hearts on sleeves

popcorn in one hand, miranda moves up in the line for the ferries wheel and ignores the feeling of worry and anxiety steadily building in her stomach. earlier, when she’d talked herself into attending the event alone, it hadn’t seemed so bad. had seemed kind of fun actually. but now she’s starting to worry people are judging her for having no friends. she frowns a little at that, she has friends. fuck maybe she should have texted someone to meet her here. was it sad to ride a ferries wheel alone? not that she had much choice in the matter now as the man manning the ride waved her forwards and miranda shoved a piece of popcorn in her mouth to avoid having to look at anyone else in the line as they waited to see if anyone else was alone. this was fine. she was perfectly fine. she was going to enjoy her popcorn and the view and everything was fine.

( @oldgcds​ )

it had been her therapists idea. to find a hobby that would get her outside of the house or the cafe. at which point miranda had pointed out that technically the cafe was outside of her home so shouldn’t that count? but it had been a loosing argument that found her sitting in a cold room with a bunch of strangers and staring at a bowl of fruit. the blank page in front of her was still blank, no matter how many times she raised her pencil to at least try and do something. but she didn’t know where to start or how to start or if she should go right in with colour or start with pencil or–– miranda sucked in a breath and closed her eyes tight. it was just a silly art class, there was no need for her to be getting this worked up about it. her therapist had just said she needed to get out of her comfort zone, not that she had to see a class through. with that thought in mind, as quite and discreetly as possible she throws her pencil case in her bag and readjusts the knitting needles poking out so they don’t dig into her side as she slings it over her shoulder. ducking her head she prays that no one pays her any attention as she waves past chairs and easels, throwing an apologetic look someone when she nearly sends a sketch book flying. and then she’s at the door and pulling it open and flinging herself through the smallest possible opening, back hitting the wall next to the door with a soft thud. 

it’s only as the door is shutting behind her with a bang that echos through the hallway and miranda is wincing agains the sound that she notices there’s someone already there. watching her sneak out of a room in the worst possible way. oh god. she tries for casual as she lifts her hand up in a half way, sheepish smile on her lips as she says, “hi. sorry.”

(closed starter for rosalie + miranda - @stringsxfate​​​​ )

rosie  has  never  had  the  privilege  of  personal  projects.  at  least  ones  that  didn’t  have  to  involve  the  press  or  looking  good.  and  half  the  time,  those  personal  projects  never  feel  as  fulfilling.  but  now  that  she  had  a  bit  more  time  to  herself,  without  the  constant  tv  shoots  and  whatnot,  she  decided  to  take  on  an  offer  to  join  a  food  festival  somewhere  down  in  brooklyn.  the  organizers  thought  that  she  would  be  an  excellent  addition  to  it  while  teamed  up  with  a  baker.  and  she  quite  liked  the  purpose  of  it,  as  all  proceeds  on  sold  products  would  be  going  to  charity.  

she’s  heard  of  miranda  tien  and  her  cozy  cafe  from  several  of  her  employees,  but  has  never  had  the  privilege  of  meeting  her  or  going  to  the  place  at  all.  so  rosie  decided  to  visit  the  laurel  cafe  on  a  saturday,  mostly  to  strategize  their  products  to  sell.  but  also  to  meet  the  brilliant  young  lady  behind  the  cafe.  she  comes  into  the  store,  wishing  she  had  called  ahead  of  time.  but  there  was  no  turning  back  now,  though,  as  she  comes  up  the  counter  to  speak  to  one  of  the  employees.  “hello,  good  morning  -  i’m  looking  for  ms.  tien?”  she  greets  with  a  kind  smile,  hoping  she  hadn’t  come  in  on  the  baker’s  day  off.

ever since she’d decided to participate in the food festival this year it’s like the cafe had decided to become extra busy, just to spite her. her normal peaceful wednesday morning had been taken over by a book club and her usual saturday morning rush had been swapped for utter chaos. not that she could really complain, because it meant the cafe was doing well and she was doing something right but, it would have been nice to have ten minutes to catch her breath and think about the festival. 

after her last customer is walking away from a tray of drinks miranda takes a moment to close her eyes, palms pressed to the front counter as she blows out a breath. she’s really going to have to see about hiring more people one of these days. at the sound of someone's voice her eyes snap open, smile already on her face before the ladies question registers with her. “oh,” she says, head tilting slightly in confusion, but small smile still on her lips, “that’s me, hi. can i help you?”

