead, your grace.”

“Thank you,” Yuu brushed off their clothes before offering a hand to Floyd. “Shall we?” Floyd seemed happy to lead them to the back, and more than happy to change back into his normal attire.

Yuu chuckled at the sight of the lopsided headband and the carelessly tied apron. Riddle and Jamil would have a heart attack if they saw what Floyd looked like as he exited the store.

Floyd stretching ahead of them, “Kinda wish I could've beaten him up a little~”

"Floyd Leech, that is unacceptable," They said with mock seriousness, as Floyd laughed cheerily.

And watching Floyd skipping down the streets, pointing to another store up ahead, well... They couldn't say no.

thank you for reading ^^ if you’d like to read more, check out my masterlist ! like the art ? look at more of dumple's works on insta !

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[cheezeybread]

got a fun little request. picture Yuu doing a taste test for Trey for the next unbirthday party. Only... Floyd hears about it and decides to make it a cooking contest with Yuu as a judge. He wants to impress Yuu and show them he can totally do baked goods just as good as Trey. Azul meanwhile probably sees this as a chance to promote the lounge so dollar signs and promotion for him. up to you who wins the contest.

Hey, hey, let him cook!

-Yuu when Floyd shows up to try and make it a competition

This is all written as platonic, although it'd probably be easy to imagine it as romantic heheh

┍━━━━━»•» 🌺 «•«━┑

"Heeeeey, you don't happen to be craving some extra sweets this week, do ya? :)"

The text from Trey caught you completely off guard, especially since he hadn't texted you in well over two weeks...

Almost as if he could sense your confusion, Trey sent multiple texts in a row after that first one, giving you more information about the upcoming unbirthday party and how he was preparing some new desserts and needed someone to test them out before he served them to Riddle and the other Heartslabyul members. Of course, you accepted.

Who knows how (probably Ace, on second thought) Floyd caught wind of this happening, but as soon as he did? Hoooo boy, it was ON!

Floyd gets into strange moods sometimes, and sometimes those moods go into a sort of overzealous competition (unfortunately for the basketball team, that competitive mood never comes around during plays-). This was one of those times.

He approached you after class, presenting you with a terribly-drawn...poster, of sorts? It was pretty much just a page he had colored to look like an appealing advertisement for a "bake-off" between him and Trey for later that afternoon. It even included little stick figures of Floyd and Jade roasting Trey over a spit like a pig, and you with hearts in your eyes as you held out a blue ribbon to Floyd....Oh, yeah, this was definitely made by the eel.

Despite receiving Floyd's "official invitation", you had to go by Octavinelle to see what all the hubbub was about. Mostro Lounge was decorated to the nines, with crepe paper dangling from the ceiling, various posters of Floyd and Trey posing with their own creations, and more hand-drawn posters of Floyd beating Trey (either literally or otherwise-). Azul was absolutely mad with power (when is he ever not?) and was running around the place barking out orders, obviously too busy to talk to you, so you had to hunt down Jade, who graciously explained the situation.

Floyd was challenging Trey to a competition to see who could make the best desserts, summed up. The winner would receive a glamorous prize that was mysteriously being kept a secret for now. The judge? You!

Since you didn't entirely have a choice in whether to participate or not, you groaned inwardly and allowed Jade to pull you aside as he spoke about needing you to "look the part" for a cooking judge. Bam! He pulled out a very glamorous outfit from nowhere, along with a decorative apron that had your name embroidered on it...which led you to wonder how long Floyd had been planning this all out?

But that's not a question for you to worry your pretty little head about! Onto the contest!

Trey begrudgingly accepted the baking challenge, only really agreeing after hearing whatever this "prize" was. Or, at least, that's what you overheard from the massive crowd of students who gathered into the Mostro Lounge to watch the challenge proceed (of course, they still had to pay tickets to come as well as for their meals and drinks!)

You still weren't even sure of what was going on, only that you were seated in a fancy chair on a pedestal with a small table in front of you.

Heck, all you could do was watch as Trey and Floyd stood at their separate areas, baking with such fervor that you'd think they were fighting for their lives. batter was flying everywhere, the crowd was getting splattered with ingredients, and Azul stood to the side with Jade, practically having Thaumark-signs in his eyes.

In the end, Floyd brought up to you a very beautifully-made parfait, and Trey brought a regal, multi-layered cake. You took a bite of each, still not taking this whole contest very seriously.

"I think....Trey wins," You said with a confident smile "Your cake was very good, and uh...stuff."

"What???" Floyd yelled out, putting his hands on his head in dismay while Trey wiped off his apron with a satisfied grim "Why didn't I win???"

All you could do was shrug and hold back a laugh "I don't like parfaits...plus, that gummy shark you tossed in there with all the strawberry jam around it really threw me off."

As Floyd stormed off and began to break almost everything in the lounge, ranging from students to chairs to appliances, Trey looked up to you with his usual charming look.

"So, my prize?" He asked hopefully.

"Oh, yeah, about that," You rubbed the back of your neck awkwardly "I literally only just learned about this whole contest an hour ago when Floyd gave me the paper, and I'm still in shock that all this was put together and played out in that time....but yeah, no one ever told me what this prize was."

"Aha!" He chuckled "It's a day with you, Prefect!"

┕━»•» 🌺 «•«━━━━━┙

[purelyfiction]

stars in a line - robert 'bob' floyd x f!reader

Word Count: 1,207 words

Summary: Chicken's in the skillet, ice in the drink, head's in the clouds, diamond's in the rough, he's in a Chevy and I'm in love // Tips in the apron, hair's in a braid, Mercury's all in retrograde // He's in a T-shirt all cleaned up, Good lord almighty, mama don't wait up // Chills down my spine, hearts on the line, He's all mine and I'm in love

Content Warning: fluff!! also note of animal abandonment

Author Note: another round for @ohtobeleah 's galentines writings :))))))

the familiar rumble of the older engine makes your features split with a smile. when bob had told you he was gonna drive his truck from montana to california you thought he was losing his mind.

then he'd explained why he was so insistent.

that he'd taken you out in that '87 Chevy all those years ago. after weeks of coming into the diner you worked in after school, dozens and dozens of milkshake and fry basket combos (and subsequent heartburn) just so he could hang out with you. he'd gotten up the nerve to finally ask you out. that truck had been your front row seats at the drive in watching a rerun of some old army movie his dad had recommended.

he'd taken the two of you to prom in that truck. to high school graduation, your college graduation. when the engine died on you while he was stationed in atlanta he'd taught you how to fix the thing via facetime.

beverly the chevy had been there for so many of your big moments. she'd been the reason why bob ended up buying the house that you stood contently in.

'bev is gonna need a place out of the elements if she's gonna stay top notch.'

this house had been the only one with a two car garage. one side for bev and one side for your car.

now when the engine rumbles echoed in the garage and made the older house vibrate, you couldn't help but grin. the sizzling of chicken in a skillet on the stove greets bob when he steps into the kitchen. he's greeted with the smell and a bottle of wine in a pile of ice in the sink. the door to the garage shuts, and you glance over your shoulder. when you do, you're witnessing the brown paper bouquet in his hands, white t-shirt on his shoulders, levis hugging his waist, trucker cap right where it belongs. he knows what this does to you. it's a simple look, nothing more than the basics but that's what does it. it highlights him. the man you love, bare bones and all.

the same man you fell for in that truck bed all those years ago.

he slides his boots off and wraps his arms around you from behind you, showing off the flowers he carried in. "happy flowers to you," he's humming now, making you giggle as his arms tight around you start bouncing you back and forth as he sings to the tune of 'happy birthday', "happy flowers to you, happy flowers, happy flowers, to my valentine youuuuuu" he punctuates the end of the song with a sloppy kiss to your cheek as you ease the weight of the florals from his hand.

"these are stunning, bo." you grin as he lets go, letting you turn to face him fully as he smiles.

"i know, i picked 'em cause they remind me of you." bob grins before pressing a quick kiss to your lips, barely pulling back when he speaks again, "happy valentines, sweet girl." you repeat the sentiment before he takes the arrangement and starts to get them into water.

you can't help but stare as he begins trimming the ends of each stem, easing them into the vase. you can smell the freshness of his body wash, having showered on base before he came home to you. couldn't waste time on your night together - and he knew it. the combination on him is near lethal to you. if you weren't actively cooking dinner, the counter would have been supplying a different kind of heat to the kitchen.

"i bought you something!" you nearly startle him with your sudden announcement, the reminder of your gift hitting you as you watch him. running down the hall causes the pup in the living room to chase after you, causing you and bob to both laugh.

shadow had been an unplanned addition to your lives because the poor pup appeared on your back deck one night. the collar on his neck held your current address. the previous owners had barely been involved with the process of the sale, so you didn't have their contact information to tell them hey assholes, you left your dog.

so, you and bob joked that the house came with a guardian, a black lab and german shepherd mix (bob got his dna tested out of infuriating curiosity). he quickly clung to the two of you - thus 'shadow'.

you lug the box into the kitchen, where bob has kept an eye on the meal you had recklessly abandoned. looking at you he huffs a gasp. "sweet girl, this is unnecessary." he laughs, taking the wrapped gift from your arms and sliding it onto the counter. still, he tears into it and reveals the milkshake maker, making him laugh, looking over at you with a grin. "that why you got your hair all done like this?" he grins, his fingers moving over the braid you'd plaited this morning.

"maybe." you hum, kissing his cheek as he looks over the box holding the machine. that diner the two of you met in had closed not long after you moved to san diego. you'd spent hours there and he'd once complimented the ribbon in your hair when it was woven into the braid on your head. recently, bob had mentioned how he'd missed those milkshakes they'd always made him.

he grins, before tucking his hand into his pocket. "hold out your hand." you hold it out as he asks, palm up. what he sets into your palm catches you off guard.

you'd been expecting something small, likely a jewelry box or something, like the years before.

instead a little metal circle is dropped into your palm. shining and glimmering. diamonds along it like stars in a line. your spine is electrified with chills, as your jaw drops as you look at him in awe. "bob, what-you-"

"i can get on my knee if you want, i'm just- i'm so in love with you. i'm truly in awe of you and how valid you make me feel. how valued and cherished i feel - how you listen," his head nods to the machine on the counter, "and you care and you never fail to be the best. just simply the best. i hope that i am for you-"

cutting him off you speak, "and you are," he laughs.

