#if you'd like a different muse lmk :)

[rosesxxandxxthorns]

@ohdarling-xo liked for a Benjamin starter

It was the first time the other man had seen Benjamin like this. As anything but the utterly devoted man Benjamin usually was when it came to him. It had only been a flash, a minor one and that, of how bad he could be. Someone was disrespecting the other so Benjamin had swiftly broken their nose. Benjamin looked back at the man unsure how they were taking his outburst "Are you okay?"

[crowdedmidnight]

Taking a sip of her coffee cup, Josie looks at her handyman intrigued, “You really think he’s that bad?” She asked referring to her boyfriend of three years, who just blatantly yelled at her about something she has no control of. “He’s just stressed…” Josie tries to take some blame off him, but she knew what he was doing wasn’t right, but she loves him. People make constant mistakes, right? "I'm sorry you had to hear that." she apologizes, placing her mug down. "So, have you figured out why my AC won't turn on?"

Open to: M/F/NB

Callous fingers move dark locks from face as he begins to speak, "Look I'm speaking as a complete and objective 3rd party with little to no states in the matter- But you deserve better." Shrug before hands are lifted in surrender, "But I'm just the handyman."

[herostoried]

Mirai's glare has been known to intimidate both heroes and villains alike. But right now, in the condition he's in... he somehow doubts his gaze, sharp as it is, is particularly intimidating to anyone right now.

Then again; the both of them here are in this room are in quite the state as it is. Beat-up and bruised, with scuffed clothing and bodies worn to the bone... it's not just Mirai who's in a bad way here, though he's probably got the worst of it overall. After all, Mirai... should undeniably be dead right now.

How and why he isn't is a question he's quite desperate for answers to - but it might have to wait until he's made sure to take care of the dangerous situation he's in. Still, it feels wrong... this place, himself, all of it - and it's only his training and instincts as a hero that are keeping him composed, even just barely.

"Overhaul... you're a stubborn man, aren't you...?" Just as much as the one talking, perhaps. "But somehow... I don't think you anticipated this."

@umbreerie ( starter for overhaul! )

[touchbased]

muse: talita roberio. late twenties. manager at a dying clothing store and occasional uber driver. impulsive, reckless, prone to crying when she faces the consequences of her own actions. open to: m/f/nb based (on the second bullet).

"i just want to forget, you know?" tone is no doubt more whiny, more desperate than she'd normaly like, but what's a girl to do when she's just been dumped? when she's convinced the only person on the planet able to make her feel better is seemingly hesitant? "please, make me forget." / @missmvrder

[wisheswagered]

Anne knows better than to trust this man.

She knows better, but... there's something about him. It's not just his face - the same one she's seen in her nightmares-turned-hallucinations, achingly familiar and yet just out of reach from recognition... No, she feels like something in her wants to be there for him. Something in her trusts him, and it's bitterly that she forces herself to remember her truth - no adults can be trusted.

She won't be betrayed again. It's not like there aren't good people in the world, Anne knows... or maybe that's not the case, and everyone really is a monster? It doesn't really matter, you see, because there's no way to know for sure - so she'll protect herself by staying distant from them all. Anne is no longer a puppet to be used and thrown away - no, she's a toy with wooden wings, flying free; far away from those who would want to hurt her.

"Welcome!" she says with a smile. It's the same smile as ever, a friendly and warm one, a smile that speaks - 'I'm harmless', it says, 'and I trust you, really, I do.' At the very least, she's happy to have a visitor to her store, one who might see her beloved toys and adore them, even if she'd rather they go to a child in need.

"I've never seen your face here before. I do hope you enjoy my little store."

@celestiialnotes ( starter! )

[giantsreach]

oh mine god, i accidentally hath posted a plotting call . . . ! prithee scroll past it!! 'lest . . . thou desirest to plot? haha i jest, ignore it . . . but should thee crave . . . haha nay, banish it . . . 'lest? 👀

[victoryreport]

   ❝ You won’t tell anybody you saw me — right ? ❞      The Divination Commission can be quite active periodically throughout the day. Slipping away for her lunch hour, Qingque booked it over to the games parlor to help ease some of the burdens. Only, time happened to slip away from her, and now she’s late to return. @fanflames : sc

[crowdedmidnight]

With a curious expression, Lexi observes Mason as he glances at the newspaper in front of them. His joke causes her to crack a smile, but she can't believe he's actually here. She has never believed in ghosts, but there he is, talking to her as if they have known each other for years. "I mean… how did you even get here?" She asks with a hint of disbelief, trying to make light of the situation. "And seriously, did you use any filters on that newspaper picture?" She jokes, looking up at him with a small grin. She can't help but wonder what he's doing in her living room.

| OPEN |

"Yeah...that's me." Mason said softly looking down at the news paper clipping. It was a article about his disappearance. "At least they used a good picture. So I got that going for me." The ghost chuckled.

[okiedokrie]

Orgasmic October Masterlist

Summary: Three different stories for October

Characters/Pairing(s): Joshua, Minghao, Jeonghan X F!Reader (Separately), OCs

Genre: Smut, Fluff, Angst, Crack, Horror

AUs/Trope info: Non-Idol!AU, Demon!AU, College!AU, Sugar Mommy!AU, Aged-up!AU, Muse!AU, Strangers to Lovers, Contract Relationship, Pregnancy, (More to list)

Total Word Count: TBA

Warnings: Mentions of pregnancy, references to witch trials, infidelity, individual warnings per story

Rating: 18+

A/N: This is a remaster of a series called Arousal August I've written before, repurposing the wips and stories for this year!

