Start your story with someone making a cup of tea — either for themself or for someone else.

Posted in Fluff on Oct 25, 2022

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✍️ 171 stories

“The Deep Creek” by Kelli Springer

Submitted to Contest #128

Dee grinned at her granddaughter as the girl settled into the chair and fixed the old woman with an expectant gaze. Dee scattered a pinch of powdered ginger into a steaming cup of tea to finish it off. “Grandma?” Pepper’s little face was pink from the sun, and her acorn brown hair was wind tousled.“Yes, my love?” Dee turned to face the child. “That’s not hot cocoa,” she said, pointing at the mugs in Dee’s hands. One for herself, and one for her Granddaughter.“Well, you seemed upset, Pep. And I think we need to have a grown-up talk ...

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“Clari-Tea” by S. R. Griffet

Submitted to Contest #128

The steam hit my face as I took a sip from my cup. My grandmother smiled at me sweetly. I looked down into my oolong tea and saw it again. The same thing I saw every time I drank oolong tea. If you didn't know, oolong tea has mental alertness benefits, or that's what my grandma always told me as a child. She wasn't wrong. Only, I don't think she thought I'd see a premonition when I drank the tea. I never told anyone what had happened. I was scared someone was going to throw me into a mental hospital or experiment on me in an illegal governme...

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“Chamomile, It Helps” by Alicia Simpkins

Submitted to Contest #128

Note/Trigger Warning: This story references child abuse/death. The soft whistling sound and the sight of steam emerging from the stainless steel tea kettle was what captured Charmaine Wilson’s attention. Her barefeet softly padded against the wood floors, the legs of her plaid pajama bottoms whispered softly against the floor. She made her way to the stove and turned the silver knob, causing the small red light to disappear. Her fingers then curled around the handle of the kettle as she removed the appliance from the stove ring. She mov...

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“Interlude” by Lief Bennett

Submitted to Contest #128

In late January she came to visit me, and I made her tea. I have never been good at talking, so this is the way I tell her I love her, a warm drink in her hands, and a dry house to stay in for the few hours she is with me. I sat across from her in the darkened living room, my hands around my own warm cup, watching steam waft up into the space between us. She told me about her plans for the future and I listened politely. She burnt her tongue on my hospitality(hospitalitea), which I should have taken as a sign, especially as I sipped comfor...

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“Daisy Miller and the Green Woman” by Clara Wilde

Submitted to Contest #128

I cracked my eyes open, squinting at the ceiling. The moment I did, I wished I hadn’t; my head pulsed and I felt dizzy. I started to piece together what happened before I fell asleep. My eyes shot open and the blinding light made the back of my eyeballs ache. I blinked stupidly. I was lying on my back on a dark green velvet couch. The room was fairly tight. Definitely an outdated apartment, probably on the east side of the city judging by its antiquated architecture and the sounds of traffic humming through the left wall...

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“Teatime” by ML Biddison

Submitted to Contest #128

The tea has always worked before. And nothing has changed. I measured the required aromatic ingredients, ran the hot water through it for precisely three minutes, stirred in the dollop of honey, and served it immediately, placing the steaming brew under her nose until her eyes flew open.Normally, it’s all that is required. Her hands would begin to quake. Then her shoulders would noticeably stiffen, and she would grasp the cup. A small sip, and she’d smile up at me, a dark crumble of blood dislodging from her lip. From there, everything would...

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“The Heist” by Alessandra Mejia

Submitted to Contest #128

Sammy My day started with a steaming cup of herbal tea and my to-do list that I was going to conquer. I came to the store for a few things I needed off of my list, but I never thought that my day would end like this. I never thought that today would be my last. I could hear my heart beating in my ears, I held my breath hoping it would slow my heart rate down. Can they hear my heart racing? The pounding in my head was overpowering, I couldn’t hear myself think. I scanned the room to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. To make sure that every...

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“The Tea Ceremony” by Lauren Frank

Submitted to Contest #128

From a chipped repurposed Milo tin, Frances shook out the dried flowers, crumpled together like children’s fists, into a glass teapot of steaming water. She followed the flowers with half a palm-full of South Word “Lump Candy” that splashed up the clear walls, sending snaking droplets racing down and down. After stirring the tea with a wooden spoon, Frances replaced the lid without making a clink or a pop, gripped the teapot’s handle and adjusted to its weight without letting the moist glass slip in her hand. Then, with her left hand, she pi...

