#mmmm garlic bread

[benthesoldiersjeanshorts]

[thedeafprophet]

feel completely exhausted and not making process with studying, you know what that means?

it means its time to make garlic bread

[sam-monroe]

sam + headphones (feat. removal because of george)

[artbyfuji]

summer rose selene underworld cosplay 🦇

[itsbrucey]

Got super stressed out so I started roasting garlic and now I'm less stressed out

[imchronicallydepressed]

[helianskies]

hello! for the dialogue prompts, turkgrespa + 19 if you don't mind? i thought it was quite fitting because of your restaurant au <3

ah i see,, a person of culture! restaurant au it is ;)

Food

"I made you lunch," Antonio says, setting a plate down on top of a growing stack of papers nestled on the edge of the office desk. "I figured it was about time you ate something."

(Lunch is a humble offering of what remains of Antonio's breakfast—the dregs of fresh tomato and garlic and olive oil slathered onto freshly toasted bread. Antonio's favourite, of course.)

Sadık glances over his shoulder and up at him, and gives a smile to say 'thank you' without the words ever passing his lips. He is deep in work, his brain more numbers than letters, and so Antonio smiles back, and chooses to not disturb him for even a second too long. 

Currently, Sadık is trying to get ahead of bills, ordering, payroll and savings while the restaurant is closed for the day. Herakles, by comparison, has never really had a finance head; they made an agreement before Antonio's time that any thing covered in euros would be entirely in the chef's hands, and, in the meantime, Herakles would manage staff and customer relationships. It is more his forte.

(Though, even then, Antonio has now taken on some of that responsibility.)

As Antonio leaves the office, he bumps into Herakles himself. And Herakles asks him without missing a beat, "Where's my lunch?"

The Spaniard tries not to laugh, amused solely by the other's tone. "You never placed an order," he says.

"Neither did Sadık," Herakles counters.

"He's got a point," Sadık then joins in, before swivelling around on his chair and suggesting to Herakles, "You can always have mine," to which Antonio protests quite sternly.

"That plate does not leave this room," he warns Sadık—or both of them, really, "until you eat what's on it."

The way that Sadık and Herakles glance at each other reveals to him, quite naturally, that they are currently adding this incident to a mental pile of 'reasons why Antonio is also our mother'. He tries not to roll his eyes in response (for fear of it also being used against him). 

"I'll eat it, don't worry," Sadık goes on to assure him, before turning back around and facing his work. "I just need to chase this invoice, first…"

And with that, he shuts himself off. He is in an entirely different plane of existence, and Antonio and Herakles walk out into the short corridor between the dining room and kitchen. They'll check in on him in about an hour.

"So, about lunch."

Antonio glances at Herakles, does a sort of double-take, and then squints at him warily. "What about lunch?"

"Are you having any?" Herakles asks him. "It's nice of you to think of other people, even if I'm not included in that—" Antonio tuts. Strike two! "—but you also need food. No?"

"I do," he duly replies, "and I intend to. You wanna help?"

"You have something in mind?"

"Of course. I call it, 'raiding Sadık's stock and eating whatever needs using'," Antonio tells him, which earns an enthusiastic hum, followed by an eager prompt to lead the way.

To be clear, Sadık is fully aware of this arrangement. Sunday is a day where the three of them will double-check stock after Saturday's close and clean, and make sure anything that will not survive the night is used or removed so they can avoid as much waste as possible. 

Often, there is not much for them to go through (the kitchen team are very thorough on a Saturday) but today, a venture into the walk-in reveals some produce that won't be missed. 

Antonio proposes a soup for ease. Herakles does not object. There is still some bread from breakfast, after all, that they might as well use.

Over the next half an hour or so, they work together to prep the vegetables, make the base, and then begin cooking. For a while, the kitchen operates like a well-oiled machine, even if they are only hobbyist chefs. Then, once the vegetables are cooked, Antonio takes charge of the blending while Herakles sees to warming the plates and cutting the bread; it only takes a few minutes more.

Parsley is chopped, cream is sniffed and set aside for use, and then, once the Spaniard is satisfied and the Greek starts to sneak one too many tastes—et voilà.

They sit together at one of the tables in the restaurant, out of view of the front windows. It feels like a lunch date of sorts, and the atmosphere certainly settles as the pair of them start to eat. Food. Food has such miraculous powers. Antonio values it more than anything.

Though, even he has to admit, Herakles' company over the next few minutes is equally as dear. They talk easily, about food, about comfort food, about childhood food—and just as Antonio goes to ask Herakles why he hasn't considered having more Greek food on the menu, they are joined by a third person.

A plate is set down on the table as Sadık pulls up a chair. Antonio eyes the tostada, neglected, abandoned, untouched.

"I thought I said that this plate wasn't allowed to leave the office until you ate," Antonio reminds Sadık once he is seated, somewhat light-heartedly. "Do you hate tomatoes that much?”

Sadık gives him a wry smile. "You know I don't," he replies. "But I could smell whatever you were cooking—soup, it seems—and I, uh… Well, I wanted to join you two for lunch instead."

Antonio softens. "Do you want some soup, then?" he offers. "Your bread will be all soggy now, anyway."

"No, no… I'll survive."

Yet, "Go and get a bowl," Herakles encourages. "There is plenty there. And it will be better than…" He nods at the plate. "Whatever is left of that."

"Maybe so, but I don't want to waste something that he spent time maki—"

"It took five minutes at most. Really, let me get you a bowl."

"Toni, it's fine—"

"No. Sit," the Spaniard insists, however, rising from his own seat without hesitation. His hands falls on Sadık's shoulder. He smiles, and he says, "I'll get you a bowl, and then you'll feel like you're really having lunch with us, okay?"

He doesn't give Sadık a chance to argue, not that he's sure he would. But Antonio has learned that stubbornness and perseverance can go hand-in-hand, and that sometimes, it is okay for him to put his foot down like this.

After all, Sadık may be one of his employers, but now, he was also one of his People, and that feels far more important.