"then i wanna continue being that for you. for forever." you're sliding the new piece of jewelry onto your ring finger before he can get the words out, your arms slinking around his shoulders and linking your lips with his.

when you pull back, you grin.

"you're mine. i'm all yours and i'm in love. i'm so in love with you. with our life and the path we're on." you whisper. his hand takes a hold of your arm before the two of you jump at the sound of a smoke detector, both of you scrambling to clear the kitchen of smoke.

when the alarm is off and the burnt chicken is tossed, you smirk as you pull ice cream from the fridge.

"ice cream for dinner?" you try. bob grins.

"how about milkshakes instead?"

[aangelinakii]

BREADWINNER.

— ( try not to ) kiss the cook.

summary : you spend a morning with your boyfriend while he cooks breakfast, and you try so desperately not to kiss him. but that's what the apron says, right?

not proofread !

as your eyes flickered open, pulled away from slumber, the sickly sweet aroma of burnt sugar wafted through your senses. bringing a lazy hand to rub at your sandy eyes, you glanced over at the space next to you. the bedding had been left messy where he'd left you, warmth still radiating from where he'd slept there.

with a groan as you stretched out your achingly tired limbs, you pulled yourself to your feet, your toes drinking in the plushness of the slippers angled perfectly next to your side of the bed.

trudging out of the bedroom, slippers softening the blows of your feet on the floorboards, you followed your nose to the kitchen, where your boyfriend stood in front of the stove, back turned to you.

from here, with the pale sunlight slipping through the blinds, every crevice lining his back pulled you further into the room. his shoulders were wide and angular, the product of his line of work, and years of gymnastic training. despite the smoothness of his skin, owning a soft glow in the morning light, he had a few scars here and there; one that stood out to you sat along his lower back, that you now made a conscious effort not to touch once you'd done so before and he flinched.

on his lower half he donned blue plaid pyjama trousers – a pair that he wasn't wearing when he'd gone to sleep with you the night before. as sunny as the mornings were, they were also chilly.

but what was new about this morning attire was the pink ribbon tied in a bow just above the scar on his lower back. where'd this come from?

"good morning, handsome," you hummed as you leaned against the kitchen table, voice still raspy from waking up.

surprised by the sound of your voice, dick's quiet humming of frank sinatra songs cut short, and he spun around to face you, one hand still holding his spatula. "hey!"

your eyes roamed the new addition to his outfit; the pink apron covering his toned chest, protecting his torso from any food stains or burns. right in the middle, in a lace-adorned white heart, wrote the words kiss the cook! in italic lettering. no need to tell you twice.

his lips pulled up into a bashful grin. "i wanted to surprise you with breakfast in bed."

at the sweet sincerity of his words, your lips pulled up, too, and you slowly approached. stepping closer to him, you snaked an arm around his waist, perching your chin on one of those broad shoulders of his, and he turned back around to work on the sugary pancakes in his frying pan.

"i mean, i'm still surprised," you chuckled, watching from over his shoulder as he skilfully flipped over the pancake. "you didn't have to do all this."

"i know," dick replied, voice somewhat small and soft. from where you stood, chest pressed to his back, you could feel his words vibrate through his body as he spoke, rumbling with adoration. "but i know you've had a rough week, so i wanted to do something nice."

your gaze flickered from the creamy, sizzling pancake in the frying pan, up to his face. you could only see about a quarter of it from your view, but that one quarter filled you with warmth, sweet, sweet warmth.

the curve of his soft cheek, and the way his long eyelashes fluttered with each blink. the angle of his nose, and the way it subtly hooked; a part he was more insecure about, but something you loved. he hadn't done his hair yet since waking up, so his raven locks sprouted out every which way; messy, but in an almost intricate way.

with the hum of a lovesick chuckle, you pressed your lips softly against dick's cheek. "you patrol the streets every day. i should be doing something like this for you."

once you pulled away, your free hand moving from your side to cup his other shoulder, thumb caressing soft lines against his skin, your eyes caught sight of the faint pink tinge gracing what you could see of his cheek. beneath your hand, the muscles in his shoulder moved, as he brought both up in a bashful shrug.

"sure, but i wanted to do this for you."

he took a step back, and you unattached yourself from him, and he moved the pancake from the pan onto a plate, which had been stacked with a few already.

"take these to the table, will you?" he suggested, sending a glance back your way.

manoeuvring around him, you pulled the two pancake-ridden plates from the counter beside him, and moved them onto the table, placing each at opposite chairs, so you could look at each other as you ate.

when dick joined you, taking his place on the other side of the table, he'd brought over cutlery and a bottle of maple syrup.

with a sigh, he moved his arms behind him, readying to untie his apron, but you weren't ready for it to go so soon.

"hey!" you gasped, mouth half-full of maple-drenched pancake already. "what do you think you're doing?"

he'd frozen in the middle of removing the apron when you spoke, his expression a combination of shock and puzzlement. "getting.. ready to eat?" he replied, more of a question than a statement.

"and you think you can just take off the apron?" a laugh brushed past your teeth as you chewed your breakfast.

after a moment of bewildered silence, dick gave a shrug, his muscles tensing. "yeah?"

you swallowed the food – delicious, by the way – and leaned forward in your seat, arms outstretched to pull the loop back over his head, a grin on your lips. "we need to know who made this amazing breakfast."

once realising what you're talking about, dick reversed his movements behind his back, and began retying the bow of his apron, a small smile on his lips.

"and look at that," you hummed, pointing at his chest in feigned surprise. "the apron is basically forcing me to give my compliments to the chef."

at this, dick's smile revealed his shining white teeth, his boyishly cute laugh accompanying it. and, as you leaned closer, his eyes closed, lips meeting yours in the middle for a short embrace.

when you pulled away, moving back in your seat to resume eating, your boyfriend gave a chuckle, and you glanced up, shovelling some more of your breakfast into your mouth. "what's up?"

"your lips are sticky," he grinned, glancing away from you.

unconsciously, your tongue flicked out between your lips, and you shook your head bashfully.

"just shut up and eat your breakfast."

[natsukishinomiyaswife]

Expanding on this post, here's a more in-depth look at the Treydia AU I'm cooking up! ♡ Also, to clarify, the Twisted Wonderland in this AU has no magic (meaning it's like our world). This is so it has a more Enchanted (the movie) feel to it lol ♡

Lydia's Appearance:

Since Lydia is the main character of her game, she wears something functional but cute (to draw in potential players). She wears a pink and white heart shaped apron (like this one) over a simple white dress (like this) with light pink tights (that match the color of the apron) and white Mary Jane's (that have a light pink bow on each one)

Her hair is the same, except the bow that holds her bun is pink and white gingham (to match the apron). She has heart earrings that match the apron (they're pink and white gingham as well).

Gameplay:

Lydia's game has a casual mode and a story mode, along with an archive that includes every recipe the player's unlocked. For the player to unlock a recipe, they must complete the level the recipe is featured in. Once they've successfully helped Lydia make it, the recipe is then added to the archive (with step by step instructions so they can make it irl)

Certain recipes can only be unlocked by completing the story mode, and once that level is complete, the recipe is then added to casual mode as well.

In casual mode, players can help Lydia successfully make recipes without a time limit. The player can still fail the dish, though game play wise it is easier than story mode.

In story mode, Lydia competes in a cooking competition, with the winner getting their recipes published as a book (along with earning the title of "Recipe Royalty", and a nice cash prize!) The player must face challenging opponents that grow more difficult as Lydia progresses, with some of them not playing fair. Unlike casual mode, story mode has a time limit, with the player automatically losing if time runs out.

Game Bosses:

Throughout story mode, Lydia will have to face off against top contenders to rank up in the competition. These opponents are different than the other's, using their signature recipes and tricks to win.

Whenever Lydia defeats one of these opponents, the player unlocks their signature recipes (and gains a power up they can use). The bosses in Lydia's game are:

Ace Trappola - A college kid who works at a local fast food place, and the tutorial character. He's the one that encourages Lydia to enter the competition, and teaches the player how it works. His power up allows the player to go into overtime (meaning if time runs out, they can use Ace to add an extra 30 seconds to the clock)

Ruggie Bucchi - A cook for multiple diners and restaurants, he makes due with what he has, and is able to make a dish out of anything (as long as it isn't rotten) If the player isn't careful, he'll take their ingredients and swap them out for bad ones. His power up allows the player to get extra ingredients (so if they mess up a dish, or an opponent takes their ingredients, they can use Ruggie to get those ingredients back)

Azul Ashengrotto - Owner of the Mostro Lounge, Lydia cooks against his employee (Floyd) until he steps in (so his "fight" has two phases) If the player isn't careful, octopus tentacles will come and scratch out parts of your recipe (making the player have to guess what ingredients to use, and how much) His power up allows the player to see what recipe their opponent is making, and gives them the opportunity to swap recipes (so if the opponent has a higher rated recipe, the player can use Azul to swap and get an advantage)

Jamil Viper - Personal chef of Kalim Al-Asim, his opponents underestimated him (which he used to his advantage) and quickly rose to the top (due to his amazing cooking skills). If the player isn't careful, their screen will be obstructed with snakes, making them unable to see what they're doing. If the player is unable to stop Jamil's eyes from flashing red, their screen will be "frozen", and Lydia will be unable to move for 5 seconds. He is considered the hardest boss in the game (besides the final boss), and is unable to beat without using Ace. His power up allows the player to "freeze" their opponent for 15 seconds (making them unable to cook or use their powers against the player)

Vil Schoenheit - A celebrity chef who cooks with his apprentice (Epel). If the player isn't careful, he will "poison" your dish (making you have to start over). When facing Vil, the player is unable to swap recipes (so pick wisely!). His power up allows the player to "poison" their opponents ingredients, making them unusable (putting their opponent at a disadvantage, and making them use a different recipe)

Idia and Ortho Shroud - The final boss of the cooking competition, Idia entered his brother Ortho (a robot with amazing cooking skills) when he heard Lydia joined, wishing to see her again (since they're exes). With how competitive he is, Idia has no plans on losing, and does everything he can to make Ortho win. If the player isn't careful, Idia will use his tablet to do one of three things (which is randomly selected): hack the clock to deduct 10 seconds from it, swap the player's recipe with a random one (which they can't switch back), or "pause" what the player is doing (meaning if you were working on one part of the recipe, you now have to work on something else until Idia "unpaused" it)

After completing the story mode, the player then unlocks "bonus levels", which are updates added to the game featuring new opponents to face. (Maybe... your OC? 👀)

Tagging some friends/mutuals ♡: @skriblee-ksk, @midnightmah07, @anbaisai, @crystallizsch, @cheerleaderman

@offorestsongs, @fell-e, @0honeybones0

[simplydannie]

Hi Dannie! I just thought of another fanfic idea, what if the twins had some sort of redemption arc where they work at Bruce n’ Sons as community service for their crimes. I’ve seen fanart based on this but I would love to see it be turned into a story! No rush, take all the time you need! ❤️

Haii!

