Written for Usagi and Mamoru: A Love Like No Other. Link can be found on my bio page.
48. Rosebud (309 words)
Darien was walking down the street twirling a small rosebud in his fingers. He'd found it as he was walking through the rose gardens at the park only a few minutes earlier. It was perfectly formed, just about to burst into bloom, and had had a few dew drops glistening on the petals as he picked it. It had reminded him of his days in the orphanage, and tending to the rose bushes out in the small courtyard. It had reminded him of little Sophie Lang, the only kid there who had been nice to him. But then Sophie was always nice to everyone and no one had it in them to be mean to her. Kind of like Serena actually. Except with brown hair and green eyes.
Darien quickly stepped to the side when he realised someone was about to crash into him. He was about to help the girl up but chuckled when he recognised her as Serena. Speak of the devil, he thought. Serena heard the laughter and was obviously about to shout at him when she noticed the rosebud. "Oh what a pretty flower," she said.
Darien didn't know what made him do it, but without thinking he was holding the flower out to her. "Here you can keep it." Serena accepted it and grinned as she gently touched a petal. "Maybe you can give it to your new boyfriend. What was his name? Melvin or something?"
"I was not on a DATE with MELVIN!" Serena screeched as Darien began to walk past her.
"Yeah whatever you say Meatball Head," he called back. For one moment Darien glanced back over his shoulder at the blonde teenager. The sweet image Serena made standing still and holding the rosebud up so she could sniff at it delicately had him grinning the whole way back to his apartment.