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Every time Vanya thinks about what happened two days ago, he feels his cheeks grow sore from smiling. It’s gotten to the point that people have even begun asking him if he managed to catch something new, and he has to give them the runaround each time.
He can’t just come out and tell Bob, or Massimo of all people how happy he is that Blanc wanted to learn fishing from him. And then, that he thanked Vanya by giving him food and a bouquet of flowers the next day. It’s been months of passively waving ‘hello’ to each other, and they’ve finally become friends!
At least, Vanya thinks they have. He’s intimately aware of how picky Blanc is with who he chooses to spend time around. There was only one way to test that: by asking Blanc to hang out.
Vanya chose the early morning to pay Blanc a visit, when the skies were still covered by fluffy pink clouds and the gentle sun blinked through when they parted. The air was crisp and refreshing, filling Vanya’s lungs and coming out as puffs of foggy breath. These types of mornings are his favorite; the type where he can enjoy the warmth of the sun on his face without sweating.
Of course, even though the weather was perfect for it, Vanya didn’t make Blanc fish for him again. When he knocked on Blanc’s door, the greeting he gave him was
“Baboo. Are you in the mood for gardening today?”
Blanc looked so surprised, peeking at Vanya through the gap in the door. He was still wearing his pajamas and had the cutest tiger-shaped hairclip in his bangs, pulling them away from his face. Must’ve woken up recently. But he still said yes. On top of that, in his typical flustered way, he asked Vanya if he was here because he wanted to join him.
That’s how, half an hour later, they got to standing on the grass of Blanc’s neighbor’s front yard where Blanc has yet to plant anything.
The forecast reported a whole week of clear skies before the Starfall showers are due to begin. Vanya didn’t even need to check to know, predicting the sunshine by the constant singing of sparrows. It’s why he specifically chose the morning time to indulge in Blanc’s hobby, when the earth was still cold and the sun was hiding.
Unfortunately for him, it’s not only a sunny day out, but an unusually warm one too.
Most town residents are celebrating the good weather, but to Vanya it feels like someone cranked the water heater up too high. Normally on a hot day like this, he would be under the shade of his porch, or by the Old sea enjoying the breeze. Instead, he’s wearing rose-print gardening gloves, blessing the fact that he at least left his ushanka at home.
He was in a great mood earlier, and now he’s barely paying attention to what Blanc is saying. Any longer like this and he’ll have more in common with that smoked fish Blanc gave him.
“Snow cover… can insulate the soil… helping plants s-survive the winter…”
Blanc tells him, stepping closer and blocking the sun’s glare with his head. It shines through his hair like a halo, marking him Vanya’s angel of shade. He sighs in relief, which Blanc smiles at.
“...when it melts… it c-creates moisture… helping the crops and flowers… to grow.”
Before they left his house, Blanc gave Vanya a spare pair of his gloves he had in storage. At first, Vanya felt kind of awkward taking them. He told Blanc that he'll just run to the Clothing Store and pick some out for himself. But when Blanc explained that they’re a gift for Vanya, he relented. Who could ever say no to a gift, especially from the friendly neighborhood gardener?
“That’s why… this spot… should be good,” Blanc continues, getting bolder, “There’s enough shade… the afternoon sun… won’t dry them up.”
“Hmm,” Vanya sighs again, keeping his tone light even as he shakes his head, “Guess I should’ve come later. This heat’s making me melt like butter...”
Blanc looks down at him as if noticing his discomfort for the first time. His bottom lip pulls into a frown, and he pats his thighs, nervously shuffling around a little bit.
“Oh… Well… I’ll t-try to… make this quick… so you can get back to your r-research.”
He doesn’t seem offended at all, but Vanya realizes that he might have misunderstood him. Vanya loves to complain, but it’s not like he’s being forced to do this. It’s the sun that’s the problem… not Blanc.
“Are you worried about me?” he teases with a smile. The way Blanc’s mouth opens slightly makes him laugh,
“Just kidding, haha! Besides, your shadow makes for pretty good temperature control.”
As Vanya continues to laugh at his own absurd jokes, Blanc finally seems to get over his surprise. He smiles back, waiting for silence before speaking again,
“In that case… I’ll just s-stay here. And you can plant the flowers… yourself.”
“You’re the expert!”
Vanya is grateful for Blanc’s earlier insistence now. Sure, he likes flowers, but digging around and caking up his fingernails with dirt just sounds like a hassle. Even though the gloves are a little big on him, they do their intended job of protecting his hands.
They crouch down, and Blanc walks him through weeding the grass around the area.
“Every single one… should be pulled,” he says, pointing to a spot Vanya missed. “From the root,” he adds when Vanya only rips the tops.
He lets Vanya take his time slowly working the pesky weeds out of the ground until there is a small, bare circle of soil. Then, he instructs Vanya to poke a hole in it and sprinkle the seeds inside.
While Vanya unintentionally wastes several long minutes on this task (instinctively throwing the seeds like he would throw bait and then having to transfer them back into the hole) Blanc talks about each step like it’s the most fulfilling thing in the world. Vanya fails to see the excitement. His mind wanders to other things.
