Blossom

Camilla sighed, the sharp tip of her armored hand tapping against the table she sat beside.

Laegjarn and Gunnthra sat with her, the three all sharing displeased expressions.

From their seating, they had a very nice view of the garden, out in which the dear prince Alfonse and their favorite summoner, Alice.

Alice had been taking a break outside, and when Alfonse had noticed her during a walk, he had asked to sit with her.

Unfortunately, it had been nearly an hour and the two had yet to say barely a thing to each other as of yet. Even worse, despite the rather small size of the stone bench, they both were trying their best to sit upon the edges, not touching in the slightest.

One need not see their expressions to know that both were internally panicking. Young love could be so difficult.

Alice went to speak, but the prince, in near unison, began to as well.

Both stopped, flustered once more.

As they both started to apologize, they once again stopped.

Silence returned, an even more awkward companion than before.

Alice was ready to flee, but if she did Alfonse may mistake that as a sign of dislike for him, but if she stayed he may grow to dislike her, but if shelefthemightdislikeherbutifshe-

The rapid running of her thoughts stopped in their circular tracks as she realized that Alfonse was staring at her, his gaze focused and narrowed.

His hand reached out, slow and within her vision to give her time to reject his touch, but leaned forward the smallest bit, all too eager for her fantasies to possibly come true.

His hand neared her face, only to move past it in favor of touching her hair.

When he moved back, he had a dying and cracked leaf between two fingers.

“There we go.”

He leaned over and gently placed it upon the ground before standing up.

Alice watched with confusion and a still rather quickly beating heart as he went to a nearby cherry blossom tree. He seemed to look for a few moments before reaching out and taking a still bright flower that had detached but had been cradled by branches.

He returned to Alice’s side, sitting closer than before.

He was turned to her, his expression still serious as he ever so carefully placed the thin twig end of the flower above her ear. His hand stayed near, the tips of his fingers just barely brushing against her skin as he smiled.

“That’s better. A flower suits you far more.”

It took a few moments more of Alice’s shocked expression and his not so subtly adoring gaze as well as near cavity inducing sweet smile before he froze.

It was as if all his energy had stored up in that freezing, as he then suddenly fell back, his head landing in a hibiscus bush as he stuttered and released other flustered and garbled sounds.

She quickly moved over in concern, but as he sat up, she couldn’t help smiling.

“Flowers suit you too,” she said, looking over the soft and pretty petals and flowers scattered in his hair and on his shoulders.

At the sight of her amusement, he soon smiled once more. He stood and bowed to her, a few petals raining down.

“Then it seems we both suit this garden.”

Both thought to themselves, maybe we suit each other.

She moved back as he sat down once more, both no longer on the edges. When his hand moved over hers, she said nothing, but grew flushed.

In the distance, there was celebratory shouting, and they looked back in time to see movement in a castle window.

They eventually looked forward once more, marveling at the beauty of the day and the gentle touch of the other.