Closed Sitting with Dying Flowers

[Rosie Archer]

As the valentines festivities were all over, and the season was turning to autumn, she had been able to tell when the plants in the gardens would start dying off. The last of the petals from the summer flowers flying off and the slowly reddening leaves. It was the natural part of the cycle, this much she knew but it was also just sad to her. She didn't like watching the slow change because it was always something when something died like that, and though the trees would eventually come back to full bloom, and the plants would grow back and the lifecycle would continue, she had always tried to not leave the plants too alone while dealing with this. The gryffindor had put on a rain jacket and brought out a water proof blanket and was sat in the garden, as greys skies sat overhead. She had her books out, and was mostly reading outloud to the plants. Keeping her voice soft and melodic, and just enjoying the company of them. ​

 

[Xinyi Huang]

Xinyi had really had a lot to think about since Valentines and everything was over. He had a lot of feelings he was trying to sort out. His deliveries had brought up things he didn't know what to do with. Was he gay? His head was all over the place. He wanted to kiss Caleb- and so many of the boys he'd seen around on Valentines were beautiful. He might have thought so, but Rosie... merlin, Rosie. Xinyi didn't know what he was feeling about Rosie. Did he like her? Did he just enjoy her company?

He'd been feeling absolutely restless all day. Eventually, he just couldn't take it anymore. He'd decided to find Rosie. He always felt calmer when she was around. He knew where to look for her, at least. He walked down to the gardens, holding his jacket close around him. Finding Rosie was easy enough. He smiled, moving gently to sit down beside her. "Hey, you,"

 

[Rosie Archer]

Rosie had just finished the retelling of her and Aurora's sorting to the flowers as Xinyi approached. She alerted them quickly and then smiled at Xinyi. "Hey," she greeted with a warmth in her tone reserved for her closest friends. "How are you?" she asked. She wasn't sure why Xinyi was out here, but she wouldn't mind any company if he was willing to give. "What brings you to the gardens today?" she asked with an interested tone. ​

 

[Xinyi Huang]

Xinyi blushed at the warmth in her tone. It felt nice. Unthinkingly, he scooted a little closer. "I'm... okay," He offered hesitantly. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking around. "I was trying to find you, I thought you might be here. What are you doing?" He asked, glancing back to Rosie and smiling shyly.

 

[Rosie Archer]

Rosie thought how he said okay was a little odd, she wasn't sure how much she actually believed it really. "You sure?" she asked and then gave a little shy smile back. "Oh, you'll think it's silly, but the flowers and plants are dying, as they should you know, it's that time of year, but, I feel sad thinking that they're all alone, so I come outside and I sit with them, I just finished telling them about the rose giving," She shrugged a little. She knew that most people thought it silly, she knew that Aurora didn't mind it, but didn't join her either. "I just don't want them to be alone....," ​

 

[Xinyi Huang]

Xinyi tried to avoid her question, instead focusing on her answer. He smiled and offered out his hand. "It's not silly," he told her. "It's sweet. I wouldn't want to be alone either." He scooted a smidgen closer. "I could come out here with you if you wanted," He suggested. "We could reach stories to the plants and each other," He mused.

 

[Rosie Archer]

Rosie knew it was a little silly, even if he was to polite to say it. "The flowers grow better when you sing to them so why not sit too when they die," Rosie agreed, since that was why she had thought to do it. "Well, we're here now, and I'll always be here at this time of year, so you're always free to join me," Rosie told him, since she would always welcome his company. "The flowers and I will always enjoy your company," Rosie told him.​

 

[Xinyi Huang]

Xinyi smiled gently. Rosie was such a sweetheart. "I will, I'll bring snacks next time," He promised. He blushed as she said they'd enjoy his company. He sighed softly. "It's nice that you think so," He told her. "The boy I was at the dance with? He ditched me," he sighed, frowning. "I thought he was nice, but I guess he didn't like me," He admitted softly, looking away.

 

[Rosie Archer]

Rosie gave him a smile. "That would be good," she thought it would be nice to have something to eat, it would mean less trips back inside. She frowned as he spoke about the boy he'd been with at the dance. "That wasn't very nice of him," she told him, since it wasn't it was an unkind thing to do to someone. She reached out to take Xinyi's hand and squeeze it lightly, "It's his loss, you're the best person ever Xinyi," ​

 

[Xinyi Huang]

Xinyi blushed at her words, sighing and shifting to lean his head on her shoulder. "I think I'm bi," he told her softly. "Over Valentines... there were so many pretty boys," he bit his lip. "But... some girls are really pretty too," He told her, too afraid to tell Rosie he thought she was the prettiest girl ever.

 

[Rosie Archer]

Rosie was surprised by his statement, if only because she hadn't thought too much about sexuality or what anyone could be, but it was sweet that he had told her. "That's wonderful Xinyi, thank you for telling me," she knew that it was important to be kind in these matters. "Boys and girls are both very pretty," she could agree, she hadn't given much thought to what sexuality she was, since though she could find both cute she didn't have an interest in either as of yet. "Just like flowers and herbs are both equally beautiful." ​

 

[Xinyi Huang]

Xinyi sighed and laid back, looking up at the clouds. "I'm sorry I didn't join you guys at the dance," he told her softly. "I... I thought he liked me. Stupid, huh?" He ran his hands over his face, his sadness tightening his chest. "My own brother hates me, why would anyone like me?" He muttered, mostly to himself.

 

[Rosie Archer]

Rosie shook her head at him, "It's okay Xinyi, we're always there for you to join us at any point, or not, that's what friends are for," Rosie told him as if it were obvious, she knew she'd likely always be there with her sister, and would welcome any friends that came to join them during that period. She frowned and immediately reached out o put an arm around his shoulders. "it's not stupid, and I like you, Aurora likes you, Soren likes you," she listed with small tears brimming in her own eyes. "You're wonderful Xinyi, and your brother is stupid if he doesn't like you. But I'm sure he doesn't hate you," she thought it absolutely wild that siblings could hate each other, she couldn't imagine hating Branson or Aurora, it was just impossible. ​

 

[Xinyi Huang]

Xinyi almost jumped when her arm wrapped around him, and he looked to her. He blushed, and unthinkingly reached up, meaning to brush his thumb over her cheek. "Hey, hey, it's alright," he tried to reassure her. "I... Jingyi and I... maybe we just don't understand each other well," He offered.

 

[Rosie Archer]

Rosie could not understand the idea of not understanding or liking her twin sister. They had been together through everything, shared a room, had shared classes, shared homework, shared everything. She didn't mind being apart from her, but she knew if she didn't know her, or didn't have the bond she had with her she would be without. "I don't know what I would do if Aurora and I didn't understand each other," Rosie told him honestly, she looked around at all the dead flowers. "Do you have other siblings?" ​