Greenhouse first meetings {Antonio}

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Lars stood among the various flowers and plants in the warm humid greenhouse, he smiled to himself as he took in the comforting smells of the various plant life. Since arriving at Asher Academy the other day this was the first chance he had to explore the island.He had stumbled onto the greenhouse when he went to explore the courtyard today, he was surprised to see the various different flora and plants that they grew.

Chuckling quietly to himself he moved forward into greenhouse, he gently touched the leaves and flower petals as he past them. He muttered loving words in Dutch to the plants as he past them, the plants themselves moving in the direction he was walking as in response as if talking back. Pausing in mid step he noticed a small dying bush of bougainvillea flowers.

He frowned and approached the small bush, he knelt down in front of the bush and gently touched the dying plant. He started to speak to the plant in comfort as he stroked the dying plant, thinking he was alone in the greenhouse he started to use his ability. A small smile made it's way onto his face as the plant started to come back to life, the brown drooping plant turning a lush green again the flowers a beautiful purple.

Leaning back Lars smiled gently at the plant he knew that the flower bush could take care of itself from now on and just needed the small push to grow on it's own.

[ANTONIO FERNANDEZ CARRIEDO]

"I should really be doing this outside" Antonio mumbled to himself as he shifted another pot back into place. Some of the plants had started to outgrow their pots, so he had volunteered to be the one who re-potted them. Gardening was one of his favourite hobbies, it was quite relaxing to dig around in the dirt and grow things. The only problem was that he was getting dirt all over everything, especially himself. His roommates would probably yell at him for tracking a bunch of dirt and mud into their dorm when he went to change, but he did not really care.

Pausing to wipe the sweat from his forehead, Antonio heard someone else enter the greenhouse. He ducked behind a table full of sprouts to watch the person, they seemed really entranced by the plants and the plants...seemed really entranced by him as well! They were all moving towards him, almost as if he were the sun. Scooting closer as quietly as he could, Antonio watched as the stranger stopped in front of a dying bush. No matter what they tried, nobody had managed to bring any colour back to it, he was actually going to dump the poor plant into the forest before he left.

However, it looked like that would be unnecessary now, a few words out of the other guy's mouth was all that the plant seemed to need in order to burst back to life. "Whoa, no way! That is really amazing!" A big grin stretched across his face as he leaned over the table to get a better look, before realizing he had given himself away. Standing up properly, he redirected his gaze to the person across from him. "Uh, I mean hello! Are you new? I do not think I have seen you around before."

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Lars paused as he heard another voice coming from somewhere among the other plants. He didn't like to be spied on but did not voice his displeasure on that " It's not that amazing, it's just a natural thing for me to do. " He then looked the newcomer over to get a better look at him. " Ja I am new here, I just arrived yesterday. " Deciding he other male seemed ok he stood up from his kneeling position by the now brought back to life bougainvillea bush.

" I did not see anyone in here so I thought I was alone in here, I did not mean to intrude on you. " He ran a hand through his spiked hair to calm himself down as his Xenophobia was staring to creep up on him. He looked away from the other man to look at the various plant life. " I could not help myself though it is very relaxing here, the plant life is beautiful. Who ever is taking care of the flora here is doing a nice job. "

He touched a petal on one of the plants, a warm feeling passing over him as he lost himself to the flora for a moment before snapping himself out of it " Sorry, I sometimes lose myself to the plants. " After a sharp curse in Dutch he had realized he did not introduce himself yet " Ah forgive me I have not introduced myself yet. My name is Lars van Rijn and you are? "

[ANTONIO FERNANDEZ CARRIEDO]

Oh so he was new! That explained a lot. Antonio was pretty sure he was one of the only people who even knew the school had a greenhouse, let alone went inside. It was nice to see some new faces checking it out!

"I did not see anyone in here so I thought I was alone in here, I did not mean to intrude on you."

Antonio chuckled and waved a hand dismissively. "Oh no, not at all! I was just repotting some flowers over there," he gestured over to the corner, "It is not often that I see other people here, it is a nice change!" Smiling at the compliment, he gazed lovingly over the plants. While he could not claim all the credit for all of the work being done in here, quite a bit of his own blood and sweat had gone into making the plants in the greenhouse thrive as well as they were. Having someone with a plant related power like Lars compliment that hard work made him feel really good! "Thanks, I am glad you noticed! We all try our best to keep this place in tip-top shape." His words seemed to have fallen on deaf ears, though, as the Dutch man had turned his attentions back to the flowers in front of him. Antonio gave a small chuckle at that. Je je je, plant users.

