The Meaning of Flowers (Erika+Sabrina, for baticeer)
Title: The Meaning of Flowers
Rating: G
Verse: Games, Generation I
Characters: Erika, Sabrina
Summary: Flowers are simple; emotions are complicated. Written for baticeer.
The perfume of a thousand flowers hung heavy in the air, and Erika stood in the center, her eyes closed, breathing it in. She stretched her arms behind her back and stood up on her toes. The familiar fragrances surrounding her gave her such a feeling of comfort, of home, that she nearly lost herself every time she came to visit the flower shop. She owed a great debt to the flower shop’s owner, for more or less letting Erika run wild through the shop every week.
“There you are.” A low, melodious voice drifted to Erika from the front of the shop. Opening her eyes, she saw a young woman walking toward her, her long dark hair trailing behind her like a cape.
“Sabrina,” Erika cooed, a smile breaking across her face. “What a pleasant surprise!”
“I went to the gym looking for you,” Sabrina said, “and when you weren’t there, one of your trainers said to check the flower shop.”
“I do usually split my time between the gym and here,” Erika giggled. Looking at the gym leader before her, Erika’s mind drifted. Sabrina had been looking for her…what could she want? It must have been important, for her to make the trip all the way from Saffron. She couldn’t possibly have come just to talk, although that would be nice…they hadn’t seen each other in a while, and there was a lot to catch up on. Goodness, she looked beautiful in that outfit. Here, surrounded by flowers of all kinds, she looked even more elegant.
“Don’t think about weird stuff,” Sabrina said with a sly smile.
Erika remembered with a start that she was, in fact, in the presence of a psychic. She waved a hand in front of her face, as if to dissipate the thoughts floating from her head. She decided to change the subject, rather than embarrass herself further. “Have you ever thought about cutting your hair?”
“What?” Sabrina asked, a hand flying reflexively to touch the back of her head. “Why?”
“Oh, your hair is beautiful, but don't you think it would look nice shorter?” Erika stepped closer; she was now only inches away. She reached out to touch the ends of Sabrina's long hair. “I think it would look good with some layers...”
“No, no, no,” Sabrina said, lightly batting Erika's hand away. “I know what you're doing. You're not giving me a makeover.”
“Fine, fine,” Erika sighed, shrugging her shoulders. “So, what brings you to Celadon?”
“I…I just wanted to see you,” Sabrina mumbled. The note of confidence that usually rang through her voice was gone. Erika smiled. She was a bit cute when she was nervous.
“Here,” Erika said, gesturing toward Sabrina, “I want to show you something.”
Erika walked toward the back of the store, with Sabrina following behind. There, in the back, were the most extravagant flower arrangements, an incredible feast of color and texture. Here, Erika could lose herself in world of beauty. Looking to Sabrina, she saw the twitch of an eyebrow. Erika smiled; Sabrina didn’t share Erika’s admiration of flowers, but even she was impressed.
“This,” Erika said, drifting toward a nearby blossom, “is my favorite. Orchid.” She gently stroked the long, spindly stem, her fingertips barely brushing the white petals at the end. She looked up at Sabrina, who was staring blankly. “Every flower has a meaning, you know,” she continued, oblivious to Sabrina's lack of interest. “This one means ‘refined beauty.’ It suits me, don’t you think?”
Sabrina gave a snort of laughter, but didn’t disagree. Her eyes drifted to a nearby arrangement. “I kind of like this one here,” Sabrina said, reaching for a tall flower with tightly gathered, red petals. She plucked it from the vase and tentatively sniffed the bloom. “Tulip, right?”
Erika placed a finger to her lips and looked at the ground. “Yes,” she said abruptly, spinning around on her heel to face the flowers behind her.
“What does this one mean, then?” Sabrina asked warily.
Erika haphazardly primped the blossoms before her - peony, bashfulness - as she felt her face growing pink. She tried to clear her mind. “Um, that one? I forget.”
Sabrina blinked twice; she was surprised by Erika’s sudden complete change in attitude, but couldn’t get a reading on what she was thinking. She clicked her tongue and moved to inspect another arrangement.
Erika’s fingers twitched against the petals. A red tulip…a declaration of love. She shook her head, told herself that Sabrina had no way of knowing. Even so, Erika could feel her heart racing. She took a deep breath, calmed by the fragrances surrounding her. She turned, and saw Sabrina, standing several feet away but looking directly at her, a red rose in her hand. Erika smiled, pushed the thoughts from her mind, and decided she would share the meaning of flowers another day.
