Work Text:
Benni likes his job, he’s officially had his name on the lease for the last two years ever since his grandmother passed away and left it to him- and after having spent most of his weekends as a child assisting her and learning the artistry that comes with flower arranging, he had seen this coming and he’s grateful to have this place.
His best friend Manuel on the other hand, he doesn’t enjoy it so much, and not only because on his very first day he worked here- he had an allergic reaction to a rose. He’s mostly here to help but he also needs the money having just moved in with his boyfriend, though Manuel would never admit he actually enjoys working here and spending the time not actually working but talking to his best friend.
“Manu?!” Benni calls out, dropping a pair of scissors to the counter and pushing leftover cellophane aside, “Manu? Are you still even here?!”
When Benni doesn’t get a reply the second time, he sighs and slides off the stool, walking towards the back room and pushing against the old, stiff white wooden door only to find Manu pressed up against one of the counters and Thomas, who isn’t supposed to be here-
“Seriously?!” Benni almost shrieks at the pair of them as they jump apart in a fit of giggles, Thomas’ arms still wound around Manu’s waist. “I thought you had work, and did you really squash the petunias?! For fuck sake, I’m implementing a no making out whilst working rule.”
Thomas’ reaction is to start laughing, hiding his face in the sleeve of his jacket as Manu’s cheeks turn bright red at not only being caught out but caught out by his best friend of all people. Thomas turns and faces Benni with a look that can only be described as sheer smugness as he waves at Benni,
“Morning Benni! Beautiful day today- alright I’m going.” Thomas chuckles, leaning up and leaving one last chaste kiss on Manu’s lips before leaving through the back exit of the shop and honestly, Benni wishes he’d fixed the faulty lock when he realised it was broke the other morning.
Manu watches him leave with an air of being in love with your best friend and letting everybody know about it around him before Benni’s loud sigh drags him back to reality.
“Just, stop squishing my damn flowers, Manu!” Benni groans and spins on his heel to leave the backroom and walk back to the shop front, leaning against the counter and exhaling a deep sigh.
“Are you really mad that I squished… three flowers?” Manu wonders, sliding up beside Benni and nudging his shoulder, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I’ll replace them… or you can always just keep them for a rude customer. Or a weird one!”
“I work in a flower shop, I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a rude customer in my life, forgetful husbands, grieving siblings, and that one sweet old lady who wanted some white lillies for her guinea pig.” Benni almost laughs at the memory, the oddest request to date, “I doubt I will ever need squished petunias, Manu.”
Manu raises his eyebrows but doesn’t question it,
Though, before he gets the chance to reply, the door to the shop swings open in a haste and in storms a man wearing a black dress coat, a scowl and glasses that are slipping from the bridge of his nose. His dark curls are prominent under the light of the shop, bouncing delightedly and Benni swears he could swoon at how handsome he is despite the fact he looks like he’s out for blood of some kind… it’s hot, Benni’s human, the blush on his cheeks he tries to hide by dropping his gaze to the floor for a few seconds to calm himself. The man drops a twenty on the counter and glares harder, composing himself quietly before looking Benni dead in the eye-
“How do you passive agressively say fuck you in a flower?”
Manu snorts causing Benni to shoot him a side glare before he refocuses his gaze on the man in question, he frowns,
“I - uh - well - why?” Benni asks, far too confused to even acknowledge the order and just wondering why somebody would even request such an absurd thing.
The man hesitates before leaning on the counter and moving closer so that’s eye level with Benni- a soft sigh falling from his lips before he remembers the question, shaking himself out of his thoughts to answer-
“It’s for my girlfriend… well, I hope she’ll soon be my ex-girlfriend, you see, I can’t exactly break up with her out of the blue because she’s - um - scary when she’s angry, she shouts a lot, it’s a pain in the ass so I’m hoping I can get her a flower that expresses my true feelings towards her now, she will… leave.” He explains and honestly Benni can feel his brain starting to hurt,
Manu has abandoned Benni in this particular order, choosing to sit on a stool with his feet kicked up against the edge of the counter and an amused smile curling at the corners of his lips as he leans back with his arms folded across his chest.