INFERNO

Summary: The witch trials are in full swing, the church ordered for all witches to be burned at the stake. From morning until the night, you pray for those who turned their back against God. But a knock at your door startled you, the church, in desparation, accused you of witchcraft. Only then did you realize that your God has long forsaken you. Now, you make a deal with the Devil.

Characters/Pairing(s): Demon!Joshua X F!Reader

Genre: Smut, Angst, Horror

AUs/Trope info: Demon!AU, Contract Relationship

Word Count: 1.7k

Warnings: References to witch trials, religious terminologies, oral (f receiving), slight overstim, taking virginity, vaginal sex, unprotected sex, creampie, literally talking about giving birth to the anti-christ, killing everyone (im being serious)

Rating: 18+

A/N: Dedicated to the ji to my han @nebulousbrainsoup

Read Here!

High Infidelity

Summary: There are many different ways that you could kill the one you love, the slowest way is never loving them enough. So what happens when you find someone who was all too willing to give you thee attention you craved, you said you'd only dip your toes into the idea, and yet, you find yourself already drowning. The novel you've been writing has been in progress for the better half of two years now, your writer's block beating you up, and your husband hasn't shown you any sympathy. Maybe a visit to the art exhibit from this new artist would jog your creativity, but what happens when this new artist offers you more than just relief from your writer's block?

Characters/Pairing(s): Xu Minghao (The8) x F!Reader

Genre: Smut, Angst, Fluff

AUs/Trope info: Non-idol!AU, Aged-Up!AU, Right Person (not) Too Late

Word Count: 10.6k

Warnings: Infidelity, very inappropriate conversations with a married woman, afab!reader, wears dresses, lmk if i miss something!! (Smut warnings under the cut)

Rating: 18+

A/N: Already uploaded this like,,, a few months ago IUERGF

Read Here!

Sugar? Yes, please!

Summary: "Fuuu-" Jeonghan said as the email stared back at him, his scholarship didn't cover the last semester of his degree. "Should I get a sugar mommy?" He asks to himself, and you know what? Milfs. That's enough of a reason- oh yeah his scholarship too. But uh, his sugar mommy wants a baby in exchange for his tuition fee???

Characters/Pairing(s): College Student!Jeonghan X Sugar Mommy!F!Reader

Genre: Smut, Fluff, Crack

AUs/Trope info: College!AU, Sugar Mommy!AU, Contract Relationship

Word Count: TBA

Warnings: References and depictions of pregnancy, bro discovered his breeding kink, Milfs, smut warnings TBA

Rating: 18+

A/N: -

Read Here!

[sato-s-only-wife5107]

LMK!Wukong: The Game.

Word Count: 1078.

Content/Trigger Warnings: Clingy Wukong acting like a baby.

Authors Notes: Based on that one (TikTok?)video with the lady and her adorable clingy kitty. It felt very LMK!Wukong coded, so I couldn't help myself. Hope you enjoy! And don't be shy, feel free to request whatever you want!

<---Previous | Masterlist | Next--->

The vibe of Flower Fruit Mountain was rather peaceful in the past few hours. The little monkeys didn't come to bother you or anything today, which made you a bit suspicious. Wukong wasn't any different though, still the same old monkey, clinging to you like a child with its favourite toy. Not that you minded your boyfriend’s embrace, but being able to scratch your nose would have been nice.

You were on the internet when you saw the inspiration to do something… fun. You glanced at your Monkey King and smiled a bit as he repeatedly nuzzled into your stomach. You moved to sit up on the bed and stretched, which made him briefly let you go so he could do the same. When he was about to bury himself back into you, that's when you struck and stopped him. 

“What?” Wukong looked at you in confusion with a small frown when you didn't allow him to cuddle you. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Stay,” you warned, which made him twitch in excitement at the challenge. The way his tail moved and how his eyes zeroed in on you made him look like a wild animal ready to pounce and not let go till your body stopped moving… Well, in this case till you stop resisting.

“No,” he said yet again like the stubborn little monkey he was.

“Stay,” you repeated, which made the Monkey King pout like a baby. “Don't look at me like that.”

“Mine,” he whined as he opened his arms in an attempt for you to collapse into him. 

Not today. 

“No,” you warned again.

“Not mine?” he teared, you had to give him credit, his guilt trip game was fire.

“Yes yours, but no touchy,” you assured him and tried not to laugh.

“Why?” he whined, but listened to you nonetheless, which surprised you greatly. He showed more self-control today than you gave him credit for.

“No,” you stood firm, wanting nothing more than to see where his limit for the day was.

“Mine…” He pouted at you, his lip quivered, and he looked like he was about to cry. It hurt your heart and soul… But you knew him too well to fall for that. 

“We're gonna play a game, okay?”

“No, mine,” his quivering pout turned stubborn, his arms still open till you lowered them by his wrist with your index fingers.

“We're playing a game,” you said more forcefully, not giving him the choice.

“Mmm,” he whined, but it's a potential game with you, and he’s Wukong, so he let you continue.

“It's called keep hands to self, okay?” 

“No!” he snapped immediately. 

“Volume!” you snapped back.

“Don't care!” he snapped back.

He’s such a child for such an old monkey. You mused to yourself.

He wanted you in his arms! He didn't want to play a stupid game that required him to have you right there but not be able to touch you. He was offended you'd even suggest something like that.

“Too much of a coward?” you smirked and raised a challenging brow that made him flinch. “Maybe you're too weak to be able to do such a simple task?”

“No…” he grumbled and folded his arms as he looked away. 

He's so predictable… I admit I wanna kiss him right now though… you thought to yourself and decided to reward the Monkey King a bit when you were done torturing him.

