Realistic or Modern Scoops! Group RP

[Charles Cheese]

Four Days.
It’s been four days since you’ve been separated from your home. If you didn’t feel isolated already, with these hair thin walls you can overhear your neighbors everyday–-families gathering their children for weekend adventures and others partying until late of night. At least you’ve been getting phone calls from an older lady, but she always has a customer service voice and sounds like she’s reading off the script. “Listen hun, Mr. Fondue doesn’t want you guys to be meeting each other without his cameras ready.” It sounds like she takes a drag of a cigarette. “We got you a prepaid motel nearby, one of the finest in the city! In the meantime, why don’t you get used to your new environment?” If ‘one of the finest’ means the pitter patter of too many small feet between the walls and the smelly ac you’ve been tolerating, then a normal hotel room must be legendary. It’s like everyone you’ve met in relation to this ‘Mr. Fondue’ knows you’re only here out of desperation to begin with.

The weekend is over and it’s the first of October. It’s been up to you what you did with those four days. Maybe you’ve been keeping contact with your family or lounging around watching Yachtflix. However way you closed the bridge of time, today’s the day of your new job.. “Just calling in to remind ya that Mr. Fondue expects you at the bakery today. Your uber will be here shortly.” The older woman calls to say. “.. Don’t let yourself get chewed up by the showbiz, sweetheart.”
The driver asks you what kind of music you want as you see your four day home fade into New York's smog. The car ride is slow. There’s the typical traffic, but it gives you plenty of time to converse with your driver or be on your phone. At times you may try to roll the window down, the air smells like distant garbage weighted down by damp air, but the cool does wonders to wake you up. With what little trees exist in between all this concrete, you can see their leaves’ edges turn yellow and orange. Today’s the day you put your luck to the test. At what cost does this too-good-to-be-true thing come at?

Your car slows on a corner. An autumn orange building with a freshly painted sign reading ‘Scoops!’ looks very different from the dusty pre-renovation pictures you might've seen on google maps. Back when it was just an apartment building.. Geez, how many people were pushed out of here? Are you guilty by association? The second thing that catches your eye (more like hurts it), are the many windows to display not a beautiful inside, but the many, MANY cheese-themed shower curtains blocking the view. A small crowd of people dressed in casual business attire fill the entrance of the outdoor seating area, many adjusting their cameras and hurriedly conversing with each other. Some of them leave and enter the building discreetly–making sure they don’t expose the inside of the building to passerby. Not even a second after you’re able to get out, a few of those people are already approaching you and you can’t even make out their faces before you’re being led into the outdoor seating area too. “Over here!” “Service will be here shortly.” “Quick! I don’t have all day!” Are only a couple of frantic voices you can hear over the many others speaking to you at once. Now that you’re closer, everything looks like a mess. Many of the seats are apart from their tables, equipment and staff breakfasts lay scattered about, but finally you’re brought to one of the cleared tables in the back. A table with a muffins assortment, all delicately stacked in a tiered pastry stand. It’s a nice spot, the blue and white umbrella provides a nice shade, but.. if you’re careful, you can spot the eyes of security cameras perched on the building’s ledges pointed in your direction.
It’s hard to tell who exactly slapped the piece of paper and pen in your hand, and just as quickly as your company crowded you, they all scuttle away like bees onto the next big task. The paper reads, ‘Please write down how you like your coffee and leave it on the table. Enjoy yourself to the muffins. Your new co-workers will join you at this table shortly.’ On the back of the note, 'Also, are you allergic to cats?' Well.. If you didn't have breakfast, you have something now. All the muffins are carefully wrapped and have their flavors on their bottoms.

It isn’t long before you’re joined by company.



(Posting guide: This person is the pov of whoever posts first, but everyone else is brought to the table in almost the exact same way after. Everyone is free to fill in the blanks gaps if they’d like to characterize themselves, stuff like ‘they asked for the driver to put on pop music’ or ‘during those four days, they’ve been catching up with family’, etc. I tried to keep it open-ended so everyone is free to flavor their character’s pov as much as they want. If anyone can’t post an introductory post anytime soon, don’t fret, you’re character can be written in like their uber was caught up by more traffic than the others or similar excuses! Just let me know)
twin peaks ThatGuyWithSouvlaki Rusty of Shackleford t s u k i too.matcha.a.good.thing 606

 

[606]

Gio always preferred being alone. Really, 4 days of isolation was nothing but a vacation for them. They were napping and playing on their switch most of the time and enjoyed the semi-quietness of the passing days. Sure you could hear the noises of the people around but, it's not like they could see them, so it wasn't that bad. With headphones on as they played Tears of the Kingdom easily drowned out any sounds which really, was all they could ask for. Yet, all good things must come to an end when the phone call came that their Uber was coming. People. Nothing against them but, socializing was hard, especially so suddenly had to enjoy alone time for 4 days.

“Just calling in to remind ya that Mr. Fondue expects you at the bakery today. Your uber will be here shortly.” The older woman calls to say. “.. Don’t let yourself get chewed up by the showbiz, sweetheart."

Gio sighed heavily, putting their switch down, and sat up on the okay bed.

"Alright, I'll be fine...I think."

they said before handing up and then going to wait for the Uber.

Despite having done nothing and sleeping a lot, they still found himself to be very tired. Getting into the car, they looked at their Uber driver and then out the window as they pulled away, This was going to be, something, that's for sure.

"What kind of music do ya fancy?"

"Anything is fine really."

"Alrighty then. Seems like you some big shot huh?"

"...not really."

"Well where you're headed, you gotta be something special, What do you do?"

"Um...went to school for culinary. Baking."

"Baking? Well, I'll be damned, my lil baby wants to be a baker too! She's only 5 though."

Gio was getting more and more tired by the second and eventually said that they were going to rest their eyes for the rest of the ride and they did. Leaning their head back against the car headrest, they were quick to drift off into a slumber, time passing very quickly. they only woke up when they felt the car lurch forward as it felt as tho they had pulled up somewhere. Waking up, the Uber driver was saying something and they simply nodded as they got out, and just like that they were whisked off, still half asleep after their little nap. It was busy and loud again, Gio covering their ears letting their eyes adjust to the light first before getting used to the sound. Coming from a loud family you would think they would be used to it yet, they were not. It was all too busy and now they were beginning to rethink their decision yet...

I need the money...I don't have a choice.

Once they were seated at a table, they looked around the area as they took their hands down and in that moment, paper and a pen had appeared leaving Gio with a confused look on their face. Reading it over, they silently filled it out.

Cappuino, extra expresso. Not allergic to cats.

It was weird but they weren't about to question it, looking at the muffins and took one, reading the bottom, and decided on a nice lemon poppy. They unwrapped it and gave it a sniff then a small bite. It was fine. It wasn't THE BEST muffin they ever had but, they were not disappointed at least. It was adequate, to say the least. Continuing to look around, they wondered who else was going to appear next and prayed to the lord it would be someone less talkative than thei Uber driver.

gio cugini

gelato.