Sorry it took me awhile! There’s a lot I’ve been doing lol Omg I’ve seen that fan art too! Their time at Bruce n’ Sons would honestly be so interesting! Of course fun times await them at Bruce N Sons, but before all that, Velvet and Veneer’s name weren’t that greatly received when they started there:

Bruce didn’t like this one bit. No matter what Floyd would say, they were still criminals. Bruce just couldn’t see how he still wanted to give them a second chance, he couldn’t see how in the world they were redeemable, but he agreed, he’s doing this for his brother.

Bruce sighed as he put on his apron, “Well, time to get the day started.” He walked out the door.

It was 6:15 in the morning, he told the twins to report at 7 to debrief them in their shifts, he was definitely surprised when he saw the two Rageons waiting for him in the kitchen.

“Morning Bruce!” Veneer chimed. The kid was literally to happy for his own good. His sister, well, the complete opposite. She rolled her eyes and scoffed.

“Good morning. And nice to see you to princess.” Bruce said.

“Whatever. Can you just tell us what we need to do and get this over with please.” Her tone earned her an elbow to the ribs from her brother.

“Well since you did say please so nicely.” Bruce smirked. “Let’s see yesterday we had Velvet working the mini bar, Veneer you washed dishes. So far so good. So today, Veneer you seem like you have a likable aura, I want you waiting tables.”

“Oh!” Veneer said happily taking the notebook and pen by Bruce’s side, “I’ve always wanted to give this a try.”

“Velvet, you’ll be cleaning up tables today.”

“Why can’t I do the minibar again?”

“I want you guys experienced in every area. So we’re going to get the practice that you need while we can. Besides, it’s all going in your community service record.”

Velvet rolled her eyes as she reached over for an apron, “Fine. Whatever.” She walked behind the counter to collect her cleaning supplies.

“Vennie, Brandy has your waiter outfit ready for you. Go get dressed.”

“Okay!” He was off. Bruce rolled his eyes, a gesture Velvet noticed and scowled at. She waited till Veneer was out of ear shot before she walked over to the Troll.

“Quick word.” She demanded.

“Well thanks a lot for asking. What’s up?” Bruce turned around and looked up at Velvet… he still couldn’t get over how big Rageons really were, much taller than Vacationers.

“There are these young people at the resort that keep giving me and Veneer a hard time. Well, more Veneer now than me but….”

“Oh ya! What’s up with you beating up some of my customers?”

“They were asking for it! They wouldn’t stop…”

“You’re supposed to be redeeming yourself.”

“Yes, but Bruce I was defending-…”

“No excuses.”

“But Veneer, he’ll…”

“He’ll be fine. Now get ready.”

That day and Bruce N Sons was busy. More tourist were coming in day by day… and the one thing they came to see… where the twins.

Word had gotten out that the fallen stars Velvet and Veneer were spending the rest of their time doing some service hours there. People wanted to marvel and see how the twins actually worked… this panicked Bruce. He had to make sure the twins were on top of their game, his reputation was on the line.

But he didn’t hear what they would yell at them: “fakers”, “frauds”, “abusers”… Velvet pulverized a guy the other day for harassing her and her brother. He promised not to press charges on Bruce n Sons but Velvet had to pay his medical fee from her own check. After that incident, many left her alone… but Veneer was a different story.

Velvet watched him as he waited tables, many didn’t withstand giving him a nasty remark. Veneer would just smile and say, “May I take your order?” He loved earning his dues, he loved trying to make it up to the Trolls, despite them not trusting them… it made him feel good. So Velvet couldn’t stand when he allowed anyonento just talk down on him.

Velvet was cleaning near the mini bar when Veneer came up.

“I think I’m getting the hang of this! Look! I even got my first tip!” He pulled out a white piece of paper and opened it…. His face dropped to a frown… “Oh.” Was all he said.

“What? What is it?” Velvet attempted to grab the paper but Veneer withdrew.

“They didn’t have any money on them so they’re just thanked me…with very, colorful words….” He forced a smiled. He’s lying, Velvet thought to herself.

“Whatever. I don’t care.” She fumed and continued to clean.

“Here you go sweety! Order for table 21 is ready.” Brandy chimed as she brought out the food.

“Oh! Okay! I got this! Thanks!” Carefully grabbing the tray Veneer mad his way over to the table. Velvet rolled her eyes as she saw how hard he was working. Pathetic, she thought as she turned her back to him.

CRASH!

The sound of crashing dishes and broken plates echoed through the area. Velvet whipped her head to see Veneer on his knees.

“Oh, no, no, no.” He murmured to himself. Velvet saw that next to him, a group of teens were snickering. One bent over, she could hear the whisper he gave Veneer in his ear, she could read his lips.

“That’s what you get fraud.” The teen snickered spitting on Veneer. Everyone in his table laughed. An anger rushed over Velvet as she saw Veneer helplessly try to gather the fallen plates and food.

“Hey! That was my order!”

“Apparently he can’t even get that right!” People began to shout. The teen who tripped Veneer still hovered over him laughing, making it obvious what he did. Before she could comprehend, Velvet was at her brothers side, pushing the teen back against his booth.

“Hey!” He yelled.

“You leave him alone dickhead!” Velvet scowled.

“Vels!” Veneer warned.

“If I ever see you touching my brother again, I swear-…”

“Velvet!” Bruce’s voice was heard from across the dining area. The small Troll quickly made his way where the twins stood, the teen leaning back in his both in fear. “Vel’s, Ven, what’s going on?”

“She’s threatening me!” The teen pointed towards here. She scowled…Oh how she wanted to rip his arms out..

“He dropped all our food!”

Complaints and shouts began being yelled left and right, Bruces head began to swirl and hurt. This can’t be happening, this restaurant, this resort cannot be going downhill so quickly…he worked to hard for this. And all this, for a batch of criminals he decided to help, all for his brother. Velvet and Veneer had done nothing but mess everything up since the day they kidnapped his brother. Why did Floyd care what happened to them? He should care that his business was going down to the ground.

“Okay, okay!” Bruce held up his hands, attempting his best to keep his cool. “I hear all your complaints, and I’m sorry. I have no control what these two have been up to since their prison days. We agreed on community service to help them…” He turned to look at them directly in the eye, “But they have yet to prove themselves.”

“Are you freaking kidding me! He tripped Veneer on purpose!”

“This is the second time you harass a customer. You CANNOT be doing this! You’re costing me customers, money.”

“She’s just trying to protect me Bruce.” Veneer said as he finally stood up.

“Stop making excuses for her. And could you NOT be clumsy for a second! You keep dropping and breaking things. It costs a lot to replace EVERYTHING you break.”

“But…but sometimes it’s not my fault…It’s…” Veneer casted a side eye at the teens who sat at the booth.

“No excuses. I’ve had enough. I can’t do this anymore. Get out.” Bruce stated with a rising anger in his voice.

“But…but Bruce…” Veneer began to say.

“Out! We’re done.”

Velvet narrowed her eyes at the Troll, “Fine! Screw you!” She grabbed her brother by his wrist and pulled him away before anyone could see the tears forming in his eyes. Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose…a gut feeling that he had just done the wrong thing, made the wrong choice, but it was done. One of his other associates picked up the mess and took over the customers, attempting to satisfy them. Bruce needed some time…he walked away and headed towards the back…he needed some space to think, some time away from this chaos. He stopped when there in the hallway, leaning against the wall…was Veneer. He was hugging his knees, tears falling down his face. Velvet was attempting to sooth him, comfort him.

“…Why are things always my fault…” He heard the boy say.

“This isn’t your fault. That jerk kid is going to get what’s coming to him, you’ll see.”

Veneer wiped his tears away, “….Vels….You need to start a new life on your own. People need to see that you really aren’t bad, that you CAN change. I’m just ruining it…You don’t need me doing that…”

“Shut up!” She cut him off.

“But…”

“I said shut up! I’m not leaving you, and your’e not leaving me. You hear me you idiot!” She wiped away some tears that were beginning to fall down her face. “It’s just us two. And we need each other now more than ever. Everyone is going to be mean and we have to be careful..”

“….We deserve it though…After what we did…I don’t blame the Trolls for not forgiving us…”

“I know…I know…” The twins fell silent as they contemplated on what their next steps were….Bruce N Son’s was done with, they messed that up along with everything else they have tried. A feeling hit Bruce in his gut, seeing them now, he began to see the twins in a different light…They were still kids, misguided kids. He couldn’t imagine having his own children misguided into doing things they weren’t supposed to. Luckily they had him and Brandy to guide them along. Who did Velvet and Veneer have? Their parents were gone…They trusted Floyd, and Floyd trusted his brothers to help him…Finally now, Bruce understood why. Both twins sat next to each other against the wall, Velvet leaned her head on her brother’s shoulder, both of them feeling cold and distant…The way they looked, reminded him of his own kids.