[ final wordcount, 1090 words; prompts found here! ]

[s1gmagirl]

So, uh, ik u r writing a fanfic and all- but what on earth is your AO3?? (It will prolly turn out to be in your intropost and I will end up looking dumb I swear)

ahahahaha dw my ao3 isnt in my intro post bc i NEVER post anyth for some reason LMAO

but its garlicbreadlvr <33

[orcelito]

Stuck at work. Wanting to bite things. Not in a hungry or frustrated way though. I just am cognizant of my sharp canines and they make me want to Pierce things.

[benthesoldiersjeanshorts]

[cokoweee]

Whoops my hand slipped

She’d made Alfredo for dinner that night, with a side of garlic bread. He’d come crawling out of his cave when the smell of the garlic wafted through the air, eaten three bowls (and at least half a loaf of the bread )before giving a thumbs up and slinking off to some dark corner of the house. Which left her to sit in the living room alone. Lovely.

She’d sat on her phone for a bit before growing bored and turning on the tv, shoving an old disk into the cd player and pressing play. The room filled with the sound of Lou Jitsu’s cry of “Hot Soouuup!” as a menu popped up. Definitely wasn’t the thing she’d watch normally, but she was bored.

The movie had played for a grand total of two seconds before Othello reappeared, his hair tied into a messy bun, pajama pants plastered with Lou Jitsu’s face. She looked him up and down, taking in the outfit in all its glory before rolling her eyes and patting the couch next to her.

“ Ya know, I was just staring to get used to you and all your little quirks.” She monotonously, her eyes locked on the screen purposefully avoiding his watchful gaze, “ And sometimes I even begin to think that you are not as weird as I make you out to be.”

He stares at her, waiting patiently for the rest before the silence grew um comfortably and raises a brow.

“ And?”

“ And then you go to extravagant lengths to prove that you are exactly what I make you out to be.” Her eyes are still focused on the screen, but her peripherals give her a glimpse of a strained face.

“ Which is?” He presses, leaning slightly forward.

“ A total looser.”

He falls back immediately, all tension in his body gone. He slumps into the couch, head hanging over the back as he starts to smile.

“ And yet you still haven’t found somewhere else to live.” He says, eyes finding hers as he grins.

“Mmmm”

A hum is all that manages to escape her lips as she rips her attention from his eyes to the movie. They don’t talk after that, which is nice she supposes.

~

The movie is lame if she’s being honest, but Othello is clearly enjoying it. He’s mouthing along to the script and occasionally flailing his arms in the same motions as the actors. It’s kind of cute actually. The movie is long though, and after a bit her mouth becomes uncomfortably dry.

She gets up to walk to the kitchen, excepting even a slight reaction from Don. But he doesn’t move. He doesn’t seem to know she left, too entranced in the movie. How hurtful. She fills an extra glass, even though he probably won’t drink it, and makes her way back to the living room.

The drinks are placed on the side table as she scowls in disbelief. He’s managed to spread himself over the couch, his head resting where she used to be sitting. Ugh.

“ You’re sitting in my spot.” She spits at him, hands on hips.

He doesn’t say a word, merely lifting his torso in order her to slip back into her spot. So she does, and is mildly surprised when he lays his head back down. In her lap. She stiffens slightly before accepting her fate and resting her arm over him. He practically melts against her as she runs her fingers though his hair. The movie continues to play and her eyes droop. Her head falls to the side as she drifts, Othello mindlessly running his thumb over the arm she has draped over him. It’s nice.

~

She blinks awake, slightly startled to find that he’s still pressed against her. His face is nestled into her stomach, arm still wrapped around hers. A subtle churr escaping his chest as he breathes against her. He shifts as she tries to grab her water from the side table.

Eyes lazily flicking open, he looks up at her. She looks back, unsure of what to do. The churring has stopped, so he’s definitely lucid now. His head turns into her stomach again as he gets comfortable.

“ Do you mind if we stay like this a bit longer?” He mumbles against her.

“ Why?” She asks, not really caring, because this really isn’t half bad, and maybe she likes it. Just a little.

“ Warm.” He breathes, looping an arm around her waist.

Too tired to care - and definitely absolutely not because she likes it- she hums in agreement, moving her arm to cradle his head. He melts impossibly closer, before saying something again, his words lost against her shirt.

“What?” She frowns slightly, looking down at him again.

“Smell nice.” He murmurs, tightening his grip around her waist slightly. “ Like Lavender.” He manages, voice trailing off as he drifts back to sleep.

Then he is silent once more and resumes his nap, soft churring filling the room as he sleeps.

~

This is definitely not based off that doodle. Nope. Nuh uh.

I WAS JUST ABOUT TO ASK IF IT WAS ANOUT YHAY DOODLE AGZRARZHAGZ

DEAD DEAD DEAD THIS IS GETTING IN THE PIN

[panem-crustus]

SOUDOUGH SALUTATIONS!!!

I am the one and only Carbohydramancer on/ in the @wizard-island-trading-co! I am a Carbohydramancer, that is, a manipulator of Carbohydrates. A bread wizard, basically. My magics are based mostly on semantics. If it can technically be called bread, I can make it.

Pronouns: He/Him

CURRENT STOCK

Battery Acid Hawaiian Buns: An extremely potent electromagical power source. Boosts the power of any electromagical devices and machines hooked up to it. Requires Bottled Lightning and Lithium to bake. Handle only with insulated gloves.

Loaf of Armorsoul: Temporarily boosts defense In organic beings and repairs Automatons when consumed. Any bread baked using @odd-animated-armor's chest cavity results in this bread. This is the only way I've been able to replicate the recipe thus far.

_________________________

UPDATED: Starlight Sourdough: A mystical, mostly untested recipe. A potent, edible source of mana that is arguably more appetizing than a vial of purple goo. I used the Spores of a rare Starlight Mushroom as yeast for a Sourdough Starter, resulting in a promising way to cultivate the notoriously finicky fungus. The recipe has been stabilized, and is being used as a mana power source for @wizard-island-trading-co's Moon-Garden Dyson-Swarm.

Starlight Sourdough-Based effects (made to order):

Total Cleansing: clears all magical status effects and transformations, aside from Trans Magics.

Vitality Enhancement: Enhances your body to handle deadly poisons and fight off any disease or other foreign infection .

