✤ The grave below the flowers ✤ (CRAIG OF THE CREEK)

Slice n' dice

Jason spit and coughed the dust from his nose and lips as he dropped to his knees towards the box of gardening supplies.

He groaned as the dust bunnies caught on his hair. He groaned at them and thought of having to wash it. 'Damnit Craig...'Jason thought to himself as he took a moment to sit on the last step of the ladder.

He stared angrily at the box of gardening supplies, "Besser allein als in schlechter Gesellschaft.... (Translation:It is better to be alone than to be in bad company). Jason groaned the German proverb as his head his hung low. A proverb he heard his father say once, Jason wasn't stupid, despite the fact Mr.Durchdenwald neglected the knowledge he had a son to take care of that didn't mean he didn't know when he'd spit German sentences over the phone about Jason.

When he was younger, he taught him a bit of German. He hadn't forgotten it. He was far from fluent, but he knew a bit.

Jason remained sitting on the final step. He looked up at the open attic. There were so many treasures that held so many memories. Whenever he went inside there, he would get the gardening supplies and call it a day. But maybe there was more, and maybe if he's lucky, he'll find Vitamin and make up for lost time. He couldn't complain about people leaving him when he abandoned his favorite stuffed toy from childhood over something beyond its control.

A single stuffed toy wasn't the same as carrying a whole box of gardening supplies.

Jason felt a vibrate in his pocket.

He grabbed his phone to check who it was.

Oh, it was Craig.

"Ich verarsche meine Gefühle, als wäre ich dumm...(Translation: 'Fucking with my feelings like i'm stupid...')" Jason muttered as he looked at the message and tucked his phone back in his pocket spitting Italian words out of anger.

Jason inhaled and exhaled as he remained sitting on the step. It stung. Honestly, it did.

By now, Jason already knew he liked Craig, maybe Craig being so late hurt more cause he felt so differently about him compared to Tony and Boris and if Craig really did purposefully show up late. Then that lowered the chances of Craig liking him too.

Knock knock

Oh, speak of the devil.

Jason got up from the ladder step, his eyes were tired and vexed as he got to the last floor and opened it to see Craig.

He watched Craig's body tense up at his gaze.

Jason didn't know if it was the look, but the moment Craig picked himself back up, he was blabbering away. "Jason! Look, I-I'm so so sorry for being late...Something just happened, and I couldn't tell you in time...I-I'm so sorry, really I am...There was a-a family emergency...It's good now it's just...I couldn't let you know in time...".

'Ahhhh, Craig....This is exactly why you can't tell him...'Craig mentally told himself as he waited for Jason's response.

Jason inhaled, then exhaled, looking down.

Craig did look rather panicked, and the regret seemed genuine. If only those dark circles around his eyes weren't genuine like his words.

Jason looked at the fertilizer under Craig's arm. It was the exact amount Jason told him to buy.

On one hand, Jason hated being lied to. On the other hand, Craig was already making it up by taking care of the flowers. Honestly, it was odd how whenever him and Craig were getting to the blue dahlias to look after, Jason caught himself staring at Craig, and he'd remind him of the blue dahlias

"F-Fine, I'll...I'll let it slide this time" The hurt in Jason was less noticeable, but a part of him wanted to give Craig another chance. After all, Craig gave him one it was only fair to give the favor back.