Chapter Text
Logan was returning home from work when he stumbled upon the flower shop. He would have usually carried on his way, earphones in as he listened to his astronomy podcast, but the scent of fresh flowers mixed with the cold autumn air caught him off guard. He stared at the shop, its pastel blue window frames and lilac door drastically contrasting the dull row of shops neighbouring it. In the windows were an elaborate display of flowers that surely could not survive the cold, and yet he seemed to be proven wrong by the sight of bright coloured roses and sunflowers. Logan stood there, transfixed and impressed, and this was not something that he would do. He looked at his watch, and it was just after five-thirty, the sky slowly growing darker with each passing minute. He had finished on time from his job in the office, and he wasn’t far from his house share. He was sure that his roommate was competent enough to feed himself… or order something at the very least.
Logan pushed the door and found himself striding inside, taking his earphones out and tucking them away in his coat pocket. He heard the soft jingle of the wind chime as he entered the shop, but there were more interesting things in mind. The shop was bright. The walls were baby blue and white, the serving counter white wood and flowers blooming around him. He noted the lavender flower baskets that hung from the ceiling, the small ceiling lights dotted across the ceiling as if to look like stars. The ceiling was midnight black, and Logan noted that the ceiling was the darkest thing in the room. The cash register looked old fashioned, sporting a polished pastel green. The scent of fresh roses and lilies filled Logan’s nostrils, and he couldn’t help but be impressed. He turned a little to the side, and noticed one particular flower. The flower was purple and alone, stood in a simple black vase, and yet Logan felt drawn to it. He walked towards it, and picked up the vase absentmindedly. The flower looked radiant, and Logan couldn’t help but think that he had seen the flower somewhere before–
“Hello there!”
Logan turned his head quick, slightly startled by the sudden voice despite it sounding so friendly and sweet. He was about to explain that he was only browsing and that he would be leaving soon, but his words seemed to melt away in an instant. The gentleman in front of him was, to put it in simple terms, very beautiful. His hair was a soft brown with a simple pale blue streak in the fringe, his doe-like eyes framed with black glasses, his cheeks complemented with the most adorable freckles Logan had ever seen. The man’s smile was beaming, his eyes were beaming, he was just… beaming. He wore a white button up shirt under a grey vest jumper, with a blue apron and smart looking jeans, and brown shoes tying it all together nicely. The man carried on smiling at Logan, whilst Logan carried on staring at him, mouth slightly open still holding the vase in his hands.
“Can… can I help you with anything?” The absolute angel asked, sounding a little bit concerned. Logan blinked himself into reality, cursing himself for losing himself in the man’s appearance.
“No, I’m erm, I’m quite alright, thank you. I was just, um… admiring your products.” Logan replied. The man giggled, and Logan felt his cheeks grow hot as his heart skipped a beat or a dozen. He wasn’t too sure.
“Well, geez, that’s fine by me! Take as long as you need, sir!” The man said cheerily, turning away from Logan and heading towards the counter. Logan nodded, murmured his thanks as he watched the man walk away from him. He looked at the flower in his hands, and for a split second, he was sure that he saw the flower glow faintly. The flower was definitely well kept, and on closer inspection, he noticed the small yellow sections on each petal.
“So, are you a fan of flowers?” The man asked.
“Not really,” Logan replied, not technically lying, “it’s just that I’ve never come across this store before. It’s not like we have multiple flower shops in this part of the city anyway.”
“I’ve only opened shop with my friend a year ago or so. Besides, this is more of a hobby than a business to me!” The man said. Logan frowned a little bit, giving the area another quick scan. First of all, Logan was sure that he would have noticed the shop before if it had been there for a year, with its bright colours and located on the same street that he had been walking along for the past three years. He was also taken aback by the man’s carefree manner, the proud smile on his face as he called business a ‘hobby.’ It was just bizarre.
“That’s not sound practice when running a business.” Logan said bluntly. The florist laughed again, walking towards a plant and pulling out a sachet from his apron pocket.
“Maybe, maybe not. But I do know that I’m happy with what I do. And if it brings people joy, then that’s the real award in it all.” The florist replied, although for a second Logan thought that he was talking to the plant as he opened the sachet and poured its content into the pot.
“I suppose so… although that mindset is rather naïve.” Logan said absentmindedly. He kicked himself mentally for making such an insensitive comment, and yet, the man did not seem to mind it.
“Each to their own is what I say.” The florist said airily, patting the leaves of the plant as if the plant was a pet. Logan did not know what to say, so he found himself dropping the subject there. The man was… odd. He looked as if he didn’t care about the world of business, that he was a manager, a part-owner, and yet running this business was… fun? Logan found himself clearing his throat in the silence, deciding to change the conversation.
“Is this flower for sale?” He asked casually, gesturing to the flower in his hands. The florist looked at the flower in surprise for a second, and then looked at Logan with an alarming amount of anticipation.
“Oh, you want my iris? I’m real fond of that, I’ve only just got it to bloom a few days ago!” He said with pride, puffing his chest out slightly as he nodded at the iris. Logan looked down at the well-kept flower, and then glanced outside and saw how much darker it had got. The people walking past were breathing out cold mist, walking quickly to get themselves out of the cold. It was then he realised how pleasantly warm it was inside.
