Review to tell me what you think and leave a favorite quote/saying. From now on, I'll put a favorite quote of mine at the top of each chapter of my stories. Read it or don't read it, for it may or may not relate.
Lying smiles hurt others. Lying tears hurt oneself.
The next day, Lillian planned to enjoy a peaceful afternoon of reading her new book from the library. She had laid out a soft blue towel on the grass outside her house and was sprawled out comfortably. However, she couldn't quite focus on her reading today, for thoughts of the handsome white-haired man were all that filled her mind.
She frowned slightly; it wasn't like her to get so worked up over a man, especially one she hardly knew. She had too much going on in her life at the moment too concern herself with things like relationships. Besides, there was something…strange about him that she couldn't quite out her finger on. He was too polite or something. Lillian shook her head in an attempt to physically clear her mind. Picking up her book, she continued to read, finding it a bit easier to concentrate now.
It was only a couple moments later that a dark shadow loomed over Lillian and she looked up to see the subject of her anxiety, looking down at her with a smile gracing his perfectly chiseled face.
All previous notions abandoned, Lillian felt her heartbeat quicken a bit, and the feeling of wanting someone manifest itself in her for the first time in a long time.
"I hope I did not catch you at a bad time?" Mikhail inquired, though the answer was fairly obvious to both of them.
"Not at all, I'm surprised you found your way here so quickly. It took me a while to get used to the area," said Lillian, thinking of all the times Nori had to help her find her way home.
"I am a quick learner," said Mikhail. Lillian noticed the slightly playful glint in his eyes again. "This is quite an impressive garden," he said, changing the subject, "you gave me the impression it was simply a hobby yesterday."
"I think it's more fun that way," she said with a small smile.
"Fun?" asked Mikhail curiously.
"Absolutely. It's like a surprise in a way, right? If I had told you I had a big garden it wouldn't be nearly as exciting," Lillian explained.
"Looking to make an impact?" asked Mikhail.
"I suppose that's a good way of putting it. I just like observing the looks on people's faces when they see my garden for the first time."
Mikhail smiled to himself, "you are very talented."
Lillian brushed off the compliment, "do you know much about flowers?"
He considered her question for a moment, "caring for them might as well be a mystery to me, however I believe I am well versed in the language of flowers." Lillian quirked an eyebrow at him. "You seem skeptical," he noted.
"Knowing a red rose means love does not make you an expert," Lillian deadpanned.
He chuckled lightly, "that is not the extent of my knowledge."
"Alright then, I believe it's time for a little test," said Lillian, strolling over to one of her flowerbeds and kneeling next to a bright yellow freesia. "Do you know this flower?"
He followed her over to the plant and looked at it for a moment. She had picked such a fitting flower. "The freesia symbolizes innocence."
"How do I know that wasn't just a lucky guess?" she asked.
"By all means, choose another," he said.
Lillian stood up and searched her surroundings for a moment before heading towards another section of the garden and pointing out a deep crimson flower.
"Gratitude is the meaning of the Camellia, correct?" asked Mikhail.
Lillian bit her lip and looked around, one particular blossom catching her eye. "Just one more," she said excitedly. This time she led him to a patch of elegant light pink flowers.
"Poppies," he said, "eternal sleep."
Lillian's eyes flashed with an emotion Mikhail didn't recognize, but it was only there for a brief moment before it disappeared. "Don't you think it's funny how such a cheery-looking flower bears such a solemn meaning?" she asked, admiring the poppy's four flat petals. "But at the same time, I almost expect it."
"What do you mean?" asked Mikhail.
"Well…it's like how people who seem the most guiltless, or happy, or just-okay, almost always turn out to be hiding something…dark," mused Lillian, smiling innocently. In that moment, Mikhail was so focused on her voice that all other sounds around him seemed to disappear altogether. When she finished her sentence it was like the whole area had slipped into dead silence.