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♡coded by uxie♡

 

[ThatGuyWithSouvlaki]

The last four days was hardly what Anastasia was expecting, coped up in a cheap motel and waiting for something to happen, not even being allowed to meet the other contestants. No chance to bake, no chance to get some exercise, just sit back in her room and watching TV and listen to other people going about their day like normal people. The only contact allowed was a phone call with the call operator lady. The whole thing seemed like a big joke at her expense, and as day followed day, she became more irritated over the entire situation. She was becoming increasingly tempted to give the call centre lady a piece of her mind and leaving the show in the biggest way possible. At the appointed time of the four day's company call, she was geared up and ready to let rip.

"Listened here, you sorry excuse of a production. I have been waiting in here four fuc...." She began saying the moment she picked up the phone. However, the woman spoke on unperturbed, almost confirming to Ani that the lady was indeed a recording. "What took you guys so long..." She went to reply to the news that she was going to the bakery, but the caller hang up. Ani was left more frustrated, but at least things were moving along, and it seemed that had to be enough. She dressed in black shorts, stocking, a white t-shirt and a red chequered suede biker jacket before going outside and meeting her Uber driver. Uber and cheap hotels... What a cheap production, she thought.

She entered the uber without a word and just straired out the window.

"What kind of music do you fancy?"

"I dont fucking care... But anything you want, just don't make that talk show crap." She replied casually, not moving his eyes from the window.

Finally, after seemingly a long and plotting journey they reached the bright orange building, and finally she could see some signs of proper production work as she noted the busness suit men rushing about. She casually waited until she was directed to table, where another contested seemed to be already there. "Morning." She spoke up as she said done, noticing the note and the muffins waiting for them. She scribbled a quick answer of "Iced mocha and no allergies" and set it aside. She picked up one of the muffins and looked at the packaging. "Any good? Is it too much to hope for that these are homemade?" She asked casually, not looking up at the person opposite her.

606

 

[Rusty of Shackleford]

Sam was calm.

Scarily calm, actually.

You'd think he was some great religious thinker, on the path to enlightenment, with how calmly he was taking this. Being on a TV show, even one as trashy as this one, was extraordinarily rare. A chance few ever even dreamed of getting. And just by sorta...existing, Sam had been given that chance.

Of course, he wasn't showing his annoyance with it. Had to fly all the way from England, sleep in a shitty motel room, all for some glorified snake oil salesman to drum up some some attention before this whole thing crumbled apart.

Made a good excuse to see the world, though!

The Uber ride was...transcendental. They had a long, deep discussion on politics, philosophy, religion, existence...and that one time Sam accidentally punched the King of Norway.

"Wait waitwaitwaitwai, you punched WHO!?"

"The King of Norway. Sorry, did I misspeak?"

"Nah, nah, I heard ya, just...how!? Why!? Why aren't you in jail?!"

"Well you see, some mates and I had gotten EXTREMELY drunk one night, and long story short, the King of Norway is both very intimidating and exceedingly forgiving. He even bought us a round after the whole thing."

Sam made no attempts to defend his tory, nor provide specifics, leaving his driver with the linger question of whether he made that up or not.


Sam finally arrived at his destination, tipping his driving healthily as he glided inside, his face unreadable, like he was just barely registering what was going on.

FINALLY, Sam took a seat, letting out a long sigh as he adjusted his glasses, scanning his surroundings. Two others. He wasn't late, huh.

"Tea, if you have it. No allergies."

Sam rolled his shoulders, nodding to the two others with him cordially. "Morning lads, lasses, and anything in between. I suppose you're other contestants, yeah? Name's Sam. Pleasure to meet you."

He had to hide a smirk. This might ACTUALLY be fun. If only to drive this Fondue fellow up the wall.

606
ThatGuyWithSouvlaki

 

[Charles Cheese]

Setting


The lemon poppyseed muffin has a slight spongy resistance to it with a plush and fluffy center. The flavor is much snappier than probably anticipated; an experienced baker would immediately note the heavy use of lemon zest and ginger. Lemon certainly tastes farm fresh, too, like the skin had been shaved off right before baking. If you were to put a single word to it, the muffin tastes like its sunny.





Cyrus
Cyrus didn't excuse himself from the Linsa's party to take the call. Sure, it's sorta crappy since they were childhood friends. He knew her since the Kidz Bop days, and when this morning she found out he was in a nearby motel, Linsa took the effort out of her day to invite him to a party. But when she found her fashion company 5 years ago, she got a lot more friends. So did he, sorta, but he doesn't know a lot of people here like in LA and it's only ever impolite to leave if somebody notices. He brings the phone to his ear and swipes accept.

"Mr. Fondue doesn't want you guys meeting without cameras ready."
Ah.
Decades of business calls has given Cyrus the superpower of immediately telling whether one was recorded or not. What a waste of a cigarette. He beat his foot to bass he could hear coming from inside, almost wanting to hang up and go right back in.. but, it feels a little special he got call back, not always did he get follow-ups. He sighs, leaning on the balcony fence. The booze is getting to him. Might as well have fun.
“We got you a prepaid motel nearby, one of the finest in the city!"
"Say pineapple if you want 10$."
"In the meantime,"
"20$?"
"why don’t you get used to your new environment?”
"40-"
His smile fades at the dial tone.. Bummer.







"Pineapple."
Cyrus whips around to see one of the party goers had been outside with him the whole time, staring at him expectantly while flicking their cigarette. "Cough it up." He dawns a scruffy beard, a can of beer and a beanie but it's kind of cute and brings a chuckle out of Cyrus.
"You know what? Sure. What about with a dinner, though?"

~

A few days later he's woken up by the sizzling of a pan and a voice.

"Hey freeloader, you slept through some sort of voicemail." He's learned the man with the beanie's name is Greg. The past few days Greg's gotten Cyrus to binge the lord of the rings trilogy with him, which has killed the romance of their dinner date entirely but it beats being alone at another motel. Cyrus adverts his gaze as they both sit at a table–Greg made fried eggs and bacon. It's been starting to feel like Greg is being too nice. Friends who do that want to keep in contact and Cyrus doesn't have plans to contact him after he's out of the motel.
Ah, right the voicemail.
“Just calling in to remind ya that Mr. Fondue expects you at the bakery today. Your uber will be here shortly.”
Just as he starts to dig into the fried eggs he freezes.
What.
“.. Don’t let yourself get chewed up by the showbiz, sweetheart."
WHAT.
"Too late!" He rushes past the bewildered Greg. You can't miss another one of these!