“C'mon~ surely my big strong Monkey King, Great Sage Equal to Heaven won't be bested by a tiny little game,” you worked his ego, and as it always did, it worked.

“Fine, I'll play your stupid game…” he caved, but his fingers intertwined with yours.

“That-that means your hands too,” you were trying so hard not to laugh as you pulled your hand away from his.

“What?” He narrowed his eyes again.

“Yeah, that includes your hands too,” you told him and removed your hand from his. “Keep hands to self, remember?”

“I don't like this game!” he protested and reached to grab your face, but you were faster and grabbed his wrists.

“My face as well, no touching my face,” you spoke and moved his hands to his lap.

It really hurt you to deny him, the adorable pouting baby opened his arms in an attempt to get you to give in first, but you stood strong.

“No hugging,” you mused.

“Ugh,” he glared at you but kept still with his hands on his lap. You could tell it was taking everything in the Monkey King not to just jump you and be over with. The proof was in the way his tail twitched and swayed in annoyance… and the fact that his entire body was shaking like a chihuahua. 

��Good job!” the second the words left your mouth, that's exactly what he did… jump you.

“Finally!” he said as he squeezed you in his arms, but not so tightly that you'd be uncomfortable and want another reason to leave his arms again.

“W-wait, we’re not done yet!” you laughed and tried to get through to him, but it was clear to see that you had lost. 

“We are done,” he said firmly and buried his face into your stomach.

“I'll tell you when-  I'll tell you-” You still tried to peel him off of you, but he was stuck to you like Flex tape.  “I'll tell you when the game is over,”

“It is over,” he pulled back a bit to speak but buried his face into your stomach again. 

“No, no, no,” you laugh, “let's just try it,”

“No, mine!” he held on firmly.

“But-”

“Mine!” he yelled as he squeezed you more.

“Gods dammit,” you swore with a laugh as you gave in and stroked your fingers through his bed head. “Okay, okay, you win.”

“Mine~” he smirked up at you and moved up to bury his face into your neck. 

“All yours, silly monkey,” you chuckled at his display.

Honestly, you couldn't resist him, just as much as he couldn't resist you. You snuggled into his furry chest and took in the scent of your conditioner he kept stealing. You felt at peace at that moment, and it didn't take long for the tired hero to KO. Not only that, but you still couldn't escape, even with him asleep. Not that you minded, you revelled in your Monkey King seeking your comfort and love. That was the bare minimum he deserved.

[rosesxxandxxthorns]

@hartofxmatter liked for a Raquel thread Based on H

"Are you sure?" Raquel double check with a small smile as the other offered her a ride after their countless attempts at pulling her car out out of where it was stuck on the side of the road. "Though I insist if you are sure that you don't have to drive me all the way to my destination, just enough to get me to a gas station or something where I can have a signal and maybe charge up a bit," she assured.

[swtsours]

“   i   have   a   good   reason   !   i’m   here   to   convince   you   to   let   me   play   .   you’ve   benched   me   for   three   consecutive   games   .   ”

closed starter for @swtsours

"are you here to waste my time or do you have a good reason?"

[astermath]

nemesis; part two.

pairing: carmen berzatto x fem!reader

summary: with carmen reworking the restaurant, you’d think his mind would be far too occupied to even think about anything else. yet he can’t shake the guilt from what he’d put you through a month prior. after some talks in therapy, he decides to take a leap of faith and see if he can talk it out with you. he not only wants to convince you that he can be better, but he's got an offer for you too. one you truly can't refuse.

♡ landing page ♡

word count: 4.9K

tags: carmen being unsure about his feelings but trying to be better episode 3265742, letting reader in a little more, APOLOGIES!!!, cursing ig, carm goes to therapy yippee, syd being the absolute realest, regular font below!

notes: sorry this took literally forever omg, I lost my carmen muse for a bit but we are SO back baby. I missed him so much and so sorry if some things don't follow the canon completely (I've been watching season 2 on and off bc I've been so busy lol BUT my fics never follow the canon completely anyways),, hope u guys enjoy and let me know if you'd like a part three ;))

lmk if you'd like to be added to the tag list for further carmen berzatto related content! comments and reblogs are highly appreciated!

Carmen’s life hadn’t known a moment of mental rest in ages. If you asked him when he last sat down with his thoughts or acknowledged his mental anguish, he probably would have said he couldn’t remember the last time. If ever.

With plans to completely revamp The Beef and everything that came with it, now his feelings should be the last thing on his mind. Renovation plans, unforeseen costs and a completely new menu, sure, he could worry his ass off about those, but feelings? Absolutely not. Good thing he was usually so good at suppressing those anyways.

So why was it that he couldn’t shake the thought of what he did to you?

Why, every time he had a moment to himself, would he be overtaken by this intense feeling of guilt? He didn’t even have to be alone, just a second of quiet and the image of you crying in distress would intrude on his thoughts.

It was getting to a point where he’d told his sister, Natalie, about it. Well, not all of it, he wasn’t even sure if he knew all of it. Just that he knows he hurt you, and that coming to terms with what he projected onto you might be a good first step in understanding himself better.

Or maybe it was something more along the lines of “I gotta talk my shit to some people”. Probably that.

To his surprise, it was actually helping. Besides the group therapy sessions where he’d talk about Mikey, the business and his future, he was talking to other people in his life too. Even told Sydney about you, kind of on accident. The words just seemed to… Flow out. It was probably the exhaustion doing its thing.

“I guess I just felt like,” he kept his eyes on the floor he was sweeping, “she was doing it all to fuck with me. I don’t even know where I got the sick idea that she had some obsession over me, but it— it drove me at the same time. It’s like her being on my heels at every aspect of culinary school just made me want to try even harder.”

