Greenhouse || Xavier Thorpe x Male Reader

cornflower || chapter 30

for the vibes of this chapter listen to
Canon and Gigue in D Minor Major, P. 37: I. Canon - Johann Pachelbel
(yes i am a classical music addict, no there is nothing wrong with that)

 The morning hours of May, with the light pouring in through the windows so much earlier than in the winter, are rejuvenating. All of the plant life is blooming or already grown, and being surrounded by green is a welcome sight. I've begun to ship my plants back home and take advantage of the catalog I made in March. My goal to have the greenhouse cleared out before exams is looking to come true, given that they aren't until late into the month. I sit in the greenhouse, taking stock of all the remaining plants when Xavier walks in.

"Hey," he greets me. "I was wondering if you wanted to come with me to take some pictures outside? I want to improve my landscape technique."

I nod and we walk outside, heading to a field near the forest. In the late spring and early summer, the field is bursting with wildflowers of all kinds. It's a great reference for a painting and also extraordinarily beautiful.

Once we arrive, Xavier begins taking pictures of the flowers with the river and forest in the background. I look around, smiling at the mass of life and growth around me. A small blossom catches my eye, the beginning of a cornflower. I lean down and pick it, allowing a bit of my ability to increase the speed of its blooming until it is fully grown.

"Xavier!" I call. He turns around and walks over to me. I stick the flower in his hair and he smiles, lighting up the field even more in my eyes.

He reaches up to examine the plant, taking in the detail of the small petals. "It's amazing. Thanks."

I kiss his cheek lightly and go back to searching for more flowers. I don't pick any more of them, wanting to leave the field in its glory, but the urge to do so and create some sort of a wildflower bouquet is there. Without anything better to do, I find a spot without too many of them and lay back in the grass. I close my eyes, only opening them when I feel a hand on mine. I turn my head and see Xavier lying next to me in the field.

"Thought you were taking pictures," I tell him, chuckling softly. He does as well.

"This is better."

"Yeah."

We lie there for a while in silence, save for the sounds of the river and wildlife. It feels nice to have the sunlight cascade down, giving the whole field a mesmerizing glow and casting soft shadows around us. It's peaceful and tranquil, just the two of us and all the natural beauty we've surrounded ourselves in. This, I decide, is what I'd want to spend my life like.

Eventually, though, the sun begins to be covered by clouds and we need to head back before the rain begins.

"Thank you for coming out here with me," he says as we walk back to Nevermore.

"Of course," I respond. "It wasn't something I would miss for the world."

~=~

The soft early summer rain is pleasant, though it does start before we are back under the shelter of a roof. Once we are back in our dorm, I watch it through the window, smiling at how the afternoon has gone. It does get tiring after a while, just looking outside, so I move back to my bed and take out a book. Afternoons like these are perfectly spent reading and listening to the patter of the rain.

Xavier sits at his desk, beginning a sketch of the field. If he can't be in his art shed to paint it, he'll use charcoal instead. It's amazing to me how he can create such amazing pieces of art from so many different materials. In a way, it's just like the plants. They're all so different, but once you learn what each of them needs, you can grow beautiful specimens of them all.

"Do you mind if I put on music?" I ask him. "It feels too quiet."

"Yeah, I was just about to do it myself," he responds. I nod and walk over to our box of records, leafing through them until I find a quiet, classical one. Classical isn't normally either of our top choices, but I don't want to disturb the peaceful atmosphere too much.

After putting it on, I sit back down and continue to read my book. As the year begins to come to a close with barely over a month left, I'm happier than ever to savor my time here doing things I enjoy. Although I probably should focus on making the most of every opportunity Nevermore has to offer before we break for the summer, I don't really want to do that. Everything will still be here when I return next year. I continue to read, pausing only when Xavier clears his throat to ask me a question.

"Hey, since summer is coming up..." he begins, somewhat flustered, "Would you be interested in spending some time up at the manor with me?"

I put down the book and look over at him. "Of course I would. I'd need to clear it with my parents, but I'd love to."

He smiles and I return the expression. To be honest, he is so different from the somewhat snobby rich boy I'd imagined him to be before we met that I'd forgotten he was the same person. When I think about it, I realize I'd forgotten what I'd imagined him as the moment we met. The reminder that my boyfriend was the son of one of the most famous outcasts was not something either of us wanted, me because it was so difficult to think of him like that and him because he would rather forget his heritage.

It will be nice to spend time with him outside of school, though. I pull out my phone and send a quick text to my parents, asking them for permission. As expected, I get the signature "We'll discuss this next time we call" from them, but I know they'll call soon enough anyways, so it doesn't bother me as much as it did at first. I put my phone away again and go back to reading and enjoying the serene afternoon.