Title: A Flower's Gift
Author: Lev-chan
Category: Bakuretsu Hunters/ Romantic fluff
Pairings: Gateau + Marron
Warnings: SHONEN AI this means boy/boy pairings if this disturbs you steer clear.
Spoilers: Episode #2 The Red Flower of Life
Summary: What really went on when Marron and Gateau woke to find themselves alone in the bushes?
Rating: PG

Disclaimers: I do not own Bakuretsu Hunters or any of its characters. This piece of writing is for my
friends and my enjoyment. If you like it then I guess it's for your enjoyment too. If not, I don't care.

And just as a warning any flames will be read, laughed at and whapped to death with a shovel.

The Flowers Gift
By Lev-Chan

Lilacs...

In the recesses of my mind I can distinctly make out the faint scent of the delicate flower... I
guess it's about time that I woke up. The details of the last few hours are a complete blur as I open my
eyes to look at my surroundings. I'm still in the forest clearing where I was chopping wood so I guess
nothing too bad could have happened.

Suddenly I feel a slight stirring to my right... I guess I spoke too soon. Who knows what kind
of floozy I could have slept with. I steel my nerves as I slowly go to face who is at my side.

"Oh it's only Marron..." I sigh before turning to look back at the fire.

Marron?! I swiftly do a double take trying to confirm what my eyes just saw.

Sure enough the young mage is curled up at my side, occasionally moving to snuggle up closer
to myself in his sleep... and looking pretty damn cute while he's at it. His porcelain features softened
by sleep have given him this peaceful kind of glow. The smell of lilacs once again enters my senses
refusing to be ignored. I find myself being drawn closer to the sixteen year old boy. The aura around
him is more hypnotic than a Siren's call. I am now only inches away from Marron's face, it is now that
I realise that the lilacs I smelled was actually just the natural scent of Marron's hair.

I'm now finding myself indulging in something that I have only dreamt about. As I run my
hand through the ebony strands it hits me if Carrot ever found out about this he would probably crush
me under his hoof. And if Marron ever found out I was doing this... I'm not exactly sure what he's do.
The guy is harder to read than his pervy older brother. I mean I'm pretty sure that he is ... um well of
the other persuasion so to speak. The comment Carrot made at the Gamaroo pit about him not liking
girls made it pretty obvious... but then again Marron could be one of those types who never intends on
falling in love because it will interfere with his magical studies or some crap like that. The sad thing is
I could see Marron doing that.

A sound from the person below me shakes me from my thoughts... he's purring...

Marron Glace is purring under my ministrations, he's like a kitten all cuddly and cute, maybe if
I... No! I shouldn't even be thinking about that, Marron probably doesn't know what that word means.
Well if that's the case maybe I could...

No! Bad mind! No treat for you!

Once again Marron stirs at my side. I'm beginning to wonder if I should be worried seeing as I
don't remember what happened something could be wrong with him. He seems to just be sleeping and
his breathing is normal, a little slow but that's what happens when you sleep, plus he looks so peaceful
I decide to allow him to continue resting. But those are not the only reasons, I'm afraid that if he
should wake it would break this sense of utopia that I have encased myself in or that I myself would
wake to find this all a dream. The truth of matter is I could be completely happy staying like this if I
knew only one thing...

That he loved me...

I'm sure that Marron knows about my feelings towards him. But he does not know the depth of
those feelings, I guess he doesn't take me very seriously, but I can never tell what he thinks of me. I
mean we usually work as well as travel together... seeing as the girls are always fawning over Carrot.
What they see in that pervert is beyond me. I'm surprised that neither of them has taken an interest in
Marron, but then again if they know about his preference I guess that would make sense. I guess I
shouldn't be complaining because that means there is less competition for Marron's affections.

Whether he's willing to give those affections is another story.

He stirs again at my side and I can tell that he is about to wake. I move back in order to give
him some breathing room. He blinks a few times before moving to rise from the ground into a sitting
and I can tell that he is still slightly disoriented.

" Marron?" I ask trying to get his attention.

He turns to me obviously confused, " Gateau?" I take a closer look at his eyes to see if they are
focusing or not but he distracts me with another question. " How did I end up here?"

His voice slightly wavers and he turns from my eye contact to focus on the fire. I think I may
have unnerved him with all my staring. Unfortunately his question doesn't help our situation.

" Actually I was hoping you could tell me..."

A blush creeps across his pale skin and actually it looks kind of odd. I'm not saying that it
looks bad or anything, to tell the truth it looks quite cute on him... just out of place. Catching Marron
off guard, embarrassed or in any state other than the one given by his calm exterior is often a rare
occurrence. But it didn't always use to be like that, he was actually quite emotional when we were
kids...and technically we still are kids.