“Yellow carnations!” Benni suddenly exclaims, jumping back, having just experienced a light bulb moment, he turns around and begins scanning the array of flowers in the shop until he finds one, he picks it up, holding it delicately in his outstretched palm. “They mean, you’ve disappointed me and I’m unsure if that’s what you’re going for but-”
“It’s perfect, I’ll take it.”
Benni nods slowly and hands him the flower, rounding the counter once more and tapping up the order, carefully depositing the money and giving him his change.
“I hope she hates it.”
Benni grins, “I never thought I’d say this, but, I hope she does too.”
The smile that Benni receives in response is radiant and Benni can’t hide the way his stomach flips at the sight of it.
***
Three days pass and Benni would be lying if his curiosity hadn’t been spiked by the handsome stranger with a girlfriend he hates and Benni hates how he longs to see him again, entranced by the cliché tall, dark and handsome thing that he had going on - it also doesn’t help when Thomas turns up around midday and greets Manu with a kiss.
So, Benni might be lonely, big deal.
“Wait… the guy literally asked you if you had a flower that says fuck you? That’s… is that even possible?”
“Apparently,”
Benni rolls his eyes at Thomas and Manu’s conversation, tidying up chopped stems and dusting his hands off as he moves around the bouquets and displays that are sitting in the window, he’s fixing the fold in the cellophane of a bouquet of camellias when Thomas bounds out of the back room and Benni doesn’t even want to guess what he’s just come from doing.
“So… Manu tells me you’re pining for a guy you don’t know and I’m an expert-”
“- I’m stopping you right there.” Benni interrupts with a slight grimace, “I’m not pining, I’m doing my job which your boyfriend is supposed to be helping me with!” Benni shouts, he hears a chair scrape and smirks to himself “I don’t want a pep talk on how I’m going to see him again, I mean, what kind of person buys a flower just to break up with someone… sounds dumb… pretty dumb… he was so handsome… oh, leave me alone!” Benni cries when Thomas starts to snicker whilst doing a terrible job at hiding it behind his hands.
“You sure you don’t need a pep talk? I’m pretty good at them.” Thomas trails, following Benni back to the counter and hopping up to sit on it despite the hard stare that Benni sends him.
“He needs a pep talk.” Manu interjects, finally exiting the back room with tousled hair and a wrinkled shirt,
“Jesus, don’t you two pay any attention to the no making out in my fucking shop rule.” Benni huffs and grabs a pair of scissors, twisting them around his fingers as he pulls out a notebook from the shelf underneath the counter and a blue pen and crosses off a customer’s name on the list.
Manu stands in-between Thomas’ legs and leans against him with Thomas winding his arms around his boyfriend- Benni grits his teeth-
“It’s a stupid rule…”
“I really don’t care, you better not have ruined more of my flowers.” Benni sighs, he drops the pen and drags his hands over his face, “I have orders I need to get to, don’t scare customers off… I’ll be in the back if you need me so don’t need me, I have a lot to do.”
Benni swipes the notebook and pen up and makes his way through to the backroom, kicking the door shut behind him leaving Thomas and Manu to look at each other-
“For his sake, I hope the weird guy comes back wanting another passive aggressive flower.”
“Me too,” Thomas agrees before dipping his head and grinning at Manu, “want to ignore his stupid rule?”
He doesn’t give Manu a chance to respond.
Benni gets to work on sizing daisies, chopping them as carefully as he can as the tinny radio that’s probably been here since the shop opened on the edge of the bench plays out an unrecognisable song- could be from this decade but it sounds like it’s from the seventies.
Benni has gotten through two orders when Manu shouts through and knocks on the door, pushing it open,
“You have a customer.” Is all he says before turning back around,
Benni holds his hands up muttering, “why can’t you serve them?” It gets ignored and Benni leaves his order to walk back out front, stopping abruptly and stubbing his toe on the chair when a familiar face offers him a wave.