Once the man had returned to their conversation, he smiled and assured him it was natural in a place such as this! After all, greenhouses were a marvel to look at most of the time anyway.

"My name is Lars van Rijn and you are?"

Oh! How rude of him, he did not even introduce himself yet? What a terrible... uh... conversation starter? Yeah! What a terrible conversation starter he was! "I am Antonio! It is certainly a pleasure to meet you, Lars." He glanced down at his dirt-covered hand and wiped it hastily on his pants before sticking it out for him to shake. "Would you like to see the hydrangeas I am working on? Maybe it is just me, but I have never seen them grow this fast before!"

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"Oh no, not at all! I was just re potting some flowers over there," he gestured over to the corner, "It is not often that I see other people here, it is a nice change!"

Lars looked over to where the other had pointed out and saw that indeed that there were flowers in the process of being replanted in new pots. " I'm sure they will like their new homes. " A small smile broke on his face as he looks fondly at the flora. He turned his attention back to Antonio a moment later.

"Thanks, I am glad you noticed! We all try our best to keep this place in tip-top shape."

He nodded " I can see that, your work has paid off. " he could tell that lots of love and hard work went into the flora and plants. " Perhaps if you needed some help around the green house I would be willing to lend a hand any time. " He wouldn't mind at all if they needed his help, he was sure there were a few other plants that could use a small helping hand that the others that worked in here could not handle on their own.

"Would you like to see the hydrangeas I am working on? Maybe it is just me, but I have never seen them grow this fast before!"

He took his hand and shook it " Pleasure " He knew he would have to wash his hands the moment he got a chance, he ignored the bit of dirt on his hand but he knew his OCD would flair up eventually so he just ignored it for now. " I would like to see them. They must be getting lots of love and attention to grow quickly. "

[ANTONIO FERNANDEZ CARRIEDO]

Gosh, this guy seemed to only have smiles for plants! Antonio was pretty sure that the only time he had seen Lars smile so far was while he was observing the greenhouse. Maybe he just did not like people very much... Usually others waited until he talked their ear off before deciding they did not like him, so that was probably it! Oh well, he would just have to win him over with pretty flowers, then, maybe they could be friends! Wait.. that sounded strange...

"I can see that, your work has paid off."

He could not suppress the happy grin that forced its way across his features at the Dutch man's approval. If a person so in tune with vegetation had good things to say about their greenhouse, then that meant they had to be doing something right! Not that...Antonio needed anyone's approval for his work, it was just nice to hear. After all, one does not spend their childhood knee-deep in vegetation and soil without picking up a few tricks!

"Perhaps if you needed some help around the greenhouse, I would be willing to lend a hand any time."

"Wow that would be really great! Since we do not have an official botany club, not many people come by to help out. I mean, you do not have to ask me for permission or anything, I am not really in charge...I just come around here a lot," he chuckled, leading Lars to the back where he had been working. The hydrangeas in question were not too old, but it was apparent that he would have to move some of these bushes outside soon, they were just taking up way too much of the greenhouse's space! "I think one of the other kids that comes here has been overfeeding them or something, they are getting pretty out of control!"

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Lars could see the happiest grin spread across the Spanish man’s face when he had complemented the man. He really could see all the love and hard work that had gone into the greenhouse.

“ Perhaps there should be a botany club? I’m sure there are a few students here that would be interested including me. “ He followed Antonio to where the other man had been working before the Dutchman arrived. As they walked he studied the different flora that they were growing, arriving where Antonio had been working he had noticed that the hydrangeas in question were in fact growing pretty fast. “ I think someone is doing that as well, normally they would not grow that fast. “ studying the flora he nodded to them “ They wonder if you will move them from those cramped pots. “

Looking back to the Spaniard he studied the other man’s face “ I can tell the flora here like you a lot, you must take very good care of them when you are here. “ He could already tell that he himself was already planning to spend all of his free time here. He already knew where he was going to plant some Dutch tulips since arriving here in the greenhouse he did not see any but he had brought some from home that he knew would enjoy growing here. “ I brought tulip bulbs with me that should grow well outside of the greenhouse. “ He had left the bulbs back in his room but he could get them later on in the day.

[ANTONIO FERNANDEZ CARRIEDO]

"Perhaps there should be a botany club? I'm sure there are a few students here that would interested, including me."

Antonio had actually been thinking the same thing for a while now, but for some reason never got around to asking a teacher about it. Honestly, it was getting to the point where he questioned the use of him starting a club so far into his senior year. Sure once it was started, someone else could take over after he left, but it felt kind of like a lot of work for something he would never really get to enjoy. However, with this new guy here, maybe they could get it done faster and split the workload. "Hey, that is a pretty great idea, let's start one together. I know we just met and all, but you look like a pretty reliable guy."

