| Batrachotoxin |
| Pairing: ArthurTv x Reader
| Summary: Arthur wasn’t expecting to bump into the literal love of his life at the National History Museum, but there she was.
| Warnings: None, just two awkward souls finding love x
| Notes: Hi guys, hope you’re going well! I apologise that I haven’t been active, i’ve been superrr busy with work. Hope you enjoy! x
✎ lxvchrismd writing below ✎
But then she appeared. Y/H/C hair slightly wind-mussed, a Save the Axolotls tote bag hanging off one shoulder, and her face utterly lit up as she observed the Poison Dart frog exhibit.
Her Y/E/C eyes were wide behind round glasses, and she was muttering facts under her breath. Very softly, but Arthur had exceptional hearing when it came to frog-related information.
“They secrete batrachotoxin through their skin… mad.” Arthur froze. Then immediately panicked. Say something, you idiot. “They don’t technically produce the toxin themselves. It’s from their diet. You know. Ants. Mites. Delicious stuff.”
Y/N blinked and turned. Arthur nearly combusted on the spot. She had dimples. DIMPLES.
“Really?” she said, smiling “That’s mad. I thought they just… made it. Like a weird little skin oven.” Arthur laughed. Maybe a little too loudly. He pushed his glasses up and nodded. “No, yeah. They’re like… toxin middlemen.”
Y/N giggled. And Arthur’s brain did something embarrassing like shut down. “Wait, are those frog socks?” she asked, pointing down. “That’s brilliant.” Arthur looked down like he had forgotten his legs existed. “Oh. Uh. Yes. These are… Er. They were a gift. From my nan.”
Her eyes lit up. “I love that. Nans are the best.” “Yours into frogs too?” “She’s more of a tortoise woman, to be honest.”
They both laughed. It was awkward. Like, very awkward. But also… not bad. Kind of the lovely, melting sort of awkward. Like warm custard in your ribs.
They wandered together to the next exhibit. Something about jellyfish and bioluminescence. Y/N gasped when one pulsed a soft pink.
“Isn’t that just… romantic?” she said softly, eyes wide.
Arthur nearly tripped over a bench. Romantic??? She thought jellyfish were romantic??? He might die. Right here. In front of the cnidarians.
“Very. Like, the… the underwater candlelight of the sea,” he blurted. She turned to look at him, amused. “That was… poetic.” “Accidentally,” he muttered.
They kept walking, brushing shoulders every so often and pretending not to notice. Arthur’s cheeks were permanently red now. Y/N twirled a strand of her hair around her finger, eyes flitting to him then away every few seconds.
They made it to the fossil wing. She gasped again, this time dragging him by the sleeve toward a model of a Microraptor.
“Look! They had feathers! Like actual feathers! Isn’t that mad?”
“I’d let one nest in my hair, honestly,” Arthur said, without thinking.
Y/N blinked at him. “I mean… not literally. I just meant- they’re cool. The raptors. Not nesting. Unless you like nesting. In which case-“ “I do like nesting,” she said, lips twitching. Arthur’s eyes widened. “Right. Great. Same.”
Y/N smiled, shifting a little closer. “You’re very awkward, aren’t you?” Arthur opened his mouth, then closed it again. “Unapologetically.” “like that.”
“Really?” She nodded. “Yeah. It’s sweet. Like… melting chocolate sweet.” Arthur’s heart did something dangerous. “Like... 70% cacao or… like, Milkybar?”
She bit her lip to hide a grin. “Definitely Milkybar.” He felt like his ears were on fire. “You know… this might be weird. Or premature. But would you maybe want to… go to the gift shop together?” Y/N blinked. “That’s the cutest sentence anyone’s ever said to me.” “Really?” She nodded, eyes soft. “I’d love that.”
They stood there for a second. The museum buzzed around them. tourists, kids, tour guides explaining dinosaur poop. but for a moment, it was quiet. Just the two of them. Two awkward science nerds, hearts gently melting like caramel on a warm plate.
Y/N bumped his shoulder. “Come on then, frog boy. Let’s find you a tortoise keyring.”
Arthur grinned. “Only if I can buy you a plush Microraptor.” “Deal.”
