Chapter Text
Stiles regarded himself in the mirror and wondered why it was that his hair always grew so fast. He shrugged and reached for the shaver before buzzing off the hair that hadn’t been there a couple of weeks ago. He finished up his morning routine; wash and shave face, brush teeth, dance like a lunatic whilst getting dressed, before her headed for the door to his apartment and sauntered downstairs to work. From where he stood at the foot of the stairs, he could observe most of the shop front, still shrouded in half-dark as he revelled at the fact it took exactly 17 steps from his apartment door to his place of work. The best commute he'd ever had. The small smile that had come to rest on his face remained there as he tapped the screen of his phone allowing the light synth of yet another 80s playlist to begin filling the early morning silence.
The shop opened at 9 AM on a Monday and the time was. Stiles checked his watch. Perfect. Twenty minutes to go before flipping the sign. He made a circuit of the shop, giving a gently tug on each blind as he went and watching as each one fluttered towards the ceiling, coming to rest in a neat little roll. The smile drooped on Stiles’ face a little when he saw the state of the weather outside. Light showers, the news had said. Only need a light jacket, the news had said. Torrential fucking downpour, Stiles muttered to himself as he sighed and went back to bopping his head to the next track on his playlist that had begun to play, its jaunty rhythm putting the pep very much back in his step. No rain was going to rain, literally or figuratively, on his parade today.
The bopping had continued and was ongoing when the clock above where Stiles had plonked himself behind the cash register hit the 8 o’ clock mark; which Stiles only actually knew because his phone lit up as his alarm bee-booped at him to let him know it was showtime. The door was unlocked, the sign was flipped, and stiles had barely had chance to do one final check of the cash register before the bell above the door jingled signalling his first customer of the day. He looked up with a smile sunny enough to ward of the rains outside.
“Hey Miss Wright, what can I do for you today?” Stepping from behind the counter to help the woman store her umbrella in the coat rack he had by the door.
“Y’know Stiles dear, I’m perfectly capable of putting my own things away” She mused, shaking her head to herself as she removed her heavy coat with a smile, placing it onto the coat rack before turning back to him. The woman was sprightly for her age, but Stiles had known her for the majority of his life and couldn’t help but be polite. He shrugged an apology of sorts before giving her a small side-hug and returning to his seat behind the counter as she wandered the small store. Miss Wright didn’t often buy plants from his shop; Stiles knew she most likely just came for the company and to get out of the quiet of her empty house. Stiles also knew that Miss Wright came into Stiles’ shop more often than not to keep up on a bit of the town gossip.
“Stiles dear, do you have any of tea you brewed last time I popped in? Or was it the time before? Burdock and something or other was it?” She ambled into view from around one of the shelves carrying a small tin bucket filled with dirt.
“Oriental chai and burdock Miss Wright. I do have some still definitely, I’ll put some onto brew,” He said, stepping into the back as he did so. He once again admired his modest set-up as he did so. Stiles often got a hankering for a cup of herbal tea or some strong coffee throughout the day and so he had setup a little countertop behind the cash register, at the foot of the stairs to his apartment. He clicked the kettle on to begin boiling water before he sat down to fill Miss Wright on the week’s town gossip. Mr and Mrs Squires had finally settled their messy divorce and so Mr Squires had last been seen hastily packing clothes into the back of his car before leaving town. Repairs to Mr Cartwright’s fences had been finished a few days prior after coyotes or foxes or something had broken into his farm to steal his chickens. That alone took a couple of hours as Stiles recounted the whole messy proceedings of the Squires’ divorce. And lastly, a new deputy had started working with Stiles’ dad down at the sheriff’s office just today. Miss Wright’s eyebrows raised at the last part.
“A new deputy, huh? Have you met him yet? Is he handsome? Too young for a lady of my age but I’m sure he’s a suitable age for yourself Stiles.” She teased, making a blush start high up on his cheeks. He turned his back on her for a moment to put bags in cups and pour water from the kettle over them as he spoke,
“Yes, Miss Wright, I have met him. His name is Jordan, Jordan Parrish. I sat in on the interview with my Dad since everyone seems to be taking leave or moving away recently.” He brought the cups back through and set one down on the counter in front of his companion, one eyebrow lifted slightly in an expression Stiles had come to know very well over the years.
“But is he handsome Stiles? Is he dashing? Did he take your breath away the moment you saw him?” She bawled dramatically at him. Stiles couldn’t help but chuckle at her theatrics as he sat down, and she took up her teacup in her hands. She blew softly on the tea with her looking up at him as she did so. Expectantly. Waiting. Stiles just blushed again.
“Okay fine, yes he’s handsome Miss Wright. And yes, he’s quite dashing. But no, he did not take my breath away on first sight and I did not swoon over him by any means. I like to think myself more composed than that.” At that she chortled, a warm sound low in her chest that reminded Stiles of sunny days on her porch and homemade lemonade.
