30 Kisses fic #1 - Sugar Blossoms
By Nori
Pairing: Niou/Kirihara
Rating: PG
Theme: #11 - Gardenia
Disclaimer: If I owned them, they would so be doing this in the series.
Notes: Written for the 30kisses challenge. Also this is the first time I've ever written Niou other than one tiny NPC bit of a roleplay log for BRTenipuri.

"What about this one?" Akaya piped, holding up a small potted plant he'd found amongst a vast array of blooming plants and blossoms. "He could grow it in the hospital, right?"

Rikkaidai's captain hadn't been in the hospital all that long, really, but even still the regulars team had thought it may be a good idea to get the teen something of a gift basket; various assortments of knicknacks and things to keep him entertained during the long and boring wait between tests and rests each day.

From Marui, a bag of Hershey Kisses and a few other odds and ends of sweets; from Yanagi, a set of gardening books. Other team members had chipped in and added things along the way.

"Gardenia's are a pain in the ass to take care of." Niou replied boredly, eyes skimming through a pamphlet he'd snagged off the plant. "We'd have to get a bunch of other crap too or it'd die before it even bloomed. Besides, he's too weak right now to be putzing around trying to take care some plant. Just get him a bouquet or something if you're so hard on to get him flowers."

How he'd been convinced to come shopping at a florists of all places was beyond him; although maybe it had something to do with the promise of food at his demonic kouhai's expense.

"Oh... Well I thought he might like somethin' he could keep busy with." Akaya grumbled dejectedly. "You know Yukimura-buchou likes gardening. If he can't be at home to do it, why can't we take it to him?" While his ultimate goal had always to beat Rikkai's three demons, having their number one be out of the running due to some stupid debilitating disease wasn't how Akaya wanted to go about doing it.

Slender shoulders rolled in a shrug, a hand lifting to muss through silver strands. "Whatever, kid. It's your money. But I ain't carrying it." It was vaguely amusing to see Kirihara so gung ho about something other than tennis for once. Although it probably wasn't something he should look forward to experiencing more of anytime soon. And, in Niou's mind it was a nice change from Rikkai's demon-like Junior Ace.

"You're a jerk." Akaya drawled, clutching the pot close to his chest as he made his way towards the register. Niou should know by now that he was damn stubborn when it came to things he did and didn't want to do. "I'll bring him the rest of the stuff tomorrow, and hell I'll take care of it till he gets better if I have to."

Niou didn't have anything to say to that and soon money was exchanged, the plant was packaged properly and they were on their way to deliver their gifts to a well deserving and well loved captain.

fin