Wisteria Tea + Snowballs

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Wisteria Tea + Snowballs
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     It was not everyday snow decided to grace Gaia with its presence. The soft white colour of its presence painted the usually very green landscapes into a ghostly hue of pale blues and stark whites. The harsh colds turned rain into twinkling little star-shaped snowflakes; the companions of snow as they playfully twinkled in the pale sun. Sprouts peeked through the windows of warm homes, hot coco in their little hands as they watched with child-like curiosity at the falling snowflakes and snow that adorned roofs and plantheads. Blooms adorned in comfortably snug jackets walked through the snow, usually bare feet hiding within comfortable thick boots made to keep warmth in.

     “Look at that weird little snowflake!” A sprout would chirp, tugging at their parental figure’s jacket sleeve, pointing to a particularly four pointed star snowflake that twinkled downward before disappearing into nothingness. “It’s just a snowflake.” A particularly moody sapling would deadpan, clearly not wanting to be out and about while it was literally snowing. “Oh come now you two,” The blooming nymdrya would say, almost amused with the duo’s bickering, “A little snow and cold never hurt, besides, it’s beautiful.” The bloom would take the giddy Sprout’s hand and continue their walk with the brooding sapling in tow, grumbling all the while.

     Yet, not too far away from the little family was a cozy little home that housed Yume. Yume watched outside their window, a mug of steaming wisteria tea as she was adorned in a purple, wisteria decorated robe. “Hm.” She sighed idly, strangely at peace from within her home yet still feeling uneasy. “It’s rain…but not so wet…” She commented quietly to themself, sipping the tea in a thoughtful manner. “A bit conflicting.” She added before turning away from the frost-covered window, robe fluttering out behind them as they walked towards their kitchen to pour herself another cup of tea as she had gotten a tad bit low.

     “Maybe I can add some peppermint into this…” She mused as they turned on the light of their modest yet nicely decorated kitchen. She bumped a hanging wisteria that was merely minding its own business on her kitchen ceiling. She patted the hanging plant as an apology and continued onward to the light powered stove. “Hmmm. I’m sure I have some tea bags around here somewhere. I just organized this kitchen…” They mumbled as they looked around her kitchen. “Hmmm. Where are you little guys?” She questioned themself as she moved things around; things she already organized two hours ago. She looked under and over assorted leaf holders, brushed aside notebooks that had potential recipes she wanted to try out with their teas, yet found nothing.

     Annoyed with themself, they turned around, looking at the lonely tea kettle that waited to be joined by a tea bag friend. She sighed and walked closer to the stove. “Just where could they be? I just made that batch…” She looked around again yet didn’t move from her spot, seeming to lightly glare at the cabinet she just looked through. “Hm.” She mumbled yet that mumble was merely and irritated one. She opened a drawer and widened their eyes as they came smack with the wisteria leaf tea bags smiling up at her. Yume felt a mix of emotions: Annoyance at themself for not thinking to look in the drawer and relief for the fact that the tea bags were, in fact, safe and created.

     She took a tea bag gingerly in a hand and lowered it into her now empty, washed out mug and left the tea kettle water to boil. They took a seat in their cuddle corner, briefly looking at her massive book of ‘1000 ways to use Wisteria Leaves and Plants’ that had a leaf-shaped bookmark poking out as if it was curious. She sighed contently and cracked open the large tome, deciding to give it another ready while their tea was being made. 

     Yume must’ve fallen asleep because their eyes were a bit bleary and she was a tad bit groggy. “Eugh…” She grumbled, rubbing their eyes free of sleep as their book rested face down on her stomach. Yet, the one thing that fully woke her up was the squealing of the tea kettle, to which she hopped up and raced to the kitchen in eagerness but also worry, hoping all the water hadn't evaporated. She turned off the light-powered stove and moved the kettle off of a flower-shaped burner with a thick mitt. Slowly, they poured water into the tea bag waiting mug and smiled faintly at the sweet smell that immediately came from the mug. “Mm. Mm. Mm. That smells amazing. You once again outdone yourself, Yume.” They hummed to themself proudly before setting the kettle back on the burner, careful not to burn herself on accident. She reached for some crushed peppermint and looked at it thoughtfully before looking at her waiting mug.

     “I…may wait before putting any type of peppermint into my tea. I may not like it, then what.” She mused and sat the bag down. They picked up their mug and walked back to their home’s window, looking out at all the fun under the winter’s pale sun. Sprouts made Snowdyra, saplings milled out as they went about their business or chatted with each other and Blooms congregated with the others for a makeshift winter harvest and lightfire. “Hm.” hummed Yume from within their home, taking a slow sip of hot wisteria tea. “That…actually looks kind of fun…” She commented to herself, looking around her cozy, yet empty home before looking outside the frosted panes. “It…could maybe do me some good to get out and socialize.” She turned her back to go put on something more suitable for winter winds.

     Once properly dressed, they headed out of their cozy home and into the winter winds that nipped and bit at her with an occasional playful pat of a snowflake. She bristled immediately. Even with her proper winter wear, they could still feel the coldness through the thick plant matter and wool that was their large windbreaker. She pulled the hood more around her and trudged out, eyes narrow with worry. A sprout looked over, snowball in hand and with a mischievous smile. “Ms. Yume!” The sprout called, causing the land-aquatic mixed bloom to turn around curiously. “Yes-” She was cut off when the sprout attacked her playfully with a snowball. “SNOWBALL FIGHTTTTT!” The little sprout announced as they ran off with the rest of their group.

     Yume stood there frozen, stunned from the snowball attack. Luckily, the snowball had only hit her jacket’s chest, but she was still stunned by the sprout’s child-like audacity. “What in Gaia…” She whispered to herself before looking at a bloom that had been watching. The bloom merely gave a knowing chuckle and went on about their way to the lightfire that was happening. Yume slowly brushed off the snow, took a breath and picked up a snowball of her own. “If the sprouts want a game, they got the right Bloom.” She said with a determined smile before giving chase. “I guess socializing isn’t so bad when it's like this.” And with that, she raced after the battling sprouts and saplings that had joined, ready to show them who's boss at snowball fights.