Pink Camelia - Neil Perry x Reader/OC

'~ Chapter 14 - 'what?' ~'

~~~

The walk back was spent mostly in comfortable silence, which ended when Dione began to point out some spots in town that she thought Neil might recognize. 

"Oh that's that park that we used to go to all the time!" she pointed to a run-down looking playground with a rusty looking swing set, a squeaky old roundabout, and a slightly dangerous looking climbing frame. 

"I remember that! Didn't you hurt your knee there?"

"Yeah! I got a pebble lodged in there- I still have the scars." Dione recalled fondly

Neil couldn't help but smile along with her. Dione had such a contagious smile, Neil had always noticed that, and the way she treated people around her. He watched as she smiled and waved at a little girl skipping down the street, who absolutely beamed back at her. This made Neil's stomach flutter. 

It was this that prompted a sudden realization in Neil. Or more, prompted him to finally stop ignoring what everyone had been telling him this entire time. 

Neil loved Dione. 

He would never say it though, It could make things awkward- she might think of him differently- or she might say yes out of sympathy, and then she wouldn't really be happy- or- 

"Neil? You alright? You look a bit red in the face." Dione broke his train of thought.

"Oh- yeah, sorry- just lost in thought."

"Is it the play? You don't need to worry you know, you're gonna be amazing." Dione said earnestly. 

"No, no, it's not that. I- I'll tell you when I'm ready." 

"That's okay, I understand." Dione took Neil's hand, squeezing it reassuringly. 

Neil thought he might just drop dead. 

"That's the new bookshop-" Dione pointed to a slightly run down looking shop front- "Well, it's not that new, they popped up about a year or two ago- they're really good, and-" she stood a little taller and whispered into Neil's ear- "they have a secret back section where they keep rare books- first editions, banned books, discontinued series- the owner spotted me coming in almost every day over the holidays, and decided I was 'worthy'- but he made me promise not to tell anyone- so you'd better keep the secret." 

"My lips are sealed." Neil smiled. 

Neil then looked down and realized that he and Dione were still holding hands. Looking up, he was met with a lightly blushing Dione, whom he had just caught staring at him. Did it mean anything?

"Sorry, I can let go if you want." Dione mumbled- mentally kicking herself for making it awkward. 

"No, no it's fine- um- I don't mind..." 

After a long pause Dione suddenly picked up the pace. 

"What's going on?"

"I wanna show you something." 

Dione was now practically dragging Neil behind her, the streets started getting longer, and the houses more sparse. They actually passed Dione's street. They then turned onto a dirt path behind some bushes.

After following this path for some time, the pair came across a field full of flowers, with a big oak tree in the middle.

"Di... this is beautiful. How did you find this?"

"I had a lot of time on my hands after we got separated, so I turned to exploring the area. I found the field probably three years ago now." Dione's expression was no longer filled with her usual joy, her composure had cracked.