Chapter Text
Today is a special date for Iris Black. A date he’ll never forget, though there were times he wished he could. But now, after time had passed and soothed the bleeding wounds, he learned to appreciate that date.
A date of a day carved by pain, fright, and most significantly, freedom.
Today is the 2 years anniversary since he met Lillium White, and escaped the tower.
Last year things were still messy, and they had no time to celebrate. But now, when things… mostly calmed down, Iris wanted to do something special.
The early rays of sunshine shone through the window, and kissed Iris’s cheek goodmorning. Penny climbed her way to Iris’s shoulder, and shook him gently.
Iris opened his eyes slowly, trying to remember why she’s waking him up so early. He sat up in his bed, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Still hazy, he looked at the calendar hanging on the wall
The date, marked in a blue circle and yellow stars, snapped him wide awake.
“Anniversary!!” He shouted, and almost made Penny fall from his bed.
All the energy came back to Iris at once, as he jumped from his bed and hurried to brush his teeth and wash his face.
He has a lot to do, and no time to waste.
From the bathroom to the kitchen, Iris rushed like the wind. On the counter waited for him the notebook with the title: "Anniversary plans: LILLIUM DON’T YOU DARE LOOK -fine, I won’t! sheesh…”, filled with lists and recipes he prepared in advance.
Did he know how to cook? Only a little. You can’t live with a cook like Lillium, and not learn a thing or two. Today Iris is going to show Lillium what he learned from him, by making the best picnic ever!
He cracked his knuckles, and opened the notebook. With a blink of an eye, all the ingredients he needed were on the kitchen’s counter. The notes on the fridge almost flew, as Iris opened and closed it mercilessly. One note, which Iris wrote a day before, said: “Don’t forget to return by 14:30!” and under it, in a different handwriting was written: “As you wish, princess."
The ingredients laid on the kitchen’s counter, all that was left was to start making the food.
“Let’s do this!” Iris hyped himself up, “Get ready, sous chef Penny!”
By noon, all the food was ready.
Iris took a step back, hands on his hips, and smiled proudly at the pile of delicacies laying on the dining table. Sandwiches, cupcakes, a bottle of freshly squeezed orange juice, cookies, and lastly- cut fruits.
‘Lill is going to love this!’ Iris was almost drunk from the ecstatic anticipation.
He quickly packed everything in a cute picnic basket he borrowed from Begonia, who was very supportive and even offered to help. Which Iris kindly declined, because he wanted to keep it special between him and Lillium. He added a white and red gingham blanket he bought at the second hand store, that gave him the whole picnic inspiration.
After everything was neatly packed, Iris glanced at the clock.
It read 14:00.
Lillium is going to return home in thirty minutes, which gives him enough time to prepare an outfit. Everything was going so perfectly according to plan, today is indeed a special day.
Lillium returned to the trailer at 14:30 exact, just as he promised. He could already smell the aroma of baked goods coming from inside. ‘What is he up to now?’ He thought to himself, furrowing his eyebrows. He knew it was the 2 year anniversary, Iris couldn’t stop gushing about it for the past two weeks or so, but he can never know what to expect when it comes to the chaotic little gremlin living within his walls.
He opened the door, and went straight to his kitchen to make sure it’s ok. Penny was there with a wipe, cleaning a stain off the stove. The rest of the kitchen was squeaky clean, as if nothing happened there. Even Lillium’s sharp eyes failed to find one thing to scold about.
“Lillium! Just in time!” Iris's joyous call came from his bedroom, as he opened the door wide open with a big bright smile.
Lillium couldn’t resist gazing at Iris’s dashing look. He wore a gray oversized jacket from a sheer fabric with turquoise stripes going down along the sleeves. Under it, he wore a black sleeveless turtle neck, black ripped trousers, and his favorite combat boots. The jacket was zipped half way, and one side fell off Iris’s shoulder. The outfit really complimented Iris’s shape, and Lillium had to rip his eyes away, not wanting to get caught. Caught doing what exactly? He couldn’t put it into words.
Iris noticed the gaze was longer than usual, and his smile only widened. “Do you like my outfit?” He opened his arms and did a little spin, “Begonia helped me choose it.”
