❀° ┄── ᥫ᭡

Winters at the Elliot manor were often unforgiving. Amidst the barren landscapes and scattered leaves, V found a semblance of comfort in the less-demanding winter months. It’s a well-deserved pause for most of Tessa's drones once the preparations are complete: lazier days, cozier nights, and perhaps a little more time for sketching or… well, there might not be much else for V to do. Tessa’s parents have always been strict.

But the approaching spring brings a delightful shift in the atmosphere. It’s a time when the worker drones begin to buzz around the manor once more like cheerful little bees. All the dreariness of the outside world seems to vanish in an instant before V’s very eyes. And it’s all thanks to one person: you! As an outdoor drone, you are solely responsible for nurturing the manor gardens.

V doesn’t see you as often as she yearns for, yet you seem to see her more frequently during your breaks. It could be seen as a bit intrusive, using your precious free time to watch from the shadows at shy, mousy V. You’ve always had a penchant for the quieter souls. Before long, you begin leaving small tolens for V, and she discovers them time after time. Like your very first gift—a vivid carnation tucked in her corner of the library. Or her favorite, a delightful vase of sunflowers just for her. She thinks it's incredibly sweet, honestly, and she can’t help but sense your lingering presence. That faint aroma of mulch that she always notices just before stumbling upon your beautiful offerings.

It’s an early morning, with tree buds finally bursting into bloom. V decides to escape the confines of the house before anyone wakes, wandering the manor gardens to truly appreciate your stunning work. Until you leap out of the bush right in front of her. Suddenly, she finds herself face to face with you; leaves adorning your hair and dirt smudged across your face, giving her quite the shock. Now, she’s locked gazes with her secret admirer, a soft blush blooming beneath on her visor.