Disclaimer: I cry on a daily basis because of Toumaki. I wish I own Yowapeda, don't we all, but I don't.

Title: Whispers in Flowers

Relationship: TouMaki

Story length: 2,106 words.

Warnings: Very sappy. Heavy use of flower language.

Summary: Makishima hadn't marked Toudou Jinpachi as a sentimental guy to whisper in the language of flowers, but apparently, he was completely wrong. That, and the fact that Toudou Jinpachi was an undeniable show-off, but as far as hopeless romantics go, perhaps it wasn't so bad, after all.

It is an understatement to say that Toudou Jinpachi was a hopeless romantic.

He was way more than that.

Makishima remembers their first date, one that he had reluctantly agreed to as a condition to his defeat against the mountain god on the winding slopes of Hakone mountain, during their last interhigh. Waiting at the entrance of the train station, the remnants of summer's heat still clinging onto his skin, it's hard to forget the stomp of urgent footsteps sounding from behind him. Toudou barely arrived on time- panting as though he had just ran a marathon, hands hidden behind his back, a sheepish grin on his wide-stretched lips.. But even before Makishima could get the raven to slow down, god damn it, breathe, Toudou was already shoving a rather large bouquet into his arms with a fierce red blush flushed across his cheeks.

Gypsophila million stars, dazzling and uncountable, surrounding a single, red rose. Makishima could feel the heat rising up his neck as he threw a exasperated glance at the raven, but Toudou only responded with the same expectant grin, stupid and wide across his face. The silent climber was, for once, being uncharacteristically silent.. That's when Makishima looked down to study the bouquet again, only to find a white card carefully wedged between the millions and millions of beautiful stars.

'You're my one and only, Maki-chan.', was all it said.

Returning the card to its position, Makishima spent the rest of the date awkwardly balancing the bouquet in his trembling fingers, and trying his best to avoid catching Toudou's eyes.

It's funny, because he hadn't known what to expect then. He hadn't planned on dragging their relationship on. So, when he presented his passport at the check-in point, he certainly wasn't expecting the lady behind the counter to squeal at the sight of his name. Or that she would slide out of her seat and run off somewhere, to their office behind, probably, only to return with a small bouquet carefully supported in her hands. Makishima traded his luggage bag for the bouquet and his passport, a burning red on his face and a hand over his nose and lips, bowing his head repeatedly at the excited cheers of well-wishes bursting from all around him.

God damn it, Toudou. He could've warned him over the phone..

The bouquet is green-themed this time, mint green Dianthus and fern leaves framing three brilliant, red roses. Even though that noisy Toudou was nowhere in sight, Makishima wasted no time to search for the white card he knew would have came with the bouquet.. And, this time, found it gently slotted between the crepe paper wrapping the stalks.

'I love you regardless of distance, Maki-chan.'

Despite everything he said he would leave behind.. Makishima found himself clutching the bouquet to his chest throughout the rest of his flight, the corners of his eyes heavy and exhausted from holding back tears, a small smile playing on his lips as he held the promise to his heart.

London signified the start of another busy period in his life. In between university, helping out at his brother's work and all the new things he found himself learning day by day, Makishima barely had time to reminisce about Japan, about souhoku.. Except during the occasional chances when he could pick up his road racer, and ride the day away in silent solitude. Christmas came and passed; so did New Year, and during his second school-term, it was only on the day itself did Makishima finally put a reason to the great fuss that all his classmates were putting up all of a sudden.

Valentine's Day, huh.. Makishima couldn't say he was surprised, even though he hadn't known that the holiday would be this celebrated even overseas. He'd had many first experiences celebrating the different holidays here in London, but this particular occasion found him with a sour taste on his lips. Perhaps it had something to do with the red roses dry-pressed in between the pages of his diary, and the fact that it has been months since he's heard anything from.. From him. Bidding his classmates an early goodbye, Makishima tried his best to turn down group dinner invitations and to escape back to his dormitory.. But was stopped when his name was announced over the P.A. system for him to get to the front lawn of the University as soon as possible.

Maybe it was his Japanese name, or the urgency of the announcement different from the other Valentine's declarations, or just curiosity in general that resulted in all the gazes that followed him through the halls of the campus. Having finally made his way through a crowd built up around the University's front steps, Makishima was made to accept a gigantic bouquet from an old florist who was grinning from ear to ear, right there, in front of everyone. Utterly embarrassing. Needless to say, there goes all his plans of laying low throughout his university life. Why would anyone even think of offering international bouquet ordering services, sho?! Even without hearing the florist's amused, kind words, Makishima knew exactly who the flowers were from, of course, that loud and inconsiderate Toudou Jinpachi.. But, with his head bowed and his cheeks burning, it was really hard to hide the happiness that was threatening to burst out from his chest.

White roses, two dozens of them he counted, laid neatly in a bed of sonia blue orchids. His throat had gone sore from all the, "Thank you, excuse me, thank you", and finally able to escape back to his dormitory, Makishima gently set the heavy floral arrangement on his bed.. Proceeding straight to search for the white card- which he found peeking playfully beneath the wide, open petals of the pure, white roses, just as the stupid mountain god of Hakone would act.

