Finding Beauty in the Darkness *Obi x OC*(COMPLETE)

Late Night

Ryanne POV

After taking turns bathing in the creek and dressing ourselves from the box of random clothes, Obi and I circle around to the front of the cottage and go inside. Aeri had gone to bed hours ago after joining us outside for a simple dinner that she prepared for us. I hate that I wasn't able to cover meal times like normal but she did a good job stepping up in the mean time. Once this is all taken care of, I'll bake a loaf of apple cherry bread for her since it's her favorite treat.

"Would you like a drink? I feel like I need one to unwind after another near-death experience, Garak, and the mess that we're dealing with now." I ask as I feel around the counter top for the oil lamp.

"Ooh, I didn't know you drank, Miss Ryanne. What is your drink of choice?"

"I don't drink often, especially since Aeri came to live with me, but I'll just call this a special occasion." I smirk. "I have... loka nut wine, rice wine, a bottle of rum a traveling customer used as payment, oh and a bottle of whiskey Garak gave me for my birthday last year. It was part of one of her attempts to get me to be with someone."

"What did she do?" He asks as I hear him sit at the table.

"She knows that whiskey and I don't exactly mix very well so when she came over to celebrate with me, she put whiskey in my cup instead of the wine I had been drinking, and had apparently invited a few men to come over. It didn't end well... for her."

I pull the bottles from the cabinet and set them on the table before tracking down two glasses. I bring them to the table and settle in a chair before tracking down the bottle of rum. I hadn't had it before it was given to me but I quite enjoy it. The man came back a few months ago and gave me another bottle as payment. I hear Obi messing with the bottles and a moment later the scent of whiskey reaches my nose.

"So what happens to you with whiskey?" He chuckles.

"For some reason I get very flirty. First time I had it, I ended up hitting on Garak... and my reflection in a shop window."

He laughs and I shoot him a look and stick out my tongue. "What's your off limits drink?"

"Rice wine has the same effect on me so I tend to avoid it."

My eyes fixate on the dim glow of the oil lamp on the table. Even with both of them lit and the few scattered candles, I can barely see anything. I'm sure Obi can see perfectly though.

"This is rather nice." I hum as I take another sip. "It's not often I have anyone to talk to close to my age. Customers typically come and go quickly and Aeri is rather young."

"Don't you have friends? I know you live outside of the village but surely you have a friend somewhere?"

A slightly harsh chuckle leaves my lips as I shake my head. "I have about ten customers from the village and my sister Marnie who is Aeri's mother, and her husband Tien. Literally everyone else considers me a witch and hates me. That's why Tien and I built this cottage for me out here so I could work in peace. It wasn't the safest situation for me in the village."

"That's ridiculous. You do give off a witchy vibe, I will admit I thought you were one when we first met... but even still you haven't done anything worth people hating you that I know of."

"It's because I deal with poisons as a hobby. They think I'll curse or poison people. Garak told me that Ryuu has had similar issues because he enjoys poison research as well. It's just part of the job."

I smirk and lay out my cards on the table in victory. Obi and I got bored and felt too awake to sleep and started to play with the deck of cards Aeri had left on the table. It surprised him that I offered to play since I'm visually impaired, but Aeri had helped me make them usable for me by putting very small painted dots on the cards to match the numbers. My only issue is just making sure whoever I'm playing with doesn't lie about their own hands. Obi pinky promised to tell the truth though.

"I think you're cheating." He huffs as I hear a chocolate hit the table in front of me.

I pick up the small chocolate chip and eat it instead of adding it to my pile of winnings. I'd made chocolate chips last week to use in muffins since Aeri and I both like them... but using them as gambling chips works just as well especially as a snack.

"If anything you have more ability to cheat than I do, Obi." I chuckle. "You're the one that can see and the one with the ability to simply lie about your hand."

"But I pinky promised... you own my soul now and you're a witch. What if you stole it and trapped it in a bottle or something?"

"Oh no, you've found out my evil plan." I gasp dramatically before giggling.

I hear the sound of the cards being shuffled as he laughs and a pile slowly appears in my hand. I feel around with my free hand for my bargaining chips and after feeling out my hand, I shove some into the center of the table.

"Mistress Rya...?"

"What are you doing up Aeri? I thought you'd gone to bed hours ago." I ask without turning my head. It's not like I can see her anyway.

"I had a bad dream..."

"Would you like to sit at the table with us? I'll make you something to drink if you want it."

"Can I have a hot chocolate?" She asks as she settles at the table.

"Sure thing, Kiddo."

I put my cards down face up and hear Obi sigh at the results but the sound of moving chocolate doesn't escape my ears either.

"Are you stealing my winnings, Obi?"

"No..."

I shake my head and pull the jar of milk from the ice box and find it still cold thankfully since we missed our weekly ice delivery due to my poisoning and pour some into the pot on the stove. I grab a handful of the chips out of the container and add them in to melt. Behind me, I can hear Obi talking to Aeri and not so subtly whispering to her about not telling Mistress Rya about him giving her chocolate. She giggles softly and makes a 'shh' sound. An involuntary smile crosses my face and I sigh softly as I head to the cabinet to find a cup for her. When it's ready, I pour it into the cup and bring it back to the table. Aeri abandons her chair in favor of settling in my lap and I situate her so I can still reach my cards as Obi deals me in again. I slowly bounce my leg as we play and the movement quickly puts her back to sleep shortly after she finishes her milk.

"I'm going to put her back to bed." I whisper as I put my cards down.

"No you stay. It'll be easier for me to pick her up than it would be for you to move her around."

I hear his chair lightly scrape the floor and Aeri leaves my arms a few seconds later and Obi fearfully whispers that she's hugging him as he walks out of the room.