“just a couple.” she replied, smiling brightly, “that’s why i can confirm you’re the absolute best in the city- heck! the state!” she said with a giggle, she meant it genuinely, miranda’s shop was her favorite. the atmosphere couldn’t be competed with– neither the treats. her friend had a knack for this and it showed. “hmm, i’ll do tea today.” she answered, happy to know that miranda thought the same of her.

—・

“well, i don’t suppose i can really argue with that can, i?” she laughed lightly. while she was sure willow meant it seriously miranda knew there were far better bakers out in the city then her, but she could dream of being the best one day. “an excellent choice,” pointing a finger at her friend, she plucked a mug from the rack and turned her finger to point at the different tea options, “fruity? english breakfast? a surprise?”

☆

Poppy smiled reassuringly at the other woman. “Oh! No pressure, really. I think at this point in the day you could honestly hand me something burnt and I would tell you it’s delicious,” she laughed. It was only half of a joke. Poppy usually hit a wall in the middle of her work day where she would tend to look for snacks wherever she really could to keep her energy up. “Oh chocolate bombs! I’ve seen those! Just videos, of course! Do you have anything with…white chocolate? Or if you don’t, I think just any regular hot chocolate will do.” The blonde felt an almost amusing amount of excitement at the thought of it.

—・

“i don’t know if i should be offended you think i’d ever give someone something burnt,” miranda teased, “or maybe it just means you’re in desperate need for something sweet.” her eyes glance over to the glass fronted fridge, lips pursing as she tries to think of what’s the nicest while also giving a kick of energy. maybe she should start working on some sort of energy bar. blinking, she looks back at the other woman, taking a moment to catch up on the conversation, “oh! yes, there should be one––” miranda roots through the basket until she comes across one with a little pale green label, “aha! one white chocolate hot chocolate!” she holds up with a little proud smile before sliding it across the counter, “right you keep that and you can watch it work it’s magic once i sort the milk out.”

willow smiled brightly, letting out a giggle. she loved compliments not that she was fishing for them she just genuinely liked doing the nice thing. “thank you, miranda. but i could say the same for you. the brightest star and baker i know.” she complimented back, “i mean how else could we explain you making brownies on a weekday.” she said, looking taking a seat. “of course i’m sticking around– and not just because the weather. you’re company is one of my favorites.”

—・

wrinkling her nose slightly as she looks over at willow she asks, “do you know many bakers?” she’d accept the compliment anyway, but it would be nice to know how much competition she was up against. laughing lightly miranda pulls her apron off the hook on the wall, tying it around her waist as she shoots her friend another smile, “oh well that’s good, because yours is mine as well! coffee, tea or hot chocolate?”

☆

Poppy’s eyes widened slightly as she watched the box begin to sag. Even though the other woman said she didn’t need help, the blonde instinctively reached a hand out in case anything fell. She knew that feeling all too well. “I would say you earn the right to be biased if you can bake as good as I’ve heard,” she offered the woman a reassuring smile as she rubbed her cold hands together in an attempt to get warm quickly. “Oh yes, please! Do you have something like hot chocolate? I haven’t had one in a while and today seems like the perfect day for it.” She had only heard good things about the small bakery and she couldn’t help but feel a little bit excited.

