[Rosemary and Thyme]

[ 07 ]

| May be triggering if you have body image issues. |

°~°💮°~°

     Calming music played as Lotus began the finish off the last bit of rearranging she had left to do in the cabinets. Her mom was cooking as she hummed to the music. She usually wasn't the one who cooked— At least anything other than lunch and even she did that occasionally, always letting Lotus cook for herself as she didn't need to make sure all of the children ate since the rest would usually be at school during the time noon hit. 

     It was her father who was the one to cook breakfast just before he left and dinner after he arrived home from work. Even if Chance and Jin came home way later than her dad because of school (and Chance out being a nuisance), he still had Jeongsoo, Paz, Lotus, and Cole to feed.

     He was also the better cook between himself and her mother. That's not to say her mom was a terrible cook! She knew how to make basic recipes! Otherwise, she would have never survived on her own after college. 

     In the other rooms, her brothers were cleaning and complaining. Scratch that, Paz wasn't complaining, the other four were. She couldn't hear his voice at all. 

     Lotus shut the door to the cabinet and stretched her arms. The strain in her shoulder caused her to grimace as she stretched deeper to soothe it. 

     "You done?" Her mom asked as she heard her groan as she stretched.

     Lotus hummed in confirmation, allowing her mom to continue, "You can go back to your room now."

     Lotus joyfully did just that. She passed Paz who was making sure the couch was clean. He didn't bother to acknowledge her as she opened the door to her room and quickly disappeared inside.

     The smell of flora made her slump onto her mattress. Her room was always true to being her safe place. With her being surrounded by the calming scent of flowers from her fragrance plugin and her plushies and blankets, she let herself sink into her bed. 

     She could still faintly hear the voices of her brothers, but they didn't bother her. Her eyes closed as she lay in a starfish position. She wasn't going to sleep, she was just doing nothing in peace. 

     An hour passed with her doing nothing in her dazed out state before the noise in the house spiked. The spike intrigued her, but not enough to get up. She'd just have to eavesdrop from her spot if it was important. 

     However, eavesdropping did nothing when the jumble of voices mixed together to create a messy symphony of confusion that made her feel as if she was having a stroke.

     "Lotus!" She heard her father calling for her, "Your Aunt Pearl is here! Come greet her and Rose!" 

     Lotus' eyes snapped opened and her breathing hitched. Her peace was now ruined. Meeting family was a dreaded time. She found it hard to speak to them, especially considering she barely knew them as they rarely talked to her or visited. It was usually her parents and siblings visiting them, instead. 

     The last time she had seen her aunt was three years ago, which she cringed upon remembering the past years. Her cousin's time was even worse. She hadn't seen her cousin in years, more than with Pearl. 

     With shaking hands, Lotus sat up and peered into her mirror at herself. Her hair wasn't styled and slightly messy, but not too dishevelled to not go out of her room to meet them. The dress she wore she used to sleep but also to go outside anyway. She was presentable, yet she still felt insecure.