'Always thinking about you, Maki-chan.', it said, and Makishima almost choked.

"Then give me a call occasionally, you idiot.."

And that was only his first year in University- for the subsequent three more years to come, Makishima would helplessly submit to his fate of waiting at the front steps of his campus for the same cheery-faced florist to come. Somehow, he became a part of their University's Valentine's Day legend; especially since no one else would know the mysterious sender of the bouquets. How utterly embarrassing.. But, every afternoon on the 14th of February, after the classes were dismissed early for the day.. Makishima would find himself waiting, just waiting, together with a curious and heartily enthusiastic crowd, for his bouquet to arrive.

'You're racing through my mind, Maki-chan.'

They were the same every year- two dozens white roses that calls out, "I'm thinking of you 24 hours a day," embedded in a wave of blue orchids that speaks of rare, refreshing beauty (the cheery-faced florist had made sure to explain). And the white card- there was always a white card set in the middle of all the white roses, a different message every year. Makishima hadn't marked Toudou Jinpachi as a sentimental guy to speak in the language of flowers, but apparently, he was completely wrong. This also made him curious about all the previous bouquets and their meanings- and, the more he remembered, the more deeper he knew he was falling.. And there was already no way out of this for him.

'I'm still thinking about you, Maki-chan.'

So, no doubt, it came as a surprise for Makishima and the rest of his on-looking crowd when his bouquet was delivered on the Valentine's Day of his final year at the University.

Instead of the usual overwhelming arrangements, the bouquet this year was small and simple by comparison- half a dozen of orange roses, Makishima counted, sitting above white lilies and small, white asters. As the same old florist gently set the bouquet in his hands, he thanked Makishima for the yearly wonderful experience of being able to delieve these flowers, to him. Sauntering back to his dormitory with the small bouquet clutched against his chest, Makishima could only ponder about the florist's farewell words, and the symbolism of the flowers in his hands. Orange roses for passion, and half a dozen of them speaks of the need to be loved and cherished..? Did Jinpachi really think that he could simply return to Japan right after his graduation..

Deep in his thoughts, Makishima found himself absent-mindedly picking out the usual white card and setting it aside without reading it at all. It was only half-way through the next day did he finally remember, and raced back to his room to find it saying,

'I miss you so much, Maki-chan.'

Then came the incoming study-rush in preparations for his exams in summer, and with it, Makishima was barely able to find time to think about Toudou Jinpachi and his last bouquet. At last, when the papers were over, with an excitement for graduation running high amongst his classmates.. Makishima found himself dedicating more and more time to the dry-flower portfolio he had been putting together over the past few years, a suggestion from his brother- Floral fashion designs featuring the flowers he had been sent. With any luck, this portfolio would open doors to the world of fashion for him.. But what about Japan? What about going back..? Every now and then his hand would stop, and Makishima would find himself lost in thoughts of a certain loud, cheerful mountain god whose face he hadn't seen in ages. What about him, then? What about.. Them..?

July was greeted by the University's graduation ceremony that only seemed to get more and more grand by the year. Makishima received his certificate in an awkward silence, forced a smile for the class photos, and was about to excuse himself from the overly jovial ceremony when his name was once again announced over the P.A. system for some bloody reason, calling him out to the front lawn again; but that voice uttering his name in an echo that rang throughout the campus's halls, it can't be..

Hands gripping his graduation robes in fists all in a bid to run faster, the same curious crowd building up fast behind him, Makishima found himself stumbling down the front steps of the University to find Toudou Jinpachi standing before him. It was as if not a thing had changed since the day they parted. Toudou was still wearing that same sheepish grin tugging the corners of his lips, his eyes gentle and wide in excitement.. But there he was, here in London of all places.. With a hundred red roses overflowing in his embrace.

Makishima wasn't sure he had ever heard louder cheers resonating from all around him, but as Toudou set aside the bundle of roses to bring him into his arms, all Makishima could do was to bury his face against the raven's shoulders, and biting down hard on his lips so he wouldn't burst out in embarrassing tears.

God damn it, what a show off..

There was no need for a card now that Toudou was here himself, Makishima hadn't thought it to be possible but he was here despite it all.. But Toudou had had one prepared, anyway. As the silent climber lifted the roses back into his arms again, an expectant smirk on his face, Makishima endured all the curious gazes afixed upon him and fished out the white card, bright and more than obvious in the sea of red. However, before he could even read the words written on it, Toudou's voice was already loud in his ears.

"Let me love you for a hundred years more, Maki-chan," the raven declared in perfect english, much to Makishima's surprise and complete embarrassment.

It was as though time had frozen over, and in that instant, all Makishima could see was the glimmer of hope in Toudou's eyes, and for some reason, he couldn't - and didn't- ever want to look away. With a deep heat fresh across his cheeks, Makishima could only bow his head in embarrassment as he accepted the huge bouquet from Toudou's hands.

"... A-alright.."

The roses in his arms would be scattered all around them as Toudou tackled him into a kiss- but, for years to come, Makishima would remember it as the last thing on his mind, then.. Because there was a hopeless romantic pinning him to the ground with his wet, desperate kiss, and with the cheers ringing all around them, perhaps it wasn't so bad to be romantic, after all..