“Maybe you painted her in that light because you knew it was a good way to keep pushing yourself.” Sydney spoke almost absentmindedly, sweeping the other side of the room. She listened to everything he said in the meantime, and though what he was telling her was a bit worrying, she was glad they got to have talks like this. Carmen often doesn’t like to bring up his past like that.

“Huh,” he paused sweeping for a moment, “yeah… yeah, maybe. Or maybe it was something else.”

Sydney wasn’t even sure he knew what he was referring to. It sounded like something entirely different, like a crush, but what kind of person treats their crushes like that?

Probably an overworked, pressured, overachieving culinary student with a dangerous need for validation. But she wasn’t about to tell him that.

“So yeah, I visited her restaurant, and… It just felt the exact same as back in New York, you know? Like she was rubbing it in my face again, and— and I know that sounds insane, or conceited, but I just can’t let it go. It’s like the thought of her is stuck to my brain like a stubborn piece of gum.” He wanted to smack himself for that stupid analogy, but what was said was said.

“So how’d you handle it?” Sydney’s head perked up, some of her braids now draping over her shoulders.

“Handle what?” Carmen became more and more uneasy the more he talked about you. Like his chest was tight, it was uncomfortable, but not in the way he was when the health inspection came by, it was different. Weirder. Unfamiliar. He didn’t like it, because he didn’t understand it.

“The talk with her.” She emptied the last bit of dust into the trash bag.

“Oh,” his mind took him back to the parking lot a month ago. The way he could almost taste the tears of your skin from how close he stood, he could hear the shakiness of your breath and the profound desperation in your voice when you apologized to him, when you really had no reason to.

If it was still so clear in his mind, then what must it be like for you?

“Carmen?” Sydney snapped him out of his oncoming train of thought.

“Yeah? Sorry, I— Uh, I don’t know it was…” He runs a hand through his hair, suddenly finding it in his best interest to look anywhere else but her face. “Bad. It was— It was bad.” He looks a bit shameful when he meets her eyes. “I fucked up. I like, went all New York boss on her. And then I just… Left.”

His colleague just stares at him for a moment. She knew what he was like when he snapped like that, but that was with his staff, people he liked. So how badly did he snap on you, a person he’d been resenting for years?

“I’m gonna go take out this trash, and uh… Head home.” She lifts the grey plastic bag she was holding. “But uh, Carm?”

“Yeah?”

“You got issues, man.” She has a bit of an awkward smile on her face, but he knows she means it. He knows she’s right. She usually is.

He nods, silently, letting her words sink in. He did have issues, everyone knew that, but most people didn’t just say it. That’s why he liked Sydney, she was so real, so honest. She was so good for the business, for the kitchen. And maybe her saying that to him was all part of grounding him in the reality of it all. Of his issues, just that they existed.

“Heard.” he says. His voice comes out raspier than he expected, like he’s struggling to say it.

“Goodnight, chef.”

“Night.”

He’d thought about what Sydney said the entire night. He does have issues, he knows that, he’s just mad at himself for letting everything get this far before seeking help. It scares him. Because it reminds him too much of Mikey. Or what he heard about him when things got bad.

He doesn’t want to make the same mistakes his brother did. Lock people out of his life just because it seems easier, because it’s better to minimize the damage than to figure out why you’re doing damage at all. And yes it’s uncomfortable, yes it’s scary, terrifying even. But he keeps being reminded of how it must feel for you.

It’s something he’d never considered before. He always thought he had you all figured out, all fake smiles and backhanded compliments to distract him. It never occurred to him to just… Ask. It was always just easier to assume. It fit his view of you and it kept him going, even if it was at the expense of ever getting to know you at all.

He’s hoping he can change that with a few text messages and a long, probably uncomfortable, talk over coffee. Just hoping, trying, that’s really all he can do. He’s well aware of how bad he is at communicating, but he has to give it a shot. For you, at least.

He stares at his phone screen for far longer than is necessary, continuously rereading the messages he’d typed. His eyes keep flicking to your contact, making sure he sent it to the right person. The only thing you two had texted about before was a time and place for him to try your new restaurant. His heart aches at the exclamation points and emojis you’d sent; you were so excited, and he drove all that excitement straight into the ground.

He closes his eyes and shuts off the phone. His chest hurts, like he’s been holding his breath the entire time. Maybe he has. You could have that effect on him, making it harder to breathe. He always wondered why he had such nervous reactions around you specifically. He always figured it had to do with your one sided rivalry, but it feels… Different. More complex.

Your eyes are finally peeled off your computer screen when numerous phone notifications alarm you. Truth be told, you’ve been trying your best to keep yourself occupied as much as possible. That usually helps when you get waves of emotions like this, keeping busy, distracting your mind from overthinking.

Ever since your last encounter with Carmen, you’ve been so on edge. Always trying to do something, anything, so you wouldn’t have to think about what happened, why he acted like that to you. Because you know if you did, you’d just start blaming yourself again, and you’d be back to square one.

Your eyebrows raise at the name of the contact. You were sure he’d blocked you, or at least deleted your number after last time. He was avoidant like that, and frankly, you weren’t sure if you wanted him to talk to you again after that anyways. Maybe it was just to drive the point home, make you feel even more worthless.

Still, you were curious. Even if it was just to cuss you out even more, at least you knew what to expect, right?

[carmen]: hey, I really want to talk to you about what happened last time.

