-Two sides of different coins- (Ronald Knox x Reader)

Chapter 3: Intrigued

(Y/n) needn't worry about the use of a horse-drawn carriage. She had wings after all, and as long as she was careful, it was sure to get her to town and back safely and efficiently. The Young Master made sure that all of the other servants were occupied before Sebastian saw his daughter off with a list of food she'd need to bring back and a basket to put the items in. So, with feathered wings sprout, she set off on her little mission with only one motive on her mind. Bring food back successfully. Although, she was in for more than she expected.

She landed in forest beside the town which was generously peppered in trees, one which would hide her so she could pull her wings back and enter the town as an ordinary person. She managed doing so with no problems, and was now on her way to the local food markets where they sold fresh produce to support small agricultural businesses. That was where the Young Master insisted she shopped anyways, instead of the grocery store where produce wasn't as fresh, especially the fruits and powder ingredients used to make his sweets. And that being said, he never liked to buy from the bakery either, he preferred that his treats were freshly made in his own household, that way he knew how fresh the things he would eat were.

It only took (Y/n) about a minutes walk before she found herself in the lively environment of the markets, people having idle chatter, children running about and playing, the local band made up of a cello, violin and flute played to entertain their ever-passing audience while some gathered around to watch and cheer and clap at their talents. This was perhaps her favorite place in the world, surrounded by such joy amongst the more common folk. And as simple as it all was, she really felt like she fit in in the stretch of chipper street.

(Y/n) found herself at a stall that sold a variety of vegetables, seeing as vegetables were at the top of the list she was provided with. Carrots, potatoes, french onion and mushrooms. The man at the stall was very polite, as all stall owners usually were. After a delightful exchange of small talk while she collected the vegetables she needed, (Y/n) handed the man the money she owed him and bid him farewell before she went searching for the next stall she'd need to tend to. However, arriving at her destination wouldn't be as easy as it was for her the first time around, considering that the man that was looking for her wasn't too far from finding her. In fact, he'd ended up finding her on account of his absent-mindedness and the fact that she was too busy making sure that everything would fit in her basket properly. Ronald had had his back turned in the middle of the street, turning slightly with every step as he searched his surroundings for that familiar (h/c) hair. He'd turned around to face her just in time for her to run into him, startling her as she mumbled an apology and looked up to see who she had bumped into. Unfortunately, it was someone she was hoping to avoid on account of the description she'd been given of him.

"Hello stranger. We almost had another accident there," Ronald joked, noticing the way his hands seemingly latched to her arms to steady her when she'd bumped into him.
"it's...nice to see you again," (Y/n) faltered looking down at his gloves hands which were still gripping her arms with reasonable strength.
When she did, Ronald brought his hands back, much too fast as his face flushed red and he simply covered it up with a goofy smile. She began walking once again, so he followed, still trying to engage in conversation.
"How's your head?" he asked, matching the lady's pace as they walked together along the street in a speed-walk.
"Better," she responded simply, stopping at the fruit stall an looking down at her list to see what she needed.
"Yeah? What brings you into town?" he asked, trying to find absolutely anything to engage her.
"I'm running errands for My Young Master, the Lord Phantomhive," she explained, placing whatever fruits she was required to bring home into her basket.
"That's right, you're a Phantomhive servant, aren't you?" He pretended to remember, entirely to keep the conversation going.
"The gardener," she replied, handing the money to the woman at the stall before she went on her way to find the next stall.
Ronald nearly found himself panting from exhaustion, since chasing the woman was beginning to wear him out. Nevertheless, he continued, catching the woman once again with an attempt to hold any sort of conversation.
"Is that why your hands are all cut up like that?" He asked, having noticed the state of her hands when he watched her hand the last stall-owner money.
"The Young Master had a rather large shipment of flowers for myself and the second gardener to plant. That happened to be the day I forgot to hang out my washed gloves, and I had to do the work with bare hands," she babbled, cursing herself mentally for engaging with the man since she didn't want anything to do with him.
"A little absent-minded, are we?" Ronald teased, the woman blushing a little in embarrassment as she avoided looking over at him.
"No, just a tad neglectful. Nothing to fuss over," she huffed, stopping at the next stall which sold the powdered ingredients, such as flower and sugar.
"Right, right," he chuckled, all falling silent as she gathered the items she needed.