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Within the atrium of Eden, the sounds of pruning tools clipping and snipping away at branches can be heard. Today is one of the days where The Last Tree needs pruning. An extra delicate process, considering it is the last tree in existence, and one wrong move could cause damage. Only those who've been trained on how to properly care for The Last Tree since childhood are allowed to prune it. Then, only the militia are allowed to guard The Last Tree during these sessions. Needless to say, it's not something many people get to witness, much less take part in...
Yet, today, Simon was allowed in. Mostly just to stand around and guard the atrium alongside a few other militia members. Simply standing around, facing the entrances to make sure nobody comes in... still, it is an honor. He's not going to complain, either, since he was secretly hoping he'd get chosen. He'd heard that you were going to be working on it, today. He shuffles his feet awkwardly, waiting for you to show up. As much as simply gazing upon The Last Tree is special, he also wants to see you. Needs to, really... He knows he got here early, but he only did because he knows you usually show up early.
As if fate, just as he is about to give up and actually focus on his job, you walk into the atrium. Simon's gaze snaps over to you instinctively. That big grin you always get when you talk about The Last Tree is stuck on your face as you walk by him. He can't imagine how excited you must be, since you have been talking about the pruning ritual for the last few weeks to your friends. As quick as you have entered the atrium, you've grabbed a set of pruners and began working with the others.
Simon fidgets with his bracelet a bit, before slowly turning back to The Last Tree to look at you. You've grabbed a ladder, and have started climbing up to get to the higher branches. You look so focused and careful... and gentle. You look downright peaceful. Like this is where you should be. Among trees and nature, and not the more mechanical and artificial parts of Eden. Simon can't help the small sigh that escapes his throat, before he turns back around to pretend he's focusing on his own work of staring at nothing in particular...
He can hear your voice as you work. "I've got this one up here, Abraham!" "This branch's leaves looks like they'll be good for more charms." and "Watch out below! I'm dropping a branch!" followed by the sounds of rustling leaves. The sounds of some of your colleagues talking, though, gets him to fully pay attention...
"So... I heard you've started talking to Simon the Butcher? Is that true...?" Immediately, Simon's attention is grabbed. He stays still, not wanting to turn around and possibly frighten the person out of continuing this conversation with you. From the sounds of it, it's the head gardener. He's never bothered to learn her name, though. You respond, speaking in an absentminded tone "Yeah... Just whenever he talks to me, first. Why do you ask?" "I'm just concerned, is all... You do know he's called "The Butcher" for a reason, right?" Simon takes a deep breath, clenching and relaxing his fists for a moment. This conversation, again.
"I know." You respond curtly. There's the sound of another branch being dropped. "I just don't want him to-" a man cuts in, speaking in a rushed tone "Mary, can you shut up? He is literally right over there." There's a small pause, before she speaks quietly "I thought Judah was supposed to be here?" "He had an accident yesterday." Simon hums softly to himself. Good. Everybody still seems to think Judah had an accident. The conversation dies out after that.
Simon peeks back over to The Last Tree. You've gotten near the top, standing on a few sturdy looking branches. Grasping your pruning tools, you clip away at a few dead branches. Unbeknownst to you, you're taking Simon's breath straight out of his lungs. He'd do anything to make you his. Absolutely anything. The way your eyes gaze at everything around you like it's all worth seeing... including him. Like he's worth seeing and being heard. It's mesmerizing to him. You're mesmerizing to him.
Which is exactly why he can't decide on how to ask you to be his.
How should he even approach you with the idea? Should he just be blunt? Would being too blunt scare you off? After all, you are right. You only really talk to him whenever he approaches you, first. Is it still too soon? If he doesn't ask you out soon, you might start listening to people like... Mary... who tell you not to get too close. What should he do? Would you want a gift? Yeah... Who doesn't like gifts?
Simon sighs, forgetting the fact that he's staring. Yes... He can see it now. Him pulling you aside, away from prying eyes, to spill his heart out to you. Your smile as he gives you a gift to prove his affection is true. The relief he'd feel at finally being able to hold you close. Your beautiful voice telling him you feel the same... He almost shudders at the thought. It'll be perfect. He just needs to figure out what to get you. Would you like one of the fake roses he's seen being sold?
Suddenly, he's snapped out of his thoughts. Literally, as he hears the branch you have just stepped onto letting out a snapping noise. From the way it looks compared to the other branches, it must be a dead one you've mistakenly thought was safe. Before you can even react to the sound, you're suddenly plummetting from the top of the tree down to the bottom. Your fellow gardeners all watch in shock as you land on the ground, and once it wears off, they rush to your side.
Simon hesitates, not knowing exactly what to do. There's no real protocol for the militia on how to respond to this scenario. Should he stand back? Now that he thinks about it, is there even a protocol for the fellow gardeners to follow? They all look just as confused and frightened as he does. Screw it. Simon starts sprinting over, causing a few of the others guarding the room to look over to him. Once he gets close enough, he shoves a few of the gardeners surrounding you aside, shouting "Back up! Give them space!"