[carmen]: well

[carmen]: I want to apologise

[carmen]: but I can’t do that like this

[carmen]: I’d much rather do it in person

[carmen]: if you’d let me

[carmen]: meet me at odette’s tomorrow around 10? coffee’s on me, I just want to talk

[carmen]: please

The last message was sent minutes later than the rest, while you were reading them. He was desperate for an answer, and though you wanted to hear him out, to talk to him, something in you felt off about the whole thing. Like he was just doing this to clear off his own guilt, only to then ditch you just like he ditched you after culinary school. Because you’re rivals, apparently. That’s what you do.

But then there’s something else in you too. The part that’s still nostalgic about New York with him. About the glances back and forth when you were timed on preparing certain things, about the way he’d stare at you when you got feedback, the ignorant bliss you lived in. When you still believed he might have liked you just a little.

That part of you takes the upper hand when you reply and take his offer. Your heart is in your throat, nerves overtaking you already and you weren’t even with him yet. He had that effect on you sometimes, making it harder to breathe.

You wondered what that meant.

Carmen sits alone at a booth, all the way at the back of the café he’d chosen. It’s rather quiet, as most Mondays are, yet at the same time, it’s so loud. Loud in the way he hears the clinking of every spoon against porcelain cups, the crinkling of a napkin and the not so subtle ticking of the clock above the entrance. 10:06. You were late.

Suddenly he's filled with more regret than he's ever felt before. He's not ready to see you again, only to be reminded of how he made you cry, and of his own tumultuous emotions and shortcomings that lead to this moment. It's surprising how fast the emotions he associates with you changed; he's not angry anymore, he's scared, guilty, nervous. He wants to see you so bad and yet he feels like you'd be better off never talking to him again.

It's too late to make a run for it when you finally walk through the door. Hair a little damp from the rain, just a bit disheveled from what he could only assume to be rushing over to the café. And that same angelic smile you offer to the barista that greets you, the same one you'd offer him every morning, whether he looked at you or not.

He had no choice but to look now.

Your smile falters into something more nervous, a little melancholic, when your eyes meet his across the café. Though you knew he was going to be there, something in you feels surprised to see him again. Maybe it’s because he isn’t yelling at you or throwing insults at your head this time. Or maybe because he’s actually looking you in the eye. Since when did he get so good at that?

You sit down across him, taking off your coat and putting your bag besides you.

“Hey.” You smile again, much more awkward this time.

“Hey.” He returns the same thin lipped smile.

It’s quiet for a few seconds. Carmen swears the whole café has gone silent in that moment, leaving the two of you to listen to the sound of your own breathing and heartrate picking up. You’re not sure where to look, not being used to being in such an intimate setting with him.

“Do you want a coffee?”

“Sorry I was late.”

You both talk over each other, and the urge to chuckle about it overtakes you. Carmen can’t help but smile as well. You seem nervous, and somehow that puts him a little more at ease. Like he’s not the only one who’s in their head about it.

“Sorry, I, uhm, yeah— I would like a coffee.” You scramble over your words. “Please.”

“Sure,” he nods, “and no worries.”

“Hm?”

“That you were late. I haven’t been here that long either.” He lied. He’d been there half an hour early, cursing himself for letting him sit along with his thoughts for that long and psyching himself out into almost leaving.

You both order and another heavy silence sits between you two. You both know why you’re there, what needs to be talked about. Yet neither of you know how to bring it up.

You’ve lived most of your lives believing this version of each other you had in your minds. Because it kept you grounded. Because it was easier. He never let you in and for the longest time, you were at peace with that. You could have a slightly distant view of who he was, your classmate, your rival. And he could do the same. Keep you out, pretend you were there to keep him on his toes, to always try to outdo him.

Those facades of each other don’t work anymore. The real world has forced you to reconcile with each other, whether you liked it or not.

Your coffee gets brought to your table, and both of you feel this urgency to say something, anything, at least.

“The pastries here are good too, if you want to get one.” He finally broke the awkward silence. He can start with talking about food, something he knows. If all else fails, resort back to that.

“I haven’t tried a pastry besides my own in a long time. Maybe I could learn a thing or two here.” You admit. He knows that feeling. He’s not nearly as adventurous with his food choices as he wants to be, but as a busy chef on the brink of a new entrepreneurship, it’s usually beef sandwiches and frozen meals.

“I think yours were better though.” He takes a sip of his coffee.

“Huh?” You look up, realizing you were avoiding eye contact by staring into your cup.

“The danish I tried at your place. It was fire.”

“Oh. Right. Thank you, we make everything from scratch.”

“I could tell.” He takes another sip. “I guess I— I kinda forgot to tell you that. In the heat of it all.” He huffs to himself. “Food was so good it made me upset.”

“Upset?” His word use frustrates you. Upset is when they forget to give you your sauce with your order. What happened back there was not upset. That was rage. Wrath. You raise an eyebrow and he realizes he said something wrong.

“Well, more than upset. Listen, I— We need to talk about what happened.” His blue eyes peer into your own. They’re almost distracting enough to avoid you noticing his fidgeting hands.

“I’m listening.” You lean back slightly in your seat. You’d played nice with Carmen all your life, given him every chance to return it. Now it was his turn to try.

"Right." Of course he has to talk. It's his fault, isn't it? He's the one who snapped-- why did he even imply you'd have to explain yourself? He runs a hand through his hair, and there he goes again, eyes darting across the café to find something to focus on as he sought out the right words. You'd almost find it endearing, how bad he is at this, if it wasn't so important to you.

"You don't do this often, do you?"

"What, like-- meeting up for coffee?"

"Talking about stuff. Your feelings and shit." You hid your slightly amused smile behind your coffee cup before taking a small sip.

