Yeah, this update took me a ton longer than it should have since I originally had a 5,000 plus word chapter, but of course I just had to lose my connection to the internet as I saved. So I decided to just redo the entire thing. Sorry about that to those who were excited for more. Anyways, back to the story!


Elise huffed out into a field to sit in the grass and eat her lunch. The teachers allowed the students to eat outside since the weather was so nice, but there was no one to enjoy it with. Sakura had dropped a lunch from her schedule to do an art class since she wanted art to be a minor when she started college. So when Elise turned to her other two close friends she usually sits with at lunch, Effie and Arthur, the two of them were out of state to go to a state competition for track and field that the school was going to. So Elise trudged up a slightly steep hill with her lunch tote in hand. Usually, she'd sit down at the tables where everyone else sat, but she decided to make some flower crowns while she ate so it wouldn't be as boring.

Elise frowned, although being a pretty small hill, the ground was super steep and it was difficult to walk all the way with some clunky boots. But as the reached the top, a gleeful smile reached her face instantly, an entire field of golden flowers laid awaiting for her. Elise quickly ran over to find some good flowers, but when she went a little further, she saw someone else out in the field.

"Woah, who's that? I guess I wan't the first one here, aww..." pouted the girl as she set down her tote and rubbed her eyes trying to see who that person was. "Oh..." Elise puffed, she recognized the attire, the person was decked out in heavy football gear. Welp, there went her peaceful idea to make some pretty flower crowns. All of these pretty flowers were going to get ruined too! Elise felt her face sag, man, she couldn't make flower crowns which was okay, but she hated the fact that all these pretty flowers weren't going to get trampled and destroyed. And they were NOT weeds!

But she sighed and figured she'd stand her ground and make some crowns, afterall Sakura looked really cute with them on, far better than she did. Taking a bite of her sandwich and setting it down, Elise scavenged for the perfect flowers. But she noticed the figure she couldn't really quite identify earlier, approach her. The cheery girl squinted and held her hand up to cover the sun for a better look, but the voice of the person echoed before she could see who it was again.

"Hello, Elise is it?" asked the low voice, confirming if it was her name or not. The figure was right in front of her now and blocked the sun from behind giving Elise a clear view of who was standing before her.

Elise blinked, "Hm? But yeah! I'm Elise! Didn't expect to see you out here Ryoma."

"Actually, I'm supposed to be here, I'm waiting for my team to finish in the locker rooms. It's quite unexpected seeing you actually. You have lunch this period do you not?" Ryoma responded to the pig tailed, pint sized, ball of happiness.

"Yup, I'm just making some flower crowns to pass the time up here. The flowers are nice around here."

"Aren't these only weeds though?" politely questioned Ryoma.

Elise grumbled, "They are NOT weeds, they are flowers, so what if they aren't the prettiest, but they're certainly not weeds." She despised people calling dandelions weeds even though they really were. Calling them weeds really irked her.

"O-Oh," Ryoma nodded awkwardly, taken aback from her short outburst, "But you're making flower crowns? Whom for?"

Ryoma sure did talk weirdly, sorta like an old guy, but not like an old guy at the same time. "No one in particular. They'd probably wilt by next period so I might as well make them while I can. Want to see how to make them?" Elise piped.

"I'm not sure if I have the ti-" Ryoma started, but Elise grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the ground with her, crossing her legs 'criss-cross-applesauce' like how she'd like to say,handing him a bushel of golden dandelions.

"Come on! It's fun once you get the hang of it!" Elise grinned, and immediately started weaving the stems of the flowers in and out, crossing them and tying them tightly. But she looked up seeing the bewildered face of Ryoma, "You don't know how to make 'em huh?"

"It's fine, I should start warming up anyways..." Ryoma stated, getting up.

"No way." Elise pouted, puffing out her cheeks, "Come on, that's no real way to face a challenge! If you don't know something, you just gotta learn how. Here, come closer, I'll show you how."

Ryoma nodded, he was always ready for a challenge, and he never ran away from a single one. Sitting back down, he watched the girl intently. Her small fingers petite as can be, slipped through the vines and pulled, weaving more and more, until she was finally left with a tight and pretty flower crown. "You like yellow right?" Elise asked.

The man nodded, "Then here!" Elise giggled, she got onto her knees and waddled over to him and placed the golden crown on his head. Ryoma closed his eyes so he wouldn't be staring at her chest as she stretched her arms over him to reach his head. "I hereby announce you king!" giggled the girl, "Hey, you look pretty good with a crown on too! Man, when I wear mine it sorta blends into my hair and looks kinda funky."

Ryoma blinked, but smiled, his hands slowly going up to his head to feel the light crown the dainty girl made and bestowed him with. His large hand grazed over it and he could feel the tight knots Elise hooked together and the soft flowers he had once called weeds. But he looked at the bushel of flowers that laid in his giant hands, slowly mimicking Elise, Ryoma tied one flower to another. "Like this?" Ryoma asked quietly, coming to a halt wondering what to do.

