For the V-day fic-a-thon. This prompt is "Flowers"...with a bit of a twist ;P
We Don't Talk About It
"I don't see how you can complain about Tsuki's cranes when you do this in your spare time."
Izayoi afforded Kain an annoyed look as she shucked the leaves off of a peony stem. "Ikebana is a time honored tradition in Eblan. It incorporates balance, simplicity, and patience." At this last, she flicked another significant glance in his direction.
Kain sighed, staring at the pile of plants on the low table before him. He picked up several random long-stemmed flowers and twirled them with a bored expression.
"What exactly am I supposed to—do, exactly?"
"The Seneschal has asked for a traditional wedding arrangement," Izayoi answered, plucking flowers out of his hands and putting them into her own arrangement. "It's not my fault you arrived too early and got bustled off into the wedding preparations."
"You hate weddings," Kain pointed out.
"I hate attending weddings. This is preparation."
"Which you are doing, because—"
Izayoi set down her present flowers and stared at him. "I happen to enjoy ikebana."
Kain returned his attention to the flowers strewn about, half dismantled and trimmed. "Where will this be placed?" he asked, nodding to the arrangement.
Izayoi looked at the flowers herself. There were a great many, in shades of white and pink and yellow, and in all intensities.
Kain suddenly plucked up a Bird of Paradise and stuffed it in the very center of Izayoi's arrangement.
"What—do you think—you are doing," she demanded, her voice menacing and low.
Kain grinned. "Ruining your whole day, apparently."
Izayoi narrowed her eyes, holding up her paring knife so that its tip glinted in the light of the room. "I will not have you starting off my cousin's marriage with bad luck. Keep your black thumbs away from my arrangement," she threatened.
Kain raised his brows, mystified. "You really believe that a flower arrangement can affect the happiness of a couple's entire lives?"
"Do you believe that red roses symbolize love?" she volleyed.
They stared pointedly at each other for a moment.
"Stop asking foolish questions," Izzy said, breaking the stalemate, and prying his errant addition out of her arrangement with a violent flourish.
Kain rolled his eyes and sighed. "What would you like me to do, then?"
She pointed to the other side of the room without looking at him. "Go over there and arrange the stands for the front hall. Those aren't as important."
Kain made a strangled sound in his throat, getting up. "Your complete lack of faith in my abilities is astounding," he retorted.
"Over there," Izzy repeated, still pointing.
Exiled to his corner, Kain stared at the rest of the flowers laid out on mats on the floor. Then he glared in Izayoi's direction.
He might not have many things in his life that he would consider hobbies, and he certainly was no horticulturist; but dammit, if it meant proving Izayoi wrong...
Kain plucked up a paring knife and a handful of flowers and got to work.
0-0-0-0-0
It wasn't long before Izayoi noticed a change in the room. She had spent the last hour studying the angles and colors of her arrangement, deciding what to add or remove; but now she paused to look up.
The room was alive with color. In fact, she might dare to say it was an explosion of color. Her mouth dropped open, staring around the entire room.
"Kain," she said, puzzled.
Kain was standing across from her with the sleeves of his shirt rolled up, a paring knife in one hand, and a peony in the other.
"Izayoi," he answered, a peculiar expression on his face. Was it—smug?
"You've finished all of them?" she was aghast.
He looked at the room as well, admiring his own handiwork. "Wasn't that hard."
Izayoi's brow twitched. "Yes, well," she said loftily. "You seem to have missed the point of Ikebana altogether."
"Oh my!" the Seneschal's voice suddenly said from behind.
Izayoi turned to see the older man staring at the room with bright eyes.
"We'll remake them!" she hastily said, fearing his reaction.
The Seneschal took a few more steps into the room, amazed, before finally giving her his attention. "Remake them?" he asked. "Why?"
Izayoi flicked her gaze back to Kain who merely grinned. She frowned.
"Well, they're—I mean—look at them!" she said, offended.
"I am," the Seneschal said. "And I think they're lovely. Carry on," he said with a wave of his hand, leaving the room to oversee other wedding preparations.
Izayoi stared incredulously at the empty doorway and then turned slowly, fixing a deadly glare in Kain's direction.
"So would you like help on—"
"NO," she seethed, grasping flower stems so hard they were reduced to pulp in her hands. "Out!" she hissed, pointing to the door.
Kain walked past her, grinning. Still, he made sure to walk backwards until he was safely out of range...
~Fin~
A/N: What really needs to be said about this? Kain and Izayoi being adversarial and awesome. This was also a bit of a companion piece for...yet ANOTHER wedding story that someone ELSE will have posted hopefully...soon? ;P
Thanks for reading!
~Myth