"Oh. Yeah, no, I-- I don't. Not until recently." He takes a deep breath. Just like they had told him to. “I’ve been going to this therapy thing my sister recommended. S’not much, but… It’s a start. Talked about the restaurant, my brother—“

“Your brother?” Your eyebrows raise slightly.

“Yeah, my— my brother. Mikey.” He looks a bit surprised. He’s come to the shattering realization that he’s never told you anything about his personal life, ever. You don’t even know about one of the most important people in his life, his main drive. You’ve known each other for so long yet you know so little. “I never told you about him?”

“You never told me anything.” You answer curtly. “We never really… Talked, you know?”

“Yeah— yeah, you’re right. I just thought… Wow.” He smiles, more out of shock than anything. He feels so stupid. How immature is it to be feuding this much with a person who doesn’t know anything about you?

“I guess I really don’t know much about you either.” His fingers rake through his messy curls again. “Makes me feel like even more of an idiot for going off on you like that. Like I had you all figured out.”

“Yeah, that was uh... That was something." The mood shifts a little. His smile fades as soon as he sees the melancholy in your eyes return. Of course it wouldn't be that easy for you to forgive him, to feel better about all this. "You know, I never knew you thought of me like that." A small smile graces your features. Somehow it's sadder than the expression you had before.

"I mean, I knew you didn't like me. I was pretty much at peace with the fact that you were never going to like me, either. But I never thought you hated me that much." You sniffle, trying your hardest to blink away any oncoming tears. "Like your life, your entire career, would have been easier without me there at all."

His heart aches at the sight of you, all teary eyed and trying to be brave. You're much braver than him. Sadness is a much harder thing to express than anger. He's starting to figure that out more and more.

"I don't hate you." He starts. He sees the confusion contort your features, and he knows he's not making any sense. "I mean I did-- I did hate you. Or, maybe not you, just... The fucked up idea I had of you. And-- and that was on me, that was my own fault." He feels an urge to touch you; to rub your back, hold your hand, anything to comfort you. It's tearing him apart to know that he's the cause of all this.

"But why?" A single tear rolls down your cheek, leaving a wet streak on your skin in its wake. "Why did you think that about me? I-- I get that we had a little rivalry going but jesus Carmen, did you really think I spent my whole culinary school career trying to outdo you?"

"To be honest... Yeah." He feels ashamed. So ashamed. He hopes the waitress doesn't walk by and listen to any of this, see you crying, and make you feel even worse. "Cooking was always just... My thing. If I was good for anything, it would be that. So seeing you do so well at something I'd started to base my whole existence around, it made me jealous, so fucking jealous." He meets your eyes, even if it's hard. You have to know he's being sincere.

"And it's-- it's unfair, it's so unfair to you, I know, and I'm really fuckin' sorry. I'm trying to work on myself, on everything, and I hope I can prove that to you." His face has that red tint you recognize whenever he's nervous or stressed. You can tell this is taking a lot from him.

"Is that really all? You were just jealous?" Your voice is quieter, fragile almost.

"I don't know. I wanna think it's that simple but I really don't know. There's a lot I don't understand about me, or you, or us. My mind doesn't know how to react when I see you anymore I think, now that things are different." He takes a deep breath, like saying that took a physical toll on him. "You have this-- this weird effect on me, and I don't know how to cope with it. I think it was just easier to be mad at you than to be anything else."

Anger is easier to express than sadness. The easiest out of all emotions, actually. Sometimes a little too easy.

You look to the side, wiping your cheek with the back of your hand. You huff out something close to a laugh, and though he’s caught off guard by it, he doesn’t mind it. Even if you’re laughing at him, at least that means you’re not crying.

“You’ve got issues Berzatto. You know that?”

“Yeah. I’ve been told.” He smiles, and it’s heartfelt this time. Not nervous, or sad, or awkward. He’s happy to see you a little more at ease.

“It’s just really crazy to me.” You trace your finger over the edge of your coffee cup as you talk. “I spent so much time in culinary school looking up to you. And then I find out you were always just trying to keep up with me.”

Carmen’s eyebrows raise a little at your words. “Looked up to me?”

“Yeah, like… Your drive, your passion, it’s so impressive. Always looking to improve, to do better, it just— it inspired me to do better too. As cheesy as that may sound.” You smiled. “S’why I opened up in Chicago, you know.”

“Really? Huh.” He leaned back in his seat.

“Because I wanted to work with you. Or for you. Either would have been fine with me.” You sigh. “I like owning my own place, but… I don’t know, for some reason I always imagined us working together.” You smiled. “Is that stupid?”

“No,” he replied quickly, “no not at all, I— I totally get that.” He’s quiet for a few seconds, and you can practically hear the gears turning in his head when he stares at you for a moment.

“I mean you’re a remarkable chef, really, like— insanely remarkable, and, well, we’re revamping the restaurant completely right now. We need people— more people, new people, and so, I was wondering— or I’ve been thinking—“ He stops himself from losing his breath from all his rambling, before he freaks you out even more than he already has.

“I want you to come work for us at the Bear.” He puts his hands together, as if he’s about to beg. “Please.”

You can almost hear yourself blinking out of confusion. There’s suddenly no more loud silences, no, the café seems dead quiet for once. All you can do is stare at him, wait for a laugh, because clearly this was a joke right? There’s no way Carmen Berzatto, chef supreme, arch nemesis of yours, would want you anywhere near him, let alone work in his own establishment.

“I’m sorry?”

He feels stupid already. You had every reason to say no. He’d been the biggest asshole in the world to you, he’d kept his distance all his life, and now he expects you to be his employee. Or, well, colleague, more so.