“She didn’t understand what it meant, I think I need a stronger flower.” The guy chuckles, fiddling with the frame of his glasses,
“I’ll go and finish your order,” Manu offers and he’s escaping to the back room before Benni has a chance to respond.
Benni walks up to the counter, his throat dry and his gaze averted, “sorry about the unimpactful flower.”
“Nothing wrong with the flower, she’s just not smart enough to figure out the meaning. I should’ve expected that… what else do you have for me?”
Benni braves a glance up, he shrugs and scratches the back of his neck as he looks around the different flowers on display, the guy follows his line of sight, leaning casually against the counter with a small smile twitching at the corners of his lips.
Benni snaps his fingers and walks around the counter to the display of geraniums, he picks one out and holds it out,
“You said she wasn’t smart enough to figure out the meaning…”
The guy nods, curiously tilting his head to the side and watches Benni thoughtfully, Benni swallows thickly and tries a reassuring, polite smile.
“This is a geranium, it means stupidity…” Benni trails off, nervously shoving his free hand into the front pocket of his jeans as he rocks back and forth on his heels. “I think this is a good one.”
“I’m clueless, I’ll be honest, I trust your judgement…” he trails off, narrowing his eyes behind his glasses,
“Benni, I’m Benni.”
He smiles, “Mats, and I trust your judgement, so, a germ-German- whatever it’s called, please.”
Benni stifles his laughter at the valid but adorable mispronunciation of the word as Mats takes the flower from him and Benni takes the money. Holding his hand with the change out, Mats takes it and Benni almost jumps back, retracting his hand when Mats squeezes his hand gratefully.
“I’ll see you soon, okay? I might need a stronger flower by Friday.” Mats winks, smirking at Benni leaving Benni in a mess of hiding the way his cheeks are rapidly turning red and having been rendered speechless once more.
“Tell me you asked for his number.” Manu begs when Benni returns to the back room,
“He has a girlfriend, Manu.” Benni replies with a flick to his best friend’s ear.
“Who he is breaking up with, what’s the worst that can happen?”
“Please, shut up.”
Manu chuckles to himself, “you’re scared.”
“I knew I should’ve ignored you back in school.” Benni grumbles, snatching up a roll of cellophane and taking it to the other side of the bench.
***
Benni doesn’t bounce into work on Friday in the best mood he’s been in for days because he remembered Mats’ parting words indicating he might be in sometime today, of course not, but when Benni hangs up his coat and is met by Manu with raised eyebrows and an amused expression-
“Don’t you dare-”
“It’s Friday.” Manu acknowledges casually, leaning back in his chair with a mug in his hand. “Is it just me or did I overhear that a certain customer might be making an appearance today?”
“You know damn well that’s what you heard.” Benni tells him, pulling off a damp leaf from where it stuck to the base of his hood and flicking it at Manu “but no, that’s not why I’m in a good mood.” Lie,
“Why are you in a good mood?” Manu asks, he’s skeptical to say the least and his face says it all as Benni looks back over his shoulder,
“It’s Friday? I didn’t walk in here to find you and Thomas making out against stock? It’s raining outside and I like the rain? There’s so many reasons why I’m in a good mood, Manu.” Benni rattles off reason after reason, and he didn’t lie, all of those reasons are good enough for Benni to feel relatively happy- not one of them are the actual reason but Manu doesn’t question him.
Benni feels satisfied when he walks out front and hops up to sit on a stool and look down at his never-ending list of orders with the majority of them needing to be finished either today or early tomorrow morning, Benni drops his head to the counter with a sigh. Manu leans against the doorframe,
“Want to split the list?”
