The garden looked different in the evening.
The sun was lower now, casting warm light across the paths. The rows of forget-me-nots swayed gently in the breeze, their small blue petals bright against the dark soil. White roses lined the stone walkways, their pale blossoms glowing softly in the fading light.
Leah stepped outside and stopped at the top of the stairs.
For a moment, she simply stared.
The garden had transformed completely.
Yesterday it had been quiet and empty.
Now it looked alive.
Leah slowly walked down the path, brushing her fingers lightly across the tops of the flowers as she passed.
"I still can't believe this," she murmured.
A familiar voice answered from ahead of her.
"You've said that three times already."
Leah looked up.
Izana stood near the rose bushes, his hands in his pockets, watching the flowers move in the wind.
She smiled.
"You came back out here?"
Izana shrugged slightly.
"I wanted to see how it looked when everything was finished."
Leah glanced around again.
The garden stretched out before them in rows of blue and white.
"Well?" she asked.
"What do you think?"
Izana studied the garden quietly.
"It turned out well."
Leah laughed softly.
"That might be the most understated reaction I've ever heard."
He looked at her.
"You like it."
"That's not the point."
"It is."
Leah shook her head, smiling.
She walked farther into the garden, moving slowly between the rows of flowers.
Izana followed a few steps behind.
Leah crouched near a cluster of forget-me-nots and gently touched one of the petals.
"They're even prettier than I imagined."
"You have a good imagination."
She glanced over her shoulder.
"You did all of this because I mentioned them once."
"You keep bringing that up."
"Because it's still unbelievable."
Izana stepped beside her.
"You liked them."
"That doesn't mean you had to fill the entire garden with them."
He looked down at the flowers.
"You deserve nice things."
Leah blinked.
For a second, she didn't say anything.
Then she smiled softly.
"You're getting dangerously thoughtful."
Izana raised an eyebrow.
"Dangerous?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I might get used to it."
"That wouldn't be a problem."
Leah stood again.
She picked a few small forget-me-nots from the edge of the path.
Then she turned toward him.
"Come here."
Izana frowned slightly.
"Why?"
"Just come here."
He stepped closer.
Leah reached up and gently tucked the flowers into his hair.
Izana froze.
"…What are you doing?"
Leah stepped back to admire her work.
"Improving your look."
Izana sighed.
"This is ridiculous."
Leah laughed.
"No, it's cute."
"It's not cute."
She tilted her head.
"You look surprisingly good with flowers."
Izana reached up and pulled them out of his hair.
"I refuse to believe that."
Leah grinned.
"You're no fun."
She sat down in the grass beside the path, holding the flowers in her hands.
Izana watched her quietly.
The breeze moved through the garden again, rustling the roses.
Leah glanced up at him.
"What?"
"You're staring."
"I'm thinking."
"That's dangerous."
Izana crouched down and picked a few flowers from the ground beside her.
Leah raised an eyebrow.
"What are you doing?"
"Turn around."
She blinked.
"Why?"
"Just turn around."
Leah hesitated, then slowly turned so her back was facing him.
Izana gently gathered a small section of her hair.
Leah felt his fingers hesitate.
"…What are you doing?"
"Stay still."
She laughed.
"You don't know how to braid hair, do you?"
"No."
"That explains a lot."
Izana ignored her and carefully tried to weave the flowers into the strands of her hair.
Leah could feel him fumbling slightly.
"Are you braiding it?" she asked.
"Attempting to."
She started laughing.
"You've never done this before."
"No."
"That's obvious."
Izana continued trying.
The flowers kept slipping from his fingers.
Leah shook her head slightly.
"You're terrible at this."
"Stop moving."
"I'm not moving."
"You're laughing."
"That's because this is funny."
Izana grabbed another flower and tried again.
Leah sighed dramatically.
"Do you want help?"
"No."
"Why?"
"I want to figure it out."
Leah smiled to herself.
"Alright."
After a moment she added,
"But if I end up with a knot in my hair, I'm blaming you."
"That seems unfair."
"You chose to braid it."
Izana worked carefully, concentrating.
Leah sat quietly now, letting him try.
After a few minutes, footsteps sounded on the stone path.
Dante walked into the garden.
He stopped immediately.
His eyes widened slightly.
Izana was sitting behind Leah in the grass.
With flowers in his hands.
Braiding her hair.
Dante slowly turned around.
"…I'm hallucinating."
Izana looked up.
"Dante."
Dante froze.
"…Yes?"
Izana's voice was flat.
"Leave."
Dante nodded quickly.
"Yes. Good plan."
He turned and walked away without another word.
Leah burst out laughing.
"Oh no."
Izana sighed.
"What?"
"He definitely thinks that was hilarious."
"I don't care what he thinks."
"You should."
"Why?"
"Because he's going to tease you about this forever."
Izana ignored that.
He finally finished tying the last flower into place.
"There."
Leah touched the back of her hair carefully.
"Did you actually manage it?"
"Yes."
She turned around to face him.
A small braid rested against her hair, threaded with tiny blue flowers.
Leah blinked in surprise.
"You actually did it."
Izana shrugged.
"It wasn't that difficult."
"You struggled for five minutes."
"Details."
Leah smiled warmly.
"No one has ever done that for me before."
Izana looked at her quietly.
"I'm glad I was the first."
Leah's expression softened.
She leaned slightly closer to him.
"You're full of surprises lately."
"I've always been like this."
"That's definitely not true."
Izana didn't argue.
They sat quietly in the grass.
The garden was peaceful.
The flowers swayed gently around them.
Leah leaned her head against his shoulder.
"I think this might be my favorite place now."
Izana glanced around at the roses and forget-me-nots.
Then he looked at her.
"Mine too."
For a while they simply sat there together.
Surrounded by flowers.
And quiet.