SPONTANEOUS MANA COMBUSTION: Causes your mana pathways to overload and have a meltdown that deals devastating damage at the cost of your ability to use magic, at least until you can be properly healed. ⚠️USE WITH EXTREME CAUTION⚠️

_________________________

Bread Bowls full of The Stew: They're bread bowls full of The Stew. Delicious. Mmmm stew. NOT LIABLE FOR ANY INJURY CAUSED BY THE STEW.

Accursed Garlic Bread of Breath Cleansing: Asexual Vampires Rejoice! Consumable for vampires and freshens the breath! All the good of garlic bread with none of the bad! Hurrah! Huzzah!

Sunlight Loaf: Imbued with Radiant Energy, this bread is a bite of sunshine on even the cloudiest of days. It perfectly replicates the nostalgia of Mom's cooking (or nostalgic equivalent) to give a bit of comfort when you need it.

Moonlight Loaf: Baked with Midnight Flour, this bread is a taste of darkness on even the sunniest of days. It perfectly replicates the traumatic experiences of your youth (or any point in your life) to add a dash of despair when you just need a good cry.

CUSTOM ORDERS!!!

Need a pita with a purpose? A magical managerie of baked goods can be at your fingertips! Just tell me the desired effects and I'll see what I can do. I don't take money for my services, however. I take exotic ingredients from which to craft new and exciting pastries.

Please place your orders through the root post or askbox, thanks :)

SOURDOUGH SAYONARA!!!

SECRET BLACK MARKET BREADS:

Biscuit of Testicular Torsion: Leave this unsuspecting biscuit in your victim's fridge. They will eat it, guaranteed. Just wait and listen for the screams. Does not work on those who lack testes.

Baked Horrors: do not. dont. Don't do it you won't like it. Neither will they. Dont.

Bread That Gives @the-gnomish-bastard a migraine every time you take a bite of it: This bread's effects are a mystery.

Not Bread: this is just some gravel I shoveled off of a riverbed.

[overstuffd]

mmmm thinkling about being a hacker who sees a perfect target while tapping through unsecured webcams one day.

cute, curvy, a small belly peeking out from under her shirt. she doesn't know anyone's watching as she idly snacks on the open bag of chips on her desk. I decide to see how little prodding it takes for her to give in to indulging her every whim.

i start off by subtly influencing her social media feeds. delicious food and porn, side by side and one right after the other. she might notice something seems different, but the porn is welcome considering the selection of toys i had amazon 'misdeliver' to her house have been getting a lot of use.

once she's started associating her newly increased orgasm rate with food, it's time to start upping the portions. she gets her groceries delivered, so it's easy to make a few substitutions and editions. Extra-thick, honey sweetened yoghurt instead of her normal low fat brand. Her favourite diet soda was 'sold out' but luckily she's well stocked in the full sugar version.

she's sure she didn't add these bags of chips to the order, or this box of donuts, but the delivery guy shrugs and says they're free so it would be silly to throw them out.

i make sure the first thing she sees when she turns on her phone in the morning is something to turn her on and something to get her stomach rumbling. hot pancakes, oozing syrup. a plate stacked with greasy bacon and eggs with a mountain of fried potatoes. some upscale bakery showing off their latest cream stuffed pastries.

at this point i'll be tracking every like, every video she lingers on just a bit too long to know exactly what she'll be unable to resist. and it's such a coincidence that a coupon for that exact bakery appeared in her inbox just as she was looking at them. it's such a good deal, and it expires today, so it would be a shame not try all of the ones she's had her eye on.

doubling her order as it comes through is a simple, explainable glitch. still, most of these pastries won't be good tomorrow, so she might as well try all of them, it's not like she has to finish them all.

later that night, as she goes back to the fridge for the fourth time, she scoops the last blob of frosting up with a scrap of pastry and sighs. she's definitely getting a little softer around the middle, but she can't worry about that now - she's just found out she's lost her job by email. she's so lucky though, because later that day she gets offered a spot on a medical weed trial she can't even remember applying for. a few well placed changes on my part and she's getting paid to smoke up every day at home, fresh flower and vape carts carefully delivered every week.

the 'study' pays well, so why shouldn't she get most of her food delivered? she's too stoned to move most of the day anyway, and she has such good luck with ordering in lately, every restaurant seems to be throwing in free extra desserts and appetisers every time she orders.

that night, her large meat feast pizza (already more than she used to order) comes with garlic bread, wings, curly fries, soda and icecream and fist sized tubs of creamy sauces. you try and ask the delivery boy a question but he mumbles something about a promotion, and what, is she going to say no to free food?

as she sits down, she barely notices as i set the youtube on her tv to start a playlist of cute girls trying different fast food places, giggling as they took huge bites of rich, calorific foods.

the strain i picked out for her has already got her hungry and horny, so she flops down on the couch in her sweatpants and t-shirt. this shirt used to be loose on her, but it's definitely stretching tighter across her tits and slightly bulging stomach. she barely notices though, grabbing a slice of pizza and chugging soda straight from the bottle as her already hazy mind gets softer. she doesn't realise she's finishing what should be a meal for a family of four until most of it's gone.

her stomach feels uncomfortably tight, straining against the waistband of her now-tight sweatpants. she pulls the band down and her stomach springs out, angry red marks showing where it had bitten into her soft flesh.

my conditioning has been working, and she doesn't know why, but the feeling of her being so stuffed makes her pussy ache, and she slides a hand into her pants to find herself dripping wet. she starts playing with herself as she finishes the lst slice of pizza, forces a few more fries into her heavy gut. the more she eats, the better her fingers feel on her clit, her flabby brain well trained at this point to associate food with sex, being stuffed full with cumming what was left of her brains out.

she's on the edge now, but she's finished the food and even though her stomach is straining and sensitive she can't make herself finish without something to eat at the same time.

she's lucky she forgot to put the icecream in the freezer. she pulls the melted tub towards herself, too pinned under the weight of her bloated stomach to even lean over for it. the thick mix of cream, sugar, chocolate and caramel pour down her throat as she slowly begins to chug the mixture. her free hand is back between her legs, frantically fucking her needy pussy as her belly stretches beyond what she thought she handle. as the last of the icecream drips down her throat she cums, harder than she thinks she's ever come before.

she slumps back, too happy to care that she's surrounded by greasy pizza boxes and that there's melted icream smeared across her tits.

watching through her webcam, i'm already planning all the fun deliveries she's going to be getting in the next fes days.