Like the heart-shaped topiary arch a few feet to his right. Or the random bugs swarming the hydrangeas on either side of the planting spot. He looks up at the little bird settled between Blanc’s ears, and it tilts its head at him. Cute.
Vanya glances around Blanc’s shoulder when someone suddenly dashes past. At first, he thinks it’s the new D.G. Member rushing off on a quest, but the presence of a straw hat and bugcatching net lets him know that it’s actually Naniwa. The boy swings it down onto the stone path, and with perfect aim he’s captured some kind of butterfly. Vanya doesn’t remember seeing one with those colors before, but who knows. Maybe it came out after the frost melted.
When Vanya looks back to Blanc, he sees him patiently watching him, waiting for his attention.
“Oh, right. Uh… Tell me about the different colors!”
As quickly as he got distracted, he returns to the task at hand. What is he doing… He’s supposed to look interested. Blanc was so relaxed talking about his hobby, and Vanya’s making it seem like he doesn’t care at all!
“Well, there’s… a rainbow of colors... You can think of one… and it probably exists. B-But for now, let’s focus on planting.”
Blanc kneels down on the opposite side of the hole, seemingly not minding the dirt at all. He covers the seeds and gently presses the soil down on top of them. After he pulls away, Vanya joins in by giving the area some healthy pats.
“So, that’s it?” He asks. He honestly thought that there’d be more to this. What about fertilizer? Or parasite prevention? Blanc didn’t mention any of that.
“Yes,” Blanc claps quietly, leaning back to give Vanya some space. Then he takes a short breath in, and keeps talking.
“Um… actually… flowers… are hard. Usually… you would start with crops. But… it’s okay,” he smiles, dropping his gaze shyly,
“I’ll take care of them for you. Just… m-make sure to water them. Doing it with your f-friends… there’s a chance… to get something special.”
…Now that sounds exciting!
“Really? Wait, don’t tell me. I want it to be a surprise. Ah, now I can’t wait to see what kind of flowers I get!”
Vanya complains with a grin. He tilts his head into his arms, peeking through them at the ground below. They frame his black boots and Blanc’s yellow ones, as well as the place where their hands left imprints in the soft soil. His head spins slightly, but he ignores it.
“You have to have… patience,” Blanc says when Vanya stays quiet. His voice, conveying a smile, drops to a low volume like he’s talking about something precious.
“Give them time to grow. From planting, watering, waiting… every step… watching plants thrive is j-joyful.”
Vanya rests his cheek on his arm and peers up at him. He can’t see Blanc’s face well enough through his thick bangs, but he can see the soft shape of his lips. Blanc doesn’t look nervous like he normally does. Instead, he’s just happy. Vanya can’t bring himself to look away.
“Hey,” he speaks up, tugging off one of his gloves and reaching into his pocket, “Let’s take a picture together. I wanna remember the day I planted my first flowers.”
“R-Really? Okay…” Blanc stutters at first, but agrees easier than Vanya expected him to. When he leans into him, he feels Blanc’s hand press against his back, helping him keep his balance.
Once again, it reminds him of the evening a few days ago. How Blanc ran his coarse fingers through his hair, fluffing it up as he dried it. He remembers the moment before that, too, when he joked about the “kiss” and watched Blanc’s face turn red. It’s a weird memory for him. Terrible and stressful… but somehow, the flutter in his chest wasn’t just from anxiety.
He wipes his sweaty hand on his shirt and switches to the camera app. His own flushed face greets him, alongside Blanc’s smiling one. He’s not sure at this point if his cheeks are pink from the weather, or the memory.
“Three, two, one—” Vanya counts them down, aiming his thumb over the button. He presses it just as his phone slips from his hand, falling into the dirt below.
“Oops,” “Oh!...” they both go to pick up the phone, accidentally interrupting each other. It’s a little awkward to be holding hands, so Vanya draws his back, leaving Blanc to scoop up his phone. He wipes the screen with his sleeve before handing it back to Vanya.
“H-Here you go…”
“Thanks! I can’t imagine that would’ve grown into anything pretty,” Vanya jokes, swiping back to the selfie he took. Luckily, the picture saved before he dropped his phone, so it’s not blurry. And even the little bird posed for the picture! It’s definitely cute enough to post, assuming Blanc gives his permission.
Vanya turns the screen to show it to Blanc, who scoots closer to peer at the photo. Then he hears footsteps, sees a Naniwa-shaped blur sprint by, and suddenly Blanc is reaching out for him with a grunt of surprise.
Vanya blinks, wondering if the heat is making him hallucinate. But no, wait— Blanc’s not reaching out, he’s bracing himself. They both gasp in surprise as Blanc crashes into him and they fall over on the ground.
Vanya’s hands press against Blanc’s chest, one gloved and one bare, acting as a barrier. As Blanc pushes himself up above him, Vanya wonders if he looks just as shocked as Blanc does right now, with his eyes and mouth wide open. From his spot underneath him, Vanya sees a bright rainbow arching behind Blanc’s head. It ends at the topiary arch, making it look like they’re under nature’s mistletoe.
