honey tea

Crashing Waves || Open

With the blistering summer heat taking over the archipelago, Frey found herself taking shelter from the sun during the daylight hours. It was only once the sun was setting and the temperature outside lowered significantly that she wandered outside of her house or work. Often times, Frey would take a stroll around Leuda’s shore, enjoying the sound of crashing waves hugging the sand. She’d watch people come and go, enjoying the sounds of it all. 

Just as Frey was walking along the pier, another woman suddenly tripped and landed right into her. Frey quickly held her hands out and tried to keep them both from falling, and she smiled sheepishly when the woman began to apologize. 

“No, no, it’s okay! I’m alright. Are you okay?” Frey peered around to woman to see what had caused the tumble, spotting the protruding nail. “Oh my, that’s not good…”

Renee quickly bowed in apology, hands set on her dress-covered thighs as she did so. Though she had already vocally apologized, her family raised her to express sincerity through bowing. Once she raised her head, a clumsy and shy smile scrawled across her face. 

The woman she had bumped into was beautiful, and had to be around her age as her skin was nearly flawless. Her hair was an interesting and delicate green, while her eyes were a more vibrant shade of the same. 

The brunette flushed and spun on her heel to look at the nail that had caught her shoe, nodding quickly at the other’s question. “Y-Yes! Completely fine... but that is not.” She pressed her lips into a thin line as her brows knitted with worry, and she looked over to the girl beside her. “Will the city be angry if I... fix it?” Her question brought an apologetic tint to her smile -- she wasn’t sure of the city’s customs yet, and there was a chance they would be upset if anyone messed with the boardwalk!

sea bass and sunset | renee & toby 

One could read Toby like a book. Everything was out in the open, whether he liked it or not–and sometimes he didn’t. He was an inherently honest person, a horrible liar who found it hard to keep thoughts and emotions concealed. Even if he said nothing, his emotions shown through his face, clear as water.

With some, he at least attempted to mute his thoughts, feeling too uncomfortable and shy to voice them. With a stranger, in particular. But with this generous young woman… His words flowed with ease. Her very presence was a truth potion.

Another soft laugh passed his lips. “Sorry… Force of habit, I guess.” No burden too heavy to tell a stranger… But Renee didn’t feel like a stranger. She felt like an old friend, loyal and kind.

“You’re right,” he answered softly, calmly, as the stress in his muscles was carried away by the sea wind. “I’m just… not so good at handling the different. I’m not great with change, I guess.” A faint, self-deprecating chuckle punctuated this as he watched the sun meet the horizon.

Toby took a glance down at the fishing rod settled next to the girl. He’d seen it earlier, but only now acknowledged it, now that he was feeling a bit better. “I like to fish, too. ♪“ The fisherman smiled warmly, affection for the hobby sweetening his tone. “A lot of people don’t like the whole waiting part of it… Waiting for a bite. But sitting by the water is a good use of time, I think.”

There was a lot on this man’s mind. Renee allowed herself to get a good look at him, tilting her head to the side to view his expression more clearly. It was written all over his face -- the stress of this new island and whatever else was going on with his life. 

The brunette felt her eyebrows knit together in concern, Toby’s voice tugging at her heartstrings. His chuckle didn’t sound earnest in the least, and it only made the lines on her forehead become more prominent as worry settled in. It was like her to be so concerned for someone -- even if she’d met them only a few moments ago. She pulled her knees toward her chest, hiding her chin beneath them. “I... I’m not so good with it, either.” A weary smile knitted across her lips as she spoke softly, hoping not to scare him away from divulging his emotions. “It’s the first time being away from my family for me, and... it’s a lot different, being on your own.”

Renee swallowed her embarrassment as she waved a hand toward him, as if she were wiping the conversation away. “S-Sorry, I’m not meaning to make it about me! I... can just relate, I suppose.”

She felt like squirming.

Renee didn’t enjoy the spotlight -- especially when she was wearing something skimpy. The only reason she was really submitting herself to the swimsuit contest is because there was a particular potion she wanted to get her hands on. She didn’t know how to make it yet, and figured having the actual concoction would give her some insight as to the formula.

Exploring Leuda was something Renee should have done earlier. Her time seemed to be taken up by the commute to and fro Brownie Ranch and Arcadia, and she felt she hadn’t had enough time to breathe -- much less explore her new home. Her house was apparently too tidy to live in, as boxes of unpacked things resided in nearly every corner. It seemed all at once too large and too small for her things, so instead of putting her things away, Renee set out for an exploration of the island on her day off.

She found herself on the boardwalk after what seemed like hours of wandering. The hot sun was still high in the sky, so there was no possibility it was later than the afternoon. Renee had heard the boardwalk was lit up every night, and was always bustling with newcomers and familiars alike. It was much different than the mainland in that way -- there was an array of people and even species that occupied the islands.

