Chapter Text
Aoshi awoke to his tabby Spoon screaming in his face. She sat perched on his chest as she looked down at him. He scratched under the chin of his own little alarm clock for just a moment before she jumped off of his chest. He didn't feel up to going to work today. If he just closed his eyes, then…
Spoon yelled again, and Aoshi sighed. There was nothing for it, then. He couldn't neglect her like that. He slowly sat up to stretch, before throwing off his duvet. Today was Monday, and Aoshi had to open up the shop. Sometimes he wished he could quit and leave it all behind, but that wouldn't be what they wanted, would it? They would have wanted him to keep the shop, to keep giving people… What was it? He shook his head. Besides, Aoshi had to feed Spoon. He couldn't leave like that.
He went to the kitchen to get some wet food out for the screaming tabby, who settled once food was in front of her. Aoshi smiled and sighed. He could do this. He could get through today.
A quick check through the fridge told him he needed some more milk and groceries, but considering he'd woken up late it would just have to be a job for later. Perhaps for his lunch break, and maybe… Maybe he'll go to the bakery. Not to see Barou, or… Not just to see him, anyway. He could get a pie, or something. The thought of that lifted Aoshi's spirits just a little as he put together some scrambled egg.
He had a quick shower and made himself presentable before heading downstairs to the back of the shop, donning his apron. It was opening time in just under an hour, and he had to put together some arrangements for the front of the shop. He had a new hire coming… Or did he? Was that today?
Aoshi shook off the thought as he set to work. The shop never got too busy, so just a few should be fine. He selected the flowers carefully, showing off his eye for colour. Or, at least he had been told that he had an eye for colour, and he could do his best to prove it in his arrangements. That lily with those roses, and that foliage, and it was good to go.
Just in time, too. Aoshi took the arrangements to the shopfront and set them up in the display window.
Ten o'clock. He unlocked the shop door and flipped the sign, moving to sit at his counter, getting his laptop. His calendar reminded him the hire started on Wednesday, as well as alerting him to the delivery on Wednesday. In the meantime, he had nothing to keep him busy, so he planned ahead for the delivery. Mondays were quiet, so maybe he could take a longer break for lunch.
As expected, not many people came past, and those that did made small orders that he could arrange for them there and then. A relatively simple day, then. It was almost his lunch break now, and he was excited to drop by the bakery to speak to— to buy a pie. Aoshi was taking off his apron when the bell rang, and he sighed, then looked up and froze.
Raichi Jingo. What was he doing here? He looked almost shell-shocked as he walked in, as if lost. It was weird, seeing someone who was so confident in school make an expression like that.
"Hi. Uh, what can I get for you?" Aoshi fidgeted, and he looked over. His eyes widened a fraction upon seeing him.
"Tokimitsu, right? It's been a while, how are you doing? You weren't at the class reunion, were you?"
"I'm alright." He said on default, and swallowed. "Things came up. What about you?"
Raichi shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other. "Well… My girlfriend called whilst I was at work and she told me she was pregnant." He flexed his hand, grappling with himself for a moment. "I need a bouquet, but… I don't know what to get her."
He glared at his feet. Raichi looked every bit as uncomfortable as Tokimitsu felt, and he sat at the chair by Tokimitsu's counter.
"Are you alright?"
"I… I guess I'm not sure what to do." He scratches his neck, making a pained sort of face. "It came out of nowhere, to be honest. She wants to keep it, so I need to be positive for her, but… I don't think I'm ready. I don't think— I…" He bites his lip, and looks down. "I'm worried I won't be a good parent. It's all come out of the blue."
That was a lot of baggage that Tokimitsu was largely unprepared to handle. This was the first time someone had come to him with their issues, considering he was never the one to deal with customers, and it was with a stab of guilt that he left his seat to go look at flowers. "Is your bouquet for celebrating her pregnancy? Or…"
"Yeah. I think. I'm sorry, I don't have any ideas."
Alright, that was fine. What flowers would be best?
'Baby's breath represents happiness and everlasting love,' a voice in his mind supplied. 'Queen Anne's lace is for delicate femininity.'
Aoshi searched the store for those flowers and picked a few out. But he needed something else, something to round it out… Pink roses. Raichi watches as he puts together the bouquet, and soon there's something respectable in his grasp. He wraps it, and offers it to him. "How is it?
"This is perfect." He admired it, and smiled. "How much do I owe you?" Flustered, Aoshi named his price, and Raichi gave him extra. "Thank you."
He turned to the door, and Aoshi's mouth opened. "I think you need to take the time to process the news for yourself and find support. At the end of the day, it'll turn out alright."
Raichi stopped, and looked back. He turned to the bouquet in his hands and after a moment sighed, before nodding. "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Tokimitsu."
He left. If he was being honest, Aoshi didn't know where that advice came from. He hoped it had helped, but… He looked over when he heard scratching to see Spoon entering his shop, despite the fact that he had shut the door upstairs. "Baby, what are you doing down here? I'll come up and feed you in a second." He checked his watch and sighed. Raichi's visit had decimated his lunch break, so he could only really get something from the convenience store. Maybe another day he could visit the bakery.
—
The rest of the day was considerably uneventful. Aoshi had some large orders placed for Thursday, but he found himself thinking over that interaction with Raichi, even after the shop closed and he was coming home from the supermarket. He had no idea where that advice came from, and he considered it as he walked upstairs to his apartment above the shop.
Take time to process the news. Look for support. It will be alright at the end of the day.
As he brushed his teeth and looked in the mirror, he reflected on the day.
"I did well today. Tomorrow…" He took a breath. "Tomorrow will be a new day."
He did his best to give himself a smile, and went to bed.
—
_His work days had always been stressful back then, and his one reprieve was looking at the bouquets in the flower shop _window.
"Hey. You've been staring at the shop window for some time now. Would you like to come in?" They peered around the door frame at him, and he flushed red.
"Oh, I— I was just looking at the arrangements. It's, uhm, fine." He smiled, and they cocked their head.
"I made those. You look exhausted. I can make you some tea if you come in. I insist." The offer was too good to pass up, and he relented, coming in.
"Is it really alright?"
"Of course. You like my arrangements, so you must have taste. I see you walk past my shop every day, and I always see you stop." They say from the back room, and he takes a seat on one of the consulting chairs. "Today is a slow day for me, so I thought I could be charitable and let you in, considering it's the middle of winter."
"Thank you. I, uhm, I just work nearby at the gym. I'm Tokimitsu."
They step out the back room now with a pair of teacups and a teapot, setting them down on the table to pour. "Ah, I see. Well, I'm—"