I felt someone shaking me. Realizing what I just did, I quickly sat up, hitting my head. "Shit! I fell asleep on the-" I fell back on the grass.
"Ouch..." I rubbed my forehead.
I opened my eyes again, expecting to look at the sky. A pair of lavender eyes looked at me instead. "Sorry, I didn't expect you to wake up so abruptly." Labrador said in an apologetic tone. He took both my hands and helped me sit up. He sat on the grass facing me.
"Labrador? What are you doing here?" I asked. He ignored my question and focused on my forehead. He ran his fingers across my forehead. I flinched when he touched the part where it hurt.
He put two fingers on his lips, giving a light kiss and placed them on my forehead again. "Labrador?"
"Does a kiss really help a bruise heal?" He asked. He tapped my forehead a few times with his two fingers he kissed. I flinched in pain each time he touched it. "Or do you have to put your lips on it for it to work?"
I laughed. "Well normally you use your lips..." My sentence trailed off when Labrador kissed my forehead. My eyes widened in shock and my body stiffened. My face was flushed red.
"Does it still hurt?" He smiled gently, looking into my eyes. I placed my fingers to where he kissed me.
"N-no, it never really hurt to begin with..." I replied. "What about you then? Didn't my head hit you somewhere?"
"You hit my head too." He kept his smiling face.
I ran my fingers across his forehead and he flinched when I touched where I hit him. "Sorry. It must've hurt."
He held my wrist with one hand and kissed the back of my hand. "No, it's fine. Don't worry."
"No it's not; you just flinched in pain when I touched it." I giggled. I was about to give him a kiss where it hurt but he stopped me by placing a finger on my lip.
"Don't, Suzuna." He replied coolly.
"Why not?" I was puzzled.
"If you gave me a kiss it may lead to much more." He closed his eyes, sighing.
I got my wrist out of his hand. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I asked, irritated. He waved his hand, not responding. Knowing that I was irritated, he sat beside me, our shoulders touching, and looked at the clouds.
"You know Suzuna," he said. "You'll turn into a flower if you keep sleeping here."
I raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "How so?"
"One day, someone will pick you up and keep them for themselves because of the beauty you hold." He looked at me. I still didn't quite understand where he was getting at. "Suzuna."
"Yes?" He stood up and I stood up as well.
"Close your eyes for a bit." He brought me close to him and buried my face in his chest. "Just for a little bit."
I closed my eyes and was listening to Labrador's heartbeat. It was racing. He tapped my shoulder and I backed away from him. "This is for you."
He took one of my hands and placed a silver thorn-less rose. "Have you ever seen a rose this colour before?"
I gasped in amazement. "It's beautiful, I've never seen such a thing."
"You know how roses have meanings? This one is to protect."
"A rose of protection? I've never heard of that. Are you making that up?" I asked, admiring the rose. It shimmered in the sunlight.
"No, this rose will protect you." He smiled. He gently pushed my hand with the rose on my chest. "Keep it close to you."
I looked at the rose and back at Labrador. "Thank you, but what's the occasion?"
He let out a small laugh. "You're too carefree."
I never really understood Labrador sometimes. "Oh, I see."
"Well, I have to go. I'll see you around Suzuna." He told me. I sat back down on the grass.
"I'm always here if you need me." I said, holding up the rose towards the sun. His footsteps grew faint as he left.
Frau and Castor walked towards the room the three were supposed to meet in. Frau looked down from the rails and laughed. He pointed down to where the garden was. "Hey Castor, did you see that?"
"See what?" He was annoyed by Frau's presence.
"Labrador gave Suzuna a silver rose."
"What!? Seriously?" He looked out of from where Frau was and he saw Suzuna holding up a silver rose. Her face showed pure admiration.
"Yes I did." Labrador said. The two jumped and looked back to see Labrador right there.
"Weren't you just there Labrador?" Frau asked. His eyes widened in shock and surprise.
"Yes. But I'm here now." He said. Castor sighed.
