[ Mimosas and Yarrows ]
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Unexpectedly, spring may have come, even for a person like you.
Although most students chose courses that involved strategizing and all other aspects revolving around Pokémon battles, Hammerlocke University had a vast selection of other majors. Agriculture, history, computer science, accounting and many more were all options, including botany in which you happened to be specialized.
You had always harbored a preference for grass-type creatures — Bellossom, Roselia and Lilligant being ones you owned and had formed precious bonds with over the years. Still having been uncertain about your career path when you first entered the university over a year ago, you figured that everything would turn out alright if you were to pursue the things that made you happy. Becoming a grass-type Gym Leader in Galar or even another region entirely was always a possibility if you wouldn't be able to find something else in time for graduation.
Plants and flowers had also been part of yourself, for happy reasons as well as ones you didn't like bringing up to other people. Having grown up in a household in which no one spoke too much, not even when eating dinner together at the table or lounging in the living room, you turned out to be quite the timid persona.
High school students had found that personality to be odd at the time, and although you had never actively been bullied by anyone at school, it had become difficult to make friends. Back when you hadn't caught any Pokémon to call your companions yet, you couldn't bear the loneliness of returning to a home in which tension reigned, which is where plants came in.
Similarly to how elderly people got themselves a tame pet to pass their days with, you had read that finding tasks that would keep the mind busy was also a good way of escaping reality and the loneliness that tainted it. It all began with a small bonsai, and your hobby only kept expanding to the point where your apartment was filled with greenery and soothing aromas. Of course, that only happened after you had moved out of your parents' house in Circhester.
"[Name], could I borrow you for a moment?" It was your professor who called out to you, and you couldn't help but notice the small crowd that he had brought along. Now that you thought of it, orientation for the new students must have ended not too long ago, which most likely meant that those people were all first years that had decided to take the botany course. "Yes?"
"These are the kids entering the seminar this term. Would you mind showing them around? That way I can start preparing for our next activity in the meantime." Although interacting with people wasn't precisely your forte — except when it came to your teacher — you appreciated the intentions that were hidden behind his facade of words.
He could have easily taken care of that himself, or asked a different sophomore for aid, but it was your best interests that the middle-aged man had in mind. Despite the fact that he wouldn't openly admit it when asked, he treasured you both as his student and as a person, so he was only trying to get you to come out of your shell. "Leave it to me."
"Welcome. I look forward to working with all of you." Albeit a tad bluntly, you greeted the newcomers before introducing yourself with only your first name, never once allowing your eyes to meet the ones of the freshmen. You only let them dart from one person to another, thinking that you wouldn't get too involved with any of them anyway. While doing that, you couldn't help but take notice of a certain young man that stood out like a sore thumb.
Not necessarily in a bad way, but the guy was huge in comparison to the other first years, not only when it came to height, but also to the muscles that formed his body. Although you had tried to avoid all eye contact, you couldn't stop yourself from looking straight into his. They were a beautiful mixture of greens, ones that made people think of the brimming nature and reminded you of the comforts of your home.
In contrast to his intimidating stature, the color of his hair was a soft Pecha pink. His face was even adorned with freckles that outshone his scariness. To stop yourself from judging people by their appearance, you proceeded with carrying out the favor that was bestowed upon you by the professor.
Other than the seminar room being slightly fuller than it was the year before, not much changed in your daily routine. You would start off the morning by helping out the professor if necessary, proceed to your individual research and ultimately take care of the school plants. Or that was supposed to be the case.
The freckled young man whose name was Milo often approached you instead of the teacher whenever he had questions concerning the course. Sometimes he would even strike up an unrelated conversation with you, although the talking was usually one-sided since you didn't speak a lot. Even though being talked to so much about trivial topics was quite overwhelming at first, you learned to come to terms with it, to the point that you even found the idle chatter enjoyable.
Of course, that didn't exactly mean that you had grown accustomed to his presence entirely.
You were just about to head to the greenhouse on campus with three heavy sacks of fertilizer when you flinched at the sound of your own name being called, almost dropping what you already had difficulty carrying. "[Name], would you let me help you out with those?"
"I-If you don't mind, I would appreciate that." You could only voice your gratitude when he took all the bags and clarify that they needed to be transported to the greenhouse when he enquired. Milo always wore short-sleeved shirts, so it's not like you had never seen his arms before, but the way he held the materials made his muscles ever so visible.
They looked so impressively refined for someone to have gained them at your age, which made you wonder if he worked out. You couldn't recall him mentioning anything along those lines in his past conversations with you though, and you were of course too shy to ask him directly. You didn't know why, but you had taken a liking to the young man, which drove you to always choose your words even more carefully in his presence.
