Genderneutral Oneshots

Yandere!Obi (Snow White With The Red Hair) - Lunch In The Courtyard

I had just been brought in to the palace to help my uncle tend to the gardens, since a few of the boys who usually helped him tend the plants had fallen very ill. Since I usually helped my mother tend to the gardens outside the inn my father owned, he had offered my assistance to his older brother until the boys had all recovered their full strength.

Looking around at the nicely kept roses that currently surrounded me, I almost failed to notice my uncles smiling face as he came out from a nearly hidden path between some of the brilliantly red and green flowering plants.

"Ah! You're here! Perfect timing, I was just about to start tending to the West Gardens, but since you are here I'll give you a quick tour and show you what needs to be done before I get started! I really can't thank you enough for coming to help! There is far too much to do to be understaffed when everything is flowering!" As always, Uncle Toma's voice was filled with as much energy and happiness as a child at a festival.

"Uncle Toma, you know I am always willing to help out. You have done so much to help us out over the years. I am just happy that I am able to finally do something to help you in return. And such a beautiful garden to be working in! I almost feel like you are doing me yet another favor!" I laughed in joy as I waved my hands at the wondrous flowers in bloom around us as we walked down the paths together. "It's amazing you get to see these in all their stages. From a tiny seed to a sprout, a sprout to a flower and from flower to carrying its own seeds again."

"Yes, it is rather amazing to see how everything keeps going, season after season and year after year. Although sometimes we get a new flower in that can take a little while to figure out how best to care for it." He pointed to a long green stem with a small cascade of tiny, blue flowers spilling from its top like a waterfall of blossoms.

"How amazing, Uncle Toma!" And from there we moved on, discussing the work I would do to help for likely the next few weeks.

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It was exhausting, but rewarding, pulling weeds from the flower beds and getting to enjoy each new species of flower, bush and vine up close. The colors, textures and smells were all so varied, yet grouped up in the most amazing ways to bring beauty to the eyes and still make sure the smells went well together. Uncle Toma had always had a keen eye and nose for the gardens and it showed with every minute spent tending to the results of his hard work.

When lunch finally came about, I had to admit I was more than ready to sit down and take a break. After heading to the kitchens and preparing a couple of sandwiches and fresh fruit, I made my way to a courtyard I knew I would be tending to afterwards, figuring I would save myself the time of having to head over later. This way I could simply eat and get back to work right away.

Finding some shade under one of the trees, I sighed happily and sat down, ready to begin my meal. Just as I was about to take a bite from one of the sandwiches, I saw something move in the tree above me. If I was not used to being observant of my surroundings due to having to watch for pests or signs of wilt in the gardens, I likely never would have noticed the slight shifting of one of the branches.

Slowly, I looked up and began peering through the leaves, until I could just barely make out an almost hidden pair of eyes staring back at me. If I didn't know better, I would have thought it was a child playing hide and seek, but knowing this was a part of the palace, I highly doubted a child would be allowed to wander about this courtyard unattended. Giving the person the warmest smile I could manage, I held up the sandwich in my hand and tilted my head.

"If you are hungry, I would be more than happy to share my meal with you. If you were wondering about me, I'm simply here to help Uncle Toma in the gardens until his usual helpers get over being ill." If it was a guard, I wanted them to know I was not a threat to anyone and also give them a way of confirming my words, since they should know who Uncle Toma was as he had been working here since before I was born.