—・

shooting the blonde a grateful smile for helping with the box she feels it turn a little bashful at the compliment. tucking her stray strands of hair behind her ears and trying to ignore the blush heating her cheeks she says, “oh well now i’m feeling the need to live up to some kind of hype.” though it did please her to know that people liked her baking enough to talk about it. switching on the machines as she moved towards the sink at the back miranda grins over her shoulder as she turns the tap on, “you’re in luck, actually! i just got a new batch a hot chocolate mixes and some of those chocolate bomb things?” turning the tap off with his elbow and drying her hands quickly, she reaches under the counter for a wicker basket of cellophane wrapped balls and puts it on the top. “any preferences?”

ara finally gave up and let a full fledged grin rise to her lips as the poor girl kicked the box through the doorway, the entire scenario just too much. it reminded her a lot of willow, actually. fumbling maybe, yes, but admirably headstrong. well, if she was sure. closing her umbrella, ara dove swiftly through the door the moment the space was offered to her, gently shaking off water of her own. “ well, now i’m a little ashamed to say i’m a bit of a hard ass when it comes to our vendors. give an inch and they’ll take a mile and all that. it was remarkably kind of you to go our of your way to pick something up, because i probably would have been just chewing their head off through the phone ” catch her hauling a bunch of topsoil through the city herself never. for all that she thought she ran the flower shop with an inviting presence and friendly smile, she was kind of a bit … bossy when it came to managing things behind the scenes. but she just liked to think she got things done. wandering a little farther in, she took in the cozy chairs and warm atmosphere. cute cafe. “ i’m not really a coffee expert — something fun sounds nice ? i trust your judgement, honestly, so long as it’s not going to keep me up for the next 48 hours ” she hoped it was like when someone came in for a bouquet but didn’t actually know what exactly they wanted: exciting, and not just annoying and obnoxious. 

—・

brushing hair out of her face as she slowly starts nudging the box with her foot towards the counter, kind of worried about picking up again now it’s on the ground. she lets out a light laugh at the other woman’s comment, glancing up at her, “oh that seems like a much better way to handling vendors. i get so flustered arguing with people on the phone though, it normally ends up with me agreeing to something i didn’t want to.” or crying. she wrinkles her nose, giving the box one last shove until it’s half behind the counter and jumping over it so she’s on the other side too. flipping the switch for the coffee machine miranda looks at the selection of syrups and extras lined along the back of the counter, pursing her lips and glancing quickly back up at the woman before pulling the caramel forwards slightly. “is this to drink in or take out?” she asks, one hand on the paper take out cups, while her other points to the selection of mugs behind her. 

willow had been on her late morning jog. today was her first day off from school and work in a while and she decided it would be nice to go for a jog to relax. except for the fact willow was quickly reminded she didn’t like to jog. so she tried yoga in the park. there was too much rain today. so, the next best thing would be a brownie from miranda’s. when she got there and noticed the back in ten sign she decided to wait. the brownies were worth any amount of time. she stood there engrossed in her phone, aimlessly scrolling through tiktok, giggling to herself so much so that she hadn’t noticed the other costumer behind herself or that miranda was in front the door now fiddling with the lock until she spoke. looking up excited to come in. when the other person huffed willow’s eyes rolled. she couldn’t believe some people. “i’ll for sure come in especially since i was coming for a brownie!” she admitted, giddy with excitement. “you need some help with that?” she questioned pointing down at the box. not giving her time to answer as she picked the box up and went through the door, “it’s like you read my mind. you just knew i’d be coming for a brownie!”

—・

she tried really hard not to let out a relieved sigh when she noticed willow, but completely failed when the other women picked up the box for her, already through the door before she could argue. miranda held the door open a little longer for the other customer to step through before following them both in, carefully extracting herself from her coat and leaving it by the door. “you’re a star willow,” she muttered with a small smile as she took the box back from her friend, shooting the other person a wide smile and walking towards the counter with a light laugh, “i must have! i normally make the brownies on the weekend, but something told me that tuesday was the day this week.” putting the box on the out of the way on the ground she stopped to hit the switch on the coffee machine quickly before looking back up, “are you sticking around for a while or heading off?”

