Steven stands in front of a flower display, tending to them as he thinks of how he will arrange the store in the near future. Having worked at The Flowers Scent for close to six years now meant he was in line to taking over the business once his boss Terry, the current owner, retired next month. The two had run the shop perfectly since he started and it was only a matter of time until the paperwork went through. At least it would, were it not for Terry's insufferable nephew Fred. His only living relative after his younger sister passed due to a drunk driver. Being his only living relative meant he was next to inherit the business should Terry not pass it on to someone else. Fred wanted nothing to do with the flower shop, he just wanted to renovate the building and open up another loaning business.
"That's it for you, fellas. Can't have you drown on me." Steven chuckles. He always felt more comfortable talking to the flowers then people. Strange as it may seem, but he was fine with it.
"You know, if you turn that chatty self of yours towards our customers--." Steven turns towards the office behind the counter where Terry was leaning against, a small smile on his face. "--you'd be making a heck of a lot more sales."
"Probably. But then, who would talk with the flowers?" Steven joins Terry at the counter, placing the water can down. "They need friendly conversation too. And there aren't that many people who talk to plants." He walks behind the counter as Terry grins at his employee/friend.
"Mind the store while I step out for a bit."
"Everything okay?"
"The owner transfer papers I filled out last night have gone 'missing'." Terry practically spat the last word.
"Again? How the hell does he keep doing that?" While there was no definitive proof, they both knew Fred was responsible for this. As well as the three other times Terry has tried to put Steven's name on the paperwork. "Can't you have your lawyer write up the paperwork for you? It'll keep them out of--." Just then the door to the shop opens and Fred walks in with a cocky stride. "Speak of the devil."
"Fuck you too, wuss." He flings back.
"That's enough. Both of you." Terry looks at Steven. "Gives us a minute."
"Gladly." With that he makes his way to the other side of the shop, leaving Terry to deal with his nephew. Aside from Fred's untimely visit, the rest of the day went by as normal. His last customer was a couple looking for tulips for their garden. He managed to sell them fully bloom purple ones and a few bags of seeds. He watches them leave, seeing the excitement in the women's eyes, the disinterest slump in the man's shoulders and the closeness they both radiated together. He still held the image of them in his head when he drove onto his parking lot. His home was a decent house, big enough for two with a long backyard he had turned into a full walkthrough garden. It was his pride and joy, spending countless hours among his flowers that it left him little to no time towards building a relationship. He had been on several dates since starting at The Flowers Scent. In fact he had met most of his dates at the shop. But, his garden would always take priority over everything but his job. Getting out of his car Steven sighs before looking up into the clear sky. "Must be nice...having someone to love you back."
The next day was his day off, so Steven got ready for another day in his garden. Throughout the years his neighbours and even some animals that made their home in the forest beyond his fence would pay him and his garden a visit. He would get deer, elk, a moose, a couple of wolves and even a bear. He was able to repel them without much fuss from the animals, thankfully. As for his human visitors, they would often compliment his work and even ask to purchase a few flowers.
He makes his way to a pair of tree sculptures that had been his obsession for the last three months. One was a border collie in mid jump ready to catch a frisbee. The other was a wyvern roaring with its wings outstretched. He was having trouble getting the look of its head the way he liked it. Pulling out his mini sheers he starts to carefully position them at angle he believes would smooth out the wyvern's snout.
"That's impressive detail." The sudden voice startles Steven, making him sheer off the wyvern's left horn. He stares horrified at the damage the stranger had caused him to make. "Ooo. My apologies for intruding."
Steven grit his teeth as he spoke, fuming. "You better be fucking sor--ry?" He turns towards the stranger, his body freezing up once he laid eyes on the man; he was casually leaning on the fence with a small smile on his handsome face, dark brown hair was styled and clean with a guilty gleam in his piercing blue eyes. He was built huge, making Steven think he'd break the fence if he put more of his weight on it. Being a straight man, Steven had never been really stunned by another person's appearance, much less another man. He didn't even realize he had frozen up until his visitor waves at his face, trying to get his attention.
"You still in there, Mr. Gardener?"
"What?" Steven blinks his eyes. Realizing he had been staring at the guy, his face goes red. "Yes! I am! I was just--! You kinda--." He frantically looks everywhere but at the man, his face getting redder. Finally he stops, takes a breath and looks at the man. "I'm Steven." He introduces himself nervously.
The man chuckles. "Drent." He offers his hand. Steven puts the mini sheers away before accepting the outstretched hand. His grip was like a vice, not that it surprised him given Drent's size. What he did take note of was how gentle he was. Most men he had met would do the macho thing and squeeze as hard as they could in a show of assertion.
"Nice to see a new face. Did you just move into the neighbourhood?
"I did. House 1990 at the end there."
"That pseudo-mansion? Wow. How much did that set you back?"
"A couple million. I own a gym in town. Plus, I'm big in the stock market. I can afford it."
"Heh. I could tell you work out. Didn't realize you bought the whole gym. Is it easier to get your reps in when you can pull rank on the machines?"
He chuckles. "I wouldn't know. I haven't had to. Yet." He tilts his head towards the garden. "Pretty impressive work. How long did it take?"
