drear | OPEN SEASON 2.

[ The flower shop is as much home to him as his apartment upstairs, and the smells of flowers, greenery, and fertilizer are comforting. This morning, he's in the process of moving stock from the back room to the front. It's early enough that he doesn't expect many customers.

But to his slight dismay his expectations are wrong. Heine puts down the bucket of hydrangeas next to the checkout counter and wipes his palms on his apron before shoving them into his pockets so he doesn't have to shake any hands.

Finally, he takes a step out from behind the rack of flowers he'd been working on and locks eyes with the stranger for a second before slightly averting his gaze. ]

Hi.

[ That sounded harsh even to himself. Shit. Why isn't Nill here? ]

Can I help you?

Kind of. Yes. But first I should say hi.

[not really who he was expecting when he thought flower shop, but hey, life's full of surprises. quick glance at the guy tells him okay, no handshake, but he does flash him a genuine smile. nothing to be nervous about, if he is, or maybe he's just not instantly a people person. whatever it is, it doesn't stop Fee from moving along.]

I'm from the shop that's moving in next door, the tattoo parlor? Thought I'd drop in and meet the neighbors, and also say sorry if any of the noise has been bugging you. We've tried to keep it minimal, but, well-[he shrugs.]-moving's what it is.

You've got a great place here, by the way.

[ So the new business moving in is a tattoo shop. Heine nods in acknowledgment, keeping his hands in his pockets and taking a few steps closer so the space between them isn't so awkwardly large. ]

It's fine. It's not that loud. [ At for the compliment about the shop, Heine nods stiffly. ] Thanks.

My name's Heine, by the way. Are there other people moving in with you?

You mean like us who'll be working there? Just a couple of us - with me, there's four in total, though Jakob's the owner. Really tall guy, you can't miss him. The others'll be in later.

[but he realizes he's almost forgotten something.]

I'm Gennady, but just call me Fee. Everyone does. It's good to meet you, Heine.

[with most people, that's just a statement, something thrown in as a courtesy. with Fee, there's a sense that it's more genuine, and that he means it. part of that comes from how he's relaxed, thinking he'll let Heine be the one to move forward if he wants to. no pressure.]

Have you been here long?

[ Four new people in the immediate neighborhood. And he'd only just adjusted to having an empty space next door after the bookstore moved out. ]

Yeah. Nice to meet you. [ Having such obvious, real pleasantness directed at him puts him off-balance. ] I've been here for a couple of years. It's a good area.

—anyway. Did you want any flowers?

[ The conversation could go on longer, but Heine doesn't really want it to right now. ]

Yeah! Yeah, that's the other reason I stopped in. I wanted to get something for the front desk as a sort of welcome present, but also because why not? So I...

[he pauses, and then shrugs sheepishly.]

I didn't really come over with an idea in mind of what I want. Something bright, that's all I have.

Any colors that you like or don't like?

[ Heine gets started with a sellophane wrapper and baby's breath, neutral colors to get started with. With his hands on flowers and at work, he relaxes slightly. ]

Personally I can take pretty much any color. But maybe...a little yellow? That's supposed to make people happier.

[like sunshine, and butter, and chicks, and the submarine the Beatles lived in.]

Sure.

[ Does Heine sound convinced? ...not really. But he gathers daisies, a couple of yellow button mums, and blue bachelor's buttons into a roughly shaped posy, wrapped tightly around the stems within the cellophane.

He's quick about it, and the process takes only a few minutes. Heine lays it on the counter before ringing it up at the register. < Insert reasonable bouquet price here. > ]

[Fee's quick to pay for it - cash, and he scoops it up carefully. even if it's just going next door, he doesn't want to hurt it.]

Thanks so much. I think everyone's going to like it - I'll see you around, yeah? Don't be a stranger.

[if Fee's not the one to drop by first. there's a lot of moments in life that need flowers, after all, and he'll want to say hi.

with his free hand, he waves to Heine before he leaves - already ready to present the bouquet and somehow come up with something to act as a vase so they can set it on the front desk. to offhand mention it'll be a good habit to cultivate - people like seeing flowers - and get told it'll be his responsibility to see to that if they decide on it. not that he complains.]

[ Heine waves back stiffly before cleaning up the tabletop. That should be that, he thinks, except Fee keeps coming back.

Most of his business comes from people he sees once and never again, buying flowers for special occasions. Other occasional visitors do talk to him, but the conversations they have aren't like the ones Fee tries to start. Over time Heine comes to accept that Fee really is being genuine when he smiles, and that he may actually enjoy Heine's company. Somehow. For some reason.

On a day when the weather is finally beginning to warm, Heine is arranging branches of cherry blossoms in a tall vase—seasonal for spring, surrounding himself with hyacinth, sweet pea, and and lilac in the shop. He has his sleeves rolled up past his elbows, revealing the thick black bands of ink on his right forearm and the cluster of peonies on the inside of his other arm. Seeing Fee come through the front door, Heine glances over before putting the last few branches into the vase. ]

Hi. What are you looking for today?