With a deep sigh Bruce made his way towards the Rageons. “Hey.” He stated simply. He earned a scowl from Velvet, but a small, weak smile from Veneer. “Listen…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have went off on both of you the way I did. I should’ve heard both sides of the story. You guys have been trying…and you’re not perfect, so why should I expect the work to be perfect. I’m sorry.”

Velvet opened her mouth to say something, but for the first time, she was speechless, she didn’t know what to say. Instead she looked at Veneer. He pursed his lips, “Maybe we should go. Having us here probably isn’t the best…given our reputation. But Floyd tried, you tried….”

“Stop right there kid. I didn’t try. What I did try was to blame you and get rid of you, yeah, that ain’t happening anymore. No you guys deserve a redemption. People need to see the REAL you and not some peacock, pop stars you guys painted yourselves to be. What do you say? Want to give it another shot?” Bruce extended his small hand. The twins looked at each other: Veneer gave his sister a smile and small nudge, Velvet knew this look…he wanted to try again.

She sighed in annoyance, “Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” She finally replied.

“Oh! Before we begin again, there’s a small announcement I need to make.” Bruce turned around and headed back towards the busy dining area. The twins looked at each other questionably, they scurried to their feet and quickly followed after Bruce. The small Troll stood on top of the mini bar, with a booming voice he called out…

“Attention all customers of Bruce N Sons!” The crowd quieted and hushed as they heard his booming voice, “Early on, there was a misunderstanding. An accident caused by a reckless load of customers that caused one of my associates to fall.” He eyed the teens, “Don’t deny it! We have cameras! Listen, we all know, and word has spread quickly, that the one and only Velvet and Veneer are here. Rest assured, they are, and they are working for me in hopes of redemption. While they work for me, they will be provided with the same care I give all my associates, and that includes protection from harassing customers.” He pointed out the group of teens, “You guys, out!”

Security came and removed them, sending a wave of talk and murmurs amongst the crowd.

“You may not like it, and you are more than welcomed to leave. I was too worried about loosing customers rather than helping two kids in need. Rest assured, the twins are trying their best, a little socialization never hurt anybody. If you decide to stay, please expect them to be regular faces here for a good while.” Bruce turned and smiled as the twins watched by the door. Turning to face the rest of the crowd, he was surprised to see no one leaving… everyone stayed…, “Alright then, let’s enjoy the rest of the evening!”

Music began to play again, laughter and talking filled the room. Bruce walked over to the twins to find that two of his kids were at Veneer’s ankles.

“Can you play with us pleeeaasssseee?” One begged.

“I uh…” Veneer didn’t know what to say.

“Later kids! He’s got work to do. Veneer start waiting those tables again. We need that happy smile out there.”

“Yes sir!” Veneer chimed as he headed towards the tables. Bruce turned to face Velvet.

“I have something else in mind for you.” He smirked, “How would YOU like to be our bouncer?”

[dotster001]

I just had an idea for a request! What if MC is asked to cook the meals for each dorm when there's a special occasion? And everyone believes that she can't do it but, lo and behold, she manages to cook up a whole feast. I hope this is okay!

Caterer

A/N: Fun fact, it takes me a long ass time to get to requests...so I hope you're still around anon 😅

CW:Fem! Reader

"Alright, you said you need food on Thursday for Sebek's birthday, right?"

"Yes, preferably by three."

"Okay, and you guys need food for the basketball club on Saturday?"

"Yeah. And Floyd wants to remind you he wants shrimp on the menu."

"Duly noted."

How did you get here? How did you become NRC's most popular caterer? Well…

Three months  prior

You had stopped by the Heartslaybul Dorm to visit Trey, who was still recovering from his broken leg. It appeared you had stepped into a warzone.

"Sevens! What are we supposed to do?"

Riddle was pacing back and forth, while an exhausted Trey looked on.

"We can ask Octavinelle. I'm certain Azul will have dishes worthy of an unbirthday party."

"And be indebted to Housewarden Ashengrotto for the rest of my life? Absolutely not."

"Wait, you need food for an unbirthday party?" You finally piped in, startling both the boys.

"Yes, but as you can see, Trey is still incapacitated. And the freshmen he has been trying to train are not ready to take on the project."

"I can do it," you offered.

Again, both boys just stared at you.

"You do know the unbirthday party is…tomorrow, right?" Trey asked. "It's not that I don't believe in you, it's just a lot of food to take care of at the last second."

"Well, I don't believe in you," Riddle said dryly. "There's only one person I believe can pull off something like this alone, and he's laying in that bed."

"Thank you?" Trey questioned.

"Well, just for that, I'm gonna do it! Just to prove you wrong!"

"Y/N…"

"What time do you need the food by, housewarden?"

"1:30 tomorrow. Think you can handle that? Cause if not-"

"I know, I know. It's off with my head or whatever," and then you stormed off to the kitchen.

"Please don't be too hard on her…"

"It'll be her own fault for promising the impossible. That will be all on her."

….

Ace had wandered down for a late night snack. The closer he got, the more it sounded like someone was in the kitchen. Which didn't make sense, because Trey was still injured, so who could possibly…

"Sorry, no entrance if you aren't on the list."

He looked down to see Grim standing in front of the door like a bouncer.

"The fuck is that supposed to mean, rat?"

"It means you aren't allowed entrance. Cause you aren't on the list."

Ace knelt down to Grim's level with a smug grin.

"Oh yeah? And what are ya gonna do about it?"

Then the door opened, revealing you in an apron, covered in flour.

"Grim, please remove the distraction from the premises."

"I'm on it, oh great food master. He was just leaving," Grim responded, shoving Ace for good measure.

"Hey, wait, wait, wait! Whatcha cookin, I'm hungry!" Ace began attempting to push past Grim into the kitchen.

"Back off Ace. I'm not playing this game with you tonight. This is for the unbirthday party."

"Wait what? Dude, Trey starts like a week ahead of time, isn't that tomorrow? There's no way you're gonna finish anyway, just let me have a bite!"

You glared for a moment, before looking at your kitty companion.

"Grim, remove the trash please."

"Yes, my lady," he began kicking Ace's shins as you returned to the kitchen.

….

Ace returned the next morning, with an entourage of Jack, Epel, Sebek, Deuce, and, of all people, Jamil.

Before Ace could say something snide to you or your kitty bouncer, Jamil called into the kitchen,

"Hey, it's Jamil. I was wondering how things are going, or if you need any help?" 

"Nah I'm good, but thanks for the offer," came your reply through the kitchen door.

"Ace and Sebek have 30 madol on you not finishing in time," Epel said with a snicker.

"Grim, tell Ace to fuck off."

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Grim said, kicking Ace's shins again.

Jack took the opportunity to speak to the door, "Y/N there's no shame in asking for help, it's a lot of food…"

"And Heartslaybul has the highest retention rate of all the dorms, so it's more food than any other dorm," Deuce added.

"It just can't be done, human! Allow the canine one to help you!" Sebek called.

"Look, Mr Doubter, I'm almost done. In fact, you be here at 1:30 to join the unbirthday party, so you can eat my food, and your words!"

There was a crashing sound from within, and all the boys almost burst through the door, if not for you peeking out from it yourself.

"Not to worry, I just hit an empty tray with my elbow, everything is okay. Now go away!"

The six boys, confused and concerned as ever, made their departure.

…. 

As the clock struck one, a crowd had set up outside the kitchen door. Students from nearly every dorm had huddled outside to see what the end result would be.

Then they heard a shout.

"Finito!"

And Grim hushed the crowd.

You emerged dramatically from the kitchen, and looked around at your audience, calm and collected as ever. 

"I need some volunteers to set the table."

Immediately, some students joined you in the kitchen, and then they were parading out tray after tray, stacked high with shimmering desserts of all kinds; tarts, cookies, macarons, and a three tiered cake, decorated in red and white hearts. Then came the teas. It appeared you had brewed at least five varieties of teas. 

The crowd outside stared in wonder. Silent murmurs of awe passed through the crowd, before Rook Hunt pushed his way to your side, kneeling at your feet.

"My Lady, Pomefiore would like to request your skills for a ball next weekend."

Before you could respond, Azul had elbowed his way forward, and placed an arm around your shoulders.

"Prefect, have you ever considered working for the Mostro Lounge?"

Leona somehow made his way over.

"Shove off, tako, the herbivore is going to be cooking for us!"

And thus, the Ramshackle Prefect became NRC's caterer. And no, you obviously are not getting paid for it. Who the fuck are you kidding?

....

Tag list-@shytastemakerthing @leonia0 @eccedentesiast-sapphic

[crazyk-imagine]

Veils, Weddings, and Best Friends Weddings

Pairing: Robert "Bob" Floyd x Plus size!reader

Characters: Robert "Bob" Floyd, Plus size!reader, Natasha "Phoenix" Trace, Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, Penny Benjamin, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, Jake "Hangman" Seresin

Warnings: Fluff, angst, friends to lovers, secret rendezvous, everyone rooting for Bob and reader to get together, small age gap between friends, age gap between lovers, plans gone wrong, reader talking about Bob being a kid, unnecessary drama but it's for the plot, Bob and Natasha make a rough comment to the other, Jake's only a vegetarian because of Ian in the movies, Bob's kinda a hoe for the reader, he's also an ass man in one scene 0-0

Word Count: 5,738

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You shake your head, watching your best friend stare at a happy couple, already knowing she wishes she could have that kind of love… which hurts you in more ways than one. You sigh to yourself knowing that you’re going to have to break her out of her gaze.

You reach behind you, untying your apron and lean onto her nudging her arm. "Don't do that sad puppy dog look, Tash. You’ll find your special someone. I know it."

She scoffs, removing her gaze from the couple to take your apron. "Yeah, where?"

"He's just around the corner."

"You go out on more dates than I do how do you not have a boyfriend."

You know what she’s doing, it’s her defense mechanism, one she’s been doing since you two were kids.

You shrug, going around her to grab your purse and coat. "All the ones I find are jerks."

"Bob isn’t."

"Please don't start this again," you plead.

"I'm just saying. If it was between the two of us, you would have a better chance at finding love than I would." She opens the register to make change before sending the couple off so she can talk to you.

