Work Text:
"Spring has come Ah-Jiu. Meh, I guess you've already known."
Shen Yaun's voice is soft, he caresses the leaves. "You really don't want to bloom for me?"
Last year was like a nightmare for him. He lost both Shen Jiu, his twin brother, and Luo Bingbing, his girlfriend, because of a car accident. Two people that he held dear in his life was gone, just like that. Shen Yuan bought two flowerpots and attached their names. He waters them everyday and, well, rumor said nice words could make flowers bloom, so he also keep making small talks with them.
Bingbing is now blooming beautifully, but Shen Jiu never does. No matter how much he tried, spring still refuse to come visit Shen Jiu.
Normally Shen Yuan would spend his morning alone with his two flowerpots, but not today.
"What do you want?" Shen Yuan asks with narrowed eyes.
Luo Binghe, 'BingGe', is standing before him, eyeing the flowerpots with mesmerized look. Shen Yuan moves to stand in front of those pots with crossed arms.
Luo Binghe is Bingbing's brother, and as much as Shen Yuan hate to admit it, Shen Jiu's on-and-off lover.
"Why is it... he not blooming?" Luo Binghe asks instead.
Shen Yuan sighs but tells Luo Binghe anyway. He explains that he's done everything he could, but maybe Shen Jiu has some defects that prevent him from blooming.
Luo Binghe asks, no, DEMANDS for Shen Jiu.
"Let me try."
Shen Yuan hesitates about giving the flowerpot to him. To say that 'Luo Binghe is not kind' is the understatement of the year. He's not good at taking care of anything or anyone. He showered Shen Jiu with soft touches and loving embraces, but he also showered him with bruises and pain. They kept hurting each other, falling apart and coming back together just to loop the cycle again and again. Shen Yuan did truly think his brother deserved better and tried to talk to him about this vicious toxic relationship.
The cycle came to an end... but also his brother. Luo Binghe often comes visit nowadays, for what purpose, Shen Yuan does not quite understand. But he knows a regretted person when he sees one.
Shen Yuan's about to say 'no' when his eyes lock with Luo Binghe's eyes. Those are eyes of someone who are lost and may never find their way back.
He nodded lightly instead.
That night, Luo Binghe takes Shen Jiu home with him.
Months passes before Luo Binghe visits again, bringing Shen Jiu along with him. The flower blooms radiantly; the petals look like they're glistering under the warm sunlight.
Shen Yuan shakes Luo Binghe'arm, asks him with exciting voice. "How? What did you do?".
A smirk is the only reply he receives. Luo Binghe does not even give him a hint.
But how could he?
Luo Binghe never tells Shen Yuan that Shen Jiu started blooming the night he clutched the pot in his arms and cried until his tears dropped into it.