Poppy hadn’t been standing at the door long, but she couldn’t help but check her watch as the woman who owned the shop approached. It would have been pointless to go walk somewhere else on her short break. At least it hadn’t been too long and she would still have time to relax and eat her snack before she had to trudge back out into the rain. She pulled the hood of her rain coat a little further out to shield her face and let out a huff of frustration as rain dripped onto her face. She hoped the woman hadn’t heard her or thought it was about her. “Oh no, it’s alright! Do you….need help with that box or something? A brownie sounds fantastic!” Poppy beamed as she stepped through the doorway into the shop. At least it was warm and dry in here.

—・

miranda let the door swing shut behind her as she bent to pick up the box, shaking her head at the other woman with a smile, “oh no it’s okay, i got it.” even as she said it though, miranda could feel the box starting to sag at the bottom and, in order to save herself a mess, quickly hurried to the counter to put it down. blowing a strand of hair out of her face she nodded over her shoulder, “i might be a little biased, but i’d say they’re quite good.” shrugging out of her coat miranda hangs it up by the door before making her way back around the counter, tapping her fingers along the wooden top as she smiles at the other woman, “can i get you a hot drink with that?”

ara wasn’t exactly what you’d call a rabid caffeine drinker. sure, she enjoyed a good coffee here and there like anybody else, but she didn’t rely on it like some tended too. more of a calming herbal tea kind of gal. but, on as dreary a day as this one, clouds hanging dark and foreboding over the city, she’d caved to that innate desire to get a hot beverage to keep her cozy and push away the damp chill ( and it wasn’t exactly like the flower shop was high trafficked anyway ) hence ara hovering awkwardly behind the poor shopkeeper as she had it out with the entrance, standing under her own umbrella and a little unsure on what to do other than spectate from afar. “ did you … need any help with that ? ” ara offered politely, trying to contain her smile. it wasn’t even that she was laughing at the poor girl, just more so the situation. she could relate to that mounting panic as somebody watched you struggle with 10 things at once. “ i mean, i’m sure your brownies are delicious, and i could really go for a coffee, but it seems there are rather more pressing circumstances. namely that you barely just got out of the rain. and you did just basically defeat that door in armed combat, so i think you’ve earned a little assistance before you go picking another fight. ” 

—・

with the door finally cooperating enough for her to open it fully miranda let out a sigh, blowing strands of hair out of her face in the process. “no, no, it’s okay. I’ve got it.” as if to prove her point she nudged the box further into shop with one foot, following after it to open the door wide enough for the woman to come in too. “this is what i get for trying to be helpful to vendors. stuck in the rain,” she said with a small laugh, nose wrinkling as she starts to take her coat off without dripping too much water on the floor, there’s a little selection of mismatched hooks on the wall closest to the door that she leans up to hang it from and then turns her attention back to her customer. and her slightly damp box. oh god, she hopes none of the teas or coffee’s got wet. that would be a pain to clean. “would it be incredibly embarrassing if i admitted that’s not the first fight with that door i’ve had? but it’s the first one i’ve really won,” she had broken too many nails and ruined too many jumpers with the door to count. “coffee i can do though. just plain or something to make it a little more fun?” miranda smiles at the woman, wiping drops of rain on the back of her jeans as she lets her hands rest on her hips.

marigold :   is your muse prone to jealousy ?  how might they handle envious feelings ?  

“oh hm, well. I– I suppose I can’t get a little bit jealous, yes. I try not to be because I know it’s not exactly a good look. but well. sometimes you just can’t help it. >

sunflower :   what brings your muse the most joy in life ?  