You sigh, "Natasha, I love you. I do, but you have to realize that I am older. I would look like a cougar."

"You’re barely four years younger than me."

"And I'm still seven years older than him. I've seen him take baths. I even helped."

She furrows her brows. "Now?"

"No! When we were kids. He was the sweetest little boy ever."

"To you," she mutters.

"No, he-" ‘Huh.’ As you think about it, maybe you did have to resolve more than one of his tantrums when no one else could. "Maybe he wasn't but-"

"Don't you even try to argue and say he was an angel. He wasn't. He was absolutely terrible except for you and only you but you don’t want to admit it."

You roll your eyes. "I have to go to work, Natasha."

She sighs, "please don't leave mad."

"I'm not, I'm not… I promise… pain in my ass."

She chuckles, even though she knows you don’t want to admit any of it, but her baby brother was a menace as a kid, and he’d only ever be the most well behaved and calm down faster when you helped him.

Penny walks through the door, "oh is it time for you to leave already? I feel like I've barely gotten to see you."

You chuckle, grabbing your coat off the counter. "It is."

"Come for dinner."

"Oh. I couldn't." You always like having dinner with Natasha and Bob’s family but it gets awkward whenever they try to discuss your guy’s future wedding, last time you went to dinner that was all they talked about.

"I'll make you a special plate,” she adds to persuade you.

You pretend to think about it. "Leftovers?"

"Only small container."

Which means, take as much as you want. "Deal?" You’re scared about tonight’s dinner topic.

She pulls you in for a hug and kisses your cheeks. "Have a good day, darling."

"You too, Mrs. P."

"How many times do I have to tell you, call me Penny."

You can’t bring yourself to that… not when you need to break it off. "Bye ladies."

-

You walk out of the restaurant, reaching into your purse only to find it not clutched underneath your armpit. You could have sworn you brought it with you. You turn around, staring at the ground not wanting to fall on the slippery, wet concrete (today, your butt is still a little sore from two days ago).

"Woah! Woah!" A set of hands grips your waist tightly, keeping you upright.

You lift your head and find the reason why these hands feel familiar. "Oh, gosh. Sorry, Bob. Even as careful as I was, I still managed to slip."

He smiles at the joke, knowing you’re being this nice to him because his family is watching you from inside the restaurant (and he’s late for his shift, again but for a good reason). “It’s a good thing I was here to catch you." His hands haven’t moved from your waist.

"Bob," you lower your head, making sure he understands how he can’t make jokes like that, even if you did leave his room early before anyone was awake.

"What?” He shrugs, ignoring your look. “It was a harmless comment."

You scoff, "nothing with you is harmless."

"Ouch.” He places his right hand over his heart, “that hurts. No, it really does."

"Why are you here?"

"Your purse." He holds it out for you.

"Oh," you blink owlishly, taking the item from him. "Thank you!” You glance back at him with a raised brow. “You know if I didn't know any better, I would think you took it just talk to me like this in front of your family."

"You're over at the house all the time, I could just steal you away from Nat."

"How sneaky."

His lips tug upwards into a smirk. "Only for you."

A sigh escapes through your nose. "You cannot say things like that to me."

"Why not?" He asks, you always tell him this, but it doesn’t change anything that’s been going on between you two. “Tell me why I can’t say things like that to you and I’ll stop.”

“I have to go to work.”

His joking attitude falls, “hey, wait. I didn’t mean to overstep-”

“Bob, you are their prized baby boy. You’re the one who’s going to do greater and better things than they could have ever imagined. We wouldn’t-”

“Don’t finish that sentence because you’re wrong, you don’t know how my family talks about you when you’re not around.”

“I’ll see you at dinner, Bobby.”

He turns around watching you walk away as soon as your figure disappears his head falls back, staring up at the gray clouds, wondering how things can change for you to realize how much his family sees you as one of their own.

If they could have, they would have adopted you, so they don’t have to call you the “adopted daughter”. But then again, they do keep dropping hints about him asking you a certain question so they can officially call you their favorite daughter-in-law (including the in-laws themselves).

He turns around and heads into the restaurant, ready to start his shift.

Natasha doesn’t say anything but feels she should do something to help you realize how much in love her brother is with you… maybe after she helps the incredibly handsome blond man, she sees in the window who then enters the restaurant and sits down with his friend.

There are a few complaints about how the food doesn’t taste the same as it normally does, which makes sense since this morning’s talk brought down his happy mood.

He thought maybe you left your purse because you wanted to have something more with him.

-

Your day didn’t go any better, the only new thing that happened involves your coworker and her setting you up on a blind date knowing today is one of the three days you show up with a side for dinner at Natasha’s family home. You tried to tell her to cancel it, but she didn’t want to listen.

“Why do you want me to cancel it so badly? Is it because that guy who drops you off lunch finally wised up and confessed?” Lucy asks, with a wide smile.

You tilt your head, “who- do you mean Bob?”

She nods, “yes, yes! The cutie with the glasses. He’s always so sweet when he asks where you are? I wish my boyfriend would describe me the way he does about you.”

“How does he-” Your guy’s shared boss, Ed (short for Edward) interrupts, informing you two to get back to work.

Lucy grabs your arm as you two rush back to your workstations. “So, what I’m hearing is, he can’t man up and ask you out and you’re, in fact, single.”

You sigh, knowing she’s won.

“Perfect,” she pauses.

“What? Why did you go quiet all of a sudden?”

“Now, I don’t know if you should go on this date. The guy I chose for you has been known to be a… player but- but I see the look on your face, please let me finish. But he's changed. Or maybe if you want, he can help you. Oh, yes. I’m brilliant. I’ll text him and tell him we have a plan to get two lovebirds together.”

“You forget Bob and I aren’t lovebirds.” You feel dirty saying that, almost like you’re lying.

“Not yet.”

You regret talking to her about these kinds of things now.

-

As you walk to Lucy’s car, you text Natasha.

Brat Tamer

‘Hey, can’t stay for dinner but I have a side ready. I’ll drop it off, make sure someone cab grab it' 6:02pm Sent Read

“Okay, where to?”

“Your house first. I always have a spare party outfit in my car.”

“How often do you go out?”

“When was the office new year’s party?”

“Same day as the Christmas party?”

“And that was?”

“First Saturday of December.”

“That’s how long I’ve had them in my car.”

“Lucy,” you chuckle.

“What?”

“You cannot tell me that you’ve left dirty clothes in your car for the last six and a half months?!”

“Don’t worry. I got them dry cleaned a few days after. I just never brought them upstairs to put in my closet. The elevator at my apartment complex is always broken and I have to walk up four flights of stairs.”

You giggle, “okay, Luc. Whatever you say.”

“Peter will be at the restaurant in a booth at seven which gives me enough time to throw something together while you do your makeup.”

“I mean, I guess.”

“This is going to be fun.”

Nat the Brat

‘Got it… what color lipstick goes with the black dress I found at the mall a few years ago?’ 6:13pm Sent Read

You reread the text and find yourself smiling.

Brat Tamer

‘Your date better be with the one you were drooling over during your story. I can’t wait to meet him. One of your two pink lipsticks, don’t want to scare him away with a dark color ;)’ 6:15pm Sent Read

“Okay, it’s time to doll you up.”

“What Era are we obsessed with today that were throwing in words people don’t use often?”

She shrugs, “I don’t know. “Doll you up” just felt right.”

Neither of you say anything as she picks out your outfit and you’re left to wander into the bathroom and finish your makeup.

Her quietness does concern you seeing as she’s normally so talkative, but you don’t put too much thought into it as you search for your favorite lipstick.

You hadn’t realized she was texting Natasha to figure out what would make Bob tick and push himself into asking you out- officially.

If only you hadn’t introduced the two of them when you invited Natasha as your plus one to your work barbecue a couple of years ago.

“I found it. Come out here.”

“But you’re there.”

“Oh.” She sighs, “I’ll turn around.”

You give her the okay to turn around and her jaw drops. “Oh, I am a miracle worker.”

“You’re too cocky for your own good.”

“That’s why I’m using my good on you,” she adds a wide smile.

You roll your eyes, “I don’t buy it.”

-

“Can you take it to their door?”

“I’m a stranger. Why would they accept a meal from me?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why can’t you cooperate with me?”

“I am,” Lucy argues.

“No, you’re not.”

“Well then you should have thought about this beforehand.”

“I did. You’re the one who wouldn’t stop here first.”

She shrugs. “Either you drop it off or they don’t get their special “adopted daughter” side dish.”

You groan, unbuckling your seatbelt. “I hate you.”

“Not after tonight you won’t.”

As soon as you stepped out of the car, she texted Natasha.

You knock on the door, waiting for her to answer. Your eyes slightly widen seeing- “Bob. Hey.”

“I thought you couldn’t make it tonight?”

“That’s true.”

“But you’re here.”

“I just came to drop off this,” you hold the dish pan in front of him.

He leans down to smell it. “Smells like my favorite.”

You roll your eyes, “you say that about everything I make.”

“And it’s true. But-uh- why are you dressed up?”

“My coworker is setting me up on a blind date.”

“Really?” His eye glaze over with annoyance, you think.

“I tried to-”

“Have fun on your date.” And he slams the door in your face.

You scoff and walk back to the car.

“So, what happened?”

You yank the seatbelt out of its place and click it into place with a huff. “How do you think?”

She says nothing and starts the car. “What if I told you that Peter is actually engaged, and I lied so that Bob would ask you out?”

“What?” You turn to her, “what the hell do you mean?”

“Well- we just-”

“You and Natasha planned this? Is she even home right now?”

“She's on a date, I swear she is. But we just- we’re so tired of you being sad and not admitting your feelings-”

“I’m getting out.”

“What? No.” She tries to grab you but you’re already out. “Come on, get back in the car.”

“No.”

“I’m sorry, please just get inside the car.”

“Why?”

“We’re gonna go hangout.”

“How do I know you’re not lying?”

“Because I’m a nice person.”

You roll your eyes and get back in the car. “It’s going to be a calm night. We’re going out to dinner and then maybe somewhere for dessert.”

