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#𓆩✧𓆪 Mieran
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Tw: suicide is the theme of this fic.
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He said words he wished he heard.
“I'll never leave you. I'll always be there to catch you.”
And he meant it. When it became too much and he faced the ledge a second time, Alee was there, Alee pulled him back. He had help, of course. But he convinced him that living was braver, more courageous. Anything to get him off the ledge.
The third time, Alee's second, he was driven to the ledge by an outside force. A curse words alone couldn't break. But they made a promise. And so they both went off the ledge. The push he needed to snap out of it, to crave the air he didn't need, the love he'd gained. It hurt. But he wasn't gone, and neither were they, secure and safe in his arms.
Alee knew what it was like to face the ledge. The only difference between him and Mieran; they could never die. But he could. He did, but Alee refused to let him be erased. Refused to let him die that second death, they'd pull him back from the ledge every time.
He'd sat on that ledge himself so many times, but it looked different. Hands bleeding, tear streaked cheeks, sitting in front of crystals and a summoning circle talking to the unfeeling thing that was Death. Reapers who refused his release. He'd seen that ledge, but he'd been denied it. At least he could say what he needed to hear back then.
“I know it's overwhelming.” They breathed. “I know you're scared. But think of what you leave behind. The legacy you haven't completed. Think about the courage it takes, Mieran. Think about how courageous you are.” Alee stepped closer to the ledge, carefully. Practised. If there was one thing he was good at it? It was saving anyone, everyone, but himself.
Mieran's tears dried to his skin as the wind whipped around him, but he could hear Alee's calm words in his ears, his confidence, they believed what they said. How could he not believe them then? Mieran stepped back, tripping some, but Alee caught him, held him tightly.
“You're the bravest man I know.” Alee promised, holding the sobbing reaper. Alee looked at the ledge as he held Mieran, looked out at the city. They remembered the times they'd thrown themself off high rises just to feel something. Just to die, for a moment. Some sort of peace, some quiet from the voices. Even now, so loud in his head. Even as he kept their reaper going. He was his reaper, not the Fates.
“Let's go home, okay?”
“Yes.. Home..” Mieran nuzzled his face and Alee carefully picked him up, holding him groom style. No matter what. Alee would always bring him back from the ledge. He'd always be there. It gave him purpose.
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The Chronicles of a Romantic Florist (1)
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Alee looked at the bouquet in front of him again, shaky fingers nervously arranging the flowers once more. A soft sigh escaped the florist as he pulled his hands back, reaching up to push his bangs out of his eyes.
White gardenias to represent secret love, black claws brushed against the white petals. Yellow roses for his friendship, red eyes gazed at the bright hue. A few thornless red roses for love at first sight. Red orchids for a hopeful blossoming romance. Delphinium for ardent attachment.. 
He chewed the inside of his cheek, closing his eyes momentarily to calm his nerves. Red eyes opened once more, he fixed the red bow around the black hued vase. The bouquet truly was one of his finest, the baby's breath doing wonders to fill the bouquet.
The florist picked the vase up, glancing up at the clock behind the register. It was only nine am. He knew the other man wouldn't be at his shop for another three hours. Still, he moved past the counter towards the centre of the open shop. Alee quietly left his store, walking only a few steps to the right to the next door shop.
Alee crouched down, carefully placing the vase on the little step in front of the shop. He then pulled a small envelope from his pocket, a dark blue one with golden ink. He tucked the card within the flowers, making sure the other man's name was visible facing forward. The florist then stood once more, smoothing his skirt out.
He returned to his shop, getting ready to open for the day. He swept the sales floor, soft music playing over the speaker. He quietly bided his time, waiting for the man next door to arrive at work. They were friends, he'd like to think. But Alee couldn't help the way his feelings had developed for the artist.
Alee set his broom aside, going to the door and flipping the sign to open. He then unlocked the door. Few rarely came in, but that didn't leave him without work. He'd been contracted for two separate weddings, he bit his tongue when he looked at the computer. 
He'd forgotten about the contract with D'Stella and D'Stella, the funeral home he was well acquainted with. Alee exhaled, turning to go into the back, he'd better get started, he figured. He'd be at a loss if he lost the D'Stellas as a customer.
Alee wasn't sure when he'd lost track of time, the bouquets stored in the fridge for the upcoming funeral. The bell to his shop dinged and he turned his head, trying to peer out into the store. The florist made a face when he couldn't see, opting to push his glasses up and leave the back area.
“Welcome to Verseau's Florals, how may I-”
“Alee.”