Benni mumbles something in response and slides the notebook across the counter, off the counter and onto the floor. Manu frowns at his best friend, he knows it’s tough with the two of them and the amount of orders they get, they’re the only flower shop in the city centre- two others closed down recently due to not getting enough orders thus throwing Benni and Manu into getting too many orders to really handle. Benni is stubborn though, he won’t give up on this place.
Manu grasps at the notebook and tears the page out, ripping it in half and placing the book and half of paper beside Benni before disappearing to go to work.
Benni finally lifts his head up and grabs the piece of paper, he can do five orders, he can do that this morning.
Benni is midway through his second wedding order of the day when the bell above the door rings but Benni is too busy cutting the stem to a white rose to notice until the person is standing in front of the counter.
“Manu is in the back room, Thomas.” Benni says without looking up,
“I don’t want to see Manu, and I’m not Thomas.”
The scissors slip and Benni only registers the sight of blood pouring from his palm onto the counter and the shrill, strangled fuck that leaves his lips.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” Mats cries out, eyes wide as he reaches over and holds Benni’s hand gently, “I didn’t mean to startle you and I didn’t realise you were holding scissors.”
Benni shakes his head but no words come out, Mats winces as he walks around the counter and leads Benni towards the sink against the back wall.
Turning the cold tap on, Mats holds Benni’s hand under the water and cleans his hand,
“I’m sorry, Benni.”
“It’s not the worst injury I’ve had working here, I once fell off a ladder trying to fix one of the displays.” Benni laughs gently but the grimace on his face is enough for Mats to know that he’s trying (terribly) to distract himself from the fact the cut on his hand is stinging. “I know you didn’t mean it,”
“I only came here to ask for another flower, I didn’t… do you have a bandage for it?” Mats gets distracted when Benni drops his head against shoulder, eyes screwed shut- “I didn’t know you had so many freckles.”
Mats stops and stares at the galaxy of freckles that are smattered across Benni’s cheeks, he’s so entranced by how light, how soft and how youthful they make Benni look with his rounded cheeks that Mats doesn’t initially notice Benni pointing to a first aid kit.
After a few minutes and Benni yanking his hand away twice because his hand was still throbbing, Mats has clumsily wrapped his hand in a bandage that despite the look of it- Benni is grateful for it.
“I’m still so sorry….” Mats apologises again but Benni waves it off,
“It’s fine, I know you didn’t mean it, you wanted another flower.”
Mats nods and sighs, dragging a hand through his wind-tousled curls as he looks around the shop,
“She just thinks I’m buying her flowers to be nice.” Mats admits,
Benni laughs, “well, yeah, when you break up with someone… most people don’t buy the person they’re breaking up with flowers.”
Mats smiles at Benni, shaking his head in a fond fashion, “you don’t know her, it’s better this way.”
Benni looks around, scratching the back of his head. “It’s getting harder now, we don’t really sell many fuck you flowers or at least, sort of insulting but… try this.”
Benni lifts a pink flower up and hands it to Mats,
“It’s called a foxglove and I think it means insincerity. If this doesn’t work, I think I’m going to have to do some research.”
Mats grins and pays for the flower, “for the record, I think flowers are an excellent way to break up with someone and hey, if it doesn’t work… at least I’m a satisfied customer.” Mats winks,
Benni almost chokes on the air surrounding him, eyes wide and he watches as Mats leaves the shop, feeling more than satisfied with himself.
“What the fuck happened to your hand?!” Manu yells, appearing at the door to the back room-
“Mats. That’s what happened.” Benni utters, shaking his head and staring down at his bandaged hand.
***
“Has he broke up with his girlfriend yet? How many flowers has he bought? Three? Why doesn’t he just buy a bouquet and do it that way, it’d probably cost less…” Thomas continues to ramble, his hand grabbing a fistful of Manu’s sweater to drag him back from where he’s tidying up the counter.
Benni fiddles with the bandage on his hand, it’s a little raggedy now and fraying at the edges but his hand hasn’t healed enough to go without one just yet. Since Friday, he and Manu had gotten through all but three of the orders and find themselves not stressing to complete them all before their rapidly approaching deadlines,
“I don’t know…” Benni trails off, shrugging and chewing on his bottom lip whilst not even trying to be subtle about glancing over to the door every few minutes.
