#cabnw fluff

You walked through the door of your apartment after a long week away, the familiar scent of home filling your senses. Everything was just as you remembered it—until you got to the corner by the window, where your beloved fake plant sat. The plant that you were *very* certain didn’t need any water at all.

Your eyes narrowed as you took in the scene. There it was, sitting upright as always, perfectly placed in its pot. But next to it, you noticed something unusual: a small watering can, now half-filled with water, resting on the windowsill. You couldn't help but laugh.

You shook your head, already imagining what happened. "Joaquin," you called, loud enough for him to hear from the living room.

Joaquin looked up from his seat on the couch, his face splitting into a nervous smile. "Hey, you’re back!"

You walked over to the plant, poking at the leaves gently. "So, you *did* water it. The fake plant. Why?"

Joaquin stood up, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, I didn't want to disappoint you," he said with a crooked grin. "I thought maybe you’d be sad if you came home to a dry plant, you know? Figured I'd take care of it the best I could."

You stared at him, trying to suppress a smile. "It’s fake, Joaquin. It doesn’t need water. Ever."

He raised both hands in mock surrender, his grin growing wider. "Look, I wasn’t sure, alright? I mean, what if it was secretly a *real* plant and I missed my chance to keep it alive? That would’ve been awkward."

You laughed outright now, shaking your head. "Joaquin, you water *real* plants. Not the ones that are basically plastic and fabric."

He stepped closer, shrugging exaggeratedly. "Well, I just didn’t want it to feel neglected! It was in the corner all by itself, so I figured a little splash of water wouldn’t hurt." His voice dropped slightly, teasingly. "Better safe than sorry, right?"

You couldn’t hold back your grin anymore. "You really went all in on this one, huh? I can’t believe you thought a *fake* plant needed watering." You walked over to the kitchen and grabbed the small watering can from the windowsill, lifting it for emphasis. "What, were you planning to drown it or something?"

Joaquin’s face flushed a little, but he couldn’t help the light chuckle that slipped out. "I mean, I guess I was prepared for any situation," he said, leaning against the counter. "Better to overdo it than underdo it, right?"

You leaned against the counter, eyes still glinting with amusement. "You’re lucky you're adorable, Joaquin."

His grin softened, and he stepped toward you, pulling you into a hug. "I tried, okay? I just wanted to make sure you didn’t come home to a mess. And, you know... I kinda missed you."

You smiled up at him, wrapping your arms around his neck. "Next time, I’ll take care of the plants. You can handle the other stuff—like, I don’t know, maybe the actual *house-sitting* duties?"

He chuckled softly, kissing your forehead. "Deal. No more watering fake plants, I promise."