Rating: G
Verse: Games, Generation I
Characters: Erika, Sabrina
Summary: Flowers are simple; emotions are complicated. Written for baticeer.
The perfume of a thousand flowers hung heavy in the air, and Erika stood in the center, her eyes closed, breathing it in. She stretched her arms behind her back and stood up on her toes. The familiar fragrances surrounding her gave her such a feeling of comfort, of home, that she nearly lost herself every time she came to visit the flower shop. She owed a great debt to the flower shop’s owner, for more or less letting Erika run wild through the shop every week.
“There you are.” A low, melodious voice drifted to Erika from the front of the shop. Opening her eyes, she saw a young woman walking toward her, her long dark hair trailing behind her like a cape.
“Sabrina,” Erika cooed, a smile breaking across her face. “What a pleasant surprise!”
“I went to the gym looking for you,” Sabrina said, “and when you weren’t there, one of your trainers said to check the flower shop.”
“I do usually split my time between the gym and here,” Erika giggled. Looking at the gym leader before her, Erika’s mind drifted. Sabrina had been looking for her…what could she want? It must have been important, for her to make the trip all the way from Saffron. She couldn’t possibly have come just to talk, although that would be nice…they hadn’t seen each other in a while, and there was a lot to catch up on. Goodness, she looked beautiful in that outfit. Here, surrounded by flowers of all kinds, she looked even more elegant.
“Don’t think about weird stuff,” Sabrina said with a sly smile.
Erika remembered with a start that she was, in fact, in the presence of a psychic. She waved a hand in front of her face, as if to dissipate the thoughts floating from her head. She decided to change the subject, rather than embarrass herself further. “Have you ever thought about cutting your hair?”
“What?” Sabrina asked, a hand flying reflexively to touch the back of her head. “Why?”
“Oh, your hair is beautiful, but don't you think it would look nice shorter?” Erika stepped closer; she was now only inches away. She reached out to touch the ends of Sabrina's long hair. “I think it would look good with some layers...”
“No, no, no,” Sabrina said, lightly batting Erika's hand away. “I know what you're doing. You're not giving me a makeover.”
“Fine, fine,” Erika sighed, shrugging her shoulders. “So, what brings you to Celadon?”
“I…I just wanted to see you,” Sabrina mumbled. The note of confidence that usually rang through her voice was gone. Erika smiled. She was a bit cute when she was nervous.
“Here,” Erika said, gesturing toward Sabrina, “I want to show you something.”
Erika walked toward the back of the store, with Sabrina following behind. There, in the back, were the most extravagant flower arrangements, an incredible feast of color and texture. Here, Erika could lose herself in world of beauty. Looking to Sabrina, she saw the twitch of an eyebrow. Erika smiled; Sabrina didn’t share Erika’s admiration of flowers, but even she was impressed.
“This,” Erika said, drifting toward a nearby blossom, “is my favorite. Orchid.” She gently stroked the long, spindly stem, her fingertips barely brushing the white petals at the end. She looked up at Sabrina, who was staring blankly. “Every flower has a meaning, you know,” she continued, oblivious to Sabrina's lack of interest. “This one means ‘refined beauty.’ It suits me, don’t you think?”
Sabrina gave a snort of laughter, but didn’t disagree. Her eyes drifted to a nearby arrangement. “I kind of like this one here,” Sabrina said, reaching for a tall flower with tightly gathered, red petals. She plucked it from the vase and tentatively sniffed the bloom. “Tulip, right?”
Erika placed a finger to her lips and looked at the ground. “Yes,” she said abruptly, spinning around on her heel to face the flowers behind her.
“What does this one mean, then?” Sabrina asked warily.
Erika haphazardly primped the blossoms before her - peony, bashfulness - as she felt her face growing pink. She tried to clear her mind. “Um, that one? I forget.”
Sabrina blinked twice; she was surprised by Erika’s sudden complete change in attitude, but couldn’t get a reading on what she was thinking. She clicked her tongue and moved to inspect another arrangement.
Erika’s fingers twitched against the petals. A red tulip…a declaration of love. She shook her head, told herself that Sabrina had no way of knowing. Even so, Erika could feel her heart racing. She took a deep breath, calmed by the fragrances surrounding her. She turned, and saw Sabrina, standing several feet away but looking directly at her, a red rose in her hand. Erika smiled, pushed the thoughts from her mind, and decided she would share the meaning of flowers another day.