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Patton couldn’t keep the smile off his face as Logan paid for a flower from a street cart. It had clearly been a planned thing; he’d obviously already known the street cart would be there, but that just made the gesture that much sweeter. He’d let Patton pick out a flower for himself and he’d chosen one of the white chrysanthemums.
It was their third date and Patton had figured out that Logan was very good at planning dates. Very, very good, he thought as Logan took the flower and guided Patton through the park entrance. He pulled a safety pin out of his pocket. “May I pin this to your suit jacket?” he asked.
“Sure,” Patton said, his smile never fading. He stood still as Logan carefully moved to pin the flower.
“It’s a good choice,” Logan said.
“I thought it was pretty.”
“Did you know that chrysanthemums represent happiness, longevity, and joy?” he asked.
“I did not,” Patton replied.
Logan finished pinning the flower. “White chrysanthemums in particular symbolize loyalty and devoted love.”
Patton suddenly became aware of just how close he was and the fact that he’d finished pinning the flower to his jacket and had yet to move away yet. “Does it?” he breathed.
“…You can also make tea out of them,” Logan blurted. “At least the chrysanthemums morifolium species. I am unsure what species this one is off the top of my head so I wouldn’t suggest making tea out of it. Also, it’s possible that pesticides would be an issue as it doubtlessly wasn’t grown to be consumed.”
Patton let one of his hands wander up to rest on his shoulder. “I won’t try to make tea out of it, Logan. I promise.”
“Good,” he said, “that’s good.” He adjusted his glasses a bit nervously but didn’t try to step away. In fact, he may have leaned closer. Or maybe Patton did, he couldn’t tell. “They’re also used to flavor rice wine sometimes. It’s called gukhwaju.”
“Logan can I kiss you?” Patton asked softly.
“No!”
Patton jerked away from him in surprise, the vehement rejection smarting painfully. “Sorry,” he said. “I must have misread the situation. I didn’t mean to…”
“I have a plan,” Logan continued, “You keep ruining the plans,” and his expression wasn’t uncomfortable or disgusted, but more… pouty?
The raging mortification in Patton’s veins paused for a moment. “The plan?” he hedged. “The…The plan to kiss me?”
“Yes,” he replied. “It was a good plan.”
Oh, Patton thought, the smile crawling back onto his face. “Well we haven’t kissed yet,” he reminded. “You can still do the plan if you’d like.”
He titled his head slightly. “You’d be willing to go along with the plan.”
“Of course, I would,” Patton said softly. “If it makes you happy, I’ll gladly go along with the plan. Besides, all of your plans so far have turned out great.”
Logan considered him for a moment and then offered his hand. Patton took it and they started walking down the path through the park again. “Not all of them,” Logan mumbled a few minutes later.
“Hmm?”
“Not all of the plans were great. I was going to wait 5 years to ask you on a date.”
A laugh burst out of Patton’s mouth. “Well okay. Maybe I’m a bit glad that plan didn’t work out.”
“Me too,” Logan agreed.
“How about I let you do your plans, but I balance them out when necessary,” Patton offered, swinging their hands a bit.
“That sounds acceptable,” Logan agreed easily.
“So just to clarify,” Patton said. “The kissing plan isn’t going to take 5 years, is it?”
Logan chucked a bit and if Patton wasn’t mistaken, there was a bit of a blush across his cheeks. “I was actually thinking tonight,” he said.
“Ah,” Patton said, biting his lip. “I see.”
Logan cleared his throat. “Do you know where the name ‘chrysanthemum’ comes from?” he asked.
“I do not.”
“Well, it comes from the Greek word for gold, ‘chrysos’ and the word for flower, ‘anthemon.’”
“Interesting,” Patton said, leaning into him a bit. “Tell me more.”
Logan did. He talked and talked about the history of chrysanthemum flowers as they walked, and Patton listened intently even though he doubted he’d retain most of the facts.
Finally, Patton was led into a little clearing on the opposite side of the pond from the park entrance. Logan’s lecture on flowers trailed off as he guided Patton over to a stone bench at the edge of the water.
They settled down on it next to each other. “Wow,” Patton said, looking off across the pond. The sun was starting to set, and he could see ducks swimming around in the center as well as a few kids playing in the playground across the way. “This is a very pretty spot.”
“I thought so,” Logan agreed.
Patton turned to look at him with a soft smile. “Is this the kissing spot?” he asked.
“If you are not opposed,” he replied.
“I am very definitely not opposed.”
“Good,” Logan said. One of his hands came up to cup his cheek. “So… kissing.”
“Yes,” Patton agreed.
Logan swallowed. “Yes.” He leaned forward just a hairbreadth away. “I have to admit,” he said. “I’m not particularly practiced.”
Patton grinned at him. “Here,” he said, settling his hands on Logan’s shoulders. He pushed forward to kiss him briefly on the lips. He drew back and let their noses touch. “Like that.”
“Okay,” Logan breathed before leaning forward himself to press a soft kiss on Patton’s lips. “Is that sufficient?”
Patton giggled a bit. “Yes, that’s very good, sweetie.”
Logan leaned forward a bit to press their foreheads together. “I would not be opposed to doing it again.”
“Well, that’s good because neither would I.” Logan gave him a smile that took up his entire face and kissed him again, a little bit longer this time. Long enough that Patton was able to kiss back a bit.
“I am very glad that didn’t take five years,” Patton said.
Logan sighed slightly. “I’m not sure why I told you that. How long will it take me to live that down?”
The rest of our lives, Patton thought unbidden, but he didn’t say that. Instead, he just gave him a toothy smile and leaned back in for another soft kiss.