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Gen picked up his pencil and his sketchbook and placed them in his lap. Gen leaned against his bed frame and hit his pencil against the side of his sketchbook.
What to draw. What to draw.
Gen opened his sketchbook to a blanket page and hoped it would come to him. Gen placed the pencil on the blank white page but nothing was coming to him. Even with his inspiration playlist playing Gen didn’t have any ideas to draw…
“Damn it,” Gen cursed.
Gen picked up his phone and looked up “tattoo inspiration,” into google. Some simple minimalist tattoos or some words inked into someone’s skin.
“Not helpful,” Gen put down his phone. “Damn burn out,”
Gen moved his sketchbook off to the side and put his head into his hands, pulling a bit at his hair. It had been a few weeks of burnout. He and his friend Stan were planning on opening a small tattoo parlor so they needed a few designs. They had been planning this patrol for months so of course a few weeks before they were planning on opening Gen would have an art block.
“Just my luck too,” Gen turned off his music and leaned back on his bed rest. “No reason to stay here complaining,” Gen sat up and grabbed his phone and his purse from the bedside table and put his smaller sketchbook in it. Gen stepped out of his apartment and outside to clear his mind a bit. Gen had an idea for a kind of flower tattoo but a different kind of flower from just the normal rose or daisy. Something unique, some kind of flower not used a lot. Gen turned up the music in his headphones to tune out the rest of the world as he walked the city. There weren't going to be many flowers, besides a few weeds, to look at here, but maybe the night lights would somehow inspire him.
2 weeks left and of course, I only have 10 done… you have got to be kidding me.
Gen kept walking down the sidewalk, his hands in his pockets. Gen had walked this way plenty of times so he had seen all the shops on the strip before… besides one. It was an old toy store that closed down a few months ago. Gen never really bothered to look and who was moving into the space.
Outside there were a few vases of flowers and plants hanging from the overhang. The vases were arranged in a semi-circle besides an opening for the entrance of the place. The amount of color definitely stood out too.
Ahh what the hell? It could help.
Gen pushed open the doors to the shop and looked at the white walls and the wooden fixtures on the ceiling. Shelves of vases and some pots lining the right brick wall. In the middle was a circular table with flowers all around it. On the left wall were some flowers felt in fridges to keep moist.
“Welcome,” A voice behind the flower display called. Gen peaked his head over to where the vice was coming from and found a man, maybe a few years younger, with leak like hair greeting him. It was strange to say but the other wasn't bad looking.
“Something I can help you with?”
“Oh I’m just looking for inspiration,” Gen explained.
“So an artist then?” the other teased.
“How could you tell?” Gen sang.
“The hair cut,” The leak look a like grinned.
“Are you this rude to everyone or did I come in right as you all were closing,” Gen replied.
“Well we were about to close but I just felt like teasing you,”
“How ind kay of you,” Gen rolled his eyes. “I’ll get out of your hair then,” Gen shrugged.
“Do whatever. I’m just closing up for my folks,” The other explained. “Just don’t break anything,”
“I won’t~,” Gen sang as he looked around.
asters, chrysanthemums, daffodils, roses, woah crocus. This isn’t a half-bad collection.
“And you said this was your folks place?” Gen asked.
“Yeah, A kind of thing to do after retirement,”
“Interesting. You got a good mix of plants here,” Gen replied.
“They’re one of those people who believe in floriography so they got a bunch of different flowers,”
“I see,” Gen took out his sketchbook and started to sketch out still life of what he saw in front of him. It was a simple still life drawing of the flowers. Naming each one off as he did. “Hey, what flower is this?” Gen called over the worker.
The worker came over to look at the flower Gen was staring at. “Oh, nightshades,”
Gen got a better look at the worker next to him. His name tag read “Senkuu Ishigami” and he had on a brown apron over a t- shirt and jeans.
“Oh I’ve never seen them before,” Gen commented.
“Ehh they don’t grow much in the city,” Senkuuu explained. “The name is a bit on the nose. They grow in the shade so the city lights aren’t the best place to grow them,”
“Interesting, do you know what they mean?” Gen asked.
“Nah, I’m just covering for my sister’s shift,” Senkuu shrugged. “She’d know more about that,”
“I see,” Gen put his sketchbook bask into his purse.
“Just felt like coming in here to draw the plants or something?” Senkuu questioned.
“Ehhh kind of hit an art block. I know I want to do something with flowers but I can’t figure out what,” Gen answered.
“Can I see?”
Gen was never bashful showing his sketchbook to others but… “Hmm I’ll show you tomorrow , Senkuu chan,” Gen sang.
“I’m not that interested,” Senkuu folded his arms.
“Hmm too late, made up my mind,” Gen hummed.
“Maybe before closing then,” Senkuu locked the fridge.
“Coffee then?,”
“You’re paying,”
“Deal,”
.
.
.
“Hmm too late, made up my mind,” the monochrome haired one hummed.
“Maybe before closing then,” Senkuu locked the fridge.
“Hmm? we’ll see,” The other teased.
“You’re paying,”
“Deal,” Gen smirked. “I’ll be going now. See you later Senkuu chan~,”
Senkuu unlocked his house door and walked in. Taking his shoes off in the doorway and changing them out for his slippers, Senkuu pulled out his phone from his pocket. Senkuu dialed in a number and hit the call button.
“Ohh hey, Senkuu,” Ruri’s voice greeted him after a few rings.
“Hey sis,” Senkuu put his jacket up.
“Thanks again for covering my shift. Chrome’s fever was pretty bad,” Ruri explained.
“It’s fine, How’s Chrome doing?” Senkuu asked, walking inside his house.
“Much better actually,” Ruri replied. “But I doubt that’s why you called,” Ruri pointed out.
“Kuku got me there,” Senkuu snickered. “I think some cute guy just asked me out on a sort of date…?”
“Ohhhh my godddddd no wayyyy!!” Senkuu had to move the phone away from his ear with how loud Ruri screamed.
“Well I didn’t need my ears anyway,” Senkuu groaned.
“Sorry Sorry! But oh my god Senkuu!” Ruri shouted in joy.
“He said he would show me his sketchbook tomorrow over coffee after work,” Senkuu explained. “Besides you said Chrome was better,”
“Hey Honey! You’re still sick!” Ruri shouted.
“Ruri!” Senkuu groaned.