He was cut off by an all too familiar voice, blushing slightly as brown eyes landed on him. “Hello, Mieran.” Alee greeted in as calm a voice as he could muster. The artist stood in the middle of his shop, the vase of flowers in his hands.
Mieran stepped forward, placing the bouquet on the counter. Alee hesitantly moved forwards, closer to him. He was nervous, why wasn't Mieran saying more? Did he not feel the same? Did he just ruin their friendship?
“Worst ‘secret’ admirer ever.” Mieran did quotations around secret, the florist nervously looking away. He was trying not to shake, his mouth felt dry.
His eyes snapped back to Mieran as the artist took his hands in his. “I like you too.” Mieran brought their hands up, kissing Alee's knuckles sweetly. The florist's pink cheeks quickly became red at the artist's declaration.
“Do you want to get coffee at that café down the street? After work.”
Alee suppressed the urge of his tail to pop out just to wag. He eagerly nodded, smiling up at the other man. He couldn't help it, he felt.. so warm. It was something he couldn't describe.
“I'd love that.. Fates’ Thread, right?”
Mieran nodded.
“Great, don't forget your flowers!”
Alee quickly pulled his hands away from Mieran, turning away in a desperate attempt to hide his darkening blush from the artist who merely chuckled at him. The florist listened as Mieran picked up the vase, soon leaving the florist shop.
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In every au where Sienna is alive (sans Senette), she has the phattest crush on Mieran. whom is gay. it's the funniest running gag for me.
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im so sorry to mieran who has to be the reasonable partner out of the four
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One Act
"You knew this would happen."
Alee inhaled quietly, eyes soft, glossy with tears that he refused to shed. It was Mieran who stood at the end of the bed, his eyes not focused on the task at hand, but rather, the man sitting in the chair. "I know." Alee finally responded. The magical disguise he wore flickered, as if he couldn't hold onto the spell.
The soul had been reaped, all that was left behind an empty shell. That was the difficult part of immortality. Alee exhaled deeply, looking down at the cold hand in his. It was hard for Mieran, watching the man's stoic face twitch. The way he ran his tongue over his bottom lip, the way he breathed steadily, the way his eyes didn't focus.
"We told-"
"Told me not to take in humans, I know. They're weaker, they're mortal. Anything and everything can go wrong. I know." Alee brought the young woman's hand up, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. "But some experiences never go away. And.." Alee's next breath was shakier as he looked at the body in the bed. It was just too familiar. 
He swore he'd do better, swore he'd help people. Alee blinked. A single tear slipped past his lashes, dark mascara ran down his cheek. Old age he could handle. He could handle knowing they had a long full life because of him, his family. But this was different. "Mister Destan?" Alee exhaled softly, his disguise in place as he turned some to look at the doctor entering the room. "Do you need more time?"
Alee looked back at the young woman in the bed, ignoring the way Mieran looked at him with sympathy. "No.. No, I'm okay." Alee stood up, giving the woman's hand a gentle squeeze. He knew there was no better place. He gently put her hand beside her in the hospital bed. Alee hesitantly reached out, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear. "Sleep well, Paige." 
And then he turned to leave, giving the doctor his quiet thanks as he passed by him. Mieran, albeit not visible, quietly followed after the sorcerer. And he seemed fine, he'd done all the paperwork already. Just needed to go home, her belongings clutched in a bag in his arms. His disguise fell away in the parking garage.
Mieran reacted quickly, catching Alee before he fell. "It's okay.." The reaper held him, arms wrapping tight around the sorcerer. And still Alee couldn't cry. Just kept telling himself he knew this would happen. He knew the risks of taking care of humans who were just like him once. Humans that didn't have the failsafe of not being able to die. Mieran ran his fingers through Alee's hair, the sorcerer shaking in his arms but silent.
"We did everything we could for her. Some people.. They can't be.."
Saved. 
And while Alee knew that was logical, knew that he couldn't save everyone, couldn't protect everyone. He still blamed himself. Alee brought her into the family, the simple action causing a domino effect. He was the reason his family had to mourn another loss. "Let's go home, okay? They're waiting for us." Mieran helped Alee stand, and helped him back to the car. Even took the car keys to drive. They weren't far from home anyway.
He looked through the bag to occupy his mind, but it only served to make things worse when her possessions were so few. Clothes, keyring, wallet, phone. He opened her wallet wordlessly, watched it unfold, revealing photo booth photos of her and their family. A random act of violence. One random act of violence. Alee looked at the house from the driveway, unable to talk himself into getting out of the car.
"I'll be in in a minute."
