#{;askreplied;}

Why does he feel so embarrassed about even approaching this? Just stare into her pretty eyes and be honest here! "So! We've been truly defeating that rent by now, yeah? Don't you think like-- I dunno, that deserves a nice fresh PS5 to appear in the house? I'm sure the plants would love energy it could bring in!"

✿ --; Eyes cast down at the hand on her shoulder, her eyebrows raised with question. Grimacing at the clammy feeling that his sweaty palm transferred to her skin, her teal hues flicker up to meet his pleading gaze.

Why did he look so nervous?

Frowning at the thought of him trying to bail out on rent for next month, she was prepared to give him a good scolding, only to be surprised when he asked about a gaming console for the apartment.

"Hmmmmm...."

She appeared to be thinking about it, eyes raising to the ceiling for a moment before finally letting her gaze fall back on him.

"I don't know. Do you have PS5 money?"

✿*ﾟ‘ﾟ･-- Of course she would be alright with it! In the end, that's still her brother and she would want what was best for him. If being his true self made him happy, then she would encourage him. Just like he always encourages her to do her best and never hold back from the things she wants to do with her life. Such as approaching the Player, and making new friends.

♫♪Insane in the membrane! Insane in the brain! Crazy insane, got no brain!♪♫

Bobbing his back and forth to the rhythm and beat, mouthing obscure lyrics as callous hands trim a couple leaves off a particular plant with a streak of misfortune. Sasaki had been in his own little world, vibing with no care in the world… that was until the sound of an angry customer yelling at Strelitzia caught his attention.

Pursing his lips into a frown, Sasaki walks over to the blinds, slightly peaking, viewing the scene from behind Strelly Jelly. It wasn't until the customer's eyes met with his own. They stand frozen as Sasaki's sharp, murderous intent within mutated hues of now glowing gold in sea blues threaten them… with a "good time."

Like a shift in the winds, there's a quick apology from the customer, insisting the order was right along and it was their mistake. By the time Strelly looks over her shoulder, the shutters are entirely close, where she'll find Sasaki tending to the flowers. He turns to face her, smiling that signature goofy grin.

"Heya! You? Thought I heard some commotion goin' on out there?"

As if nothing had happened. At all.

✿*ﾟ‘ﾟ･ The one thing she hated about customer service was... Well, the customers. Most were great. They came in looking for flowers for their partners, corsages to pin on suits for dances and parties, and businesses sought out her intricate bouquets for decorations. They came in with great moods, the flowery smells wafting off the plants were known to put many in a relaxing state, and the array of vibrant colors made people blissful. Of course, some partners came stumbling into her shop, panicked and desperate to get any flower that could possibly get their upset lover to forgive them. Luckily for them, Strelitzia had become a pro at using the language of flowers to pick out something beautiful. They always came back grateful.

Except today.

Strelitzia had been busy preening a small rose bush, humming along to the rather particular song Sasaki was playing when a man came stomping into her shop, demanding a refund because his girlfriend didn't like the flowers he chose. He practically threw them at her, making her wince. She remembered this customer. She had tried to help him pick out something else, knowing that a girl wasn't particularly impressed at the idea of venus fly traps in their bouquet of carnations; the least loved flower by women, but the man was determined to believe that they were 'cool and useful'. Now he was putting all the blame on her, and Strelitzia hunched her shoulders and cowered as the customer laid every insult he could think of on her.

"I-I'm sorry, sir. I can remake it, o-or..." She whimpered, eyes shut tight. She loved her flower shop like it was a second home; a place she felt comfortable and safe in, but when customers were as rude as this man, it made it difficult to come into work some days. But luckily, as fast as the man had been spouting curses, he paused and froze up. Like he'd seen the outcome of his sins for himself through hell's fire, he immediately apologized, saying he'd keep the flowers. Then ran out of the shop faster than Strelitzia could stop him or question it without looking back. "Oh." She blinked, confused as the ringing bell hanging from the door of her shop indicated his departure. Never had she seen something like that before. He seemed genuinely frightened by whatever it was that had been directly behind her. She turned to look over her shoulder, wondering what he'd seen that had spooked him. Instead, she found Sasaki, her happy-go-lucky part timer tending to the flowers. She blinked again.

"Uhm, well, there was a customer who was mad, but he just left and..." She trailed off, brows furrowing.