~

He hates sitting. His foot doesn't stop bouncing as he scrolls through his phone, checking out what his social media manager's posted on his account. Not really worth the splurging considering Cyrus already posts a lot on his own, but it boosts his engagement.
"What music do you want?" The sweet grandmother-looking driver asks.
"Do you have bluetooth?"

~

After annoying the poor uber driver for 30 minutes straight with death metal, Cyrus exits the vehicle with a yawn and an attempt to wipe the hangover from his eyes. It isn't long before he's pointed to the semi populated table. He smiles as he approaches, seeming to catch one of them mid speech.
"-ame's Sam. Pleasure to meet you."
"Cool to meet you, too. I'm Cyrus. Are you known for anything?" He flashes a friendly smile to everyone before he chooses a seat with the manner of someone who's done this dozens of times. His eyes brighten at the center of the table. "Ohhh, are those muffins free? I'm starvinnngg.."

 

[too.matcha.a.good.thing]

Fun Fact: It is impossible to bake in a motel kitchenette. For starters, there isn't even a stove. Then there's the whole problem of utensils and supplies... and just forget it. If Jackie hadn't already had a second hobby to fall back on, she would have been tearing her hair out with boredom. Even now, she was quickly running out of inspiration for any sort of painting. Usually, she would not put such constant pressure on her muse.

She was in the middle of painting an intricate and detailed cobbled street (who was she kidding? She was so tired of painting tiny stones.) when her cellphone rang. She picked it up, disregarding the wet paint dotting her hands, as her case was already splattered.

"Just calling in to remind ya that Mr. Fondue expects you at the bakery today. Your uber will be here shortly.” The older woman on the other end of the line says. “.. Don’t let yourself get chewed up by the showbiz, sweetheart." Jacquelyn suddenly wonders if the lady had any grandchildren, but she quickly pushes the thought away, opting instead to focus on getting ready to finally leave her motel room for the first time in days.

*****

The car ride is slow, but the driver allows her to pump her music from the system up front (bad decision for his ears, really.) She does a tiny happy dance in the back seat along to Panic! at the Disco. This is finally happening! She's always dreamed of being on a cooking show and making a name for herself. She might be at the bottom of the barrel, but that was what the ladder to success was for, right?

Upon arriving, she tumbled out of the car along with her music, forgetting to unplug her phone from the aux cord kindly provided by her chauffer.

"Oops," she muttered to herself, blushing as all eyes turned to her. She brushed it off easily, though, turning her blush into a winning smile.

After she fixed her blunder, she made her way through the crowd of camera men to a center table, with a few contestants already seated around it. She took a seat, and her attention was immediately caught by what appeared to be a tiny questionnaire. She filled out the two questions, "Iced, with just a dash of cream and sugar," and "No," respectively.

She quickly looked up and around the table, realising her actions could have been seen as rude. She gave a small smile and a wave, before introducing herself. "I'm Jacquelyn, or Jackie if that's too long. Super excited for this and getting to know y'all."

 

[606]

Gio would be slowly chewing, looking tired as he glanced at the 2nd contensant to arrive. He gave a small smile and a nodd before looking back down to his muffin.

"Any good? Is it too much to hope for that these are homemade?"

"Um...it's fine."

He said softly, looking at the next contestant to arrive. These people already seemed way to talkative and Gio couldn't wait to go and sleep already.

"Morning lads, lasses, and anything in between. I suppose you're other contestants, yeah? Name's Sam. Pleasure to meet you."

With a small nod, Gio barely had time to process Sam's introduction as the next person arrived as well. He shrunk back into his seat and continue to quietly nibble on his muffin.

"Cool to meet you, too. I'm Cyrus. Are you known for anything?"
"Ohhh, are those muffins free? I'm starvinnngg.."

Overwhelmed wasn't quite what they was feeling but the closest word they could think of. Just when they thought it was it for the time, another person appeared and their eyes went wide. They knew there were going to be alot of people but it was still shocking.

"I'm Jacquelyn, or Jackie if that's too long. Super excited for this and getting to know y'all."
They would quickly snatch up a few more muffins, tuckign them away into the depths of their clothing somewhere and cleared their throat and shrunk further into their own seat.

"I...I'm Gio, they/them. Pleasure,"

they said softly.

"As..as far as I know...muffins are freee....they're alright.."

Gio despite saying that would have clearly taken 5 muffins and the one they were eating was already gone and they had moved onto his next muffine, hoping the food would keep them awake and maybe be alrught around so many new people.

While Gio fell back silent, they took the time to obersve the people they were around. They all seemed friendly enough, but couldn't help but be mildly curious about why they were here and what they enjoyed to bake. More importantly, Gio was beginning to wonder if they could try their dishes as well. They found trying other peoples food inspiring and always sparked some small fire inside of them, or maybe they just liked to eat and told themself that to feel better about themself. Then again, maybe they could make them some good old fashioned italian dishes tjey grew up with, mostly so THEY could eat them and have a good reason of making alot, or so might say too much. Thinking about it, they took a bit of his 2nd muffin, wondering why

gio cugini

gelato.

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  too.matcha.a.good.thing Charles Cheese Rusty of Shackleford ThatGuyWithSouvlaki

  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[ThatGuyWithSouvlaki]

Ani looked up at Gio when he responded about the muffins, but did not reply. She took another look at the muffins and seemed to consider having it, but soon others seemed to arrive. A rather average looking nerdy guy who seemed too excited for what the programme had but them through already. The next one seemed more unusual that even she was, having the appearance so androgynous that Ani was not sure whether they were a boy or a girl, though try that did not matter in the grand scheme of things. Once again, like the previous one, seemed way too excited for her liking. The final one seemed a little better, in fact she found her pretty, though she gave off a vibe of being a bit clumsy. She wonders whether she would get on with everyone that has come so far. Indeed, they seemed friendly, but would they be able to take what she dish out.

She remained in silence for a few seconds as they introduced themselves. She finally made a decision and opening a bag of muffins and took a tentative bite of it. Good enough, she thought before taking another bite. She took a few more bites before she felt several eyes on her. It seemed everyone had introduced themselves and it was ordained but at least the camera and producers that it was her turn. She took a deep intake of breath and stood up. "Anastasia Vembo... Ani is fine...Glad to meet you... And hope we do some baking soon." She said awkwardly before sitting back down.

 

[Charles Cheese]

Muffin

Once Gio finished their lemon poppyseed muffin, they might've or might've not noticed something holographic taped to the bottom of the wrapper under where the muffin was. It was easy to miss at first, but the sun began to catch the table in a way where it began to gleam pink and blue. The handwriting is small and needs to be picked up to be read.. If anybody finishes their muffins or takes it out of the wrapper next, they would notice the same at the bottom of their wrapping.

