How Green Becomes Wood

Gwen smiled back at him, "Are you hitting on me or are you just being nice? You got me right on the money, though, but I think the mushroom dress gave you an advantage. I'm definitely a fan of moss and lichen, and fungi, obviously. I don't really know the names of flowers though, even though I should."
 
Tristan chuckled and wheeled around the counter and indicated a small display near it. "These are pansies. They are difficult to work into bouquets since they tend to have short stems, but they are a very cheery flower. I think you would also like sweet peas and cosmos, but you strike me as being a daisy. Wild daisies are fantastically hardy flowers, and their hot house cousins are only slightly less so. Would you like a small bouquet of your own?"
 
"That's very kind of you, I'd love one," Gwen smiled, following him to look at flowers, "I just hope they don't get wilty before I make it home tonight. I think it's going to be a long evening."

Soon enough, although a little longer than was probably necessary, Dark led Daizi out front with the bouquet completed. It was imperfect, but fairly well made, and he brought it to Tristan for approval.
 
Tristan quickly made her up a small bouquet of mostly wildflowers with diverse colors and scents. He placed them in one of the plastic holders with several hydrated water beads to help keep the flowers perky and bright. "When you get them home and are ready to put them in a vase, cut off the bottom half-inch to an inch of stem. The bottom tends to dry out and become wooden, but if you slice off the bottom, they will be able to drink water once again." He turned to Dark's bouquet and nodded in approval. "Not bad. Perhaps a little more like this." He moved just a couple of flowers, somehow elevating it with just those simple movements, and handed it back. It could be better, but he wanted it to be mostly Dark's work. He did fluff it a bit since it was going to a bride, but that was all. "A beautiful first try."
 
"Thank you," Dark replied, feeling rather proud of it, and Daizi was delighted, even though it wasn't going to her. As much as she wanted to stay with her husband, who was feeling a bit romantic from the constant flirting, she knew she had places to be, so while Gwen thanked Tristan for her flowers, Daizi paid for hers, thanked Tristan for all the hospitality, and, clearly joking said, "And keep them off my husband!" before kissing Dark on the cheek and going with Gwen off to the party.
 
Multiple eyes watched Daizi go before swinging back to Dark. There was almost an audible sigh before the women bustled about and finished their purchases. There was finally a little breathing room, but Tristan knew that would not last long.

"We need to refill a lot of the flowers, the displays, and the vases. That was the most vases I have ever sold in a single day," Tristan stated.
 
"Right." Dark nodded, looking out the window for a moment, "I will begin working on that, I will do the high shelves first, so you do not need to worry about them. It is nearing to the end of my shift, and I cannot stay late because of Daizi being out." He paused for a moment as he headed towards where the vases are sold, "I suppose I can work longer tomorrow, though, so you are not left to manage this alone."
 
"That would be appreciated," Tristan said sincerely. He went to the back and brought out a large box of assorted flowers. He could reach every shelf in the store - he'd made certain of that - but there were plenty of areas that were more difficult for him to reach, especially with the window displays. The vases were already finicky, so it was nice for someone taller to be able to put them up. The hanging plants were also doable but annoying, and Dark could reach them with ease.

"Your wife keeps good friends," Tristan commented as they worked.

A single man entered the store, and he hesitantly moved around the store, looking at everything awkwardly.
 
"She does," Dark agreed, "but she is someone who people gravitate towards."

As he helped to restock, the single man caught his eye, and, as he dried his hands on his handkerchief, Dark walked over, and in his rumbling voice asked, "May I help you, Sir?"
 
"Oh." He looked behind Dark but only saw Tristan, who was busily sorting small, pre-made flower bouquets. "Aren't there any... uh... maybe women working here? Or, I guess, um, maybe a gay guy might work? Women like gay guys, so maybe they know how women think better?" he fumbled.
 
Dark's expression did not change, but inside he cycled through a number of varying responses, "Unfortunately, no, there are no women employed here. I can only speak for myself, but I am married to a woman, and am a father to a daughter, so I may be able to assist you," there seemed no point in mentioning his daughter was less than a year old. He came very near to outright outing himself as bisexual, but it didn't seem quite necessary.
 
The man hesitated and seemed to be going back and forth in his mind. Finally, he came to a decision. "I need to make up with my girlfriend. I kind of messed up... uh, really messed up, and I need a way to make it up to her."
 
"She likes, uh, old anime, especially those two princess ones. The one with the ridiculously long hair and the one with the frilly dance dress," he said, waving his hands awkwardly as he tried to indicate what he was talking about. "And novels about, uh, like romance and stuff, but she doesn't have a lot.of.time to read."
 
"Do you have a picture of the characters?" Dark asked, walking to the white Mount-Hood daffodils, which reminded him of a beautiful white lace gown, "We can pick flowers which are reminiscent of them, if you like. As a start."
 
"I dunno. They're, like, famous in anime, but, I dunno. Uh." He pulled out his phone and started frantically searching. "The one is something... a duck and the dance where they're on their toes a lot? And the other one, she's in this, like, sailor outfit? And there's a black cat and a bunch of other dress-shaping girls?"

"Princess Tutu for the first one, and Sailor Moon for the second," Tristan supplied as he rolled past to put a couple of potted plants in the window.

"Yeah! Yeah! That's it!" With the names at his disposal, the man was able to pull up pictures of the related anime and show them to dark. "Lots of pink and blue and white and I guess yellow for the hair."
 
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