Girl, you just KNOW what requests I like. I love this idea, so fucking cute T_T Watch me make this longer than I need to, but OH WELL IT’S CUTE, I love it! Hope you like it @jonin-goddess!
There he was again. The tattoo artist from next door. He came in regularly to check out your flowers, he would even buy some every now and then. They would be different. It didn’t seem like there was much meaning put into which one he wanted, he just bought any that looked nice in his opinion. Then again, he did get nervous talking to you about the flowers. It was cute. Whoever he would be buying the flowers for must like the gesture.
“Hello again,” you greeted with a smile.
“O-Oh, hi! Uh, just looking around this time, if I find one, I’ll let you know,” the man said quickly. He was nervous again. Must be a big occasion since he was looking at the bouquets you had prepped for wedding decors and such.
You stood next to him, curiously looking at the flowers you had prepared. You could feel his stare on you. He was confused but even more nervous. It was almost uncanny how many times you find this customer cute.
“Which one did you like today?” you turned to him, hands behind your back.
For some reason, he copied you. His eyes went to one flower after another, just as his eyes landed on one, it was like he was scared to get the answer wrong. You couldn’t help but have a small laugh.
“What? Is there something on my face?” he asked, playing with gray and black hair. There was no way it was natural, but you liked to think so. He was different, there would be no reason his hair could be grown different.
“No, no, it’s just cute how you act,” you pointed out.
“Y-You think I’m cute?” he questioned with a large smile. It was hesitant, but he couldn’t hold it back.
“Oh well,” you placed your knuckle against your chin, like you had to actually think about it. When you said he was cute, you were still talking about how he acted. But it was hard to lie how attractive the man was. If only he knew what soft spot you had for tattoos. Both his arms were covered in tattoos. The man even had owl eyes tattoo’d on his neck. It was different, but it was done nicely.
“Aw man,” he pouted with a hunch.
“Ah! Sorry! I was just… Yeah, you are cute,” you quickly answered. You hadn’t realized how long time had past since you were distracted by his tattoos.
“Oh, really?” it was like he was a puppy when the owner said ‘ball’ or ‘good boy’.
Yeah, he was definitely cute. Now that he knew, you couldn’t help but be a little nervous too.
“Y-Yeah,” quickly, you remembered that he is a regular who frequently purchases flowers. He had to be buying them for someone, maybe even a girlfriend. It’s not polite or decent to compliment someone’s boyfriend. “B-But I should be helping you get these flowers for your girlfriend. So which one did you like?”
Crap. You didn’t even mean to say it aloud, you just said what was in thought. The nerves from his eyes dawned on you.
“Girlfriend?” he asked confused. His eyebrow raised so high you were convinced it might reach the rood. Slowly, the tattoo artist brought a knuckle to his chin and looked away, lost in thought. “When did I give off I had a girlfriend?” he muttered to himself.
It was hard to hold back a laugh again. Just when his eyes met yours, you caught a glisten in his eyes. They were nice. “I just assumed since you buy my flowers alot. I’m sorry for that.”
“Ah, no it’s fine! I just-Um, well, I buy the flowers to put them in the shop!” the man said kindly.
Well that was surprising. Now you were the one smiling from ear to ear. “Oh really? That’s awfully nice of you.” You tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. “I hope one day I can see how you set up the shop with my flowers. The last time I past by, I didn’t get to see how you did it. ”
As soon as the words left your mouth, the mans eyes went wide. “Oh, that, um, well-Look, actually I-”
The man had his hand in his hair as he turned to face you with a small nervous laugh, but his elbow hit one of the pots of your flowers. One second it was still on table, the next second the two of you were staring at a broken pot with dirt and your flowers on the ground.
Suddenly, the man gasped loudly and knelt down, quickly picking up the pieces. “I’m so sorry! I can clean it up, I am so sorry!”
“Oh, wait!” you quickly knelt down and grabbed a hold of the man’s hand.
It was like time didn’t exist. As you held onto his hand, the two of you met eyes. You could tell your cheeks were pink from how warm they were. This was the closest you had ever seen his eyes. They were different and interesting from admiring afar. But now you could see just how gorgeous they were. How gorgeous he was
“Ah, I… You could get cut from the pots,” you pointed out slowly. Slowly you let go of his hand and tucked a strand behind your ear again. “I didn’t want you getting hurt.”