A small smile found itself crossing Renee’s lips as she walked absentmindedly across the wooden walkway. The sea air rustled her hair and blessed her pink face with coolness and moisture, and she pondered if she may be able to open an apothecary shop on the boardwalk someday. Lost in thought, her shoe caught a nail that had popped up across the boards, sending her hurdling into the next warm body. After plopping against them, the brunette immediately straightened in embarrassment.

First Day || Neil & Renee

Ugh. There was something annoying about being called “sir,” especially by someone so chipper. Perhaps Neil had just grown used to the silent, stoic work atmosphere that he and Vaughn had created on Brownie Ranch. The new employee, Renee, had enough energy to compensate for both men’s more quiet attitudes. Neil chose not to respond and got back to his own chores. 

When Renee called for his attention, he surveyed the barn where she had replaced the hay. Thankfully–and much to his relief, seeing as he didn’t need to fall into a lecture–she had done a decent job. It was clear that she at least knew what she was doing, mostly. 

“It’s fine. Now we need to fill the pens with some feed.” He gestured to the bin that protruded from the wall in the barn, right where the silo met the barn. “You just grab some from here and then throw it in the feed bin in each pen.” He opened up the lid to the silo bin, grabbed some feed, then tossed it into the nearest pen. “Easy enough.”

Renee was giddy when Neil approved of her work, though she tried to temper her happiness with a small smile. The last thing she wanted was for her new boss to think she was overbearing -- even though she was a bit nurturing in behavior. Perhaps Neil enjoyed the solitude a bit more than her excitement.

“Thank you!” It was a joyful whisper when it left her lips, but she stayed silent while Neil explained her next task. Though Renee knew most of the lays of the land with ranches, every one had their own details -- she simply wanted to follow Brownie’s own. With a determined nod, she set out to work. “This is very familiar to me, luckily.” A small giggle escaped her chest. “This barn actually reminds me of my family’s... The setup is efficient, but still large enough for the animals to really feel comfortable.” 

sea bass and sunset | renee & toby

Eyes gently shut, he took a long inhale of the ocean air, its salty breeze kissing his cheeks and forehead. As he exhaled, one eye peeked open to look at his company.

“That’s true,” he agreed with a faint nod of his head. “You have a reason too, then… Right?” She was sweet and polite, and seemed perfectly content–but maybe she, like him, struggled to keep a positive face on against a life that sometimes felt overwhelming.

Maybe she, like him, came here to relinquish her stresses to the sea.

Eyes falling shut again, Toby listened as she appeared to confirm his suspicions. “You had a hard day, too?” A little frown dampened his features. “… I’m not used to such a busy life… You know? It’s hard to keep up…” He felt his face warm. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to trouble you, Renee…” A tense smile reappeared. With a fragile demeanor and an inability to lie, he couldn’t help but share his issues–though with any luck, maybe she could relate.

Toby’s question played on the wind while she considered how much she wanted to tell him. Renee was an open enough person, and to be honest, he’d seem like the least threatening man she’d met in a while -- especially when stood next to her coworkers. She tilted her chin up toward the sky, orange glow melting into her skin as she nodded curtly. “True.” She felt silly, as if playing a game of truth or dare with a stranger. 

Toby started speaking before she even needed to ask. It seemed they were the same sort of personality type, and it was easy to talk to a stranger. Her chestnut eyes fell toward him as he talked about his grievances, and she felt her brows knit together in concern for the man. When he apologized, Renee clicked her tongue. “Why are you apologizing? There’s no burden too heavy to tell a stranger.” A childish grin found it’s way on her expression before she looked back out to the sea.

First Day || Neil & Renee

“Tch.” 

Neil watched as the girl disappeared to go set her belongings down at the house and the blond quickly went back to the task at hand. After finishing brushing the cow, Neil set to work at getting all of the barn animals out of the building so that they could roam around and graze. The herding dog, Mac, assisted of course, running around the barn and barking at the animals to get them moving. 

The new hire had returned just as the last barn animal and Mac exited the wooden building and her words of excitement had Neil sighing. He, too, grabbed a pitchfork, figuring that it would get done faster if they both worked on the chore. 

“You got the name right. And you’re Renee, right?” He sent her a pointed look, one reserved for employees who got on his nerves. “Don’t show up to work late again. Simple as that.” He gestured the pitchfork in his hand towards the far corner of the barn. “Start from the back, then work your way to the front.”

Renee gave a nervous, hesitant chuckle at her new boss’ words. It was obvious that they’d gotten off on the wrong foot, but Renee’s eyes shined with determination to set them right. The brunette even let a large smile form when Neil mentioned her name, and nodded enthusiastically. “You got it, too! I swear that’s the only time it’ll happen.”

