Red is the Color of Fate: Obi x Reader

Moving Forward

Sometime after Kihal left for her island Shirayuki came to my room. I was sitting on the balcony when I heard the door open. "(Y/n), how are you feeling?" I turned to see her standing behind me with a note holder. Probably to write down any changes and the medications she was going to use.

I gave her a shrug. "Like I can breathe. So that's a plus." Three days... three days since I jumped into the lake to find that bell. "Shirayuki... you would tell me if something happened to you, right?" She started turning red like her hair. "I know something happened at the tower, but if you don't-"

She cut me off. "No, it's alright. I can't figure out what's wrong with me. It's been three days already, so I thought I'd have calmed down by now, but when I saw Zen's face, I got flustered again." She paused, her hand gripping her dress. It wasn't that hard to tell the prince and Shirayuki liked each other. Then there was Obi- "This is different from everything I've told Zen up until now. So I don't know what to tell him."

I scratched my head lightly. "Well... personally, I've never had this problem. I really don't know much about the matter considering my upbringing." My own hand met with the scar on my face. "But... I think you should be honest with yourself first. If you need time to think... then run. If it's an opening you need, tell me and I will give you one. I think once you figure out what you feel about Zen, then you can tell him."

Shirayuki stared at me like what I said was something profound. "I see. Thank you, (Y/n). Now then, let's get you taken care of. Pneumonia is nothing to laugh about." I sighed but let her do what she needed.

A few days later I was walking with Obi to the medical wing to see Ryu for my afternoon treatment. "Okay, then grind it. I'll weigh the rudra leaves." Shirayuki and Ryu were working on something when we entered the room. There were a lot of things strewn across the table.

Obi took my wrist pulling me into the room with him while holding his left shoulder. "What are you doing, Miss, Ryu?" Shirayuki was quick to shush us and look to the chief's desk. I had finally managed to pull my wrist free by this point.

Yet when I looked over, there wasn't anyone there. "We're preparing a medical tea. The chief herbalist has had consecutive all-nighters, so her stamina is at its limit. Because of that, she's in a bad mood."

Ryu looked at me as he continued. "But if we give her delicious tea, she'll be nicer." I raised a brow.

That was something. "You guys are like kids about to be scolded by their mother. Just because you give her something doesn't mean she will be nice. It's an escape tactic I used a lot back in the lords castle. It... doesn't always work."

I changed my grip to my upper arm. I could still feel a lingering pain just thinking of what happened. "You're making it? Not just giving her tea?" Obi just wrapped his arm around my shoulder pulling me closer to him, almost protectively. Perhaps just to put my mind at ease. It just made me aggravated and I started squirming to get out of his grip.

Shirayuki had taken the time to start grinding leaves. "Since we make medicines here, we're going to make medicinal tea." Well it made sense at least. So Obi and I watched them work. Well Shirayuki worked while Ryu took a moment to get my stuff. Obi and I shared a look before I shrugged.

Once their tea was done Shirayuki poured four glasses. "It's done." Obi picked mine up and held it out to me. I grumbled a bit before taking the glass from him. I went to take a sip with the rest of them only to spit it out and rub my tongue on my shirt.

The others didn't seem to like it any better. "It's bitter and sour!" I had to agree with Obi's assessment.

Shirayuki just turned to Ryu. "What if we dissolved julia flower and rock sugar in it?"