You two wind up having a really good time and she helped get your mind off the fact that Bob was so annoyed, for no reason.

-

You wake up to find two missed calls from Natasha along with a few texts. You roll over, not responding; still upset over what she and Lucy planned.

You didn’t talk to her or Bob for a week and it was miserable, for everyone.

No one in the family knew what had happened and didn’t know how to help, all they knew was that their children were depressed, and you were the obvious solution.

Penny knocks on your door when you have barely started to wind down after your long day.

You open the door, expecting it to potentially be your best friend or Lucy and are surprised. “Mrs. P?”

“Can I come in?”

You nod and open the door wider, “what are you- shouldn’t you be at home getting dinner ready? I mean, I’m not- why- uh-” You scratch your head. “Why are you here?”

“My children are depressed.”

“I’m sorry to hear that-”

“You haven’t been around the house in a week, and I know what something’s wrong. What did they do? Maybe I can talk to them and make it better.”

You sigh and sit beside her on the couch. “It’s nothing that can’t be resolved, I just needed Nat to learn her lesson and she’s got her own life to live anyway. I mean, she’s started college and is doing something with her life, something that’s not what’s expected of her… no offense.”

She shrugs, “I understand but you should know she’s lonely because she has no one to talk to. She wants to be able to talk to you again.”

You take a deep breath, “I’ll stop by tonight.”

She claps her hands before pulling you in for a hug.

“Good, good. Everyone will be happy.”

“I don’t think it’s going to change much.”

“My little Bobby will be especially happy.”

You lean against the door, holding onto the doorknob. “What makes you say that?”

“A mother knows these things.” And with that, she left you with your thoughts.

-

You walk down the familiar walkway, listening to the bustle of the family moving about the house. You smile and knock on the door, not knowing if it’s unlocked or not.

One of the cousins, Bradley, opens the door.

“Well, look who came crawling back. Finally decided to drop the schmuck and find someone better. Maybe someone with a mustache,” he wipes his hand down his face, making sure to pay extra attention to his facial hair.

You roll your eyes, “move over, weirdo.”

“Hey,” he closes the door. Don’t make me tell the family about the one time-”

You jam your elbow into his side when you see your best friend making her way over to you.

She wraps her arms around you, ignoring her cousin as he pleads for someone to get help and that he’s dying. “I’m sorry.”

You shake your head, “don’t be. I’m just sorry it took me so long to come back.”

“No, I get it. It’s the same reason why I’m so scared to tell everyone about Jake.”

“You know once they meet him, they’ll adopt him, right?”

“What makes you say that?”

“I just know.” You pull her off to the side, “tell me about him.”

Your friend lowers her head, trying to hide her smile.

-

Neither of you notice when Bob manages to pull away from the aunts, he watches you two enjoying your conversation and realizes how much he screwed up and misses you.

Bradley pats his shoulder, “you gonna ask her?”

“I’m not asking anyone anything. Go brush your mustache somewhere else.”

“Hey, don’t hate on the ‘stache.”

-

Penny shouts for everyone and dinner starts with a slight twist; usually you and Natasha are seated by one another, but it seems that the family has other plans because now you and Bob are seated next to each other.

Everyone talks as if your absence didn’t happen, which was a relief on your part; you were scared they were going to bring it up.

After dinner everyone scattered and went to do whatever they wanted to.

You search for Natasha only to get a text from her saying she’s gone to hang out with Jake.

You scoff and shake your head as you lean against her doorway only to be frightened when you’re pulled back into another, yet familiar room. You turn around and stare at him.

“I wanted to say… sorry, you know about the other night.”

"You pulled me in here to apologize?"

He nods.

"What have you done with the real Bob?"

He rolls his eyes and sits down at his desk. "Shut up."

You stare at him with a soft smile. "Why did you really pull me in here?"

"I already told you."

You cross your arms, "you forget that I've known since you were a kid. I know when you're lying."

"I hate it when you do that," he huffs.

You furrow your brows, "do what?"

"Talk about me like I'm still a kid. I'm an adult, I have been. You know it. I mean," his chest bounces as he quickly chuckles to himself. "We've done things only adults would do."

Your eyes widen.

"Don't look at me like that."

"I'm giving you the most appropriate look after that comment, like you've gone insane." You glance back at the door.

"Don't worry. No one's going to come in. You're the only afterhours guest I've had."

"Somehow that doesn't comfort me."

He shrugs, "I don't know what to tell you then."

A piece of paper catches your eye. "What's that?"

"Nothing," he mumbles, moving it off the side.

"Is that-"

"It's nothing."

"It's not nothing," you tell him with a smile. "Is it the flyer you were talking about?"

He avoids making eye contact. "No."

You chuckle and shake his shoulders, "don't lie. It is." You reach for it, only for him to stop you. "Am I not allowed to see it?"

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"I- it's not ready."

"You think I'm going to care if it's done or not."

He doesn't say anything.

"Fine, don't let me see it."

He rolls his eyes, knowing exactly what you're doing. He pulls it out from under his pile of miscellaneous items.

You stare at it for a while, scaring him because he thinks you don’t like it. You shake your head and throw your arms around him.

He’s thrown off, unsure of what to do.

You adjust yourself and keep an arm wrapped around his shoulders, keeping him close. “This is so good. I can’t believe you did this. Have you shown anyone else?”

He shakes his head, “why would I do that?”

“Because this is amazing, and your family needs to know.”

“You’re bad for me,” he mumbles, turning his head further into your chest, enjoying the warmth coming from you.

“How can you say that?”

He lifts his head, the corner of his lips quirked upwards, he narrows his gaze on you.

You know you should get up and leave, most of his family are still downstairs and soon Natasha will be coming home (if she doesn’t spend the night with her boyfriend). “I should go,” you whisper.

He nods, leaning in. “Then go.”

You don’t make a move to leave until he’s less than an inch away from you.

His breath is warm against your lips as he whispers to you. “I won’t do anything unless you want me to.”

You lean in and kiss him as if he’s the cure, drinking all that he has to offer and he’s not going to stop you.

The chair creaks as you try to change your position.

“I don’t the chair can handle our weight,” you mumble against his lips.

“You’re right.”

You squeal as he lifts you, holding onto his neck for dear life as you push your chest against his. “What are you doing?”

“We’re moving this to a different space that can handle what I’m going to do to you.”

You don’t comment on that, suddenly feeling hotter. You land face first on the bed, giving Bob a beautiful view of your backside.

He takes a step closer, “god, I love this ass,” he mumbles against the side of your neck as he smacks it.

You open your mouth, but no sounds come out of you.

He flips you over and stares down at you causing you to feel self-conscious, something he notices right away.

“Hey,” he whispers. “Are you okay? We don’t need to do anything else if you don’t want to.”

You shake your head, “I’m fine.”

“You know I don’t like when you tell me “you’re fine”. It doesn’t make me think you’re really fine.”

You grab his cheeks and pull him close, “I’m good. I want this. I want you, Robert.”

He nearly shudders. “Oh, you’re in for it now. You know exactly what that does to me.”

You nod your head, giggling to yourself. “Why do you think I said it?”

After you saw him slowly making his way down your body, all you’ve felt is pure bliss.

-

And then it wasn’t, you don’t remember how it happened.

But suddenly you’re running around the room looking for your clothes. “You’re such an idiot,” you hiss in his direction while pulling up your pants.

“What?”

“Where the hell do you get off asking about some guy I don’t even remember. You’re not my boyfriend.”

Silence fills the room as you put on your shirt. You feel bad, you do; you shouldn’t have said that… even if it is true.

“You’re right I’m not.”

“I’m s-”

“I think it’s time I take up my parents offer on finding me a wife.”

Why does that comment feel like such a stab to your heart? “I hope you have fun with that then.” You grab your jacket and purse, shoes in one hand, the other opening his door. You lean against the door, covering your mouth so no one hears your cries.

-

You walk down the stairs and tiptoe out the door, just in time to see your best friend and her boyfriend. You walk ahead to your car, hoping she doesn't notice you're there.

As soon as you get yourself settled, the front door opens and he runs out, searching for you.

She gets out of the Jake's Tahoe, just in time to see her brother searching around like a mad man for God knows what. She can't tell because Jake just pulled away from the sidewalk and is blocking your car. "What is it?"

"I really messed up."

"What did you do?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why not? It can't be that bad." She squints, letting her eyes adjust to the dark and faint light outlining his figure. "Right?"

His head drops.

"What happened?"

"I," he quiets down, unsure of how to tell her that he's more of an idiot than they realized. "I messed up and I don't think I can fix it."

"Does it involve a person?"

He nods. "This is not how I wanted it to go."

"Let's go inside so you can explain to me what happened."

The two sneak back inside, not wanting anyone to know where they were or ask questions.

-

"You what?" She paces around his room. "No wonder it smells like sex in here. Oh, wait a minute. Is that why she sneaks out of my room so much?"

He removes his glasses, wiping them off and doesn't do much to hide his smirk.

“You’re a pig.”

“At least I’m not a whore who hides.”

She punches his arm, “stop deflecting the question.”

He flops back onto his bed. “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“I was doing the one thing no brother should.”

“Yeah, canoodling my best friend, we’re past that. Honestly,” she lays down beside him. “I’m conflicted. On one hand, I’m happy you two finally got together but I’m also grossed out because you’re my brother.”

He chuckles, “yeah, I know. Thing is…”

“What?”

“We’re not actually… together.”

She pushes herself up. “You mean to tell me that you two were just,” she grimaces at the thought. “Gross.”

“I was trying to tell her but then I messed up.”

“What’d you do?”

“I brought up the guy she went on a date with and how I’d take up mom and dad’s help on finding a wife- Ow! Ow!” He raises his hands to defend himself. “What are you doing?”

“Smacking the stupid out of you.” She groans, rubbing a hand across her face. “You do realize that she never went on a date with that guy.”

He turns his head, staring at her with furrowed brows. “What are you saying?”

“Lucy and I made that up, so you’d get jealous and confess.”

“She never-”

“No,” she shakes her head.