He sighs, Thomas snickers at his expense and Manu finds it hard to keep the smile off his face as the pair of them look over at the pitiful picture that Benni is painting.
“I mean… he must have broken up with her by now, right?” Benni wonders aloud, “guys? It would be weird to drag out this breakup any longer… yeah?”
Manu and Thomas exchange a glance before both shrugging in sync, Benni rolls his eyes and scrunches up a piece of purple tissue in his hand, throwing it up and down before throwing it over his shoulder and turning to watch as it lands in the rubbish.
“I’ve got to deliver those boxes, try not to break something or set the place on fire whilst I’m gone.” Benni warns, he pulls his apron off and grabs his coat instead,
Manu rolls his eyes, “it was one time and how was I supposed to know rosemary was flammable?!” He shrieks, looking seven kinds of offended.
Benni frowns, “I still don’t know why you set it on fire anyway.”
“I didn’t! I was trying to burn the ends of the ribbon-”
“I don’t have time for this.” Benni interrupts, messing around with his hood before walking to the front of the shop to retrieve the two wooden trays of flowers. “I should be back in an hour or so. I just have to deliver these wedding flowers.”
Benni lifts the trays up and Thomas jogs across the shop floor to open the door for him. Benni places the boxes carefully in the back of the car and makes sure he’s read the address correctly and carefully before getting in the car and driving twenty or so minutes outside of the city.
Arriving at the house, Benni kills the engine and clambers out of the car to grab the flowers and walk up the driveway to knock on the door. The sound of commotion from inside is loud and strangled before the door swings open and Benni almost drops the flowers to the ground.
Mats smiles at him, arms folded over his chest as he leans against the doorframe.
“I was hoping you’d be the one to deliver them.”
Benni opens his mouth to say something but no words come out and one of the trays start to slip so Mats leaps forward and steadies it, his fingers brushing against Benni’s underneath the box.
“You okay?” Mats asks him gently, standing up straight along with Benni with the trays no longer swaying.
“Yeah. Thanks. Where should- I- where should I put these?”
“Bring them in, but let me take this box.” Mats offers, already reaching for the top tray and once he has it turning to walk into the house.
Benni trails behind slowly, curiously looking at the photographs on the wall and coming to the conclusion quickly that whoever’s house this is- it’s not Mats’ because most of the photographs feature two men and neither of them are Mats.
Mats places one of the boxes on the kitchen counter and Benni lays down the other one beside it.
Mats doesn’t say anything for a moment before tentatively reaching for Benni’s hand, rubbing his thumb across the bandage, above where Benni’s scar is healing to avoid hurting him.
“Is it okay?” Mats asks, and Benni’s stomach turns at the regret in his voice,
Benni nods and turns his palm up, his fingers hit Mats’.
“It’s fine, I just don’t want it to get infected whilst I’m working.” Benni reassures and fights against better judgement to weave his fingers through Mats’ and squeeze his hand.
Mats’ shoulders relax, Benni is just about to say something when a shrill scream is heard from upstairs, someone shouting Mats’ name causing Mats to grin,
“Duty calls, the flowers look great, I’ll see you soon, Benni.”
Benni damn hopes so too.
It’s not until the day after, it’s just before closing on Sunday when the door to the shop swings open and a deep, husky voice asks,
“Did you manage to find any new insulting flowers?”
Benni startles momentarily before meeting Mats, a worse for wear Mats who is smiling sleepily at him, he’s wearing an oversized hoodie that’s drowning him and his hood is up but Benni just smiles to himself,
“Good wedding then?”
Mats snorts, fixing his glasses and knocking his hood down,
“I don’t remember much of it, always the sign of a good night though, right?” Mats asks, it sounds rhetorical but Benni nods along anyway, “so, I think you know why I’m here…”
“What did she do this time?” Benni asks abruptly, eyes widening before he tries to backtrack, “I didn’t mean- I don’t even know her, I’m just, I should’ve just let you speak.”