“Iris… these are spring flowers, summer at a push. How on earth have you managed to get it to bloom so late in the year?” Logan asked, fascinated. The man shrugged his shoulders, and walked towards Logan and started to gently stroke the petals between his finger and thumb. Logan felt his heart race uncomfortably, and he knew that his cheeks were flushed. They were surprisingly close to one another; somewhat intimate and yet comforting at the same. Logan almost felt this sensation to be familiar.
“I guess I’m just naturally good at my job.” The man replied, soft sincerity in his voice as he stared at the iris that the two of them were admiring. Logan stared at the florist in awe, and he was surprised that his own glasses weren’t foggy he was so hot. The florist looked up at him, and their eyes were locked onto one another for a moment. Looking into the man’s brown eyes, Logan was surprised to see flickers of bright blue and gold. The florist blushed slightly and smiled sheepishly, taking a step back and started rubbing the back of his neck shyly.
“Y-You can have it if you want. The iris, I mean.” He added with a chuckle. Logan blinked at him, quickly bringing himself to reality as he breathed slowly, his heartrate back to normal as he nodded at him.
“How much?” Logan asked. He didn’t know why he wanted the flower, seeing as his housemate would taunt him for the time he killed a cactus that he had once bought. The florist frowned to himself, as if in thought as he lightly scratched the side of his temple.
“Hmm… think of it as a gift! From one friend to another.” The florist replied, walking towards the counter and disappearing behind it. Logan frowned, walking towards the counter, thinking that the florist was slightly insane for giving away products for free.
“I… I can’t not pay you for it. That’s irrational. Me not buying this could be the difference between you and bankruptcy.” Logan said in a matter of fact tone. The florist smiled as he reappeared with some bubble wrap and a plastic bag, and swiftly grabbed the vase and iris from Logan.
“I think I can survive if I don’t sell one singular flower. Please, keep it. I insist.” The florist interrupted, handing the bag to Logan, slightly firm. Logan was taken aback by the strange, kind gesture, but he knew that he would be seen as rude if he didn’t. He took the bag from the florist, not really knowing what to say.
“… very well then. Thank you very much – erm…”
“Patton.” The florist said quickly, looking at Logan with a bright grin. Logan nodded at him, repeating the name in his head. Patton, he thought, that’s quite a unique name for someone to have.
“Patton. Thank you, Patton.”
“And you are?” Patton asked.
“Excuse me?” Logan asked in return.
“Well, you know my name! Now I want to know what you go by! If you don’t mind me asking at least.” Patton replied. Logan thought about it for a moment. He had only just met this man – this adorable man with his adorable name – and yet he felt inclined to tell him who he was.
“...I–”
There was a sudden chime from a clock, and Patton looked up at an old wooden cuckoo-clock, reading the time as six o’clock. Logan had to do a double-take, because surely, he hadn’t spent thirty minutes alone in the shop just by staring at a flower and internally doing his best to keep himself calm and collected.
“Oh, darn! I’m sorry, I have to close up shop. My friend won't be a happy Larry if he sees customers inside after close.” Patton chuckled, looking a little bit let down. Logan shrugged his shoulders.
“That’s quite alright. We all have lives outside of work, after all.” Logan said in a somewhat friendly tone. Patton nodded at him, opening his register and ruffling through it quickly. He looked up at Logan, a smile on his face.
“Thank you for coming! Hopefully, I’ll see you again another day.” Patton added, beaming at him again. Logan opened his mouth and closed it straight away.
“Maybe. Well… goodbye then.” Logan replied awkwardly, nodding at Patton as he turned and started making his way towards the shop door. He knew that if his roommate was here, he would be demanding him to turn around and give Patton his number, his name, anything so that the two of them could keep in touch. But this was not a love story in the works, and Logan felt stupid for even referring to the situation as a love story to begin with. He went to open the door, but in the reflection of the window he could not help but notice Patton tending to a bunch of beautiful red flowers in a flower basket next to the counter, his expression tender and caring as he watered them. He seemed to be in his own personal bubble.
“Wait.” Logan blurted out. In the corner of his could, he saw Patton looked up at him, looking somewhat startled but welcoming. Logan had no idea what possessed him to do what he did, but for some reason, he felt that he would regret it if he didn’t.
“Hmm?” Patton hummed. Logan gulped as he fixed his glasses to hide the blush across his face. Their eyes met in the reflection.
“…Logan. My name is Logan.” And with that Logan left the shop, his new vase and flower in the plastic bag wrapped up tightly in bubble wrap. He could feel how hot his ears were, his mind was racing at the same speed as his heart as he power-walked down the street. He had never felt anything like this for the entirety he had been alive, and he was a mixture of embarrassed, surprised and a little bit… elated.
When the man left, Patton could not help but feel giddy. He watched the man rush out of the shop, finding him adorable with his blushing face and embarrassed expression. Patton sighed deeply, hand on cheek as he supported himself on the counter, lost in thought. He had always admired humans, found them charming and unique. But he felt time slow down when he first saw this Logan fellow, and as he tended to the bright red flowers once more, he felt a warm light in his chest, the flowers glowing radiantly at his touch.
He truly hoped he would see him again.