NOV PROMPT: COOKING LESSONS/OVERCONFIDENCE/FEELING LONELY/DUMB ARGUMENTS/HOT DRINKS/GAME NIGHT

OPTIONAL GENRE/THEMES: ANGST/COMEDY/FLUFF

Synopsis; It is never stupid when it comes to her.

#Post-Resident Evil 4 #Pre-Resident Evil: Degeneration

Note: NGL November's prompts are a bit challenging.

A soft sound of chatter was enough to rouse Leon from his brief slumber. Squinting his eyes due to the beaming sunlight, he peeked in the direction of the front door. His delight in hearing Claire's hearty laughter was interrupted by a masculine voice that came to follow. Irritation seeped in knowing that another man managed to make her laugh in such a way. Bringing himself to a sitting position, he grunted a little too loud to make his presence known. He could sense their eyes zeroed in on him when they went completely silent after his passive proclamation wanting the guy to leave. The clicking of the lock was heard after both individuals by the door concluded their chatter and bid goodbye.

"Good morning.", said Claire, taking a seat on the single sofa across from Leon. He massaged his temple; the headaches he had last night came assaulting him again. Claire was not much of a help by criticizing his sleeping habits. "We prepared a room for your stay here. And yet you still crashed on the couch."

In the corner of his eyes, he saw Claire shake her head after studying him. His guess was she probably noticed the black left eye and bruised knuckles on both of his hands. The after-effects of his recent assignment that he refused to talk about.

"You okay?"

"Never better."

His answer came out bitchy. A slight regret he did feel. It was not his intention. Adjusting his jacket to make himself comfortable, he then slumped further into the couch. He tried to mend his mood, however, it turned worse when he spotted what was in Claire's hand.

"What is that?" His voice was croaky, a mix of his body aching and exasperation.

He could bet that the Redhead took a hint of his displeasure, by the flummoxed expression that she gave him. She answered him with the same beat, "What do you think? It's roses."

The pink roses bouquet was obnoxiously large. Irritated, he barked, "I know it roses. But that's not what I meant."

"Gift from my student, for graduation.", clarified Claire.

"They give out roses for graduation?"

It was a brainless question and they both knew it. Both knew he did the same giving her a big bouquet of red roses during her graduation for her bachelor's degree. Only later he found out that she disliked roses. Leon wondered if he still remembered about it.

"It's the most popular flower for graduation." Still did not tell him anything about her remembering the event.

"Those too?", asked Leon with a slight disdain. He was pointing at the red roses decorated at the center of the coffee table.

"Umm?" Claire was surprised and clearly did not expect Leon to ask further.

"Ooh... that's from Valentine." Claire replied before leaving him in the living room.

Leon was confident they were not from Jill Valentine. Unsatisfied, he trailed her to the kitchen. "From your students?"

"Some of it."

Arriving just outside the kitchen area, his track stopped right when he saw the same flower on top of the kitchen counter. And another on top of the fridge. He groaned at the flowery outlook of the kitchen had become. And Leon stared at her, he was about to fight her off the nonchalant response.

"You don't like roses. Why do you keep them?", rebuked Leon.

To avoid being read by her, he made himself busy by pouring the hot coffee into the mug he retrieved from the mug holder. He was pretending that he managed to keep his composure but truthfully he was scatterbrained. Even he did not bother to look for milk like he usually did. His face scrunched as the bitterness of the coffee hit his palate. He noticed a questionable look from Claire, as she passed the milk that she got from the fridge.

"I kept them because I don't wanna them go to waste."

His plan to sit by the dining area was thrown out the window when he annoyingly spotted nicely decorated red roses in the shimmering glass vase right in the middle of the dining table. He turned around and then realized there were at least 3 more vases of roses that he missed located around the living room. This confirmed the claim on what Sherry told him last year. The entire NYU was smitten by her was an overkill, first he thought. But seeing the amount Claire received flowers on Valentine's Day and the commemoration of her graduation confirmed everything.

"Just give it to a neighbor or somebody else.", scowled Leon. He let out a frustrating grunt not only because of what the topic they were on was about but also because the stool's legs got stuck by the uneven tiles of the floor.

Come on, chair! MOVE!

