Kiro

Kiro looks up from the petunias he was watering with a smile. Ms. Ki. I didn't mean to offend.

Sarcasm drips from Kiro's voice but to the untrained eye, the words are honeyed sweet in dulcet tones. The loud thud of the heavy watering can echoes through the small flower shop.

"If one is not careful, these flowers darken to shroud the receiver with anger and resentment."

Kiro's smile shifts into a smirk.

"We grow our petunias in an environment free from negativity to ensure maximum relaxation. Just ask our customers. "

With one swift motion, Kiro picks up a pair of pruning shears and picks a petunia. He brings it up to his nose and breathes in deeply.

"Changyung-hyung takes some from the shop and scatters petals all over our bed- can you blame me for going all out with him?"

A dangerous glint shines in Kiro's eyes, the sharpness of the shears fueling his primal desire for blood.

"Oh wait, my apologies Ms. Halloran. He hasn't given you his last name- that's right."

Kiro breathes heavily as he brings the shears to his collar and exposes his neck.

His usual porcelain skin is littered with black and purple bite marks.Two prominent hand prints mark both sides of his jaw as Kiro looks with a cocky smirk.

"...not my fault he likes to show me off."

[and that class is why you don't challenge a writer ;)]

A flower only blooms once- its beauty also limited.

I've slowly come around to appreciate the philosophical approach towards botany after working with Jeremiah for some time now.

He always brought up the mood no matter how dark the topic would become. Especially when I butt heads with a certain hunter.

Each customer was treated like family. Especially that one girl who visits every fortnight.

Her heterochromia was hard to miss and she always had this air of mystery to her that just makes you want to get to know her more.

"My Flower" just sticks in your memory as the nickname Jeremiah gave her. A lot easier than Dolasach.

She would bring out the brightest smile I've seen on Jeremiah's face and I would be left tending to the shop while they talked. If I didn't know better, there definitely was something there.

..and then it just stopped.

Jeremiah nowadays had this pensive expression on his face. i was expecting a look annoyance- at the very least indifference. I didn't want to pry further but it looked like he was conflicted.

"...what's wrong?" I began.

Jeremiah ignores me and goes to rummage something from the back and comes out with a handful of lowers. The petals had started to droop from being in the bag but he quickly places them in the water of our viewing pool.

We never carried flowers with such a bright shade of pink that I couldn't help but watch them in the water. Jeremiah kept his hand under them and bobs them up and down the surface.

I approach him gently from behind, unsure if I can be of help.

"Kiro...what would you do if Xavier finds her majesty?"

I was taken aback- that person was someone I'm not ready to confront.

"Would you...go up against someone with royal blood?"

If it weren't for the fact of his kindness, I would have already reacted very differently.

"I'd win naturally. But, this isnt about me isn't it?"

Jeremiah laughs nervously, not letting down his guard.

"And yet I feel so powerless. I'm but a wandering comet against such a force of nature as the sea."

In a rare bout of sadness, I see my friend start to cry.

I gently pull his hands out of the water and sit beside him. Whatever happened between him and his flower is beyond me but I can't look past such a raw display of emotion. The flowers slowly float away from us as if it had a mind of its own.

"These flowers...from Uluru...are so beautiful. They never bloom in the same shade each year and are my favorite" Jeremiah began.

I gripped onto his hands tighter as I waited for him to continue.

" They grow in bundles on lakes in higher elevations. On a clear night, they dance around the reflection of the stars as if they were tying to reach for them"