manchild

muse a realizes every relationship they've been in has been with emotionally stunted "manchildren." after yet another disastrous date, muse a swears off dating — until they meet muse b, someone who seems different... but they can't tell if they're really grown up, or just better at hiding it.

tears

after years of toxic relationships, muse a discovers how wildly attractive it is when muse b actually respects them — does the dishes, listens to them, shows up. the story follows them as they wrestle with whether love can really be this simple, or if they're waiting for the other shoe to drop.

my man on willpower

a couple struggles when the person they fell in love with — a spontaneous, passionate risk-taker — suddenly becomes obsessed with discipline and self-control. the tension builds as they long for the fire they once had, forcing them to question whether people really change, or if they just bury who they are.

sugar talking

muse a becomes entangled with muse b, who's all charm and no follow-through. muse b showers them with compliments and sweet words, but never shows up when it matters. as muse a slowly pulls away, they plan a confrontation that will expose whether muse b's sugar-coated promises were ever meant to mean anything.

we almost broke up again last night

set over the course of one wild evening, a couple teeters on the edge of breaking up for the third time in a month. between screaming matches, makeup kisses, and late-night texts, they must decide if the chaos is love — or just addiction to the drama.

nobody's son

muse a falls for muse b, who is detached, drifting, and refuses to belong to anyone — not a family, not a relationship, not even themself. muse a becomes determined to break through muse b's walls, only to discover that saving someone who doesn't want to be saved might cost them more than they can give.

never getting laid

a once-passionate couple falls into a rut, their physical connection all but gone. told with humor and frustration, muse a schemes increasingly ridiculous ways to reignite the spark — until an unexpected moment of vulnerability finally cracks the ice.

when did you get hot?

two lifelong friends who have always seen each other as platonic suddenly notice sparks. what was once familiarity turns into an awkward, thrilling tension as they both wrestle with the terrifying question: risk the friendship, or ignore the chemistry?

go go juice

one reckless night changes everything when, y/m is fueled by "liquid courage", makes a series of impulsive decisions — confessing feelings to someone they shouldn't, dialing an ex, and winding up in the middle of a scandal. now they have to deal with the fallout once the "juice" wears off.

don't worry i'll make you worry

after being strung along by muse b, who kept them up at night with games and uncertainty, muse a decides to flip the script. they become the one in control, the one who stirs doubt and insecurity, forcing muse b to finally understand what it feels like. but revenge quickly blurs into something more dangerous.

house tour

after meeting muse b, muse a decides to let their guard down in the most intimate way possible. framing their body as a "house," they invite muse b on a "tour" — every room, every corner, every hidden space. what starts playful quickly turns charged, a metaphor for exploring both muse a's physical desires and the deeper vulnerability of opening themself up to someone new.

goodbye

these are some ideas i’ve made for my muses, but i thought they’d be nice to share. feel free to reblog!

i. 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐬 — muse a’s new coworker, muse b, has some interesting quirks like having an abnormal amount of knowledge about long forgotten ancient civilizations, a closet of only ivory or white vintage clothes, a strange speaking cadence, and knowing details about muse a’s life that almost no one else knows. they are starting to have suspicions that they might have a stalker, but in truth muse b is their guardian angel stepping in for divine intervention before they make the biggest mistake of their life.

ii. 𝐯𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬 — muse a is a huge fan of muse b, a quickly rising new musician with a cult-like fanbase. which is why they can’t believe their luck when they are invited backstage by muse b after a concert. but upon meeting them, they notice things aren’t as they seem. muse b is beautiful, abnormally so, with an uncanny lifeless appearance typically obscured by the stage lights. muse a feels a growing sense of panic and for good reason, they’ve just put themselves on the radar of a vampire that has no intention to let them out of their sight from then on.

iii. 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐛𝐢 — muse a is a priest that has moved into a new city, known for strange supernatural events. they are hired as an exorcist for the only church in town. during one exorcism they accidentally bind themselves to muse b, a malignant spirit who’s entire existence revolves around hedonism. muse a now has an unwanted sidekick of sorts, an ancient being with endless knowledge about the underworld that could help them with the unique creatures they find in this new location. muse b’s ethos is opposed to muse a’s life of repression and religious devotion, and it becomes a test of whether the can resist the allure of sin and stay on their path.

