Yamuraiha rested her head against the window of the now moving R.V. She let out a dreamy sigh as she saw the beautiful scenery they were passing through. The wildflowers in bloom encouraged her good mood. She felt like an idiot for smiling so much, but she really couldn't help. Even Sharrkan's recent silence and irritated behaviour couldn't bring her down.

Sharrkan on the other hand; felt more annoyed than ever. His friends were really pushing his buttons by making his feelings towards Yamuraiha more evident. At this point he was certain she had an inkling of his affection towards her- she really couldn't have been that dense to not notice.

He studied as the light of the afternoon sun outlined her face and figure, and just like that- his annoyance towards his friends was gone. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if she knew. She was just an awkward girl he happened to like- well, maybe more than like, but it definitely wasn't love- at least not romantic love. Would he ever tell her the way he feels? He did try before. If she knew, she was probably going to be reasonable. Worst case scenario, they would have an uncomfortable conversation and their friendship would crumble. But then again, if she really was his friend she wouldn't let his feelings towards her change that.

His mind raced with all the outcomes that they would experience if he did choose to confess. Most of them negative, but the positive ones, they were more than enough to convince him that he should at least tell her the truth once.

"Hey, Yamuraiha," he called out to her.

"Hm?" she turned to him.

"Sorry, for brushing you off like that before,"

"That's alright," she said happily. "You had just woken up, and we were making noise." The old her would have used this as an opportunity to scold him and make him feel guilty.

"No, but you really do look nice,"

"Oh," Yamuraiha framed her face with her hand. "Have I finally managed to captivate your heart?" she joked. She wore a rather smug grin as she awaited his witty response.

"What if I told you, that you did?" he said confidently.

That was unexpected. She felt something pull at her heart. Even though she knew he wasn't being serious she couldn't help but be happy to hear those words.

"Hey and what if I told you that we can hear everything you two are saying?" Pisti remarked. "I mean we are in a closed in space, but I guess you two don't notice since you usually forget about everyone else when you're together," she teased.

Sharrkan and Yamuraiha both became red faced.

"That's not true!" Yamuraiha exclaimed. "I knew everyone was here, I was just joking around!"

"Asking a question in a flirty manner isn't really joking, it's just flirting." Pisti chirped.

"And what's wrong with that?" Yamuraiha questioned, and immediately regretted speaking at all after she had realized what she said.

A smile grew on Pisti's face. "You even picked up his bad habits, that's a sure sign that you two are going to be together."

"What are we in grade school?" Sharrkan huffed. "It's a proven fact friends- and I'll say it again so you guys understand- FRIENDS mimic each other's behaviour."

"Yeah, Sharrkan even picked up a book since we met that's gotta count for something!" Yamuraiha added.

He shot her a look of disdain. "Thank you Yamuraiha, that statement didn't bother me at all," he said sarcastically.

"No problem," she replied in an equally sarcastic tone.

x-x-x-x-x

They stopped in a part of a city that looked much like a town. But not just any plain looking town- the type of town that is seen being romanticized in every movie, the one that is given a lengthy description in novels to make the reader want to move, a town that makes people want to go out and find their soulmate just so they can visit it together and sit in one of the many patio cafés and share an overpriced tea together.

"You can tell this is a rich area, because everyone smells like fabric softener and they all dress like you could sell them a gram for 20," Sharrkan joked.

"A gram of what?" Spartos asked. "Surely sugar prices aren't that high."

"Spartos, honey," Pisti put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure I explained this to you before,"

Yamuraiha ran over to a flower shop. "Take my picture, take my picture!" she exclaimed. She needed proof of herself looking happy and beautiful in front of a store that looked too good to be true.

"Yamuraiha wanting a picture of herself?" Jafar questioned. "You must be feeling really confident, huh?"

She nodded. "Come," she held out her phone for someone to take. "Someone please take a picture while the sun is still out."

Spartos took her phone. "Okay whenever you're ready!"

She threw up two peace signs and a huge smile. She was really being herself. Her old self- free and laid back. With no worries about getting out of line or looking too gaudy- too awkward. She was happy with herself. And she knew she deserved that happiness.

"Thank you!" She took her phone back from him. "These look great!" she said as she swiped through her phone. Her blue hair and dress were complimented by the pink peonies in the store window and the sand coloured brick encompassing it.

Well, it doesn't take more than good lighting to make her look great, Sharrkan thought.

"Hey, do you guys mind if I look inside?" Yamuraiha asked them. "I've never been to a hipster shop like this one, well I have, but it's never been this pretty."

"Nope, not at all." Sinbad answered. "Actually me, Masrur, and Jafar wanted to take a quick look around before dinner."

"Me and Spartos also had some things planned," Pisti lied. She had nothing planned, but if anything having Sharrkan and Yamuraiha alone together would be in her best interests and theirs'.

