Vice City : The Bud

Chapter 2 - Beginnings Of Beauty

Shetakes one of the mugs and blows the steam aside before taking a sip.

"Ididn't know what you were hungry for," he says, an almostconcerned look on his face.

"SoI brought a little of everything."

Hesmiles a charming smile.

"You'reso sweet," she replies with a kiss on his cheek.

"It'shard to believe that only a couple of months ago I didn't knowyou," she continues.

"Iagree but sometimes you just have that connection to someone. Lil, Ifeel that connection with you."

Hebutters himself a piece of toast before talking again.

"Speakingof which it has been a while since we started dating so I got yousomething."

Reachingto the side of the couch he grabs to where a bag has been placed,pressed against the chair. Picking it up the zips jingle with awhimsical spontaneity that breaks the otherwise silent room. He putsit on his lap, opens it and begins carefully digging through itscontents. Finally he pulls out a single glorious red rose, wrapped ina damp papertowel. He hands it to her.

"It'sbeautiful," she says caressing it's petals.

"Theygrow outside my house and smell so wonderful as I leave for work, soI thought I'd bring you one."

Theyboth blush, synchronised to the millisecond. She leans closerpressing her lips against his. A kiss of true passion and heartfeltgratitude. Such a thing cannot be faked. For right here, right nowthey both care for one another. As they break apart there's amoment of sadness that something so loving has to end but even thefew seconds that the kiss lasts is enough for those, short on greed,to live life happy to have had it at all. The aura around them bothseems to radiate outward to the rest of the dwelling and for a timeapartment 24B glows.

There'sa sudden muffled smash that brings them both to reality. They lookaround the room for what might have broken. The mugs and plates stillremain on the table. All the pictures from the walls seem stable andwell hung.

"Whatbroke ?" Exclaims Flynn, his head darting around the room like adeer sensing danger.

Lilbegins to stand.

"Ithink it..." She stops and walks over to the far wall. Pressing herear against it she can hear the faded sound of broken glass beingshuffled along the floor.

"Yep."She lets out a laugh.

"Thewalls here are paper thin."

Sheholds herself back from laughing again at the coincidental timing ofthe interruption.

"Itwas my neighbour Michael. Must've dropped something."

"That'sjust not right," Flynn replies with a huff.

"Beingable to hear practically everything your neighbours are up to andvice versa as well. You must have basically no privacy ?"

Lilwalks back over to the couch where he's re-planted himself.

"Itsalright," she says.

"Youget used to it." She smirks reassuringly.

"Youshouldn't have to get used to it. You should just come live withme, I mean it's not like I don't have the room."

Sheputs her hand on his shoulder gently.

"We'veonly been dating a couple of months. Don't you think it's alittle soon to be talking about moving in together ?"

Hishead drops, weighted with her rejection.

"Iguess we can wait until we're both at the same point in ourrelationship, then talk about it again. Right ?"