family tree (intro)

muse a finds muse b spiraling in solitude—whether in their bedroom, the woods, a church—over the prospect of winding up like their parents & grandparents. they do what they can to comfort & calm them, but given their own situation...they fear it's only so long before they follow in undesirable footsteps as well. so the two lean on one another as they lament over their poor lot in life, wondering if they can ever escape the cycle their families have thrust upon them.

american teenager

muse a & muse b are lifelong childhood friends, but with graduation looming, they fear that they're each due to go their separate ways once they have diplomas in-hand. they make the most of what could very well be their final summer together while secretly pining for the other, & for the season to never end.

sneaking out late at night, visiting the corner store, watching nascar on tv, & watching their classmates enlist only solidifies the knowledge that nothing lasts forever as each light of day draws to a dark close, leaving them alone once again.

a house in nebraska

just on the outskirts of town is an abandoned house rich with local, long-forgotten history. for muse a, it becomes a sanctuary from a miserable home life. they make it into a place of their very own where they can escape to at a moment's notice. muse b stumbles across them one day. curious as to the location & the person they find within, they each return day after day & form an attachment to what they consider a home of their very own, & to each other.

western nights

a runaway, muse a finds themselves sleeping during the day & traveling in the dark of night, hoping just to make it by until they find refuge in a place they've yet to find. along comes muse b: their saving grace, but perhaps not the best of influences. neither wanting to continue on alone, they cling to one another in dive bars, cheap motels, & in/on muse b's ride, until the money begins to run paper-thin. breaking into atms can only get one so far, however. so the next stop is either staying put & finding demeaning part-time jobs, or robbing a bank to be flush with cash once more.

family tree

unable to suffer the circumstances of the deeply embedded wounds their family & town has inflicted upon them, muse a flees with a horrid family secret hidden in their heart, which they feel compelled to bury. muse b is a shining beacon in the middle of nowhere. rather, their religious community is to muse a's weary soul who is welcomed with open arms. but the grass isn't always greener, they soon come to discover, as what they initially thought to merely be a community centered around church turns out to be a devout cult, intent on cleansing muse a of their sins.

hard times

poisoned by a co-dependent relationship with one of their parents, muse a has had their view of healthy connections eschewed. exhausted by the other's wants, needs, & toxicity, they withdraw, resolving never to allow anyone else in. however, muse b becomes the exception as they slowly chip away at their seemingly solid exterior to discover who they are beneath the surface.

thoroughfare

somewhere on the side of the road, muse a treks the shoulder of the thoroughfare, thumbing for a ride. muse b pulls up, tells them to hop in, & that they can join them on their sightseeing tour of western america before they reach their final destination of california. numerous tourist traps, diners, motels, & drive-ins later, the chemistry between them becomes electric as they come to realize that what they've been searching for sits beside them.

gibson girl

strung out, tricked out, & damn-near broke, muse a is circling the drain. in the back rooms of a strip joint, strange men come from near & far to desecrate what little purity is left within muse a's muddled mind & tired body. muse b being one of them... until their pity overrides their desire & they vow to get muse a out of their sickening predicament, whatever the cost.

ptolomaea

kidnapped from the parking lot of a grocery store, muse b imprisons muse a in their attic or basement, fearing they've half lost their mind, they're so desperate for companionship, if not something darker. in time, stockholm syndrome takes over as the pair become utterly obsessed with each other. muse a fails to see just how dangerous muse b truly is through the rose-tinted haze that surrounds them, forgetting that not all stories come with a happy ending.

august undergound

caught up with the wrong, delinquent crowd, muse a begins to make a plan of escape as their antics amp up & morph into something no longer mischievous, but illegal.

muse b, unwilling to let them go, makes clear that they will either stick around & do as they're told, or they'll be next.

