Walking in the Flowery Garden

James smiled as he entered the gardens. It was always nice here, people tended to their crops in the morning, and in the afternoon people would just walk around and chill out. This was a place James could always enjoy after a long day. He smiled and started quietly whistling to himself as he walked through the paths between crops, looking at all of them. Perhaps one day he would plant something here himself. Maybe lettuce? That'd be nice, and would help him cut down on his (absurdly high) lettuce bill. He ate a LOT of salad.

Eventually, he sat down, stopped whistling and waited for birds to arrive for him to watch. When he was quiet, and the birds were around everything felt... Right. And he wouldn't have to feel like he wasn't worth anything. Here. Here he was something. Here, he was the guy who watched birds. Out there? He was just some guy in the crowd. And the fact that being here made him feel this way made it one of his places to go everyday.

Ai walked around the garden as she walked into the large maze wandering around until she found the middle and sat down on the floor, holding her knees, finally a place of beauty and solace. ai's hair flowed behind her in the wind as she wore her contacts but not her clip on, so she sat down, looking at the sky admiring the forms and shapes... so free and fluffy... nothing to depend on them, having to do nothing but float... Ai's mind started drifting until she found herself to be sleeping on the floor, Ai wearing a red top, blue short shorts, and long black boots. Ai's outfit was a cosplay from a famous adult internet game she downloaded because she was a fan of the art style and how bold Audrey Belrose was.

James saw the birds as they flew in to the centre of the maze, and followed them slowly, his hands in the pockets of his jacket as the wind blew, blowing the leaves of the trees in the garden.

Eventually, he came to the centre of the maze, where there was a singular tree, large, old, and majestic as could possibly be. The birds were nested in this old thing's branches, and James was happy to see that they were still safe. Of course... There was also someone asleep on the floor, so... That was new. He decided to shake them a little to see if they were okay. "Hey. Hey you okay?"

Ai slept on the floor her long silver hair flowing in the gentle breeze. Her mind filling up with ideas and dreams. She felt like she was soaring in the sky, only to fall when she got scared.. No one came to save her and she fell. The dream didn't stop, as Ai fell her dreamscape outfit changed into a porcelain doll and she landed in a hay barrel. Ai's face had distress written all over it as her dreams got darker and darker until there was a sudden shaking on her side.

Ai suddenly jumped and opened her eyes to wipe her eyes off. "w-what?" She said almost like she has no memories of what happened. "O-Oh h-hello James.." she said holding her arms

"Oh, it's you miss Amaikawa. I didn't expect to see you here. And dressed like that no less..." He sat on the nearby bench. "It looks good on you." He said to her, looking at what she was wearing.

He yawned and stretched. "Welcome to my place of solitude and peace." He points to tb birds in their nest. "And they... Are some of my friends." He smiled when he said that. "I don't know what I'd do without them... So I keel them safe."

Ai looked at him as she yawned. "Oh s-sorry It's an outfit made by someone I like.. She's soo bold.." She said looking at the outfit she then found herself staring at him. "Oh um... Sorry I'll change into someone you like if this is too much!" She said flustered with her hands on her lap as she put something from the bushes back into her back pocket.

"Huh? Oh no! I think it looks good on you!" He said as he rubbed his head, not noticing her taking something from the bushes. "Anyway... I didn't know you came here! Seems like we tend to both go the same places! Heh!" He started laughing quietly, before turning his gaze to the birds. "It's really pretty here... Nice and quiet too. Do you agree?" He asked her, trying not to stare at her.

She blushed lightly while holding a strand of her hair. "Oh um... t-thank you.." she said looking at her outfit. "I-It's just s-sorry I just explained why I'm wearing this..." She sighed before looking at Matt. "Oh um Yea, I came here because my parents had a garden and I loved seeing my mom's flowers... she didn't like me going near them, but they stayed cute because I didn't destroy them with my stubby child fingers." Ai said softly looking at her hands softly as she pulled her knees to her chest and laid her chin on her knees.

"Oh... Umm... " He looked around awkwardly. "Umm... Would you like to go look through the flowers with me?" He asked her. "They look pretty good right now... And I'd be happy to show you them!" He said, excitedly as possible.

Ai smiled and shook her head no. "It's fine Someone would want to look at the flowers and what if it's because of I ruined it for someone else?" she asked smiling softly towards him as she picked some dandelions. "I'd rather pick and look at these, mom told me I deserved to look at them because I'm her dandelion but she never told me why I was.." she said looking at the flowers, but she sighed and looked at him. "Please forget about what I said, it's useless."

"I don't think that you just looking at them will ruin them! You're not a gorgon! Besides! It'd be pretty nice if you'd walk with me and look at them. I always appreciate company!" He said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Besides... You deserve to look at the flowers, not just weeds."

Ai continued to stay on her small ball. "It's fine... You go and enjoy them without me, you'd like them without me blocking their sunlight, Also this is not a weed... it's a flower.. the best flow that describes me, and I love it... it's bright and seems soo happy when I look at it... your better off with a different person as your friend..." She smiled. "But it's ok, I'd rather lay here and relax..." she said yawning softly.

"Well..." He sits next to Amaikawa, patting her shoulder. "If it's all the same, I'd prefer to hang out with you. Besides... I guess... That... Well... I dunno why I just... Like you... I guess."

Ai looked away. "You're.... wasting your time, you mean well yes.. but... is that all?" She asked him. "Compliments that mean nothing?" She asked him as she picked the weed and sniffed it. "This weed.. it looks beautiful and cute... but what it does is hurt other flowers... I'm the same, so you better leave.."

"Well... They do one other things." He said, looking at her quietly. After a few minutes he said. "They bring people joy. Sure, they hurt a few plants. But do they mean to? No. And that's why I want to hang out with you. Alright?"