[emilybahu]

WIP Wednesday

Hey peoples, so, I’ve got a little something for y’all! I made this post months ago about Tommy’s brain just short circuiting when he sees Buck in an apron for the first time. I’ve been slowly but surely adding to it, so I’ll share a nice little piece of it with everyone!

This part is rated Mature,

Without further ado:

Evan seemed excited when he opened the door. “Hey, Tommy,” he said, smiling as he pulled Tommy into the apartment and gave him a peck on the cheek. “I would hug you, but I’m a bit of a mess right now,” Buck said, gesturing to his messy apron.

Tommy’s brain needed a second to reboot because ‘damn, Evan looked fucking hot in an apron’ It wasn’t quite something he thought would get him going, yet here he was. No thoughts, just his gorgeous boyfriend with an apron on, hugging his waist perfectly… maybe this was something they could explore later, maybe with a little less clothes underneath the apron…

Tommy willed himself to get it together and get his mind out of the gutter before giving his boyfriend a peck on the cheek. Then, with a wink, he said, “It’s okay, Evan. I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time for that later.” Well, maybe not entirely out of the gutter…

With that, Evan blushed and smirked, lightly slapping Tommy’s chest, and said, “Cool it there, babe, we haven’t even eaten dinner yet...” Then he winked and turned away, walking back towards the kitchen. Evan gestured for Tommy to follow him, adding, “Speaking of which, dinner is almost ready!”

Tommy followed Evan into the kitchen, leaning against the island and watching him sway slightly to the music that was playing. If this were to come up later for any reason, he’d say that he tried his hardest to keep his hands off Evan until after dinner, but he couldn’t help himself. So, Tommy pushed himself from the counter and sauntered up behind his boyfriend, slowly sliding his arms around his waist and placing his chin on Evan’s shoulder. “What’s for dinner, baby?” Tommy asked before lightly kissing Evan’s jaw, nuzzling into his neck, and beginning to sway with him.

Tommy heard Evan sigh and felt as he leaned into him and said, “Mmmm… Just some lasagna and cheesy garlic bread.” Evan turned the extra sauce on the stove to a simmer and put down the wooden spoon he’d been using. Tommy watched as he lifted his now free hand to lightly caress his face and scratch the back of his head. Tommy smiled into the side of his neck, then lightly kissed it.

“That sounds delicious, Evan,” Tommy said, squeezing his hips gently.

“It’s Bobby’s recipe, and it’s always delicious when he makes it.” Evan smiled fondly and giggled under his breath at Tommy’s fond expression. “I made one last week as practice for Eddie and Chris…” he trailed off.

“Oh, and how did they say it was?” Tommy questioned.

“Well,” Evan turned in Tommy’s arms to face him, “They both said it was delicious and that I did a great job.”

Tommy smiled, “Well, that’s great, Evan; I can’t wait to try it!”

When Eavn spoke again, it was in a playful, almost flirty tone, “And they said that if I, per se, were trying to woo a certain someone, this would be a good choice.”

Tommy hummed, closing his eyes as Evan rubbed his palms up his chest slowly until Tommy felt his arms slide over his shoulders, lightly wrapping around his neck. “Evan Buckley, are you trying to woo me?” he said with a wide smile as he pulled Buck closer.

“What if I am?” Evan answered with another question.

“Then I’d say that you’re doing a pretty good job, baby,” Tommy crooned, sliding a hand up Evan’s back.

“And If I said that I want to kiss you right now…” Evan breathed as Tommy’s hand reached the nape of his neck.

“Mmmm… I wouldn’t be opposed,” Tommy said, leaning in.

Tommy felt Evan as he leaned in, lightly brushing their lips together before sighing when their lips caught in a soft kiss. Tommy melted into the kiss, pulling his boyfriend with him and stepping backwards until his back hit the counter where he’d been leaning earlier.

Tommy couldn’t care less about the countertop digging into his lower back or the sauce from Buck’s apron possibly getting on his shirt. He wanted as little space between him and his boyfriend as possible, so Tommy pulled him closer again, beginning to deepen the kiss as he felt one of Evan’s hands glide into his short hair… Then, the shrill sound of the oven timer went off, which caused Evan to pull away and rush toward the oven.

And If Tommy basically whined at the loss of his boyfriend’s touch, that was only for him and Evan to know… Evan chuckled a little as he turned away from the oven, holding a delicious-looking lasagna, and set it on a potholder on the counter and put the garlic bread in the oven. Then he closed the oven door and stepped back over to Tommy, who had a slight pout on his face.

“There's another 10 minutes until the bread is ready, and the lasagna needs to rest,” Evan said suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows with a slight smirk as he trailed a hand from Tommy’s chest to his face while wrapping the other arm around his shoulder again.

“And what do you propose we do for those 10 minutes, Evan?” Tommy asked, hands creeping back to Evan’s waist and pulling him close again.

“Less talking and more kissing, babe. Time is ticking. We’re nearly down to 8 minutes.” Buck said softly as he leaned in.

“Mmmm… Bossy,” Tommy joked into the kiss, groaning quietly as they picked up where they’d left off a few minutes ago.

Tommy pulled Evan almost flush to his chest, deepening the kiss as one of his hands slipped into Buck’s back pocket. They pulled away for a breath, and Tommy flipped their positions, causing Evan to make a sound somewhere between a groan and a moan that drove Tommy a little bit mad. He knew Evan was incredibly turned on by the manhandling, even if it wasn’t a lot; Tommy also knew that Evan found the firm grip on his hips at the moment very hot, and he voiced as much.

Tommy heard his boyfriend breathe, “Fuck, Tommy, yes,” long and drawn out, and watched hotly as Evan threw his head back.

Between kisses to Evan’s neck, Tommy hummed, “Yeah, you like it when I push you around a little bit, baby?” as he pushed him into the counter more.