“It’s fine.” Lillium nodded.
Iris laughed, “That’s a big compliment when it comes from you!”
Lillium soured his face, “What does that supposed to mean?”
Iris opened his mouth, about to answer, but paused. He looked at Lillium up and down, and glared unsatisfied.
“What?” Lillium asked, raising an eyebrow. Iris’s little grumpy face made something in him feel funny, and he had to bury that feeling at the back of his mind.
“Hrm…” Iris squinted his eyes.
“I don’t speak ‘Hrm’,” Lillium reminded sarcastically, “Do you have it in human words?”
“Your outfit.” Iris finally said, “Go change.”
“What’s wrong with my outfit?” Lillium asked, but the only reply he got was another glare and a “Hrm…”
“Fine, I'll change.” He lifted his arms to emphasise his surrender, and left to change to a more proper outfit. He couldn’t continue arguing with Iris, teasingly or not, when Iris looks so adorable with his grumpy face… and soft cheeks he wants to cup in his hands… and, uh, what the actual fuck?
Lillium paused, halfway through his shirt. He allowed his thoughts to go beyond, and he had to shake his head to forcibly get grumpy Iris off his mind. ‘Get a grip of yourself!’ He scolded in his mind.
When Lillium returned to the kitchen, where Iris was waiting for him, he wore a white shirt tucked in brown trousers, and a leather jacket on top.
Casual, Classy, and Comfortable. The 3C’s rule he liked to dress accordingly to.
Iris’s eyes sparkled when his roommate returned, and he was so excited his heart was about to explode. He hasn't felt this ecstatic since his first birthday party in Goose Lake Valley they celebrated sometime ago.
He grabbed the basket with one hand, and Lillium’s hand with the other. “Let’s go!” He cheered, and pulled Lillium after him. “Bye, PenPen! Keep the house safe, would’ya?”
Iris didn’t let go of Lillium's hand, and skipped happily beside him all the way to the car. Why would he let go of his hand? Being with Lillium always made him feel so jolly. There was something about Lillium that only thinking about him made Iris’s heart flutter, and a warm feeling spread in his tummy.
Lillium’s car was an old yet trusty model, he worked day and night to afford. The car’s color used to be a boring black, until Iris decided to glue silly cat stickers all over it. The mischievous laughter Iris let out when he saw Lillium’s reaction was more priceless than the reaction itself, and sometimes that laugh still echoes in Lillium’s ears.
Once they sat in the car, Lillium inserted the keys, and turned to Iris. “So, where to?”
Iris raised his arms, “To the lake shore!!” He called, beaming from joy.
“Aye aye, captain.” Lillium couldn’t help but let out a little smile, thanks to Iris’s contagious joy. He felt the urge to reach a hand, and pull Iris closer, and then… then what? His heart ached to close the distance between him and Iris, embrace him and not let go. He’s willing to sacrifice the world just to see Iris as happy as he is now.
But something stopped him, and he swallowed that urge deep inside.
It was a beautiful sunny day, with birds singing in the trees and clouds lazily passing by. Music and cars were heard from the settlement, and the scent of fresh air and grass was carried by the breeze.
The car’s windows were rolled down, and the mix CD Lillium made for Iris as a birthday present was playing loudly all of their favorite songs. Iris was jamming along, while the wind messed up his dark mullet hair. Lillium smiled quietly, remembering how happy and excited Iris was when he gave him the mix CD. He could vividly recall the sparks of joy in Iris’s eyes, and the way he couldn’t stop bouncing up and down.
As he drove, Lillium found himself enjoying the moment, and Iris’s endless energy. It was endearing to see how Iris loves his birthday gift, and here and there he couldn’t resist taking a glimpse at his little gremlin.
“Keep your eyes on the road, Lill” Iris said, after catching Lillium looking at him.
“Stop being so damn distracting.” He answered back, and then realized how bad that sounds. A little faint blush climbed up his cheeks.
Iris leaned back in his seat, and put his hands behind his head. “Sorry for looking so good today.” He teased, utterly failing to detect the hidden meaning in Lillium’s words.
Lillium replied with a scoff.
Finally, they arrived at their destination.
Around the lake’s shore there’s a nice spot Sunny showed Iris once. It was a beautiful grassy area under the shade of a great tree (Sunny brought Iris there to show him how fast they can climb big trees, but that’s beside the point). Yellow dandelions peaked through the grass strands, some of them were already pappus waiting for someone to come and make a wish upon them.
Lillium spread the gingham blanket on the grass, while Iris brought the picnic basket from the back of the car. It was quite heavy, but Iris persisted in carrying it by himself.
“Get excited!” Iris said, after they sat down on the blanket, and rubbed his hands together. He put the basket between them and opened it up. “Ta-da!”
Lillium looked inside, curious, “Sandwiches? You didn’t put hot sauce in them, right?”
“Eh-”
“Right??”
“Well-”
“Iris..?”
“I’m just kidding!” Iris laughed, patted Lillium's head, “I brought the hot sauce bottle separately.”
Lillium exhaled in relief.
“Oh, and look!” Iris pulled Lillium’s attention back to the basket, “I baked cookies, cupcakes, and…”
As Iris went on and on about making the food, finding the recipes, and so on, Lillium couldn’t help noticing the pure joy and excitement in Iris’s eyes and smile. They both leaned above the basket, their foreheads almost touching, and Iris beamed from pride. And as he should, the cupcakes looked amazing and the cookies were perfectly golden.
“So, what do you think?” Iris snapped Lillium back to reality.
“Your baking skills have improved.” He nodded in approval.
Iris took a second to process those words, and then jumped in his seat, a fist in the air. “Yay!!! Let’s eat!” he clapped his hands together.
While eating, Iris eyed Lillium intensely with each bite he took, watching closely to get his reaction.
“Iris, for the love of god, I can’t eat while you’re breathing down my neck.” Lillium said eventually.
Iris stared at Lillium straight to his soul, barely blinking. “Are you enjoying your sandwich?”
“It’s good, now let me eat in peace.”
That pleased Iris, for he lightened up with a big smile. “Awesome!” he called, and the little gremlin went back to munching on his hot sauce drenched sandwich.
Lillium felt like he could finally breathe again.
They spend the time eating and chatting. It was light and peaceful, with the calm wind and the sunrays shining down through the tree's leaves and branches. It felt like the world stopped, and it was just them two. The future can wait, and the past can stay behind. Right now it’s Iris Black and Lillium White, no more and no less.
Everything else can wait.
“It’s so weird, you know?” Iris said, after a moment of quiet. The basket was laid aside, with leftover food inside. They still sat there, far from ready to call it a day. The sun started to set, as the afternoon passed.
Iris hugged his knees, leaning his chin on them.
“What is?” Lillium asked, looking at Iris with questioning eyes.
“Two years ago, I was still there, in that… cage” Iris explained, his tone was still and calm, “I was carefree, and so naive. Living a life full of lies. Then I met you… well you kinda tackled me.” He chuckled.
“Can you blame me?” Lillium shrugged.
“No,” Iris smiled, and shook his head, “I just can’t believe how much has happened since then. I mean, my whole reality shattered, and it hasn't been a smooth ride since then.”
“Tell me about it,” Lillium said, wondering where Iris was going with this.
“Yet, with all that we’ve been through,” Iris continued, “You were always there for me.” He turned to look at Lillium deep in the eyes, “Thank you.” He said wholeheartedly, his eyes softening with gratitude and fond.
Lillium didn’t know what to say, and he failed to meet Iris’s eyes. “Well, you were on the wa-”
“No, I wasn't,” Iris smiled, not looking away. “Don’t excuse yourself.”
Lillium was about to argue, but about what? He had nothing, and Iris was right. He was always there for Iris ever since they escaped the tower. Even when sometimes he lost his cool, or they fighted, by the end they always managed to forgive and come to an understanding.
And he knew it went both ways.
Iris got closer to Lillium, and put his head on his shoulder, “You’re incredible, Lill.”
Lillium froze for a second, and looked down at Iris, “I’m not that great.”
Iris looked up, and met his eyes, “Well, I think you are.”
Lillium looked at him, words failing to form in his mind.
Iris smiled back.
“You think too highly of me.” Lillium said eventually, “I’m the one who should be praising you.” He felt weird saying it out loud, and looked away.
“Don’t look away,” Iris complained. "Am I that much of an eye sore?” He added sarcastically.
“Pfft, don’t say that.” Lillium’s eyes returned to Iris.
The sun was now lower in the sky, and painted the land with gold. There were barely any clouds left, and the lake looked like a gate to a heavenly dimension.
The world was quiet, as they gazed into each other’s eyes.
There were no words needed, and no more doubts. All the questions were answered in the silence between them.
Lillium reached his hand, and put it against Iris’s cheek. It felt natural, like he was meant to do it, yet he was still hesitant if he was taking it too far. But Iris putting a hand on his reassured him it was the right move.
They leaned closer, letting the strings tying them together pull them toward each other. Their lips were about to touch-
“No.” Lillium pulled himself back, ripping his hand from Iris’s cheek, “I can’t. This is a mistake.”
“What?!” Iris was bewildered, “What do you mean by a mistake? How can this be a mistake?!”
Lillium looked at him with a painful expression, “Iris, I love you. With all my heart, I love you, and I mean it. But let’s be realistic here. Yes, things have calmed down, but it’s still a mess. There’s still a bounty on my head, my so-called job is dangerous, and there are so many other reasons why you deserve someone way better than me.” These words felt like a bunch of knives stubbing him in the chest, but he couldn’t hold it any longer.
“Oh, don’t give me that nonsense!” Iris didn’t take any of it, “Don’t you dare pull that move of ‘you deserve someone better’ on me! I read enough of that in Heather’s books!”
“But you know what I’m saying is true!” Lillium argued, trying to prove his point, “I can’t make any promises for the future, I don’t even know if I’ll return home tomorrow!”
“No one does!” Iris shook his head, and stayed unyielding on his ground, “And I don’t need any promises! All I want is you, Lillium! And I know you want me back, so what’s stopping you?!”
“That you deser-”
“No, I don’t!” Iris grabbed Lillium by the collar, forcing him to look at him, “Listen to me, Lillium.” His tone was firm, “ Screw the future and whatever will come with it! I want you now, realistically or not! And you know what? Let’s not be realistic! Let us be delusional, and make unrealistic dreams. Let’s dream about… going one day to the amusement park together! And who knows? Maybe we will?
“My point is, I don’t care about the future, as long as I have you with me in the present!”
Iris didn’t let go of Lillium's collar, and his words echoed across the lake. He was determined to prove Lillium his point. He will prove his point, because he is not giving up on the person he loves the most.
Lillium didn’t know what to reply, and could only look at Iris wide eyed. The golden rays of the sun made Iris glow, and appear more dominant and majestic. All the flaws and burdens that might come with him were on the table, yet Iris didn’t care, and still chose him. And even before it, when they were still just roommates, he still chose him. Over and over again.
His head tried to argue how he doesn’t deserve this, any of this. He is a criminal, he has anger issues, his life is a mess. But his heart shut it all up, and so did Iris’s words. Fuck the future and whatever will come with it, he’ll deal with it when it comes. And fuck all deserve/no deserve bullshit. He wants Iris with all his heart, and he’s not willing to let go of him.
“So let me ask you again,” Iris said, still not letting go of the collar of Lillium’s shirt, “What’s stopping you?”
Lillium took a deep breath, and with soft eyes and a faint smile he answered; “Nothing.”
And with no hesitation this time, Lillium gently held Iris’s face and pulled him toward his. Iris’s heart skipped a beat, as he leaned forward. They got closer and closer to each other. Finally, their lips met, and they closed their eyes, soaking in the sweet taste of the kiss they both longed for.
Iris wrapped his arms around Lillium, melting into the kiss. Lillium let his hands slide down to Iris’s back, and held him tight. He poured all the love he failed to put into words. The kiss spread warmth from their heart to every centimeter in their body. All the love they felt toward each other, all the emotions, made the kiss intense, gentle, and reassuring.
By the lake’s shore, with all the answered questions, as the sun went from golden to deep orange, one thing was clear; There’s nothing in this world that can stop them from loving each other.
The future can wait.