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“Grandma's Tea” by Lexsie Lewis

Submitted to Contest #128

“I passed through the yellow stained kitchen that was once pure white. That is what cigarette smoke does to beautiful things, it stains them, ruins them, sometimes even takes them away completely. There she stood, leaned against the stove, wearing a white laced, cross back dress, perhaps one elegant enough to wear to a wedding. It had not even been a second that she’d placed the Tetley tea bag in the scolding, pungent smelling water, that the scent danced around the kitchen, almost tickling my nose. We drank tea. She wrapped her fingers arou...

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“Invitation to tea” by Colleen Pinner

Submitted to Contest #128

Mary typed the note she had carefully planned. Kara, David was everything to me. He wasn’t supposed to go first. We had so many plans for our future. This is probably a cowardly thing to do, but I just can’t go on alone. You’ve been such a good friend. Guiding me through the worst of it; advising me on all the financial matters. I was surprised at how much was involved. I think you might have been too; except you and David had always talked ...

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“Tea Dates with Mom” by Angelica Hernandez

Submitted to Contest #128

I stood watching the small bubbles begin to form in the water signaling the rising temperature. I sighed as I leaned one elbow onto the counter and placed my chin in my hand waiting for the boil to start. She always wanted tea when she came over. I threw my eyes over my shoulder for only a second to try and discern if she was frustrated yet. “You know I have a kettle that only takes thirty seconds to heat,” she called out from behind her phone screen. I rolled m...

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“The Kettle Is On” by Lorna JC

Submitted to Contest #128

You hear the shuffling over to the corner of the kitchen. The clink of the tin as your mum opens it just wide enough to get the teabag out, two teabags actually, she's making a pot. You'll need a whole pot after the day you've had. She knows there's something up, so she invited you round for a cup of tea. The pewter teapot lid is open and waiting for the kettle to click off. You sit at the table. The kettle is heating up, it's gargling and bubbling and steaming. Suddenly you think it might override its off-switch and rebel from the everyda...

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“The Colossus” by Lauren Marton

Submitted to Contest #128

I must stay awake, Ellis thought, taking another sip of Luthian tea from a black-and-white teacup. It was quiet but not silent. Nowhere aboard the Colossus was entirely silent, even at three o’clock in the morning. It was a place of ceaseless clicks and whirrs, of creaking boards and the low growling of an engine from somewhere deep within the bowels of the ship. Every now and then she heard a door slam somewhere, which was usually either preceded or followed by indistinct voices in the hall. The children were asleep in a narrow bunk bed, ...

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“Tea and Sympathy ” by Hannah B

Submitted to Contest #128

***TW: Mention of SA, Abortion, and Miscarriage*** Steam rushed into the air as the boiling water poured from the kettle into Kit’s teacup, the teabag bobbing in the water as it filled to the brim, turning the water into an amber hue. Kit inhaled, relishing the smell of the Irish Breakfast tea. Anastasia’s home was quiet, peaceful, far removed from the noise of the French Quarter down below. Kit sat at a barstool at the island counter, peering through the window above the sink, from which she could see the Mississippi River glistening ben...

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“Here we are” by Peter Saydollar

Submitted to Contest #128

I took a walk, one day, down a path I’d frequented. The day was pleasant; sunny with wispy clouds drifting through the blue sky. It had rained several days before, and I was excited to get outside. The path I took was common among people on foot or bicycles. Children used it as a highway through town. Adults used it for exercise. I used it as an escape from being indoors. The path itself was made primaril...

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Start your story with someone making a cup of tea — either for themself or for someone else.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 171 stories

“The Deep Creek” by Kelli Springer

“Clari-Tea” by S. R. Griffet

“Chamomile, It Helps” by Alicia Simpkins

“Interlude” by Lief Bennett

“Daisy Miller and the Green Woman” by Clara Wilde

“Teatime” by ML Biddison

“The Heist” by Alessandra Mejia

“The Tea Ceremony” by Lauren Frank

“Grandma's Tea” by Lexsie Lewis

“Invitation to tea” by Colleen Pinner

“Tea Dates with Mom” by Angelica Hernandez

“The Kettle Is On” by Lorna JC

“The Colossus” by Lauren Marton

“Tea and Sympathy ” by Hannah B

“Here we are” by Peter Saydollar

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story in a tea house.

Write a story about a tea party that your character is reluctant to go to.

Write about a character who’s dying to “spill the tea” (gossip) about something.

Write a story about a conflict that breaks out over something ordinary (like tea, perhaps).

Contest #128

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

298

Contest entries

160

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: