Day 47: Greenhouse (2nd Shift)

[himetsuru]

Why couldn't she get it out of her mind? It was a stupid white dress. So what if it was visual evidence that she was a princess? It should not be bothering her this much. It was a just a dress

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[thecamellia]

[free, no limit]

Tsubaki had spent more time in the greenhouse yard than in the actual greenhouse; it was bright and warm inside, smelling of earth instead of the faint antiseptic smell of the hospital. Going in, she relaxed a little, calmed by the pleasant surroundings.

Having nothing better to do--and considering it was a greenhouse--Tsubaki busied her hands with the first set of flowers she saw, peonies. As she smoothed her fingertips over a petal, she thought about Honey and if he would have a good time until she saw him next. For all his optimism, not all of his stay was fun and games, and a part of her worry regarded whether he would be all right. For that matter, Takashi, too, who protected Honey. And then there was everyone else… Her thoughts went in the same circles, based on hoping rather than actually being able to plan. Just keeping up with the day in, day out of Landel’s was like trying to hold back an avalanche with her bare hands.

To that end, caring for the flowers wasn’t really going to help her get an edge. There were some herbs she recognized, some that could be used in healing salves, and sharp gardening tools… But those sorts of things would have to wait for night, if at all.

While her eyes drifted, she found herself curious if the greenhouse had camellias in it. That they had her flower might be a bit of a stretch; it was okay by Tsubaki if they didn’t. They reminded her of her home in the Nakatsukasa compound, but they also filled her with loneliness, too. Sometimes the scent she’d fought to open her brother’s eyes to reminded her of very long ago times, different times.

Her hand found its way to her breast, over her heart. Hard to believe a wound had ever been there, but she was sure…

[dahliahasthorns]

Dahlia just loved flowers. They were wonderful! Beautiful! Tiny stalks of visual bliss, spread as far as the eye could see! Blinding the weakhearted and giving sinus infections to the less fortunate. Destined to die in the winter, to wither or go into her garbage bin when given to her by yappy, puppy dog men. Laying about in disgustingly humid greenhouses when it was supposed to be fall.

Ugh. She hated flowers.

But she did love today. You know why? Because today she had a fun little toy to give "Saint Feenie"'s little rival/buddy/boyfriend/whatever-he-was (yeah, she knew their connection by now. Gossip spreads fast in prison, especially when you were found guilty or with reason to be convicted by either one of two men, sometimes both, in this day and age. She was just so gosh darn luck to get Mia Fey instead of them, wasn't she?)! And wouldn't he just adore it? It was to die for.

It wasn't time for that, though. Right now she was stuck with the flowers and a bunch of other women. How domestic. The option was there to linger by herself, but a good girl went out and made friends, didn't she? And who could use company...? Hm. Over there, touching herself. Younger looking girl, probably still in that naive age. It would still be good to turn it down a little - Dahlia wasn't so fond of charming women. They could smell a faker when they saw one.

"Um, miss...?" She pouted a little as she made her way next to her. She couldn't stand the idea of being alone, even in the day! You never knew what could happen! "You don't mind if I work here too, do you?"

[thecamellia]

Tsubaki blinked at the sound of someone‘s voice, the fingers of her raised hand curling in reflexively. She looked down for the source. The speaker was a young woman with hair a deep red color.

“Oh no, of course not. Please go ahead,” she said, a smile at the ready.

That was enough of those thoughts, anyway, wasn’t it? For now, Tsubaki had other things to occupy her; she let her hand drop back down to her side.

[dahliahasthorns]

"Thank you..." She gave the girl a nervous little smile before stepping up to the tools the staff had so lovingly laid out for her to use. What to do, what to do...? Hm. Trowel, check. Her delicate white fingers curled around its handle and she watched how much it looked like she could hardly lift the thing.

Tch. It wasn't sharp enough to use if she wanted one later. Probably couldn't even do anything useful, unless she decided to shovel dirt into a certain prosecutor's mouth until he choked to death. Actually, that didn't sound so bad.

But oh, what was she doing?! She had company, didn't she?

"Where are my manners!" Her fingers let loose the trowel as she brushed her hair out of her face. "I'm Dahlia. Dahlia Hawthorne." She inclined her head to the side and showed off a winning smile. Somewhere, a group of butterflies were attempting to make their way through the greenhouse doors and to the influx of sweetness. "Are... Are you alright, miss? I wasn't interrupting anything, was I?"

[thecamellia]

Tsubaki watched the other for a moment, about to speak up until the woman beat her to it. She paused and instead answered Dahlia’s smile with another of her own. “Ah, not at all,” said Tsubaki quickly, waving her hand at the humbleness. “You weren’t interrupting anything. I’m Nakatsukasa Tsubaki. It’s nice to meet you.”

She didn’t intend the thought to be judgmental, but Dahlia somehow seemed a little out of place with the way she acted with the tools. Another thing Tsubaki noted was the way she introduced herself. Although Tsubaki was hearing Japanese, Dahlia giving her surname last made Tsubaki think she wasn’t necessarily from Japan. It was a little strange how many prisoners were; Tsubaki was used to just as many people being from her a version of her home country than not.