Yanking the chair too hard, the stool was freed only to be in a sideways position and collided with another stool next to it. Leon nearly lost his footing and kissed the floor, but not lucky enough when the side of his wounded rib hit the edge of the bar counter. Thankfully, he placed the coffee mug on the bar counter prior. If not he would be doused by the hot coffee while wrestling with the chair. He muttered a string of curses under his breath.

She raced toward him after hearing him hissing pain. Rather than amuse, Claire was confused by the whole spectacle. Knowing Leon, she knew he was out of his character this morning, especially upon his refusal of her help. Observing him climbing the stool with his hand cradling the side of the rib, she frowned.

"Leon, what is it with you?"

"Nothing."

Leaning by the bar counter, she pressed on what source of his sour temperament with her eyes focused on him. "It's just roses."

"Come on, Claire. Red roses. Valentine days. You know it has meaning behind them."

"It's a commemoration, just a kind gesture."

"More like a suggestive gesture."

"Oh, would you just chill... It's all one-sided, okay. It's not like I reciprocate any of them."

He shrugged, "Not sure about that. Seeing you keeping it all was a telling sign you care enough. You giving them hope."

"How? I kept all of them here. Nobody."

"You never know if they suddenly turn up. Like the one this morning."

Leon was not sure what possessed him to be so work out. His confidence was shooting up to the roof. He was sulking but this mindless spat going to give him trouble. Claire looked at him, mouth slightly open with an expression full of puzzlement and had enough of his fits.

"Wha...what? You know how stupid is this going."

"It's not stupid."

"It is stupid because this back and forth is going nowhere. And I told you before that was my student." Claire moved away from the bar counter and walked towards the kitchen area. She said over her shoulder, "Ohh... why do I even bother explaining to you when you don't even pay attention to it."

"I do pay attention to you. Not sure about you though."

"Me?

Hesitant at first, but he did continue saying it anyway, "Ermm...I also gave you roses before. Remember?"

"I did remember."

This became childish. "Did you keep them after you said you disliked them?"

"I did keep them!"

"Then why did you tell me you dislike them?"

"Because I want you to know what I like and dislike. That nothing wrong with wanting to let others know especially someone important to you about a piece of you."

"Is this what it's all about? Geez. Leon." Claire put the plate that had bacon toast and egg in front of him. She then proceeded to the dining area and began to tidy up her work stuff that was scattered on the table.

"Okay, it's been a while since we talked with each other, the first thing you want to have a conversation is about roses. No, scratch that. Argument over roses. Unbelievable." pressed Claire.

That's not it. It is the men interested in you!

That did not come out loud. When it took too long for his reply, he turned around and continued, "You know what, sometimes it is really hard for me to get you. I got to go, I'm late for my meeting."

Leon followed her line of sight and watched her grab the jacket on the dinner chair. She started shoving her hand into the sleeve of her leather jacket. Her biker leather jacket. Leon's face scrunched in disbelief when she grabbed her helmet.

You can't be serious...

"You not taking your bike are you?"

"Yes. And let me guess, that gonna be a problem for you too."

"I know is the end of February but it's still winter."

"The sun is shining and the road is clear. Cheer up, don't be a grumpy cat. Be the likable puppy that you are."

Claire was fully equipped with her backpack, and gloves in hand and rushed by the door, "You here for Sherry right? You better see her, before you bail out like you always do." Claire slammed the front door as she made her leave.

I'm the one of bailing?! You the one who's leaving?!

He heard Claire fire up her bike. He preferred her not to ride her motorbike in the winter, but who is he to say? The newly government-issued Dodge Charger that he parked by the side road was far inferior to her Ducati Monster. His blood boiled remembering what Sherry had told him about all the men on campus being captivated by her suave mien. Among them were upcoming musical stars from drama school, the star athlete from their basketball team, the double major student from her poli-sci study group, and the assistant professor from economics. Leon cursed for allowing Sherry to let on too much in regard to gossiping about Claire's romantic student life.

The thought of her was complotting all along invading his already messy head. Maybe she purposedly rode his bike instead of taking her car to campus just to make him green with envy. To her motorbike, to his incompetence, to his overconfidence, to the guys that have hot on her, to him not having her as his, to the guys that gave those roses.

FUCKIN' ROSES!

Angrily, he yanked the roses from the vase and dump to the bin. His fury did not die down, but in fact, flared up to melt the winter snow upon finding roses all over the house. The red roses were not only found in the living room, but also in front of the stairs, the hallway upstairs, her bedroom, Sherry's bedroom, his bedroom, and a bunch of them in the kitchen that were filled with cut mineral bottles because she had used all the vase. A lot of them. And he collects another, and another from each floor.