Mats covers Benni’s hand with his,
“She didn’t come with me yesterday, she doesn’t exactly get along with my best friend, it’s not a big deal… I took my brother as my plus one instead.”
Benni frowns but turns around nevertheless, lifting up a single white meadowsweet and handing to Mats,
“Uselessness.”
Mats smiles an amused smile, “sums her up perfectly. I’ll see you soon.”
Benni doesn’t even doubt it anymore.
***
Benni pines for the following week, he doesn’t see Mats throughout the following six days and to say he’s a pining mess would be an understatement. Manu is somewhere between halfway concerned and three seconds away from downloading an array of dating apps onto his best friend’s phone. Benni drags his feet across the floor of the shop, a pen in one hand as he does a stocktake.
“You want help?” Manu asks,
Benni shakes his head, “stop trying to get out of doing the orders.” He chuckles, turning around and mirroring the same smile that Manu has. “Also, stop looking at me like my dog just died.”
“You know, you should’ve asked for his number last weekend, right?”
Benni sighs, “please don’t remind me of my mistakes.”
Manu smirks, Benni rolls his eyes. In one way or another, things feel the most normal they have felt all day. Manu disappears into the back room to continue their growing list of orders whilst Benni continues with a stocktake even if he can’t exactly remember where he left off before Manu interrupted him.
The bell above the door chimes as it opens, in sweeping a light dusting of snow and leaves spinning in the air from the ground outside but when Benni turns and comes face to face with Thomas- the way his face falls causes an an indignant huff from his friend.
“You could pretend to be happy to see me, Benni.” Thomas chortles, slapping Benni on the shoulder before ruffling his hair to which Benni tries to slap his hand away but misses by a long way.
“I am happy to see you.” Benni shrugs, tossing his pen and notepad down to the brown, wooden, mostly old and creaky wooden stepladder before turning towards Thomas. “You’re just not the person I wanted to see, there’s a difference.”
“Yes, the difference is three centimetres, darker hair and glasses.”
Benni scowls and slaps Thomas’ shoulder. Thomas just grins at Benni’s expense.
“I’m sure he’ll be in eventually.” Thomas assures, squeezing Benni’s shoulder as he passes and walks towards the back room, and this time, Benni doesn’t even roll his eyes or yells a reminder of his rule after Thomas.
Benni can’t remember feeling himself falling for anybody as quickly as this, in a matter of conversations and a couple of weeks, he’s somehow fallen to the point where his fingers flex and he walks into work every morning with the knowledge that he might get to see Mats… a man who still has a girlfriend and has the most elaborate way of breaking up with someone that Benni has ever seen. Somehow, sneakily or maybe Benni just never stopped it, his charm and how he can unravel Benni with a single smile has had Benni falling from perhaps their first ever conversation.
Lifting the pen and notepad back up, he sighs and chuckles at his own extraordinary sense of ridiculousness, pushing all thoughts of Mats to the back of his mind and going back to work, as he should.
Benni and Manu are watching Schalke on Manu’s laptop that afternoon, talking animatedly and laughing as they watch their team go two goals up when the door opens, both of them distracted by the game and half assuming it’s Thomas coming back during a break but when a twenty is pushed down onto the counter, Benni snaps back to reality and gets ready to work-
“I need your most insulting flower. I hate her.”
Mats is soaked through, his hair matted to his forehead and his glasses steaming up with droplets of rain rolling off his coat. Benni blinks having not registered a word that Mats has just said to him, too entranced by how looking like a drowned rat… Mats is still quite possibly the most attractive man that he has ever laid eyes on.
“Benni?” Mats calls out, waving his hand in front of Benni’s face, smiling softly when Benni shakes himself back to the room.
“Sorry, you wanted what?”