"Thank you. You can put them down here for now. The professor said he'd take care of what's left." You said, gesturing to a certain area on the floor once you found yourselves on the interior of the small facility. "Is there anything else you need to do?"
"I wanted to see how the pothos are doing, so you can head back if you want to." Not wishing to waste his time or do things that disinterested him, you suggested that Milo return to his prior activities in advance. He had done enough when he helped you, after all. "It's fine, I'll come too if you don't mind."
Although you didn't know how to feel about his company initially, you didn't have anything against him quietly observing both you and the flora, especially since it didn't pose a hindrance to what you were actually meant to do. You kneeled down in order to take a closer look at the mentioned plant, examining its currently tiny leaves and the soil it grew on.
"Because it takes a long time to germinate, be careful not to overwater this one—" Without even realizing, you had begun giving Milo a few pointers. You only froze in your posture when he suddenly decided to get down to your level, his head resting very close to your own. He realized you had stopped talking due to his sudden gesture and instantly grew conscious of it. "I'm sorry! I got a little closer because I couldn't hear you quite well."
"Ah, no it's fine... I'm sorry for speaking so quietly." You retorted, watching the young man get back on his feet and rub the back of his head sheepishly. You had come across this train of thought before, but it was highly probable that Milo was actually a serious person who only looked a bit scary because of his height and broad shoulders.
Later that week, you had a different underclassman approach you for the first time. Luckily, the peach-haired male had gotten you used enough to causal human interaction for you to react calmly and without becoming too flustered. "Excuse me, [Name], do you have this kind of plant? We couldn't find it in the greenhouse, and we wanted to ask you first before bothering the professor."
"I might have some back at my house..." You replied upon analyzing the pots containing the little lifeforms. What the female student carried were three specimens of Blitzle plants, the ones often found as decoration on tables in family restaurants, but you knew that you had at least one on your veranda. The girl asked if she could borrow the necessary equipment to relocate it along with other necessary gadgets, and you didn't see a problem with that in itself. "That's fine, but there's quite a lot of it."
"If it's OK, I could help you carry it." Milo chimed in upon recalling the events a few days ago, when you had trouble moving heavy things on your own. Once again, you felt as if another crack had been hammered into your defensive wall with that friendly offer and you could only gratefully accept. "Alright."
And just like that, you led the taller male all the way to where your apartment was located. Its position was rather convenient on many levels, seen as it was both close to one of the three Pokémon Centers in town as well as the university. Milo had also commented on that once outside your door. "I didn't know you lived this close to the university."
"Well, my parents' house is in Circhester, so I live here on my own. It's more practical." You explained, searching your pockets for your keys in hopes that you hadn't forgotten them in the seminar room. "Oh, my friend Gordie from the advanced Trainer course also lives there. He needs to commute every day though, so he's thinking about renting a studio some place closer."
"W-Where do you live, Milo?" Figuring that it wouldn't hurt to expand the smalltalk into a conversation from which you could learn a thing or two about him, you spontaneously gathered your courage and asked. It seemed like the peach-haired young man appreciated the initiative, seen as a wide smile soon graced his friendly features. "My family is back in Turffield, so I decided to stay in the school dorms. I'm so glad that my roommate is a nice guy! Do you know Piers?"
You had initially categorized Milo as an intimidating person, but Piers was on an entirely different scale. Unlike your classmate, the latter was pale, lanky and not too tall, but it was his style that kept you away from him. His hair was long and spiky, reminding you of a wild Obstagoon, and he was generally dressed in clothes you would see punks wear.
"But well, even though living together with someone else is very enjoyable, the rent is pretty high, so I'm reconsidering wether I should stay at my parents' or not." Putting the thought of the campus' goth sharing a living space with Milo aside, you understood where the young man was coming from. After all, Hammerlocke University's not so modest prices had been something to think over for you as well when you were considering applying for it.
"Pardon the intrusion." And just like that, you were bringing over a person to your apartment for the first time. When agreeing to lend those underclassmen your equipment on the spur of the moment, you hadn't really registered that this was a pretty big deal for an introvert such as yourself. Milo on the other hand was as unfazed as ever, or at least in regards to your concern. "Amazing, there's a lot of greenery!"
"B-Because I like them..." There was no necessity to defend your tastes and yet it wouldn't have felt quite right to remain quiet after that comment. You felt your face rise with heat as you watched Milo admire the many different types of plants that decorated your haven. "This is such a nice room! Maybe I could get a small plant for mine too. Hm, but I'd have to ask Piers' about it first..."