-

The next few days are a little awkward for Bob; you ignore him and mainly stick to Natasha.

“I think you should talk to him,” she tells you as you look up something on your computer.

“No.”

“I think it’d be good for you.”

“And I think it’d be good if I never talk to him again.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“I do,” you nod. “He was such a jerk, and I don’t want to deal with anymore jerks in my life.”

“Look, I get it. I do but,” she wraps her arms around your shoulders. “I need you two be okay when Jake comes over.”

You gasp, “he’s finally coming to dinner.”

She nods, “tonight, which is why you and Bob are going to talk.”

“No.”

She shrugs and opens the door, forcing him into the room. “Talk.” She slams the door shut, holding the handle tightly.

You scoff, slamming your computer shut. “Go away.”

He shakes his head, “not until you hear what I have to say.”

“Maybe I don’t want to.”

“Please.”

You push yourself off the bed and point your finger at him as you talk. “You acted like a jealous boyfriend over a date I did not go on. And when I pointed out that you’re not, you told me that you’ll take your parents’ advice on finding a wife. What was I supposed to do? Lay back down so we could go for another round. No! You acted like a jerk, and I wasn’t going to stick around to see what else you’d say.”

He nods, slowly reaching for you; his warm hand wraps around your wrist, pulling you closer. “I know and I’m sorry. I overstepped and I- it’s- I don’t want you to… date anyone else.”

Your eyes glance between him and his hand.

“I don’t want to find someone else to be my wife because,” he groans, not knowing how you’ll react. “I want you.” He takes a step closer, leaving a mere few inches between you two. “I don’t think I could date or marry anyone else and not think of you.”

You gulp, “what about-”

He shakes his head and cups your cheek, resting his forehead on yours. “I broke up with her because she wasn’t the one person I dream about, you know. The only one who could stop me from having a tantrum and read to me when everyone else was too busy.”

You chuckle and hiccup, unable to stop the tears from flowing. “How do I know you’re not just saying this to make things right between us?”

“Have you ever seen me be this sweet to anyone else?”

You shake your head.

“Exactly. You’re the only one that I want, and I will fight anyone who tries to take you from me.”

You shake your head, smiling at his words and take a step forward, leaning into him, resting your forehead on his chest.

The door creaks open, “have you two made up?”

Neither of you respond.

“Good, now I don’t have to worry about it being awkward anymore. Thank God.” She groans.

“What?” Bob asks.

“Now, I have to pray neither of you are doing it.”

“Shut up,” you tell her, it comes out mumbled since you didn’t raise your head.

Penny calls you two down for dinner.

You take a couple extra minutes to pull yourself together. “Do I look okay?”

They assure you that you do and the three of you walk downstairs.

-

“Well, don’t you three look happy. Now, where’s your boyfriend?” Pete stares his daughter down.

All eyes land on Natasha, who shrinks under their gaze.

“He’s-” The doorbell rings. “Here,” she runs to the door.

You and Bob take a seat, waiting for everyone else to join.

The aunts ask him many questions about himself, what he does, how they met, etc.

But it got interesting when he told them he’s a vegetarian.

You snort and cover your face when everyone turns to you. “Sorry, sorry. I just- I thought of a really funny joke earlier… about- it doesn’t matter.”

Dinner officially begins, everyone reaches to grab a dish or a utensil, but you can’t get the one thing you want because it’s being passed around.

Bob notices and knows it’s hard to say something when everyone else is being so loud. “Hey!” He shouts.

The whole family stops and turns to him.

“Pass me that dish.”

You want to squirm in your seat but find yourself unable to when he starts scooping some of your favorite onto your plate.

He passes the dish back to his father.

You stare at your plate, unsure if that was a good thing for him to do, you two barely started talking again.

The family has barely begun to return to their previous conversations when you glance at him from the corner of your eye. “Thank you.”

He shrugs, “it was nothing.”

Natasha shakes her head.

Jake leans down and whispers into her ear, “is there something going there?”

“I’ll tell you later.”

-

Penny and Pete noticed how close you two were tonight, but don’t comment on it, knowing two kids in love won’t want to talk to- “two old people? Really, Pete?”

“What? You make it seem like I said a bad thing.”

“You’re an idiot.”

-

“I won’t tell, if you don’t,” you tell Jake.

He nods, “got it.”

You sneak into Bob’s room as he sneaks into Natasha’s room. “I wasn’t expecting you here.”

You shrug, “yeah, well, when an adorable idiot confesses his feelings, you tend to want to talk spend time with him.”

He huffs, “I’m an idiot, huh.”

“Did you miss the part where I said you were adorable?”

“No,” he places his hands against your waist and pulls you closer. “I just wanted to hear you say it again.”

You stare at him through your lashes, leaving no visible emotion on your face. “Really?”

“Don’t give me that look.”

“I’m going to-”

He cuts you off with a kiss. “Is there anything I can do to get you to stop?”

You smile as your curl your arms around his shoulders, “maybe.”

-

After Natasha and Jake’s wedding, everything seemed to calm down for them until someone (“never make fun of the ‘stache”) ratted you two out and it was your guys’ turn.

A few months after you two had been married it was time to announce your news.

“I’m pregnant!” You’ve never been given as many hugs as you did that afternoon.

“Wow, wow,” Jake says, holding you at arm’s length, looking as if he’s scared to hug you.

You narrow your eyes to him. “What’d you do?”

“Me? Nothing.”

“I’m pregnant!”

Penny embraces her daughter faster than you’ve ever seen.

“This feels like a Spartacus moment,” you comment.

Bob shakes his head. “You’ve gotten weirder since becoming pregnant.”

“Yeah, because your genes are inside me creating a life.”

He shakes his head, “I don’t think that’s it.”

“Whatever.”

“I hope they become as close as you two are.”

You wipe your cheeks, sniffling, “I knew I liked you for a reason, Jake.”

-

Sometime after that, you two go into labor and within a few hours your baby boy is born before your niece.

“He’s so cute,” you whisper, staring at your other favorite person.

Your husband nods, “he is.”

“I can’t believe we made him.”

“I know.”

“I’m telling Nat you cried.”

“Don’t you dare.”

You chuckle and lean your head against his shoulder, enjoying (the fact that you didn’t feel a thing) the newfound warmth knowing what the future is going to consist of.

-

Taglist

@blueoorchid

[merakiui]

🐙 Azul's tentacle anon

Oughhh i read ur fem riddle fic and OUGHGHGH ITS SO DELICIOUS now i have some brainrots about party animal floyd shhssh

Party Animal Floyd who starts developing his obsession the moment your romantic love for him starts fading away. You're already becoming distant from him, and once he noticed this, his entire personality starts doing a 360 spin.

Jade's so gentle and caring always holding you close to his chest whilst the old Floyd just leaves you around for anybody to take, not giving a single damn to the point you start wondering if you had dated the wrong twin, Floyd will fix that. He stops his partying antics and had the entire apartment go from a messy waste-filled ruin to a sparkling white mansion devoid of any stains. He's doing all the chores for you, he starts cooking breakfast early and he starts joining you in the morning shower, trying his hardest to replicate his brother's gentlemanly mannerisms.

Riddle's so serious about relationships and expressed to be loyal forever to her partner, unlike the old Floyd who sticks his dick into one girl to another, leaving you to rot in his room tears streaming down your cheeks and tuining your beautiful mascara. He will fix that, no matter what. He gets a job at a close friend's now successful cafe, ditches all of his side chicks and ghosts his delinquent pimp friends, where the only pussy he would stick his dick inside from now on is yours.

If you leave him, he'd just end up spiralling into a deep dark place, depraved of your sweet loving attention

OMG YES AAAAAAAA,,,,, your thoughts are so good!!!! Floyd absolutely puts in the work once he's made up his mind to be a better boyfriend. It's like he's an entirely new person. Suddenly, you're no longer transparent in his eyes. Suddenly, you're all he wants to see. Now you're his entire world. <3 sure, he may have borrowed some of Jade's rizz techniques in doing so, but he's quite the upstanding eel now (still just as crass, though. He will forever be foul-mouthed and unruly and untamed; that's just how he is hehe).

What if the café job Floyd picks up is at the same place Riddle works? :0 maybe it's a branch of Mostro Lounge or something else entirely and the only reason he's able to get in with his spotty resume is because Azul owns the place and he can pull all kinds of strings. Floyd's genuinely determined to turn things around, so Azul does him a favor (which he will pay back in due time, of course) and now Floyd's donning an apron to work in the kitchen as sous-chef. Riddle nearly walks back out the door the day she sees him standing behind the counter. T_T she's certain the world is against her. What sin must she atone for? Is this how hell punishes its sinners now, by sending stupid, annoying, ugly eels to her workplace and conveniently disguising them as coworkers? If it isn't obvious, she is Floyd's biggest hater LOL.