“Hmmm… Y-yeah huh, Tommy,” he heard Evan hum. Tommy looked up to see his eyes fluttering as he mouthed over the juncture of Evan’s neck and jaw. Tommy began sucking a mark to that spot, and Evan moaned, “Mmmm ah! You’re so hot, babe, fuck…” a hand finding Tommy’s hair as his sentence trailed off.

Tommy pulled away, pressing a light kiss to the mark he’d left before whispering into Evan’s ear. “You don’t even know what you do to me, baby. God, I just want to devour you,” he said gruffly, pupils blown and hungry as he hauled Evan into another searing kiss.

Tommy was about ready to pick up his boyfriend, put him on the counter, and ravish him when the oven timer sounded again, slightly bringing Evan out of the moment. He tried to chase Evan’s lips as he hummed against Tommy’s while pulling away and walking toward the oven. Tommy was upset because he had gotten carried away in this moment, and now he’s keyed up. The last thing he wants to do is sit down and eat dinner, even if it looks and smells delicious.

He scowled, “Goddamn garlic bread,” he grumbled out, just barely loud enough for Evan to hear.

To be continued…

Thank you for reading, I actually have a few WIPs at the moment, so definitely let me know if you’d like to see more! Let me know what you think!

[galaxynajma]

I have arrived with garlic bread

Mmmm that looks so good

[bechloeislegit]

Stronger - Epilogue

A/N: This story picks up five years later. As far as I'm concerned, the most important thing the reader needs to know is that Beca and Chloe are still together.

Beca felt something wet running down her side and reached her hand back. There was blood on her hand when she brought it back around. She grimaced when she realized it was her blood. She then looked up to see Daniels standing in the doorway, holding his stomach with one hand and the knife with the other. He glared down at her and shouted, 'She's mine, and you can't have her!'"

"She was never yours and never will be!" Beca shouted back.

"I'm going to kill you and then show Chloe your lifeless body when she gets here," Daniels said, laughing maniacally as he moved toward Beca.

"No! I won't let you touch her!" Beca yelled just as the knife was coming down at her.

Beca gasped as the knife entered her chest. Daniels laughed and pulled the knife out.

"Who's going to stop me now?" he asked. Then, as he turned to walk away, he called back over his shoulder. "I'll be sure to give Chloe your best."

Beca sat straight up in bed, breathing heavily as tears ran down her cheeks. Her body was shaking as she looked around, fully expecting to see Roger Daniels standing over her.

"I can't believe I'm having that nightmare again," Beca mumbled.

"You okay, babe?" Chloe mumbled, reaching out for Beca.

"Just a dream," Beca said. "A bad dream."

"Was it the one about your attack?" Chloe asked, pulling Beca tighter to her.

"Yeah," Beca mumbled into Chloe's chest. "Only this time, he stabbed me and left me for dead. All I could do was watch him walk away to go after you."

"I'm okay," Chloe said, kissing the side of Beca's head. "I'm fine; you're fine; Roger Daniels is dead, and he can't hurt either of us ever again."

"I guess the upcoming anniversary has unleashed my PTSD," Beca said. "I can't believe it's come back or how much it's affecting me five years later."

"Maybe you should call Dr. Sinclair and make an appointment," Chloe said, pulling back to look at Beca.

"That's not a bad idea," Beca said. "She did help a lot when it first happened."

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

A few days later, Chloe walked into the apartment she shared with Beca.

"Beca? Babe, I'm home," Chlo called out. "I've got the champagne, and I'm ready to celebrate!"

"I'm in the kitchen with my mom and Joe!" Beca called back.

"Oh," Chloe muttered, setting the champagne on the counter as she entered the kitchen. "Sarah, Joe, it's good to see you."

"Good to see you, too," Sarah said and waved her hand at the champagne bottle. "What are you celebrating?"

"It's just an anniversary," Chloe said, waving her hand as if it was nothing. "Mmmm, the lasagna smells good, babe. Sarah, are you guys staying for dinner?"

Beca glared at Chloe, whispering, "What are you doing?"

"Being a good hostess," Chloe said, pecking Beca's lips. "I think we should tell her."

"Are you kidding?" Beca practically yelled, causing Sarah to look over with a raised brow. Beca lowered her voice, muttering, "She'll kill me."

"Everything okay?" Sarah asked.

"Everything's fine," Beca said as Chloe said, "We have something to tell you."

"Chloe," Beca hissed.

"I'm telling her, whether you like it or not," Chloe whispered. "I think we've kept it a secret long enough."

Sarah looked at Joe; they both smiled.

"We have something to tell you, too," Sarah said, turning to look at Beca and Chloe.

"Well, dinner's ready," Beca said, sighing in resignation. "So, we can talk while we eat. Chloe, would you put the salad on the table, please?"

"On it," Chloe said, opening the refrigerator. "Is Italian dressing okay with everyone?"

"Sarah and I are good with that," Joe said, smiling at Sarah again.

"It's okay with me, too," Beca said as she began cutting into the lasagna. "Babe, could you get the garlic bread out of the oven?"

"I'll take the salad to the table," Sarah said, reaching for it.

"Oh, my gosh!" Chloe squealed, setting the salad bowl on the counter and grabbing Sarah's hand. "Is that what I think it is?"

Sarah blushed slightly and looked at Joe.

"What?" Beca asked, looking over at Chloe and Sarah.

"They're engaged!" Chloe squealed, holding up Sarah's hand so Beca could see the ring.

"When did that happen?" Beca asked.

"We'll tell you over dinner," Sarah said, smiling from ear to ear.

"Oh, the bread!" Chloe said, running to the oven.

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

"So, Joe asked me to meet him at the station to go to lunch," Sarah said. "When I get there, he comes out of his office and walks over to me. He kissed me and then dropped down to one knee."

"Oh, my god," Chloe said.

"I didn't know what he was up to at first," Sarah said, taking Joe's hand. "Then I saw him holding up this rock, and I started saying yes before he even asked."

Joe laughed. "That's when I said, let me ask first, okay? Then she nodded, and I asked."

"Of course, I said yes," Sarah added. "Everyone started clapping and congratulating us."

"I'm happy for you, mom," Beca said, raising her glass. "A toast."