Cyrus

Cyrus sighs with the relief of a starved man as he reaches to pluck a muffin from the bunch. An amber one with a frosted top and little orange carrot sprinkles. Carrot cake. He scooches in closer to the table with an obnoxious metal screech. “Jackie, Gio, Ani, Cyrus, Sam…” He repeats under his breath while counting his fingers as if he’s memorizing it or trying to recall their names, repeating the list twice. He smiled, satisfied. ”Excited to know all of you, too. What kind of gigs did you guys get before this?” Once he’s the one not speaking he’s already bouncing it on his seat impatiently, eye catching the paper. “Ah! Cool. I need coffee, too.” It’s not long before the tip of the pen dances with a wild kind of rhythm. If someone peaked,

‘Not allergic to cats. Starbucks only. I would like the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino® Blended Beverage with extra caramel drizzle, extra whipped cream, extra extra dark caramel sauce, extra crunch topping, extra vanilla bean powder, extra cinn-’

A bell noise..

Off to the table’s side, there’s a vague bell noise that gets louder during their conversation, like something small and too fast to spot is approaching. In an instant, Jackie’s lap is filled with something soft and pillow-like.
!
A.. cat?! Its fur were like fluffy clouds at the beginning of a sunset. The cat wastes no time grabbing the note Jackie left in its tiny mouth with a trained precision. Then it hops lap to lap and seat to seat as it grabs everyone’s papers in its tiny mouth, bell jingling with each movement.
It leaves off on Gio, hopping down back onto the ground from their lap as it escapes just as quickly as it arrived. The cat fast-walks to the bakery’s outdoor seating entrance, popping in through the pet door hidden at the bottom. If it weren’t for the way the way it swung back and forth at the use, it looked exactly just like a normal spruce door.
Having been got mid-writing., Cyrus lets out a little dismayed gasp, reaching out with a forlorn hand to where the cat was. “Ah! But the extra sprinkles and a touch of almond milk!” He sounds relatively unfazed by how abnormal what just happened was.

(If you haven't let me know in the discord, please let me know what kind of muffin your character takes in your post and if they notice the holographic paper at the bottom of their muffin ^v^)
ThatGuyWithSouvlaki too.matcha.a.good.thing Rusty of Shackleford 606
Code by the extremely talented Ambiloquous

 

[Rusty of Shackleford]

Sam turned to the table as he was talked to, calmly taking a plain English muffin and taking a large bite out of it. Breakfast first. He was HUNGRY.

He didn't even flinch at Cyrus' backhanded comment. He was used to it. Sam had no delusions of grandeur. That he was some megastar, and anyone who didn't know his chill baking videos were some trogladytes. I mean...they were, but Sam didn't believe that.

"Hm? Me, well I have a channel. Mainly baking. But I'm also wanted in Holland, so maybe that too?"

NO elaboration.

He turned to Ani and Gio, giving a nod and a smile as he ate. "Pleasure to meet ya. Hope we don't burn anything down, though that does happen from time to time. But maybe we'll have fun burning stuff down?"

Sam jolts towards the cat, and for just a moment, lights up. CATCATCAT

He extends his hand, gesturing and making little "Pspspspsspsp" sounds to get it's attention. Unfortunately, this cat seemingly was on the clock. Sad...

"Oh...even the cats here are all professional like. Shame. Oh well. He turns back without another words.

"I'm with Cyprus. Curious what you blokes did to get here. Always good to meet other creators. Though unless you're really into baking and unfunny wit and strange annecdotes, I doubt you've heard of me much. I was hoping to keep my baking on the down low, but hey...it was an excuse to travel."

It was just then that he realized...this wrapper was weird! He investigated, more curious than shocked or surprised.

Charles Cheese

606

ThatGuyWithSouvlaki

 

[606]

"Anastasia Vembo... Ani is fine...Glad to meet you... And hope we do some baking soon."

Gio would have instantly noticed the foil but with the crowd of people didn’t want to point it out right away, as it did seem more and more people were coming anyways and sitting down. Anastasia seemed to be more chill than the others at least. They set their first muffin wrapper face down on the table and practically inhaled their 2nd muffin, a chocolate chip one, to see something similar and would also set it down for now. Tired and lazy as they were, they weren’t stupid much to many disbelief. In fact, in their family, Gio was one of the smartest people. they weren’t gifted and talented per se but they were solid high B low A students. Maybe it was their tendency to pick up on small details due to being quiet, or the fact they hid and did nothing else but talk to people. Sometimes, that excuse was homework, and yes, they did do the homework. If they put in more effort, maybe Gio would be smarter than they thought they were.

”Excited to know all of you, too. What kind of gigs did you guys get before this?”
Ah! Cool. I need coffee, too.” (Cyrus)

"Hm? Me, well I have a channel. Mainly baking. But I'm also wanted in Holland, so maybe that too?" (Sam)

"Pleasure to meet ya. Hope we don't burn anything down, though that does happen from time to time. But maybe we'll have fun burning stuff down?" (Sam)

Gio's eyes went wide as Cyrus seemed to be much more talkative and outgoing, and really simply, more extra than they were personally comfortable with. On the other hand, Sam seemed friendly enough, still talkative in a sense but also, strange. They were really confused about what Holland had anything to do with previous jobs. Was Sam some sort of special agent undercover? Maybe it was to investigate this guy running the whole show, which honestly, would make sense. Feeling the anxiety to speak so they didn’t have to speak later, Gio would gently wipe the crumbs from their mouth.

“School…fresh out of school…need money,”

they said simply, internally kicking himself as he, in their own mind, had worded it better.

Yet their initial shy, anxious, and tired expressions soon disappeared the moment the cat jumped up. Almost in unison with the jump, Gio themself perked up, their dead eyes lighting up with life for the first time in the whole interaction, a sparkle of something human. There was even a faint smile on their face as the cat crawled over to them, and they couldn’t help but give pets to the soft fluffy cats for the few moments it was on their lap.

"Oh...even the cats here are all professional-like. Shame. Oh well.” (Sam)

“Ah! But the extra sprinkles and a touch of almond milk!” (Cyrus)

When the cat left, so did that spark of life in Gio. They slumped back over, their eyes now glued to the muffin wrappers on the table. They should get to reading it probably.

"I'm with Cyprus. Curious about what you blokes did to get here. Always good to meet other creators. Though unless you're really into baking and unfunny wit and strange anecdotes, I doubt you've heard of me much. I was hoping to keep my baking on the down low, but hey...it was an excuse to travel." (Sam)

Gio glances up at Sam and towards Cyrus, and soon towards everyone else. Respond now so he didn’t have to respond later.

“Like I said before, money. That and just needed something until I…um…figure out….what to uh…um..do…….in life,”

they said, again, kicking themself mentally for their inability to speak. Maybe another hour in bed was what they needed. Gio was much more of a wake-up-in-the-early afternoon type of person than whatever this was.

