Summary: Working in a flower shop could lead to some interesting customers. That didn’t mean Andrew was expecting for someone to angrily burst in, ask for flowers that would convey fuck you, and then look like he was about to cry. At least he was always up for a challenge.
Inspiration: Flower Shop AU Prompt
Date: 09/30/19
Word Count: 1,394
Andrew Riter had been quietly playing with an arrangement of dyed roses and dahlias during a slow Tuesday at the flower shop he owned with his brother, the air filled with relaxing fragrances, a gentle summer breeze, and Andrew’s soft humming that he made a note to compose later. It hadn’t lasted.
Instead of relaxing Andrew stared at the two twenty dollar bills that had been slammed down onto his unsturdy countertop by a teenager that looked very close to having a screaming match with whoever said a word to him next.
As such, Andrew stayed silent, almost defensively clutching at his mess of dahlias and roses before the teen looked straight into his eyes and spoke in a voice that was much deeper than Andrew was expecting. “How do I passive-aggressively say fuck you in flower?”
It was a question Andrew had not been expecting to hear, but they hadn’t had a proper customer in days, so he wasn’t about to be picky; well, too picky. “That is an oddly specific request.” Just like that, the teen was deflating as if someone had kicked his puppy right in front of him and then told him his dreams would never come true. It was a little distressing to see. “I, ah- So, a bouquet, then?”
“Um- No, I- Forget it.” The anger had drained out of him and he was now rapidly approaching tears – something that was even more panic inducing than just getting into a fight with a soon-to-be customer. “It’s probably a stupid idea, isn’t it? I mean, you probably can’t even say fuck you with flowers-“
“Oh, no, you can.” Andrew was unable to stop a laugh as the other’s surprised look. No longer near tears, then. His day had just improved, as well, it seemed. “If you wanted a bouquet to convey a meaning like that then you would want geraniums to start with. For stupidity.” Actually, they should have some of that in stock… Elaine had just delivered yesterday and Randy had harvested the flowers they grew themselves at home.
Grabbing his work gloves and slipping them on, Andrew started walking around the store, picking up a few geraniums first against the far well. “Let’s see, what else. Foxglove, of course, for insincerity. Meadowsweet for uselessness would be good. Yellow carnations for you have disappointed me. Oh, perfect! A few orange lilies. For hatred.” Shuffling them all together in a rough design, he looked back up to the teen.
“Oh my god.” Aah, perhaps this had all been simply a joke or a spur of the moment- “Oh my god, it’s perfect. How much is it?” Trying not to laugh as he took the flowers back to the desk, Andrew picked up a pair of shears and began clipping and adjusting as he hummed in ‘thought,’ watching the other squirm. It was too cute.
“Let’s see… For this many flowers arranged like this? I say…” The other gulped and Andrew almost laughed. “Ten dollars should cover it.” Grinning at the dead silence, Andrew raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”
“No, no, just- Aren’t flowers more expensive than that? Especially from a flower shop like this?” Oh, please. Their prices weren’t that bad. Usually.
“It’s summer. We lower our prices.” Which was true, just usually not that much. “Besides, I got a very good story out of this, now didn’t I?”
“Oh, man, you don’t even know the half of it.” Ah, and here was the fun part of his job. When the customers started treating him as a therapist. “This friend of mine, Val? We’ve been dating for a few weeks now and everything’s great- Fine! It’s perfect! And then she goes and breaks up with me because she ‘doesn’t want to hurt me’ and she ‘needs to figure herself out.'”
“Sounds like a typical reason when breaking up.” Shuffling the flowers together, Andrew pulled over a glass vase after a moment’s thought, filling it with water to the right amount and beginning to tuck the flowers inside. “I take it you parted ways and never want to speak to each other again?”
“Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no, she wants to be friends, still. As in she keeps sitting with me at lunch, popping up at my house after school, and inviting me to ‘hang out’ at places. She’s acting like nothing’s there even though I know she felt the same. She didn’t even wait! She broke up with me and then the next day asked if I wanted to see a movie with her and another friend!”
“Really?” Hmph. This was the reason Andrew avoided women entirely. He was much better off with his book and his books alone, thank you very much. “I thought the minimum amount of time to wait between break-ups was two weeks?”
“Yeah! I thought so, too!” Now let’s see what color ribbon… Red. Red was a good color. It could stand for romance or hatred. Perfect for an arrangement that meant fuck you. “Are you sure that’s only ten? That looks like it should cost a lot more than that.”
“I’m quite certain.” Writing down the transaction in a small notebook, Andrew shoved at the ancient register they were forced to use to open it up as he wrote a receipt copy for both himself and the other. “Would you like a card attached?”
“I can do that?” The smile that was shot at him was blinding in it’s excitement. “Yes- Dude, that is so a yes. Can I say anything?”
“Yes, you can say anything,” Andrew chuckled, looking through their cardstock and hm, what would work best here? Some more red ribbon to tie it to the other ribbon, of course, and maybe something purple to tie it all together. Ah, perfect. Purple with a little wide-eyed kitten on the front. The other seemed to find it perfect too, grin even wider.
“Okay, okay. ‘Dear, Valerie.'” Writing dutifully, Andrew tried to hide a smile at the theatrical tone. “‘This is to show there are no hard feelings between us after what happened. For unquestionable caring kindness, you ooze understanding. Love, Danny.'” Writing the words down, Andrew took a moment to re-read the last sentence, specifically the first letter of every word, before choking on a laugh. “Glad you caught that. She probably won’t.”
“If she doesn’t then she wasn’t good enough for you.” Andrew signed the card with a flourish, Danny smiling at him. It really was a nice smile. “These should last a fair while with the right amount of water and changing, so I’m sure your feelings will remain clear to her for a while to come.”
“Thanks, and, uh, sorry. This is probably the weirdest request you’ve ever gotten.” Mm. “Really? You’ve gotten weirder?”
“Flower shops, I’ve found, gather some of the oddest stories of customer retail.” Handing Danny his receipt and change and pushing the vase forward, Andrew gave a smile that he knew was shy. “I hope you come back and tell me how it goes.”
“Yeah- Yeah. Definitely. If I don’t come back, though, then assume she figured it out.” Taking the items, Danny shuffled them around before holding his hand out. “Danny, by the way.”
Taking the hand, Andrew gave it a firm shake. “Nice to meet you, Danny. I’m Andrew.” Danny’s face flushed a splotchy red before he was rambling about meeting friends and booking it out of the store, Andrew sighing softly to himself. “How utterly adorable.”
“We’re selling bouquet vases for ten dollars now, huh?” Hearing his brother’s voice, Andrew so very hesitantly looked behind him to see that grin. “I mean, he was pretty cute-“
“I got a story out of it and a challenge, nothing more and nothing less.” Really, how creative to think to say ‘fuck you’ in flowers! Andrew hoped Danny came to him with more challenges, one day.”
“Oh, right, a challenge. I’m sure it had nothing at all to do with how that cute little kid was exactly your type.” Wha- The kid was a teenager- “The Fenton kid is eighteen, you know.” We… Well… “Too easy, little brother.”
“Oh, go drown in your booze.” Andrew huffed even at the ‘hug’ he was pulled into, hiding a smile. Danny Fenton, huh. Maybe Andrew would have to make him a special bouquet the next time he visited.