Work Text:
They seemed to glimmer red from the opposite end of the glass window, and it was enough to garner Lila’s peripheral notice.
The clamor of the Tuesday afternoon slipped slowly into deep silence as she let Skid’s grip slide off her palm, and with a subtle swallow approached the window. A bouquet of bright red roses rested upon a smooth, wooden stand within a vase tainted with pink and gold patterns, an abstract representation of the special, romantic holiday that was ten days away. And while for others it shimmered with an aroma of romance and passion, Lila found a scrunch ruining her nose.
Of course, she had her own festive moments the past few years when Valentine's Day came knocking on her front door, and a chuckle with Jaune brought upon multiple moments of glee that was shared over a lunch break with a few cupcakes. With the children’s appealing friendship Lila would often trade simple roses with Mister Wonder and his granddaughter Susie, but apart from that it had been quite a while since someone in particular had gifted her a refreshing, beautiful, and passionate red rose.
Of course, it never meant that any other flowers were worth a complaint, far from it, actually. But there was always a difference between roses of friendship and roses of love, romantic love that oversaturated and accumulated in the atmosphere of February 14. A fist bump was not always as heartfelt as a kiss on the cheek, or the texture of the other’s nose as it kissed against her own. It was different from the feeling of his hands tied around her fingers, tracing over the bumps of the wedding ring he had gently rested on her. It was different from gazing into his eyes when a soliloquy of forever hummed behind them, causing their son to gag at their unhidden gazes of longing.
Yes, there was something incredibly special about situations like that.
She recalled one specific moment, where plenty of those romantic scenarios came into play. The lanterns of tangerine turned the river into a tranquil, molten rivulet running across the grass, and Lila had been beside him as they watched the stars from the railing. Their son sat silently over the flat, stone railing; his father’s arms wrapped protectively around his waist to prevent any sorts of accidents. Behind them, a band let a soothing melody graze the night, the voices of their singers carried by the same gentle breeze that whipped her purple hair towards her cheekbones.
“Isn’t this lovely?” Lila had commented, losing sight of the diamond-studded sky to admire the diamonds sparkling in his eyes.
When he met her gaze, the diamonds almost seemed to glow brighter. “Which are you referring to? The place or you?”
At the scarlet that flooded over her face he stifled a chuckle, and Skid only blinked in confusion, too young to comprehend the simple meaning of that exchange.
“Yeah, you’re right,” her husband reformed, loosening one of his arms to make a single, dismissive wave. “This evening is terrible in comparison. I’m probably the luckiest man alive that I get to return home with the loveliest person alive, Lila.” He planted emphasis on her name, dipping his jaw as he gingerly motioned Skid off the railing and onto the pebbled ground. Lila was still too flustered to reply and could only gawk until he raised his collar and pulled an object from his ebony coat’s interior.
She finally mustered enough stamina as she forced syllables out. “Aww, you didn’t have to…!”
“That’s probably right, but in instances like this I’d rather be wrong.”
He extended the rose over to her, closing the gap separating their shoes as he peered down at her. His rosed hands sought through her trembling grip, and he massaged her fingers until she could feel the fresh, dewy stem caress her skin. The fresh scent of the rose lifted like incense into her system, made holier by his interference, and yet she could only keep herself focused on his face, on the shape of his nose, the curves of his muscles, and how his lips lined into a giddy, satisfied smirk. He was a glistening gem within a diamond mine, but somehow, he was hers to claim.
“Could you two please stop?” Skid suddenly interjected, arms interlaced over his chest, disappointment making for a scowl and a pout. “I feel kinda awkward.”
Lila almost wanted to react to that, but instead an amused laugh shook her body as she knelt towards her son, ruffling through his longer, dark hair. His shoulders rose in a cringe at the action, hands fisting at his sides as he shut an eye with an upset grunt.
“Oh, dear, you’ll understand when you’re older,” she had said to him, and behind her, her husband nodded in agreement.
And then just like that, her memory forced her back into reality, at the sunlit afternoon with all the busy bodies prepping for the season. She swerved around to spot couples rushing down the streets, swaying their clasped hands on the sidewalks as they chatted and chuckled. The glass before her revealed again the large bouquet of roses and her own reflection as she stared at it with empty eyes, the diamonds he had so admired now dimmed carcasses from a landslide. And the roses before her, so fresh with the scent of Valentine's Day, weren't infected with incense anymore—it was a stinky mockery that jabbed at her and cackled at her loss with merciless clamor.
She chugged down at her bottom lip, stiffness caging her stance.
“Mom, are you all right?”
Skid’s hold tugged at her skirt, and beyond the skeletal mask she could identify concern highlighted in his expression. Certainly, he was much older than when her moments of Valentines had been a blessing, but even now, some things were better left wilted and buried. He was still a child, and held too much optimism to be surrendered to the hardships of reality and all the collapsing, interpersonal challenges that came with it. In other words, he still wouldn’t understand even as he was older.
So she forced a smile, and patted his head once again. “Yes, dear. I was just…thinking about something. C’mon, let’s go buy some candies for Pump and Susie.” She didn’t wait for his reply and continued down the street, his hand again within hers as she abandoned the roses behind them. And with one look down at him she could see he was lightyears away from being convinced, but for now perhaps this was for the best.