He was smiling. “I-It’s okay. I can help you clean this up.”
“No, it’s fine. I don’t want you getting dirt on your hands before tattooing someone,” you smiled.
You hadn’t realized your shoulders were touching. Conscious of the thought, you wondered if he would say anything if you turned just enough so you could feel more of his skin against yours. He was pretty warm. When he smiled again at the touch, you couldn’t help but smile as well.
“Yeah, you’re right… Well, I, uh-”
“Do you have to go?” you turned. Shoot, your disappointment must have been all over your face.
This was the first time you had ever talked this long. It was nice. He was cute. You didn’t want him to go.
“Y-Yeah, sorry to leave you here with… That,” the man slowly looked at the pile of mess he made. Immediately he sighed and pulled out his wallet.
“Ah, you don’t have to,” you shook your head.
“What? No! I broke it, I need to-”
“No, it’s okay. I can come by and get it later, I don’t want you to be late to work,” I just want an excuse to see you in your shop, doing what you do.
“Oh, okay,” the man beamed. “You can come in any time!”
Ecstatic, the man jumped up and walked out the store with a wave. It took you a couple more minutes to sit and stare at the mess to actual realize what a big crush you had on this tattoo artist.
A big sigh left your mouth as you tried to calm your nerves. Unfortunately and totally expected, you didn’t feel any calmer. This was a stupid idea. As you held the flowers in your hand just outside your shop, you quickly wanted to run back in.
If you never do anything, this will be just some lame crush. With a loud groan, you took the steps and finally walked into the tattoo shop next to your store.
Instantly, all eyes were on you. Specifically, all the tattoo artists. They were all such different characters. As you met eyes with each different one, you quickly realized the tattoo artist with grey and black hair wasn’t present. Suddenly, your existence felt even more smaller. You didn’t know whether to feel intimidated or lame because you came into a tattoo shop… With flowers…
“May I help you?” a curly black haired man asked as he stepped away from his client, who was also looking at you. The client seemed thankful, but he was snickering once he saw you. You couldn’t help but be curious. But as soon as the tattoo artist was closer, you couldn’t help but stare at his small smile. He was so calm and cool.
“Ah, I came to drop these off to…” Wow. You actually have never learned his name. You pouted and a small laugh came out as you realized how awkward the situation was. At least the tattoo artist didn’t mind, he smiled only more pleasantly. “Um, I came to give these to a guy with grey and black hair. Spiked? I’m sorry, I assumed he worked here.”
“No need to be sorry, you’re not wrong. He’s actually just upstairs in his office. He’s the owner of the shop,” the man informed with his friendly smile.
“Oh, really?” that made your cheeks feel warm all of a sudden. How indecent of you, having a crush on the owner of a business. It was like-
“Yeah, let me fetch him,” the man answered. Without another word, he turned behind him and had his hand next to his mouth. “Bokuto-san!”
“Yes, Akaashi?!” His voice was so loud. Somehow, you didn’t doubt that, that would be part of his personality. It did just make you curious as to why he was so nervous whenever you two spoke.
“Just sign the package! I don’t have time to come down, I need to finish this rough draft before Oikawa comes in and throws some weird fit again like last time!” From the sounds of it, Bokuto was in a small office upstairs with the window you were staring at. Then again you were just assuming since Akaashi and everyone else was looking up at the window as well.
“I’m sorry, what was your name?” Akaashi turned to you with a smile.
“Ah, ____. If now is a bad time, I can-”
“That’s very rude of you to let ____-san drop off these flowers and not properly thank her, Bokuto-san,” Akaashi turned his attention back to the office and called out.
“Give it four seconds,” you overheard one of the artists say to his client as he continued to ink the man’s skin. He was tall, you could tell even from him sitting. He had black bangs covering half of his face and the rest of his hair was up, a bit spiked. He was covered in numerous tattoos, he even had an eyebrow piercing.
“____-san? I don’t know a-!”
Suddenly, Bokuto’s loud booming voice came to a halt. It was as if everyone in the shop knew what was going to happen so they stopped and turned to the window, snickering. Even the clients in the chairs or massage tables would look up at the window, waiting.
“Flowers?!” Suddenly, the window flew open with Bokuto hanging out half way.