“I’m uh— we’re redoing the restaurant entirely. New equipment, new staff, new everything.” He swallows; the thought of everything that needed to be done arises for a moment. “We need people that work hard, who know what they’re doing and who are passionate about it. And I barely know anyone who’s better at what you do than yourself.” He pauses, waiting for you to stop him. But you don’t.

“So I’m asking if you’d work for me. With me. It won’t be anything like old days, if anything I— I need to learn from you.” He scoffs at himself. “Could take a thing or two about how to communicate with my staff.”

You smile, and he genuinely thinks you’re about to start laughing at him. You chuckle, but it’s not mean, it’s honest. Cute.

“You know, you have great timing.” You grin.

“I do?” the smile on his face reflects the hope he feels.

“One of my chefs wants to take over the place for me. Well, has been wanting to. I haven’t had an exact reason to say yes to her yet.” You shrugged. “Guess I do now.”

“…Is that you saying yes?”

“It’s definitely not me saying no.” Your eyes meet his, and there’s something between you both that’s different now. It’s not like there’s a switch that’s been flipped. It‘s more like this conversation was the turning page of a new chapter.

“I’ll think about it. I want to see it first. Maybe talk to some of your staff.” Carmen’s chest strains a little when he thinks about you interacting with Richie. Then he’s reassured when he thinks about you interacting with Sydney or Marcus. You’d fit in well, you have great feeling for people.

“Yeah— yeah, I get that. Totally. I can arrange that. Uhm, we’re renovating right now, actually, it’s all really kinda wild, but if you wanna stop by, chat with Syd, or Nat, or talk about the plans, let me know. I’m sure they’d love to talk to you.” He’s not lying, you seem like you’d get along well with them. Especially Sydney. Your thinking processes are very similar to each other. And to his.

Carmen gets the bill, even though you try to pay for it.

“It’s just a coffee, just let me get this one.”

You let him have this one, simply because you can’t argue with him after the conversation you just had. You’re in too good of a mood after his proposition too.

He walks you to your car, hands in his pockets when you reach it. It’s cold outside, and his breath comes out in visible puffs of air. His nose is a little red, but you think it looks cute.

“Thanks for coming, by the way,” he starts, “I know you didn’t have to. Like— after how I acted to you. But— But I really do appreciate that you’re givin' me a chance here.” He’d always been confused about how positive and faithful you were in people. He never thought he’d be grateful for those exact features too.

“No worries, I… I had a good time. I’m glad we talked.” The keys jingle as you fidget with them. Among them is a keychain in the shape of a cherry, he recognizes it. It reminds him of how little you’ve both changed. And how much.

“Yeah.” He sighs. Relieved, almost. “Me too. But I’ll let you leave, might wanna tell your chef the good news.”

“Good news?” You quirk an eyebrow.

“That you’re selling them the business.”

“I haven’t decided yet, Carm.” You scoff. But he can tell you have, you look too excited about it all to not have your mind made up yet. It excites him too. Scares him a bit as well, but what’s a new chapter without a bit of tension?

“Right. Sorry.” He huffs. “Just text me when you wanna head over to see the place. It’s uh… It’s a work in progress, but it’s getting somewhere.”

“I believe you. I’m looking forward to it.” You lean back against your car a little.

“Yeah. Me too.”

“See y’around?” You unlock it and walk up to the driver’s side.

“Course. Uh, don’t be a stranger.”

You grin, leaning down to get into the vehicle. “Never with you, Berzatto.”

He watches you drive off, standing in the cold for far longer than any sensible person has any business standing there. But he feels good. He feels warm.

He thinks about what you said to him before you left. You were right, you were never a stranger to him. You were always like a constant in his life; whether you were actually present or not. And even if he didn’t know that much about you, which he was insistent on changing, you were never a stranger.

Never with him.

tag list <3

@beebslebobs @thatone-brightstar  @spr3id  @deadandstill  @777iii  @magicboytrash  @dogdevourer @wiipes @sierrahhh  @crayzmarvelfan800 @azxulaa  @astridyoo15   @rexorangecouny  @azxulaa @jointherebellion215 @diorrfairy @chanluuvr @idontexist-anymore @wolfiealina

[rubra-wav]

Omgg, I need a Rosie x fem!Reader fic, where she introduces you to Alastor like her partner 😭💕

Rosie x introducing reader to Alastor

A/N: Today is Rosie day apparently bc I got 2 reqs I'm gonna be (hopefully at least) getting written abt her today.

I'm really sorry I just realised you said fic on this one, lmk if you'd like me to write it as a proper fic 💀

Cw: Sfw, Fem reader, slightly twisted fluff, cannibalism, kinda messed up relationship origin story haha

- When Rosie had brought out the tea set with a mixture of treats for Alastor and herself, and different sweets for you, you could feel yourself getting anxious about the meeting to come.

- You'd been dating the overlord for a little while now. With the 7th month approaching, Rosie wanted you to meet one of her longest friends.

- Wanted to solidify that you were her girlfriend more permanently.

- The public eye wasn't on you at all luckily due to you living in a town surrounded by ravenous cannibals who would protect you with tooth and nail due to dating their leader.

- However, during the time you'd been together, Rosie continued to receive suitors, which was uncomfortable for both of you.

- So she figured that she would start trying to make an effort to tell people she was in a completely monogamous relationship, one person at a time. Starting with her good friend Al, naturally.

- You truly didn't mind, but it was a little bit nerve-wracking meeting another overlord. Especially one who was long time friends with your lover.

- Rosie noticed you fidgeting nervously with your hands, looking down at the table set out before you.

- She let out a soft sigh and put down the box of tea bags she had been fussing with the choices of, walking to stand behind you and place her hands on your shoulders.

