#5 times Stead tricks Prome into thinking he's eating weird stuff and 1 time he tricks Prome into eating it | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

legendaryandroid · 8 months

Text

No Accounting for Taste

Fandom: Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent Words: 827 Summary: Modern AU shenanigans between Prome, Stead, and Millard

Prome was reading in the living room when Stead walked in, carrying an open pickle jar in one hand, and stated, “I need a favor.”

Looking up from his book, Prome raised his eyebrows and asked, “And what is this favor?”

“Well first of all,” Stead said, delicately swirling the liquid in the pickle jar like it was some fine wine, “I need you to not tell Millard.”

“That sounds like a favor I should not grant,” Prome admitted.

Stead hummed, taking a sip from the jar in his hand, “Okay, but I promise I’ll make it worth your while. You see-”

Prome lost track of what Stead was saying, his focus instead narrowing in on the pickle jar, the slightest hint of nausea in the back of his throat, “Did you really drink that?”

Pausing, Stead looked at the jar in his hand, then at Prome, then a slow smirk curled its way across his face. “Of course, why let it go to waste?”

Revulsion rocketed through Prome, and he stared at Stead in bewilderment, he opened up his mouth to argue, but he was cut short by Millard appearing, looming up behind Stead and asking, “Did I hear someone say my name?”

Stead’s eyes went wide for a moment, but he quickly put on a casual smile as he turned around, “Millard! You must’ve misheard, we haven’t mentioned you at all. Right Prome?” Stead asked, glancing over at Prome.

He didn’t answer, simply staring in disbelief and a little disgust as Stead took another drink of the pickle juice.

Millard didn’t notice, brightening up in interest as Stead drank, “Oh! May I have some?”

Stead raised an eyebrow, “You want a drink…” he lifted up the jar, “Of this?”

“Yes please.”

“Be me guest,” Stead said with an amused shrug, handing the jar to Millard while the corner of his eye flicked to Prome.

Who could only watch as horror as Millard happily swallowed a mouthful of brine. The only conciliation Prome had that Millard had not gone fully insane was that Millard frowned in distaste after drinking it.

“This isn’t pickle juice,” Millard said, “Why are you drinking gatorade out of a pickle jar?”

Scratch that, there was no conciliation in this. Had he been transported to another universe? Why did Millard sound so disappointed that he wasn’t drinking pickle juice?

“Hold on,” Stead said in surprise, “You honestly wanted to drink pickle juice?” “Yes?” Millard answered in confusion, tilting his head to the side, “I like it as a treat, though it’s been awhile since I’ve had some. Not since I was a kid, I think.”

Stead stared at Millard like he had grown a second head, “Pickle juice is a treat?”

Millard frowned, “Sometimes you crave salt, and pickle juice is a yummy way to get it. Plus, it’s good for you.”

Stead’s surprise faded, replaced with amusement as he teased, “Why not just eat the pickle?”

“It’s not the same,” Millard stated, “It doesn’t satisfy in the same way.”

Prome felt lightheaded, feeling far away as he asked faintly, “Are you certain you do not have some nutrition deficiency that has you craving pickle juice?”

“No,” Millard denied, oddly fierce, “My Mom had me tested for such things, and nothing came up.”

Crossing his arms with a smirk, Stead quipped, “Did your Mom get you tested because you kept drinking pickle juice?”

Millard’s shoulders came up to his ears, gaze glancing down and away from Stead as he replied, “... I don’t have to answer that.”

Stead’s delight was palpable as he exclaimed, “She did!”

“I didn’t say anything of the sort,” Millard muttered, backing out of the room, Stead’s jar of gatorade still in hand. “You can’t prove anything,” Millard continued, disappearing around a corner and into the kitchen, "I am leaving this conversation. Goodbye."

“I’ll just call your Mom later and ask her!” Stead called after him, to which there was no response.

There was a beat of silence.

Then Stead turned.

Stepping quickly up to Prome, he said in an almost urgent tone of voice,

“So about that favor you owe me.”

“Owe you,” Prome repeated, not quite comprehending.

“Yes,” Stead said, “I need you to-”

Millard’s voice cut through the house, incredulous and indignant, “Stead, what did you do to all of the glasses!?”

“Oops, nevermind. Too late,” Stead said with a shrug. “See ya later Prome,” and with a smirk and two fingered wave, Stead strode past Prome and out the backdoor.

Prome watched him go for a moment, but then sighed as he returned to his reading, the sounds of Millard’s yells as he chased Stead around the yard and Stead’s chuckles as he evaded Millard wafting around him as he did.

#octopath traveler: champions of the continent #octopath cotc #millard cotc #prome cotc #stead cotc #this was gonna be a 5+1 #5 times Stead tricks Prome into thinking he's eating weird stuff and 1 time he tricks Prome into eating it #butttt #motivation ran out #i write sometimes

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