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He enjoyed the smell of freshly-cut grass. Always has.
Growing up, that had been one of his biggest comforts. Being away from home, looking at people as they tended to their plants. He always wanted to have one, even just a small flower to tend to, but he never asked. He knew they wouldn't let him, because how good would it be if he displayed any interest in botany and not medicine, like he was supposed to? He'd rather not know, he decided back then and didn't change his mind.
The first time he came across that smell, he was having a stressful day. He couldn't even remember what had happened before the fact, or even how old he was --though he guesstimated around 10. All he knew was that the smell brought immediate peace into him.
Just the smell was enough to make him forget everything which had been bothering him, a fact that never changed.
Not even now, as he sailed under the mark of a Spade as the First Mate.
The first time he ever told anyone about his interest in plants, the whole crew had gone out for x or y reason. The whole crew minus Mihar, of course, and him.
He was hidden away, reading his books, when Deuce knocked on the door. He let him in.
The book Mihar had in his hands was about different types of plants. When he asked, he told him it was to get a better understanding of what would or wouldn't help them if they were even in a dire situation. And also because he liked expanding his knowledge, and he didn't know much about plants.
"Did you find anything interesting?" Deuce asked
"Nothing much so far… Oh! Did you know that when grass is cut, it releases a chemical called coumarin as a distress signal? It's to prevent bugs from feeding from it."
Deuce chuckled "Ironic" he muttered
"Hm?"
"I… used to love that smell as a child. You could say the distress signal summoned me when I was in distress. Still does, I guess. It's peaceful."
Mihar nodded "I didn't know you liked it that much" before putting a bookmark and closing his book.
"Lucky guess"
"And tell me, did you feel a lot of distress growing up? No need to answer. It's just the way it was phrased which got me wondering"
"Well, I don't know if distress would be the right word, but definitely stress. I actually wanted to take care of a plant, but I never told anyone"
"Really? How come you didn't?"
"Oh, you know. They had a different life planned for me"
Mihar nodded in solemn understanding "So did you ever learn anything about plants or were you never able to learn?"
Deuce chuckled "If you have me a plant now, I'd probably kill it in a week, if that's what you're wondering"
"Well then," he opened his book "want to come learn about plants with me?"
He grinned. "Of course"