“you know when you pick out the perfect present for someone? and they open it and get such a happy look on their face? that. making someone else happy.”

the little ‘back in 10 minuets!’ sign feels a little like it’s mocking her as miranda struggles to keep her umbrella over her head and the cardboard box at her feet, the lock to the shop deciding today of all days to turn a little stiff. it had been a slow, quite morning and her their supplier had rang to say they’d be late with her delivery of teas and coffees due to short staff and well, it was only a short walk away so she’d said she’d come to collect it herself. which is when it had started raining. honestly, she was impressed the box hadn’t given up on her a block ago. but she’d mostly definitely been gone longer then ten minuets and she could feel her anxiety over keeping people waiting starting to spike. “would you just–” she mutters, finally managing to turn the key at the same time she hears someone behind her let out a huff. “oh thank god,” pushing the door open, she starts to try and kick the box over the threshold while looking over her shoulder, best customer service smile on her face. “sorry about that! would you like to come in? i have a fresh batch of brownies that should be cool enough to eat by now.”

One of the things she enjoyed doing to wind down for the day isexercising. Contradictory she is aware but when she puts in herearbuds and steps onto the treadmill, Astar is well on her way tolimbo territory. Keeping activekeeps her energy levels up and with how demanding her job had becomeas off late she is in need of that extra boost that only exercise canprovide.

Donefor the day, the brunette turned off the music and treadmill, walkingout onto the locker area where she opened her own and grabbed a toweland bottle of water. By the look outside the window she could deducethat night time had fallen which mean she took a bit more time thanusual on her routine. Guess she is ordering food. Picking up herphone, the brunette realized that her phone had died. “Bloodybrilliant.” She cursed under her breath, accent thick around herwords. Guess she’ll have to either head directly home and ordersomething or stop by some restaurant on her way home. But she wassweaty and she had planned on a long bath before dinner. Apparentlythat’s not happening.

—・

Honestly, Miranda really hated going to the gym. The whole process was long and awkward and always left her feeling so tired that by the time she got home all she wanted to do was order food and not move from her bed. She didn’t care that everyone said it was ‘good for you’ and that she’d ‘appreciate the effort in the end’. It just wasn’t worth it, in her opinion. It’s why she mostly just ran through the park, music blaring loudly and doing her best not to look startled whenever someone ran past her. But it had been raining today, the paths were slippery and as her brother had so kindly pointed out, she was going to end up with strong legs and weak arms. All she’d been able to picture was a t-rex, which had been enough to drag herself to the dreaded gym. Now she just felt sweaty and sore and irritable. 

Careful not to slam her locker door shut, lest she give away her bad mood, Miranda stuffed her water bottle into her bag and had it slung over her shoulder when someones voice caught her attention. From the tone of their voice they weren’t having a very good time either. Biting her lip, Miranda walked around the row of lockers she’d been behind and paused a good distance away from the older lady. She didn’t want to intrude, but she also didn’t want to be rude and pretend she hadn’t heard, “Everything okay?” 

* ✶ 「 lana condor, 24, female & she/her 」 welcome to the mortal realm, MIRANDA TIEN— though, the fates whisper that they could only be ARIADNE reincarnated. it seems in this life they’re instead known for being a BAKER. what a downgrade. nevertheless, mortality can be confusing, so it’s understandable they can be COURAGEOUS and TRUSTING, but also INSECURE and DESTRUCTIVE ; maybe that’s why they remind people of DRIVERS LICENCE by OLIVIA RODRIGO ? but not all history is washed away by time — just as the poets say, they still remind others of HALF SMILES WITH EYES FULL OF TEARS, MESSY KITCHENS FULL OF LAUGHTER, LATE NIGHT DRUNK TALKS IN BATHROOMS WITH STRANGERS. hopefully this life treats them a little better.

hello all i am back with new child, she’s a bit of a mess and doesn’t know what any of her emotions and feelings are but she’s working on it. and until then she makes a really good cupcake and loaf of bread.

tw: parental death, alcohol mentions