"Is giving her that rose a message? You've never given a rose to a woman. Especially a silver rose." Castor asked, curious on Labrador's actions. Labrador said nothing. "...Anyway. Let's do what we had to do." The three walked towards a door a little further down the hall and went in.
I walked around the flower garden a few times to see if there were any silver roses growing. There wasn't any, no matter how many times I walked around the massive garden. I did notice some new flowers growing though, but all of them weren't the silver rose I was looking for. I headed back to my spot and l watched the sunset.
"What exactly does this rose protect me from?" I held the rose up and twirled it with my thumb and finger.
"Evil." A voice said. I quickly sat up and looked around. "Yo, Suzuna."
"Frau?" He walked up to me and sat beside me, putting his arm on my shoulder and slowly slid his hand down to my waist. I tapped his head with the flower. "I guess it doesn't protect me from perverts like you either."
He gave a teasing smile, letting go of me. "Of course it doesn't."
"You seem to know a lot about this rose. Care to tell me?" I asked.
"Well, maybe I will if you..." He pressed his lips together, closing his eyes. I interrupted his sentence.
"No thank you then." I responded, getting up. He grabbed my hand, pulling me back down. I gasped when I landed on the grass. "Frau!"
"Oh does it hurt?" He had his hand on my butt, rubbing it. I slapped his hand away.
"Frau," I breathed in deeply. "The things we did a few years back, I was young. It's not the same any more. I'm not the rebellious, partner in crime, and lover person you knew."
"...I know." Frau laughed. There was a tone of pain in his voice. I know he was trying to keep his image straight in front of me. "I was just playing around. I took it a bit far, sorry."
I stretched my arm to get the rose that fell out of my hand when I fell. "It's okay." I smiled at the rose.
"...Labrador gives that rose to people he finds special or close to him." Frau said aloud.
I looked at Frau, listening. "Well I can't tell you how he gets the roses, but so far he gave the rose to guys. Don't misunderstand."
"Okay... then why guys?" I asked.
"Well, there aren't many women he's close to, if you haven't noticed. Not like me." His smiled, feeling pride in the amount of women he knows.
I gave a slightly disgusted look at his pride. "Oh, I see."
"Keep the rose close to you. Like a brooch." He poked my breast. "Like around here..."
"You bastard." I slapped his head, glaring at him. He smirked. I looked at the sky and quickly got up. "Whatever. I have to go."
"See you later, Suzuna." He stood up and waved. I waved back and walked off.
When I came home, I tried to look for a small vase to keep the rose in and put it in a small cup that wasn't used instead. It will do. I placed it on the window sill nearby me. Yukina was sleeping in her bed with Shiro in her arms when I got in the bedroom. I crouched near her bed.
"Yukina-chan," I whispered, shaking her lightly. Shiro opened his eyes and licked my hand. The only time Shiro licked me or Yukina was when he was hungry.
"Okay, Shiro." I lifted Yukina's arm and let Shiro out. The cat jumped off the bed and sat on the floor waiting for me.
"...Onee-san?" Yukina's squinted.
"Did you eat yet?" I asked.
"No," she said quietly. "Can I have soup?"
I laughed a little. "You're never tired of soup Yukina-chan."
She gave a sleepy laugh. "Because Onee-san's food is the best."
"Alright, just don't fall asleep. Go change in your pyjamas at least."
She nodded and slowly got herself to get out the bed to do what I told her. I left the bedroom and Shiro got up and followed. I cleaned Shiro's bowl and took the milk from the fridge, pouring it in.
Shiro meowed and drank the milk, and I took out the soup leftovers from yesterday into a pot and reheated it. The day was just like any other day. Eat, debate on washing or leaving the plates, change, clean up, go to bed.
"Goodnight Yukina-chan." I said when I tucked myself in bed and turned off all the lights.
"..." She breathed in a slow steady pace, she was fast asleep. She must've used all her energy playing outside. I smiled and closed my eyes.