The others lifted their glasses and held them up.

"To my mom and Joe," Beca said, smirking. "May you be as happy in your marriage as Chloe and I are in ours."

Chloe smiled as Sarah gasped. "Wha-? How? When?"

"I think what your mother is trying to say is congratulations, you two," Joe said, tapping his glass against the others.

"Um, yeah," Sarah said, clearing her throat. "Congratulations."

Sarah took a big gulp of her wine and then looked at Beca.

"When did you get married?"

"Um, a year ago today, actually," Beca mumbled.

"A year ago?!" Sarah squealed. "And you're just now telling me?"

"I'm sorry, okay?" Beca stuttered. "It just kind of happened."

"How, pray tell, does getting married just kind of happen?"

"Well, um, it, uh," Beca stammered, fidgeting in her seat.

"We were in Las Vegas for Ashley and Jessica's bachelorette parties," Chloe explained. "We were back in our room for the night when Beca asked me if eloping to Vegas was something I'd want to do. I thought she was joking and said I didn't care where we got married, and we could discuss it after we were engaged. She then got down on one knee and asked me to marry her, ending her proposal with now, what do you think about getting married in Vegas?"

"I had been planning to ask her for a while," Beca added, shrugging. "I was waiting for the right moment. And that felt like the right moment."

"We started talking about the wedding, and both wanted to have a simple ceremony," Chloe said. "Beca said, let's get married now while we're here. I couldn't think of any reason not to so, the next morning, we went to one of the wedding chapels on the Vegas Strip and got married."

"We didn't want to take attention away from Jessica and Ashley, so we kept the wedding to ourselves," Beca said, her voice trailing off at the end.

"And you couldn't tell me when you got home?" Sarah asked, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I, I mean, we, um," Beca said, looking at Chloe. "I could use a little help here, wifey?"

"Sarah, we honestly didn't tell anyone," Chloe said. "My folks don't know. Not even Aubrey or the Bellas know yet."

"Mom," Beca said, looking at her. "Nothing changed in how we acted around each other, so it was easy to forget that we were married and no longer just girlfriends."

"What do you think about all this, Joe?" Sarah asked, turning her gaze to the man.

Joe momentarily froze. "Honestly, I'm just glad we got that news before you told Beca our other news."

"Other news?" Beca asked, perking up and looking at her mother. "What other news? What are you keeping from me, mom?"

Sarah glared at Joe before swallowing and looking at Beca.

"Don't worry; it's not like we got married without telling you," Sarah said.

Beca had the decency to look guilty.

"And?" Beca prodded.

"And we, um," Sarah said and cleared her throat. "Joe and I are moving."

Beca's mouth opened and closed without her making a sound. Chloe took Beca's hand and gently squeezed it.

"Where are you moving to?" Chloe asked.

Sarah didn't say anything; she just stared down at the table as Beca sat staring at her.

"Tampa," Joe said. "I've accepted the Chief's position with the Tampa Police Department. We'll be moving after we're married."

"Congratulations, Joe," Chloe said. "That's amazing news."

"Thank you," Joe said.

"Sarah, I'm sure my mom will love having you close by again."

"Yeah," Sarah said, finally looking up. "It will be nice to know someone already there."

"Tell Beca the best part," Joe said, elbowing Sarah's arm.

"There's a best part about my mother abandoning me?" Beca asked.

"Beca," Chloe admonished, frowning at Beca.

"Sorry," Beca mumbled, pasting a fake smile before turning to her mother. "What's the best part, mom?"

"Joe's house sold faster than we thought," Sarah said. "And we close on our new place in Tampa next week. So, we decided to go to the Court House in Atlanta and get married before we left for Tampa. I, we'd love it if you two could be there."

"What day?" Chloe asked. "I'll ask my Principal for the day off."

"We have an appointment to get married at the Court House on Wednesday morning at ten," Sarah said. "Then we'll fly to Tampa that afternoon. And be back here on Friday to start packing up Joe's house."

"I wouldn't miss it," Beca said, smiling as she finally looked at her mom. "I am happy for you, mom. Joe's a great guy."

"He really is, sweetie," Sarah said, teary-eyed. "And he makes me very happy. It's just. I'm going to miss you when we move."

"I'm going to miss you, too," Beca said. "Will you need some help packing up your house?"

"That won't be necessary," Sarah said. "That's the second part of the news. The house is yours."

"What?"

"I'm signing the house over to you," Sarah said. "Well, to you and Chloe since you're married. It's all paid for so you won't have to worry about a mortgage or anything like that. I've already packed up the personal stuff I'm taking. You can do whatever you want with the rest of it."

"What about dad?" Beca asked. "Doesn't he have a say in what happens to the house?"

"No, he doesn't," Sarah said. "The house is in my name and my name only; always has been. So, consider the house and everything in it a wedding gift from me."

"I don't know what to say," Beca said, teary-eyed.

"Just say thank you and give your old mom a hug," Sarah said, standing and holding out her arms.

"Thank you, mom," Bec said, moving around the table to hug the woman. "I can't tell you how much this means to me. To us."

"You're very welcome, my sweet girl," Sarah said, hugging Beca tighter.

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

The next day, Chloe called her parents to break the news about her and Beca's marriage.

"That went better than I expected," Beca said once the call had ended.

"Of course, it did," Chloe said. "My parents love you. Who should we call next? Stacie, Cynthia Rose, Fat Amy? Or maybe Jessica and Ashley since they're the reason we got married when we did."

"I think you should call Aubrey," Beca said. "She's your best friend and would be hurt if you told the other girls before you told her."

"Why don't we just send a group text?" Chloe countered. "And see who calls us first."

"You're going to have to deal with her sooner or later," Beca said.

"I was hoping it would be later," Chloe said. "She's going to be disappointed that I got married without her there."

"You know she loves you," Beca said, smiling at Chloe. "And she'll be happy for us. Besides, we've been together for five years; I'm pretty sure no one, especially Aubrey, will be surprised that we got married."

"You're right," Chloe said, pulling out her phone. "Let's call Aubrey."

After pressing the call button next to Aubrey's name, Chloe took Beca's hand and intertwined their fingers.

