cw : fluff + sfw. neighbor! nanami. brief mentions of sickness. mentions of baby bumps. petnames ( my love, darling). mentions of children.
you can recall the feeling you had just a few months ago, unfamiliarity that bubbled in your gut and gushed out of the seams. moving to a new home was stressful, and the loneliness that could occur was fearsome.
the small but comfortable house that you now owned definitely needed some fixing when you had first arrived, the paint chipped and floors creaky at the time. making it your own was a job for many, but you managed to do it all by yourself. your proudest accomplishment being the beautiful garden that took up your spacious backyard, colorful and bright with the flowerets that scattered across the tall grass. every day without fail, you cared for your garden like a mother to a child, taking your time to nourish it with water and dense soil.
today was no different, as you stood outside in the beaming light. your sundress brushed to the floor beneath you, hair braided out of your face as you tended to the newest addition to your ever expanding eden. the seedlings you had were placed ever so carefully, each having their own special spot.
you’re rather startled by the sudden voice, falling back from your squatting position with a thud, and your head whips up to the culprit of the question.
a man stands as he looks to you, golden locks neatly in place as he peers over the short wooden picket fence that seperates you two. his eyes widen ever so slightly, but you’re sure not to miss it as you stare intently.
“ im sorry. i didn’t mean to startle you, miss. ”
if it weren’t for the kind, sultry tone in his voice and the… handsome face he displayed, you probably would’ve yelled out a curse by now. but you have better judgment than that, lifting yourself off of your tailbone to sit upright.
“ it’s alright. yes, um… they’re zinnia’s ”
you notice his face soften when he realizes you weren’t too startled, relieved that he hadn’t given you a heart attack or gotten chewed out.
“ ah, those bloom nicely this time of year. ” he notes, hand now outstretched over the fence posts in greeting.
“ kento nanami. your neighbor. nice to meet you. ”
since that day, you’ve seen nanami on the other side of that fence almost every time you watered your plants. he was very kind, and seemed to have quite the interest in your garden.
it’s another spring day, and the birds seem to be enjoying the sunlight as they chirp from the trees with their tunes, and you’re of course in your garden. the metal watering can sprinkles onto the newest blooms and growing blossoms, dew drops collecting on the petals.
yet again, nanami was in his yard, half of his body standing tall over the wooden pickets as he asks you a question that you’ve never had the pleasure of answering before.
“ which one is your favorite flower ? ”
the watering can stops it’s stream as you look to him, laughing lightly at the question.
“ i don’t actually have my favorite flower in my garden. ”
nanami’s brow furrows, “ oh ? why not ? ”
“ i suppose i just don’t have a green thumb when it comes to them. i’ve tried, but i just haven’t been able to plant them right. ” you admit, setting the watering can down onto a patch of clovers as you stand to his eye level.
“ i see. well, what are they ? ” he asks again.
“ oh, tulips. they’ve always been my favorite. ”
when you had gotten the call that your grandmother was in the hospital, you wanted to leave your home right away. she had fallen a bit ill, and you always had the worst of worries. you didn’t know how long you would be gone, or what could happen if you didn’t leave soon. but what you did know was that your garden needed watering and care, and you wouldn’t be there to do it.
when you had seen nanami in his yard as usual, you rather frantically ran through the stone walkway to your side of the fence, bag swinging at your side and a fresh bouquet held tightly in your hand.
“ mister nanami ! ” was what you had yelled, coming to a stop at the wooden barrier, braid swinging to the side of your shoulder.
“ oh, hello. are you alright ? ”
you think to yourself for just a moment about the outcomes of your question, and you knew it was quite late notice, but he was your last and only resort.
“ i have an emergency… im very sorry to ask you, but would you mind watering my garden while im gone ? if you’re unable to— ”
“ — of course. that’s alright with me. ”
you’re almost stunned by the sudden agreement, not sure why you were expecting him to say no. you awkwardly nod your head, hand digging into your bag to fish out your house key.
