WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.860
Osmophobia. Chapter 5. Blind. Jade woke up before

00:00:05.860 --> 00:00:08.960
her alarm. She lay there staring at the ceiling,

00:00:09.179 --> 00:00:12.759
tail curled tight around her legs. The sun hadn't

00:00:12.759 --> 00:00:15.900
even fully risen yet, casting a beautiful copper

00:00:15.900 --> 00:00:19.640
glow on the clouds. She groaned softly and rolled

00:00:19.640 --> 00:00:23.320
onto her side. It's just breakfast, she muttered.

00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:28.149
Bread, coffee, totally normal. Very chill. Her

00:00:28.149 --> 00:00:31.329
tail flicked in betrayal. Her mind wandered.

00:00:31.449 --> 00:00:33.909
She wouldn't even be able to step inside without

00:00:33.909 --> 00:00:36.530
clearing the whole building. What was Cedric

00:00:36.530 --> 00:00:40.250
planning? She eventually forced herself up, brushing

00:00:40.250 --> 00:00:43.049
her teeth, put on something cute but not too

00:00:43.049 --> 00:00:45.369
adorable, and spritzed herself with a vanilla

00:00:45.369 --> 00:00:50.369
fragrance. Comfort scent. Casual. Nice. After

00:00:50.369 --> 00:00:52.609
leaving her apartment, the sky was turning a

00:00:52.609 --> 00:00:55.670
stunning warm gold. Jade took a deep breath,

00:00:55.890 --> 00:00:59.380
checked her phone. and started walking. By the

00:00:59.380 --> 00:01:02.140
time she got near the bridge, the city was already

00:01:02.140 --> 00:01:05.959
awake. Footsteps echoed. Traffic hummed and raced.

00:01:06.099 --> 00:01:09.040
The air was alive again, carrying with it the

00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:12.519
promise of an active day. Jade slowed her pace

00:01:12.519 --> 00:01:14.920
so her excitement was a little less obvious.

00:01:15.319 --> 00:01:19.840
And then, there he was. Cedric stood near the

00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:22.680
base of the bridge, hands tucked into the pockets

00:01:22.680 --> 00:01:25.480
of blue -washed jeans, casually looking over

00:01:25.480 --> 00:01:28.840
the water. When he saw her, his entire posture

00:01:28.840 --> 00:01:31.719
changed. He smiled like he hadn't seen her in

00:01:31.719 --> 00:01:36.159
weeks. Hey, he said brightly. Jade felt it again.

00:01:36.500 --> 00:01:40.700
That pause. That strange sense of being seen.

00:01:41.180 --> 00:01:44.819
Hey, she replied, hoping her voice sounded normal

00:01:44.819 --> 00:01:47.319
and not like she'd practiced it in her head three

00:01:47.319 --> 00:01:50.900
to four times. He gestured down the street. Ready?

00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:55.879
She nodded. Yeah, totally. Wonderful. You'll

00:01:55.879 --> 00:01:59.599
love this. They walked side by side, not quite

00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:02.700
touching, but close enough that Jade was acutely

00:02:02.700 --> 00:02:06.079
aware of every step. She noticed how Cedric adjusted

00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:08.919
his pace to match hers without saying anything.

00:02:09.460 --> 00:02:12.879
The bakery appeared halfway down the block, seven

00:02:12.879 --> 00:02:15.479
or so people hanging out outside or on their

00:02:15.479 --> 00:02:20.639
way in. Her steps slowed. Cedric noticed. Don't

00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:23.639
worry, he said gently. Everything will be okay.

00:02:24.490 --> 00:02:29.330
Jade's tail swayed once, then twice. I... yeah,

00:02:29.550 --> 00:02:32.469
it's just... She gave a small, awkward laugh.

00:02:32.930 --> 00:02:36.030
I... just... I... you know I can't go inside,

00:02:36.289 --> 00:02:39.669
right? Cedric nodded. You mean I know people

00:02:39.669 --> 00:02:43.210
can be jerks? Yeah, but you look like you'd love

00:02:43.210 --> 00:02:46.610
a sweet cappuccino. He was right. Jade smiled,

00:02:46.870 --> 00:02:50.050
trying to hide it. Cedric slowed to a stop across

00:02:50.050 --> 00:02:52.870
the street from the bakery. Wait here for a second,

00:02:52.990 --> 00:02:57.000
he asked. I promise I'll be right back. Confused,

00:02:57.000 --> 00:03:01.819
but curious, Jade nodded. Sure. Perfect. Don't

00:03:01.819 --> 00:03:05.439
go anywhere, he smiled. He turned, crossed the

00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:07.659
street with haste, and approached the bakery

