Archive of Our Own

Never has Licorice felt disgusted with himself as much as he did now.

He of course personally knew how a mazing he is (if his dark magic was anything to go by, which it most certainly is), but his emotions? Oh, they were an absolute hindrance. All because some messy green haired, always smiling, goodie two shoes had to constantly run into him.

“Out on a stroll, Licorice? Would you like to join us?”

Herb’s gentle tone is enough to startle him, hands tightening around on his scythe and a scoff already leaving him. Gods what now? Couldn’t he just leave him alone?

“Why would I want to walk with you and your—,” Licorice swirls around, venom in his tone but he pauses, eyes flickering to a small sprouted plant nestled carefully against Herb’s elbow. “Oh. Your potted plant,” Of course. “I’m not particularly busy, but—”

“Great!” Aaand Herb completely ignores the rejection he had on the tip of his tongue. Fantastic. This wouldn’t bother him as much if Herb didn’t grab his hand, nearly dragging him as he began walking as if the entire kingdom didn’t have their eyes on them. “I was wanting to ask you a very important question.”

This sucks, this really, truly sucks. Why did he have to be attracted to one of the brightest people in the kingdom? He’s not even sure why he’s still here—sticking around when Herb was the only one who ever approached him. Gingerbrave and their little merry band already recruited Dark Choco and Poison Mushroom so he supposes it was only a matter of time before he came along.

Yet he hardly ever saw his former evil allies except during dinner time. Milk was always hanging around Dark, looking at him as if he hung the stars itself and Poison was constantly preoccupied with the kingdom’s other children. So he was left to his own devices, the saying feeling ironic considering he got stuck with someone who was practically mother nature’s son.

And yet he doesn’t entirely hate his company.

“Yes?” Licorice asks curiously. He knows not to expect much, but Herb always asking for his opinion on the smallest things was also somewhat nice. Even if it did turn his stomach for unknown reasons.

“What’s your favorite flower?” Herb asks, as if he genuinely wanted to know something so small. “I was thinking about it this morning and I can’t believe I never asked you that. Or it can be a favorite plant!”

“Uh, roses, I guess?” He replies awkwardly, nearly tripping over his robe when he felt Herb gently squeeze his hand. “I never really thought about it before.”

“Really? Wow, I was way off on that one,” Herb hums, and for unknown reasons his smile widens and his eyes scrunch up. Well, he’s always smiling so that’s nothing new but it does nothing to ease the flutter in his heart. “Did you know roses symbolize love?”

“What?” Licorice croaks out, dropping his scythe in the process. “That’s not why I—I didn’t know that! That’s not why I like them, they just have thorns and the black ones are neat is all!”

“Makes sense, it does fit with your asethetic,” Herb laughs quietly, and to Licorice’s distress he moves away from his scythe, leaving it lying helplessly on the grass path they walk. “Perhaps I could grow you some, I bet you’d look really charming with a black rose tucked in your hair.”

Face warming and his free hand pulling his hood more over his face, Licorice huffs and averts his gaze towards the ground. “I don’t want to look charming, dark magic is supposed to make me look superior.”

“Why can’t you be both? Everyone in the kingdom knows how talented you are with dark magic, adding in an accessory won’t make you look any less superior,” Herb hums, catching his gaze when he manages to look back at him. Which really was a mistake considering his breath caught in his throat at the sparkle in Herb’s eyes, the small smile on his face and how soft he looked at him. “There’s nothing wrong with being strong and adorable, which you already are.”

This both fuels his broken ego and humilates him, sending him in a turmoil. Warmth blooms in his face, crawling up and making the tips of his ears burn. Herb merely laughs, one of those annoyingly cute soft laughs that makes him want to hide in the comfort of his hood.

But as infuriating as Herb could be towards his frozen little heart he knows that his praise is actually genuine. Not something he’s used to, yet it’s enough to make him feel at ease, as if all of his work actually means something to get the acknowledgement it deserves.

Even if it’s from a plant loving dork who happens to be the only person in the kingdom he can actually feel content with.

“Since you acknowledge how powerful I am I’ll let that last comment slide,” He says as confidently as he can muster, though still walks with his shoulders slumped and eyes on anything that isn’t Herb. “I’ll be sure to summon a soldier to protect you in our next battle.”

“How kind of you,” Herb says chipperly and before Licorice can enjoy a sense of peace that seeps into him he feels soft lips pressed against his cheek. “I’ll surround you with sprouts on our journey in return.”

Licrorice sputters, insults on the tip of his tongue, snowballing into an incoherent mess of words that only serves to embarrass himself further. Ugh.

“Now your face is as red as a rose,” Herb comments with a blinding smile and as much as Licrorice wants to swat at him and break his hand free from his, he doesn’t. Because as much as he hates to admit it a small part of him enjoys this small intimacy with Herb. “After tomorrow’s breakfast, why don’t we plant some rose bushes together?”

“Since I have nothing better to do I suppose I can,” He says when his voice finally returns to him. “I’m only agreeing because I know you’ll rudely wake me up to do so anyways.”

Getting his robe and hands dirty didn’t sound ideal, probably one of the furthest things on his to do list, but he can’t reject Herb. It’s always hard to do so, and Herb typically dragged him along if it meant they could get some alone time together.

Seeing Herb positively beam at him to simply dig holes made him think maybe it won’t be as dreadful as he thinks it’ll be.