As soon as your eyes met, you tried to do a small wave. Bokuto’s eyes went as wide as you knew an owl’s eyes could make. Everyone in the shop tried to hold back a laugh, but some failed to do so. As soon as Bokuto processed the moment, his hanging mouth and body left the office and was suddenly running down to meet you at the front of the store.
“H-Hey, ____-san!” Bokuto greeted once he was in front of you, panting. “I didn’t know you were coming now.” His smile was so big.
And your laugh was louder than you ever had since you met Bokuto. “I came to drop these off since you dropped the other pot.”
“You dropped ____-san’s flowers? That’s very rude of you Bokuto-san, and bad business. I apologize for his antics,” Akaashi bowed with a frown.
“Akaashi, it was an accident, I swear! I was just nervous because-” Suddenly Bokuto clasped his hands over his mouth. He turned to you and laughed awkwardly. “Uh, so, you didn’t have to do that! I thought you were coming to pick up the money I owe you.”
“Oh, well, I… Uh,” now that there was an audience you felt even more of a loser to do this. “It’s okay. I just came to gave you these instead.” Bokuto took the bouquet out of your hands as you held it out. He gazed at them in wonder and admiration. Even Akaashi couldn’t help but try to look at every angle of them. “They’re just hyacinths, carnations, and tulips.”
“Ah, forgiveness flowers,” Akaashi commented.
“Yes,” you agreed with a small smile. “How did you know?”
“A client asked me to tattoo hyacinths onto him before. Kind of a way to say he was sorry to his mother, since he put her name in the middle of them,” Akaashi told.
“Woah, man. These are amazing, ____-san! You made these for me?” Bokuto asked ecstatic. He couldn’t take his eyes off of them, and you couldn’t stop smiling at him.
“Yeah, so you could put them with the other bouquets you bought for the shop,” you insisted.
Suddenly, Bokuto flinched at the mention and the loud roaring from some of the tattoo artists. As your startled eyes darted the same man who anticipated how long Bokuto would realize it was you, Bokuto tried to hush him.
“Kuroo, shut up, man!” Bokuto hissed.
As you raised an eyebrow, you noticed Akaashi shake his head. “Is that what he told you?”
“Akaashi, stop!” Bokuto cried.
You felt silly to hear Kuroo continue to laugh and Bokuto beg Akaashi to be quiet. Curiosity got the best of you and you couldn’t help but look at the shop. Bokuto noticed and tried to get your attention, but you couldn’t unsee it now.
“____-san, I can explain! I was-”
“Bokuto-san, what’s going on? You don’t have flowers throughout the shop?” you weren’t hurt. You were just confused.
As Kuroo’s laugh got louder, you couldn’t help but look to him. “Oh man, Bo, man, you are such a dweeb.” Kuroo said as his laugh trailed off. He took off his gloves as he began to walk over. Kuroo put an arm around Bokuto’s neck, and just as Bokuto was about to protest, Kuroo poked Bokuto’s cheek with his pointer finger. “This guy has been too nervous to ask you out so he just buys your flowers.”
“Kuroo! Man, you’re making me look more like a dweeb now!” Bokuto cried. You didn’t even realize how red he had gotten. His whole face was red, including his neck.
“Wait, so… Do you throw the flowers away? I don’t mind, I mean those were expensive and you could-”
“He keeps them upstairs in his office,” Akaashi interrupted with a small laugh.
You turned to the window Bokuto left open to his office. And you could actually see it. Not all of them, but you could see the bouquets Bokuto had bought in the past. Now that you finally really looked, you could even see the small flowering pot Bokuto had bought in the window sill.
“You’ve been taking care of them?” you asked, overjoyed. You had to calm yourself by bringing a strand of hair behind your ear.
“Y-Yeah, I have,” Bokuto answered embarrassed. He was still red from the face down to his neck. But you couldn’t really say much. You felt as red as him. And you couldn’t stop smiling.
“So, since you like him and now you know what a big crush you have on my man, Bokuto, when are you guys going on a date?” Kuroo asks with a Cheshire smile.
“Hey, I can ask ____-san out without your help!” Bokuto complained with a fist in the air.
“Yeah, and where has that ended you up?” Kuroo asked, rolling his eyes.