"Moral support," Chloe muttered when Beca looked down at their hands. "Oh, hey, Brey."

"Chloe!" Aubrey said. "I was just thinking about calling you."

"Oh, um, great minds and all that," Chloe said. "So, um, I have you on speaker, and Beca is here with me. We have something to tell you."

"O-M-Aca-Gee," Aubrey squealed into the phone. "Are you guys engaged? Who asked who?"

"Brey."

"When did it happen?"

"Brey."

"I'm so excited for you guys," Aubrey gushed. "And, I'd better be-"

"Brey!" Chloe interrupted. "May I talk, please?"

"Sorry," Aubrey muttered. "I'm just excited." She takes a deep breath and lets it out. "Okay, go ahead; I'm listening."

"Thank you," Chloe said. "We're not engaged."

"What?!" Aubrey screeched. "It's been five years, Mitchell. So what the hell are you waiting for?"

"I, um," Beca stammered; Chloe looked at her and nodded. "We're not engaged, Aubrey; we're married."

The statement was met with silence. Chloe looked at Beca, and Beca stared back at her.

"When did you get married?" Aubrey's voice was quiet as she asked.

"Um, we just celebrated our first anniversary yesterday," Chloe said.

"One year?" Aubrey asked. "Oh, my god, you guys got married when we were in Vegas?"

"Yes," Chloe said. "Beca asked; I said yes, and we didn't want to wait to be married. So, we went to one of the wedding chapels on the Strip. Are you mad we didn't tell you before now?"

"Do any of the other Bellas know?"

"No," Chloe responded quickly. "Our folks know, but you're the first Bella we called."

"Are you happy?" Aubrey asked.

"Extremely," Chloe said, smiling at Beca. "Beca was a great girlfriend, but she's an even better wife."

Beca's phone pinged with a text notification. She pulled out her phone and looked at the message; it was from her mom.

"How can I be mad if she makes you happy?" Aubrey said. "I'm happy for you; for both of you. Now, tell me what's been going on with you. Are you staying in Barden?"

"You don't need me for this, do you?" Beca asked. "My mom texted and asked me to come over."

"No, we're good," Chloe said, pecking Beca's lips. "You can go."

"Bye, Aubrey," Beca said. "You and Chloe will have to catch up without me."

"I heard," Aubrey said. "Tell your mom I said hello."

"Will do," Beca said.

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

"Mom?" Beca called out as she entered her mother's house.

"In here!" Sarah called back from the kitchen.

Beca looked toward the kitchen, taking a moment to prepare herself before going in.

"So, what's up?" Beca asked as she entered the kitchen and stopped when she saw a third person sitting at the counter with her mother and Joe. "Dad, when did you get out?"

"A month ago," Ben said. "I've been staying with your Uncle Paul in New Orleans while I looked for a place here. I searched for and found an apartment in downtown Atlanta. It's amazing the things you can do over the internet. I came to see the place and signed the lease. I did that this morning and I will be moving in two weeks. I hope it's okay that I'm here now. Since I was so close, I wanted to see you."

"You're rambling, dad," Beca said with a smile. "Now, I know where I get it from. It's good to see you. You look good."

"Thanks," Ben said. "I hear congratulations are in order for you and Chloe."

"Yeah," Beca said. "She's amazing, and I don't know what I'd do without her."

"I'm glad you're happy," Ben said. "You two really are good together."

"Yes, we are," Beca said. She looked from her dad to her mom when a thought came to her. "Hey, dad, I'll have to make sure Chloe's okay with it, but would you like to come to our place for dinner one night?"

"I'd like that," Ben said, smiling. "Maybe we can plan something after I move if Chloe's comfortable with me coming to your place. Or, maybe we can meet somewhere in Atlanta instead if she's not."

"Okay," Beca said.

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

Two hours later, Beca was laughing at something Ben had told her. Sarah was all smiles as her ex-husband and daughter reconnected on an adult level. Sarah leaned over and kissed Joe's cheek.

"Thank you," Sarah whispered.

"For what?" Joe asked.

"For talking me into letting Ben come here," Sarah said, looking at Beca and Ben. "It's going to be good for her to have him around after we leave."

"I agree," Joe said, smiling.

"I hate to break this up," Ben said, standing. "But I really have to go. I've got plans back in Atlanta. Thanks for the tea, Sarah. Take care of yourself. And congratulations again on your engagement."

"Thank you, and you're welcome," Sarah said, hugging her ex-husband. "It was good seeing you."

Just as Sarah and Ben pulled apart, Beca stepped in front of Ben and wrapped her arms around him. Ben was surprised but put his arms around Beca and returned the hug.

"I'm glad you're out," Beca mumbled against Ben's chest. "And I hope I get to see you again."

"If I have anything to say about it, you will," Ben said, kissing the top of Beca's head.

"Come on, Ben," Sarah said. "I'll walk you out."

Beca wiped a tear from her cheek as she watched her mother and father leave. Joe walked over and pulled Beca into a hug.

"You okay?" Joe asked.

Beca nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I'm good."

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

Later that night, Beca and Chloe were cuddling on the couch. Beca was telling Chloe about her visit with her dad.

"So, he's moving to Atlanta," Chloe said. "Are you planning to see him?"

"I hope so," Beca said. "I mean, he apologized again, and seemed sincere about having a relationship with me; with us. I think he's changed for the better. I know it's weird to say, but I think prison was good for him."

"If you want him in your life," Chloe said, shifting her position so she lay between Beca's legs. "I'm more than okay with that."

"Good," Beca said. "Because I kind of invited him over for dinner once he moves. He did say if you weren't comfortable with having him here, he'd meet us somewhere in Atlanta."

Chloe hugged Beca to her and kissed her. "I don't see a problem with him coming to our place."

Beca lifted her torso to pull Chloe into a heated kiss. Then, she slowly lowered her body, bringing Chloe back down with her.

"God, I love you," Beca mumbled against Chloe's lips.

"Good thing," Chloe said, pulling back to look Beca in the eye. "Because you're stuck with me for life."

"That's one prison sentence I don't mind serving," Beca said, smirking. "As long as I have you as my cellmate!"

"You're such a weirdo," Chloe said, smashing their lips together.