Mieran sighed but obliged, leaving him alone in the car. And alone in the car, Alee cried.
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alee managed to snag three of the hottest ad vitam boys (gn) cause he stole from one, stabbed another, and... watched movies with a third.
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good evening i'm here to talk about alee and vesper's children.
which is to say marilla makes a point of stealing lumio's cape when she's a little older because they so often swaddled her in it when she was a baby. they'll often find her asleep wrapped in it on the couch along with the lil stuffed bear her parents got her when she was a baby
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Thunder & Lightning Strikes
If it weren’t for the storm, he wouldn’t have invited the man over.
But with Vesper gone for the week to attend to their clan duties and Heidi away with Miya. Not to mention Cirino was in Italy with that stupid reaper… He didn’t particularly have anybody else to invite over. He tried loud music, but the storm was louder. Video games didn’t prove to be any help either, not without Cirino at least.
Mieran shook the rain water off of himself as he stepped inside of the house, Alee all but slamming the front door shut behind him. The sorcerer quietly locked the door, hands shaking as the storm raged on. “I really didn’t expect that text. Is everything alright?” The reaper inquired, turning to watch his friend’s husband. 
Alee opened his mouth to say something, some witty retort about how he was just trying for Vesper’s sake. Some half truth he always managed. But nothing came out. The windows beside the door lit up as lightning struck, thunder following soon after. Alee’s tail dropped almost immediately, his ears flattening against his head. 
The thunder roared again and Alee backed away quickly from the door, darting beyond Mieran and further into the house. It clicked for Mieran, vaguely remembering Vesper once mentioning the sorcerer was petrified of thunder. “Let’s go do something. Away from the windows.” Alee’s shaky voice suggested from the dark entrance.
The reaper was momentarily put off by the red shine of the other man’s eyes staring at him in the dark, somehow not expecting the sight. But he relaxed, following Alee into their home. “What did you have in mind?” Mieran inquired as Alee proceeded to turn on every single light between the entrance and the living room, including the kitchen light and the light for the stairs.
“Uhm something loud, preferably. Movies? Movies can be loud.”
Mieran took a seat on the couch, eyes following the frantic sorcerer. Thunder shook the house and Alee jumped, grabbing his tail and bringing it close to himself. “Uhm.. All our movie apps are connected to the Smart TV thing, go crazy.. Just no romcoms!” He hesitantly made his way into the kitchen to grab something.
Free rein? Wow they must really be out of it. Mieran leaned forward, grabbing the remote off of the coffee table and turning the TV on. The white couch was in front of large windows, the windows covered by heavy black curtains however. The reaper switched on the TV, scrolling through the available apps.
Alee wasted little time placing snacks and drinks on the coffee table, judging by what he brought out, he’d been stress cooking before Mieran arrived.. But before he could ask about it, the sorcerer apologised and quickly headed up the stairs. Not a romcom.. If Mieran recalled correctly.. Alee liked horror? But if he was wrong.. 
He settled on some crime horror. If anything, it’d be loud enough to cover the sounds of the storm that terrified the sorcerer so bad. Mieran wanted to call them friends, but he wasn’t entirely sure. Most of his knowledge on the man secondhand, things he picked up from Vesper or even Lumio. Hell, he wasn’t even aware Alee could cook until this moment.
Mieran’s train of thought was interrupted when a pillow hit him in the face, the pillow falling into his lap. Alee stood at the base of the stairs, large red and black comforter wrapped around his shoulders, another pillow in his arms. He, reluctantly, turned some of the lights off for the movie. The strike of thunder. The sorcerer scurried to the couch, seating himself directly beside the reaper. 
“So.. Thunder?”
“Shut up, reaper.” Alee huffed, unfurling the blanket and throwing it over the both of them. Mieran just laughed, used to it at this rate. He pressed play on the movie, setting the remote aside after he turned the volume up high. He then helped himself to food as the movie began to play, only partially paying attention to the way Alee hugged his pillow.
The movie wasn’t the most entertaining thing in the world, but at least it was fast paced and loud. Really all Mieran was looking for in order to soothe the sorcerer’s jumpiness. All was going well until the movie grew silent for a scene and thunder loudly sounded, the fox yelping at the sudden sound. 
Mieran blinked when Alee threw themself at him, strong arms wrapping around his waist, the edges of his glasses pressed against the reaper’s torso. Mieran hesitantly raised his arm, afraid to touch the relatively dangerous sorcerer based on past experiences. Another bang and Alee whimpered loudly, a hushed French apology escaping his lips. 