Sharrkan saw through her facade, but this time he wasn't going to be mad. "I guess I'll have to keep this one company then," he pulled Yamuraiha closer to him.

Yamuraiha opened her mouth to say something, but before she could everyone disappeared.

"Sorry they had you be stuck with me," she said.

Sharrkan scoffed. "And here I was thinking you were finally done with self deprecating statements."

She shook her head. "I'll never be done!" She said reluctantly as she took his hand. "Let's go inside,"

"I was planning on standing outside, really." he retorted. "But since you insist,"

Flowers hung everywhere they looked, and where they weren't hanging they were decorated and arranged into bouquets. The prices were written on chalkboards the size of a human's palm and accompanied by small doodles of roses.

"I've never seen so many flowers before-" she exclaimed and her eyes twinkled as she glanced back at him. "Oh look, they even have a bucket with free daisies," she picked one up from the small metal bucket.

"Here," he took the flower from her hands. "I'll put it in your hair." He moved her blue bangs aside and slid it into her hair. "There, you look like some sort of- uh, flower angel?" He couldn't come up with anything better, and he wasn't about to say something poetic.

"Thanks," she giggled. "Oh what're those flowers behind you-" she gently nudged him to the side.

"I think those are red spider lilies," he said.

"How do you know that?" she asked as she took out her phone to take a picture of the plant.

"I think after reading Hamlet I looked up a bunch of stuff on symbolism and plants were there- this was an important plant, but I have no idea what it means." He would be lying if he wasn't slightly embarrassed to admit that. What kind of teenager is so invested into literature that they research plant symbolism?

"Well, I love it." Yamuraiha stated. "It's so gorgeous." She studied the delicate red flower, it was probably her favorite. It was irregular and thin and it's petals curved backwards. "It looks like the awkward friend of all the flowers," she joked.

"But I do remember what this plant means," he picked up a small pot filled with tiny blue flowers off of a nearby shelf. "Do you know what this one is called?"

She shook her head.

"Forget-me-not."

"That's fitting," she laughed.

"You usually give these flowers to someone that you would want to remember you,"

Her face lit up. "Okay then I'll buy them! I'll give them to you as a present!" She reached for the pot, but he pulled it out of her reach.

"What are you dying soon?"

"No, but next year I'm going to a university and I won't be able to visit as much so I want to give you something-"

"Yeah, but a plant is… a plant. Why don't you get me a lighter or something simple. No need to be poetic with stuff like this."

"And I thought you were the type that would like something like this," she pouted. "I think a symbolic gift is really special. Also I would rather you think of me every time you look at a flower instead of every time you decide to spark it."

"Honestly, knowing me I would probably spark it more often than look at flowers." he smirked.

"You told me you don't even smoke anymore!"

"Yeah, but next year I won't have you nagging me, so I can't make any promises."

"Then I'm definitely buying this. So that when I'm not around, you can look at this flower and feel guilty whenever you're about to do something you promised not to, and I know you well enough now that I am certain you will feel guilty if you aren't true to your word."

His nose scrunched up."Then you should tattoo it on me, because I'm not carrying a plant around to parties." he said reluctantly. "I saw a tattoo parlour across from here, so if you want us to ignore dinner and get a needle and ink in our skin then, by all means, I'll get some forget-me-nots."

She crossed her arms, then she uncrossed them as her face lit up with an idea. "Let's get them!" she chirped.

"What?" His eyes widened.

"The tattoos!"

"Tattoos take like seven hours to finish, and I was being facetious."

"Not if they're tiny, the tiny ones take about an hour, maybe two- tops! My friend has one half the size of a playing card on her wrist." she tried to convince him.

"We'd be missing dinner…"

"I'll make you dinner, when we get back into the R.V., whatever you want. Come on, it'll be quick, I promise- we can both get a tiny tattoo. They'll let us do it then and there."

"But it's so sudden, like I've always wanted tattoos, but this is-"

"Let's be spontaneous. It'll be a itty-bitty thing on your wrist or wherever-"

He sighed knowing that he was going to get swayed into her crazy antics. "Fine." He exhaled. "I can't believe I'm getting a tattoo of an obscure flower." He linked arms with her. "Let's go,"

She smiled widely. "Thank you!" She leaned her head on his arm. "You are the greatest,"

"Yeah, yeah, I just wonder how my aunt will react, like; 'hey instead of getting matching friendship bracelets we got matching friendship tattoos,'"

"They won't be matching." she said matter of factly.

"Then what will yours be?"

"A red spider lily,"

"You don't even know what that means."

"Don't be pretentious about your plant knowledge, I know I like it. And besides it's a flower what's the worst it could mean?"

Writer: I always thought they would be sponteanous about everything so I guess this chapter fits. Added a lil bit of fluff for all y'all, although I don't know how well it's written. Haven't been feeling the writing mood, but your reviews mean the world to me! Search up some symbolism maaaaybe if you're interested, because what the heck is Yamu permentatly marking onto herself.