Chapter Text
Alfred just bought the shop that was abandoned for a long time and starting to make arrangements for it to be set up, he decided to go across the street to FedEx to get his opening sign printed out to put up on the windows as the workers were fixing the place.
As Alfred was walking he checked his phone after hearing a notification come from it, he wasn’t paying attention to the man that was walking towards him causing him to bump into an older man, Alfred walked back and almost fell until the Man swooped him up as an eagle and held him in his arms.
“You should be careful where you go.” The Man said letting Alfred go.
Alfred looked up at him, well at his chest since it was covering his face, walking back he apologized, “I’m sorry about that sir, as you can see I was trying to hurry up to get my flyers printed so the shop can be open.” he said picking up the flyers that fell on the ground.
The man looked at him with surprise, “I see, I assumed you’re the person who bought the shop that is across from my bookstore.” he asked pointing to the bright blue and white building with clear windows that says, “Flowers with Love” in cursive letters and flower designs on the doors. Alfred looked before nodding at him.
“Why yes, it is. Do you think it looks good? I was trying out colors to catch people's eyes.” Alfred explained to him with glee, “As you can see I have a passion for flowers, I had a garden out in the back when I was a little kid and me and my dad were collecting different flowers from across the world to grow and watch it marvel. We even wrote down about each flowers we come across.”
The man nodded as the blabber mouth talked off his ear drum, “Well good luck on the store.” he said cutting off the young man.
Alfred blushed forgetting that he can be carried away, he sometimes have an awful attention span and often does other things. “Oh okay sorry about that, by the way what is your name? Mine is Alfred.” he said holding out his hand.
“Ivan.” the man said standing there.
“Well Ivan, it was nice knowing you and hope we can hang out again.” Alfred said pulling his hand back to the side, “I guess you’re not a handshaker type, noted. Anyways have a nice day.” he told Ivan before running off.
Ivan rolled his eyes and made it back to the bookstore, he picked up the package and brought it inside the shop, “Hey Katya sorry for being late, some guy bumped into me. Turns out it’s the Boquette owner from across the street that you were wondering about.” he said going into the break room.
“Oh I see, what was he like?” Katya asked, she was dusting the bookshelves.
“Well he is alright, but can be quite a chatterbox, like he can talk and talk and seems to never end, but he seems like an okay person so I'll just let it slide." he told her, placing the box of new books on the counter top where the cashier is and start to open it.
Katya just rolled her eyes and sighed, "Ivan as your big sister we should probably open him with welcome arms, besides who knows he may be a sweet heart. Then you can finally open up." she told him.
Ivan scoffed, "You're too friendly Katya, but fine I'll make a gift basket for him." he told her as he was putting the price stickers on the back of the book. "I still think he wouldn't last long, besides the previous business that was running there only lasted for about five barely ten years."
"Don't be a scrooge, Ivan." Katya said firmly, Ivan just shook his head and kept putting the prices on books.
Once the two were done Katya went to the back room to see they had received orders on their website they made, as Ivan went into the storage room and look to see what to give him.
"He's quite young and based on our first conversation i'll give him this book that I want to get rid of and also some comic books." Ivan said placing a Florilegium inside the basket, after designing with baby blue and while colors and a bunch of ocean blue and gray ribbons on the handle, which took him 30 minutes to finish.
Ivan places a couple of comics books and an Florilegium inside the basket and takes it to Alfred. He was honestly quite nervous since it has been a minute since him or his sister did the welcoming gifts.
Alfred was busy setting up the cashier when he heard the bell ding from someone opening the door, "Sorry but we aren't open yet, come back later." he said not to pay attention to who open it in the first place.
"Sorry, but I wanted to give you this as a welcoming gift, for new business. It's a thing that me and my sister do often." Ivan said by setting the decorative basket on the counter.
Alfred looked up, "Oh, sorry about that, Ivan. I'll just look at it later, it's quite stressful setting stuff up alone mostly and rarely getting the help of other people, but I appreaceted the gifts." Alfred responded gleefully while his body language was stressed out.
Ivan felt bad for the boy, "Honestly assumed you had help especially running a flower shop, but if you want to I can help. Free of charge. Besides, I wouldn't want a fellow business owner to be stressed out before the first day of the grand opening." He told him.
