Brandy!! I found the Dolly Parton cake mix to make today! Which babe do you think is following the instructions to a t? Which one keeps eating the batter and pretending like he isn’t?

the ones who get shit done: ari, andy ☺️

spends too long reading the ingredient list: steve

starts dolly parton karaoke night: colin, jake

on spoon licking duty: johnny, lloyd

gets distracted by you, mary, and 3 cats: frank

eats too much batter, tummy ache: cole

hehe >:3

This feels a little like Relax!Jake, what other babes do you think are this clueless?

This is 100 PERCENT Relax!Jake!!!!!!!! It could not be more him. 🤣🤣🤣

Who else would be this oblivious??? Cole, definitely. I can absolutely see you having to spell it out for him explicitly. Like, "I comped your drinks because I am hitting on you!!! I am interested!!!" And then you'd still have to stand there and wait for the penny to drop. And then, he'd be all, "Oh. OH! Really???" 😅

You know who else I'm going to say? Steve! Not because he's necessarily oblivious, but I just think he would never presume. And most days, he still needs of himself as that short, skinny, sick kid who only got attention if he was trying to fight someone twice his side. So you'd have to be a little more obvious with him. Like, comp his drink and your number on a napkin with a heart or a lipstick kiss.

You always send me the best links, Essie! What do you think? Did I miss anyone?

I'm working late today in an entirely empty office. I sure would love it if Curtis took me away!!

✨✨✨

It wasn't until you switched off your laptop and grabbed your purse from the cabinet behind you, that you realized the office has gone all quiet and dark.

No, not the office itself. Entire floor.

You were so immersed in finishing that report and scanning through the prospect for the chain of meetings next week, that you haven't noticed how everyone left. One by one.

They each said their usual goodbyes, but you replied mechanically, not fully conscious what was happening in the reality. Time flew, stealing last rays of sunlight and leaving the city submerged in starless darkness.

A chill jolted down your spine as you looked at the dots of light down below, where street lamps provided the only semblance of hope and safety in otherwise dangerous nights.

Thankfully, the metro station was right around the corner and it wasn't yet too late for it to be mostly empty.

As you left the office and waited for the elevator, the sense of uneasiness heightened. It crept up your skin, making the hair on the back of your neck stand.

Swallowing nervously, you looked around, but no shadow moved out of its place. You listened for any unusual sound, focusing on it so hard that the ping announcing the elevator's arrival nearly gave you a heart attack.

You clutched your bag to your side and tapped your foot nervously as the ride to the ground floor seemed to take forever.

Something was wrong. Something was lurking. You just didn't know what, yet.Or maybe it was time to take a break from the crime podcasts you've been listening to lately.

Ground floor was as eerily quiet as the rest of the building. Your heart hammered in your chest, your steps faltering, as you noticed the security guard wasn't there at the main desk.

Curtis, though a man of a few words and very serious about his job, always made you feel safe and a little more light when he exchanged a few words with you whenever you walked out of the building.

A vision of his dead, bloodied body entered your mind. Thankfully, it vanished a few seconds later when a beam from a flashlight caught your attention. Curtis was coming from around the corner. He nodded at you and directed the light of his flashlight at the main entry gate.

"You're not the last one tonight." He called across the hall. "Those lawyers from the twenty sixth floor are still in. I bet they're gonna spend the night."

"Thanks, Curtis!" You smiled at him and walked out with a renewed sense of safety.

Tomorrow, you'd bring Curtis a bag of blueberry muffins as a token of gratitude.

With a smile still softly curving your lips, you cut across the pavement toward the metro station. Until suddenly someone called your name.

Dread washed over you. Worse than what you felt in the mostly empty building mere minutes ago. Because you knew that voice. Soft, soothing, but the more dangerous for it.

You spent months trying to avoid him. Told him no, over and over again. It was as if he didn't listen at all. No matter how many times you ghosted him, or blocked him on social media, he always found a way to return into your life. And no one took your side, because he was so sweet and caring, so why couldn't you give him a real chance (as per your mother's reasoning).

"Cole," you whispered his name in fear.

How about a moodboard for WAJM!Steve and Cole? ☺️❤️

Oh my god, Siri, you would not believe how hard I searched for a close-up picture of a man's hand touching another man's cheek!! If I can see it so clearly in my head, it shouldn't be so hard to find! Oh well, I made do. But just know that's what I wanted!! 😂

It's vibey. It's ambiguous. It's soft until you notice all the blood. It's Cole and Steve!

Send me a moodboard prompt!

27. How do they say “I love you” non-verbally? - with vampire Steve regarding Ransom and Sunshine and other characters, if you'd want to include them.

Obviously, Steve doesn't exactly love, but is there a non-verbal way he shows some form of care/connection?

I think Steve would tell you that love is a very human emotion that vampires, if they're doing it right, have evolved past. (There's a vampire/human pairing in this universe that love each other very much and have to interact with Steve somewhat regularly. He hates them because they undermine everything he stands for.) But he does have some close bonds and he does have and express affection for those people.

Ransom - I think he's not stingy with the praise when Ransom does something well, like brings him an especially tasty human or comes up with some intel that Steve can use to better solidify his position at the top. Ransom always knows when he's done well and Steve is pleased with him. He's also big on pet names, not just puppy, but baby, sweetheart, etc. And there are a lot of gifts. Ransom like Steve's incredibly expensive watch? Well, he'll torture some jeweler into giving Ransom one just like it.

Sunshine - Steve is going to come to feel about Sunshine like you might a favorite pet. But whereas I might personify my little dog to a ridiculous degree, Steve is always very aware that she, as a human, is basically an animal and far below him. She just happens to be his favorite human. So first and foremost, he shows his affection by keeping her alive and with him, even when it might become somewhat inconvenient. He also wants her to be comfortable, so he'll get her anything she needs or wants, within reason. And he's very tactile with her. Lots of soft pets and gentle caresses. And less gentle touching too, when the moment calls for it. 😈

Cutter - Steve trusts her and that's a big fucking deal for someone who's gotten where they are partly by not trusting anyone. He gives her responsibility. He values her opinion on plans and strategic moves. He's given her power within his organization, instead of hoarding it all for himself.

Cole - Oh Cole. This pathetic, wounded little bird is somehow the only one who's able to bring out Steve's caretaker side. He's invested a lot of time and energy into Cole. Steve teaches him everything he can. He cleans up Cole's messes. He keeps Cole around when everyone (Cutter especially) is telling him that Cole's a liability. Steve's soft with him like he isn't with anyone else.

I'm still trying to pin down Steve and Bucky's exact dynamic. But I would say the biggest "I love you" in the world is turning his secret boyfriend into a vampire so that they have to spend all of eternity together. 😂

Thank you for this! You know I always love talking about my powerful, toxic, vampire big bad. 💜💜

Ship Ask Game - The Basics