"I'd feel healed if I lived in a room like this." While the freckled male was distracted by his monologue and admiration for his surroundings, you were given the perfect opportunity to turn away and head to where the goods you had come to get were stored. After all, you didn't want Milo to catch you blushing so much at the compliments he was unconsciously spouting.
* * *
Ever since you let him enter your apartment, Milo and you have been interacting much more than usual. That included eating lunch together, which in terms also involved the young man putting up with one of your many whims. You weren't too good with crowded or noisy places, so you had always avoided the public cafeteria and instead had your meals in the seminar room, where the two of you happened to be at this very moment.
Although he appeared excited when he told you that he had gotten himself a pot of yarrows, there seemed to be something off about his forced-looking smiles and his attitude in general. You had never noticed so many sighs roll off those lips of his like today, nor were you used to dark circles underlining his usually sparkly green eyes.
As his upperclassman — or even friend, if you were allowed to interpret your relationship so selfishly — it only seemed fair to voice your worries on the matter. That way, you may even be able to help him, should there be any need. At the same time, you were also hoping that you weren't being too nosy. "Um, Milo, are you doing alright? Y-You seem quite tired these past few days..."
"Oh man, does it show that much?" The emerald-eyed freshman felt sheepish to have been caught red-handed and rubbed the back of his neck timidly. He shared the fact that he worked part-time at Cozy Fried Kitchen with you, adding how balancing his job and studies was easier said than done, but very necessary if he wanted to pay the rent. "Honestly, I think that the change from the countryside to city life is what's taking a bit of a toll on me."
"Oh no, I left my books back in the dorm! I'd better fetch them before the next class starts. Will you save a seat for me?" Before you could even try to comfort him, Milo abruptly stood up and rushed out of the chamber, leaving you with many thoughts and even more worries than before. Just as you were about to come up with something to tell him once he returned, your professor walked in. "Why hello [Name]. I see you've gotten quite close with Milo recently."
"I don't blame you — he's such a good-natured young man. He listens during all the classes enthusiastically, and even pays for his tuition and other costs himself. I'm telling you, it's a rare type these days!" He continued, and judging by what he said next, it seemed as though he had also caught wind that the rent in particular had become harder to afford for his student. Everything that the professor was saying had you thinking deeply: It wasn't often you took interest in another person, let alone a liking, so Milo's financial problem was taking quite the toll on your conscience, especially when your parents were covering all of your fees.
Such thoughts had been distracting you the entire day until the very last lesson. The botany scholars were exiting the seminar room one after the other, splitting from you and another small group who was still gathering their things. The peach-haired young man was already done with his part, he was simply waiting for you to finish as well so you could leave together. What he didn't know was that you were purposely taking long to finish up, so that the two of you would be the only ones still occupying the chamber.
"Will you really be fine with the rent and all? The end of the month is just around the corner... I hate to sound persistent or prying, b-but I'm worried about you." You stammered, fidgeting with the strap of your bag. At first it was difficult to direct your gaze towards the taller underclassman, but you ultimately decided to look him in the eyes, albeit shyly.
"I appreciate your concern, but I'll manage! If I squeeze in a few hours of working part-time in the evenings, I'll be able to cover it. Well, this month's rent at least." Another genuine smile seemed to have nestled onto his lips, clearly not because of his circumstances but rather at the fact that you were concerned about him.
He did say that if the worst case scenario were to occur, he could even ask his family to lend him a helping hand, either by loaning him money or letting him go back to living on the farm. Neither of those options sat right with you, and before your brain could even catch up with your emotions, you were already blurting out spontaneous things.
"Do you want to become roommates?"
The silence that hung in the air after your bold announcement was what you needed to realize just how brazen you sounded. A guy around his twenty-year mark sharing an apartment with a girl when they weren't even dating? You almost instantly regretted running your mouth without thinking and attempted your best at coming up with a less outrageous cover story. "Ah n-no! What I meant is that we could split the rent and utilities that way, so things would be a little easier financially."
"W-When you came to my place before, you liked it, didn't you? The rooms in that apartment are a bit old, but they're large, so it wouldn't matter if there were to be one more person! Oh, but all the plants may be a bit bothersome, but— sorry, I suddenly said something weird and—"
Your frantic rant was cut off at once when Milo erupted in a series of chortles, causing you to stiffen a tad. "That's the longest I've heard you talk!" He continued to chuckle before finally regaining his composure, feeling slightly culpable now that your face was bright red. "Is it really OK?"
"I'm really thankful for what you just told me, but is it really alright with you?" The freckled male repeated himself, now seriousness being the only element detectable in his voice aside from gratitude. A great wave of relief washed over you the instant you were reassured that he hadn't been repelled, but at the same time, reality was striking you like a Thundebolt.
