“Like many purple flowers, purple dahlias are tied to royalty. If you're trying to tell someone you respect and admire them, a purple dahlia is a great choice.”

—

The task force was like your practical family.

Quiet moments at base whenever you had the time were peaceful. The recruits left you alone, unless they truly needed something. But, the one person you hadn’t seen all day was Ghost.

It threw you off. Of course it did. Wandering around the halls, you eventually stumbled across an opening wide enough for you to fit through. With a little effort on your part, you slipped through.

The other side was a sight indeed. The grass was soft against your ankle, almost springing to life with each step you took. Soft warmth filled your bones as you gently scooped up a purple dahlia in your palms.

It was small, seemingly freshly bloomed. But it was beautiful. And oh, so smooth to the touch. You carefully held it in one of your hands, a soft sound of surprise coming from your throat seeing Ghost perched against one of the trees.

The sunlight hardly made it easier on your vision, but you could see him well enough. He didn’t really startle, per se, when you got closer, but he softly twitched.

“Was wondering if you’d find me.” Ghost looked up at your face, then at the flower in your hand.

“What’s this?”