The movie’s sound resumed loudly, but Alee didn’t let go, still hiding against Mieran’s side underneath the heavy blanket. He frowned, cautiously lowering his hand onto what he assumed was the sorcerer’s shoulder. “It’s okay.” Mieran quietly reassured him, frowning somewhat when their grip tightened around him.
Alee’s phone rang and the sorcerer’s yelp was even louder before he exhaled heavily. The man sat up, the blanket falling from his head as he pulled his phone from his hoodie pocket. “Oh so now Cirino can get back to me..” He mumbled, using his free hand to adjust his glasses on his face. 
He tossed his phone onto the couch beside him, almost immediately falling back against Mieran’s side instead. Mieran willed his heartbeat, hoping the soft repetitive thudding would help calm his friend who had their head on his chest. “Never took you for the cuddly type.” He halfheartedly joked.
The sorcerer scoffed, tail swishing with his annoyance, but he made no attempt to move away. Mieran predicted the next bang of thunder, bringing his hands up to cover Alee’s ears as the lightning struck. When it passed he dropped his hands wordlessly, focus moving back to the movie. 
Minutes passed, and with each one he could get more comfortable, get closer. Twenty minutes and Alee was letting him run his fingers through their hair. The long loose messy strands of black hair silky and soft as he gently brushed through them. “Thunder.” Mieran warned quietly, Alee covering his ears quickly. 
They fell into a sort of routine, Mieran doing his best to predict the changes in electrostatic charges in the atmosphere to warn them ahead of time. And for the most part, it seemed to work, Alee surprisingly relaxed. While the sorcerer worked on picking the next movie, Mieran took the time to check his phone, free hand still playing with their hair.
Vesper.. The text was simple, inquiring on how Alee was feeling. Mieran subtly turned the flash off on his phone, leaning in such a way he could at least attempt to take a photo of Alee without the man knowing. He quickly took one, showcasing the sorcerer resting against his chest. “That better only be going to Vesper.” Ah, caught. Mieran sent the photo nonetheless. 
Alee’s phone beeped soon after and the man put on an old horror movie he always enjoyed, swapping the remote for his phone. “Great now xe thinks I’m getting soft for you.” Alee sighed, the fluffy white tip of his tail flicking, his right ear twitched. Mieran set his phone down in his lap, resuming his calming actions of brushing his hair.
“Is that so bad? They do want us to be friends.”
The sorcerer rolled his eyes as he texted a response to his spouse about not being soft for anybody. Mieran released his hair to cover his ears, lightning striking and thunder booming seconds after. “We are friends. Doesn’t mean I’m soft for you.” Alee huffed, dropping his phone once more. 
Mieran got the distinct feeling that the other man was lying, somehow. But he shrugged it off, dropping one hand to his lap and the other back to Alee’s long hair. This was the best encounter the two had, he wasn’t about to ruin it by teasing him further. Not yet, at least. And Alee seemed thankful for it, resting comfortably against his side. 
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The Chronicles of a Romantic Florist (3)
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A loud crash sounded throughout the store, Mieran’s expression of surprise towards Lumio was only momentary before they both raced into the flower storage room behind the counter.
Alee knelt on the ground, clutching his hand to his chest as he glared at the shattered remains of a flower vase. The bouquet was strewn about the floor, his knees wet from the water in the vase now everywhere beneath him.
“Alee..” Mieran grabbed one of the folded cloths on a nearby table, he bent down and wrapped Alee’s bleeding hand. “What happened? Are you okay?” The artist questioned as Lumio helped Alee to his feet.
“I'm fine.. I think. I don't know what happened.” Alee shook his head, looking down at the shattered vase, he frowned. His flowers.. Mieran unfurled the cloth to look at the wound, grimacing quietly as he pressed the cloth back against the injury.
“It's really deep, he might need stitches.” He informed Lumio who nodded, bending down to pick up the shattered glass. “Come on, babe, let's go wash this, okay?” Mieran helped the florist out of the backroom while the mortician cleaned everything up.
Mieran ran Alee's hand under water so he could get a better look at the injury. He bit the inside of his cheek as blood continued to gush around his hand. “Okay we have to go to the hospital, this is bad.” Mieran grabbed another cloth, turning the tap off and once more wrapping Alee's hand.
“I can stitch it-”
“You're not stitching it yourself, Alee.”
Lumio dropped the glass and flowers in the trash can beside them. Alee huffed at them, but nodded, looking at the already blood soaked cloth. Mieran grabbed the florist's keys from under the counter with his free hand. But the keys were swiftly taken by Lumio.