Slowly he looked down at the muffin wrapper, pulling out one of the 5 muffins he had tucked away before, and opened it up to make sure the two he had picked were just weird and sure enough, there was also something strange on the bottom of the rhubarb muffin, so he took his wrappings into his lap, looking down and would read all three, seeing if they were all the same or different, after all, 3 made a pattern, which means if these three had something on it, every single muffin on this table did as well. Plus be got to eat a rhubarb muffin now as well.

gio cugini

gelato.

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  Rusty of Shackleford
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[Charles Cheese]

Muffins

As the tiny collection reflects the sun in sparkles, the paper becomes somewhat harder to read but manageable with a good squint.
The handwriting looks like some kind of childrens’, done with an average number 3 pencil then scanned and printed into this tiny piece of paper after the fact.
The lemon poppyseed’s message: “MY NAME IS SAMIR AND I LIKE SUNSHINE AND FLOWERS”
The chocolate chip’s message: “I am Pablo and I love dogs! My dog is a brown lab and he’s really very cute”
The rhubarb’s message: “I’m Ava. My favorite thing in the world is blood and vengeance.”
The english muffin’s message: “My name is OLIVIA and I like BRITISH moms only because my mom is BRITISH and she is really cool. I DO NOT LIKE AMERICAN MOMS”
That was all. The other side of the paper just glitters. There's no other context other than these sentences made by what seems like elementary school students. It bends like normal paper.

Cyrus

Cyrus heals rather quickly from the despair he showed moments earlier, sort of bouncing to look over at Sam. ”Wha whaat? You run a channel?” .. Maybe slightly worrying he only asked about that part. He grins. “Oh man, that’s so rad! Let’s be friends then, it’ll give us lotsa money. Can I call you Bam? I’m gonna call you Bam.” Before long, he holds his muffin with both hands as he takes calculated bites, trying not to get any frosting on his face.

"I'm with Cyrus. Curious what you blokes did to get here. Always good to meet other creators. Though unless you're really into baking and unfunny wit and strange anecdotes, I doubt you've heard of me much. I was hoping to keep my baking on the down low, but hey...it was an excuse to travel."


He puts his half eaten muffin down to wipe his mouth with his sleeve.“I thought you were from somewhere! At first I thought you were just doing a fake accent thingy. Sometimes shows like to do that, sets you apart.” He points at Sam's muffin. “England, right? What’s it like coming to america? Did you feel it in the plane when your healthcare rights slowly trickled to oblivion?” As he speaks he checks his phone camera, angling it side to side to make sure his face is completely clean before throwing a peace sign and taking a few pictures from different angles.

“School…fresh out of school…need money,”
“Like I said before, money. That and just needed something until I…um…figure out….what to uh…um..do…….in life,”
His phone tilts down. “Oh my god, me too! What did you study? I studied business but I totally flunked. It was miserable.” The word ‘miserable’ was exaggerated by the roll of his eyes and a big smile, like it was some silly mishap. His eyes drift down and quickly widen at little glimmering papers on Gio’s side of the table. It's clear he tries to whisper, but he whispers super loud; it's basically talking in a different tone. “Ohh, is that stuff you can put on your tongue? Can I have one?” … what DOES HE THINK THEY ARE??
Regardless, it's clearly just paper.

 

[Rusty of Shackleford]

Sam frowned at Cyrus' insistence on being friends. Normally, he wouldn't mind. The problem was that it was founded on Sam's wealth. He wasn't crazy rich or anything, no need to break the guy's heart. "Eh, no need to get excited. I'm not huge or anything. It pays the bills, but I can't say I'm swimming in money." Cyrus was already an...interesting fellow. To put it lightly.

The man seemed more interested in the foil, taking a small amount of pride in the love of Britain. "Lass has her head on straight."

He turned back to the others, leaning back lightly. Sam nodded along with Gio, saying deadpanly, "Mmm, yeah I feel that. I started my channel in college. Kept me from drowning in debt. Though I've heard it's much worse here." He then turned to Cyrus and shrugged, saying, "Not my problem, I don't live here. Not gonna act all high and mighty, not like we're much better back home.

Sam just let out a long, weary sigh at Cyrus' comment on the papers. "They're notes, ya daft git. Last time I checked, that sort of thing isn't legal here. Least not like it is in Europe. Like Amsterdam. I miss Amsterdam, you guys should head there. Have some good stories there."

Charles Cheese

606

 

[too.matcha.a.good.thing]

Jackie was uncharacteristically quiet as she unwrapped her raspberry muffin. Usually, she wouldn't hesitate to jump into the conversation, but she was suddenly overcome by a bout of shyness. All the other contestants seemed so much more professional than her. She felt like a little kid with sandbox toys in a room full of architects.

No. She severely put a stop to her train of thought. Baking was her thing, and she wouldn't let anyone take it from her. Instead, she focused on the taste of the muffin, the tartness of raspberry blending with the subtle sweetness of cream cheese to create one delicious muffin. She doesn't stop the small hum of pleasure that passes her lips. There has been far too much takeout since she's had something this good.

She's picking the last bits of muffin off her wrapper when she notices the tiny paper attached to the bottom. She picks up the empty wrapper, turning it this way and that to find the best lighting to read the miniscule writing. As she's doing this, she tunes back into the conversation in time to hear Sam talking about his channel.

Now she finally speaks up, her excitement bubbling past her shyness, completely drowning it. "I knew I recognized you! Omg I love your videos! They're so easy to follow and practical and -"

Her fangirling was interrupted by the fluffball jumping onto her lap, startling her into silence. She gave it a few hesitant pats before it moved on the next person, moving around the table to collect all the survey forms.

Since most eyes were on her after her outburst anyways, she figured she could elaborate on why she was here. "I have a channel as well, though probably not as large a following as any of you. Where I'm from, it was a pretty big deal, though. Not much action in the boondocks town I'm from. This is probably the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me." She briefly wondered if that made her pathetic, but she brushed the thought away. She had the right to be happy about the events of her life. "So anyway, I took a gap year after high school to come here and film this show."

 

[Charles Cheese]

Muffin

Not only was the muffin wonderful but the texture made it go down the stomach like a pink cloud. And the message must’ve known too, it had tiny doodles of cotton candy in the background.
The Raspberry Cream Cheese’s message: “name is maya and I like 6 + pink + unicorn + dragon!!”
This paper was gleamed more pink than the others. What on earth did this mean?

Cyrus

His disappointment is quickly overridden by glee at Jackie. “Oh, you know him?! See! Even if you aren’t rich, Bam, you got fans! Though you still aren’t rich..” The last part is said with a drawn out emphasis, as if Cyrus was listing a terminal medical condition rather than someone’s financial status. He lights up at Jackie. “Oh, what’s your channel? This is sick, I’ll let my fanbase know I’m doing a collab with two famous people!” He either skipped over the part where Jackie said she had a smaller following or he was just being complimentary so they’d actually agree to the collab they were apparently doing.. “Now, let’s see..” He trails off, dumping his muffin so he could get the paper. He squints and brings the paper close to his face. ‘I am Afred. I have always loved Alice in Wonderland ever since I was a kid, especially the bunny.’ “Huh.. Did a 50 year old wite this?” He sighs, tossing it out to the middle of the table. “What a lame fortune.”