00:03:07.659 --> 00:03:11.099
door. A panther barista opened the door to meet

00:03:11.099 --> 00:03:13.819
Cedric. They were holding a to -go bag and a

00:03:13.819 --> 00:03:16.659
tray of coffees, scanned something with his phone,

00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:19.800
took everything with a thank you, and dashed

00:03:19.800 --> 00:03:22.990
carefully back across the street. Jade giggled

00:03:22.990 --> 00:03:26.750
as he approached. What are you doing? Cedric

00:03:26.750 --> 00:03:29.729
smiled warmly. My lady, the bakery has come to

00:03:29.729 --> 00:03:33.629
you this morning. Follow me. Jade laughed as

00:03:33.629 --> 00:03:36.689
they walked back into the park. A lovely sight

00:03:36.689 --> 00:03:39.270
was waiting for her. A fountain in the middle

00:03:39.270 --> 00:03:42.270
of a beautiful round cobblestone walk with cozy

00:03:42.270 --> 00:03:45.310
picnic tables on the outskirts. She took a breath.

00:03:46.289 --> 00:03:50.620
You... you're such a dork and I love it. Jade

00:03:50.620 --> 00:03:54.280
yelled happily. Cedric laughed to himself. Well,

00:03:54.360 --> 00:03:56.840
a princess has coffee where she wishes, and this

00:03:56.840 --> 00:04:00.180
place seems perfect for royalty. Jade blushed.

00:04:00.199 --> 00:04:03.180
Oh, so I'm a princess now. I thought I was a

00:04:03.180 --> 00:04:06.379
superhero, she giggled. Can't you be both? He

00:04:06.379 --> 00:04:08.719
said with a smile, as he pulled out the metal

00:04:08.719 --> 00:04:12.460
picnic seat for her. My lady. Jade grinned and

00:04:12.460 --> 00:04:15.039
took a seat at the picnic table. Cedric placed

00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:17.600
the bag and coffee between them as he sat opposite

00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:20.949
to her. The warm, sweet smells were calling to

00:04:20.949 --> 00:04:24.410
Jade. He started to open the bag. Warm cinnamon

00:04:24.410 --> 00:04:27.509
muffins were waiting in their pure, fluffy perfection.

00:04:28.269 --> 00:04:31.230
Jade's ears perked up and nose started sniffing.

00:04:31.509 --> 00:04:36.730
Yes, they look perfect, right? Careful, he said.

00:04:36.930 --> 00:04:40.290
It's hot. She wrapped her paws around a cappuccino

00:04:40.290 --> 00:04:43.129
he was offering her, letting the warmth seep

00:04:43.129 --> 00:04:47.089
in. Smells amazing. Wait till you taste it, he

00:04:47.089 --> 00:04:51.149
said. Jade smiled and took a sip. Her eyes grew

00:04:51.149 --> 00:04:55.009
wide. It was a warm cookie blast of vanilla and

00:04:55.009 --> 00:04:58.290
a hint of chocolate chip. Jade's jaw dropped

00:04:58.290 --> 00:05:01.329
and she locked eyes with Cedric. Cedric burst

00:05:01.329 --> 00:05:04.629
out laughing. See, he said, knew you'd love it.

00:05:04.870 --> 00:05:08.689
How did you know? She asked in excitement. You

00:05:08.689 --> 00:05:11.629
are royalty. This coffee is fit for royalty.

00:05:11.970 --> 00:05:16.189
Perfect match. Jade's face flushed rose. You

00:05:16.189 --> 00:05:19.689
are adorable. She said naturally. Her eyes grew

00:05:19.689 --> 00:05:23.370
wide. That was flirty. He seemed fine, though.

00:05:23.529 --> 00:05:26.949
He smiled and drank his coffee. The energy between

00:05:26.949 --> 00:05:31.389
them settled. Not fireworks. Not sparks. Just

00:05:31.389 --> 00:05:36.889
warmth. Steady and real. So, Cedric said after

00:05:36.889 --> 00:05:40.209
a moment. You know I'm a designer. So what do

00:05:40.209 --> 00:05:44.480
you do? Jade perked up. I'm an author. E -books,

00:05:44.600 --> 00:05:47.480
mostly. I get to work from my apartment, writing

00:05:47.480 --> 00:05:51.779
and editing manuscripts. No way! How? I just...