“You drive too slow.” 
“I drive the speed limit!”
“I feel woozy…”
Mieran quickly picked the man up, groom style, rounding the counter to get into the front of the shop. Lumio followed, locking the store door behind them. Mieran led the way to Alee's car in the nearby parking lot, letting Lumio open the back door so he could lay Alee down on the seats.
Lumio got into the driver's seat, starting the car as Mieran shut the back door and then slid into the passenger seat. Mieran buckled himself in as Lumio peeled out of the parking lot with a screech.
“Don't fuck my car, Death.”
“At least he still has a sense of humour.”
“I'm bleeding, not dead.”
Alee held his hand to his chest, his vision was blurry and he was tired. “Don't worry, we'll get you patched up. Then we'll go on that date.” Mieran turned in his seat, squeezing Alee's knee reassuringly. They looked pale too, the artist frowned at them.
Alee rested his free hand on Mieran's hand, giving him a small squeeze in return. “You're going fifteen over the speed limit!” Mieran pointed out after a minute. Alee laughed, leaning his head against the window. He liked listening to them talk, he liked just being around them.
“And we'll get there fifteen minutes faster.” 
“That is not how time works, Lumio.”
“For the living maybe.”
Mieran made a face, turning his head to look at Alee again. “Hey, sleeping beauty.” They opened their eyes at his words, raising a dark brow. “Just testing.” Not like he’d die, he can’t. But still, Alee’s body didn’t need the shock to his system. Alee rubbed the artist’s hand, reassuring him as best as they could.
The hospital was some ways away near the highway out of town. The fact the small town even had a hospital was lucky, but from the downtown store, it wasn’t exactly a short drive. Lumio’s penchant for speed surely cut that time down, but he also risked cops. A risk the mortician was more than happy to take.
“Cops usually hide in the next bend, you should slow down before we hit that.” Alee warned, unfolding the cloth to look at the injury. It hadn’t stopped bleeding yet. He sighed and pressed the cloth back down on it. Lumio heeded his advice and slowed just before the bend, driving just under the speed limit. “He can drive the limit, good to know.”
Mieran snickered when they rolled their eyes at the two of them. “You feeling okay?” He inquired, leaning his chin on the headrest. Alee gave him a small shrug, a pout on his face. They were missing their scheduled date because he was too clumsy and dropped a vase. 
“Fine, I guess.. I wonder if that hot new doctor is working tonight?” 
“Oh yeah, didn't they move here a few months ago?” 
Mieran nodded, if he recalled correctly it had been a whole thing. A fancy new doctor from Ireland moving to their small town. He hadn't had the chance to meet them yet, then from what he heard at the cafe, they pretty much kept to themself, so that wasn't particularly surprising.
Lumio pulled into the hospital drive, following the curved path towards the emergency room doors. “You get him checked in, I'll park then join you.” Mieran nodded at them and unbuckled himself, opening the passenger side door, and he got out. Alee used his free hand to open the door, Mieran bending down to help him stand up.
Once the door shut, Lumio drove away towards the parking lot. “My wallet has my health card, can you..” Alee flushed a little, his neck getting red. Mieran slid his hand into their back pocket, pulling their wallet out. He also gave their ass a little smack for good measure. “Perv!” As if they weren't into it.
Mieran led him inside, the sliding doors opening for him. Alee smiled sheepishly at the nurse tending the station as they approached her. “How can I help- oh my.” She stood to inspect his injury, a frown gracing her features as he unfolded the cloth to show her the gaping wound. “Can I see your health card?” He struggled with his wallet. Mieran gently took it, opening it and pulling the man's card out to hand to her. “Thank you, dear.”
She typed something onto her computer before handing the card back to Mieran who put it away. “Just have a seat, I'll page Doctor Wolnes right away.” She smiled at them and Mieran turned, leading Alee back to the chairs. Her voice rang out over the pa system just as they sat down, Alee's head falling against Mieran's shoulder. He still felt lightheaded and woozy, black dots spotted his vision.  
“Mister Destan?” 
“Doctor.”
Mieran corrected a nurse who'd approached them. “Apologies, come with me Doctor Destan. We'll take you to a back room to get that looked at.” He nodded at the nurse and stood up on shaky legs. Mieran was quick to stand to support him, the two following the nurse through a set of marked double doors. He'd text Lumio once he got Alee situated, go back out to meet them.
“Doctor Wolnes will be in shortly, alright?” 