The smell of coffee blends

spreads to the table even before the door opens. But this time instead of a cat, it's a woman in a waitress uniform with hair in a brown fluffy bun. A circular tray of recyclable cups easily balances in her one hand, every step with her high heels calculated and precise.
As she gets close, the little cat patterns on the cups become more visible. She takes a quick glance at the status of the muffins. "...!" She simply shakes her head at Gio and their three muffins like a disapproving mom. "Bad." She starts placing the cups onto the table. "Things oughta be ready soon. Just uh, talk with each othah a bit more and take these..” She's got a slight boston accent. Many of these cups have different cat breeds on them along with cute phrases like ‘Have a purrfect day!’ and ‘You’re purrfect’ (seriously, the same pun twice?). She starts to head off, but if someone called out to her she'd definitely hear.
The order was.. mostly accurate.
While technically correct, Sam got matcha boba tea, Ani’s mocha was too minty, and Jackie’s coffee had a LOT of whipped cream, and Gio mysteriously had whipped cream too? When Cyrus' is placed, his eyes grow wide. "A regular black coffee!?" He takes a glance at Sam's. “Uh.. I think they got our order wrong! I ordered bubble tea.. Wanna trade?” He gives an innocent totally-not-lying grin.




ThatGuyWithSouvlaki too.matcha.a.good.thing Rusty of Shackleford 606
Code by the extremely talented Ambiloquous[/U

 

[606]

Gio gave a look at Cyrus as he attempted to whisper and slowly sunk into their seat, a sudden uptake in conversation as Sam mentioned having a channel. He simply looked around at everyone else talking, following the train of the conversation from one person back to another and back to the first. Gio came here to bake and to get money to start paying off loans, not socialize with other people. While it was very much needed for the younger person, it was still, a lot for the mostly introverted person.

The smell of coffee caused Gio to look to the door the cat disappeared to, seeing a woman come out with cups to see a familiar look of shock and disappointment from her at the surprising lack of muffins, Gio gave her a look as she called him 'bad' and rolled his eyes, looking down at the coffee in front of him and was completely left baffled. He never got whipped cream nor did he want any, giving it a sniff and his face scrunched up. Being Italian, they take their coffee more seriously than you think, and Gio followed suit with that, especially when it came to his own drink and he looked around.

"Hey uh, Cyrus, I'd rather drink black coffee than anything with this much-whipped cream, we can switch,"

he spoke up, rather quickly, desperately wanting to switch, hoping maybe for sure a black coffee would wake him up. It wasn't Gio's favorite, but whatever drink was in front of him had to be much worse as he pushed his drink towards Cyrus before looking at anyone else.

"Unless...someone else wants to trade...this looks too sweet to me,"

he said, his voice rather quiet as he slowly began to reach for the black coffee. And if anyone else would have noticed, mostly out of spite now, Gio would grab more muffins. Might as well stalk up on snacks now while there was free food. he would take a Raspberry Cream Cheese muffin, the English muffin, and another lemon poppy, well more like two, and the number of muffins severely decreased with Gio around, nearly completely out of lemon poppy at this point. If there were fewer people around, they would have taken 90% of the muffins by now.

gio cugini

gelato.

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[Charles Cheese]

Cyrus

Cyrus smiles with a dimple on the right side, bringing up his freckles. "Oh, wow, uh thanks! Yeah I'd really like that." He nudged the coffee towards them so they didn't have to reach over that far. He grabs the expresso. "So you like plain coffee huh? Kinda cool. I like mine to be mini desserts. It's like a cheat day for me, since I usually don't drink coffee either.." Cyrus' speech draws out slower at the end, watching Gio with growing confusion until it clicks. "Wait.. why are you stealing so many muffins?!" His offended frown folds up into a smirk. "You'll get caught! Split them with me, half 'n half! I got secret shoplifting pockets!"

 

[too.matcha.a.good.thing]

Jackie found herself wishing to meet this Maya who had introduced herself through the wrapper of her muffin. She loved little kids, and she and Maya seemed to share many favourites, considering her hair colour and love of all things fantasy.

So invested was she in her "fortune," that she didn't notice the waitress' approach until the coffee was placed on the table slightly to her right. At first glance, she thought that the drink wasn't hers. When the person to her right received their own beverage, however, she realised the mountain of whipped cream was undoubtedly meant for her. Her brow crinkled in confusion. Hadn't she written a dash of sugar and cream? This was much more than a dash.

By the noises of discontent her companions were making, she figured hers was not the only order that had been bungled. She heard a few suggestions of trading, and she pushed her glass forward, inching it towards the center of the table. "Anyone want this whipped cream with a shot of coffee?" she asked. "I don't have anything against whipped cream, per se, but I am quite precise about the way I like my coffee." She let out a giggle as the sloshing motion of the liquid in the cup caused a tiny dollop of whipped cream to fly up suddenly and land on her cheek. Wiping away the speck with her finger, she brought it to her lips. "I will say that it's perfectly delicious whipped cream."

 

[Rusty of Shackleford]

Sam, despite his unusually stoic demeanor so far...blushed!? He blushed!? Someone ACTUALLY recognizing him...simultaneously humbled him and inflated his ego

"O-oh, you...know my channel? Well, er...thank you. I'm proud of it."

Obviously. Who makes cooking videos if they're not proud of their cooking skills?

He jolted his head at the sound of the door opening. Part of Sam was disappointed that it wasn't a cat bringing their drinks. How would that work? A cart, maybe? A pack? Hmm...

He was so distracted with thst line of thought, it was only when Cyrus spoke to him that he realized what had happened.

"Oh, bollocks. Seems they didn't understand what I meant by tea." Sam shrugged. "Go ahead. Black coffee taste like arse, but it's something."

Sam didn't seem at all affected by Gio's thievery. He'd seen weirder. "I can take...whatever that is, Gio. I've drunk worse."

"And let them have this, Cyrus. Not like they'll arrest them. Unless this country is as bollocks as people say it is..."

He didn't say that with much confidence.

Sam sighed, leaning back as he asked the others, "So you know when this blokes gonna get here? Honestly he seemed like a real prick, but money is money."