You're lying flat on your face with one of your arms underneath you. For a brief moment, Simon is worried you might've passed out. Yet, as you make a small noise and twitch your fingers, Simon breathes a sigh of relief. You're awake and alive. Thank God. He speaks quietly, crouching to your side "Can you hear me...?" There's a muffled noise, before you lift your face from the dirt. You look dazed and confused, but there's thankfully no blood he can see. "Yeah... Simon?" you murmur, turning your head to look at him. He nods, sending a slight glare towards one of the gardeners to keep them from getting too close "Yeah, it's me... Can you stand up?"
Your face scrunches up, before you try to push yourself up from the ground. Unfortunately, your arms shake, before you lower yourself back to the ground. Despite the fact you're obviously in some sort of pain, your tone of voice is still lighthearted, like you don't want to worry anybody. "Nope..." you murmur. Simon has to hold back his panic. The gardeners start to murmur between one another, which doesn't help his attempts to stay calm. He places a hand on your shoulder, starting to turn you over. "I'm going to take you to the medical bay. Let me know if anything hurts." "Alright..."
Simon slowly turns you over so you're lying on your back. As he moves you, he looks you over, checking for any signs of injury. No blood still, so that's good... that doesn't mean you haven't been injured, though. He wouldn't be surprised if something is wrong with your arm. That, and you definitely have a concussion, at least. Even now, you look dazed and dizzy. Before he can pick you up, one of the other gardeners starts to speak... Mary. "I can take them to the-"
Simon snaps his gaze to her, trying to keep his voice at an even tone. He already can't stand her... "I'll take them. The rest of you need to complete the pruning ritual." She's about to give a rebuttal, before the others quickly shush her. He can tell why they're doing it, too. They're scared to go against him. As they give him space, Simon wraps one arm under your back, and the other under your knees. He then lifts you with ease...
Almost instantly, he feels his heart begin to race. You just seem to fit perfectly into his arms. If only he got to carry you under different, less painful circumstances. You shuffle a bit, as if trying to get comfortable, before settling down. "Are you comfortable?" he asks, causing you to give a weak nod. Before anybody else can try taking you to the medical bay themselves, he quickly turns to start speed walking towards one of the atrium's exits. His grip subconsciously tightens a bit, afraid of possibly dropping you... or perhaps of someone grabbing you out of his hold.
Simon walks along silently, from time to time letting his gaze drift down to you in his arms. You're still awake and still dazed. Yet, you suddenly meet his gaze, giving him a weak smile "Thanks..." He almost freezes at the sound of your voice. Then, he clears his throat, putting up a more calm facade "It's no problem..." "... You know, it's a bit hard for me to imagine you hurting people, right now." This time, he does freeze. He looks back down to you, his brown eyes widening. From shock? Surprise? He can't tell. Whatever feeling he's been hit with is one he can't exactly put into words.
"What do you mean by that?" The words come out a bit more shaken than he likes. It gets the job done, though, since you give your dazed response. "I know it's your job to hurt people... but, I just have a hard time actually imagining you doing that, right now... When you're mad, I can, but... not right now." He almost doesn't believe your words. He must be dreaming right now, right? This is exactly the type of thing he's fantasized about. Holding you in his arms, listening to you tell him that he's not what everybody thinks he is... That he can be gentle...
Simon starts walking, again. Tearing his eyes away from you, he forces some form of a response from his throat "I... I only hurt the enemy. I simply have no reason to hurt you." That's a lie. He did hurt Judah just so he could take his place. He doesn't have any reason to hurt you... but God, he'd hurt anybody for you. You don't need to know that, though. You let out a human of thought, murmuring softly "Everybody acts like you would hurt me, though... So, I thought I should let you know I don't believe them." He can feel his face heating up at your words "... Thank you."
The medical bay comes into view. A large sign with the words in bright green lettering. He knows you need to be brought in, even if he finds himself hesitant to actually hand you over. To be honest, Simon has never actually liked the medical bay. It's just so... cold and clinical. He doesn't like it. You certainly deserve better than a cold place like that. You deserve a warm, comforting place, where you can relax and be happy. As he takes one last look to you, though, he sees the way your eyes have locked onto the medical bay's sign... you're ready to be brought in.
Swallowing thickly, Simon marches into the medical bay. Almost instantly, you're taken from his arms, then taken back to where he can't see you. Simon crosses his arms the second you're out of them, like he needs to hold something to fill the new emptiness. Then, he quickly turns around to trudge back to the atrium. He's going to have to visit you later... He can't just leave you there.
Plus, after what you just said? Simon wants to make sure you actually meant it and that it wasn't just from your confused state.