noirges | YVES & LAURENCE VS. THE WORLD

Uh-huh... It was pretty scary... I was visiting my friends and it broke out all of a sudden. I think... not many people made it out...

[ quietly, even as he tries to remember the vivid flashes of what he just saw ]

I was trying to help a little girl... I hope she got out okay...

[ suddenly he feels like he shouldn't have asked at all. if yves wanted him to know, he would've said so. ]

I'm sorry. For you and all those people.

For what it's worth... I haven't seen any little girls around here. She's probably alright, back home.

Really...? I hope so.

It was scary... but I'd be happy if I could've saved just one person.

[ that sounds right. ]

I think you must have. So maybe going through something that scary is worth it, if only for that.

Yeah! And... I get to be with my Grandpa again. I've missed him a lot...

He's probably looking forward to seeing you again, too... though maybe so soon. Maybe we should pick up some flowers for him along the way?

[ laurence, internally: this has to end eventually and we won't have to see a child be upset his grandpa isn't here to see him, right? right? ]

[ somebody help laurence

but yves gaaaasps ]

Can we, Laurence? He'd love that....

Yeah, definitely. I've had a lot of practice in the last few days, anyway... but you'll have to pick out the ones your grandpa likes.

The lycoris!!!

Huh... I don't think I know that one. Can you show me?

Uh-huh! Let's see....

[ assuming they are toddling around the gardens, yves will perk up once he sees the white and pink spider lilies blooming somewhere ]

Oh, there...! But their color is different...

[ the ones on yves's halo are black, after all ]

Oh, that's like... [ wait maybe he shouldn't mention the halo. ] I've seen them around, but I didn't know the name.

You're used to... what, red and black ones?

Uh-huh... Just black ones. No one likes them because they can make people die... but Grandpa likes them, so I do too.

They can what? I've... never heard of that of before.

Ah, did that make you scared...? It's okay, as long as you don't pick the flowers or hurt them, they don't hurt you either.

But that's why a lot of people hate them... but Grandpa always took me there anyway. They mean a lot to him.

...Just surprised, I guess. I'm still learning about flower meanings and stuff. That... never came up.

But if you can't pick them, you can't make a bouquet out of them, either.

That's true... but one day, I wish I could.

That's how Death wants to propose to his bride... and I want to do that, too!

[ ???????? ]

You want to propose with death flowers?

Just like Death in the story that Grandpa told me...!

Is it just because it's the story your grandpa told you? Or do you just really like that idea...?

Both!

[ always a romantic... ]

Then maybe you'll find a way to do it safely, someday. It must be a really good story for you to like it that much.

Yeah, yeah...! Do you wanna hear? Though... you might need to keep it a secret so people don't bother you...

Sure, but why would anyone bother me just for hearing a story?

Well... the story is that one day Death arrived on our island. He met someone and told them that he had to take care of all the lycoris flowers, because one day he would offer them to his bride. If the flowers were to ever wilt, then Death would come to reap the souls of the whole island...

So... Grandpa takes care of the flowers, and I'll be next. But they're flowers that people find really scary... If you know what I know, they might be mad at you too.

Even if I love that story... I don't want anyone to get hurt.

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outdistanced - 2025-02-28 02:44 (UTC) - Expand