Work Text:
Taehyung had been working at the flower shop for around ten weeks and each of those ten weeks had been spent crushing hard on his boss Jung Hoseok.
The man was ethereal in his opinion, tall and slim with a heart-shaped smile and kind eyes. He often had on a flower crown which made him seem like a faerie.
The older man had an easy laugh and a welcoming way of talking. All of his regulars seemed to be a little bit in love with him and Taehyung could understand why.
Today they were preparing flowers for a large wedding order while Namjoon, the other employee, took care of day to day business at the front of the store.
Being side by side with Hoseok as they trimmed the stems and set them into the block to hang out until they were ready to put together the arrangement should have been relaxing but instead he felt tense.
“Taehyung, you aren’t talking today, is everything ok?”
“No, it’s not,” Taehyung answered but then he regretted his honesty because now he would have to make up a reason.
“You can talk to me you know,” Hoseok said, “You’re new here but you’re doing a great job and that handsome face of yours is selling more flowers than my advertisements. Between you and Namjoon I might be able to just give up marketing and just put pictures of you two holding bouquets on IG.”
Taehyung laughed, Namjoon was handsome and so was he, he didn’t doubt it would work.
“They might think you are advertising us and not the flowers though,” Taehyung said, “And that would be misleading.”
“Oh, are you taken?” Hoseok asked and Taehyung snuck a glance at him.
“Uh.. no, I’m single.”
“Well then maybe you might find a customer with a cute smile that you can ask out,” Hoseok.
Taehyung took a deep breath and shot his shot.
“What if it is you I want to ask out?” Taehyung said.
“Oh my,” Hoseok said, pausing in the middle of cutting a leaf and looking at him with his mouth slightly open, “I wasn’t expecting that.”
Taehyung fidgeted, he couldn’t tell if that was a favourable response or not.
“I won’t leave you hanging, you can take me out, when are you free next?”
Taehyung’s face broke out into a large smile.
“Mmm, how about Saturday after we deliver the wedding arrangements?” Taehyung asked.
“That sounds good, casual wear?” Hoseok queried.
“Yes, nothing too fancy,” Taehyung said.
It wasn't as if he could afford anything super expensive like that anyway.
The next few days passed by quickly; there was a little bit of awkwardness in the shop, with compliments and greetings having more weight. Accidental touches that lingered and smiles that ended with them giggling and looking away shyly.
Namjoon was rolling his eyes after the first day and by Friday he was ready to throw both of them out of the shop and man it himself to escape the new love in the air.
Taehyung was more nervous than he expected to be on Saturday and when he reached the location of the wedding he was ready to jump out of his skin.
It was a beautiful chapel in the North Sector of City and the couple were getting married outside under a floral arch. It was two men to his surprise, famous idols Jeon Jungkook and Park Jimin. Now he understood why Hoseok had kept the client names confidential.
They didn’t have time to dawdle, and so they transferred all the flowers from the vehicle to the set up, confirmed with the wedding planner that all was above board and then they walked away with a fat check.
Hoseok was smiling broadly, as they buckled in.”
“I’m going to pass by the bank and put this in the deposit box,” Hoseok said, “Never had a check this big before. The wedding planner already sent me two more jobs because she was so pleased with our work. We're going to be busy and if we keep it up, we'll be very well off soon too.”
Taehyung was happy for Hoseok. He had been in between jobs, he was actually a registered accountant and needed something to do while he kept looking. He ended up at this florist shop of all places.
His pay was good, the hours relaxed and since he owned his condo outright, he could accept the salary and still be comfortable.
It had been gifted to him by an Uncle and he was more than grateful.
“I’m happy for you, Hoseok,” Taehyung said, putting a hand on his thigh.
“Wow, you have me shivering just from a touch,” Hoseok chuckled, “Where are we going?”
“Sunbeam Cafe in Lowerton, West Sec,” Taehyung said and Hoseok nodded and set the course for there.
“I know you’re really an accountant,” Hoseok said, “And I keep talking like you’re going to stay in my small shop forever.”
“I’d stay with you forever,” Taehyung said after taking a moment to gather his words, “I don’t mind where. I actually find working in the shop to be more relaxing than I expected.”
“Oh?” Hoseok said softly, “I am happy to hear that, perhaps selfishly so.”
Taehyung squeezed his thigh gently and patted it.
“It’s okay to be a bit selfish when we both like each other,” Taehyung responded.
“I hope so,” Hoseok replied.
He parked and they got out and walked hand in hand to the cafe. Taehyung felt as light as a feather walking next to Hoseok like this. The two of them were still in the all black work uniform but to his eyes Hoseok was very cute.
He gave his name and they were led to the best table in the house, which was a private table for two in an enclosed garden.
When they were seated and had ordered, Taehyung went back to staring adoring at Hoseok, who giggled and blushed in response.
“You are making me feel young and shy,” Hoseok told him and Taehyung grinned.
“You are both and it’s adorable, I’m happy you accepted this date. I am beside myself. What should we talk about? It has been so long since I went on one.”
“Same for me, mm, you could complain about your boss,” Hoseok said teasingly, “I am a good listener.”
Taehyung chuckled.
“My only complaint about my boss is that I haven’t kissed him yet, but I am working on it.”
Hoseok’s cheeks pinkened.
“I guessed I walked right into that being cheeky,” Hoseok admitted, “Tell me about your hobbies.”
“Besides having a crush on you that took up so much of my time these last few weeks, I play first person shooters on my computer, read books occasionally and I take pictures. That is it.”
“That is a lot of things, I dance in my spare time, I am often at the studio. I also do yoga to keep myself limber,” Hoseok said, “I love fashion, but I don’t buy a lot of clothing because I don’t have anywhere to wear it.. But when I do buy, I am very careful about what I purchase.”
Taehyung determined then that he could listen to Hoseok talk forever.
“I didn’t expect you to like fashion, I am going to have to take you out more so that I get to see your personal style.”
“I would like that.”
The food came then and they chatted about politics and religion two normally hot button topics but they had similar beliefs so it went over well. The question of marriage and children came up and they both got super flustered.
“I wouldn’t mind,” Hoseok stammered, “I don’t know if that’s too weird.
‘I want five and a farm one day,” Taehyung said, “Your shop is not too far from the farming district in the West Sector..”
“Oh my, you are thinking ahead,” Hoseok said, “It doesn’t sound too bad you know… growing my own flowers.”
Taehyung reached across the table for Hoseok's hand and held it and they smiled at each other. It was an incredibly warm moment and when Taehyung looked back at it he thought, it was the beginning of everything good in his life.
Hoseok dropped him home and got out to walk him to the door of the Starfire Condos. There was that awkwardness again but Taehyung seized the moment and gently held Hoseok’s chin and kissed him.
It was a sweet kiss, just a tinge of heat and a promise of things to come. Their first kiss of many he hoped.
“Oh that was nice,” Hoseok breathed and then he held the back of Taehyung’s head and kissed him again. A little more spice, a little more tongue and that left Taehyung flushed.
“I enjoyed this date,” Hoseok said at the end, curling his fingers into Taehyung’s hair, “Let’s have another soon.”
Taehyung nodded stuck dumb by the sweetness of Hoseok’s lips and the way he robbed him of the ability to think.
He watched Hoseok drive away and still felt struck dumb.
He hoped this would be the first of many kisses.