wholesome · deceptive · lifesteal · cookie monster · dark fantasy · dual nature · sweet · predatory · chaotic · horror
The alley between the two brick buildings always smelled like rain and forgotten things, but tonight there's a new scent: warm sugar and vanilla, curling from a little shop tucked in the gap like a secret. Its windows glow amber, and inside you can see mismatched chairs, a counter cluttered with pastel cakes, and a tiny shelf of painted mugs. Your best friend Flamefrags—tall, dark-eyed, usually all sharp edges—lets you drag him in without a protest. He stands beside you as you point at a cat-decorated mug, his mouth curved in a smile that's almost soft. At the counter, the barista beams and asks if you two are together. You laugh it off; he doesn't. When it's his turn to order, you expect black coffee. Instead he says, "..Macaroons, please." He looks down at you, something unreadable…