Charles Cheese
606
too.matcha.a.good.thing

 

[Charles Cheese]

Muffin

If Gio had checked the bottom of the new muffins they acquired, they would notice quickly that the messages repeated per muffin type. The english muffins spoke of british moms, the raspberry creams spoke of pink.. dragon unicorns, etc. All in the same holographic sheen, carefully taped to the bottom of each muffin..
But that wasn't all. As Gio grabbed more muffins, they might’ve spot something at the bottom of the basket. Another hidden thing?
A tiny, black, square-shaped object that was small enough to be held by two fingers. It looked sort of tech-y, with hard plastic ridges that resembled a phone charger, just without any inputs or outputs. It was entirely smooth all over. A sticker on the bottom said “PROPERTY OF MR. FONDUE” in bold, red text. For something that's hidden, it doesn't look like it wants to be hidden very well..

Cyrus

Cyrus frowns at Sam’s misunderstanding, shaking his head and crossing his arms. “Exactly! That’s why I’m offering to h~ellll~ppp~! It’s a fair deal.”
He holds the expresso he traded with Gio with both hands, carefully tipping it as he sips. It’s like he’s trying to act sophisticated around Sam now.. His face lightens. “Oh! This isn’t too bad.. Good trade. Thanks Gio.” He takes another sip, a long one this time, savoring the whipped cream that helped to tone down the bitterness. After, he apologetically smiles over to the other two trying to trade off their drinks. “Sorry Jackie, Sam! Already traded. Though I can vouch for the whipped cream.. Tastes homemade, like the muffins. At least they got that right.”

 

[606]

Gio would take the expression, and happily take a sip of the plain coffee, a soft smile on their face as they shoved the stolen muffins away, their eyes catching something in the basket. With the last muffin, they took, took the black little box as well, turning it into their hands before, shoving it into their pocket. That's when they looked up to Cyrus' question about muffins and looked away for a second then down into his clearly muffin-filled pockets.

Cyrus really was a talker and they would wait until the other finished speaking before evening thinking about an answer. A heavy sigh escaped them as they looked away, not really wanting to make eye contact. It was, awkward, and made them more nervous. After another sip of coffee, they would begin to answer.

"Plain coffee is my go-to when I'm in a rush. No one said there was a limit on muffins, plays they are free, and no, I would like to keep them as snacks and future breakfast,"

they said in one breath, shrinking away into their seat, along with the coffee in their hand, glancing for a moment at Jackie and Sam.

They all wanted to trade yet they (Gio) managed to get to it first. They did feel bad about it at the moment but knew there wasn't really much to be done since they had already drunk some of the coffee.

"S-sorry, I am not a huge fan of whipped cream on coffee,"

they would quietly say to Jackie and Sam, their eyes resting on Sam for a moment, who was defending their muffin taking.

"I...I am quite alright, what are they doing to do about me taking some muffins...their fault for not saying that we were limited to a set number,"

they said, rather than getting more confident in their choices (though they were) they in fact seemed to become less and less confident, and quieter even.

A thought that Gio could only imagine would cross their mind many times while they were here was quitting. Was it too late? Mentally Gio shook their head, knowing they desperately needed money to begin paying off student debt, and this was the only job they could get. At the very least, Gio could get their name out there, and some type of paycheck as well.

gio cugini

gelato.

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[Rusty of Shackleford]

Sam shrugs, downing the coffee in one fell sip.

"Mmm, yeah this tastes like shite, but whatever. Did you know that caffeine doesn't actually increase your energy? It just makes you forget you're tired, like...painkillers but for energy."

Cool...no one asked for that, but nice fact!

He just...sighs, at Cyrus. This guy...sure was a trip, huh?

He gave Gio a sympathetic glare, patting them on the shoulder as he said, "It's alright. Just some muffins, I'm sure Mr. Fondue can afford many, many more. Unless he already spent all the muffin budget, in which case...shit..."

That was a good question...how much money did Fondue have? Was he Rockefeller rich, or just "Dad who owned a Burger King fanchise" rich?

"Er, by the way...where the bloody hell is that guy anyways? For someone who had us fly all the way to America, and stay in a shite hotel room, he's sure kept us waiting."

Charles Cheese
606

 

[Charles Cheese]

Cyrus

If the characters were observant of their surroundings, they may notice that the production crowd surrounding them was thinning out dramatically within just a minute. The lack of background chatter and the addition of more and more door noises made the ambience just a bit awkward.
Cyrus took to the social awkwardness well, and the way he spoke it was like he barely even noticed. He mocks despair. “Darn.. Oh well, I could always find other uses for my shoplifting pockets.” He flashes a grin before taking another sip of his drink. His eyes meet Sam. “!” He gulps. “Whaat? No way! Really? Wow, you're pretty smart!” Leaning back with a laugh, he animatedly moves his cup around as he speaks. “Honestly? No idea. They really didn't communicate much with me about this. Usually the opposite with these sorts of things.. Y'know. Since I'm a pretty big shot” He sips again, but despite how careful he is, he gets a dollop of whipped cream on his nose.

Production Crew

“Excuse me. Uh,” someone from the nearly extinct crowd stands a little away from the table. They look to be in their late 30’s, casually dressed and carrying a pen on their ear and a cheap looking nametag on their shirt. But instead of their actual name, it.. Was just their job title. And it was written like

... By the embarrassed wince on their face, it was definitely mandatory. They review their clipboard real quick. “Jackie, Sam, Ani, Gio, Cyrus.. Mr. Fondue wants all of you ‘right damn away’.”
They cringe as the last part falls off their tongue. Seems like they were told to say that. “Sorry.. Could you all follow me?” Unlike the last worker, this one seems to be relatively paid enough to engage kindly with the table. They turn with an urgent sigh, holding the clipboard close to their chest almost like a shield. All it takes is a few seconds for them to be led to the patio door(the same one the cat and waitress went through), they pause to give a sympathetic look to the contestants. “.. Oh, and um, I know Roxy probably told you this over the phone, but.. Just remember, even though you’re public figures, don’t use your real names in front of the cameras.. You’ll each get something with your pen names. Um, fans tend to stick really hard to Fondue’s shows, and..” They pale like they already spoke too much. “Um.. Nevermind!”
They quickly drew the cheese patterned curtains open. The contestants finally got their first glimpse of the Bakery’s interior.
Instant. Overstimulation.
Many cameras and production lights were immediately either on them or the middle of the room, where a singular can of Coke Cola laid. By the service desk were tempered glass displays, filled with very few muffins and other breakfast pastries like croissants and bagels… that apparently *nobody* thought to offer the contestants!
Once your eyes adjusted to the lighting, there was a lot more of red nametags, some reading the same thing as the producer assistant(yes, bad joke included) but others had things like ‘event coordinator’ and ‘camera man 3#’. Half of the canvas seats and metal tables had been dragged into their crowded corner. The remaining chairs and tables were arranged all nice and photogenic over in the contestants direction, each had nice views out the many windows—or, would.... The cheese curtains weren't staying, right...?
Despite the major eye sore, the effect of the light wasn’t deterred; the windows all sent squares of golden light throughout the bakery. Over all the counters, floors, tables that all shared the same wooden vinyl aesthetic. The walls began with vinyl too, but the fluted paneling transitioned halfway up into greige bricks. It all conjured the feeling of an industrial loft.
If the contestants looked beside them, on their left was a very large garbage bin with too many disposable coffee cups and paper plates to count. Just beyond that, and a plastic baby gate separated them off from the inside.. The production assistant themselves had to step reaaaally high over so they could crouch down the other side and unlatch it. If you looked over to the main entrance, you’d spot the same gate over there as well… Were they some sort of weird security measures? Maybe everyone was being held prisoner here with baby gates. Or maybe…
Something else. Something that wasn’t included in the deal at all, or at least specifically mentioned in the very long and vague terms and conditions. Elaborate structures right across from the production team. Ramps, hidey holes, towers; all designed to look like tiny new york buildings and places! There was even a little taxi pet bed..!
Was this some sort of animal cafe?
Jackie and Ani, who were already sharing glances with each other, rightfully decide this deal was far too sketchy and they deserve much better. They each take a few more muffins each before departing to live out their own very cool lives. The production assistant lifts from the gate, opening it with a slightly grandiose, “there you go..!” and closes it once they’re all inside. They either don’t notice the departing contestants, or it was just that usual of an occurrence, but they don’t wait long before they scurry back to their natural habitat behind the set.
The kitchen door swings open.