- "You'll be fine, heart! He's gonna love you. Maybe even half as much as I do!" She chuckled as your slightly unsure face peered backwards up at her.

- She leaned down to place a soft kiss on your forehead, prompting you to relax and smile softly.

- As she did so, there was the sound of someone clearing their throat behind the two of you.

- You two turned to see the very recognisable Radio Demon standing there looking somewhat uncomfortable at the display of affection. You didn't even hear him approach the outdoor sitting area.

- "Good afternoon, ladies." Alastor recovered quickly as Rosie moved to properly greet him with a big hug, and you rose from your seat with a somewhat strained smile.

- As the two cannibal overlords embraced, you got a stab of being out of place... inadequate in comparison. I mean, you were just some nobody dating the (essentially) mayor of cannibal town, you were surely out of place in such company.

- You were knocked from your thoughts as you felt your hand taken and shaken, Alastor leaning down to get a closer look at you with an elated grin.

- "And you must be (name)! Brilliant to meet you darling, Rose has told me so much about you, it really is a pleasure!" He exclaimed, shaking your hand so enthusiastically you thought you might fall over if he kept it up.

- "Y-yes! It's very nice to meet you Al-" you startled, before correcting yourself. "Alastor! I mean. Sorry!" You apologised profusely for addressing him so informally.

- The man shook his head with a staticky bark of laughter. "Nonsense! Anyone who's this close to Rosie I see as a friend! Do feel free to call me Al, darling." He let go of your hand, finally ceasing the relentless handshake to go and take a seat at the table, musing to himself the whole way about how fun this was going to be.

- Rosie laughed softly at the surprise on your face, wrapping an arm around your lower back and guiding you toward the loveseat across from your grinning guest.

- Afternoon tea with Alastor went along swimmingly despite your prior stress about it.

- The whole time, your fingers were laced together with Rosie's as the three of you laughed and conversed cordially.

- "So, do tell me, how did you ladies meet one another?" Alastor asked, taking a sip of his tea with his red eyes flicking between the two of you.

- You laughed awkwardly, looking to Rosie with a slightly hesitant expression as to whether you should tell the truth exactly or not.

- Rosie shrugged, somewhat hesitant about it as well.

- You gulped, recollecting it all. "Well, my Rose and I met under.. inopportune circumstances." You said slowly, voice raising an octave at the end.

- Alastor put down his cup of tea with his eyebrows raised expectantly. "Oh~?" He looked all the more curious now.

- You took a deep breath, and Rosie chuckled next to you. "Well," Rosie picked up where you left off. "It's kind of funny now, but wasn't at the time that's for sure. She stumbled into the town's walls with a bleeding knee and the cannibals converged on her, trying to take her as a gift for me. It was my birthday the day afterwards, you see." The cannibal explained, talking with her hands as she told the story.

- Alastor looked at you in surprise. "My, that would have been quite a strange situation for you (name)."

- "it... sure was, yes. They brought me to her gagged and wrapped up in a big pink ribbon." You thought back in some unsureness. "They wanted to cook my heart particularly for her birthday meal, but wanted her to actually approve of me before serving me."

- Alastor laughed loudly at your words, shaking his head as he fought to compose yourself. "And what, she decided you looked like you tasted bad?" He looked at Rosie for more context, to find her shaking her head with a somewhat irritated look on her face.

- "Not at all, she looked far too good to eat. People like my husband belong on a platter, not those like my heart," Rosie looked to the side down at you with a fond smile. "I knew that even before we spoke."

- You blushed and smiled warmly at her, squeezing her hand as you looked lovingly up at her.

- "The second I looked into those big beautiful black eyes of her's, I knew I wanted to be with her. Weird I know to be on someone's literal chopping block and thinking that way." You chuckled, looking back at Alastor with a grin.

- Alastor grinned right back at you, expression softening slightly as he leaned his cheek on his palm. "Yes, however I'm glad to see that Rosie seems to be so happy with you. You two make an excellent pair from what I've seen."

- You and Rosie chuckled, agreeing with him. Definitely.

Helpppp now I kinda wanna write a prequel part 2 for their meeting aaa. I could call it 'Eat Your Heart Out or Give You Mine.'✨️😭

Or sumn like that.

[victoryreport]

  ❝ Do you have another task for me? ❞      More oft than not the small tasks she’s assigned feel like chores. Qingque is pleasant, with even a touch of eagerness to be found in her tone as she addresses the Master Diviner, for hidden behind her back is the book she’s been reading on company time again.  @omniscias : sc

[crowdedmidnight]

Kendall smiled, feeling a warmth spread through her chest at Brittney's words. "You’re a real trip, Britt," she said, nudging her playfully. "I don’t think you need to fight anyone for me just yet, but it’s good to know you’ve got my back." She paused, considering Brittney’s offer. If Ken was being honest, her recent break up was actually perfect timing. She noticed how distance he's been getting lately and it's understandable, she wasn't ready for marriage, and he was. "Honestly, I could really go for eating my feelings right now," Kendall admitted with a small laugh. "Maybe we order something unhealthy and just chill? No heavy talks, just us and whatever food makes this day a little less terrible." She looked at Brittney, her smile softening. "Thanks, though. For being you."

Starter for @crowdedmidnight

"Ya know, you are the most dazzling person I've ever met? Anybody that says otherwise I'll fight. I mean it too. You think I may not have a bad bone in my body, but when anybody I care about is hurt, that changes. I am bad to the bone." Britney said with a grin, only wanting to cheer the other up.

"Ooo and if you don't wanna talk about it right now, we don't have to. We can just order in and eat our feelings. What do ya think?"