But a second later, Vanya accepts his fate. Because the ground is delightfully cool. Blanc’s broad frame blocks out the scorching sun, casting shade over him. The ground has stopped swimming in front of him and that’s probably a good thing.
Blanc doesn’t move, continuing to cage him in with his arms on either side of Vanya’s head, so Vanya doesn’t move either.
“Yay! A giant Comet Moth!” Naniwa yells victoriously in the background, but it doesn’t distract him this time.
He’s too focused on the familiar feeling of soft breaths tickling his nose, and the gentle rumble in Blanc’s chest. It’s not loud like it was when they were fishing together. If he didn’t have his hands there, feeling it, he wouldn’t have noticed. But Blanc is purring again, just like a cat.
Vanya can see his eyes looking at him through his bangs, and strangely, they’re not filled with nervousness or embarrassment. Instead, there’s a coldness Vanya’s never seen from him before. He looks serious and thoughtful. Like he’s studying him.
Vanya’s not above admitting that he likes it. He grins, “You’re a little too close to me. But… that’s not bad I suppose.”
And just like that, the weighted look disappears. Blanc’s face turns beet red, and Vanya notices the way his fingers dig into the ground near his head before he moves away.
“O-Oh no!... Are you… o-okay?” Blanc stutters as he sits back on his knees.
Mildly disappointed, Vanya pushes himself up as well, swiping the soil from the lower back of his shirt. Ironically, everything that he just got dirty was not protected by the gloves.
“Wow, you surprised me there! But no need to worry. Honestly, being in your shadow like that was a relief, haha!”
Blanc can’t meet his eyes. His tail swishes slowly behind him, a gesture which Vanya notices for the first time. Unable to find any words, Blanc reaches up to fidget with his flowers, quietly staring down at the ground between them. So that leaves Vanya as the only one available for Naniwa to talk to.
“Sorry about that Mr. Blanc! …And Vanya. I got way too caught up in catching bugs, now that the snow is all gone. So many of them have come out! Check out this specimen!”
Confused at first by Vanya’s presence, Naniwa easily redirects himself to showing off his newest catch. It looks like some kind of moth, with its wings colored a dark yellow. Vanya has no clue what its name or its rarity is, but he humors the guy anyway.
“Nice. That’s a pretty big catch!”
“It’s the biggest one I’ve seen—” Vanya’s eyes are pulled back to Blanc, who is still sitting and staring at the ground. “—so the morning is the best time to—” He doesn’t look cheerful anymore. Instead, his brows are furrowed and his mouth is downturned, making him look… pensive? “—rainbows, like the one out right now!—” Vanya wonders if maybe he went too far this time with what he said.
“—I’m gonna go catch more!”
“Have a great rest of your day then,” Vanya tells Naniwa, waving back to him with a smile. He didn’t hear any of what he said. Even if he did, he wouldn’t understand it anyway. But regardless, he’s curious about Blanc right now.
“Sorry if I said anything strange,” he apologizes simply once Naniwa has left, “The heat’s probably getting to me.”
It seems to snap Blanc out of his thoughts. He finally quits rubbing at the flowers in his apron and looks up. Vanya sees the tension leave his face, but then Blanc fixes his bangs, hiding his eyes from him.
“Um… no… it’s okay. You didn’t say anything… s-strange… to me.”
Vanya interrupts him before he can say anything else, trying again to understand the soft-spoken gardener,
“Is it cause you knocked me over? You don’t have to worry about that! I meant what I said, you know.”
When Blanc’s shoulders hunch and he blushes harder, Vanya gets a clue as to what’s going on. He’s been unintentionally blaming Blanc for the accident this whole time. With a deep sigh, Vanya presses his palm over his eyes. He’s such an idiot. In an attempt to get closer to Blanc, he probably stressed him out and ruined his whole day.
Vanya decides that he needs to fix this now. He moves forward and grabs Blanc by the shoulders, gently holding him in place. Blanc looks confused, so Vanya explains it to him.
“Sorry. I did everything the wrong way and upset you.” Blanc seems even more lost. “You’re a great teacher, Blanc. But I should probably just stick to fishing, haha.”
He feels Blanc’s shoulders slowly relax again, the baffled look on his face fading to one of understanding. He shakes his head, gathering his thoughts, then smiles at Vanya again.
“It’s okay. Now you know… how to care… for your flowers.”
Vanya can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of him. He’s not sure if Blanc is referring to the ones in his yard, or the ones in his vase. But he agrees with him anyway.
“You’ll teach me the rest, right? I’ll come water these every day!”
He gestures to the evidence of the mound they’ve just planted, now pressed flat from the weight of their bodies. Poor little seedling totally got squished.
Blanc nods, then stands up, offering his hand to Vanya. Once they’re both on their feet, he helps dust off Vanya’s back and hands him his watering can. And as the rainbow shines above in the sky, down below, the flowers receive their first taste of rain.