Slowly, all of you looked to the window that revealed all. As the two of you met eyes with a small laugh, Bokuto smiled more confidently. “So, uh…. Yeah, would you-I mean, could I take you out on a date, ____-san?”
It was hard not to smile around Bokuto. But it wasn’t like you would want it to stop. “A date sounds nice.”
“Hello,” you greeted with a small smile.
Kyoutani nodded his head to you, exhaling the smoke from his cigarette’s. He didn’t say much to you. It was really you who brought the conversation to him. But he was friendly (in a way) enough to hold some of the conversation.
As you watered the flowers outside of your shop, you couldn’t help but peek over to Kyoutani. For the owner of the tattoo shop next to you, he had no ink whatsoever on his body Well, none that were visible. As he exhaled again, he caught you staring at him.
“You’re over watering them,” Kyoutani pointed out.
Quickly, you brought you attention back to your flowers and noticed a waterfall coming out of the bought and landing onto the sidewalk. “Ah! Oh, no! I’m so sorry!” Suddenly, you hear Kyoutani stifle a laugh. Once you turned to him, he turned his face away. “What’s so funny?”
“I didn’t laugh,” Kyoutani answered as he turned to you. He usually had such a mean face on, but right now his lips were in such an awkward pout. Even as he inhaled more smoke, it was still awkward.
“Yes, you did,” you teased, pointing at him with your watering pot. “Are you making fun of me?”
“I don’t need to make fun of a weirdo who talks to her flowers,” Kyoutani said qiuetly as he exhaled. He flinched when he felt sudden droplets on his face. “Hey! What the-”
“Says the guy who keeps only a strip of his natural hair color, blondie,” you stuck your tongue out with a laugh. You continued to flick little amounts of water onto to Kyoutani until he started to growl. You held your hands up defensively when Kyoutani tossed his cigarette onto the road. “Okay, okay I’ll stop.”
“Give me the stupid pot,” Kyoutani growled, pouting when you tried to hold back your laugh as you handed him the pot.
There was one flower pot you had hanging above the rest that you couldn’t reach. You would have to get a step ladder. There was one day Kyoutani happened to be out the same time as you while you were watering your flowers. The two of you didn’t say much to each other but when it got time to watering the flower pot above, you realized you forgot to get the step ladder. Too lazy to go back, you decided to try. Of course, getting on the tip of your toes and holding out watering pot wouldnt get it. Just as you were about to fall back from the poor balance, Kyoutani stood behind you.
He was intimidating. The black eye liner, definitely the hair, and the all black attire did give him a… Stronger presence than others. His mean pout didn’t help either. But when he held out his hand for the watering pot, you were in complete shock when he watered the plant for you.
Ever since then Kyoutani had done it every time needed. You two began to grow closer. Well, close enough to joke and help each other out. Whenever he had a client want a tattoo of a flower, he would stop by and draw it. Sometimes it would be after business hours, but you didn’t mind.
You could never tell Kyoutani this but you actually liked when he would stop by in the shop. He would take the flower and sit at the desk close to the counter, it was a perfect view to see how concentrated Kyoutani was on drawing. You tease Kyoutani that he can actually smile because you catch him sometimes when he’s finished a drawing or finally captured the essence of the flower. Its nice to tease him just so you can see him blush.
“Here,” Kyoutani muttered as he brought the pail down to you.
His skin was warm. The tips of your ears became hot when you grabbed the flowering pot from Kyoutani, your hands just brushing each other. “Thanks, Kyoutani.” Kyoutani nodded just before he walked toward the shops door. As you waved, you were curious why he stopped in his steps. “Kyoutani?”
Kyoutani slowly turned around, his lips moving around, as if he was trying to say the words. “I’m going to be stopping by later.”
“Oh, okay,” you nodded slowly. “Another flower drawing?”
Your heart thudded when Kyoutani had pink on his cheeks. “Yeah. Something like that.”
“Okay, yeah just come through the back,” you instructed. You were still in awe. Kyoutani was blushing… But not like how he was embarrassed whenever you teased. Like…
He was blushing like some little school girl saying hi to her crush. As Kyoutani entered his shop, you couldn’t help but wonder who the flower tattoo he would be drawing was to him?
“I’m here,” Kyoutani greeted from behind you.