Alfred stopped and looked at his amethyst eyes before snapping out and accepting his help.
Ivan had an hour left of his break before opening the store back up, so he decided to help Alfred with the heavy work while also trying not to get his grey sweater ruined that he just bought.
"So where do you want me to move this to?" asked Ivan with the bookcase.
Alfred looked, "Put it in the middle, I want to make like two aisle in the middle." he told him from the other side of the room.
Ivan moved the bookshelf to the midddle of the shop and set up the shelves in between. Alfred on the other hand was busy installing the wall cabinet behind the counter.
"So Alfred, what did you do before starting a business?" Ivan asked, as he went into the back and grabbed another bookshelf to bring into the middle next to the first one.
"I was in college studying business, economics, and was helping out with the environment as an Natural Resource Management for my old job while I was getting a Bachelor of Science and Ecology." Alfred said testing to see if the wall cabinet would hold.
Ivan was surprised, he honestly never met anyone who had a passion towards nature like that, let alone someone who looks younger by appearance.
"How about you?" Alfred asked.
"Well I had a figure skating carrier to the point I became a coach for the Olympics as well as, becoming an figure staking judge for international events, but anyways um… I went to college for astrophysics as well getting an a teacher degree before later I didn't want to pressured those carriers and decided to be a librarian, since I love my quiet life." Ivan replied, he honestly didn't want to get too deep into his carrier on ice.
"Oh nice lucky, honestly I thought about being a basketball coach since I played basketball for a long time and was even trained by elites. It wasn't until I lost one of my friends a long time ago as was in a spiral of grief, that I lost my mentality to play sports and blipped my entire sports carrier. The only reason why I have a thing with nature is because it was one of my comforts." Alfred said putting expensive books and seeds on the cabinet and locking it behind protection glass.
"How's the shelves coming along?" Alfred asked, he was looking at Ivan from the counter. Ivan looked at him and gave him a smile and a thumbs up.
"By the way I'm glad you wasn't blinded by grief and overcome it, I know it was hard for you." Ivan said, he get himself up, " Hey um is there you want me to do before I leave?" He asked checking his watch.
"Oh no it's okay but if you want you can put the rest of the cabinets on the back wall right there." Alfred told him.
"Okay." Ivan said.
Ivan and Alfred finally set up the shelves for the shop, the two men were sitting down on the floor of the wall and eating food from carry out. Ivan popped a soda and cheers with Alfred and they both claimed their bottles together.
"Ivan, I want to say thank you." Alfred said leaning on him and feeling his big chest on the side of his face.
Ivan looked at him puzzled, "Whatever for?" He asked.
"For helping me setting up the shop and listening to my story. As you can see it's quite hard to meet new friends, especially if they have already established friends groups and you are just the one friend who just linger with the group knowing that they can care less about you." Alfred said.
"Hmm. You have a point there." He told Alfred lifting up his head.
Ivan was starting to leave when he felt someone tugging on his clothes to see it was Alfred with puppy eyes.
"Oh, uh, Sorry. I have a habit of doing that. I meant to say can we become friends? Also don't mind the trash there I'll cleaning up besides, I have to wait for tomorrow and the next few days for my gardening equipment as well waiting for the decorations." Alfred told him.
Ivan was surprised but didn't pay him no mind. "Uh… okay, honestly- you know what sure." He said hoisting Alfred to his feet.
Alfred was surprised by the sudden movement and started to walk back a little.
"Anyways I have to go back to my shop, my break is over." He told Alfred before leaving.
They waved each other goodbye.
Ivan made it back to his bookstore as he looked out the window to see Alfred closing up his unfinished shop and locking he doors. He made his way outside and got into his car and left.
"I see you made a new friend, how was he like?" Katya asked, she smiled and scoffed as her brother that was younger than her but often be mistaken as twins. Especially when they were children.
"You're right. He seems pretty alright if I'm being honest. I was helping out a little to set up the shop since he was stressed out and doing it all alone." Ivan told her.
"That's good." She said sipping on her coffee.
Ivan nodded and getting ready to serve the customers.