Ballad of Flowers

Chapter 14

                While they exchanged thoughts, looking through eachother's memories and pasts, there was a certain calmness to the room. It was nice and peacef- BANG. Orchid yelped, looking up to see Pinstripe holding their head as they had hit it on the ceiling fan. "Gee whiz, why is that so low??" They sigh exasperatedly. They look over to the couple on the couch, Orchid quite startled as Alex looks rather defensive and confused. "Am I... Interrupting something?" Alex stumbles for words at first, catching a sentence eventually. "W-Who are you, and why are you here?!" He growls, glaring. "They're a friend!" Orchid desperately chirps, hoping to calm him down. "Oh, well I'm glad that I'm at least considered a friend..." They chuckle, nervous of what he may attempt if he didn't calm down soon. "... If you say so..." He grumbles, slowly calming his nerve. "Orchid, who might this be?" Pinstripe asks with a curious expression, hovering over and looking him up and down. "My name is Alex, and I personally want to know why you're here..." His teeth were clenched forcing a smile as he started to shift Orchid, so he was between them. "Oh, I'm Pinstripe, and I was just checking in on Orchid... We just met the other day..." He was glad that they at least had told him their name, taking a mental note to possibly call the police later. "I swear to god Alex, if you call the police I'll never forgive you..." "But they could be a murderer for all we know!!" "Oh shut up..." They awkwardly shift away, blushing. "I-I should just leave... S-Sorry..." "NO! I-I mean... Please stay..." Orchid exclaims, glaring at Alex. "... Sorry..." He sighs, letting his guard down.

A while later, Pinstripe had left after an awkward silence, claiming they would return at a better time. The two were holding eachother closely, occasionally sneaking small touches onto the other. Everything was quiet, nothing could have possibly disturbed them, at least, that's what the thought. "What are you two up to?" They chime, face right next to the couple. Orchid practically jumps with a yelp, eyes wide. "STOP DOING THAT!!" She yells, clearly both terrified and pissed. "S-Sorry..." They awkwardly back away, visibly embarrassed. Orchid sighs, practically yanking one of their tendrils so they were up close again. "It's fine... Anyways..." Alex looks mildly annoyed, pinching the bridge of his snout with a small grunt. "What do you want..." "I was thinking we could play a game, or do something fun, or maybe even go see a movie or something!" "... How about instead, you just come back tomorrow...?" He growls, Pinstripe catching on quickly. "Ah... I see I am not wanted here... Orchid, Apple's worried about you..." "He can go die in a hole for all I care!" She hisses, scales dotting to a cherry red in places. "You don't mean that..." He mumbles with a sigh. Pinstripe managed one more sentence before disappearing into a void rift. "... I'll just tell him it'll be a while, and you're safe..." Orchid looks down, not wanting to talk any more about her brother...

Apple flinched as Pinstripe appeared in his home, Stopping the frantic pacing he had been doing nonstop all day. "D-Did you find her? Is she o-okay?" He asks with desperation in his tone, his eyes a twitching electric yellow. "She's okay, Alex is letting her stay with him... She says she really doesn't want to see you yet..." He heavily sits down in his hammock, holding his face in his hands "I'm so sorry Orchid... I'm so, so sorry..."