Horns of Fate (Bleach oc Fanfic)

Part Nine: Flower child

Early one morning Keishin finds himself wandering the streets of the nearby town. For a small town there were a lot of people already up. He comes across a series of stalls, some held food items like fruit and vegetables. Others general knick-knacks, vases and sweet smelling candles and soaps.

One in the middle of a row held a variety of colourful flowers, some were already in arrangements tied with coloured ribbon and laces. But many of them were in buckets to show their type. The scent they gave off was nice and gentle. Not at all overpowering like the scented soaps were, some them were enough to make his nose itch and not in a good way.

"Well it's nice to see you around." The girl behind the laden stall laughed. "I thought you were going to stay up that dusty old mansion forever."

He hadn't realised he'd come so close to the stall. "Oh it's you."

She rolls her eyes in good nature. "Did you come for some flowers." She leans in. "Maybe a bunch for a special someone." She winks.

He frowns. "No I haven't, however they don't suffocate my nose like those things." He jabs a thumb over his shoulder.

She smiles happily. "Oh good, I was worried their lovely scents were going to get smothered under all that junk, I'm glad you noticed how nice they are."

'She's so happy I commented on the smell, I didn't even say I liked it but she still took it as a compliment.' He thinks while watching her as she gets distracted by a elderly lady examining some pale pinks flowers. Her face brightening as her hands express her feelings, which he finds amusing because their only flowers and yet they bring her so much joy.

"Is this your young man?" The lady says, sending a sly look in his direction. "He's very handsome."

Akira blushes wildly. "Oh no no no, I barely know him." Her hands wave in front of her face, which is as red as the roses sitting beside her.

The lady chuckles. "Such nice hair, not many these days have it that long." She touches her own hair, though greying. "I wish mine looked as nice as that."

"That's true but we're not together." She says. "Your hair is still nice and long though so that's something."

He pretends to ignore them but allows the corners of his mouth to tip up slightly as her discomfort. He sighs irritably when a breeze picks up and sends his wavy strands in front of his face. Pesky strands always insisted on getting in his way.

"Here." A thin piece of red ribbon enters his vision. "Try tying your hair with this."

He shakes his head. "No it'll be fine."

The old lady continues to pick out some flowers into a nice bunch but he sees she keeps glancing their way, a smile on her face.

"Are you sure?" She laughs when a larger gust of wind blows all the hair into his face.

He sighs again. "Fine." He takes the ribbon and attempts to gather his hair into one hand. however because his hair has always been down, he never took the time to learn how to tie it back when needed.

Akira giggles at his attempts and rushes around her stall to take the ribbon from his hands. "Here let me do it." He lets her, though she is much shorter then he is so she takes his hand and drags him around the stall to a stool that she sits on when not busy serving potential customers.

He ignores the soft warmness of her hand as her hand leaves so she can stand behind him to tie his hair back. He even hides the wince of pain from the burns still healing from attempting something different while training with his Hollow mask.