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Villeneuve wasn’t a big village by any standard. The village had a total inhabitants of maybe 250 inhabitants and everyone knew everyone in the small town.
“Good morning LeFou. The usual?” “Morning Stanley, yes please.” “Always so polite.” Stanley teases, picking up a paper to-go cup and putting it under the machine. “How’s your mom? She any better?” “Yeah!” LeFou brightens immediately. “The doctors say she’ll be good to go in about two weeks if she continues to improve the way she is.” “That’s awesome, LeFou.” Stanley winks and LeFou ducks his head, crimson covering his cheeks. Stanley grabs the cup coffee, scribbling something on it before handing it to LeFou. LeFou glances down at the warm cup, before bursting into giggles. “Is that the best you can do?” ‘Call me Ariel, because I want to be part of your world’ is scribbled messily onto the cup. Stanley leans over the counter, grinning mischievously. “Stop by tomorrow and find out.” The shorter man laughs as he pays, before waving Stanley goodbye.
One of these days, LeFou would see his pick-up lines as more than just jokes, Stanley is sure of it.
*
The small bell above the shop’s door chinks at 8.30 sharp, signalling his first customer of the day. He scribbles something on the paper cup, order memorised from years of the same daily pattern the pair is in. “Morning LeFou.” Stanley slides the cup over the counter top. ‘Is your name Wi-Fi, because I feel a connection.’ LeFou laughs and leans on the counter, looking at Stanley. “Is that the best you can do?” Stanley swallows nervously, but grins anyways, leaning close to LeFou’s face. Close enough the feel the other man’s breath on his face. “Come back tomorrow and find out.” He whispers pretend seductively. LeFou giggles, leaning back. “I do you need to get back to maman, now though. I promised her.” Stanley smiles. “Do give her my regards, LeFou.” And when he checks out LeFou’s arse as he walks out of his store, well, there’s no one to tell him not to.
*
“Ah! Bonjour LeFou!” Stanley greets brightly, paper cup in the ready. His smile falters however as he takes in the shorter man’s tired and tear-stained face. “What happened?” Stanley walks away from the counter and rushes towards his friend. LeFou slides onto one of the chairs, leaning his head on his hand. “Maman took a turn for the worse. Doctor said she’s been getting worse since last night but they wanted to see what would happened in the night before contacting me, but- She only got worse.” LeFou’s voice breaks and he buries his face in his arms, crying quietly. Stanley’s heart breaks at the sight.
“LeFou. Hey.” Stanley lays a reassuring hand on the man’s shoulder. “They said that in a worst-case scenario, it might all be over before the end of the day.” LeFou starts sobbing louder. “Oh non, LeFou.” Stanley pulls the man towards him, wrapping his arms around him and pressing a kiss on his hairline.
“Want me to come with you to the hospital? I’m coming with you to the hospital.” Stanley states, leaving no room for arguing. “But- The shop.” “That’s the good part about owning the shop myself. I decide when it closes. And right now, I decide it closes now.” He lets go of LeFou and starts closing up the store. “Stanley-” Stanley pauses. “LeFou, honestly. You are literally one of my closest friends. Let me do this for you, please.” LeFou nods pathetically.
“Come on, mon cher.” Stanley helps LeFou on his feet, leading them to Stanley’s car. Halfway to the hospital, which is located in a nearby town, LeFou’s phone starts ringing. “It’s the hospital.” LeFou whimpers and Stanley presses down the pedal harder, willing his car to go faster. “Hello?” LeFou answers and falls silent as the doctor talks to him. His face falls and tears well up in his eyes. “Just a couple of minutes.” Stanley mutters under his breath, speeding the car over the highway. LeFou hangs up the phone. “Sh- She’s i-in a coma.” LeFou sobs. Stanley parks the car at the hospital, pulling the crying man close. “It’s going to be alright, LeFou. Ta Mère est forte.”