Alee nodded as he sat on the hospital bed, watching the nurse leave the room. “That's the new doctor.” Mieran noted as he pulled the sheet over Alee's trembling legs. He'd lost a lot of blood. “Okay.” He leaned forward and kissed the florist’s temple. “I'm going to go update Lumio, but I'll be back, okay?” Alee nodded, watching the artist also leave the room.
He waited for the doctor, opting to just stare at his bleeding hand with red hued eyes. The cloth had completely soaked through with blood. He barely felt the pain anymore, just felt cold. He could heal Mieran as much as he wanted, but he couldn't heal himself. No matter how much he tried, his energy could never transfer to his injuries. It was unfortunate, that way.
Alee sighed, leaning back against the pillows. Thankfully, he only had to wait a few minutes. The door opened, and in entered a tan skinned, amber eyed doctor in dark scrubs. “Good afternoon…” They looked at their clipboard. “Alee Destan. I'm Doctor Heath Wolnes.” They shut the door behind them, sitting on a stool and wheeling themself to his bedside. They placed the clipboard into the holder at the end of the bed.
Their hair was pulled back, a pen tucked behind their ear. They were really pretty, Cirino hadn't been kidding. They pulled gloves over their hands before gently holding their hand out to him. “May I?” Heath inquired and he nodded, placing his hand in theirs palm face up to show them the injury. They hummed quietly, turning his hand side to side. “There's still some glass…”
Heath set his hand on the bed beside him, wheeling over to the counter and cabinet in the room. The doctor stood up, grabbing some items before returning to Alee's side on the stool. “I'll have to suture it after getting the glass out.” Heath set the tray down on a rolling table. Alee nodded, once more holding his hand out to them. Heath picked up the tweezers, holding his hand in theirs, he carefully began to pick the small shards of glass from his hand.
They flushed the injury, taking care of the wound quietly. He barely made a sound, didn't even hiss as they dug the tweezers into his skin. “I noticed your eyes.” They spoke after a few minutes. Alee hesitated, he'd gotten so lightheaded he forgot to keep up the smallest detail of his disguise. Heath looked up at him, a small smile on their face. Their once amber eyes were now a bright shade of orange that faded to amber, glitter scattered throughout. Oh. He grinned back at them, vulpine canines on display. Their eyes were enchanting..
“Nice to meet another sorcerer.” 
“Yeah it is.. This town has a few, seems to attract us.” He joked as Heath began to suture the wound. They nodded, focusing on their work stitching him closed. Watching them work and listening to them talk, he could feel his neck getting warm. They really were pretty. But as far as he was aware, Cirino had already successfully wooed them. If his flower orders were anything to go off of at least. 
“Maybe I should get your number.”
Heath blinked, looking up at him momentarily before back down at his hand. “That's very bold, Doctor Destan.” They pulled the needle through his pale skin, watching as the injury was pulled closed by their stitching. Alee exhaled a small laugh, tilting his head back, he looked up at the white ceiling of the examination room.
“I'm just being friendly, I'm on good terms with Cirino Agosti.” 
His explanation was satisfactory, Heath decided as they finished the sutures. They tied it off, putting their tools away on the tray. And took a moment to inspect his face while he looked at his phone. Cirino hadn't lied, he was pretty. They were still holding his hand, cold in theirs. But from what they understood, the florist was hard to crack, and had already given away his heart... Not to mention, they'd given away theirs too, to a certain Italian they adored. 
His beauty was purely aesthetically pleasing to them. Nothing comparable to their feelings for Cirino. Still, they could use the friendship. They were still new in town, with very little friends to speak of. Most stayed away from the newcomer, something they had expected from a small town but one that still didn't feel great.
“Very well.”
Their voice caught his attention, surprised to see their bright eyes on him. He tilted his head to the side, a soft smile on his face. The doctor rattled off their number in a quiet voice, heavy accent only somewhat masked. He nodded and entered the number into his phone, the smile never leaving his face. After a moment or two, they felt their phone vibrate in their pocket. They were still holding his hand. They let him go. 
“Thank you doctor.”
Ale slid off of the exam bed, cradling his still injured hand to his chest. “Any time, I recommend using ibuprofen for the pain.” He nodded at them. “Oh.. One more thing, may I ask what you're a doctor of?” Heath tilted their head at him, watching as he rounded the bed towards the door. Alee seemed to hesitate for a moment, averting his gaze.
“Biochemistry. My thesis was on heredity in living organisms. However, I preferred plants to people. And now I work with plants.” He smiled at them, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. Heath seemed momentarily surprised, but their neutral expression quickly returned to their face.
“Interesting. Well, you're clear to go. Have a good afternoon.”
