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The walls and tables in Fox Flora were lined with all kinds of plants and flowers. When Henry opened his flower shop, he had promised himself to not just sell his personal favourites. It’s a struggle to keep that promise, but he does. He takes care of each and every plant that comes into his shop until it leaves; Whether that is with a customer or in the bin.
“Henry?”
He turns around to find his employee, co-worker, friend and, really, his only co-worker.
June Claremont-Diaz has been the only one who has given Henry the time of day to help in his shop. He is forever grateful.
“My brother is going to be here in, like, ten minutes. We’re going for lunch. I’m gonna go in the back to change out of-” June ungracefully gestures to her clothes that were stained by the dirt and mud of a huge orchid she had to relocate after its original terracotta pot shattered, “-this. If he comes in and starts acting like a little shit, ignore him.”
Henry was fairly certain that his eyebrows reached his hairline. While, yes, he does think of his own brother as a little shit too, June seems to refer to her’s in an endearing way instead of the way Henry wants to turn and run away whenever he gets the slightest hint of Philip in his general direction.
He wouldn’t refer to Bea that way. Not because she isn’t; Henry loves and cherishes his sister more than anything, but more because she would punch him in the gut. Lovingly.
“Noted.” Henry eventually manages to say, and June gives him a thumbs up because quickly disappears into the back of the store. The brit doesn’t give it much more thought, and turns back to the batch of thornless roses he was tending to. He holds up a small spray bottle, filled with water and floral anti-toxins, and waters the roses close to where the stem meets the soil.
Gentle music plays around the store. Normally Henry would’ve just put on some classical music, but when June brought in a Greatest Hits album for the record player this morning, who was he to say no? The first notes of Bohemian Rhapsody faintly carry through the shop and Henry finds himself humming along.
He’s entirely in his own element until the door quietly creaks open and hits the bell just above. The sound makes Henry turn, and in a moment of pathetically gay panic, drops his spray bottle.
There’s a man. Not just any man, he realises almost instantly- He bares a striking resemblance to June and suddenly, he’s forever thankful that she gave him a warning that he would show up. Not that aforementioned warning could’ve prepared Henry for anything about this guy.
Dark eyes and dark curls, Henry remembers June telling him in a fleeting conversation that her Dad is Mexican. While he wasn’t taller, he was definitely more muscular and Henry very pointedly does not think about what his biceps could look like under that light blue button up. His sleeves are pulled up and he’s wearing black slacks as well as a pair of silver framed glasses. In his hand is a to-go-cup for a coffee shop Henry thinks could be just down the street of Fox Flora, but he honestly has so much else to think about and process that he doesn’t give a rats arse where he got his sodding coffee from.
Henry realises his mistake when the bottle that slipped out of his palm hit the ground with a shallow ‘clank’.
“Bugger-,” He gasps out and leans down to pick it up, but the stranger was faster and quickly scooped it up as he passed on his way to the counter.
“Here ya go.” Alex drawls as he hands the bottle back and Henry has no doubts in his mind that the way his tongue wraps around the words he speaks will be the death of Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Winsdor.
“Thank you.” He says quietly before straightening back up. He doesn’t run over to the counter to separate his body from the almost burning heat that this guy was radiating, but it’s a close thing.
“June! Your brother is here.” He calls into the back and it takes just a few seconds until June’s head comes peeking out of the doorway. She instantly rolls her eyes.
“Really? You come into my work with coffee and don’t even have the decency to bring me a cup, Alex?” She asked with a light tease.
Alex.
For some reason, his name burned into Henry’s skull. Alex. Alex. Alex.
“I just came out of a court hearing that made me want to rip patches of hair off my head, Bug. Give me a fucking break. The guy was caught shop lifting clear as fucking day on camera, and he still plead ‘not guilty’, can you believe that shit?” Alex retorts while pointing a finger at his sister, and Henry makes the mental connection that Alex Claremont-Diaz has to be some kind of lawyer. Profanity comes out of his mouth in the same frequency as he breathes, and Henry usually feels icky over that, but he finds himself finding Alex’s passion for whatever mind boggling things happened in the courtroom today endearing rather than off-putting.
June waves her hand dismissively, then gestures at Henry.
“This is Henry, by the way. He's kinda my boss.”