Beca and Chloe's make-out session was getting heated when Beca's phone started ringing; Beca let out a small groan.

"Why is someone calling now?"

"Stop it," Chloe said, chuckling as she picked up Beca's phone and held it out to her. "It's Stacie."

"Hey, Stace," Beca said, answering the call. "What's up?"

"Can't a girl call her friends just to catch up?" Stacie responded. "Do you have anything you want to tell me?"

"You talked to Aubrey, didn't you?" Beca asked.

"I did," Stacie said. "And you're not the only ones with big news to share. Although getting married and not telling anyone is really fucked up."

Chloe moved off Beca, and they both sat up.

"So, what's your news?" Beca asked. "Did you get married, too?"

"God, no," Stacie said. "The Hunter is not the marrying kind. I called to tell you I'm pregnant."

Beca pulled the phone away from her mouth. "Stacie's pregnant."

"What?" Chloe asked. "I didn't know she was even seeing anyone."

"I'm not," Stacie said, having heard Chloe.

"Wait, Stacie," Beca said. "I'm putting you on speaker so Chloe can be involved in the conversation; she has questions."

Beca switched the phone to speaker.

"Okay, Stacie, you're on speaker," Beca said.

"Who's the father?" Chloe asked. "We didn't know you were dating anyone."

"I'm not," Stacie said. "It was a one-time thing. He was hot, and I was horny. You know how it is."

"What are you going to do?" Beca asked. "Are you keeping it?"

"Yeah," Stacie said. "I've always wanted to be a mom."

"In that case," Chloe said. "We're happy for you. And, you know we are here if you need anything."

"Does the father know?" Beca asked. "What about the rest of the Bellas?"

"The father knows and doesn't want anything to do with the baby," Stacie said. "It's like I said, it was a one-time thing. The Bellas are all excited and said the same thing about being there for me."

"We're a family," Chloe said. "Of course, we'll be there for you and your baby."

They chatted with Stacie for a few more minutes before ending the call.

"Wow," Beca said. "With that news, all the Bellas are now real adults. I mean, Aubrey's a lawyer. Jessica and Ashley are married. We're married. And Cynthia Rose is in the Air Force."

"Don't forget Fat Amy," Chloe added. "She's the biggest surprise us all, showing up with a girlfriend at Jessica and Ashley's wedding."

"I did not see that one coming," Beca said.

"Nobody saw that coming," Chloe chuckled.

"That just leaves Denise," Beca said. "Whatever happened to her?"

"I don't know," Chloe said. "She was there one minute and gone the next with no explanation."

~Stronger~ ~Stronger~ ~Stronger~

Three months later, Beca and Chloe were fully moved into Sarah's house. Sarah had moved in with Joe after they were married.

For their last night in Barden, Beca and Chloe had a farewell dinner for Joe and Sarah. Beca's dad and new girlfriend, Sheila, were there for a Mexican feast Sarah asked Beca to make.

Dinner was done, and the group sat around the living room, having drinks and chatting.

"Dinner was amazing, Beca," Sheila said. "Thank you for having me."

"Thank you," Beca said. "We're glad you could be here."

"I'm going to miss this place," Sarah said wistfully as she looked around. "We made a lot of memories here." She shivered when her eyes landed on the kitchen door. "A few not-so-good ones, but overall there are more good ones than bad."

"I'm lucky to have Chloe and Dr. Sinclair to help me through some of my anxiety about being here," Beca said. "I still have some residual PTSD over what happened."

"Your father told me about your attack," Sheila said. "I'm glad you're doing well."

"Thank you," Beca said and chuckled. "I have to admit, it took me a while to get over it, but at least I can go into the kitchen without having a full-blown panic attack."

"You had to get over that," Chloe said, kissing Beca's cheek. "If not, you'd have to deal with me cooking everything, and neither one of us wants that."

The group chuckled. Ben raised his glass and said, "I'd like to propose a toast."

The others raised their glasses.

"To moving on," Ben said.

"To moving on," the others repeated, clinking their glasses.

They all took a sip of their drinks. Ben whispered something to Sheila. Then, they set their glasses on the coffee table and stood.

"It's getting late, and we should probably get going."

Everyone else stood. Joe reached out to shake Ben's hand.

"Thanks for coming, Ben," Joe said. "Sarah and I appreciate it."

"Take good care of her," Ben said. "She's a special woman."

"I know," Joe said, smiling as he put his arm around Sarah.

"Yeah, dad," Beca said, joining them. "Thanks for coming."

Beca hugged her father and then moved to Sheila.

"It was nice meeting you, Sheila," Beca said. "I hope we'll see you again."

Sheila looked at Ben and smiled, saying, "I have a strong feeling that we'll be seeing a lot of each other."

After all the good lucks and goodbyes, Ben and Sheila left. Beca closed the door behind them and turned to Sarah and Joe.

"Mom, you guys have a long drive ahead of you tomorrow," Beca said. "Why don't you go on up to bed?"

"I am tired," Sarah said, taking Joe's hand and leading him toward the stairs.

"You should go up, too," Beca said as she pulled Chloe into a kiss. "I'll be up after I clean up the kitchen.

"I'll help," Chloe said and started collecting the dirty glasses.

Beca grabbed the last two and followed Chloe into the kitchen. They worked side-by-side and had the dishwasher loaded, and the counters wiped down in no time.

"It's so quiet," Beca said. "Is this what it's going to be like once my mom and Joe leave?"

"Pretty much," Chloe said, pulling Beca to her in a kiss.

"I don't like the house being this quiet," Beca said. "Maybe we should get a dog."

"Or maybe we can have a couple of kids," Chloe countered. "That would solve the problem of it being too quiet."

"Hmmm, having kids?" Beca said, waggling her eyebrows. "That's not a bad idea. Want to go upstairs and get started?"

"You do know that's not how it works, right?" Chloe asked, giggling.

"Yes, I do know that, you weirdo," Beca said, rolling her eyes and taking Chloe's hand. "Let's go to bed."

A note to readers: I hope you enjoyed this final chapter. Thanks for sticking with me. And a big thanks to @anotherbechloeshipper for being my Beta. She's awesome!