Pairing: Hatori Sohma/Ayame Sohma
Theme: 11. Gardenia/くちなしの花
Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, nor its characters.

Ratings: R for implied situations.

A/N: Yeaah, I realize that Ayame means Iris, and not Lily. XP Still, it works for this fic, if you have enough patience to get through it. Thanks to for the flower-meanings, as I don't have a clue. XP Also, I apologise for the randomly-placed order of these fics, but I felt like making a HAPPY sappy sappy fic. Yes, I succeeded. I'm sorry, Adi88. Next one will be angsty again. XD

Life-sized Lily

Everybody was always a little too eager for Hatori's liking to compare Ayame to a narcissus. As the legend went, Narcissus had been so in love with himself that he died while looking down in a pond, worshipping his own reflection. With a faint smile, Hatori figured that there was some truth in that. Especially now, when Ayame spent his time in front of a mirror brushing each strand exactly hundred times, before continuing with the next tress. All of this, he did before going to bed.

Hatori had once questioned the necessity of brushing one's hair before bedtime, and received the very persuasive argument that Hatori himself preferred Ayame's hair loose instead of entangled in a constricting braid, and if Ayame wanted his hair to be slightly knot-free when he woke up in the morning, the best time for brushing one's hair was now. Since Hatori preferred Ayame's hair free so he could bury his fingers in the silky tresses, or, if Ayame was riding him, liked the way the loose threads fell on his heated skin, tickling him to the point of near laughter, he voiced no complaints about this task of vanity.

Ayame's name itself meant 'Iris'. Ayame himself had told him often, in a teasing tone, that the iris stood for wisdom. Hatori couldn't help but smile, again, at the recollection, so relaxed in the prospect of passion that he didn't mind showing his teeth to the Hebi. It wasn't like the Hebi wasn't going to bare his teeth in the upcoming moments, so it was a fair exchange. When said Hebi glanced over at his favourite doctor and witnessed the rare display of warmth, he quickly ditched his brush in favour of the warm, inviting bed, climbing atop of the other body to warm up his insides; only his outsides blissfully warm thanks to the floor heating Ayame doted on.

Hatori figured that Ayame did represent wisdom, in a certain way. The Hebi, like no other, knew that a smile could mend brotherly rifts, or could guide a cold heart back home.

In reality, Hatori thought that the best flower to represent Ayame with would be a Lily. They were colourful, slightly gaudy flowers as far as appearance went. Many lilies of all colours currently sprouted in their new garden, and Ayame's proudest work was keeping them alive. Lily of the Valley meant return of happiness, something Hatori saw him as. The Lily Day stood for coquetry, and the white Lily stood for majesty.

At first, the colours of all the different lilies had blinded Hatori. The extravagant colours coming at him all at once reminded him eerily of Ayame's walk-in closet (on which Ayame hadn't wanted to compromise; Hatori simply had to get a closet himself) filled with reds, purples and mostly golden colours. Hatori just thanked the Kami silently that Ayame hadn't gotten as used to wearing pink by day as he had did by night, even if the fabrics he wore at night - should he wear anything - was transparent.

As he slowly had gotten used to the explosion of colours in their garden, aided with the lack of windows in the places of the house he spent the most time in, Hatori couldn't help but admire the small dabs of white and gentle green that all lilies gathered in the morning. At an hour on which nobody was awake but himself, the true serenity of the flowers was bared in the field, sparkling demurely with the touch of dewdrops sitting on the leaves.

Hatori loved this most about the flowers, and found that the flowers like that, bright colours hiding within the sealed lilies, represented Ayame best of all.

When Hatori grumbled slightly at the shifting of his weight as Ayame sat atop of him, the Hebi tsk-ed. "Tori-san, Tori-san, you know very well that you should quit smoking. It's a very bad and appalling habit, and the fact that you moan upon my delicate weight at the tender age of 29 makes me worry about your health." Ayame spoke with a touch of humour in his voice, but Hatori knew the man was deadly serious. He knew this by the actions Ayame did to prevent him from smoking, be it hiding his cigarettes, starting a water balloon fight with Shigure in his presence every time he wanted to light a cigarette, or just unashamedly kissing him for such a long time that Hatori was forced to throw away his expired cigarette. Hatori figured that atleast it was better than having a Hebi in your arms in the otherwise perfect bliss of afterglow, complaining that your breath still tasted like "yucky nicotine".

"Hn." Hatori chose to ignore that comment as he could not do anything about it right now, and, quite frankly, had nicer things to do right about now. Delicately placed under a pillow Hatori had made sure not to lie upon, the single rose was taken from under the pillow and handed to a dumbstruck lover. Ayame blinked a few times, taking the rose with a raised eyebrow and a playful smirk on his lips.

"I hope you do realise that our courting days are long over, and you already have me, Tori-san." Hatori noticed his voice was softer than normal, though, and his eyes spoke of tender appreciation. "But I appreciate the effort you made by not stealing flowers out of our garden again, and buying them instead."

Hatori was tempted to think that Ayame had simply avoided placing roses in their garden as they were meant to be given as a sign of love and devotion, and not to show off beauty like the lilies. "You're welcome." He mumbled, lifting himself up from his lying position with Ayame still in his lap, and staring in the Hebi's sparkling eyes with his one good eye. Ayame's eyes did the smiling for him as he leaned closer just a little, brushing his nose against the doctor's trying to entice a kiss.

Hatori had no desire to pluck lilies from the garden anymore. He preferred kissing the life-sized version that always showed its true serenity and beauty in front of him, and only him.