[Fee does enjoy his company, no matter how it ends up. it flows naturally, easy despite Heine's...everything. for all his traits that some might say just make him weird, Fee's interested, and patient enough to see where it goes. Jakob tells him he's too easy to believe in someone he barely knows when he broaches the topic, leading Fee to say that he wants to know him.

words of caution to not be a nuisance while Heine is trying to work hang heavy in his head, but he still wants to be a neighbor. still wants to wave hi and look for chances to talk to him that won't interfere with his work. and yes, getting flowers is part of that, be it for times when friends need them or picking up the ones for the shop.

today is a shop day, and he comes in, pausing in the door to breathe in the sweet scent.]

Hey, Heine. Good-

[but the greeting is cut off when he sees the artwork on Heine's arms, head tilting before he comes over, already looking at them with interest.]

Can I see?

[professional curiosity, of course.]

My tattoos? [ Heine pauses, but acquiesces after toeing the vase into place in a corner. ]

Yeah.

[ He holds his arms out awkwardly. The blackwork bands are starting to fade, but his skin is so pale that the ink still stands out. The peonies are fresher; the ink has yet to start fading. ]

...you know, I've never seen any of yours. Your tattoos.

[he catches himself before he reaches to touch, drawing his hand back and putting it behind his back. but studying them, he can tell the difference. when? why? the questions bubble up in him, but Heine's observation catches him off guard.]

That's kind of on purpose. My family's more old fashioned, so when I started, the one way I could get them to not be too upset was to promise that anything I got or did, I could cover up.

[and since he's not going to start stripping in front of Heine - that's better reserved for his place of work - he pulls up his right pant leg, revealing the flaming feather that's on his ankle.]

I like yours, though. How long have you had them?

[he can guess, sure, but he'd rather ask.]

[ The single tattoo he sees now is interesting. Heine looks at it until Fee releases his pants leg. ]

Then how about now? [ Heine glances over the area his shirt covers, curious, but answers Fee's question after a second, pointing at the blackwork first. ]

This one's older. Like, seven years. This is from two years ago. [ Said of the peonies. ]

It's really clean. [he says it admiringly, eyes following the curves before he realizes that he's just staring and looks back up into Heine's face.]

For now I haven't started on my arms. There hasn't been anything that's felt right to put there.

[placement was as meaningful as symbol, to him. if he wants something on his arms, it has to be something that feels like it belongs there.]

But yours suit you, I think. Call it an artist's intuition or just a feeling.

Thanks. [ That was a weird compliment, but it makes sense; better that his tattoos suit him than the alternative. Heine considers it for a few more seconds before pushing his hands into his pockets. ]

So are you going to tell me about your other tattoos, or do you just want your new arrangement?

You want to know about them? Seriously?

[he's trying to be modest, Heine, but if you're giving him an inch to get excited about it...]

Edited 2017-01-04 23:59 (UTC)

Yeah. [ Fee's may be more open than Heine, at least a little, but having never seen the tattoos of a tattoo artist before, he's curious. ]

Maybe don't take your shirt off right here, though. [ He pauses, glancing down at his new spring flowers. ]

You know, I haven't seen your shop after renovations.

[ And people would be more used to people getting shirtless there, right? ]

[the implication is something he gets immediately, and he seems to light up a little more.]

When can you spare a break to come by?

[because shirtlessness to inspect tattoos was practically a given in that environment. and at this hour in the day it shouldn't be too busy - he knows no one will mind.]

Around 12.

[ Owning his own business means he can have his own hours, and 12 is as good a time to have a lunch break as any. ]

If that's okay.

That's perfect. So, I'll see you then.

[it's as simple a thing as going next door, and yet Fee's excited over it. to be fair, he had been hoping Heine would wander over at some point, but this is almost even better.

it would be perfect if he then didn't forget the flowers, but no one's perfect.]

[ Heine nods. (Fee's so excited. Why is he so excited?)

He interacts with only a few more customers before noon, so he's still in a decent mood when he locks his shop behind him and goes next door to find Fee. Though he's walked by the storefront several times since it's been reworked, he's never gone inside until today. ]

Edited (clarification) 2017-01-05 04:00 (UTC)

[the storefront is modest, and inside, that continues. unlike some shops, the general look of the place is a little more old fashioned, though the music playing is decidedly modern. framed pictures of different art and design are across the walls, from average symbols up to one person's design of a lizard man in a bomber jacket. a small reception area at the front, and the rest of the place being divided up into stations as well as a back area. each artist has their own station, their own way they've made it unique, and the overall impression is one of somewhere cozy, warmer.

there's a woman sitting at the desk, who looks up when Heine enters to greet him.]

Are you here for an appointment?

[ Heine hesitates, because they'd set a time, but it's not a formal appointment of any kind and he's not here to get a tattoo. ]

No, just here to see Fee.

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recants from my own tattoo post

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