Work Text:
Bilbo glared at the single plant he had on the front desk of his tattoo parlour. The vibrant lavender petals had dried and shrivelled, it looked very sad, fed up and when he sighed, the slight movement in the air caused a couple of the petals to drift slowly, accusingly onto the desk. With a frustrated groan, he buried his head in his hands. Bilbo had managed to keep it alive for nearly two weeks. A new record.
It was a gift from a customer, or rather a left over remnant from the design process. She had wanted the spaces in her tattoo sleeve filled, something that fitted in with the ink already there, it was all flowing and organic, mostly leafy greens and light oranges and soft blues. Very colourful, he thought.
At first Bilbo was reluctant to agree to it. There was a silent agreement that artists wouldn’t mess with each other’s work, even if the customer was happy to let him do it, it felt like he would be painting a moustache on the Mona Lisa or something. He didn’t want to do it, but the lady insisted, explaining that the guy who had done the previous work had closed down or moved away, Bilbo couldn’t remember the ins and outs of it. Somehow she had convinced him he was the only one that could do it.
So, over the course of a couple of weeks, they finally agreed on what they would use to fill in the gaps. She wanted flowers, nothing too over the top, something that would blend in with the beautiful art already inked into her arm. As soon as she mentioned flowers, Bilbo glanced up, over her shoulder and out of the front window of his shop. Across the road was a flower shop. And in the flower shop was a man. And that man was so very…
Bilbo suggested various different flowers, but they were all too ‘flowery’ as she put it. Whatever that was supposed to mean. Then one day, she came in with a potted plant and dramatically exclaimed that it was ‘the one’. It was very nice, it reminded Bilbo of forget-me-nots. He looked at the little hand written sign in the pot, according to that it was a sun orchid.
After that, it was a very easy process. The particular colour was tricky to get right, but, as always, he managed it. When he was done the lady thanked him, hugged him and promised she would come back to him for any other tattoos she might want in the future.
Now here he was, two weeks after the lady had practically kicked his door down and brandished this lovely little orchid in his face, and it was dead. Bilbo knew exactly where the lady had got it from, there was no mistaking the hand writing on the sign. Another sigh. Bilbo looked back at the plant, then out of his window.
Thorin was tending to the display of flowers in front of his shop. It was a warm day, so the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up exposing those delicious forearms. The way the muscles in his back and arms flexed as he manhandled the oversized watering can sent shivers through Bilbo’s body.
Barely sparing a second thought to what he was doing, Bilbo snatched up the dead plant, walked out of his shop, making sure to lock the door after himself, and across the street. Thorin didn’t seem to notice him at first, so he took the opportunity to admire the taller man from up close.
The poor florist almost jumped out of his skin when he turned to find Bilbo standing far too close to him and staring quite intently at his arms. Thorin scrambled to keep a hold of the watering can as he regained his composure.
“Bilbo!” He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. “Good to see you again.”
“Yes, it is.” Bilbo cleared his throat and forced himself to look away from the arms. “Busy day?” He asked with a smirk.
Thorin gave a non-committal shrug and looked down at the very sad looking plant in Bilbo’s hands. “What happened?”
“Apparently I’m not good at keeping flowers alive.”
“But you said you grew vegetables back in England.” Thorin’s eyebrows drew together as he set the watering can down and took the orchid from Bilbo, who crossed his arms and pursed his lips. Thorin smiled and let out a short laugh. “I’m afraid this is beyond saving, poor thing.”
“I thought so,” Bilbo shrugged, “Just wanted get a professional opinion.”
At that moment, someone called Bilbo’s name from across the street. He looked up and saw his next client for the afternoon stood outside his shop tapping his watch. Bilbo glanced back at Thorin and gave him a crooked little grin.
“Duty calls, catch you later.”
Then Bilbo was gone, Thorin sighed as he watched the man jog across the road, almost getting hit by someone on a bicycle in the process. He laughed lightly and shook his head before heading back into his own shop, not realising he had left the watering can outside until Dwalin came into the shop with it not five minutes later.
“I don’t think you’re gonna sell that one any time soon.” Dwalin said harshly as he dumped the watering can next to the door and gestured to the dead orchid sat next to the till on the counter.
“Huh?”
“That dead thing.” Dwalin leaned over the counter, thumped Thorin’s arm and gave a short laugh. “Had another visit from Mister Boggins?”
“It’s Baggins,” Thorin corrected absently. Then: “He keeps veggies back in England but can’t keep flowers.”
“So?”
“Surely there’s not much difference.”
Dwalin grunted and prodded the orchid, causing the last of the petals to fall.
He was done for the day. Bilbo yawned as he flicked off the lights to the back room, he grabbed his satchel and slung it over his shoulder, not even looking where he was going as he pulled the main door open. If Bilbo hadn’t dropped his keys as he stepped outside, he probably would have kicked it into the middle of the street. Bilbo bent down and picked up the small plant pot and carefully carried it inside.
Stuck into the soil next to the stem of a healthy, bright and very much alive spotted sun orchid was a handwritten sign that read :
"Keep me warm
But out of sun.
Water once in seven days.
I’ll grow and thrive
And stay alive.
My petals ever ablaze."
Bilbo stared at the plant as a smile spread across his face. He placed the orchid on a shelf next to the window, where it would be warm but out of direct sunlight. Then he finally left the parlour and locked up. Bilbo glanced across the street and noticed a light on in the flower shop, he had to cross the road anyway, as he passed the door of Thorins shop he opened it and stuck his head through through the gap.
Thorin looked up when the door opened, when he saw who it was, his eyes widened and he started spluttering a bit. Bilbo just laughed and said: “You’re fucking adorable.” Then left. Bilbo smiled all the way home. Thorin sank back in his chair and covered his face as he heard Dwalin roaring with laughter from the back room.