“I’m here, I’m here, hold your horses!” A familiar boston accent voice emerges from the kitchen. The quick clicks of heels approach. Her waitress dress is adorned with a few coffee stains. “Put these on and tie ‘em, quick.” Holding bundles of linen smocks, she hands them out. If the characters spend the time to, they may notice that each of them were customized to have their sweet of choice on the patterns. The names Gelato, Sweet Roll, Gingerbread were stitched into them.
When she counts the remaining smocks a sigh escaped her. “Dahn... I told Fondue that his sketchy practices would drive out contestants! Hey, hey, you guys! Catch!” She rolls two of them into a ball and chucks it in the general direction of the camera men like an oversized baseball. She immediately and casually turns over to the trio. “Awright–c’mon, freshen yaselves up, too! Cameras’ll be on any second.”

“Lights..... Camera..!” Oh god—the director is even counting down!
Rusty of Shackleford 606

 

[606]

Gio was about to pipe up before someone came along and they quickly muffled a laugh at the name tag, turning away to compose themself as they were asked to come "right damn away". Standing up, they downed the rest of the black coffee, figuring they might need it, and would be in the back of the group as they walked in and their eyes went wide as soon as they entered.

Overstimulated was the least Gio could claim to be, their eyes darting around but found comfort when they saw the table. More. Free. Food. This gig might not be ideal but it was their only bet, and with all of the free food, they couldn't ask for much else and would begin trying to make their way to the table, of course, other crew members would simply guide them back to the group and in that time, a few of them left leaving only 3 standing before someone came in loudly.

Gio covered their ears and quickly went to hide behind Sam and Cyrus, the woman shoving her hand to Gio waiting until they took one hand away from their face and took the apron, nothing but pure panic and fear on their face, their mind racing, their head spinning. If Gio had any two cents they would have also left but, they had nowhere to go if they did. Not one to have many friends, if any, and there was no way GIo could go home either so had to simply, suffer.

"W-wait, what do you mean cameras will be on-"

they started to ask before hearing the director beginning to count down and they quickly, and stiffly, threw their apron over their outfit, forcing their body to move despite wanting to freeze up and they couldn't help but step closer to the other contestant, hoping being closer to them would calm themself down, seeing that they were the closest thing to friends Gio might ever have.

Gio was taking quick and shallow breaths, anyone who had a friend who was easily overwhelmed or stimulated would easily be able to recognize this as the beginning of a panic attack, but also see Gio trying to put on a brave face and fight through it. Sure, they came from a loud and noisy Italian family but this was even beyond their own family.

"This...is too much,"

he whispered, loud enough for Sam and Cyrus to hear but not one else really, mostly just talking himself.

gio cugini

gelato.

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[IDKnuggets]

Theodore Mathieu (BETA)

Scoops! (BETA THEO)

The faint sound of something skittering around in the walls, a vaguely moldy smell, and a mysterious stain on the wall that no amount of scrubbing could get out. It had been four days since Theodore said goodbye to his daughter Claire and his sister Abigail- most of the time since had been spent trying to tidy up the mess of a hotel room the showrunners had put him up in. He was sat on the edge of his bed looking at a photo of himself with his girls, a bittersweet smile on his lips, when the chime of his phone announced the arrival of his Uber.

The ride to the bakery was pleasant- his driver had a son close to Claire’s age and the two swapped parenting stories on the way. As soon as the sedan came to a stop outside of the autumn orange bakery Theo was hastily rushed out of the car and tasked with cleaning up around the bakery’s kitchen. There was plenty of work to do- sweeping, mopping, and dusting until the place was practically spotless. Meanwhile the hustle and bustle of the production staff surrounded him. Someone rushed through the kitchen, grabbing a bag of coffee beans and knocking over a stack of canned peaches that Theo picked up as he moved onto sorting the ingredients. He was so absorbed in moving the fruits into the crisper that he didn’t notice the production assistant until she spoke up.

“Mr. Mathieu, Mr. Fondue wants you on stage” the young woman cleared her throat and glanced awkwardly to the side, “right damn away- his words” a faint scarlet tint painted her cheeks and she avoided making eye contact with him. It was clear she was uncomfortable speaking to a stranger that way, but her boss had insisted.

“Thank you, miss-“ his eyes quickly scanned the nametag pinned to her shirt, which was singularly unhelpful as it only had a vulgar twist on her job title written on it. Instead he slipped an apple into her hand and wrapped her fingers around it with a sly wink. “Eat up, it’s good for you- and I ran out of space in the fridge”

The production team had him leave through the rear exit and circle around to the outdoor patio where a small collection of other contestants waited. One contestant in particular caught Theo’s eye- a tall young man with light brown hair. Something about him was familiar, but Theo couldn’t quite place where he had seen him before.

Someone passed by and dropped a bundled smock into his hands. His pseudonym for the show was sewed into the front with a matching pattern of macarons running across it. Theodore slipped his apron on as the director gave the expected call of ‘lights, camera-!‘

Half hidden behind the other two contestants, a third clung nervously. Their breaths were short and panicked. Theo took a corner of his apron in his hands card held it up, speaking gently. “My sister used to get nervous in crowded spaces” He kneaded the fabric with his thumbs, then held it out as though offering it to the nervous contestant. “You can hold on if you’d like- it has an interesting texture, so… try and focus on what you can feel” he offered with a reassuring smile.

LOCATION: (NOT) Fairview, North Carolina

TAGS: Charles Cheese

Coded by AnemoVictorious