Baldwin's Mansion
The front yard of the mansion had never seen such a sight before. A vast expanse of untouched soil stretched out before Savannah, waiting to be transformed. The air was thick with the scent of earth, damp and rich, mixed with the faint fragrance of the thousands of flowers surrounding her. Roses, daisies, lilies, tulips, orchids-all carefully arranged, waiting to be rooted in the ground.
And right in the middle of it all, crouched near the patio, was Savannah.
Her dark hair fell loosely over her shoulders, strands sticking to her slightly damp skin as she worked.
A gentle morning breeze occasionally brushed against her face, but she hardly noticed. Her fingers, now coated in dirt, gripped the small spade with determination, digging into the soil with a practiced hand. Her nails, once perfectly manicured, were now caked with mud, but that didn't seem to bother her one bit.
Scattered around her were various hand tools—spades, hoes, a digging fork, a watering can, and a hand rake. Some leaned against the patio steps, while others lay half-buried in the freshly turned soil. The sight of her, so engrossed in this unfamiliar task, was something none of Blaze's men had ever expected to see.
They stood back, watching.
Not one of them dared to step closer.
Not one of them dared to interrupt.
Because no one understood.
Not why she was doing this.
Not why she had chosen today—of all days—to start planting a garden.
No one, except for one.
Elijah.
From the top of the stairs, he watched her, hands tucked in his pockets, brows knitted in confusion. He had seen Savannah in many different states—broken, furious, shattered beyond recognition—but never like this. Never crouched on the ground, covered in dirt, surrounded by flowers, as if she were crafting something entirely new.
And yet, this didn't feel like just a simple pastime.
This was something else.
This was something more.
His feet moved before he could even think to stop them.
In just a few strides, the space between them shrank.
Then, without saying a word, he crouched down across from her.
The fabric of his shirt tightened around his arms as he rolled up his sleeves, his movements fluid, unbothered by the dirt smudging his fingers. He shrugged off his jacket and tossed it to the side before grabbing a small digging fork. The soil was soft, easy to turn over, but that didn't stop him from working through it with measured focus.
Savannah didn't react.
She didn't acknowledge him or question his presence.
She simply kept at it, her delicate hands shaping the soil around a newly planted flower.
The silence hung between them, but it wasn't awkward.
It was thick.
Weighted.
Elijah let out a breath, his voice breaking the stillness.
"So this is how you're going to escape reality?"
His words held no judgment, just a quiet curiosity.
Savannah, still focused on her task, gently pressed the soil down around a stem.
"Yeah. Best thing I can do right now."
Elijah watched her for a moment, his fingers pausing in the dirt.
She meant it.
There was something in her voice—something steady, something final.
But what caught his attention the most was the faint spark in her eyes. It was small, barely noticeable, but it was there. A tiny ember in what had once been pure darkness.
And for the first time in a long while, Elijah felt a sense of relief.
"Is this your new hobby?" he asked, tilting his head. "Besides painting on a canvas?"
Savannah paused, her eyes drifting to the patio steps next to her.
For a brief moment, she seemed to be deep in thought, as if she was grappling with the same questions.
Then, in a soft voice, she said, "I guess so... for now."
When she turned to meet his gaze, the atmosphere between them shifted.
Elijah hadn't realized just how close they had become, how the distance between them had quietly vanished.
His dark eyes locked onto hers, and for the first time in weeks, she truly saw him.
And he—
He couldn't tear his gaze away.
Her eyes roamed over him, noticing details she had never paid attention to before.
His usually tidy hair was tousled, damp with sweat. A single droplet slid down the side of his face, tracing the line of his jaw before disappearing down his neck. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing his forearms, the veins beneath his skin standing out from the effort. His hands, typically clean and precise, were now smudged with dirt, working through the soil with an ease that surprised her.
She had never seen him like this before.
Not this...
Authentic.
Not this...
Unfiltered.
And for some reason—she didn't mind it at all.
"I guess you're a normal human being just like us normal people." She pointed out what she saw and had in mind.
"Are you saying I didn't look like a real person back then?"
Before she could think twice, the words slipped out.
"Come garden with me in the future."
Elijah blinked, momentarily taken off guard.
His hands paused in the dirt, a look of confusion crossing his face.
"What?"
Savannah shrugged, her tone steady.
"I think you're perfect for this job."
Elijah let out a small huff, shaking his head as he returned to digging. "So, am I your gardening partner now?"
A faint smile flickered on Savannah's lips—almost.
"Yeah... which means you'll have to join me for some gardening in the future."
Elijah chuckled softly, but there was something about her words that resonated deeply within him.
It wasn't just about the garden.
It was about commitment.
It was about being present.
He nodded, his voice low yet resolute.
"I promise."
Savannah paused for a moment.
She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but hearing those words from him...
It felt different.
For the first time in a long while,
She believed him.
Author's Note :
Thankyou for reading<3
Have a good day/night<3<3