Henry’s body stammers when Alex puts his hand out for him to shake.
“Alex.” He says simply, and Henry takes his hand, “I hope June isn't too much of a pain in the ass to you as she is to me-” He cuts himself off with a yelp when she smacks his shoulder in retaliation.
Alex’s palm is warm against Henry’s as they shake hands, and he finds himself missing the warmth when they part.
“Henry- But you already knew that.” He smiles sheepishly and it takes every bit of willpower to not facepalm to the point of irreversible brain damage. But instead of laughing at his demise, Alex just smiles warmly. June gives Henry a suspicious look, “If you’re done ogling each other, I’m starving.” She cuts in. Henry feels heat shoot up his neck to his face.
“I’m not ogling -”
“Yeah, sure, whatever.” June says with a teasing grin and slings her bag over her shoulder. Alex just chuckles.
They leave to get lunch, and Henry whips out his phone from his pocket so fast he almost drops it.
When June and Alex return from their lunch, Henry makes every effort to hide in the back until Alex takes his leave. God hates Henry, evidently, when Alex rises up to the counter before he can gather his supplies and make a run for it.
Henry looks at him and bites the inside of his cheek.
“While I’m here, can I buy a Gardenia?” He asked sweetly. Henry very pointedly does not think about how Gardenias mean ‘secret love’ in Flower Code because it’s outdated and Alex probably doesn’t even know such a thing exists.
“Just one?” Henry grabs a light blue paper to go with the white flower.
“Just one.” Alex nods. Henry carefully wraps the flower in a thin sheet of wrapping paper and secures it with a piece of clear tape.
“How much do I owe you?” Alex asks, taking a worn brown leather wallet out of the backpocket of his trousers. Henry shakes his head, a pink blush dusting his cheeks.
“You’re okay. I’m just happy I don’t have to throw them out- No one really buys Gardenias.” Alex tilts his head at this, but a smile curls on his lips anyways.
“They don’t?” Henry hums in confirmation, and Alex turns his head to look at the small bouquet of flowers by the window, “They should.” He says after a while and turns back to face Henry. The blonde smiles and nods in agreement.
“Well, if you won’t let me pay for the flower, how about I take you out for coffee instead?” Alex then asks, and Henry makes a concentrated effort to not choke on his own tongue. Luckily, June saves his dignity by yelling: “HEY! Don’t flirt with my boss , Alejandro!”, which punches a laugh out of Henry and saves him from the embarrassment of what he probably would’ve stuttered out if June wasn’t a walking comic-relief. Alex flips her off before turning back to him.
“I.. would love to. Get coffee. With you.” Henry stutters, “I’m just.. More of a tea drinker, really.” Alex laughs at this.
“Well, I probably should’ve assumed that the English like tea more than coffee.” He grins, “The cafe down the road has both tea and coffee, however. So the offer still stands, if you want to take it.”
Henry feels the need to smash his head into a wall. Partially because he gave Alex an inkling of doubt and partially because he's not sure his life is a simulation, and he wants to test his theory.
“I’d love to get coffee and tea with you.” He eventually manages to choke out and Alex’s smile only brightens.
“What time do you get off work?”
Henry glaces at the clock mounted on the wall.
“Two hours from now, at three o’clock.”
Alex nods, then grabs a business card and a pen from the counter. He scribbles something down, “I will see you at three for coffee, and tee, then,” and slides the card toward Henry.
He straightens his back and flips June the bird again.
“Later, loser!” He calls, and his sister returns the gesture with an eyeroll.
“See ya.” He says to Henry in a softer tone, then has the audacity to wink , and walks out of the door. Henry can almost hear the ‘ Windows has stopped working ’ sound as his brain short circuits. He doesn't recover fast enough to say goodbye back, but Alex didn't seem to mind.
A few seconds of silence stretch through the shop. June steps over and huffs out a laugh.
“So much for not ogling .” She teases and looks at the writing on the card, chuckling again.
“Dumbass gave you my number.”
Henry looks at her with an expression of confusion before looking down at the card too. On it is a messily scribbled number, signed with ‘The Superior Claremont-Diaz’.
He hopes that June isn’t too thrown off by the lovesick eyes he makes at the paper.