I mean I'm only 19 and Marron well he's only 16. I often forget about that because he always
seems so much more mature than the rest of us, even though he is the youngest of all of us by a few
months. Sometimes I look over at him when he thinks no one is looking and it seems like he's got the
weight of the world on his shoulders...

"Oh...I'm sorry my memory is kind of foggy... the last thing I remember was speaking to this
strange woman... she was giving flowers away or something... then it all goes black..."

His words trigger my memory. I remember that woman with the flowers too, there was
something odd about the flowers as well... it attacked ME! It's all coming back to me now I distinctly
remember the flower attacking me and then it took something from me and I was left with the feeling
of a bitter frost coursing through my veins before blacking out...

That means that probably the same thing happened to Marron...I'm gonna make that bitch pay
if she hurt him, I silently vow to myself. It suddenly occurs to me that something could be equally
wrong with me and I could care less about getting revenge on my own behalf... they have always said
love is like a disease and man have I got it bad...

" Don't worry about it, it's not important," I reassure him. "Are you feeling alright?"

" Well I'm a bit cold... and little tired but other than that I'm fine," Marron replies.

He's still acting kind of odd, all sheepish and such. It's so odd to see him like this usually he's
full of confidence, he's even still blushing like some sort of maiden.

" Aren't you cold?" he asks me in little voice. He's eyeing me quite strangely, almost as if he
feels he shouldn't be looking.

It is at this time when I realise that I'm not wearing a shirt... and it's making him really
uncomfortable. I don't really understand why I mean it's not like I haven't flexed my muscles in front
of him before to get his attention, but then again we aren't around the rest of the team this time...
especially Carrot.

As you can probably tell Marron's older brother and I don't exactly see eye to eye. Carrot has
never appreciated me hitting on his little brother. He says I shouldn't be trying to 'pervert' his mind
with such ideas... the hypocrite. The guy chases almost anything in a skirt like there is no tomorrow
and then dares to call what could be true love perverted... I know I'm just fooling myself but I can't
help but wonder if it's Carrot's attitude toward homosexuality that is holding Marron back from what
he wants to do.

I mean he's always trying to repay his brother for protecting him from the bullies that taunted
him for the way he looked when they were children. Marron covers his back, comes to his rescue when
the idiot gets into one of his situations and sticks up for him when no one else will. I could easily see
him putting aside his own wants and needs to make his brother happy.

" Nah, I'm fine," I tell him.

He nods before turning his attention to his feet still looking sheepish and almost lost. " We
should probably head back... the others are probably worried about us..."

I sigh and nod as well, " Yeah I guess you're right..." I turn and pick up the pile of wood I had
chopped before. As I stand up I get an eye full as I take in the night sky. " The moon sure is beautiful
tonight," I breathe as I glance over at him.

"Yes it is," he agrees also taking in the view.

Just not as beautiful as you I add silently to myself. His sheepishness seems to be overtaken by
that lost and sad expression that he had earlier.

"Something wrong?" I ask.

He shakes his head, " I'm just not feeling quite like myself today," he admits.

" Yeah I know what you mean... I feel like I'm going everywhere at once. That I'll break soon
and wake up the next morning and I won't be the same again..."

I've just bared one of my deepest darkest fears to him... but I don't feel like I've lost anything.
I'm not afraid that he is going to tell anyone or anything like that. I'm usually not the type to tell
secrets but I know they are safe with Marron... I hope that he feels the same way around me.

"There are worse things..." he replies, but he seems to be talking to himself more than anybody
else.

"Like what?"

"Like waking up and realising that you weren't the same to begin with..."

There is now an uncomfortable silence between us and I know he can sense it too, it fills this
whole clearing. He has yet to make eye contact with again since he asked if I was cold.

"It's getting late we should head back," Marron says again.

I nod again and we turn to go back to abandoned house we were all staying at. We have barely
taken two steps when Marron trips over an aboveground root. Instantly I drop the logs of wood and
catch him in my arms.

I finally make eye contact with him and his eyes are that of a drowning man, crying out for help
I just don't know what to do. He is slightly unnerving me with his gaze I wish I knew what he wanted
from me.

" We should really be getting back," I repeat but I have yet to let go of him and it seems that he
has acquired a grip on my shoulders as well.

"Couldn't we just stay like this, just for a little while?" he once again breaks eye contact with
me and ducks his head under my chin.

Marron has never searched out my comfort like this before, "What's all this really about?" I ask.

" I... I... I don't know..." he mumbles, " I have these feelings for you."