He stormed towards the backyard and opened the rusty old barbeque barrel that was left by the previous tenant. After dumping all the roses, he emptied his whiskey, lit up his zippo, and threw it into the barrel. Immediately, the fire lick up the whole stuff aflame. Seconds passed and he took his cigarette out and lit it with fire kindle, sat lazily in one of the steel chairs he dragged, watching the flame in the frigid February.

Leon took another drag when he heard someone enter the house. He highly doubted it was Claire. He took another hit from the cigarette and a thin girl's voice came from behind him, "Are you celebrating your victory or licking your pain?"

Leon ignored her remarks. Sherry sighed and asked again, "Why are you burning the roses?"

"Sore for the eyes." Without care, Leon answered.

"Because it's not from you?"

Leon's head whipped in Sherry's direction, his eyes narrowed with annoyance. His heart shook with searing pain because the young woman's words were like rubbing salt in his wound.

"Boy, you're full of questions this morning." Sherry entreated him with a cheeky grin. Therefore, he passed his greetings. "Hi, kiddo."

Sherry bent down and gave him a hug, "Glad to see you in one piece."

"Thought you still asleep."

"It's nearly midday. Hurmm... well, Claire sent me to get some groceries, so drop by the farmer's market. We are hoping you stay for dinner. So, how long of your stay?"

"You got me till tomorrow."

"Cool. Cool... Anyway... is everything okay?"

Leon only answered with a non-committal nod. She tried again. "Claire gonna be so piss you burned those roses."

"I know."

Leon was well aware Sherry was not easily convinced by his impassive reply, thereupon she dragged a chair and sat next to Leon by the fire.

"Hey, you remember when we walked out from Racoon City, and we walked past a flower field.", said Sherry. Leon could hear the hope in her voice. Regardless of him being blind to where the conversation might bring them to, he entertained her nonetheless.

"Yes."

"What happened that night was awful. When never I get a nightmare, I always keep replaying what we did that next morning."

"You both looked the happiest that morning." Leon suddenly remembered Claire and Sherry were picking a bunch of white flowers. "The flower...what is it called?"

"Daisies."

"Yeah, daisies."

"Who would a thought to see a field of daisies at the end of September? You know, later I learned that daisies actually represent a new beginning. What are the odds!", implied Sherry to their situation.

A smile crept on his lips, hearing the Sherry reminance on what happened 7 years ago. It's bittersweet, on one hand, his life changed forever the other hand he formed an unbreakable both with the woman that he ticked off earlier and the young woman sitting next to him.

"Did you know what else daisies represented?"

"What?" Sherry managed to intrigue him with another fun fact about daisies.

"True love."

Leon turned to Sherry indicating he wanted to know more. Thus, she continued, "Some say it because daisies are not technically a flower, but a composition of two flowers. Because it harmoniously blended, it metaphorically represents two souls that are meant for each other."

"You sure know a lot about daisies."

"Thanks to my gig at the florist shop last year."

Leon let out a chuckle causing Sherry to smile happily seeing Leon's mood cheer up a little. She added, "Claire loves daisies."

"Yeah, Claire loves daisies." Unconsciously, he repeated Sherry's words. But truthfully he knew it by heart. Claire was right. He did not pay attention to what she was. He was so disheartened when she told him about the roses, he forgot about her mentioning that she loves daisies.

Leon, you fucking stupid.

He hides his head in his hand, regretting the tiff he had provoked earlier. He had to make up for his own stupidity.

"Hey, Sher."

"Yeah?" Sherry's pale blue eyes were gleaming with eagerness.

"Do you have time to show me around this florist that you worked before? Maybe get some daisies to fill up those empty vases?"

"Heck yeah!"

The rest of the day, they both were on a mission to have their hands on all daisies from every florist they raided. And by the end of the day, before Claire arrived home, they filled all the empty vases with multicolor daisies; White, yellow, pink, blue, and even purple. The whole house was embellished with vibrant daisies. Only one particular daisy, the red daisies, Leon specifically placed in the empty glass vases on the nightstand beside Claire's bed. Because the red daisies from Leon Kennedy specifically belonged to one and only Claire Redfield.