Chapter Text
It was another hot, sticky day in this small, dreary South Carolinian town and Alexander was sick of it. Alex was a world renowned author. He wrote books for every genre, from religious books, to the oddest of science fiction. He would have quit at a moment's notice however, if he had known that it would mean sitting in hundreds of stuffy libraries like this, but he was here for his fans, so he would stay for his fans.
As the last signed book was slid back across to it’s owner Alexander slumped back into his seat with a groan. He reached for his coffee and heaved a sigh when he realized it was empty. “I’ll be back for the five o’clock signing! I’m going to get more coffee!”. He was out of that stale library with a renewed bounce in his step. After practically skipping towards the closest coffee shop he ordered the sweetest, coldest item on the menu. He sat himself at a table in the corner, and while waiting for his mocha-choca-frappe-bullshit took it upon himself to *ahem* appreciate some of the more natural beauties of this town. Namely a tall, tan, and handsome gardener across the square. Alexander was greatly appreciative when said gardener bent over once more to show more of his generous assets. He quickly gulped down his mocha-choca-frappe-bullshit and was out the door, again practically skipping as he made his way across the mosaic tiles. He had no idea how to woo this man, but he was going to for sure.
==========================omglookapagebreak===========================
John was bored out of his mind. The shop was always empty this time of year, and none of the colleges were on break so there were no hot guys to distract him. That was one of the reasons he practically screamed when a man burst through the shop’s doors. The other reason was because there was a man, a cute one at that, in his town without any other competition around. If he had good luck, maybe, just maybe, he might be bisexual. He was gathering his will when he heard a voice begin to speak,
“Are you a campfire? ‘Cause you’re hot, and I want s’more.”. Oh my god is he talking to me? Laurens was speechless when Alexander spouted another cheesy pick-up line,
“Were those pants on sale?”
“Um, yes actually why do you w-”
“Because at my house they’d be 100% off”. Oh. My. Lord.
The look of hope on Alex’s face is what broke shocked silence, and he promptly broke down laughing.
“Are you, are you seriously using those on me?”
“Are there any other Adonis-like creations in here?”
“Adonis? I would hardly use that term to describe myself.”
“I must assure you that you are the greatest specimen that I have ever had the pleasure to come across.”
With the combination of Alex’s voice and his compliments, John was helpless. He was practically drooling when he tuned back into their conversation.
“So do you like gardening, or is this just to help with school costs?”.
It occurred to Laurens that Alex was talking to him,
“U-uh I actually. It’s a mix of both, I really love gardening, and it helps put me through school. I started gardening when I was younger, and it’s just carried on throughout my life. I wanted to be a botanist when I was younger, but now I’m studying to become Civil Rights professor”
“So you know a lot about flowers?”
“I would say so.”
Alexander then leaned forward to reach for the floret directly behind John’s head. When he leaned back he procured a small flower and tilted it towards John.
“What kind of flower is this? I think it suits you”.
John took the small bloom in his hand and turned red when he recognized it.
“This is an Amaryllis, and it symbolizes splendid beauty.”
“Ah, an apt fit indeed.”.
The gardener felt his heart speed when the other reached for the flower again, and swore it stopped when he tucked it behind his ear and let his hand rest on the side of his head. They stood like this for maybe a minute and a half before the shorter of the two’s watch went off bringing the two back to reality. “I have to go, I hope I’ll get to see you again-” “John” “I hope I see you again John.” Alex set the other’s face ablaze again when he kissed his hand before leaving the flower shop.
Alexander burst through the library door with a huge smile on his face, and sat himself down at his table once more. He sat through two and a half hours of meaningless pleasantries and repeated professions of love for his writings, and himself from both his female and male fans. Throughout that period of greetings, he made no vocalizations, only nods and smiles for his mind was taken with the young John. He had to go back, see him again. He’d need a reason. He looked about the large library and zeroed in on a pair of Cardinal red roses. I’ll ask him about roses! And so he sat there daydreaming about the freckled man until his manager Eliza touched him on his shoulder to tell him he could go, she was used to Alexander tuning out by now.