How Green Becomes Wood

With all his photography, Milo had a pretty good eye for organizing things, so he was able to do a lot on it. There wasn't a lot of talking necessary, and when they did it was just about the project, so although Milo never relaxed, he wasn't panicking. It was okay. Just okay, but okay.
 
It didn't take them as long to finish as Austin had feared, and they were soon done. "I think this is going to work well," he said, sitting back. "Not bad." He started carefully gathering everything up. "Tomorrow, we'll be done with it and see how high we fly or how hard we crash, right?"
 
"Agreed." Once he had everything picked up, Austin hesitated. "Do you want to... like... get something to eat or a soda or whatever?" he asked uncertainly. When two friends met, they were supposed to do stuff like that, right? He and Milo weren't exactly friends, but they weren't enemies, either. He didn't think. WHat was the protocol here?
 
"Um..." Milo thought about it for a few moments, rubbing the back of his neck, "I should probably just go home. Don't want to make my... home... worry. Should probably get home before it's too late. And I don't have any money on me."
 
"Okay," Austin said, relieved but not showing it. "Yeah, if you're biking, you definitely want to get home before dark." Another hesitant pause. "I have a car... I think your bike could fit... if you're worried about not making it home before dark. I mean, I dunno where you live, so maybe that's not a problem." He blushed, looking away.
 
"Alright, cool, see you tomorrow," Austin said. He finished picking stuff up and made sure Milo had everything he needed before heading off to his car.

~~

Meanwhile, Emma's mother was driving Alec to Tristan's shop. Emma sat in the back with him, and they were chatting about random things. Emma was easy to talk to, though a bit opinionated. Alec found he had to bring out actual debate tactics to discuss even the most random of things they disagreed on, but he wasn't bothered by it. A little confused, but not much. Everyone had their own way.

Emma waved goodbye as Alec hopped out of the car, and he thanked them profusely before hurrying into the shop. "I'm here!"

Tristan looked up from ringing up a customer's purchases. "Ah, there you are. I was starting to get concerned."

"I had to finish up a school project with a partner, and I got the time wrong fro how long it would take to get from her house here. I'm sorry," Alec apologized, hurrying toward the back.

Tristan smiled. "Its your first time being late. I think you can be allowed once or twice as long as you don't make a habit of it."

"Thanks!" Alec disappeared into the back to get to work.
 
Milo made it home in a relatively short amount of time and without any incident, and just changed into comfy clothes and got into bed to read for a little bit.

~~

Not long after Alec made it into work, a man who looked to be about Tristan's age, maybe a bit older, came into the shop, a bit nervously, but smiling. He looked around for a few moments and then his smile faded. And then, a bit of embarrassment creeping in around the corners of his face, picked up the nearest, cheapest flower he could find, and went to the counter.
 
"Hello, and welcome," Tristan greeted him warmly. "Is that all for you?"

Alec came out of the back with an armful of prepared bouquets and started putting them out, glancing at the customer curiously.
 
Alec watched him go, puzzled. "What was that?"

Tristan chuckled and made a tally mark on the pad next to his old cash register. "I think he was expecting someone else, that's all. So, what's your project about?"

Alec happily told Tristan all about it while he swept up and made sure all the flower cups were filled.
 
Later during Alec's workday, another person came in, with the same quickly-dashed hope as the young man, but rather than buying a flower and scurrying away, she looked around the shop for awhile, claimed she didn't want to make a decision until hearing back from her sister about colours, and then left without buying anything, feeling it was the better way to play things off.
 
Tristan made another tally mark on his pad and turned back to work rearranging a couple of the larger pre-made bouquets. Alec didn't fully notice the woman looking around, but things did seem a little odd. He shook it off and went to the back to bring out more daisies.

~~

Xander got home and headed up immediately to take a shower as he smelled especially strongly of horse and horse related things. When he got out and dried his hair, he determinedly gathered up the science project and headed downstairs.

"Ba?" he called, looking for his father.
 
"Yeah, are you willing hang out for like an hour checking in on me and then to sign a thing saying you were an eyewitness to the fact that I did my partner's side of the project as well as my own?" Xander asked bluntly.
 
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