Yeah, you got it!

[Sora follows through the door and carefully puts down his garden pot. He's being so careful. Super careful. He cannot mess this up! ... He sets it down and ... done!!]

Phew, that's a lot of hard work, too. I'm glad we did it! Do you need help with anything else?

[He's here!]

Uhm -- thank you, but... y-you've already done a lot...

( He still needed to make sure that the plants that were taken outside were taken care of, but he's sure that Sora needs to start getting home. )

School's already been out for a while.

[Sora smiles warmly and rubs the back of his head.]

Yeah, that's true. But it's not like I have anything better to do.

[Today was going to be a pretty boring day anyway. This has been way better.]

If I'm gonna join the club I better keep helping. Right?

[Now Sora's going to join the club, no cap?]

( Sora smiles warmly, and Basil feels the way his cheeks heat up a bit before he looks back to the flowers. It hard to really say no to him when he's smiling like that...

He offers his own smile, albeit a bit shy. )

That's true... T-Then, I can start teaching you now, huh? Are there any flowers here you want to know about in particular?

[And just like that, Sora perks up even more.]

Yeah! Hm. How about...

[Now he has to make a really important decision. What to ask Basil about...]

How about you tell me how to care for your favourite kinds of flowers? Are you growing them here?

( Besides a sunflower? Basil pauses to think about it for a moment. )

Ah, I have a few favorites... The ones that are growing right now that I really like are white tulips. They take a while to bloom, but they're flowers that aren't too flashy. They have a feeling that's comfortable and modest.

( It's a little sad when he thinks about why he likes them so much now, but they've always reminded him of someone so important to him. )

It'll take a few months for them to fully grow, m-maybe you can see them when they do.

I wonder if there's one that we could find that you'd really like, too.

Edited 2024-11-24 03:38 am (UTC)

Oh! Tulips! I think I know a little about tulips! Don't they grow back every year? What are those called, again?

[Perennials! Not that Sora would ever remember a big word like that but he's trying to show off that he knows a little about flowers too. If only to make Basil smile (and maybe impress him just a little).]

I'd love to see them pop up and bloom, even if it takes a few months! Tulips seem really super nice.

[Sora smiles gently.]

Oh, you mean prennials? After what you told me, that's pretty impressive that you know that...

( He offers his own smile then, though his cheeks feel a bit hot when he speaks again as he looks away from Sora. )

Then... I can show you how to care for them, and then when the time comes -- we'll both see them bloom together.

I only remember that because I think Kairi mentioned that she likes tulips once before, too.

[He can remember the most random things sometimes. But in this case, it helped! He's clueless about the rest. He really likes Basil's smile, though. He's pretty.]

Heh, okay. I'd really like that! It's a promise! We'll see them bloom together.

... That sounds really nice. Uhm...

( He hesitates, turning his gaze towards the flowers again. )

It's... been a really long time since I had something to look forward to.

[Sora's expression softens a little because Basil just said something so cute. But it also sounds a little sad.

He reaches out to toy with a flower's petals gently. But he's careful not to break them off.]

I'm looking forward to it too! It'll be fun, right? [He smiles at the other boy.] Maybe we can hang out a lot even after the flowers are done blooming.

[Friends?? Friends????]

( He wants to agree, but then he makes the suggestion to spend more time together, and Basil feels taken aback.

He's so used to be avoided, pushed around by his other peers. It's a bit difficult for him to believe that someone he only just met would want to spend time with him. In the past, it would've been easier for him to accept.

His eyes dart away shyly. )

You... want to spend more time together than this? R-Really?

[Sora nods gently.]

Yeah, for sure! I'd really like that a lot, Basil.

[He never deeply noticed that people had avoided Basil before. But now that he's had a chance to talk with the other boy, he would never understand why anyone would avoid him.

Luckily, Sora will now die for Basil.]

Let's be really good friends, okay?

( Really good friends...

The idea of it makes his heart stop for a moment, stomach sinking in both dread and anticipation at the idea. Basil isn't someone who deserves friends. He misses the idea of it, but after what he's done...

He looks to the flowers for a moment, and he hopes that his anxiety isn't showing up on his face. )

Y... Yeah- uhm...

Are you ready to go...?

[Sora is usually an air-headed, oblivious boy. He's not often he picks up on the serious stuff. But Sora does have a knack for picking up on emotions rather than oblivious things. So, he might notice the slight hesitation in Basil's voice.]

Yeah, let's pack up and head out!

[...]

But, are you okay, Basil?

( Oh, no... He had said something to worry him, hadn't he? He quickly shakes his head. The last thing he wants is for anyone to try to comfort him at this point. But... that's only because he has too much to hide. )

I-I'm okay... ( He's lying. ) Uhm... I'm just a little tired. That was a lot of heavy lifting...

Oh, yeah. I guess this was a lot of hard work, huh?

[Sora hums.]

Want me to walk you home?

( He can't help but visibly relax then. He's glad for a change in topic, and while that was kind of him to offer-- )

Thanks, but.. I should be the one offering to walk you home after how you've helped me.

( His home might be a bit out of Sora's way, anyways... )

Haha, don't worry! I don't mind walking you! Maybe next time you can walk me home, how about that?

[They can just take turns walking each other home! It makes perfect sense in Sora's head. Let him walk Basil home...!!]

( For a moment, Basil looks surprised before he smiles a bit nervously. )

Hahah... Alright.

( He can see why Sora's so popular. He has such a bright demeanor... It's something Basil always wished for for himself. )

Though, I bet you have a lot of people who usually want to walk with you, too. You're someone really well liked here...

[Sora chuckles in return.]

I guess so, Riku and Kairi sometimes tease me about the same sort of thing. Saying that I'd walk home with someone from the yazuka if they asked me.

[He stretches his arms over his head after his laugh.]

But I like making friends, I think that's it.

( It's a mutual feeling, if anything, Basil has always liked making friends, but it's always been difficult for him. It wasn't until later on that Basil truly withdrew from the idea of making new friends. )

Hahah, it's important to be careful, but...

I-I understand. I've always really liked making friends, too. It comes a lot easier for some people, though. It's nice.

[He nods lightly.]

I guess so! Maybe it's pretty easy for me.

[It's totally easy for Sora. He's a friend magnet.]

But you're really nice too, Basil. I like talking to you and I think there's a lot about you I don't know about yet! So, maybe you're better at making friends then you think, huh?

[Be friends with him!!]

That's-- I... I don't know...

( He feels a little tense then, fingers fidgeting in front of him as he avoids Sora's gaze. It's better if no one really gets to know him at this point... )

There's nothing really all that interesting about me.... B-But, uhm-- I'd like to know more about you.