He grinned and leaned against the nearest table, giving Lars a once over as he approached. He didn't really look like the kind of guy who made friends too easily, especially considering how he looked ready to leave earlier when Antonio introduced himself. Maybe this club would be good for him, help him make some friends and all that.

"They wonder when you will move them from those cramped pots."

Whoa what a real plant whisperer! Geez, he never realized that flowers even had a thought process.... must be an intuitive thing. He gave the plants the most mock-exasperated look he could, sighing for effect. "Come on, give me a break guys, I'm doing my best!" He would have to have a talk with whomever decided to feed them, pretty soon the greenhouse would be drowning in hydrangeas. A botany club would really regulate this sort of thing, now that he was thinking about it.

"I can tell the flora here like you a lot, you must take very good care of them when you are here."

Antonio glanced back over just in time to see the appraising look that the Dutch man was giving him. "Hey, if you keep complimenting me like that, I'm going to get a big head." He laughed, giving his most charming grin and a wink. The Spaniard actually preferred to care for vegetables more than flowers. Growing up on a farm made them more familiar to him, but overall it was pretty much the same concept. Vegetables were a bit more rewarding in the end though, since flowers are really only there for aesthetic purposes.

"I brought tulip bulbs with me that should grow well outside of the greenhouse."

Nodding at Lars' statement, he crouched back down to get back to work before the plants started complaining at him again, apparently. "I mean, go right ahead, this place is pretty much free game for anyone to plant what they want. Just make sure you put a sign or something on them so no one tries to feed them into super tulips while you're in class." Now where was that spade, Antonio could have sworn he left it right....uh, somewhere around here? He glanced around, frowning as it remained hidden. Why did everything always have to make themselves scarce when they were needed? "Hey you don't happen to see a garden spade around here, do you?"

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"Hey, that is a pretty great idea, let's start one together. I know we just met and all, but you look like a pretty reliable guy."

Lars could have rolled his eyes in annoyance " I look like a reliable guy?" Giving Antonio a look " I am reliable guy, you on the other hand don't really look like one... No offense " He really didn't mean any offense but Lars was always pretty blunt . " But it is a good idea to start a club, and if we don't get to see the hard work pay off there will be someone who will be able to carry on our work. "


He grinned and leaned against the nearest table, giving Lars a once over as he approached

Lars didn't really like the way Antonio was looking him over and grinning. It was almost like Antonio was planning something and he didn't like it, but he decided that he would give the other guy a chance. How bad could it be? But he did take a step back as the other approached him as he didn't do too good with closeness.


"Come on, give me a break guys, I'm doing my best!"

" They know you are doing your best Antonio and they appreciate it. " That much was true the flora did like that Antonio was taking such great care of them. Shaking his head at the Spaniard he ran his hand through his spiky hair.


"I mean, go right ahead, this place is pretty much free game for anyone to plant what they want. Just make sure you put a sign or something on them so no one tries to feed them into super tulips while you're in class."

" They better not be doing such a thing to mijn tulips " That was one thing he would not tolerate, anyone he caught messing with his tulips. He watched as the other man looked around for something. " A spade? " taking a look around himself he pointed to the gardening tool the was where he had assumed that the other man had left it.

[ANTONIO FERNANDEZ CARRIEDO]

Looking over at where Lars was pointing, Antonio finally spotted the tool he was searching for. Those things always seemed to run off into weird places when he wasn't looking. Thanking the Dutch man, he quickly hopped up and walked over to it. "You know," he said, scooping up the shovel and getting back to work, "I'm actually a pretty reliable guy. If I wasn't, then I wouldn't be in here re-potting plants when I could be playing futbol instead."

In truth, Antonio was itching to get out of the greenhouse, despite how much he liked it in here. There was only so long he could find re-potting plants entertaining, even though Lars looked like he could spend a lifetime in here and still not be satisfied.

With a tiny sigh he got back to work. He squatted next to the closest pot and carefully sliding the plant out of it and into the bigger one next to it, packing it in carefully with some extra dirt. "I was just kidding about the tulips though. I don't think anyone would actually do that to your plants, this sort of thing doesn't usually happen," Antonio grinned over to where Lars was, resisting the urge to snicker at his now slightly messed up hair. "You don't have to stay here and chat with me if you don't want to, feel free to keep looking around!" he continued, not really wanting to keep the other student from his tour. After all, Antonio could talk forever and it usually annoyed people after a while.