drear | OPEN SEASON 2.

[ "When I needs them." What does that feel like, to be so sure? ]

Yeah.

[ Heine looks at the tattoos for a few more seconds before looking away, to give Fee the implicit indication that he's done looking if he needs it. ]

Hey—if you still want a new arrangement, I'll be back downstairs in ten minutes.

[ His usual lunch plans involve going upstairs and making himself something easy and quick, or nothing at all. ]

You sure? Don't feel rushed about it, it's your break.

[pulling the shirt back over his head, it's like they don't exist at all. secure, shielded, secret. though their surroundings tell a different story.]

Yeah. I'll be right down.

[ Once Fee is clothed again, Heine feels more comfortable making eye contact. He only does so for a second to say goodbye, though, before stepping out of the tattoo shop.

He makes himself toast with jam and butter, bringing it downstairs on a plate to snack on while waiting for Fee or other customers to arrive. ]

[it takes Fee a little bit, after he's made some notes on things he needs to fix and ensured that absolutely everything in his station is properly protected (you can't be too exact when it comes to making sure everything's clean) but he makes his way back over, glancing around again at the flowers.]

So! Had a thought.

[and with no more preamble than that, Fee puts a business card down in front of Heine. on the empty back, Fee's scrawled a phone number - on the front, it's just one of the cards from the shop, the one for Gennady Fiander, after which he's handwritten in Fee.]

Just in case you need anything, or want to talk, or whatever you want.

[god, he sounds so formal about this. ugh.]

...Gennady?

[ He's probably pronouncing it very wrong. Heine picks up the card to read all the information on it in the meantime.

Checking the back out of habit, Heine doesn't really expect to see anything there, and when he does he stops for a second. That's probably his personal cell number. He'll put it into his phone later, he decides. ]

[Fee smiles, tucking his hands into his pockets.]

Gennady. [at least he's gentle about correcting the pronunciation.] Don't know where Mom pulled that one out of, but yeah.

[a nickname's easier to remember, easier to say. but sometimes legal names have the entertainment value of being asked on the phone if this was "Gina".]

[ It's quite a name, but he can't really talk when his name is 'Heine' and he's never spoken to his mother. ]

So how are your parents taking to your career now?

They...

[something in his smile falters a little, and he shrugs.]

We don't talk about it. Keeps things peaceful.

[peace, he thinks, is more important than trying to force them to come around to his point of view. they don't question him, and he lets them talk. it's easy.]

Sorry. [ Of course he had to mess things up. Heine pulls the business card into his hand with his fingers, digging the sharp corners of it into his palm for a second. ] I didn't mean to bring up—make you uncomfortable.

[ TIME TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT. ]

Do you want a spring arrangement?

[he shakes his head - it's fine, it's fine, it's not uncomfortable, but at the subject of an arrangement, switches to nodding. by now, it was a small shop expense on occasion, after Jakob had seen that people really did like having flowers there. every now and then, it didn't hurt.]

Something that doesn't smell too strongly.

Okay.

[ Heine gets to work. He makes it in an asymmetrical spray this time, the base structure filled with small white tulips with lily of the valley. Apple blossom branches give it more reach. It's faintly scented, but as Fee had asked, the fragrance is negligible unless he's sticking his face into it. ]

[it's beautiful, Fee thinks, these arrangements their own type of art that he can appreciate. it's definitely going to get comments - and if it sends more customers Heine's way, then all's the better.

except when he's got it secured in his arms to take it away after paying for it, "thanks" isn't the only thing that comes out of his mouth.]

...You're really pretty.

[maybe some people would think it's a joke, but Fee says what he means with his whole heart.]

Handsome, if that word's better for you.

[ Heine focuses on simple things, the routine of ringing up a purchase and thinking about cleanup, and it takes him a good few seconds to understand what Fee is saying to him. ]

Uh. [ ??? ] Thanks.

[ That seems like something someone would say to hit on him. But it's Fee. And is he supposed to compliment him back? He doesn't know what to say along those lines, so he doesn't try. Instead, ] Maybe I should buy something from you. Since you keep coming here.

[that....wasn't what he had intended to mean at all. damn it. how clear does he have to be about this - he's used to people picking up hints, being able to read more subtle cues. now he's slightly embarrassed, but he manages the same face.]

Only if you want to. It's a big decision to make, you know.

[and with that, he turns to leave so he can go take the arrangement next door. and maybe quietly wonder what he can do to get the point across to Heine.]

[ Reading subtle cues is definitely not something Heine is good at. As Fee leaves, Heine waves at him in goodbye before clearing the counter.

It takes him mentioning it to Nill and her slapping him on the arm for him to admit to himself that Fee was, probably, flirting with him.

When they talk again Heine just pushes the thoughts aside. He likes talking to Fee, though, and even enjoys learning more about him. The days pass until Christmastime is around the corner. By then Heine hasn't yet decided if he wants to act on these facts, so he doesn't have a real gift with him when he goes next door to the tattoo shop. Instead, he has traditional poinsettias in a flowerpot in one arm and a small rosemary tree to be decorated for the holidays in the other. ]

[the tattoo parlor has been reasonably decorated to accommodate the holiday (a few lights, a few snowflakes), and today is even so, a workday. but the music occasionally yields to whatever winter themed song comes on shuffle, and some people, like Fee, have chosen to wear ugly sweaters.

despite Heine being, well, Heine about everything, Fee still lights up to see him. he's at the front, chatting with the person behind the desk, but he sees Heine and beams.]

What a surprise! A happy one, I mean. What brings you over?

[ Wow. That is... quite a look. ]

Hi. I don't know if you all do Christmas or whatever [ the rosemary tree is fairly holiday-specific ], but poinsettias mean celebration. Of any kind.

[ He offers both pots. ]

Nice sweater.

It's awful, isn't it?

[he says this so happily, because that was the point. the most hideous sweater he ever managed to find, a hand-me-down through a friend who could not understand why he was so pumped to wear it.]

But...this is really nice of you. Thanks, seriously.

[taking the poinsettias first, he gives them to the person behind the desk, and then he takes the rosemary.]

Just what we needed over here. Knew something was missing, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

[ He hands both plants over before asking, ] If it's awful, why are you wearing it?

First off, it's soft. Secondly, if it's going to be bad, it might as well be really bad. So bad it becomes great by the level of how bad it is.

[two essential qualities in winter wear.]

I'm not sure 'great' is a word for it.

[ He can't stop looking at it, there are so many clashing colors. ]

So what are your plans for the holidays?

Not much. I planned to invite a few people over, have a sort of holiday dinner before the real holidays.

You're invited, you know.

[ Oh. (Other people will be involved, so it's not a date. Just meeting some new people. It'll be fine.) Heine nods slowly. ]

Should I bring anything?

Food or drink if you really want to bring something. The most important thing is just to show up.

[because the whole point was to gather everyone before they scattered to families and other obligations. he already knows some of the others are going to cook, so it's all up to Heine's own decisions.]

Okay. When?

[ It might be nice to talk to Fee's coworkers. He's seen all of them once or twice by now, but hasn't spoken to them beyond a few words yet.

(Voluntarily engaging in social interaction. Nill would be so proud.) ]

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