*
Stanley opens the door to his shop, when his eyes fall upon a bouquet of flowers on his doorstep. Gorgeously mixed flowers, colours diverse but matching well. Whoever put it together knows what they’re doing. Stanley kneels at the flowers and sees a tiny card, saying nothing more than ‘to Stanley’. He picks up the bouquet and brings it inside, glad that he finally decided to buy that vase two weeks ago.
The doorbell chinks behind him as he’s putting the flowers in the water. “Goodmorning, Stanley.” “Morning, LeFou! Look at these!” He turns around with the vase in his hand, showing LeFou the pretty flowers. LeFou merely raises his eyebrow, a smirk on his lips. “Didn’t know you were such a flower type, Stan.” “I love flowers!” Stanley looks so happy and content in that moment, causing LeFou to smile as well. He laughs when Stanley slides him a paper cup.
“You were expecting me?” “Of course I was. You’re here, every single day at 7.30 sharp since you took over your mom’s shop.” LeFou looks down at the cup, grinning. “Is that the best you can do?” ‘Can I tie your shoes? I don’t want you falling for somebody else.’ Is written on the cup. “Come back tomorrow and find out.” Stanley winks, then his face softens. “How is your mère?” LeFou smiles sadly in return.
“Good, all things considered. Doctors say she’s responding on the treatment and may wake up soon. It’s all just speculating now though. She did wake up for a moment last night though. Grabbed my hand and said I looked tired, after that she fell right back asleep, but doc says it’s something.” Stanley brightens. “That’s really good!” LeFou hums. “Thanks for the coffee, Stan.” He says as he takes a sip.
Ever since the hospital thing, Stanley refused to let LeFou pay for his daily coffee, knowing how much the shorter man needed the caffeine in between hospital visits and working in his mother’s shop. “I do need to go open the shop now though.” “You still haven’t told me what kind of shop it is!” LeFou grins as response. “See you tomorrow!”
*
‘Do flowers have underlying messages’ Stanley ticks the question onto Google and presses enter. Immediately he is shown millions of sites, giving flower names and their meaning.
Every single day for the past four months, Stanley has received a bouquet equally as beautiful as the first one he was given. The small notes become more extensive and romantic with each passing day, yet Stanley still has no clue who the flowers are from. Or what kind of flowers they are, making all the Google sites useless.
Stanley sighs. ‘Flower shops in Villeneuve’ he searches instead, hopeful that if Villeneuve has a florist, he might actually be the creator of the bouquets and would hopefully know the meaning and perhaps even give Stanley the name of the buyer.
He can’t help but think of LeFou as he looks at his latest bouquet. Will he know anything about flowers? Maybe he can buy LeFou some flowers tomorrow and finally ask him out. The thought makes him laugh. He has tried to muster up the courage to ask LeFou out for years. He doubts he’s brave enough now.
‘Etienne’s flora’ pops up first and Stanley sees it’s only a block away from his own shop. “That must be it.” He mutters to himself, closing his laptop. He’d close the shop early tomorrow and pop in to ask some questions, hopefully clearing up the situation.
*
Bouquet in hand, Stanley steps into the store. He hears a sharp inhale and stumbling in the back of the store. “Hello? I have some questions and I was hoping you would be able to help me.” Stanley slowly makes his way to the back. The store is a jungle of flora and fauna and colours and it is truly wonderful. And the smell, Stanley finds himself inhaling just that little bit deeper.
“I’ve been getting these bouquets and I was wondering if you could – Hello?” He could have sworn he heard someone in the shop earlier. “Anyone there?” He hears a sigh from behind the counter and slowly a head appears. “LeFou!” “Stanley, hi.” LeFou rubs his arm nervously. And suddenly everything clicks into place. The fact that the stream of flowers began just when he went with LeFou to the hospital. The fact that LeFou wouldn’t tell him what kind of shop his mother owned.
