Chapter Text
“Plants will help!”
Is what Adrian told Ryland. Of course, he hadn't believed it then and he still doesn't. But he couldn't say that around Rocky. His best friend probably would've kicked him if he insulted his partner.
Okay, backstory time. Ryland has recently been broken up with, and he went crying to Rocky and Adrian for help. It ended with snot smudged into their couch cushions and Ryland crashing on said couch after he didn't want to return to his apartment.
And that's how he ended up shuffling across a crosswalk to get to a small flower business. He knows it just opened, so maybe he'll be nice and buy from a new business. As the light flashes green to indicate he can move, he begins walking. That's what matters to Ryland—fitting in.
He steps onto the pavement on the other side, glancing around before spotting it. There's a propped out chalkboard out the front with white and pink writing—“Fresh new business! Come on in!”. It makes Ryland think. Is the person who owns the business sweet? Or is it a persona to distract people from the real operation behind the scenes of how they chop people up and mush them into flower shapes and—
Ryland thinks about how he needs to stop watching sci-fi and horror movies. He comes to a stop outside the door. It's an old, hole in the wall, kinda store, with the big fancy windows out the front. Of course, Ryland can't see through them because the shop is seemingly filled head to toe with plants of varying sizes.
He suddenly feels very self-conscious because flowers have absolutely never been his thing. Like, hello! They're completely the opposite of their much cooler cousin, space! But, Adrian is never wrong. So, Ryland pushes the door open, and he's already speaking before the door’s fully open.
“Hey, sorry. I-I'm not sure if you guys are open or… or not. But one of my friend's recommended this place and I thought I'd check it out because, well, they're my friend, and...” His jaw snaps shut as he finally steps inside. It's nice. The walls are a nice shade of green paint which has clearly begun peeling off, revealing the brown wood of the spruce beneath it.
He's still spinning around the store, taking it in despite the dim lighting, when he bumps into someone. “Shit-” The person behind him curses. Ryland jumps and turns around immediately, facing the person who is definitely going to kill him now.
Ryland is going to apologize, really! But in front of him is, by far, the most attractive man he's met in a long time. His nametag reads ‘Simon’.
Simon has curly ravenette hair that trails to roughly his shoulders. It's held out of his face by a dark green bandana. The white shirt he's wearing under his black apron snugs his muscles in a way Ryland is definitely not distracted by, even if his mouth feels suspiciously dry now.
Simon looks up at Ryland and he notices that the worker is blind in one eye. It makes his heart flutter, which is dumb because he literally just got out of a relationship. “Hey.” Oh my god. Simon's voice is a low baritone that shoots straight into Ryland's chest, past his ribs, and pierces his heart. “I probably should've noticed you coming in. That's my bad.” He places the box he was carrying down on the counter. “Anyway, what's up?”
Ryland shifts on his feet before remembering why he's here. “Oh! My, uh… one of my friends told me to check this place out and buy a plant!” He immediately wants to sink into the ground, because what the fudge else is he going to do here!?
Simon snorts under his breath and gestures around the shop vaguely. “You're in the right place.” He leans against the counter, gives Ryland a once over, and raises his eyebrows at him. “Have you ever taken care of a plant before?” And, yeah, it's obvious that Ryland hasn't. Well, maybe not obvious. But Simon can probably tell.
Ryland goes to speak but Simon raises a hand and Ryland immediately shuts his mouth. “If you haven't, get a succulent. Probably something like an Echeveria.” Even though Ryland is completely lost, Simon is moving around the shop.
He comes back up from a corner of the shop with a small pot. Ryland notices for the first time that Simon is wearing gloves. “Here.” Simon hands the pot to Ryland before continuing. “Water it twice a week—six or so hours of sunlight a day—during hot seasons.”
Simon walks behind the register and reaches over, taking the plant back. He scans it and glances back up at Ryland. “$17.50.” Simon says, holding his hand out already. Ryland is still trying to commit the details to memory before realising he should probably pay before this heavenly man calls the cops on him. He fumbles his wallet out of his pocket and hands Simon what he assumes is the right amount.
Simon looks over the amount and nods, slotting it into the register and handing the pot back over to Ryland. Just as Ryland is turning to leave, Simon says, “there's a shop down the road if you want some dirt for it.” Ryland nods sharply and begins walking out. He almost bumps into the doorframe.
“Bye! Thank you!” He calls out as he exits the building. The door shuts behind him with the small jingle of a bell. He clutching the pot much tighter than he needs to. He realises and eases his grip. He gives the name a look as he's walking out of the shop. ‘Eden’s Garden’. Cute. Just like the worker. Ryland almost falls flat into the concrete.
____
That wasn't the right amount.
Is Simon's first thought as the blonde leaves the store. He glances back down at the cash register and fails to realise why he let him leave when he only paid $16.50. He shrugs. Ava will probably yell at him later but he can't be fucked caring right now.
The familiar vibrating in his pocket lets him know it's time for his daily 3 o’clock break. A.K.A, his time to spend half an hour talking to his best friend. He slips his apron off and drapes it over the counter with absolutely zero ceremony before walking into the break room. He knows Ethan has the same alarm set, so it should be fine.
Simon flops down onto one of the small couches in the break room before pulling out his phone and opening his contacts. “CC. ❤️” sits in his contacts. Their last call was literally this morning, so why are his hands shaking? The heart isn't there for any romantic reason. It's just her favourite colour, and he saves everyone like that. (“Dave 💙”, “Mack 💚”, “CeeCee 🩵”)
Also, Simon likes having friends. It reminds him he's not a complete loner after his time in prison. He sighs and presses the call button. It beeps in his ear as Celine picks up.
“Hey, Simon. What's up?”
“It's 3 o’clock, C.”
“Ohh. Yeah, give me a minute. Communing with the dead is harder than you think.”
Simon chuckles under his breath. He doesn't particularly believe in ghosts, or God, for that matter. But if Celine believes in them, then Simon will pretend until their call is over and he can go back to acting like the afterlife will never happen.
There's sounds of shuffling and stuff being closed before Celine finally comes back to the phone. “I'm back. What's up?”
Simon sighs. He doesn't know where to begin. With the beautiful blonde? Or how he failed to do his one job correctly? No. Start from the start. The start where he almost broke his back during his physical therapy appointment.
“Okay, C. You're not gonna believe this…”