00:05:51.779 --> 00:05:56.660
That's so cool! Her ears warmed. Really? I see

00:05:56.660 --> 00:05:59.800
it more as a nerd job. No, no, you get to be

00:05:59.800 --> 00:06:02.759
cozy at home with a hot drink and just... create.

00:06:03.060 --> 00:06:07.399
I do the same. Just, well, you know, art stuff.

00:06:07.740 --> 00:06:12.160
He smiled awkwardly. She laughed shyly. Was she...

00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:15.740
cool? They sat there longer than either of them

00:06:15.740 --> 00:06:18.500
expected, talking about small things that somehow

00:06:18.500 --> 00:06:22.079
felt important. Morning walks, creative blocks,

00:06:22.579 --> 00:06:27.259
cozy socks. So, he asked, how long have you been

00:06:27.259 --> 00:06:30.079
in Diamond City? Jade was stuffing her mouth

00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:33.019
with muffin and spoke to the deliciousness. Two

00:06:33.019 --> 00:06:35.699
years, she said through the fluffiness. You?

00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:39.620
she asked. Born and raised here. He smiled and

00:06:39.620 --> 00:06:41.839
held back a laugh from Jade's muffin -filled

00:06:41.839 --> 00:06:44.930
mouth. I grew up with tons of other city wolves,

00:06:45.170 --> 00:06:48.470
but with my anosmia, I never really fit in a

00:06:48.470 --> 00:06:51.689
pack. It was always kind of weird. Wolves see

00:06:51.689 --> 00:06:54.550
the world through smell, so I always felt kind

00:06:54.550 --> 00:06:59.550
of, well, blind, I guess. Jade glanced at him.

00:06:59.889 --> 00:07:04.529
A moment of silence passed. You... you see me?

00:07:05.050 --> 00:07:09.269
Jade let out. Cedric looked up at her. No one

00:07:09.269 --> 00:07:12.129
in this city sees me, and you freaking walked

00:07:12.129 --> 00:07:15.649
up to me out of nowhere just to be nice. You're

00:07:15.649 --> 00:07:20.750
not blind. You're kind. You're different. Cedric

00:07:20.750 --> 00:07:23.709
paused and cleared his throat, clearly thinking

00:07:23.709 --> 00:07:27.149
through his next words. Anyone who doesn't see

00:07:27.149 --> 00:07:29.870
you for all your beauty is missing the world.

00:07:30.389 --> 00:07:33.990
They both locked eyes. You deserve to be seen,

00:07:34.089 --> 00:07:38.980
Jade. She blinked. Your royalty. The rest of

00:07:38.980 --> 00:07:44.339
the world is just, just blind, she finished.

00:07:44.860 --> 00:07:49.399
He smiled. The muffins were finished. The coffees

00:07:49.399 --> 00:07:53.839
were done ages ago. They were just being for

00:07:53.839 --> 00:07:58.259
a moment. Hey, he said. I know this bookshop

00:07:58.259 --> 00:08:01.500
in the city that is incredible. Plus, it's super

00:08:01.500 --> 00:08:03.800
quiet so you can browse to your heart's content.

00:08:04.620 --> 00:08:07.120
Plus, I would love to have an author's professional

00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:09.720
opinion on the place. Are you free tomorrow?

00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:14.980
Say, around three? Jade didn't hesitate. Yeah,

00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:19.139
she said, smiling. I'd love that. They both stood.

00:08:19.660 --> 00:08:22.319
He gathered everything up in their to -go bag.

00:08:22.540 --> 00:08:25.540
He tossed it in a nearby trash can, and they

00:08:25.540 --> 00:08:29.060
turned to face each other. Thank you, she said,

00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:34.830
for the coffee and for seeing me. Cedric almost

00:08:34.830 --> 00:08:39.289
blushed. You're very welcome, and you make it

00:08:39.289 --> 00:08:43.490
easy. They both stood very red. See you at the

00:08:43.490 --> 00:08:47.129
bridge, three o 'clock tomorrow? Till then. As

00:08:47.129 --> 00:08:50.049
they parted ways, pastry warmth still lingering

00:08:50.049 --> 00:08:53.490
and vanilla trailing softly behind her, Jade

00:08:53.490 --> 00:08:56.470
took a breath to process a quiet, profound thought.

00:08:56.669 --> 00:09:02.730
A simple thought, but still strong. I like him.

00:09:03.710 --> 00:09:07.570
This has been Osmophobia. If you like this content,

00:09:07.850 --> 00:09:10.970
please follow for more. The story continues.