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

Admitting Defeat

Obi POV

I return to the castle after walking Aeri and Ryanne back to the cottage. We had gone to visit Aeri's parents for her birthday and it went over better than I expected. Though there technically wasn't any pressure involved with my meeting them since I'm just a friend of theirs, I was still worried that they wouldn't like me. Ryanne's sister seemed to like me though and thanked me for taking such good care of them. They worry about them since they live out on their own and Ryanne has vision problems. Aeri introduced me as her best friend Mister Obi before she quickly got distracted and left me to hide myself away with Ryanne as the little family enjoyed their visit. Aeri sent me back with an extra piece of cake but I ate it on the way back.

My first stop after telling Master that I've returned is the medical building. I have a letter for Ryuu and Garak's orders and questions for her. It also helps me with entertainment since I now know some of Ryanne's drinking stories, including one where Garak stripped naked and ran through the village on a dare. I track Ryuu down as soon as I enter and give him Aeri's letter before searching for Garak. She grins and asks if I enjoyed my trip as I walk in the room.

"Not nearly as much as you did when you got drunk and ran naked through the village." I smirk as I hand over her orders. "Oh, Ryanne told me to tell you that she couldn't deliver on one of your orders so in it's place, she wants you to imagine that she slapped the back of your head."

"So she's telling stories now, is she? I have a few of my own I could spill about her."

"I know about the first whiskey, hide and seek in the forest, her stealing a horse and tying you to it, and the birthday incident."

Her confident smirk fades and she sighs. "Those were the good ones... How is she?"

"Healing." I mumble as I take a seat near her desk. "When I made it up there, she was being attacked in the cottage while Aeri was told to stay outside. A man broke in to rob them and Ryanne refused to give up the money because she had been saving it for Aeri. It was just bruises and a busted lip though."

"That sounds like her. She could care less about herself as long as she's doing it to help someone else. So... have you fallen in love with her yet?" She asks with a grin.

"No." I reply simply as I clean my fingernails with a dagger. "I really like her though."

I reach out and catch her cup as it slips from her hand.

"Try not to drop things, Garak. It'll make a mess." I smirk, meeting her surprised gaze.

I manage to escape Garak and the medical building a few hours later after she tried to interrogate me on anything and everything that she could since I admitted that I had feelings for Ryanne. Of course most of her questions were overly sexual and none of it happened except I held her hand that night under the stars. I'm not sure when I started to like Ryanne but it became really obvious to me that night as she rested her head on my chest. I didn't tell her though and I haven't acted on it. I'm not really sure how to go about it, especially because she told me a time or two before that she'd never really been interested in being with anyone. She tried once but he broke it off with her because her work kept her busy too often for his taste and he found out that she studied poisons. When she mentioned the second part, she had a look in her eye like she was hiding something but I never pressed it further. I don't mind that she's busy and that she studies poisons. I find it interesting and I enjoy watching her work. It's her passion. My only issue is when she poisons herself for the sake of research.

It's been a few uneventful weeks at the castle. I was sent to Tanbarun three times for Master and accompanied him, Mitsuhide, Kiki, and Shirayuki to revisit the fort where the men had gotten sick a while back but otherwise there hasn't been much to do. I've entertained myself with training and annoying Mitsuhide instead since I've felt bad for interfering with Ryanne and Aeri's business and training so often. I don't want Aeri to fall behind because of me distracting her. Garak hasn't had any orders since Spring has come in full force so they can plant most of the herbs that they're missing. When she isn't busy and I'm there, she harasses me about telling Ryanne how I feel about her. I'll tell her if and when I'm ready. I sit up on the branch I've stretched myself across as I hear a very faint voice calling for me. It's not Master, as he usually only says my name and that I have ten seconds, though I only need five. It's not Mitsuhide or Kiki, not Garak...

"Mister Obi?!"

Aeri? What is she doing here?

I slip down from the trees and look around to find her running across the grounds with a panting Ryuu trailing behind her. If she's here where is Ryanne? I make my way over to her and she crashes into me hard enough to almost knock me over. She's panting and crying as she tries to catch her breath. I look to Ryuu for help but he says he doesn't know what happened. She just showed up looking for me with tears in her eyes.

"S-Something's wrong with M-Mistress Rya!" She finally chokes out. "Please help her!"