Winter had had its charms, but Silver is still happy a new season has finally begun to show.

Cold has slowly been making way for warmth, grey clouds and icy winds for sunny skies and gentle breezes, and a white world had first turned brown and now green, but that is not what amazes the hedgehog most.

No, that would be that there is so much colour amidst this green, far more than there had been in summer.

Curiously the time traveller rummages around in the small backyard of the Chaotix' Detective Agency, no particular goal in mind than to brush his fingers past each new leaf and bud that peek out over the rims of a few scattered orange pots. The whole backyard in general is a mess; Espio had wanted to clean it up in autumn but no such thing had happened, and with the snow gone Silver slowly realises perhaps it had been a necessity all the same. The stones on the ground are all green, which does look pretty, and lots of miniature plants have nestled themselves in the cracks... but the handful of plants in the pots strewn about look all but pitiful with their bony twigs and few colours, and Silver figures those are the ones that are most supposed to grow. But Espio had once mentioned that anything placed in this particular backyard was fated to suffer a demise most imminent...

"Good grief, this place is a mess," rises up from the kitchen, and Silver muffles a laugh as the door to the yard swings open in full.

"Hey, Espio." Sending a smile to his pouting beloved as the chameleon steps down from the tiny porch onto the stones as well Silver gestures to one of the plants, a few buds on its twigs. "Look! It's having babies!"

Espio muffles a laugh at his delighted statement as well, peering over to scrutinise the insides of the pot also. "Ah, spring truly is on its way, with the blooming flowers and the better weather," follows, the bud tenderly touched and Silver's ears giving a curious flick.

"That's the next season, right? Is all the snow over now?"

"Indeed, tenshi. The winter will be gone for another year, and now it is time for all the plants to begin growing new leaves and flowers, and propagate." Though, Espio's tail swishes as his gaze trails over the backyard, something more irked crossing his face. "As have the algae, clearly. And the mud, and the weeds. Should have prepared better last autumn..."

Carefully floating up into the air Silver studies their environment as well. Yes, perhaps it is a bit of a mess; but he likes it, in some way. It's a green mess with little splotches of colour inbetween, not a mess of rubble and fire, and that is already a win in his book. Though, considering what Espio had offhandedly remarked that one time... "Can the plants grow properly like this?" the hedgehog inquires, suddenly grasped by a spike of worry. If they can't... how will he be able to see the flowers?!

"If they weren't at least hardy they long would have died under Vector's completely incorrect care, but..." Trailing off Espio shrugs. "You know what I always say about this yard, momiji."

"But that is sad! They need to be cared for!" Hands balling into fists Silver gestures towards the plants in the pot. And they do; how will they ever be able to grow gorgeous flowers from their little buds if no-one looks after them?

Espio for his part merely sighs. "Try convincing Vector and Charmy of that. A bit ironic that a bee is so poor at gardening, but what do I know. And I'm not that skilled at the art of plant care either."

"I thought you liked the great outdoors," Silver shoots back at him, lips twitching up teasingly at his beloved's eyeroll.

"I do, but the small outdoors in this yard are fussy and hard to care for and seemingly only capable of hanging onto life by the thinnest thread of spite."

Muffling a chuckle at Espio's more sour tone of voice Silver leans closer, giving the chameleon a little headbutt. Fussy and hard to care for; he knew a person like that, once, and that person is currently on the brink of making an epic decision on a complete whim. "Then I'll help you!" the hedgehog cries out, smile only growing. "We're going to grow the best plants you've ever seen, promise!"

At the delighted exclamation Espio rubs his chin with a hum, eyes flicking around before coming to rest on the few pots and their pitiful contents. "I want to learn it. I want to know how growing plants works!" Silver adds, gracefully bopping up and down in the air as Espio peeks up at him next.

"And your reason for that is...?"

"It's so green, Es. And I want to see the flowers. And won't it be nice the next summer, to sit here together with all the plants that are not hanging on only with spite alone?"

Silently the chameleon ponders some more... before a smile of his own breaks through on his face, warmer than the sun shining in the blue sky above them. "Yes, that is all true. Then I shall help you fulfil that dream, tenshi," the chameleon murmurs, laughing softly at Silver's happy twirl in the sky. "And besides, the state of our yard in this moment does not mean we cannot make improvements from now on. Algae and mud can be cleaned, weeds can be trimmed, and perhaps if we place the plants in the sun and track how much water they get, they'll have a better shot at survival-"

"Then let's do that!" Silver interrupts, studying the few items other than plants in the yard. A metallic rack of sorts has been pushed against the stone wall, nearly overrun by ivy... "Maybe the pots can go on there," he adds in suggestion, Espio nodding beside him before turning around.

"We have some tools in a kitchen cabinet. I'll cut down the weeds."

Ears sinking at those words the psychic scrutinises the tiles, and the green sprigs in their groves. "Why, Es? They're pretty too!"

"The dandelions maybe," his beloved mutters back, chuckling at the spark of cyan battering against his crest. "Okay, okay, we'll make a designated little weed area and everything outside of that is getting terminated."

"Ah, ninja bloodlust. Gotcha." Shooting a teasing wink to the other Silver quickly darts away, grasping one of the pots and carefully placing it on the highest level of the rack. The handful of others follow soon enough, though that is it for the few plants the yard contains right now. They'll need to find some new ones to make this place greener, Silver ponders... Maybe he can go gather a few in the park or something later this week. As it stands he helps shrub away the green on the stones under Espio's guidance, and saving the weeds whenever he can, and as the sun slowly begins to sink into the horizon after a few hours of hard work the hedgehog can only purr in approval. The yard already looks a lot better, the stones visible once more and the plants perking up now that they've had enough water and some sun.

Flopping his head onto Espio's shoulder Silver smiles at the hand trailing past his ears, the duo huddled together on the porch in the last bits of sunlight that caress the yard. "I like gardening," the hedgehog decides on, the chameleon laughing softly.

"That is good, then this yard is doomed no more."

Hopefully Silver gives him a little nudge. "Once more tomorrow?"

"Perhaps we can look into some furniture or the like, to fill it up a little. And more plants, of course," Espio agrees, before getting up and dusting off his scales. "But I propose we call it a day for now, tenshi. We need to go cook dinner."

"We should grow herbs in the garden too," Silver decides on, letting Espio gently pull him to his feet also and chirping at the little peck against his cheek. Even Espio seems happy with all the work they've done so far; which means even more to Silver than the fact the plants in their yard actually stand a chance to show him their flowers now. "Let's go cook," he adds, giving Espio a nuzzle back before grasping his hand and guiding them both back into the kitchen.

This summer their yard will be an ocean of beautiful flowers with a content Espio in their midst, he is certain, and he already can't wait to see it.

Author's notes:

Hi everyone ^-^ Tumblr asks are a great source of fanfic inspiration for me, and this one is based on such an ask also! :> Spring is coming along slowly but surely (even if the crocuses here have been blooming for weeks already, though the trees are still bare), and I for one can't wait for longer days and warmer weather. Neither can Silver; he loved winter, but he'll definitely love spring too. Speaking of, Silver did totally go to a park and tried to dig out a bush to take home and Espio had to tell him that that is probably theft of public property and the fines for that are a lot higher than just buying a few plants in the garden shop, lmao.