A/N: Sorry for the slow updates (even though I'm out of school). Aiming for one per week so we'll see how that goes. Other than that, I'll try to keep this as interesting as I can.
Thanks for reading!
April 10 – 7:00 p.m. – Spring Base
Staring out the window at the dreary rain outside, it suddenly struck V-Flower that she hadn't talked to her parents in almost two months. She wasn't quite sure where that thought had sprung out from, but there it was, bugging her. She really shouldn't be concerned at all, but V-Flower had never actually run away from home for so long. Usually she only lasted a week before she reluctantly returned home or the police found her. Of course, this time the conditions were different. Never would V-Flower have ever imagined getting a job, not to mention a job involving actual magic.
Now, it wasn't like V-Flower had any real reason why she ran away from home so often. She just hated getting stuck in the same place with the same routine. Get up from bed, sometimes eat breakfast, get shoved along to school, wait for the day to be over, come home, attempt to do homework, sleep and repeat. What V-Flower really didn't like about that was school. She didn't mind learning so much as the social situation at school, having to talk to people who didn't interest her, following norms she couldn't even understand, learning things that didn't interest her.
That's why she ran away so much. She needed that bit of excitement, of not knowing where she'd live or how she'd survive if only for a few days, to save her from that boredom and lethargy of knowing nothing she did would ever accumulate into anything unless she tried running away from it all.
That'd been the reason she accepted the invitation to this job so easily. She hadn't cared if it was suspicious and weird and sketchy. It was a chance to escape from her boring life, a chance to experience something new despite her boring self. It was more than she could have ever expected, full of work and planning but nothing that ever really made sense when she actually sat down to think about it. Controlling the growth of nature in preparation for spring was kinda arbitrary if you thought about it hard enough. What gave her the power to control nature? To control every aspect of nature? How did she even have this power? They were questions nobody thought much about, and V-Flower knew exactly why they didn't bother: because thinking about only made your head hurt.
"Hey, is something the matter?"
V-Flower gave a start from where she was slumped against the window. Luka had settled down next to her with a concerned look. V-Flower rubbed one corner of her mouth, wondering if she'd had a troubled look on her face.
"You kinda did," Luka smiled.
V-Flower just sighed. She asked, "Why does everyone always seem to be able to read my mind?"
"Oh, you mean Piko? He's good at it. Almost to a point where it really freaks you out," Luka laughed, twirling a strand of her light pink hair around her finger. "But in my case, you had a troubled look on her face, and your actions suggested you didn't realize it, that's all."
"Oh." V-Flower stared back at the window and the rain still battering the glass. Luka didn't say anything, and V-Flower was thankful for that. Normally people were always telling her to speak up, to give a proper response, but Luka was one of the few people who seemed to know to give V-Flower the time to think.
"I guess I was wondering how my parents were doing," V-Flower finally admitted. "I've never been away from home for so long."
"Well, about that, we've already contacted your parents and told them where you'll be for the time being," Luka replied casually, staring out the window with V-Flower, who just stared at the leader with furrowed brows.
"They know? You told them? What?" V-Flower was spluttering, the thought that her parents had been told she was working as a magical facility that made no sense logic-wise.
"Not about the magic part of course," Luka reassured the girl. "Just that you've found a job that provides food and shelter, and that you're doing well here and that they don't have to worry about you."
"So they aren't worried about me?" V-Flower repeated, her mouth tightening into a thin line.
Luka just smiled warmly back, the signature motherly smile she seemed to be known for. "They were," she said. "They were worried about where you'd been and if we were even an actual company, but I managed to convince them that you are indeed safe and I hope happy here for the time being."
"Oh," was all V-Flower said again, pursing her lips. So her parents had been worried about it. Strangely, it was… satisfying for once, to know they cared.
"You're happy they're still concerned about you," Luka observed, watching the corners of V-Flower lips curl involuntarily upwards.
The gothic girl glanced up at Luka with a resigned look in her eyes, still smiling. She asked, "Is it really obvious?"
"It's painted all over your face," Luka laughed.
"But I mean, that's kinda mean of me, isn't it? To be happy that they're worried," V-Flower said.
"I think it just shows that you're glad to know they care about you because deep down you're concerned about them too," Luka replied, resting a reassuring hand on V-Flower's shoulder. V-Flower smiled warmly at the gesture until Luka asked, "So, what's else on your mind? I'll listen to all your troubles, no matter what they are."
"I don't think there's anything else?" V-Flower said, not sure if Luka was being overly concerned or if she herself was missing something she hadn't noticed.
Luka looked thoughtfully at V-Flower, convincing V-Flower that Luka must be seeing something V-Flower hadn't been paying attention to. What it was, V-Flower had no idea.
"Oh no, it's ok if there's nothing," Luka quickly added, noting V-Flower's troubled look. "I was just wondering if you were getting along with the team okay. You know, if you were enjoying the job and all."
"Oh, um, I guess it's going well," V-Flower replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's a lot more work than I expected but it's been fun."
"That's good to hear," Luka smiled. "Though trust me, most of the time it's not as crazy as this. This year's kinda of a … you know, special situation."
"Because Rin's been kidnapped?"
Luka nodded. "Especially since we don't have a way to get her back yet. It really shows what a terrible system the Alliance is."
"So this has never happened before?"
