Chapter Text
Marinette sighed as she leaned against the counter, watching the bright red light dancing in and out of a vase of poppies nearby as she breathed in the fresh scent of the flowers around her. The day dragged on with little to no customers gracing her door. A quiet weekend afternoon that was filled with crisp scents and tinkling laughter that danced through the room.
Well. At least Tikki was having fun.
She leaned back in her stool, glancing through the window at her parents bakery across the street. They were busy, they were always busy. Marinette only really saw a surge of customers after akumas that made them do something terrible to their loved ones, and no such Akuma had shown its face for a long while.
She puffed out a breath and watched her bangs rise and fall on it before tapping her fingers against the glass top of her counter. Days like this she wondered why she’d even set out on her own rather than helping her parents in the bakery. She certainly wouldn’t be bored half the day in the very least.
The bell chimed, sending her Kwami hiding amongst stalks of daffodils as a blonde man bounded in as of his life depended on him making it to her counter. His hands slammed down on either side of hers, a silver ring tinkling against the glass as emerald eyes locked onto hers.
“What kind of bouquet would you give someone if you wanted to tell them to fuck off?” He asked, desperation straining his voice. She leaned away from him, one foot slipping off her stool to toe the ground as her mouth gaped open.
“W-well…” she stammered as she looked around at what was available. “I don’t think I can help you with that sentiment exactly.”
“Then something that says ‘I lothe everything you stand for and want you away from me’.” He insisted, his fists clenching. Her brows furrowed as she looked past him for any sign of an oncoming Akuma.
“I could… whip something up closer to that sentiment. It’s not my usual orders though.” She said as she slid completely from the stool and pulled a reciept book towards herself. “I’ll need a name for the order.”
“Mine or the receivers?” He asked, his shoulders slumping as tension left them.
“Yours for the reciept.” She said before pulling a card from its place on her shelf behind her. “I can put the intended Recipents name on this.”
“Lila Rossi for that.” He waved at the card and she nodded before writing down the name in the same elegant font she’d use for anyone else. “And my name is Agreste, Adrien Agreste.” She stopped short of adding his name on the reciept and glanced up at him. She knew the name well. Famous model and world renowned for his charity. He looked nothing like the pictures she’d seen. His hair desheveled and his kind eyes sharp and narrowed.
“Okay Mr. Agreste.” She pushed the reciept book away as she turned to grab her shears and gloves. “Just one moment please.”
“What are you using?” He asked as he watched her reaching for the plants. She sighed through her nose and glanced at him over her shoulder.
“Wild Tansy for the center, it means ‘I declare war on you and everything you stand for.’ Dodder around that, it stands for lacking in friendships or just meanness.” She moved from one nearly full base to the next as she continued. “Saint Johns Wart and Pumpkin flower, animosity and crudeness respectively. Some Basil for hatred. Do you prefer red or white?”
“Huh?” He asked in response only to shake his head slightly as he narrowed his eyes. “Red. Why?”
“Red Garden Anemone it is.” She was proud, the crude meaning behind the bouquet did not mean it looked terrible. In fact the arrangement of flowers would seem lovely to anyone who didn’t know any better. “Fragrant Coltsfoot, meaning the receiver will get what they deserve. How long do you intend the sentiment to remain with them?”
“Forever if possible.” He didn’t question her odd questions as he watched her work, cheek resting against his palm as he leaned against the countertop.
“Alright then.” She balanced the bouquet under one arm as she pulled herself up a short ladder to reach a taller shelf of plants. “Privet, meaning stay away. The berries mean it’s a long time coming.” She motioned to the plant as she spoke before adding it to the bouquet, wrapping it around the others. And for the final touch to make it last…” She gave Tikki a small sorrowful smile as she pulled three poppies from her Kwamis favorite batch to slip into the bouquet. By this point it was quite large and not at all easy to manage so she slid the stems into a smaller glass vase before opening a drawer holding ribbons and wrapping paper. “Which colors do you prefer? She asked as she motioned to them.
“Black and green?” He asked, “The black paper and that green ribbon please.” She made a face as she turned away from him. Black paper for a bouquet was usually only done during mourning. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she cut what she needed from the roll, the customer is always right. It did bring out the lime green of the ribbon though. She could admit that much.
“I have to ask.” She began as she calculated the price on her phone. “Why would you want to give someone something like this?” He stiffened, his credit card hung between his fingers midway to offering it to her. His eyes fell to the flowers with the card tucked beautifully among them proudly displaying the name that made his stomach churn.
“That’s none of your business.” He said sternly.
“Understood.” She held her hands up defensively before accepting the card. He was quiet as she swiped it for him and added the total to his reciept. His drawn out sigh was the only warning she got before he began to speak once again.
“She tried to force me to propose. Even got my father in on it.” She paused, halfway through the motion of passing him the card and his part of the reciept, and raised her eyebrows at him. Silence stretched between them as he simply stared at her hand. “I plan to ask her to dinner where I will tell her everything. How she makes me physically sick to be around. She claims to know everything about flowers so I figure this would be a subtle clue that I’m not playing around.”
“Well.” She said as he scooped up all she offered him. “I certainly hope she gets the message. It is quite a strong one.” He smiled for the first time as he grabbed the bouquet around the stems.
“I’ll be sure to come back and let you know.” He said, his voice less strained and more jolly. A short chuckle followed his words from his lips.
“You know where to find me.” She gave him a small shrug as a smile pulled at her lips. He nodded and took two steps towards the door before turning to face her once again.
“I never asked for your name.”
“It’s Marinette.” She watched his face light up just that much more before he gave her a small nod.
“Lovely to meet you, Marinette.”
“You as well, Adrien.” He grinned then, actually grinned. For a split second she could see the model that was displayed all over paris take over his features.
“Until next time!” He called out jovially. She waved at his back as the bell chimed over her door once again. Then he was gone. She slumped back into the stool as she let out the breath she was holding.
“That was an odd request.” Tikki called from her poppies where she was once again dancing around.
“It certainly was.” Marinette chuckled lightly. “I’m surprised he didn’t request me kill the flowers as well.” Tikki chuckled at her words and darted under another poppy. Just like that, Marinettes day became dull and dragging once again. Though now she found herself imagining the blonde on his not quite date. Wondering how he would break the news to the woman he loathed so much helped the day go by just a bit quicker.
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