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It had started one simple night, on yet another walk past Ramshackle dorm to look at the otherworldly human. They had rare talks, one that had given him pause and thought, ones that meant the world to him.
As he approached the once abandoned dorm, ready to mysteriously brood until Yuu stepped outside and decided to talk, but this time… This time he stopped. The sound of crying came from within the mansion. Malleus sidled along the wall and glanced through the windows as he followed the sound, before he finally saw Yuu sitting in the main room of Ramshackle, sobbing into a pillow as they laid on the couch.
“I’m sorry, Yuu…” Grim said. The bratty cat was strangely sympathetic considering what Malleus had seen of him. “I really wish I could help!”
“I-It’s fine…” Yuu said as they turned their head to breathe and talk to Grim. “I hate that I… I’m happy in this world. I just… Sometimes the homesickness hits and I… I’m sorry.”
“What’re ya apologizing for?” Grim said, his paws rubbing Yuu’s back. “Home’s far away! You can be homesick!”
Malleus pulled away at that point. It was not his place to listen to this sadness, nor was it his place to interrupt. But there was one thing he could do…
“Yuu-kun, you’re looking really cute today!” Cater’s voice rang out as he spotted Yuu as everyone walked between classes. Yuu blushed at the comment, surprised as it came out of nowhere.
“Thank you! That’s, uh, out of nowhere,” they said in surprise and filled with their hair. “What made you say that?”
“I just saw that flower in your hair, it’s really pretty!” Cater pointed at the accessory tucked into her hair, a red-orange zinnia.
“Thanks. Someone left it at Ramshackle last night and it was so pretty, I thought I’d wear it,” Yuu said with a smile.
“A gift, huh?” Cater asked, more confused now than giddy. “Zinnias are a weird gift. In flower language they have to do with separation. Like, as consolation for a long lost friend or a gift from a long distance lover.”
“A consolation for long lost friends, huh?” Yuu whispered to themselves. “That… actually narrows down who sent this. Thank you Cater.”
“No problem!” Cater gave a thumbs up and smiled. “Cay Cay has your back!”
With that the two left, and a pair of green eyes watched with jealousy from a distance.
Knock knock knock
Yuu looked up at the door, surprised by the late night visitor. Though considering the time of night, the lack of a text, and the gift from the other day, they could guess just who it was.
They rolled their way out of their awkward sitting position on the couch and walked over to the door, ready to say hello to their secret admirer. Even if their secret admirer was hiding in the woods somewhere.
They stepped outside and looked around. Wherever he was, their friend wasn’t letting himself be known. The only hint out here was the flower on the doorstep: a yellow rose. Another gift, another message.
They reached down, took the rose in hand, and examined it. A smile crossed their lips, the happiness of the gift filling them with warmth.
“Thank you for the gift, Hornton.” They held it up. “And thank you for the zinnia!” With that, they turned around and headed back inside, ready to research in the flower language book they had borrowed from the library.
From Malleus’ perspective, it was about three minutes before Yuu ran back outside in a huff.
“Jealousy? Jealousy!” They shouted. “You know Cater and I aren’t dating or anything right? He’s friendly to everyone! God!” They turned around and slammed the door shut as they ran back inside.
“Jealousy! Tsk…” Their voice could be heard, even through the shut door.
It had been a search, a real challenge to properly make a bouquet to say just what he wanted. To apologize for his insult, his indiscretion. But now, a few days after his last gift, he walked up the path towards Ramshackle, bouquet in hand, ready to leave his gift and watch from a distance as he had done before.
At least that was until the door opened before he could even kneel down to leave the flowers.
Yuu stood before him, a smirk on their face. While Malleus didn’t have the most normal upbringing, for him it felt like being a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar.
“I knew it was you,” Yuu said. Malleus merely nodded.
“What did you bring this time?”
“Hm…” Malleus looked at the bouquet in his hands, “An apology gift.”
“Oh?”
“Pine sprigs, Allium, and Bluebell stand for humility.” Malleus motioned to the different flowers, the small twigs of pine, the purple spheres of Allium, and the dangling blue-violet of the bluebells.
“That’s not all?”
“Well, bluebells also represent everlasting love. Gardenia represents secret love, and heliotrope stands for devotion.”
“I suppose the gardenia isn’t really relevant anymore, is it?”
“I suppose not.”
Silence filled the space between them as Malleus looked at Yuu and Yuu looked at the bouquet.
“Would you like to come inside?”
“I would.”
Yuu stepped aside from the door, and Malleus followed after, giving the two a moment of privacy, to use words instead of beautiful flora.