Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, they belong to Tomo Takabayashi, Geneon, and lots of other people who aren't me.
For Better or Worse
"Mom, can we talk about this whole engagement thing?"
"Of course Yuri!" I agree happily. Aw, he came outside to find me in my little flower bed. He had to have figured out that I was planning on personally growing some flowers for the wedding. He's so clever!
"I know you're thrilled with the whole engagement thing and all, but I can't marry Miya."
Oh, this is soo exciting! My little Yu-chan is growing up so fast! He's finally going to get married. Soon I'll have little Yuri's and Miya's running all over the place. And if I'm lucky, maybe even flying! I wonder what color wings they'd end up with?
"And did you guys even think to ask me what I thought about all this?"
"The wedding will be so fabulous, with Miya looking positively radiant in my own wedding gown, and my little Yuri looking dashing in his tux."
"Don't get me wrong, I mean she seemed really nice and all, but I can't marry her because she's convenient." Yuri is so thoughtful, not wanting to marry her for the wrong reasons. When they fall in love everything will be so perfect.
But not a black tux; black is so plain. Maybe we can put him in a pink one? That would be so cyute! And then we could have pretty pink carnations or something to match him! Drats! I don't have any carnations here! Can't have carnations as the wedding flower without having any in the garden.
"Besides, I'm already engaged to someone."
Of course you are Yuri. You're engaged to Miya, silly boy.
"Here tell me what you think about this one Yuri? These are called alyssum." They can be the sprays to fill in around the other flowers in a bouquet. I hold up the pretty white flowers. They are tiny and grouped close enough. Yes, they'll be perfect in place of the baby's breath that florists tend to use.
"They're very pretty, Mom."
"Ohh but what else should I grow?" I happily dig through my baskets of seeds.
"He'll kill me if he ever finds out you guys have promised me to some girl here on Earth, you know that right? Do you even care?"
"Did you know that flowers have a language all their own? Oh of course you know that, though. Your aunt paints flower combinations for people at her studio. It's so romantic, don't you think? People used to use flowers as a sort of code!" I clasp my hands to my chest and start picturing a scene straight out of Victorian romance.
"Mom!"
"Just think! Two young lovers who are trying to tell each other of their feelings, but without the approval of their parents. So they send each other messages in flowers, secretly planning to elope!"
"I think I may elope at this rate," my son mutters.
"Oh, you can't do that, otherwise there won't be a wedding. I was considering planting some pink carnations earlier. But I don't think I can do that."
"Mom, did you even hear a word I just said?"
"Did I hear a word you just said when, darling?" I blink at him.
He stares at me for a moment of disbelieving silence. I watch him shake his head, and let out a sigh.
Did I miss something?
"Why can't you plant some pink carnations?" he plops down on the ground beside me, a small grin tugging at his lips.
"Because I already have some heliotrope planted here," I state, pointing to the small flowers. They're bright and purple, how could he miss them?
"I see that," he answers with a frustrated sound. "Why can't you get rid of them and plant the carnations instead?"
"Because then I wouldn't have any heliotrope. Although to be perfectly honest, I had originally wanted carnations when I first started planting my flowers. I loved how pretty they looked. Did I ever tell you that Yuri?" I look over at him.
His eyebrows are furrowed in thought. "If you wanted carnations then why did you plant these things?"
"They didn't have any carnations at all in when I went down to the store, they were completely out and wouldn't get the order in for another week. I wanted carnations, but I was just so eager to start working on my flower beds right then. I was so upset. I had really wanted to get started that afternoon on my planting. Well the florist there talked me into heliotrope instead, and if I didn't like them I could come back and he'd give me some carnations for free later. I planted them, and I found that I really do love them, maybe even more than I did carnations."
"Then why are you thinking about getting rid of them?" he demands, looking upset on my behalf. My son is so empathic. I smile proudly at him and brush the bangs off his forehead.
"Because I was thinking of your wedding. I don't have enough for the decorations by any means, but I thought I could grow enough for the bouquet. I wanted flowers that you would like for the wedding, although… I would miss my heliotrope if I got rid of them, I think. I've had them for so long." I brush my hand over the flowers fondly- just like I did with Yuri's bangs. I giggle at the realization.
"But it's a simple choice really. The carnations would match the wedding more so, out go the heliotrope."
Yuri is very silent where he's sitting. It looks like something is bothering him.
"Is something wrong Yuri?" I ask, all of my attention now focused on my son. He turns to look at with a bright smile. He looks peaceful, as if he's come to a decision about something.
"Mom, you're right." He grabs my hands, "Don't get rid of these flowers to plant some different ones for my wedding."
Goodness, he looks so serious.
"Do you think Aunt Jana will do me a favor?"
"I'm sure she will, Yuri. Are you going by her place right now?"
"I want to get a gift for my fiance, and I know she'll have the perfect thing. But I need to get a couple other things, and I need to get it all ready before tonight." He stands up and rushes back into the house before I can say anything else.
"He's getting a gift for his date with Miya? How cyute!"