She Loves Me

Guy crouched low to the ground and collected another buttercup. He had four of them now. He also had three daisies, two brown-eyed susans and cattails, and half a dozen dandelions. Of course he had passed by many more wild flowers than he had collected, but he made sure only to pick the ones that looked perfect for their kind.

He stood from where he knelt and made his way to another decent-looking daisy. He crouched there to pluck it, but first examined its petals. Some of those around the far side were blunt, and up close it looked almost as though it was lacking a petal or two. Guy looked to the flowers he had already collected, and back again to the daisy. He glanced over his shoulder to ensure that no one had followed him before he sat in the grass and set the flowers in his lap. He pulled the daisy from the ground, and one-by-one began to pluck its petals.

"She loves me," he mumbled. "She loves me not."

"I...you know...," Guy stammered, "I think that you re, umm, cu-"

"Yes?"

"Um, I mean that you re uhh...curious!"

"She loves me," he muttered, removing another petal. He continued to pluck them in silence.

Guy didn't need the Sword Demon threatening to cut him down, or Lady Louise fixing his braid, or even Matthew taunting him. His own voice, his own words, were against him. His poor timing slow reactions extended past the battlefield and training and midnight challenges. He cursed himself, both for the lousy cover, and for not having the nerve to come out and express his true thoughts.

She loves me not.

And why should he? Last time he saw Priscilla, she was speaking with Heath-yes, that Heath, the wyvern rider, with his wild hair and his lance and his sword-eating mount. Heath was probably her type. Strong, mysterious, serious. Compared to him, Guy was a joke.

She loves me.

But maybe she didn't like Heath. Maybe she was afraid of him, too, and simply fulfilling her duties as a troubadour within the ranks. That, however, seemed too much for a wannabe like him to dream.

She loves me not.

"Hello, Guy," came a voice from behind him. His heart skipped a beat-he knew that voice. Guy looked back with a start, and Priscilla smiled warmly back at him. "What are you doing down there?"

Steeling himself against his cowardice, he quickly, loudly replied, "Picking you flowers!" He held out the daisy in his hand, with its one remaining petal. The bewildered look on Priscilla's face mirrored his own, and then he realized in horror what he had done. "B-but not that one!" he sputtered, and cast the daisy aside.

He quickly gathered the flowers in his lap and held them out for her. Priscilla giggled as she accepted the gift. "Thank you."

She loves me.

Author's Note

I apologize to everyone who knows me as an avid Matthew x Guy shipper. I ship it all. ;3 Feedback would be appreciated, but is not necessary. Thank you for reading.