“Your most insulting flower, think you have something?” Mats repeats, looking hopeful as he leans against the counter, pulling his glasses off and trying to desperately clean them off on the hem of his sweater.
Benni glances over to Manu who rolls his eyes dramatically before taking his laptop into the back room and closing the door behind him.
“Do you think that you’re maybe giving her the wrong idea? The flowers might not be working.”
Mats’ smile grows, “I know, that’s why I’m breaking up with her tonight but I thought I’d round off the flowers with a nice five of them and… well, who could say no to seeing you again?”
Benni can feel his cheeks heating up as he shrugs and pulls out his phone,
“I’m going to have to look, I don’t really know if we have anything that I haven’t already given you.”
Benni fumbles with unlocking his phone and typing a search into Google. He pulls up a list of flowers and their meanings and feels Mats’ eyes on him the entire time. Benni chooses one and places his phone down before walking to the front of the shop and picking up an orange lily.
“Hatred, pride, disdain.” Benni informs as Mats takes the flower. “I think that’s as insulting as you can get in something so beautiful.”
Benni traces the inside of his finger along one of the petals, watching as the water droplets from the stem drip onto the wooden floor of the shop.
“I can think of something just as beautiful.” Mats murmurs, his voice barely audible over the sound of Manu in the background shouting at the laptop,
When Benni lifts his head, Mats is looking at him thoughtfully, edging ever closer, his hair drying and curling more than Benni has seen it. His breathing stutters and every single word that Benni has ever learnt gets stuck in his throat like glue.
“A last minute fucking winner! I love this team so much!” Manu yells, racing out of the backroom with the brightest, beaming grin on his face.
Benni and Mats spring apart as though they’ve been electrocuted, both staring, well, Benni is glaring at his best friend who finally realises what is happening and sends Benni an apologetic look but knows it’s meaningless.
“I should pay for this… I have places to be anyway.” Mats coughs, already walking towards the counter.
Benni grits his teeth and takes the money, Mats smiles sheepishly before making a remarkably quick getaway and the second that the door shuts, Benni is spinning around and glaring at Manu.
“Manu!” He screeches,
Manu throws his hands up, “I didn’t know! It’s not my fault!” He defends,
Benni groans and drops his head to the counter. Manu pats his back sympathetically and that’s how Thomas finds them twenty minutes later.
***
Benni stays mad at Manu for the next few days, cursing his best friend’s name and the fact he could’ve ended up kissing Mats which he hates to admit, is something he’s been thinking about for a number of days (and nights too). At first Manu had been sympathetic to Benni’s terrible mood but when it reaches the third day of his best friend still brooding, he walks out to the shop front and pulls the scissors from his best friend’s hands and stares at him,
“How long are you going to stay mad at me for?”
“I’m not mad.” Benni huffs and tries to reach for the scissors but Manu holds them out of his reach,
“You really think I’m going to give you your scissors back when you have done nothing but glare at me since you walked in this morning?” Manu asks and the question has Benni teasing a smile at the corner of his lips,
“Probably the best idea you’ve had in a while.” Benni shrugs, smiling over at Manu, “I just can’t believe that might have been my best chance and I still didn’t get his number… I thought you were supposed to be the disaster in this friendship.”
Manu jumps up and sits on the counter and spins the pair of scissors between his fingers as Benni leans against the counter,
“I mean… he seems pretty into you… maybe he’ll come back.” Manu suggests but he doesn’t sound actively convinced,
Benni waves the suggestion off, smiling reassuringly at his best friend but deep down his stomach twists as he wonders whether the other day was officially the last time he might actually see him after all.
Thomas arrives at the shop around midday with food and a loud shout of I’m here which leads to Manu falling off his chair to trip and stumble over to greet his boyfriend- Benni rolls his eyes but he doesn’t feel so annoyed anymore as he kicks his legs up onto the counter and turns his attention back to his phone.
“I brought you a surprise.”