This was a big decision to make, possibly one of your biggest ones yet. After all, if you were to give your seal of approval here and now, you would be agreeing to living together with Milo perpetually. But helping someone in need seemed the correct thing to do, and you doubted that things could go miserably wrong with a person such as Milo. "...Yes."
That's how your cohabiting experience with your underclassman began.
At first, it was very difficult to get used to. In fact, the first morning after Milo had slept at your house, your heart had almost jumped out of your chest. As embarrassing as it may sounded, you were a person that not only spoke to your Pokémon, but to your plants as well. So when you told your flowers good morning and received a reply from behind you, it was an understatement to say that you were caught off guard.
But getting accustomed to the new routine was not impossible. You had never gotten close to anyone more than you needed to, and even though Milo may have looked intimidating at the start, he was actually a polite, calm young man who appreciated flora and grass-type Pokémon just as much as you did.
Actually, living with Milo had become very... fun and refreshing. To the point where you had to begin questioning your feelings for him. Even though you wished there was more of it in order for you to figure things out, time passed relentlessly, bringing you closer and closer to the end of the academic year with every changing season.
"Oh no, the leaves have fallen off again! They've been withering recently... Am I taking care of them the wrong way?" Milo seemed uncharacteristically distressed as he held a dry leaf of your fiddle leaf fig. Aside from just letting him house alongside you, you had also been teaching him about various plants' care routines. He didn't seem too convinced when you told him that it was normal for that kind of ficus to lose some of its foliage in the winter.
"The sprouts will come out in spring and summer. It's originally a plant from the Alola region, so it's not that strong against cold temperatures. I normally try to remove the leaves myself, so it doesn't use any extra energy. After all, it needs to rest, so that it can live next season."
"S-Sorry, I talked too much..." You stuttered as soon as you realized that the conversation had turned into a monologue, what with Milo silently and attentively listening to your words. You found yourself accidentally letting your guard down around the freckled young man like this more often than not, but that appeared to be very well-received by the latter. "Don't worry about it!"
"When it's about plants or grass-type Pokémon, you always talk to happily, [Name]." He flashed you a warm smile in accompaniment to his comment, one that could have restored all of your plants like a Sunny Day. You felt your cheeks heat up at its radiance as well, and you felt double as embarrassed now. "I think that's a great thing!"
"Oops, I'll be late to my part-time job if I don't hurry! I'll see you later!" Just like that, Milo had dealt his damage and left. In a way, it wasn't such a bad thing since the audience to your barely controllable blushing was reduced to your plants and Lilligant, but at the same time you felt a bit down that he had to leave. After all, it was a weekend and you had no particular plans scheduled for the entire day.
Had it been the you from the past, you wouldn't have minded being left alone on a day off — on the contrary, you found life to be easier whenever you weren't required to interact with other people. But having spent so much time together with Milo, you had grown so accustomed to his presence to the point that it felt as though something was missing whenever he was absent.
Which led to your inner turmoil that would always be caused by your increased heart rate.
As much as you wanted to shrug it off as something you felt for Milo in an amicable way, seen as he was one of the closest friends you had ever made, it was painfully obvious that your emotions ran way deeper than that.
Heaving a deep sigh, you shrank to the floor and lied down on it, ultimately facing the ceiling before deciding to close your eyes after all. Doing that so suddenly gained the attention of Lilligant who was about to go join Roselia and Bellossom in your room, making it stay by your side instead. "I've never experienced this before... How should I go about it?"
You spent the day wondering about that very question while occasionally working on some of your assignments or lazing around with your Pokémon. Because you were getting too bored at some point, you even spontaneously decided to prepare some herbal tea — maybe it was something Milo would also be interested in learning how to do.
Just as your thoughts had wandered back to the peach-haired male, he so happened to return home. "I'm back!"
"The owner gave me some leftover curry for dinner! Do you think we can still add some Pungent Root to it?" He announced while taking off his shoes at the entrance, giving you enough time to get there and greet him properly. You nodded gleefully, reassuring him that you had a wide stock of those. You didn't visit the Wild Area often, but when you did, you made sure to pick a good amount of them for both academic and culinary purposes.
"What's that?" You couldn't help but point to the other bag that he was carrying — one that didn't give away its contents as easily as the one with the Cozy Fried Kitchen logo. Milo almost looked as if he were happy you asked. After putting away the food that wouldn't grow cold in a good while thanks to how well it was stored, he took a seat on the living room's floor and unpacked the mysterious object as soon as you sat down next to him.
