AN: Here's another under 1,500 word one shot for a Galaxy Cauldron Forum contest, the theme being Spring. I guess you could call this the sequel to Between Friends, but they aren't really related to each other beyond the characters. It takes place in the same universe, in a way... Once again, whether you see shipping in this or not is up to you.

"Thanks for helping me move my plants outside," Makoto said, letting Ami into the apartment. Now that it was spring, she was finally getting around to moving her large collection of pots and vases from her living room to the balcony again. The chore would usually take hours by herself, but with a friend, it would go much faster. She hadn't expected Ami to volunteer when she had brought it up after a group meeting though. Physical labor never really seemed like Ami's kind of work, but she had appreciated and accepted the offer anyway.

"It's not a problem," Ami said as she removed her shoes. "Finals are coming up soon, so if we finish this quickly enough, we can get some study time in." Makoto scratched the back of her head. "Sure Ami, but I was thinking of going over to the cafe. We still have a few months until tests..."

"You can never start studying too early!"

"Whatever you say..." After sliding the back door open, the two girls started picking up and relocating plants.

"Be careful with the sunflower, there's a lot of soil in that one," Makoto said, watching Ami try to lift one of the bigger pots. When it shifted in her hands, Mako moved to catch the other end, keeping it steady. Ami felt the back of her neck warm up at her near mistake.

"Er, thank you..." As they worked to move the heavier plant out, Ami turned curious. "Mako, why do you have so many plants? Isn't it a lot of work maintaining them all? And you barely have space inside during the winter."

"Well..." Mako took the pot from Ami entirely, and placed it down gently, wiping her forehead with a hand. "I guess I like it when there's things taking up room in the house. It makes it feel less...empty? Does that make sense?" Sure, plants couldn't really replace people, but it still felt nice to come home and have something to take care of.

In a way, Ami could sympathize. Her mother was barely home at times, and her condominium also felt rather empty of life besides their fish tank.

"I think I get what you're trying to say," Ami said, smiling. "Maybe I should get a plant now. Spring would be a good time to try and grow one..." Makoto's eyes lit up.

"I can help with that! Just think of it as payment for helping me do this! Are you thinking of getting a small flower, or maybe a fern, or"- Ami giggled.

"I think you're a little ahead of me, I haven't decided what I want yet. I'm afraid I'm not as well versed in plant species as you are. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Hm... Give me some time to think. I'll come up with something before we're done, I promise!" After the bulk of Makoto's larger plants were out of her living room, she told Ami to wait in the kitchen and went out to the balcony again. Ami could hear her dragging something heavy around even as she busied herself with making tea. Just what was she doing back there?

"I found it!" Ami turned away from the stove to see Mako place a medium sized blue clap container on the counter. "I remembered buying this a while ago, but I never got around to using it. You can use it to hold these." Makoto handed Ami a packet of seeds. She read the label and gasped.

"Water Lilies? Mako, how did you know"-

"You mentioned that they were your favorite kind of flower a while ago, and I saw them at the flower shop one day and picked them up," Mako said, grinning. "And I know you like challenges, and these are a little harder to take care of, but... I think you can handle it after I show you how." Ami looked back up at her and smiled.

"Thank you, you didn't have to do this..." They spent the next hour at Ami's apartment, carefully filling the pot with dirt and burying the seed, then covering it with a layer of water. Ami took diligent notes as Mako told her how to care for the flower, and then they moved the pot into her bedroom where it could get sunlight.

A month later, as Ami sat at her desk to check over math equations, she glanced up at the potted plant and smiled again. A tiny bud had finally broken the water's surface. She needed to remember to tell Makoto how it was doing...