✿*ﾟ‘ﾟ･ --- OOC;

'I rewind to a time when I could do anything and pay any price. And I need time cause' I'm starting to think that the promises aren't worth the sacrifice… It's been so long, and I don't feel the same. Forgive me, Little Flower... Even the most beautiful floral exhaling life out in the fields is painted crimson when violence is present. I'm sorry...'

"Are you alright?"

A singular, massive clawed hand, more immense than the petite girl's head, reaches forth. Using the backside of his vantablack fingers and knuckles to gently brush away the red elixir blots that stained her face and beautiful white dress, the visage caused the Dark Beast's heart to ache. She was so frightened and with great reasoning. Shadow could not fault her… After all, a creature of Darkness would be the last thing to be considered a savior. However, it was between her and those lecherous wolves in human flesh, and Shadow chose to be the more significant deadlier predator.

✿*ﾟ‘ﾟ･ She had believed that this was the end. She had believed she would leave this world cold and alone without someone to give her goodbyes to -- to give her woes and regrets to. But as fast as the world around her went black, she opened her eyes again, finding herself in the arms of some... Creature. A creature that resembled the heartless she was told to protect herself from. He was massive, stunting her considerably in size. His fangs alone could snap her neck in half, decapitating her with the strength of his jaw alone. She audibly gasped, eyes widening at such a horrid display. His hues were as golden as her attacker's had been, yet-- there was something else there as they glowed with benevolence. Like she truly was looking at the sun instead of cold emptiness of faux zeal. She was in awe of him as much as she was frightened. She openly gawked, forgetting that she was supposed to feel pain or fatigue from being strike down, but it never came. The remnants of an empty potion bottle laid at her side, indicative that this creature had just saved her life. But, why?

✿*ﾟ‘ﾟ･ -- She couldn't believe it. The boy that took her life from her was standing before her now, that disgusting cocky grin on his face and those piercing eyes as gold as the sun bearing into her soul. Into her heart. But they weren't eyes of the sun; warm and inviting like the verve of contentment on your skin. No, they were cold and incisive, chilling her to the bone. The darkness swirling around him was not to be trusted, and though she wanted to run away, wanted to escape him and never see those eyes again, she was glued to the spot, frightened to make a sudden move for fear of backlash.

✪ ω ✪!!!!

{✿*ﾟ‘ﾟ･ --- OOC; I love the idea of Strelrena! Still hoping to find someone who rps a good Larxene/Elrena who would be open to diving deeper into their relationship someday. I like to imagine that Elrena would be very protective of Strelitzia, and goes through this journey of realizing that she's starting to see Strelly as more than just a little sister, but finds herself having a constant inner battle about it, especially when she learns about Strelly's crush on the Player. Even more so, because Lauriam is so protective of his little sister too, and Elrena is worried about upsetting him and damaging the comfortable relationship they all have together. A lot of angst and jealousy could be involved ( •̀ ω •́ )✧ Especially after Strelitzia disappears, too.

Then there would be Strelly who would be naïve to Elrena's feelings; thinking that Elrena actually has the crush on Lauriam the entire time.

I could go on and on about my thoughts on the ship lol, but I shall leave it here.

Pure evil.

{✿*ﾟ‘ﾟ･ --;

She could feel her heart hammering in her ears, her chest tightening at the sight of the man before her. She knew that face all too well, and those eyes that regarded her with little concern. It was the last face she saw before waking up in Quadratum, the place that had become her purgatory.

She took a step back, her breath caught in her throat. Her hands balled in fists at her sides, clutching the fabric of her dress in a feigned attempt to keep herself grounded. This time, she could see him clear as day, his silhouette no longer shrouded by the safety of darkness.

Those eyes... God, those eyes... How could she ever forget?

Then something happened next that she would have never expected. He knocked over one of her plants, clearly attempting to get a rise out of her. Her eyes widened in shock and dismay.

It worked flawlessly.

"HAROOOLLDD!" She cried out, arms reaching to catch the plant, but it was too late. It descended to the floor and crashed into pieces, the sound of its impact far louder than its initial frequency. Some of the leaves broke off, and shards of pottery littered the floor of her shop. "Not again!!" She whined, falling to her knees to try and salvage the plant she had repotted after a certain boy had the audacity to touch what he shouldn't have; causing injury to her poor succulent.