Day Fourteen: Genderbent

Day Fourteen: Monday

Fourteenth Challenge: Genderbent

Adrian cleared his throat nervously, shifting from one foot to another. He stood in front of the apartment door, nervously holding a bouquet of flowers. The man awkwardly ran a hand through his hair and glanced at the flowers, wondering if his choice of purple and white lilacs as well as plumerias were the right ones to give. Adrian wondered if what he was doing was right – taking Mariah out for a date. The man was nervous. Though it wasn’t his first time dating (not counting those terrible ones back in high school), Mariah was different. She was…he couldn’t find the proper word.

Shakily, he lifted his hand and knocked on the wooden door. Once, and then twice.

He waited, holding up the flowers and worrying. Was she even there? Perhaps she was watching him from a corner, laughing uncontrollably at his obliviousness that she found “cute” and “endearing”. Adrian gave a small groan and lifted his hand to knock once more, when the door opened and he found himself staring into excited blue eyes.

“Adrian! I thought you’d never arrive,” chimed Mariah, grabbing his tie and pulling him in. The other yelped in surprise and stumbled in, flushing red as he stammered words of greeting. The redhead before him smiled widely and kissed his cheek, taking the bouquet from his trembling, nervous hands. “Are these for me? You’re too sweet, you shouldn’t have…”

“I – er – yes, it is.” He looked away, lifting a hand and covering his face, hoping it would hide the redness in his cheeks without being obvious. “Purple and white lilacs as well as plumerias. You told me roses were too mainstream,” he offered a weary smile, making the other laugh and nod, “so I did a bit of research and got you something else.”

She gave him a curious expression.

“Research?”

“Research. You should try it, should give you a bit of fun.” Mariah snorted, gently stroking the petal of a lilac. “Do you have a vase? I don’t want those to end up wilting…” she nodded and disappeared into the living room, he staying behind and admiring how she moved. Adrian soon followed, soon coming across her filling half of the vase with water. Mariah put the flowers in and smiled, resting them on the table and moving forward to wrap her arms around him.

“You’re too sweet for your own good.”

“I was raised that way, ma’am.” He murmured, hooking his arms around her and giving a warm, soft smile. “Born and raised the English way.”

“Don’t you start. I’ve got some English blood in me too, you know.” She gave him a teasing smirk. “And besides, you’re half-German.”

“Hush.” Adrian pulled her close and gave a kiss, the other merely giggling in response and running her hands through his black hair. He ran his hands up her back, gently easing them on her shoulders and nipping the woman’s lip before pulling away. His green eyes were darker, lit with an emotion only he had for her. She gave another laugh and let go of him, moving towards the door with her brow raised.

“Well, aren’t we going?”

“…going?”

“Adrian. To the movie, remember?”

Oh. He cursed softly. Blast it all.

“Ah. Yes. Of course, come on – I don’t want my tickets to go to waste as well.” He laced their fingers together and kissed the top of her head. “Let’s go, you little tease.”

Author's Note: If anyone wants to know what the flowers meant~

Purple Lilacs =  First emotion of love

White Lilacs = Youthful innocence, memories 

Plumerias = Perfection, new beginnings 

I think you can decipher now what Adrian's message was to her. c: