The school greenhouse was Thorne’s sanctuary—a place where the world seemed to slow down, where the worries of the day could be forgotten among the blooming flowers and tangled vines. He stood at one of the long tables, carefully tending to a row of small saplings that his students had planted. Each one was fragile, delicate, just starting its journey.
Thorne smiled to himself as he wiped his hands on a cloth, lost in the comforting rhythm of his work. The greenhouse was quiet this afternoon, the air warm and thick with the scent of soil and leaves. It was peaceful, just the way he liked it.
That peace, however, didn’t last long.
The door to the greenhouse creaked open, and Thorne glanced up to see Ryuji standing in the doorway, his familiar calm and collected demeanor framed by the afternoon light. Ryuji, the school’s student counselor, had a way of entering a room like he belonged there. His katana, ever-present at his side, was sheathed, a quiet reminder of the strength he carried within.
"Hope I’m not interrupting," Ryuji said, his voice low and steady.
Thorne chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You’re always welcome here, Ryuji. Come in."
Ryuji stepped inside, his eyes scanning the rows of plants as he approached. "Thought I’d drop by for a bit. It’s been a long day—sometimes I just need to get away from the office."
Thorne nodded, understanding immediately. "The kids giving you trouble again?"
Ryuji smiled faintly, though there was a tiredness in his eyes. "Not trouble, exactly. Just… a lot of emotions. Sometimes it gets heavy."
Thorne set his tools down, wiping the dirt from his hands as he leaned against the table. "I get that. Plants are easier. They don’t talk back, don’t argue. They just… grow, if you give them what they need."
Ryuji’s smile deepened, a quiet laugh escaping him. "I’m starting to think you’ve got the better job, Thorne."
Thorne shrugged, though his eyes were warm. "You’re good with the kids, Ryuji. Better than I’d be. I don’t have the patience to listen to their drama."
"Yeah, well, I’m not sure they always want to listen to me either," Ryuji said, leaning against the table beside Thorne, their shoulders almost touching. "But that’s part of the job."
They stood there for a moment, the sounds of the greenhouse filling the quiet space between them. Thorne had always admired Ryuji’s strength—the way he handled everything with such calm. It was a quiet kind of strength, but it was there, in the way Ryuji carried himself, in the way he listened to others.
"You could’ve come here sooner, you know," Thorne said after a while, glancing at Ryuji out of the corner of his eye. "You don’t always have to deal with everything alone."
Ryuji looked at him, his expression softening. "I didn’t want to intrude. You seem so at peace in here."
Thorne smiled, a small, knowing smile. "You don’t intrude. You’re part of this too, you know."
There was a pause, and Thorne could feel Ryuji’s gaze on him, like the quiet weight of a warm sunbeam. The closeness between them had grown over the past few months, a slow but steady connection that felt as natural as the plants Thorne nurtured. It wasn’t something either of them talked about, but it was there, growing like roots beneath the surface.
Ryuji looked down at his hands, his thumb tracing the edge of his katana’s hilt. "I appreciate that. Really."
Thorne gave him a soft nudge with his elbow, a light, playful touch. "You need a break from your office? You can help me in the greenhouse. Not as much talking, just digging in the dirt."
Ryuji chuckled, the sound low and genuine. "I’m not sure I’d be much help. I’ve got more experience with a sword than a shovel."
"Well, you’d be surprised how much patience both require," Thorne teased, handing Ryuji a small trowel. "Here, give it a try."
Ryuji took the trowel, his fingers brushing lightly against Thorne’s in the exchange. It was a brief touch, but it lingered, leaving a warmth that Thorne wasn’t entirely sure how to describe. They moved to one of the nearby pots, and Thorne demonstrated how to gently loosen the soil around the base of the plant.
Ryuji followed his lead, his motions careful and deliberate, though his strength was evident in the way his hands moved. There was a focused silence between them as they worked, the sun dipping lower in the sky, casting a golden light over the greenhouse.
"You’re a natural," Thorne said after a few minutes, his voice light.
Ryuji smirked, glancing at Thorne. "It’s not so different from what I do every day. Helping things grow, giving them what they need. It’s just... quieter here."
Thorne’s smile softened. "Exactly."
They continued working side by side, the space between them filled with the quiet, comfortable rhythm of their movements. It was easy, being with Ryuji like this—no expectations, no need for words. Just two people, finding solace in each other’s presence.
As the last rays of sunlight filtered through the leaves, Thorne glanced at Ryuji, who was still focused on the task at hand. There was something peaceful about seeing him like this, away from the pressures of his role as a counselor, just a man in a greenhouse, finding his own kind of quiet.
"You should come by more often," Thorne said softly, almost as an afterthought.
Ryuji looked up, meeting his eyes, and for a moment, the world outside the greenhouse felt far away. "Maybe I will."