Stanley grins. Two could play this game. “So, I’ve been getting these flowers, for the past couple of months and I was hoping you could tell me what they mean? I mean, I get roses, but-” “Roses of different colours have different meanings.” LeFou mutters. Stanley smirks. “Okay, then tell me. What do these bouquets mean, because I’m lost.” “What they – What do they mean? For fucks sake, Stanley.” LeFou leans over the counter, pulling Stanley down and kissing him passionately. Stanley moves his hands to LeFou’s neck and try to pull him closer, kissing the man back equally as passionate.
*
‘Did you sit on a pile of sugar, because you’ve got a pretty sweet ass.’ Lefou groans. “That one’s awful, Stan.” “There’s more where that came from.” “There always is.” LeFou says, rolling his eyes as he sips his coffee. The bell chinks, signalling someone entering the story. “Bonjour Madame!” Stanley smiles brightly, sliding a cup of coffee over the counter. “LeFou, be a good lad and give your mother some caffeine.” LeFou glares at Stanley, but picks up the coffee anyways, taking it to the table where his mother sat down. “Merci, my boy.” “De rien, maman.” He smiles when he feels Stanley come up behind him, wrapping his arms around him. “Have you two found yourselves a place to live yet?” LeFou’s mother looks up, raising her eyebrow. “We have some places in mind. We are going to look at them next week.” She nods approvingly. The bell chinks again.
“Duty calls, excusez-moi.” Stanley releases LeFou and walks back to the counter, happily chatting to the new customer. The door opens once again. “Stanley!” The newcomer singsongs and strides over to the counter. “Madame de Garderobe! Bonjour! Ça va?” “Oui, oui, mon garçon.” She talks to him in hushed tones, and LeFou raises his eyebrow when he sees Stanley blush furiously. “It’s now or never.” He hears Stanley say as he takes off his apron. Madame de Garderobe hands him a small box, which he slides into the pocket of his jeans. He walks back to LeFou and his mère, who smiles at him. “Take care of my boy.” “I would never hurt him, Madame.” He promises, before taking LeFou’s hand and pulling him outside, but not before carefully picking up the bag LeFou’s mother had brought in, earning him some strange looks from LeFou. “Trust me.” Stanley presses a kiss to LeFou’s temple, leading his love outside. “Mind going for a little walk?” “Sure, but what of the-” LeFou falls silent as Stanley smiles nervously at him. He takes LeFou’s hand in his own and it isn’t long before they end up in the open field next to the village.
“Come sit?” Stanley sits down cross-legged and looks up at LeFou. LeFou ungracefully flops down next to him. “Want to tell me what’s going on?” Stanley opens the bag, taking out a flower and giving it to LeFou. “An amaryllis.” Stanley tells him and LeFou smiles. “Meaning Timidity and Splendid beauty.” LeFou whispers, looking at the delicate flower. Stanley nods. “Two things that apply to not just the flower, but to you as well.” He takes out another flower of the bag. “An Aster, symbol of love.” Stanley says, handing the flower to LeFou. The next flower is a gardenia, causing LeFou to giggle, the one after is a burgundy rose at which LeFou frowns. “I don’t think I know this one.” Stanley smiles, pulling LeFou close. “A burgundy rose stands for unconscious beauty.” He tells, kissing LeFou, who melts in the kiss. Stanley pulls back, opening the bag again. A white camellia comes out this time. LeFou blushes. “You’re adorable.” Stanley says, leaning his head against LeFou’s. He takes out a single red rose next, and LeFou smiles at all the pretty flowers in his hand. “Thank you Stanley.” “There’s one more.” LeFou looks up questioning.
“An orange blossom.” He hands LeFou the blossom carefully and as LeFou takes it, something drops in between them. LeFou’s eyes widen and Stanley takes a deep breath. “An orange blossom stands not only for eternal love, as well as marriage, and I had a whole speech ready, but I all I need to say to you is that I love you and will you please do the honour of marrying me?” Stanley picks up the ring from where it had fallen, looking hopeful. LeFou carefully lays the flowers beside him, before lunging forward and tackling Stanley in a hug. “YES!” The two laugh as they roll through the meadow, and they know that with one another they are both happier than ever before.