“You too, Doctor Wolnes.”
Alee pushed himself up, running a hand through his long messy hair. He grabbed his phone off the bedside table, blanket falling around his bare waist. He squinted against the light of his phone, mouthing the time. It was late. Three am. Mieran would be asleep and Lumio was usually embalming at this hour. He sighed quietly, rolling onto his back.
Espresso whined in his sleep, small legs kicking as he dreamed. Alee brought his free arm around the puppy, holding him as he scrolled through his phone. Heath was on night rotation which meant they were probably awake. He could text them? He chewed the inside of his cheek as he thought about his options.
A.D.: hey
Alee waited, scrolling through his various social media accounts to pass the time. Until his vision blurred and he was forced to grab his glasses, putting them on his face. He blinked a few times as the dark room came into focus, no longer blurred. Espresso whined again and he looked down at the overexcited puppy. The florist smiled gently, petting his ears.
H.W.: Good evening. You're up late.
A.D.: couldn't sleep. thought i'd see what my favourite doctor is up to.
H.W.: I'm the only doctor you talk to.
H.W.: I'm eating dinner.
A.D.: your life sounds fun
H.W.: Yes if you call listening to six different people explain common cold symptoms they could treat at home.
A.D.: ahh so i was your most interesting patient this month?
H.W.: You and the man who got a tree branch in his leg, somehow.
Alee giggled, freezing when Espresso moved in his sleep, stirred by the man's quiet laughter. He pet him back to sleep, waiting until he was soundly chasing squirrels in his doggy dreams before Alee snuck a peek at his phone again.
H.W.: What do you do when you can't sleep?
A.D.: i look at my plants, or play video games, i don't know i don't do much.
H.W.: I've heard you keep an impressive greenhouse. I'll have to come see it sometime.
A.D.: when are you off?
H.W.: Tomorrow then I work the weekend shift.
A.D.: well you know my address ^^
H.W.: That I do.
H.W.: Break is over. Sleep well when you do.
Alee looked forward to seeing the kind doctor, setting his phone and glasses back on the bedside table. He'd have to try and get some sleep for work the next say. The florist sighed, pulling the blanket over his shoulder as he laid on his side. He'd do his best to sleep. At the very least, rest, should the insomnia strike him again.
And they had stopped by, his usual order for iced coffee sweetened in their hand. Though they were there far earlier than he usually opened. He rubbed his eyes, groggy as he took the coffee from their hand and let them into his shop so he could show them the greenhouse he kept in the store. Flowers, vegetables, herbs. Anything he wanted, he learned how to grow. 
And this was something that became a regular routine between the two. Coffee and plants. Alee's idea of a perfect morning. Though, despite his insistence on it only ever being friendship. Mieran and Lumio had their fun teasing him about the pretty doctor. Always asking when he'd snag them for the two of them the same way he'd caught Lumio. 
“You two are insatiable! Threes a crowd as is.” Alee huffed, running his fingers through Lumio's hair as the mortician laid on his chest, face buried in his chest. “Oh, unless of course we're thinking about jumping on Mieran's hot barista friend~ You know Vesper has the hots for you, Mier.” Alee winked at his boyfriend, smirk on his lips as Lumio chuckled at his accusation.
“Xe does not! I think xe likes you actually.” Mieran rolled his eyes, tugging on the toy Espresso was currently trying to wrestle out of his hand. Alee made a face, he didn't think the barista liked him, he figured he would have noticed that. The way he'd noticed xem. Lumio lifted their head slightly, looking up at Alee with their blue diamond eyes. They heard his heart race. But to his joy, they didn't mention it, laying their head back against his chest.
“Still! You should ask them out to lunch. Cook for them!”
“And compete against well known mafia chef Cirino Agosti? No thanks! That's a death and lack of skill wish.”
Alee sighed, leaning his head back against the couch, fingers absently carding through Lumio’s soft hair. “Mm.. You could always send them a bouquet.” They suggested, growing tired from the comfortable hair petting.
“Too forward..”
“Huh? That's what you did for me.”
“We were already close.. I don't know, maybe I'll invite them to the cinema. That way neither of us have to talk and we can eat bad fast food instead.”
“Cute! Bring them to a horror, maybe they'll cling to you.”
Alee made another face.
He was honestly surprised when they had agreed to hang out with him at the cinema. Alee had expected them to decline, they didn't go out much, why would it change for him? 
But still they sat beside him in the dark theatre, absently talking about the horror movie they were going to watch before the previews even started. He tossed a piece of popcorn up into the air, tilting his head back to catch it.