"Oh no, like this, and you don't have to be too scared of ripping the stems. But have a little caution. Kinda like holding a piece of paper or glass." Elise hummed and reached over and moved his hands in the right direction. Ryoma nodded, her hands were so tiny and small compared to his giant large hands. Trying again with her advice, Ryoma tied and weaved over and over and then he did it. Elise giggled as she saw his eyes sparkle as a spark of excitement flared in him as he made his first crown, it was cute, and even almost childlike and innocent.

A warm smile made it's way to her face as she faced Ryoma who had the same. It was surprising how little things like this just make someone's day. Edging closer to Elise, Ryoma placed the beginner's crown on her head, "Crafted with the goldenest dandelions, this crown meant for Elise crowns her as Princess Elise." His warm hands laid the bright golden crown on her head, as he pulled them away they brushed against her cheek by accident, but that was enough to make her heart thump. Elise smiled, and curtsied to the man in front of her, who in turn gave a deep gentlemen's bow to her.

"Spending time like this..." Ryoma started, Elise looked up at him with a curious face, his voice softened in turn, "You remind me of simpler times."

Elise felt his gaze fall onto her and a sudden urge to say something was thrown ontop of her, "Well... Ryoma... you sorta remind me of like...a giant teddy bear."

Ryoma cringed slightly but Elise continued, waving her hands up, "N-No! Not like in a mean way! But like... you're really big and you look pretty tough but then you're really nice to people you care about like Sakura. It's comforting to see you."

He nodded and watched Elise's hand clutch a flower stem and pluck it from the earth. Yet, the stem was oddly long, and after Elise had pulled it out of the ground, part of the stem was still on the ground and still moving. Wait... And then, with a sudden shift of a cloud overhead, Ryoma's eyes widened in horror, a beam of sun came down onto the grass and what was thought as the stem had scales.

"Elise!" Ryoma shouted, the girl tried with all her might to move but Elise paled as she stared at the slithering snake crawl onto her lap, leaving her frozen and powerless.

"R-R-Ry..." Elise gasped, the words caught in her throat.

Ryoma was left with no choice, he grabbed her wrists and started running. Elise was practically being dragged behind him and panting to keep up. If it worked, the snake would've been shaken off of her during the run.

"R-Ryoma!" Elise screamed, her voice was shaking.

The man turned to her and his eyes widened once more, but not at the sight of a dark green snake slithering up Elise's arm, but the horrified expression on her face. Tears were swelling and threatening to spill, lip trembling, and terrified eyes that spoke so many emotions that it almost overwhelmed him.

Holding his breath, Ryoma clutched the snake and ripped it off Elise's arm.

'Tssss!' hissed the snake, spitting everywhere. Elise yelped as she felt a sharp sting on her arm but quickly ran behind Ryoma and clinging onto him from hysteria and panic.

He was ready to throw the snake onto the road out of sheer anger and adrenaline, but Elise screeched, "Stop! Don't kill it!" Ryoma looked at her stunned, his hands locked on the snake, "Please don't! It has a life too! Let me do it! He must be scared! I won't let my fear control my emotions!"

Elise shakily reached out to the snake, Ryoma's eyes softened, for being so scared she was acting brave. "No, I'll do it. Just answer me, are you hurt?"

"Uh..." Elise looked around herself, she hesitated as she saw the blood trickling down her arm, "Yeah I'm good."

"Elise, bravery and foolishness are two close things, I'll walk you down to the nurse." Ryoma frowned, observing her arm after setting the wild snake away from the school grounds.

"Y-Yeah... but it's fine! It's just a garden snake, they don't have any venom! It's a-okay!" Elise smiled.

"Yes, but we want to be exactly sure."

"Ryoma."

"Hmm?"

"Is that your team? They're kinda staring."

Ryoma turned around to see the football team watching cheekily. The tall man sent a glare as the athletes started hysterically laughing at the sight of their stoic leader adorning a beautiful flower crown. "Five laps!" he shouted, earning a loud groan from the boys who grumpily ran around the soccer field.

Elise giggled, "It's alright! If they make fun of you, they'll receive my special uppercut! Heh! I've been working hard on that." sticking her tongue out playfully, Ryoma really couldn't help but smile.

Elise felt her face flush, she wasn't sure if he noticed but she was doing a pretty good job of pushing the thought of liking Ryoma in that way to the back of her mind but it was futile now. "...cute" she murmured softly, the words rolling off her lips.

"What did you say? Sorry I didn't catch that." Ryoma asked, Elise felt her face redden even more.

"Oh nothing!" she laughed nervously, "Good luck at practice! If you want, I can make flower crowns for everyone!"

Ryoma chuckled, "Alright, have a good day Elise." he waved calmly to her.

Elise beamed, a bright smile that could blind a person, but Camilla warned her about showing it to boys. She didn't really understand why, but she waved, back at the man who hesitated at the sight of her wall destroying smile, "See you around Ryoma!"


(A/N)

Yeah, this was originally super different, I might make it a later chapter, but for now I have another idea for the next chapter in my head. Hope you guys enjoyed! ;3