For a moment, Mikhail didn't know what to say. The look she directed at him seemed far too knowing for his liking and it made him uncomfortable to say the least. He didn't mind people knowing about his career as a violinist and the fact that he traveled the world, but any more than that was strictly off limits. His heart was beating much too quickly due to his nerves, though he would never let it show.
"Or so I've heard," added Lillian offhandedly. And just like that, the deafening silence was shattered and Mikhail let out a sigh of relief as quietly as possible. He felt ridiculous. Who was she to make him panic like that? Just a young woman he had just met, nothing more. He had no need to worry.
"I believe that logic is a bit flawed," said Mikhail coolly, still feeling the need to derail whatever thoughts she had on the subject in fear they may one day pertain to him instead of poppies.
"You do?" she asked curiously, cocking her head to the side.
He nodded. "If one were to go around assuming everyone who seemed happy was actually concealing something unpleasant, then that would make nearly everyone suspicious," he pointed out.
Lillian was thoughtful for a moment and then let out a small, unexpected giggle. "I suppose you're right; I was just thinking aloud," she explained. The tone of her voice had lightened but her eyes retained a sort of searching expression directed solely at him. If she hadn't thought he was hiding something before, she evidently did now, and though she spoke no more on the subject, he doubted she'd completely dropped it.
Just as Mikhail was starting to truly feel the repercussions of his impromptu visit, he heard the sharp bark of a dog to his left. The violinist turned to see a large golden retriever barreling towards him at full speed. However, instead of trying to move out of the animal's way, Mikhail knelt down with his hand out in front of him, palm up.
Lillian watched curiously as her loving retriever, Boo, stopped mid-stride right in front of the white-haired man and proceeded to first sniff then lick his outstretched hand. Dumbfounded at her pet's oddly tame behavior, Lillian could only stare for a bit as Mikhail patted Boo's head. "How did you do that?" asked Lillian at last.
"Do what?" asked Mikhail, honestly confused.
"Stop Boo from running you over like she does to everyone else," Lillian elaborated-needlessly in her opinion.
"I am not sure. I have never had much difficultly when it comes to animals. I do not believe I do anything special," replied Mikhail.
"No, it must be something…perhaps you exude an alpha male aura," Lillian mused, her mouth quirked upwards slightly in amusement.
"Alpha male? I have never thought of myself in such a way," said Mikhail with a light chuckle, glad to have the conversation steered back to a relatively safe topic.
"In what way do you think of yourself?" asked Lillian, the searching look she had in her eyes returning in all its glory.
Mikhail refused to be fazed this time. She probably wouldn't have thought anymore about his behavior if he hadn't been so defensive earlier. He certainly wouldn't make the same mistake twice.
"A musician."
"A musician?" Lillian echoed, kneeling down next to Boo and scratching her affectionately behind her floppy ears.
"Oh yes, just as surely as you grow these spectacular flowers," he gestured to her gardens, "I compose music. In fact, I came to this town seeking inspiration," explained Mikhail, proud of his answer.
"Well you do sound like one. Artistic people always seem to be searching for inspiration in some form or another. I think it must get tiring chasing after something so ambiguous," said Lillian. She knew she was being slightly rude, but she was curious to see what kind of person Mikhail was under all the layers of polite nonsense he seemed to spew.
"The lifestyle simply suits some better than others, and I enjoy every part of it, from hunting for a muse to performing the final product," explained Mikhail truthfully. Some of his happiest moments were spent working away at the violin for hours on end. It was the perfect distraction from the less desirable parts of his life.
"Well, have you found a muse yet?" asked Lillian, breaking Mikhail's train of thought.
"I believe so." The words left his mouth before he realized, but what he had said was the truth. The young woman with sparkling amaranthine eyes had caught his attention…in more ways than one. The violinist struggled not to grimace. She was too curious for her own good, but he had always been a slave to his inspiration whenever it struck, and if it chose her, then he would pursue it as he always had.
'Surely one woman could not be too much trouble' he thought, ignoring the feeling known as doubt that twisted uncomfortably in the pit of his stomach.
The quote is from Code Geass.