Benni jumps at Thomas’ voice and glances up warily, locking his phone and pocketing it just as quickly as he sits up and notices a customer at the front of the shop, Thomas is grinning smugly as the customer turns around and Mats smiles sheepishly and offers Benni a small wave,
“Hey.”
Benni looks between Thomas and Manu who are sharing identical grins and Benni tries to shake himself out of his haze as Mats approaches the counter. Benni is convinced his face must be a picture to paint right now but all he can focus on is how he can hear his heartbeat and blood thumping in his ears.
“So, I broke up with Cathy the other night.” Mats starts and he lifts his hand to scratch at the back of his neck awkwardly as he takes one and two steps forward and backwards. “I really thought the flowers would have given her some kind of clue, she threw a highlighter at me.” Mats chuckles to himself, “but enough about that, I’m here for a flower… yes, another flower.”
Benni raises his eyebrows, wiping his hands on his apron,
“Have you got a flower that says I like you, or something like that but not roses because apparently roses are overrated?”
Benni jolts forward and snaps his eyes over to Manu who shrugs and feigns innocence but Benni remembers saying those exact words to Manu, he’s always thought roses were overrated and that there are so many other flowers that can mean love in one form or another. Mats is watching Benni’s reaction thoughtfully but not giving anything away.
“Sure. Tulips are my favourite, the red one… it means perfect love… it’s a little bit of an overwritten cliché because I don’t think anybody has a perfect kind of love-”
Thomas’ offended hey goes ignored.
“- But, I think it’s a good option.”
Benni hands a single red tulip to Mats who takes it gratefully. Benni waits with bated breath for a moment, a sign, for Manu and Thomas to stop staring at them as though they’re a brand new rom-com scene but Mats just reaches into his pocket and hands Benni money,
“Keep the change and thanks, for all your help, this place is great, Benni.” Mats smiles and leans in, leaving a gentle kiss on Benni’s cheek before raising his eyebrows at Manu and Thomas and leaving the shop, tulip still in hand. Benni stares at the door before spinning on his heel to look at Manu and Thomas who look equally as surprised and downright confused.
“What the fuck?”
“Oh my god.”
“Benni, I’m sorry… I really thought he was… well.”
Benni sighs and holds his hand up, shaking his head,
“I have orders to finish.” He bites bitterly, unintentionally but he just bypasses his friends to go to the backroom, he shuts the door without looking back and turns the radio up to drown out his disappointment.
“I thought you said-”
“I did!”
That’s all of Manu and Thomas’ conversation that Benni catches before grabbing a handful of posies and getting to work.
A knock on the door comes forty or so minutes later and Manu opens the door without hearing Benni’s response, it creaks and both of them wince at the sound.
“There’s a difficult customer and you’re better at this than me.”
Benni sighs and pushes the cellophane away from him before following Manu back out onto the shop floor. Mats stands in front of the counter with the tulip outstretched towards Benni,
“I heard these mean perfect love or something like that.” He says, stepping closer to Benni who takes the flower carefully, twirling it between his fingers.
“What are you doing?” Benni asks, laughing nervously as he narrows his eyes at Mats,
“Giving you a flower, it’s romantic.” Mats shrugs, half-smiling.
Benni grins down at the tulip before meeting Mats’ eyes again, reaching forward and grabbing the collar of Mats’ coat pulling him down and finally, finally getting to kiss him. Mats stumbles slightly before curling one arm around Benni’s waist and the other he presses against Benni’s cheek, it’s cold and Benni almost giggles at the sensation,
“You didn’t need the flower, you know?” Benni breathes out when they part,
Mats nods, resting his forehead against Benni’s, “I’m an old school romantic, what can I say?”
It’s Mats who pulls Benni back for their second kiss.
"Hey! What about your no making out in the shop rule?!" Manu cries out,
Benni shrugs, glancing over to his best friend for a second, "I'm the owner, rules don't apply to me."
Manu gapes, Thomas frowns and Benni lets himself be pulled back into Mats' arms.