"Nope," Luka sighed, her eyes lingering out the window at the gloomy weather. "I don't even know what would prompt Mikuo to do this, unless it's some kind of sibling thing."
"Does the Seasonal Alliance usually hire siblings then?"
Again Luka shook her head. "Len and Rin's case was special because Len refused to join unless Rin came along. As for Mikuo, I suppose we desperately needed someone for Team Winter and I chose the easy way out and asked Miku's brother if he was up for the job."
Luka's sigh deepened as she spoke. "I wonder if that's the issue here, siblings and family."
"Well, they're not on the same team, right? And I'm sure it's not your fault. It's probably just the result of a lot of coincidental motives," V-Flower said, suddenly feeling obligated to reassure her leader.
Luka had to smile at the gesture. She hadn't been too sure of hiring V-Flower, with her record of running away and almost sullenly quiet rebellious attitude, but times like these reminded Luka of the warmth she'd seen in V-Flower when going over her file. She rested a warm hand on V-Flower's shoulder and grinned, "Thanks. I'm just glad you and Piko seem to getting along. I don't think I've seen him look so comfortable around someone before."
V-Flower just cocked her head to one side in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"What, you didn't know?" Luka asked, a sudden glimpse of guilt crossing her face. She mulled the thought over for a bit before deciding she might as well continue. She sighed, "Well, this is just coming from me, but …"
She glanced around as if to make sure the area was empty (which it was since Len was holed up in his room and Piko was nowhere to be found) before leaning over and whispering with a small smile, "I think he has a crush on you."
V-Flower just stared, not quite sure if she was hearing right. When she was sure she had heard right, she put a hand to her forehead, massaging her temples to say, "Why would you think that?"
"Just from my observations. He brightens up when he's talking to you, so I just thought so," Luka admitted as she took in V-Flower's befuddled look. "I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have said anything. I'm guessing it bothers you?"
"No, no," V-Flower hurriedly said upon realizing her confusion had been mistaken for something else. "It's just, I thought he had a crush on someone else."
"Oh? You know who?"
V-Flower was silent. Quietly she said, "Well, I don't think he wanted anyone to know about it, so…"
"It's okay, I know, I shouldn't be asking about it especially since I'm supposed to be more mature than that," Luka apologized with a smile. "Sorry for putting you on the spot like that."
"No, it's not your fault," V-Flower said again before stopping short as Piko stepped into the base, shaking the rain out of his hair. For a relatively small teen with almost girly looks, Piko was surprisingly handsome (almost sexy) as he stood in the doorway, fingers running through his hair to flick the rainwater into the far off kitchen sink, his heterochromatic eyes sparkling under the glistening water. Times like these made V-Flower question her view of people, but she chalked it up to Piko's natural tendency to look attractive. Piko was attractive looking, that was that. Definitely not a sign of anything else.
"You're back late," Luka observed, moving to throw a towel in Piko's direction even though he probably didn't even need it, with his powers to control water.
"Just wanted to make sure everything was all set for the night," Piko casually replied, a slight hesitation in his voice despite his best efforts. "What were you two doing?"
"Nothing," Luka said, turning back to wink at V-Flower, a sign that their conversation would stay between the two of them. "Have you had food yet? I was just wondering if you or Len wanted a snack for the night."
"Oh, uh, no, I'm fine," Piko said, a flustered look suddenly crossing his face. "I ate something at Headquarters, so I was just going to get some sleep."
"This early?"
"Long day at work you know," Piko sighed with a grin. "I don't know about the two of you but I'm beat."
"Okay, well I guess I'll just ask Len then," Luka sighed. She turned around to shout, "Hey, Banana-boy! Want some food?"
There was a long pause before Len's voice groaned, "Fineeeeee. But stop calling me that!"
"Well, at least someone appreciates my cooking," Luka grinned.
"I'll help," V-Flower suddenly offered.
"Nah, you can just help me see if Len gets out of bed alright," Luka said, gesturing to Len's room two doors down next to Rin's as a loud thump echoed back to the spring trio, followed by a heavy groan.
"I'll get to bed then," Piko quickly said, hurrying down the hall with a quick nod of acknowledgement to V-Flower, who blinked back and hastily glanced down at the floor with an almost guilty look. At first, Luka wondered if it was just her being uncomfortable about what Luka had just told her, but then Len popped out into the hallway, flinging himself out of his room and just barely stopping himself short from crashing into Piko. The two of them froze there in the hallway, and observing the whole ordeal out of the corner of her eye, Luka saw V-Flower's eyes glance downwards, almost guilty looking before Piko finally smiled and said, "Still holding up well?"
"No thanks to you," Len muttered back before Piko headed back down the hall and Len in the opposite direction.
And suddenly, without anyone saying anything, Luka exactly what was going on between the three of them as Len headed over with a grumpy look that brightened slightly at the sight of V-Flower's suddenly hardened glare. Before either could exchange a hello, Luka quickly ushered Len and V-Flower off into the dining room before hurrying back to the kitchen sighing and smiling all at the same time.
She shouldn't have been so humored, but she couldn't contain it. Even as the adult on the team (yes including the freeloader Len), Luka was one of Spring, the season of new beginnings. She wasn't one to interfere with people's relationships though, so, like she did best, Luka simply decided to sit back and relax.
After all, this was something the three of them needed to sort out for themselves, and they had all spring to solve it.