This has definitely perked my interest, as I've said before Marron is not one to express his feelings so easily so I would have to be crazy to not jump on a chance like this?

"What kind of feelings?" I ask looking down at him.

His eyes take on a slightly distant look, " I'm not too sure but I think they go beyond friendship..."

My heart begins to pound and I'm sure that I must be dreaming but I don't have the extra hand to pinch myself to check. I am also struck speechless, hell I can hardly breathe, so I stay silent and allow him to continue.

"And ... and I don't what to do with them... and I'm afraid that it might be love..." his eyes seem to be welling up with tears but he refuses to let them fall.

" What's so wrong about that?" I ask.

" Well what you don't reciprocate these feelings or if you do what if I screw it up and end up
hurting you... or what if I'm wrong and... I don't know... I always know what to do so why am I so
lost?"

He has now bared his fears to me and I finally understand how deeply terrified he is about these
new feelings are... that he willing to face these fears for me is truly touching. Marron's the type who
likes to know what he's getting into and with our job we usually get the information we need before
rushing in. But with love you will always be stumbling blind and I can see how that can be scary.

I take him by the shoulders and hold him at arms length so I can look him straight in the eyes.
"Marron, if you think that it's love you feel then go with it, you know what they say nothing ventured
nothing gained."

"But... "

"But nothing! Love is the one thing you'll never learn anything about because every time is like the first and if it is true love every experience is different. There are no patterns, there are no formulas and there are no instruction manuals, trust me I've looked," I joke lightly and am rewarded with a small smile.

His features once again darken, " But what if it doesn't last?"

" If it's true love then it will last," I reply smartly.

" But what if it doesn't?" he persists.

" Then it doesn't? Life goes on and you'll find someone else."

" But what if I don't want someone else?"

" Just trust me on that one," I reassure him.

" But what if we get into a fight?"

" No relationship would be complete without some sort of romantic tiff," I say in return.

" But what if you want to have children?"

" Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself?"

He catches himself on that and begins to look embarrassed again, " I'm sorry, forget I ever
brought this up."

I shake my head and smile again at him, " Did I say I minded?"

" Well no... it's just, oh I don't know..."

" You know I thought I was pretty obvious in my feelings towards you," I comment.

" Huh?" the look on his face is absolutely priceless, I don't believe I've ever seen Marron
completely dumbfounded like that before.

I decided I should be nice and spell it out for him. I mean Marron is a smart guy just right now
he's sailing in unfamiliar waters, " To answer one of your previous questions I think you should know
that I return your affections... so what do you say about that?" I tease.

" But what if one of us gets struck by lightening?"

I chuckle at the comment, " You're just doing this annoy me now."

He laughs as well then turns his hazel eyes on me and practically beams at me, almost as if the
sun is hidden behind those orbs that are a mix of brown, green and gold. He then gives me an odd look,
" What do you suppose we're going to tell my brother?"

" Who says we have to tell him anything?"

" Well no one, it's just he's going to find out sooner or later," Marron replies, always the
practical one.

" True but we'll deal with it when that happens, besides I'm sure that Carrot will understand... given some time that is."

" I didn't think you held a very high opinion of my brother," he shot back giving me a sly almost challenging look.

" I figured I should probably change my opinion, I mean Carrot can't be too bad of a guy, he has you for a brother so he must have done something right. "

He blushes at my comment and I find I love making him do that, hell I love making him do anything that's close to a smile... I just love making him happy.

He clears his throat lightly to get my attention he must have noticed I was off in my own thoughts. " So now that we know how we feel about each other, what do we do now?"

" Well we could stick around here and I could make slow passionate love to you," I say slyly.

Marron once again gives me this odd look almost as to say 'you're kidding right?' and it's my turn to feel sheepish, I knew that was being a bit too forward.

" Or not," I amended.

" Did I say I minded?" Marron shoots back one of my previous comments.

"Are you sure?"

" Well maybe we shouldn't do the whole slow passion love thing... at least not tonight, We still
have a fire going so we could stay out and talk. "

" That actually sounds pretty nice," I admit. I then take his hand a lead him over to the fire. I sit
down and lean against a fallen tree, pulling him down with me. He in turn leans against my shoulder
as we watch the fire.

" Tell me something," he says sleepily.

" What do you want me to tell you?"

" Anything," he yawned.

"Okay... your hair smells like lilacs."

His shoulders shake in silent laughter and he playfully bats at my chest.

" Hey you did say anything, okay now it's your turn," I tell him.

" I think I love you..." he replies airily and I realise that he has once again fallen asleep.

His hair still smells like lilacs.

THE END