I like to think that Floyd, though he pesters Riddle and annoys the life out of her, would vaguely and briefly confide in her and ask what sorts of things girls like. Riddle puts two and two together and figures out rather fast that he's trying to make it up to you. Obviously she can't let that happen. She just started wedging herself between you and Floyd, making you question your feelings for him, and now he's trying to be better? He had four years to do that! She's so annoyed. >:(

Now you have an obsessed boyfriend and an obsessed friend who wants to take the place of boyfriend vying for your attention. Meanwhile, you're mourning to your bestie Jade about Floyd and his disloyal behavior like, "Why is he so sex-brained? Why doesn't he just like me for me? What's so good about parties and sex with strangers anyway?" and Jade is a persistence predator, so of course he's taking full advantage of your emotional vulnerability and weaknesses to slip in between the cracks in your heart, slowly but surely getting even closer to you. :)

[misscinnamonroll16]

Brozone diner au: the day John Dory took off part one

this au does not belong to me, it belongs to @bzjohndory its gonna have to be multiple parts bc i write too much apparently

Business was slow, it was a hard winter and most trolls didn't leave their pods unless they had to. Bruce was the one to suggest it, knowing his brother hadn't had a day off in seven years. They all had special days that they got off like birthdays or anniversaries, except for John Dory. He didn't take days off, he worked open to close seven days a week. Bruce brought it up with others, knowing he wouldn't get anywhere without back up from their younger brothers. Bruce talked with Clay in between orders on the line. “I'm just saying, we haven't been that busy these past few weeks so I think he can just take a day off at least. We're all responsible enough to take care of the diner while he's gone.” Bruce said as he pulled some fries out of the fryer, portioning them on a plate and passing it to Clay. “Yeah but how do you plan on making him? We've tried making him before and he literally spent the entire day in the diner, working on other stuff ." Clay wondered as he finished plating a couple burgers, putting them in the window to be ran. At that moment, Floyd came into the back and leaned against the wall. “You good Flo?" Clay asked as he worked on the next order. Floyd nodded and held up a thumbs up but they noticed how his hand shook. Bruce threw some fries on a plate and slid a milk crate over to Floyd. “Sit down and have a snack. And while you're back here I wanna talk to you about something." Bruce said, handing the plate of fries to Floyd as he sat on the milk crate. Floyd nodded and started eating the fries while still leaning with his back against the wall. After a few moments of no orders coming in, Bruce crouched down next to Floyd. “Feel better?" Bruce asked while rubbing his back. “Yeah, I skipped breakfast this morning so I started to get the shakes." Floyd chuckled, placing the empty plate on the floor. Clay grabbed some dirty dishes they had on the line and grabbed the plate for the floor, taking them to the dish room. “So before you go back up there, I wanna talk to you about this thought I had. Clay thinks I won't be able to do it. I won't be able to do it by myself, I'll need all of your guys' help." Bruce said nonchalantly, watching for JD to be walking around. “What's up? I'm sure I can help somehow." Floyd said as he pulled his money out of the pocket on his apron. “I wanna get JD to take a day off. He hasn't taken a day off since he got ownership of the diner. If he had his way, we'd still be open on Christmas, and he would totally run this entire place by himself if he had to. He deserves it, he's kept this place afloat, put each of us through college and is here every goddamn day. This isn't gonna be like the last time, he's not gonna be allowed back in here until the next day.” Bruce said, looking Floyd in the eyes telling that he is completely serious about this. Clay came back in with clean dishes and began setting them up on the line. “I think he's crazy if he thinks he's going to get John to do it. He practically lives here, I don't think I've actually seen his place.” Clay said, placing plates in their proper spots. "Yeah but if we work together, I'm sure John will listen to us. You guys don't see him on the floor as much as I do. He's constantly moving, like if he stops, he'll pass out. Sometimes he shakes too. And Bruce is right, he's more than earned a day off, heck a week, we'll be lucky if we get one day.” Floyd said as he sorted his money, putting it back into his book. "I'm not saying he doesn't deserve it or need it. I'm saying that we might have to actually tie him down to get him out of here. He's not going to like the idea.” Clay said, cleaning up their prep area.  "What are you guys talking about?” Branch said through the server window. Bruce stood up and motioned for Branch to come back there. Branch walked back onto the grill line, confused.

[traumxrei-archive]

【 ii. rose petal wounds 】

summary: from the confines of their study, yuu spots riddle doing an odd task— trimming roses in the garden. wait, why was riddle doing gardenwork…? was this another prank by floyd? either way, yuu had to find out.

word count: 1.2k

author’s note: idk if you can tell, but i absolutely love teasing riddle hehehe (also doesn’t dumple’s art of riddle look so cute ?)

[ the perfect debutante series | or read on ao3 (coming soon) ]

Distraction, it seemed, came in many shapes and forms. And for Yuu, it came in the color red. There was a flash of red in the corner of their vision. And they allowed themself to be distracted, their gaze following the color to their window.

Yuu was supposed to be putting together the final expenses list for the butler. But never mind what they were supposed to be doing.

What they saw beyond the window was far more interesting.

"Kalim?"

"Oh! Yes, master?"

"What is Riddle doing in the garden?"

Beyond their window was a view of the estate's garden. Part of the ball would be held there, amidst the rose bushes and fountains. And lo and behold, wading through the rose bushes with a pair of pruning scissors was...Riddle.

Riddle was Riddle. Prim and proper, befitting of the Roseheart name. Always ready to help straighten someone's apron at a moment's notice, with conduct and rules at the tip of his tongue.

He was also a bit naive and a lot stubborn, a combination that made it impossible for Yuu to guess why he was in the garden. Maybe it was another prank by Floyd. Or maybe it was his own bullheadedness leading him down another rabbit hole.

"Well," Kalim seemed to hesitate, his earrings jingling as he tilted his head closer. "Riddle told me not to tell you, but..."

"But...?" They prompted, trying to sound innocent to Kalim's ears. They were sure Kalim would let down his guard soon.

"But well...he wasn't satisfied with the roses in the garden!" Once Kalim started it was hard to get him to stop. "We were on a walk yesterday whilst Master was away— just checking on how the flow of the party would be, because that’s important, Riddle said— when Riddle found the rose bushes needed more...pruning."

They folded their arms, "What about the gardener?"

"The gardener...aha..." Kalim looked even more nervous now. "She stormed off after Riddle's questioning."

Ah. Now that was a problem indeed. Riddle wasn't the most unfriendly person, but his words came across as quite confident at times. Confidence and arrogance tread a thin line in the eyes of others, especially those who aren’t familiar with Riddle’s mannerisms. It was possible that the gardener got fed up with being questioned.

"Alright. I'll be taking a break in the gardens then," They brushed off their slacks, neatening their desk before standing. "When tea time arrives, please tell Ruggie to serve it in the garden."

"A picnic! Yes, Master!" They very gently patted Kalim's head, careful not to disturb the ribbon that they were sure Jamil worked hard to tie.

It wasn't very hard to make their way to the gardens. And it was easier still to find Riddle. The garden was empty save for the single maid wielding the shears with a vice, muttering to himself lightly.

"-unacceptable state," Riddle muttered as he snipped off some overgrown leaves, bending down to get a fallen rose. "Master wouldn't be happy about– ah–!"

Yuu's eyes widened at the sight of blood staining Riddle's glove red, and before they could think about it they had stepped forward, taking Riddle's wrist in their hand.

Riddle blinked, "M-Mas...ter?"

"Ah, it's getting on your apron," They tugged Riddle's hand closer, blood dripping onto the grass. "Does it hurt?"

Bewildered, Riddle shook his head, "It…stings."

"Slowly take off your glove, and sit down," They instructed, turning toward the house. "I'll get some bandages."

"Y-You shouldn’t!" Riddle's uninjured hand grabbed their sleeve. "It would be my failure as a proper maid if I made my Master do such a menial task.” Ah. Riddle's stubbornness tended to pop up at the most inconvenient times, it seemed.

Yuu sighed. When Riddle got like this, there was only one thing to do.

"Maid Rosehearts, I would like to treat your wound personally, as you were injured tending to my gardens," Yuu said with a smile. "I hope that you will listen to your Master's selfish wishes."

Riddle looked torn. There was an adorable frown on his face as he continued to think. His obedience to rules and courtesy made this trick handy for more than one occasion, and the outcome was always the same.

The maid finally opened his mouth, "...Of course, Master. Please do as you wish."

It didn't take Yuu long to get the bandages and disinfectant, especially after they ran into Jamil. (The longhaired maid sighed, "Was it Kalim or Silver this time?" They smiled sheepishly before answering, "Actually, it was Riddle." Even the ineffable Jamil had a hard time keeping his expression neutral when he heard that.) And it only took another moment to get back to the garden.

Riddle was sitting on the grass obediently, his back pin straight as they approached, "Welcome back, Master."

Yuu sat down and took his hand again, "Let's clean your hand first." They carefully used disinfectant to clean off the blood around the wound, before cleaning the wound itself. Riddle flinched slightly. It seemed that they should quicken their pace. They carefully wrapped his hand with the bandages.

"All done," They looked up to see Riddle staring. How long had he been looking this way? The red-haired maid immediately looked away with a cough. His cheeks tinted, and they vaguely wondered if it was due to the heat or embarrassment. Either way, it was a lovely look on the usually stern maid.

"Thank you, Master," Riddle bowed slightly, flexing his hand. "If I may ask, how did you know that I was here?"

"I was working when I saw you from my window," It wasn’t necessarily a lie. It was a white lie. They weren’t going to throw Kalim under the bus, since they did get effectively distracted by Riddle’s hair. "I also got these."

They dropped a pair of gardening gloves onto Riddle's lap, "Gardening...gloves?"

"If you want to keep pruning, I want you to do it safely. And besides," Yuu grinned as they pulled out another pair of gloves and shears. "I'll help you out this time."

"Master!" Riddle looked absolutely horrified at the thought. They almost chuckled. "You are going to inherit the Duke's title soon, you mustn't spend your time doing something so trivial as gardening!"

"Then what if I ask you to teach me?" Yuu said before they stood up, dancing away from where Riddle was trying to take their gloves. "As a way to broaden my horizons?"

Riddle huffed, brushing off his skirts and petticoats, ready to go after them, "A maid cannot teach their Master."

"I give you permission to," They waved over Riddle's shoulder. "Is it tea time already?"

Ruggie looked to be carrying a picnic basket, "We're getting to it, shishishi~"

Ruggie's laughter made Riddle sputter slightly, "T-Tea out here?"

"Riddle! Did you get hurt?" Kalim was also running toward them, his apron flying wildly behind him. It seemed that he had a tray of cakes in his hands. It was a wonder that none of them fell as he was running.

Riddle sighed, clearly defeated, "I am fine now. Master has tasked me with teaching them how to prune roses." Yuu beamed at Riddle’s cooperativeness. It seemed that Riddle had finally given in.

Ruggie spread a picnic blanket over the sunny ground, just as Kalim set down the cakes. And Riddle… He started on the tea. Tea was his specialty after all. They sat on the blanket next to Ruggie as they waited. There was a time for arguing over technicalities, and there was a time to serve. For now, they would look forward to Riddle’s tea.

thank you for reading ^^ if you’d like to read more, check out my masterlist ! like the art ? look at more of dumple's works on insta !

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