Chapter 2

Ivan neatly rolled up a bouquet of white tulips into delicate paper, finishing up with a bow. It was almost closing time, but nowadays that no longer meant the long-expected end to an onslaught of disturbances coming from the building next-door. No, Ivan and Alfred had made their peace long ago, and not once had Ivan felt it necessary to walk over to file in his complaints. Which didn't mean they never saw each other again; on the contrary, Alfred often dropped by before or after closing hours.

"Here you go, miss," Ivan said warmly, getting a delighted giggle in return. He waved her out after receiving payment, before turning back towards the roses. Someone had called earlier today to make a reservation, and now that all the other customers had left, it was time to get to work, so that everything was ready for pick-up by the time he did close shop.

Ivan bent over, gathering twenty dark red roses in his arms, taking deep appreciative breaths to smell their rich essence. Ivan heard the door open behind him, the bell giving a jingle.

"Just a second, I will be right with you," he hummed in a sing-song voice; handling these beautiful flowers always managed to put him in a good mood. Sunflowers were still his favourites (as the tiny tattoo on his shoulder proved), but any flower did the trick.

"No need to rush, big guy."

Ivan smiled, before raising his back and turning towards Alfred, the flowers falling in elegant bundles in his arms. "Alfred," he said, expression still pure and utter content under the knowledge of a long working day once more coming to an end, "I was under the impression that you were still open for a while."

Ivan's heart gave the smallest of jumps when his gaze fell upon Alfred's face, eyes wide and almost sparkling, as if he'd just witnessed something divine. "Alfred?" he asked, not realising exactly what the dark hue of the roses did to his skin, not realising exactly how wonderful Alfred must think his current expression.

The owner of the tattoo parlour rapidly blinked his eyes (Ivan noticed that for once he had covered up his richly decorated arms by a neat suit, and promptly came to the conclusion that his neighbour dressed up quite nicely). "Oh, I closed shop early today. Have some stuff to do this evening, and business was running slow today anyway." He uncovered his brilliantly white teeth in a careless laugh, never taking his eyes off of Ivan.

Ivan smiled, walking further into the store to where he had a table for arranging flowers, beckoning for Alfred to follow. "I see," Ivan mused, carefully laying down the roses, grabbing some green leafs to give the bouquet more body. "Running errands?"

"Uh, not exactly," Alfred admitted, looking around at all the different kinds of flowers, obviously too distracted to take in any of their names. "Have made arrangements at a restaurant. Hoping to meet someone there." For whatever reason, the usually bold—borderline audacious—man seemed nervous.

Ivan looked up from the bouquet he was working on, quirking an eyebrow. "You have a date?" he asked, the thought of which left a bitter taste on his tongue. He didn't quite care for Alfred going on dates with anyone, a startling realisation that settled deep within his gut. Ivan quickly turned back to his work, giving the finishing touches.

"Uh, yeah. Hopefully. If this works."

"Hmm? If what works?"

Ivan stood up with the finished bouquet in his arms, sending another look at the clock. Whoever had ordered these flowers was late to pick them up; it was officially past closing time right now.

Alfred scraped his throat. Apparently he had sweaty hands, for he kept patting his slacks. "Well, I kinda hoped the flowers would do the trick."

Ivan fully turned to him. "Ah, so you came to buy flowers for your sweetheart. Why didn't you say so sooner?"

Alfred licked his lips, nodded at the roses Ivan was holding. "I did. You just made them."

Ivan's eyes widened. Ah. "The roses." If he had known who these were for, he would have put a lot less effort into them. Ivan could already feel his mood souring. What was wrong with him today?! Surely he liked Alfred's presence, but not to that extent…

Ivan briskly extended the bouquet. "Well, I hope they help. Do you want to pay in cash?"

Alfred gingerly accepted the flowers, now looking Ivan directly in the eye. "Well uh, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to hold off on paying. I mean, until after dinner."

Ivan felt himself grow even more terse; any onlooker would have called his behaviour sulking. "I will no longer be here by then. It is closing time."

Alfred's cheeks obtained a mild pink taint. "Yeah, I know. Because you're coming with me."

Ivan's brow furrowed deeper. Alfred wasn't making any sense. "Chto? You want me as a wingman of sorts?"

Alfred wildly shook his head, led out a small whine. His behaviour was becoming so uncharacteristic (and admittedly adorable), that Ivan could no longer take it.

"Well, spit it out! Why should I come with you on your date? I do not like to play second fiddle!"

Alfred's voice came out as a squeak, small and high-pitched. "I was kinda hoping that you would be my date."

Everything in the small flower shop went deadly silent, not even the clock seemed keen on making a noise (or perhaps its sounds were simply drowned out by the big question mark coming to the foreground of Ivan's psyche).

"I…chto?" He felt like he was repeating himself a lot this evening, but it was the only question he could ask.

Alfred extended the flowers back to him, his smile hopeful yet his eyes shifting. "I'd like to take you to dinner, if you don't mind. I uh, I know you like flowers, so I thought I'd buy you some, but who knows how to deal with flowers better than the florist himself, so that's why I asked you, but maybe I shouldn't because isn't it more romantic if I surprised you with something you didn't sell, but—"

Ivan quickly covered the other's mouth with a hand, before he could be completely side-tracked.

"You were the one to order this flowers," he repeated, asking confirmation. Alfred nodded. "…For me?"

He lifted his hand so Alfred could answer, but all that came out was a stuttered "Uh, yeah."

They stared each other down for another moment, Alfred's arms still outstretched. Ivan finally sighed.

"You are right. It is a bit ridiculous to ask the one you want to go out with to prepare their own gift."

Alfred hurriedly opened his mouth to protest, but Ivan accepted the bouquet anyway. His smile had returned, expression warm and doting. "You really know how to make simple things difficult."

"S-so you'll come?" Alfred asked, needing a moment for this to sink in before he too began grinning like a maniac.

Ivan giggled. For someone dealing with pain and torture every day, Alfred could be surprisingly gentle. Ivan lightly touched the little sunflower tattoo on his shoulder; yes. He had confirmed that side of Alfred's a long time ago. His heart gave another leap when Alfred took hold of Ivan's hand and placed a quick kiss to the knuckles, a gesture both ridiculously outdated and outlandishly endearing.

"Though if it was for me, why not sunflowers?" Ivan asked, hanging his apron away and grabbing the keys to his apartment.

Alfred shrugged apologetically. "Because then you might find out before I got the courage to ask you out."

Ivan sent him a berating leer, underlined with a smile. "Alfred, I never would have found out had you not spelled it out. You may call me the delicate one, but believe me, dating and romance are not up my alley, as they say."

Alfred jumped in, hooking his arm into Ivan's. "Well, time to change that then."

And that is how the two of them walked off later that evening, hand in hand, one arm heavily tattooed, the other sporting only the smallest sunflower, the tattooist and the florist.