The Greenhouse [A Gaara Love Story]

7: The Beauty of Botany

A/N: Heeeeyy guys, I'm still alive! Sorry for the absence, I got wayyy more busy these past two weeks than I planned to be. We should be right back on track now though so please enjoy! 

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Chapter 14 of The Beauty of Botany was titled Flowers and Blooms and held the bulk of the added notes and tabs. Most of the book was marked by swirling handwriting and helpful tips, but the majority of this added information came from Chapter 14. The moment the title page had been turned Shinki's sight was filled with curvy ink and bright notes, full of facts and advice that wasn't covered in the original text. He liked reading these notes almost as much as he liked the content itself, reading each page a few times over as though following Momoko through her thought process.

Gaara's handwriting could be found in this chapter as well, Shinki soon realized. Sometimes it would be replying to what she had said, others it was adding questions of his own (to which she crammed a response underneath), but the majority of it was just, to put it plainly, flirting.

Gaara's Favorite, one of Momoko's tabs had pointed out on a page marked Mapira Lily.

You are my favorite, came Gaara's neat reply.

You're my favorite, too♡

Shinki had to stop himself from rolling his eyes as the conversation filled the entirety of the tab, instead turning his attention to the rest of the chapter. Kankuro's favorite was marked as well (Striped Carnation) and so was Momoko's (Dahlia). Shinki had intended to find his own favorite but the thought was abandoned when he flipped the page and saw bright orange blooms.

One of the most beloved flowers around the world, marigolds have many uses. They protect the plants growing around them and have medicinal properties that help people too. Of course, we also value marigolds for the vibrant folds of petals that make up their blossoms.

Marigolds can mean many things. In more modern times they are viewed in a positive light, symbolizing optimism or hope. In the past, however, they were sometimes thought to have more negative connotations, such as mourning or grief. These bittersweet flowers can be both an acknowledgement of the past and a wish for a happy future.

One of Momoko's notes simply said "Easy", followed by a rather short list of instructions for planting.

It made Shinki pause, his gaze hovering over the note. His mind slowly began to fill with an idea, one that swelled bigger with each breath as though it was a balloon being blown to it's full size. He skimmed the description twice more before reading the note thrice again, and with a small breath he sat back in his desk chair with his eyes on the greenhouse just outside the window.

It wasn't as though they really used it. Sure, Gaara had his table of cacti and a few tools for them but other than that the greenhouse hardly got much attention. Momoko hadn't so much as touched soil in over a decade so he very much doubted that she ever went inside. For the most part it was empty, unused- waiting.

He could give it a try, if he really wanted to. Gaara had already let him into the greenhouse and reassured him that he could come and go as he pleased even if he wasn't accompanied. The seeds would take a few days to sprout (if he even did it right) and about 8 weeks to fully bloom. He wouldn't be able to hide them well once they started growing, but Shinki doubted Gaara would scold him for trying his hand at gardening. He had expressed before that maybe Shinki should find a hobby outside of their training and though the boy had never given it much thought before, he certainly did now.