televangelism

free, but damaged, muse a has found their place amongst the heavens, or as close as they can manage. they are a free spirit, unburdened by conventions, or the expectations of others. they have known hell, & came out the other side as light incarnate. they go where they please, love who they please, & do as they please. muse b knows only the confines of a stringent existence, until a fateful meeting one night outside a trucker's chapel, or on an empty street, leaves them reeling, due to being convinced that they've set eyes upon a literal angel.

they refuse to stop looking until they've found what they believe to be their saving grace...their soulmate.

sun bleached flies

muse a is attempting to make peace with leaving a life of hardships behind. some things are easier said than done, however, as they continue to contain a penchant for violence, wanting to have revenge upon those who did them wrong & drove them away while they go on, same as they ever have.

muse b, the one who got away, is brought back to them through an act of fate. each believing that if something is meant to be, then it will, they embark on a journey of discovery of themselves, as well as what more can be had between them, far from those small-town gossips who could never find contentment unless it was in the suffering of others. They each understand that the past is something which must remain behind them, but that renewal & rebirth can still be managed from broken pieces when put back together with faith.

strangers

two individuals, muse a & muse b, meet on a rooftop, & it's love at first sight. or so muse a thinks. muse b grants them sweet nothings to lure them in like a fish on a hook, until they have their prey exactly where they want them.

1. the hometown return

after years away, muse a returns to their hometown after a major life change. muse b never left. they were best friends growing up, maybe almost something more, but timing was never on their side. now they’re older, carrying old feelings, old grudges, and a lot of things they never said.

themes: second chances, nostalgia, small town, “you still know me better than anyone”

2. the athlete x the person who hates sports

muse a is a professional athlete who is used to everyone knowing them for what they do. muse b is completely unimpressed. maybe they work at a local coffee shop, bookstore, bar, etc. and become the one person who treats them like a normal person.

themes: celebrity/normal person, soft moments, grounding someone, opposites attract

3. the teammates who should not fall in love

they’ve been teammates for years. everyone jokes about how close they are, how they always find each other on and off the ice/field/court. except there’s a reason they never crossed that line. maybe one of them is scared. maybe they’re afraid of ruining everything.

themes: sports romance, pining, “everyone knows except them”, forbidden feelings

4. the fake relationship that gets too real

muse a needs a fake partner for a reason: family expectations, public image, career, avoiding an ex. muse b agrees because they need something too. except somewhere between the fake dates and inside jokes, they forget what parts are pretend.

themes: fake dating, slow burn, forced proximity, accidental feelings

5. the grumpy one and the sunshine one

muse a is closed off, sarcastic, and convinced they don’t need anyone. muse b is warm, chaotic, and keeps showing up anyway. somehow the person who annoys them the most becomes the person they trust the most.

themes: opposites attract, healing, found family, soft romance

6. the single parent / found family

muse a has built their whole life around taking care of everyone else. muse b comes into their life unexpectedly and slowly becomes someone their family depends on. bonus points for awkward first meetings and a kid who immediately decides they’re keeping them.

themes: domestic fluff, found family, slow burn

7. the small town rivalry

two people from rival families/businesses/teams who have known each other forever. everyone expects them to hate each other, but they’ve always understood each other better than anyone else.

themes: enemies to lovers, hometown drama, family tension

8. the musician x the person who keeps them grounded

muse a is chasing a dream: touring, performing, creating. muse b is the person who reminds them there is a life outside of the spotlight. the problem is muse a doesn’t know how to choose between ambition and happiness.

themes: fame, distance, longing, “write songs about me but don’t admit it”

9. the accidental roommates

two people end up living together because of circumstances neither planned for. they’re complete opposites, but slowly build a routine that starts feeling like home.

themes: roommates, domestic moments, slow burn

10. the “we only have one bed” road trip

two people who insist they are just friends get stuck traveling together. maybe it’s a wedding, tournament, work trip, family event. everyone assumes they’re together. eventually they stop correcting people.

themes: forced proximity, friends to lovers, banter

11. the messy exes

they were everything to each other once. then something happened and they ended badly. years later they’re forced back into each other’s lives and have to figure out if what they had is really gone.

themes: second chances, unresolved feelings, angst

12. the caretaker

muse a is always the one taking care of everyone else. muse b notices. they’re the first person to ask “who takes care of you?”