Note: For those who don't know, the festival that they prepare for in this fic is an "o-hanami" flower viewing festival. These are held in spring in Japan (and other places, too! I've been to one.), and are focused on sakura flowers. I changed that a little bit with the rose gardens, but oh well. xD The title, Rose Moon, is a song by Ali Project, and a "yukata" is a summer kimono, made out of cotton. The reason Ienzo complains about his obi sash is because koi fish print obis are worn by children. I'm sure Even or Braig was the one who suggested he wear one. xD

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Ienzo crept over to Xehanort's bed and stared at him nervously. He always hated waking him up, but it was almost noon.

"Xehanort, wake up!" he finally said, shaking the older boy gently.

"Mmm... 5 more minutes, Gramma..." Xehanort muttered, and Ienzo burst into a fit of giggles. Grandma!?

"Well, then.." he whispered. "Xehanort, get up and take your medicine!" he shouted, trying to sound like an elderly female.

"WHAT!?" Xehanort sat up and looked around frantically. "Medicine!?" His eyes landed on Ienzo, who was laughing hysterically. "Ienzo, did you just tell me to take my medicine in an old granny-voice?" he asked, giving Ienzo a weird look. Ienzo just giggled more.

"Why'd you wake me up?" Xehanort whined.

"It's almost 12, Sleeping Beauty."

Xehanort blushed. Did Ienzo really mean that beauty part? "So?"

"So, we have to get ready for Ansem's flower-viewing festival!"

Xehanort's eyes widened. He had completely forgotten about the festival. "Ugh... my head hurts," he moaned, flopping back down on the bed.

"Hey, don't go back to sleep!"

"'M not..." Xehanort muttered, his face in his pillow. "'m just trying not to spontaneously combust."

"Riiiight..." Ienzo climbed on top of Xehanort and tried to pull him up. "Come on!" Ienzo tried harder to get him up, but his squeaky, 90-pound self was no match for Xehanort's dead weight. "Oh, don't be stubborn!" Still no reply. Xehanort just lay there, smirking. "What's so funny, ne?"

"...Will you two get up and go out to the yard, please!?"

"...Hi, Dilan. I was just trying to wake Xehanort, but he won't move!"

Dilan crossed his arms and scowled. Riiiiight. That was really what it looked like. He turned on his heel and walked away. "Those two are always going at it..."

Five minutes of Ienzo trying in vain to lift Xehanort, and Xehanort snickering like a madman and being no help at all later, both were dressed in yukatas and in the yard. Of course, they had been delayed a bit by Ienzo refusing to put on his ridiculous, koi-print obi sash. It seemed they were late... All of the other apprentices were there already. Their job was to make sure everything in the castle's copious gardens was well-trimmed and presentable, and to prepare a float for the parade that would take place as part of the closing ceremony. Of course, Ansem hadn't consulted them first; he had just assigned them the efforts. If Even was any measure of the rest of their attitudes, the orders were not happily received.

"Of all the hokey ideas..." He muttered. "A flower festival? What is Ansem thinking!?"

"I like it!" Ienzo said cheerfully, smelling a rose, then handing it to Xehanort, who blushed brightly. "I think it'll be fun."

"You are such a child!" Even sniffed. "It'll be nothing but pain."

"I am not a child!" Ienzo snapped. "Don't be so pessimistic! What could possibly cause pain about a flower festival? Unless you get stung by a bee, you'll be fine."

"I think Even has a bee down his pants," Xehanort whispered to Ienzo, and both broke up giggling.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh while you can." Even stomped over to a pile of daisies and began pinning them to the float in the pattern Ansem had given him. "Of all the inane, vacuous, insipid..."

"So, what's our assignment, Xehanort?" Ienzo asked, glad Even was finally out of complaining range. Xehanort took a paper out of his yukata sleeve and, if possible, blushed even brighter. Ienzo laughed. Xehanort stored things in his yukata sleeves? "What is it? Why are your cheeks all red?"

"Our assignment is to 'prune the rose garden and ensure that everything is in place for a romantic atmosphere.'"

Ienzo smiled. "Good to know that Ansem approves of our relationship." Waving goodbye to the others, he took Xehanort's hand and led him to the rose garden. When they arrived, both were astounded. They had never seen this part of the garden before; surely it must have been new for the festival. A red rose bush lined path led to a circular enclosure of more rose bushes, with a huge arch covered in wisteria vines in the middle. Quite coincidentally, or not, wisterias were Xehanort's favorite. He had a few small plants in his room that he tended to very thoroughly, leading to him always smelling faintly of the flower's scent. Both wondered if perhaps Ansem had set this up just for them. Under the arch was a cozy-looking bench that looked just the right size for the both of them to sit on, and on each side were smaller, pink rose bushes in gold pots, with white Christmas lights strung through the branches.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Ienzo said, looking around. "And it looks perfect. I don't think we need to do any work here. I appreciate that." He smirked. "Do you think this is for us?"

"If it's not, it is now," Xehanort said sweetly, picking a plump, red rose and tucking it in Ienzo's hair. Ienzo's cheeks turned almost the same color as the rose as Xehanort leaned down and kissed him softly.

"Should we get back to the others now?" he asked when he pulled away.

"Why bother?" Ienzo said coolly, sitting down on the bench and patting the spot next to him, beckoning Xehanort over. "They'll just make us work. It would be so much nicer to stay here, don't you think?"

"Indeed, I do," Xehanort replied, sitting next to Ienzo and kissing him again. Quite coincidentally, or maybe not, heart-shaped fireworks went off in the background, probably Elaeus testing them for the festival. It was nice... Ienzo thought. ..and he was right. The festival hadn't even begun yet, and he was already having a wonderful time.