Chapter Text
The sun shone brightly overhead—noon had just passed. Sunny hovered by the door to the flowershop. Every day, he passed by, glancing in at the menagerie of colors and plants.
His hand raised before pausing again. He took a deep breath, opening the door.
The doorbell chimed, ringing clear and inviting. A wave of aromas hit him—calming, pungent, and soft, all mixed together.
Sunny slowly took in the store around him. Flowers sat in planters and pots, vases and jars. Every space in the store was carefully packed with blooming flowers. It was color layered on color, like the room had bloomed instead of being built.
“Welcome!”
Sunny’s eyes spotted a blonde boy behind the counter. Blue eyes and a smile that seemed to sparkle.
Sunny’s breath caught. Oh no.
He was cute.
Quickly, he turned away, distracting himself with the colorful array spread across the store. Blues, pinks, orange and red.
His gaze landed on a planter full of small white flowers—starshaped and with yellow bunches in the middle. He walked over to them. They looked… fuzzy.
“Those are Edelweiss.” A voice came from behind him.
Sunny jumped, turning around quickly. His stomach leaped—the boy was right in front of him.
“S-sorry!” The boy squeaked, backing up slightly.
Sunny shook his head before looking back at the flowers. He examined one intently. The wooly petals, the little balled middles, the couple of single leaves coming off the stem.
“It—um, symbolizes courage. Since it grows… in really hard places.” He chuckled awkwardly.
Sunny slowly nodded, earning a warm smile from the other.
Standing up, Sunny walked over to a row of pots, each with a flowerless plant. Broad leaves bunched together. They smelled sweet, and slightly minty.
“Ah. That’s uh—” The blonde rubbed his neck. “That’s Basil, it symbolizes good wishes.”
He chuckled softly. “It’s kind of embarrassing.”
Sunny furrowed his brows.
“O-oh, it’s just— that’s my name—Basil.” He smiled awkwardly.
“Sunny.”
“Huh?” Basil blinked.
“My name.” Sunny replied simply.
Basil’s eyes lit up. “Oh! Nice to meet you Sunny.”
Sunny hummed softly in response.
He started walking, eyes bouncing between flowers. When some caught his eye, he pointed them out to Basil.
Bunched, small, five-petaled blue flowers. And some almost spiky looking plants with the occasional purple flower
“These?” Basil looked, following Sunny over. “These are Rosemary and Forget-me-nots.”
Basil knelt down, gently brushing the petals with his finger. “Rosemary means remembrance and Forget-me-nots… well I think it’s obvious what they mean.”
Sunny’s lips curled downwards, eyes locked on the assortment. “These ones.” His voice was quieter now, careful.
“You want—?” Basil spun around to look at Sunny. His heart sank at Sunny’s mellow expression—quiet, distant, unreadable.
“O-okay.”
He quickly looked back to the flowers, handling them carefully. Now behind the counter, Basil grabbed tissue paper to wrap them with.
Sunny followed, his eyes landing on a vase of full pink flowers.
Basil noticed his gaze as he looked down to start wrapping.
“Those are carnations. Pink ones are often sent as a sort of thank you.” Basil paused. “O-or love.”
Basil finished wrapping the flower. “There!” He exclaimed proudly.
Then he looked up.
A pink carnation.
Sunny was holding it towards him, arm stiff as a branch.
“H-huh?” He stammered, eyes wide. “For me? But—uh…”
Sunny nodded almost imperceptibly.
“You told me what it means.” He whispered.
“Y-yeah.” Basil hesitantly accepted it, holding it so gently he could barely feel it. “T-thanks.”
After Basil took the flower, Sunny quickly turned away, hiding the equally pink hue on his cheeks.
He speedwalked to the door, stopping when he reached it to wave a silent goodbye to Basil.
Basil waved back.
The bell rang and the door shut.
He stared at the flower in his hands, heart beating faster. A pink carnation, meaning ‘I’ll never forget you.’
Basil cleared his throat, snapping out of his daydream. He filled a jar with some water and set it behind the counter, gently placing the flower within.
He watched closely as bubbles began to cling to the stem. Like the flower was breathing.