“Jesus! Kyoutani, you scared me!” you exclaimed, a hand on your heart.
Kyoutani chuckled. He didn’t even smile or anything, it was a small little smirk. But damn, was it cute. “Do you have the flower?”
“Oh, yeah, right over there,” you nodded to the desk.
“Thanks, I’ll hurry so you can close up,” Kyoutani said.
“No, no, take your time,” you assured. Please do so I can watch you.
You sighed to the realization of how much of a stalker you sounded. You quickly recovered a smile when Kyoutani raised an eyebrow to you. Kyoutani usually sat at the desk and faced the wall. But he actually took the chair and brought it so he could face you. So much for staring.
“Just let me know any other flower you need,” you called out. As Kyoutani opened his sketch book, you knew it was time to stop bothering him.
It wasn’t that Kyoutani told you to stop bothering him, it was just… Nice to watch him. He was so concentrated on doing what he loved, you didn’t have the heart to break his focus. No matter how much you wanted his focus to be on you.
Since you still had a few things to do before leaving the shop, you couldn’t really watch Kyoutani draw. As if you had the heart to since now he was facing you fully, with the exception of the flower between you two. Kyoutani would look at the flower and occasionally turn it to get the other angles. When you heard him move the pot, you couldn’t help look over to the flower.
It was amaryllis and lavender heathers that were in front of Kyoutani. The amaryllis symbolized “splendid beauty” and the lavender heathers meant “admiration”. Two flowers that cold obviously say he had a crush on someone. Kyoutani has never blushed or become so quiet whenever he asked about flowers. Of course he had someone he liked.
And you were just a little flower shop owner who had a silly crush on him.
It was stupid, right? To have a crush on a tattoo artist? Of course he wouldn’t like you, you were just a flower shop owner. That made you seem delicate, Kyoutani could definitely see that. You let him help you every time you needed to water that flowering pot. He couldn’t have thought of you as some independent woman, not like the girl he liked. No, the girl he must like was the total opposite of you.
As you sighed, Kyoutani rose from the chair. “Done already?”
“Already? I’ve been here for an hour and a half,” Kyoutani pointed out.
He was right. The clock to the right of you definitely changed. “Oh, wow. I didn’t even notice. How did the drawing go?” You couldn’t help but flinch when you saw him blush as he looked away. “Must be someone special, huh?”
It was just a silly crush. All you had to do was smile and mask the jealousy. It was a silly crush.
It did hurt a little when Kyoutani was surprised you said. Of course he had someone he liked.
“Well, she’ll like it. You always draw so nice, so-” you stopped when Kyoutani opened up his sketch book. When Kyoutani started ripping out the page, you shook your hands. “Oh, no, you don’t have to show me. You don’t even have to take it out, I was just-”
“Just look at it,” Kyoutani said as he practically shoved the paper in front of you.
He wouldn’t even look you in the eyes. Kyoutani just shoved the paper again when you just stared at it. As you took the paper from his hand, you couldn’t help but look at it with wide eyes. “This is… For me?”
“Obviously, right?” Kyoutani muttered, still not meeting your eyes. You could see the pink in his cheeks had gone to a deeper shade now.
It was a picture of you smiling with the flowers around you. “It’s… I love it.”
Kyoutani slowly looked at you. When you couldn’t stop staring at it with a big smile, he rubbed the back of his neck. “Really?” You nodded slowly, looking at every detail of his drawing. It was just too beautiful. But as you slowly looked to Kyoutani to thank him again, he was smiling at you.
For the first time, he actually smiled at you. And it was the best thing ever.
“Kyoutani, I like you,” you blurted out quietly.
His smile turned into surprise, like some shocked look a dog gives you. “Really?”
“Y-Yeah, so if this is just some nice gesture, I’m glad. But I don’t want to get my hopes up because in all honesty, I really do like you. So I just-”
“Well why do you think I drew you and not some dog in the middle of those flowers?” Kyoutani cut off with a pout. Ah, there was the mean mug again. But it wasn’t like you were complaining.
“Yeah, I think exactly what those flowers say. Just… About you,” Kyoutani trailed off as his eyes wandered else where. He was just as red as the amaryllis on the desk.
Then again, so were you to find out the silly crush you had on the tattoo artist next door wasn’t so silly anymore.