"I know plants aren't meant to be bought in winter, but when I saw this one on my way back, I couldn't stop myself." What he put on display was a small pot with the shameplant mimosa pudica in it. "Lots of these used to grow close to our farm in Turffield, so when I was younger, I used to poke and play with them all the time."
"Back then, it was interesting how it drooped after I touched it. Doesn't it do that because there's no moisture left in here?" It was as if your peach-haired underclassman was looking for affirmation when directing his gaze to yours, and you gladly filled him in on the knowledge that you had regarding this specific plant. "Kind of, but the moisture isn't completely gone. It just moves to different cells."
"Plants are supposed to have tactile senses. If you touch them — like humans — electrical signals run. To put it simply, the cells move the moisture in and out of the leaves in response to those electrical signals." When you started going off about your passion like this, other people would usually give you a polite smile before changing the subject not so subtly, but not Milo.
"I understand the structure, but why does it move?" He inquired and judging by the way he had carefully formed his question, it was as clear as day that he was paying close attention to your words. "Actually, it's related to the environment. There are various opinions about it, but the main reason seems to be to prevent small Pokémon from eating it."
"After all, herbivore Pokémon like Bunnelby or even Caterpie like to eat fresh leaves, so I think that the plant protects itself from being eaten by pretending to droop." You concluded, soon feeling a bit heavy. Whenever the topic was about flora, you could talk so easily, but when it came to yourself, it was an entirely different matter.
"That mechanism doesn't really work on humans, does it? I mean, instead of driving them away, it makes people more interested in it and they end up wanting to know more about it." Milo was quick to get you out of your thoughts before they could drop your mood the way a touch-me-not let its leaves slump. He got your attention wholly the moment a red color adorned his freckles. "When putting it like that, the mimosa is a bit like you, [Name]. You're a bit shy, but you know so many interesting things and I can't seem to get sick of wanting to know more about them — more about you."
It was an understatement to say that you needed a moment to let those words sink in, and although you were a tad socially awkward, you were well aware that this was an opportunity you wouldn't easily get again in the future. "I-In that case—"
"If I remind you of Mimosas... You're like a Yarrow to me. It's meant to teach people to nurture their loves carefully at first, and then to trust that they'll sustain them through whatever conditions they encounter." You had to gather every bit of your courage in order to say that without tripping over yourself, but you didn't want to stop just yet. "I-In the language of flowers, the yarrow symbolizes everlasting love."
"Us becoming roommates was supposed to be temporary, but I wouldn't mind if that were to become everlasting as well. B-Because I like you, Milo, and I-I find myself falling harder for you every day." You finally tore your eyes away from his emerald ones, staring at your lap instead. Despite the fact that you could feel your heart violently beating against your chest, you were a bit proud of yourself for having pulled through and not given up on your confession halfway. There was no going back now though.
Before you knew it, you found yourself in Milo's embrace, his muscular arms holding your frame as if it were the most fragile of jasmines. "I was afraid that you wouldn't be interested in that sort of thing... I'm so happy! My pride as a man does hurt a little now that you beat me to saying it though."
"Let's move to a bigger place once we graduate. We'll have our own garden— or even a small greenhouse for in the winter! Oh, but we're one year apart... You'll wait for me, won't you?" They were just wishes and dreams for the future in that moment, but you were more than certain that you could nurture them until they would eventually come true if it was alongside Milo.
You nodded as the young man retreated from the hug, making use of the moment to admire the rosy color that had invaded your face. He flashed you another heartfelt smile before his expression melted into a more serious one as he ran his thumb across your cheek lovingly.
Closing your eyes, you let yourself sink into his gentle touch completely. Milo brought his face closer to your own and tilted it slightly to the side until, finally, your lips met. It was a kiss that reflected the inexperience in regards to intimacy on both sides, but one you wouldn't exchange for anything else in the world.
Besides, if you were to do this more often, it wouldn't take you too long to get used to it — the same way that you had grown accustomed to living together with him in the first place.
[ E N D ]
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My note to you:
Oops, seems that this was the second oneshot in a row that had some characters being university students — at the same university even. xD All in all, I had a great time writing this, I hope you enjoyed it as well! :3
Also, the yarrows obviously weren't a random choice — Milo's Japanese name is literally Yarrow, so I thought it was fitting. ^-^
Fanart of the day:
Meme of the day:
Fact of the day:
Did you know that Ivysaur is the only second-stage grass-poison evolution that doesn't require an item to reach its final form?
Question of the day:
Which is your favourite Galarian grass-type Pokémon? There's not many to choose from, but I find Zarude pretty cool! ^-^
Thank You for Reading!