“Why Stiles, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you composed outside of this shop in all my years dear,” She continued to chuckle to herself before taking a sip of her tea. “Oh, this is definitely the tea from last time dear. You must tell me where you get it from it is simply wonderful. But enough of my teasing, do you think perhaps this Parrish is of your persuasion?” She questioned with a small wink.
“You know you’re allowed to say the word Miss Wright. But honestly, I couldn’t tell you if I wanted to.” He responded fondly, still never quite getting why Miss Wright had a hard time saying the word gay. Must be a generation thing.
“Well Stiles,” She said, taking another gulp of her tea “If he does turn out to be” At this she lowered her voice to a conspirational tone “Gay, you must let me know the next time I’m in.” She downed the rest of her tea in one big gulp and set her teacup down on the counter. She trundled over to the coat rack to collect her things and Stiles ducked into the back. When he reappeared, she had put her coat on and retrieved her umbrella and was standing by the counter patiently. The bucket. Stiles had completely forgotten she actually wanted to purchase something he was so used to her not buying anything. He sidled up to the counter himself and set a box down on the counter next to her.
“This is the tea you like Miss Wright. I figure it saves you trailing all over town in this weather.” He said, nodding to the rain which was running in sheets down the windows. She smiled a thanks before thrusting the box deep into her large coat pockets. Once the tea was in there, she fished out some money to pay for her bucket of dirt. Daffodil bulbs. Then once Stiles had handed her the change, she bid him farewell and turned to head back out into the deluge.
As she made it to the door, another figure bounded down the path, stopping briefly outside the shop before opening the door, nearly knocking Miss Wright backwards when the wind pulled the door clean out the newcomer’s grasp. Miss Wright made a surprised sound as she stepped backwards to avoid the door and Stiles made his way from behind the counter to offer his assistance to the newcomer who was now fumbling with the door. He had just gotten to Miss Wright when their visitor managed to get the door shut and turned to face the pair, letting his hood fall down in the process. He turned to Miss Wright first,
“I am so sorry ma’am the wind just took the door clean out of my hands please forgive me; are you hurt in any way?” He asked, scanning her face for any signs of distress. Miss Wright simply cocked her hip slightly whilst she looked him up and down with a small smirk on her lips.
“Why young man, you don’t think I’m too old to take a few surprises every now and then do you?” She spoke with the same teasing tone she had used with Stiles earlier and the man blanched a little before she cracked up and he let out a nervous chuckle.
“Deputy Parrish, this is Miss Wright. Miss Wright, this is Deputy Parrish” Stiles butted in, hoping to lighten the nervous air that the deputy had developed at thinking he had offended the woman for a moment. Parrish turned to Stiles and then back to Miss Wright whilst she just turned to Stiles and fixed him with a shit-eating grin unlike any Stiles had ever seen.
“So, this is Deputy Parrish is it? Well now, I’ll leave you boys to it, see you soon Stiles. Deputy.” She eased the door open slightly and turned to Stiles with a wink before heading out into the rain. Deputy Parrish just turned to Stiles with a slightly dazed look in his eye.
“Will she be alright out there on her own?” He asked with a concerned look splaying across his face.
“Oh yeah she’ll be fine, she hardy stock that woman. So, what can I do for you deputy, I’m guessing you’re not on a lunch break run to buy some plants?” Stiles had made his way to one of the cupboards lining the walls to grab a watering can and some fertilizer for the plants, but also to hide the intense blush he could feel burning his face at Parrish’s being here.
“Well actually Mr. Stilinski –“
“Please, call me Stiles”
“Stiles. Uh, the Sheriff, your dad, thought someone should bring you some lunch since its pretty crazy out there with this weather.” Stiles turned, watering can in one hand and bag of fertiliser in the other to see Parrish pulling a bag of what must have been food out of the backpack Stiles hadn’t even realised he’d been wearing. Stiles swore inwardly at his dad trying to set him up with the deputy, and not doing a great job either evidently.
“Uh, sure thing, just plonk it on the counter whilst I sort some stuff out and I’ll eat it when I’ve done, thanks.” Stiles moved down the nearest aisle to him, getting right to his work. He had expected a little shout of goodbye and the ring of the bell as the deputy left but heard no such noise. He set his watering can down before moving back out into the space by the counter. The deputy was stood there, hands in his coat pockets as he looked around the room. “is there anything else you needed Deputy?” Stiles enquired, trying not to sound rude but sure it hadn’t come out that way.
“I was sort of wondering if maybe I could eat lunch here, it’s a twenty-minute walk back to the station and I don’t really fancy it in this weather.” The Deputy obviously felt awkward asking by the blush on his face and the way his hand scrubbed the back of his neck. Stiles was slightly dumbfounded but thought fuck it why not. He told Parrish to hang his coat on the rack and grab the seat behind the counter whilst he got to work on watering the plants. Once he was finished they headed upstairs for what could only be an awkward lunch.