Rabbits in the Garden

Vivaldi - Four Seasons "Spring"

Marc's eyes widened.

He had just said his name.

Did Marc know this man from somewhere? It was fully possible, and wouldn't be the first time he had insulted someone by failing to remember them.

The stranger choked back a horrified gasp at his own greeting.

"M- Marc, right? New neighbor!" He forced a chuckle, which came out a bit too loud, and much too nervous. "I... heard about you from some visitors. Nice to finally meet you!"

Marc looked back at him, dumbfounded. So he didn't know him.

Marc sheepishly retreated from the porch he had been invading. "I'm so sorry, I thought this was a public building." Vi's eyes widened.

"Oh no, it is! I mean, it's not. It's my home, but I don't mind!"

Marc eyed him suspiciously. "You don't mind your home being a public building?" Some people had positively alien levels of extroversion.

Vi took a deep breath, recollecting his thoughts. Marc watched as his blonde brows knitted together in concentration. Or was it frustration?

"This isn't a public building. My name's Vi. I'm your neighbor." With that he extended a shakey hand, and a nervous smile. Marc looked at the hand, then back to its owner, who quickly put it away as something between a smile and a grimace spread across his face. The loose, silky fabric of Vi's long sleeves twisted as he wiped his palms on the sides of his jeans.

"You're, um, you're the new shopkeep next door, right? I heard you were gonna sell instruments. I don't really know that much about instruments, but I like music!" He gave another stilted chuckle. "But I guess everyone does. Do you? That's a stupid question."

Marc stared at him. This was an odd situation.

The bizarre behaviour of the stranger in front of him had to be forgotten for the moment however, as a horrible realization crept up. People really had been talking about him. A lot, it seemed. But the man seemed talkative enough, despite whatever he was so disturbed by, so Marc decided that a bit of prying was in order.

He mercifully cut Vi's nervous descent short by gesturing around him. "So these are your gardens?"

Vi's expression lit up at the pleasant diversion, and he nodded. "Most of it. This is where I grow the edible plants: berries, vegetables, herbs, things like that. The front garden is mostly trees and shrubs." He looked as if he debated internally for a moment before adding, "Do you like plants?"

Dang, thought Marc. He really had no reason to lie, but for the inexplicably hopeful expression on the man's face.

"They're... nice."

Well at least it wasn't a lie. It wasn't as if Marc were opposed to their existence, though he was a bit indifferent. Not to mention, far too undereducated on the subject to form a reasonable opinion.

"Would you like a tour?"

The man stood on his front porch, shrugging. His bright blue eyes looked expectantly at Marc, but his mouth formed a thin line under his moustache.

"Uh."

"It'll only take a minute, if you have time! Which if you don't that's okay, but if you do, I'm..." He winced. "I'm available."

Marc looked down at the violin case in his hand.

"I left my sheet music by the fountain."

A choked noise escaped Vi, until he could properly say, "You can put that inside the house if you want, I can go get your... What did you call it?"