“ thank you, thank you so much ! i can’t thank you enough. i should return soon… the watering can is by the door, and if you could water the poppies more frequently, oh ! and the roses need to be— ”
“— i know. i’ve got it covered. be safe, please. ” nanami again stops you before you’re able to continue rambling, soft smile adorning his face.
your hands briefly touch, only for a moment, as you hand him the polished key to your home. you smile and wave one more time to the man before you, eternally grateful for his immense favor to you.
nanami had watched you work in your garden more times than he could count. he was observant, and knew your routine from start to finish. he always took the time to note the amounts of water you trickled onto the petals, the soft pats you gave to the soil as if you were tucking a child into bed, the care you took when planting something as small as a seedling. he would admire you, all while you two shared simple yet meaningful conversations.
he knew exactly what to do. he knew to water your orange poppies a bit more thoroughly, and to only sprinkle the droplets on the marigolds. he made sure to pat the soil of your newest seeds, daffodils. he wouldn’t forget to splash the daisies, or pot the lilies.
but nanami knew there was something missing in your garden, and he couldn’t forsake the opportunity.
when you had arrived back home almost a week later, nanami was no where to be found. your house key laid under your doormat neatly and hidden from view. you knew you had to thank him somehow for the kind deed, but for now, you had to check on one thing first. that being your beloved, sacred garden.
the first thing you noticed as you stepped out into the clovered yard was the stepping stones, neatly hosed down and free of dirt and debris. cleaner than you had ever seen them.
the second thing you saw was the lively blooms of your precious daffodils, slowly making their way out of the soil as they protruded from the ground in little sprouts.
the third, your garden was in absolutely perfect condition, if not better than when you had left. the blossoms from all of your flowers were lively and brighter, happy and hydrated. bee’s were buzzing happily in the pollen, and monarchs had taken a liking to your butterfly bush.
the final thing you noticed was impossible to miss, and you could feel your heart leap from your chest as you looked onward to the once empty spot in awe.
tulips had made an appearance into your garden, standing tall in precious pinks along the side of your fence.
you stand in your garden years later now, prospering petals shining brighter than ever before. tulips still line the perimeter of the fence posts, pretty in bulbs of a soft pink.
nanami watches you from the door to your enchanted eden now, admiring your soft, gentle hands that fluff up the bushes and swipe droplets from petals.
you’re in your sundress that now rises a bit above your feet, flowing long and graceful. the bump under your dress doesn’t go unseen, and your skin glows under the soft light that basks down onto you.
“ kento ! ” you call for him, foot shifting from the green grass to beckon him over.
nanami walks over to you, following the same stone path that has been etched into the ground over the time that has passed.
“ my love ? ” he answers, hand traveling from the small of your back with tender touches to wrap around your bump, hand resting just above your belly button.
you both now stand together on one side of the wooden picket fence that once separated you two, vines now beginning to grow up and through the small cracks. you look to him with the small fond smile that you had given him many times before.
“ do you think we could plant white tulips next ? ”
nanami smiles at you as he ponders your question, already knowing the answer.
“ anything for you, darling. ”
“ sweetheart ! don’t run or you’ll trip… ”
nanami warns. he sits on the small gingham blanket that covers the trefoil clovers, cookies and fruit plated on the woven picnic basket.
he watched your young daughter run through your garden, giggles erupting from her mouth with each barefoot step she took. her two braids swung wildly in the wind, ruffly dress swaying by her toes.
her laughs seem to be contagious as he watches you giggle too, smile bright and eyes squinted shut as your daughter runs into your legs, arms wrapping around them in a hug.
he sees his two darling girls spin and sway in dances under the warm sun, before his daughter comes running towards him. her arms are open wide, jumping onto him as he almost falls back with a small surprised “ umph !— ”
she looks to him with her babytoothed grin, and settles as you walk over to sit on the shared blanket too.
“ daddy ? ” is what your daughter says, shy smile as her arms come up from her sides with flowers grasped in her tiny hands. “ please ? ” is what she follows up with, and he already knows what your daughter is asking.
and soon enough, your daughters messy, sunkissed braids are littered with daisies, white and yellow sprinkled into the twisted strands.
“ kento ? ” he hears you call for him from beside your daughter, watching as your hand holds the same flowers that your daughter did. “ please ? ” you repeat the same words your child had asked moments before.
now, the two of you have your braids decorated from his own hands, wild and free as he watched you two continue to dance in your beloved garden.
nanami knew since the moment he had stepped foot into his bland yard years ago and locked eyes with your flowing yellow sundress, he wouldn’t be able to deny the beauty that stood in the backyard, gentle in the spring sun.