She blinked toward the darkest corner of the barn before nodding, pausing for only a moment before she walked to the back. “I’ll get it done right away, sir!” She called back, her slight voice already fading in the large barn. Renee admired the obvious hard work that went into the daily tasks here -- it was the only way they would have such a large facility. The brunette plunged her pitchfork into the soiled hay, falling into her usual rhythm fairly quickly.

@anephemeralwish​

“Alright, this one, that one, and.. there! That should be everything!” Renee happily hummed as she set her wares in her leather satchel. Her alchemy business had been picking up since she had taken the plunge to move to Leuda, and since she commuted to Leuda for her full-time job, she had customers from everywhere! She even was lucky enough to have a few recurring customers who were beginning to feel familiar to her.

Checking her list of deliveries, the brunette found a familiar name tucked in the middle of the scribbling. A smile came to her lips before she hummed a gentle tune and she began on her deliveries for the day. A few stops were on the agenda in Leuda before she reached the familiar manor. Its expansive architecture towered over her, but she wasn’t nearly as intimidated as the first time she visited -- now she knew who awaited her inside.

Renee softly knocked on the large door before her, pausing a few moments before speaking. “Clorica? It’s Renee -- I have your deliveries!” When she didn’t receive a reply, the brunette knocked again; this time the door creaked open, and a chill ran up Renee’s spine. Something bad may have happened! “I’m coming in!” She spoke up, her voice less fearful than she thought it would be.

Quietly, she walked through the manor. It seemed darker despite the sun high in the sky outside, and a lot quieter than she was used to. Renee rounded a corner into a parlor, and her brows shot up when she saw a familiar woman passed out in an armchair. “C-Clorica!?” Renee rushed up to the woman, kneeling beside the chair. Once she realized Clorica was breathing, the brunette sighed with relief before rummaging through her satchel, bringing out a small, clear bottle filled with various sized granules. 

Renee popped the cork off before holding the smelling salts up to Clorica’s nose -- they were potent, after all. “Time to wake up, sleepyhead~”

@bornwanderer

The violent spring sun beat on Renee’s bare neck as she tended to Ramone, an alpaca currently grazing in Brownie Ranch’s fields. She was still new to the job, but if there was one thing that comforted her in new situations, it was animals. She grinned sweetly, running a brush along Ramone’s soft wool and hummed quietly to herself. After a few more strokes, Renee rested her free hand on her hip, her smile growing as she scratched Ramone between his ears. “See? I bet you feel a lot better now, huh?” She was answered by a low hum in response. 

The brunette dusted off her long dress before tucking the animal brush back into her satchel, adjusting the bag so it rested on her hip. She gazed out at the field around her, taking a breath in of the familiar smells around her -- a little sourness from the manure coupled with warmth of the hay and grass. The scent carried with her as she walked toward the chicken coop, ready to take on another task of the day. But, today, something was off.

Renee raised two slim brows at a barren spot next to the coop entrance. She swore Neil had placed the bucket for the chicken feed there, and there was a distinct imprint in the grass where it had laid. She wrinkled her nose in confusion before a rattling inside the coop caught her attention. Now, her eyebrows were nearly at her hairline, and she stepped toward the small entrance of the coop. The chickens were causing a ruckus, and she sucked her bottom lip, wondering if she should go grab Neil in case there was trouble. Before she could consider the possibility, a man’s silhouette appeared before her. He was broad-shouldered, and a cowboy rested atop his silver head. A gasp flew from her lips before she was able to stop it -- surely the man noticed.

@fencedinheart

Sun rays slid down the brunette’s hair as she paused in front of the ranch. Above her was a large sign that said “Brownie Ranch,” and inside her stomach were the butterflies caused by a new environment. She bit her lip, anxiety trickling up her throat at the thought of working somewhere her family wasn’t involved. Nevertheless, she took one step, then another, and another until she was at the entrance of a large barn.

Expansive pastures filled her field of vision, and she raised a hand above her chestnut eyes to block the bright sun rising to its peak. She was... late. The commute from Leuda had taken longer than she had thought, but since it was her first day, surely the owner would understand... right?

Renee stepped inside the barn, where a pale-haired man was tending to the cows. His hair reminded him of the sunshine outside, but it was slightly rigid where it stuck out in some odd places. Someone with cowlicks couldn’t be mean! Renee thought she had nothing to worry about until the man finally turned his gaze toward her, ruby eyes piercing straight through her worries.

She fumbled with her plain leather satchel for a moment, as she had brought a few things just in case, before managing to squeak out a greeting. “H-Hello! I’m the new ranch hand..? Renee?’