Work Text:
It was a sweltering June afternoon: one of many in the ceaseless heatwave that had engulfed the Eastern seaboard for what felt like weeks. Despite the heat, the streets of Manhattan were abuzz as usual; pedestrians and tourists, police officers and business-folk mingling in a mass of multi-directional movement. Steam curled from the glistening asphalt, rush-hour traffic puffing clouds of sulfuric breath into the air. Accompanied by the stench of rotting garbage and the general displeasing odor of people who really ought to know the benefits of personal hygiene, the city had become a cesspool of sourness, one that lingered on every lumbering step.
Oscar counted himself lucky, tucked into a shaded niche of a shop on the corner of 49th St. It was cool and quiet and, while he got good business, not overwhelming. Pleasant, in almost every sense of the word. What being a florist, he was all the more happy for it, because it meant he could tend to his stock without hassle.
He sat comfortably in an old lawn chair beneath the protection of his awning. A half-empty watering can sat by his feet, steadily being refilled by a hose that snaked inside, and a cooler to his right with a sign reading ‘Chilled Soda: $1.50’. The radio droned some nondescript pop song, the beat of which Oscar tapped out on his knee as he half-heartedly watched the traffic crawl by.
“U-um… excuse me?”
An embarrassing yelp leapt from his mouth before he could think to hold it in. All at once, Oscar pivoted, nearly losing his balance as he did so.
The young woman who had slipped silently beneath the awnings shade giggled softly, peering at him from beneath the added protection of a Yankees baseball cap. The blazing sun caught the very fringes of her raven hair, igniting its bright red highlights, but the most striking thing about her - what caught and held Oscar's attention, even as an awkward silence fell - were her eyes. They were silver.
She cleared her throat.
“Don’t suppose you’ve got any cherry Coke?” she asked, taking a hand from her pocket only long enough to gesture to his cooler.
Oscar blinked once. Twice. Gave himself a metaphorical backhand.
“I, uh… yeah! Yeah, I think I do. One sec…”
Leaning over, he popped the plastic lid on the container and rummaged through the icy aluminum cans. Movement out his peripheral had him glancing back up at the girl, who had retrieved an iPod from somewhere on her person, and was scrolling absentmindedly. This, in turn, allowed him to see clearly the intricate design crawling along the length of her forearm. The words ‘Thus Kindly I Scatter’ had been inked in cursive, surrounded by multi-colored petals and thorny vines.
“Did you get that from Adel’s?”
“Huh?”
Finding what he had been looking for, Oscar straightened and handed the drink over. “S-sorry,” he stammered. “Just… your tattoo. Coco Adel is the only one in the West end who does designs like that.”
The girl cast a glance at her arm, a broad smile brightening her uncomfortable expression. “Oh! Yeah. Pretty cool, huh? I just got it finished today. I didn’t think anyone would recognize it, so props to you… uh… ”
“Oscar. And yeah, it’s…” he trailed off, struggling for a moment, and very glad that his blush could be blamed on the summer heart. “…wow.”
The girl, however, didn’t notice. Or, if she did, at least didn’t particularly seem to care. “Nice t’ meet you, Oscar! I’m Ruby,” she said brightly, sticking out a hand. Oscar shook it with minimal hesitation. Her fingers were cold. “This place yours?”
“Sorta,” he replied, stuffing his hands back into the pockets of his shorts. “Technically it’s my Aunt’s. I mean, she’s the official tenant, but I take care of the flowers.”
“Sounds boring,” Ruby said, gaze skipping over the brickwork and dusty windows. She met his gaze a moment later and her eyes widened. “Uh, no offense!”
Oscar laughed. “None taken. It... Yeah, it can get a bit boring.” He shifted his weight from his toes, to his heels, then back again. The silence was mercifully broken by the sound of her opening her soda with a sharp pop and fizz. “So… Ruby, right? You live around here?”
She took a long sip of her drink before giving a nod. “Mhmm!”
She swallowed and coughed apologetically before continuing. “My parents just opened a music store down the street. Which reminds me! I’m here for a pickup. New place is a little drab.”
Brushing off his gloves, Oscar smiled and ducked into the humid air of the shop, reappearing in the clouded window where he’d set the day’s stock. “Name on the order?” he called.
“Oh, uh- Summer Rose! Should be a big thing of-”
“Aselias and assorted lilies?” Oscar’s smile widened, hefting the bouquet into his arms as he stepped back onto the street. “They came in this morning.”
“Perfect!” Ruby said. She chugged the rest of her soda - which Oscar was sure she’d regret later - before throwing out her arms to take the flowers. “Thanks.”
“No problem,” Oscar replied, setting them carefully in her awaiting hold. “I guess I’ll… see you around?”
“Yeah! Oh, uh…” Ruby balanced the flowers in one arm, extending her free hand. “…here, you got a phone on you?” Oscar patted himself down a moment, finding the device in his front pocket. She took it, tapping briefly on the screen, then handed it back. “Gimme a shout if you get bored. O-or not. I mean, the door’s open if you’re passing by…”
“Yeah! T-totally,” Oscar said hurriedly, raising a hand to scratch the back of his neck. “Thanks.”
“Well… it was nice meeting ya, Oscar,” Ruby said, a brilliant grin dimpling her cheeks. Turning on her heel, she moved out from under the protection of the awning, then paused and waved. “See ya!”
Oscar waved back. “Bye!”
He waited until he couldn’t see her anymore before wilting back into his lawn chair and letting out a slow breath. The dripping of water caught his attention - his can was overflowing. Oscar leapt to his feet and shut off the hose, but the stream had already begun to trickle toward the store.
Groaning, he ran a hand through his hair. It was then, he realized with a start, that the girl - Ruby - hadn’t paid for her drink. Oscar gave his head a shake. He didn’t have the heart to chase after her. Oh well…
As he turned back to face the street, he glanced down at the address on his screen. At least he had a good excuse to go check out this new music store…