Heath reached out, catching the popcorn piece before he did. “Hey!” The doctor laughed at Alee's bewildered expression, tossing the piece of popcorn into their mouth instead. Alee rolled his eyes, doing the same action again, but this time he caught it in his mouth.
They sat at the back corner, allowing them to whisper to one another about the plot of the movie. “I think Alice is behind it.” Heath whispered in Alee's ear, breath warm against his cold skin. The florist hummed, acknowledging the doctor's statement. He agreed.
The rest of the movie went relatively quietly, Heath had been right. A shared look between the two at the reveal. It was entertaining, Heath's mind worked similarly to his own. An enjoyable dissection of the facts. 
Heath even offered to drop him off at home, though he definitely could have walked. He still appreciated their offer, accepting it. Alee wished the movie had lasted longer, or that their evening could have continued. But he didn't want to overstep too much.
The doctor pulled their car up to the sidewalk, putting the vehicle in park. They unbuckled themself, stepped out of the car, and rounded it to open the door for the florist. “Thank you..” Alee took their hand, letting them help him out of the car. They closed the door behind him, releasing his hand.
“Thank you for tonight.” Alee started as they walked to the door leading to his apartment. He pulled his keyring out of his pocket, holding it in one hand as he turned to face them. Heath offered a smile at him, their eyes captivating him as per usual. He couldn't help but get lost in them. They were beautiful. Their jaw, their lips, their eyes, their skin.
“I had a lovely evening. We should do this again some-”
Heath was cut off by Alee's lips against theirs. The kiss was gentle, his lips cold but soft, he tasted faintly of cherry cola. They stared at him, eyes wide, arms limp at their side. Alee pulled away quickly upon realising they didn't respond to his affection. The florist took a half step back, quickly averting his eyes from their shocked expression.
“I'm sorry-”
“No I'm.. I apologise, Alee, I didn't mean to lead you on in that matter.”
Alee cleared his throat and nodded, his hands shook. “I thought.. I'm sorry for misunderstanding.” He turned, quickly unlocking the door despite the way his shaky hands made it difficult. “Have a good night, Doctor Wolnes.” He pushed open the door, quickly entering and shutting it behind him. He felt embarrassed. He locked the door.
Heath stared at the door, watching the man run up the steps before disappearing somewhere upstairs. They took a step away from his door, hand running through their silver hair. He kissed well, he tasted good, his lips felt nice against theirs. They knew Cirino wouldn't care, or rather, would be supportive. But they hadn't exactly expected that, especially not from Alee. They weren't sure how they felt about him.
They touched their lips, they could feel the faint trace of his lipgloss. Their phone vibrated in their pocket and they used their free hand to pull it out. Heath squinted at the message, another apology from the florist in question. The doctor swallowed thickly, pocketing their phone and turning back to their car.
Heath would have to think about it, think about him. They felt a wave of nausea wash over them, an anxiety rising in their stomach. It wasn't often they felt like this, so uneasy. But he had a way of getting under their skin, not necessarily in a bad way, but in a way they couldn't deny. Heath slid into the driver's seat, pulling the car door shut. 
They almost wanted him to dare try again. It was cute, in a way. Cirino was always forward and flirty, they liked that, part of why they liked him. But Alee played it differently, in another way they liked. Still forward, but with a level of determination that sparked something in their heart. Maybe they'd have to talk to Cirino about it. Maybe he would know what to do, because they certainly weren't sure.
But until they got the chance to.. Their cheeks darkened as they thought about how nice it would be to kiss Alee again. To pull him closer, he wasn't much shorter than them, but enough they could tilt his head up to them. A soft sigh escaped the doctor, now wasn't the time for fantasies about a man they hadn't even thought about in this way until that kiss.
Could they really so easily fall due to a kiss? Heath wanted to laugh. What was he? A siren? How ridiculous it was to be thinking like this. And yet. They could almost still feel his lips. He even kissed differently than Cirino. Cirino was sure, confident, he knew what he wanted with every kiss he gave and took. Alee was more shy, hesitant and soft. It was sweet, almost sickeningly so. They kept one hand on the wheel, touching their fingers to their lips again with their free hand.
Heath sighed, lowering their other hand back to the steering wheel. Overthinking their feelings would drive them crazy. Cirino already had the success of doing that once, driving them crazy with need for him. Heath wasn't even sure about Alee's own relationships. They had never really asked for more detail about them. They wondered what sort of situation it was. Wondered if they even got to make a move if it was something allowed or open or.. 
Too much thinking for one evening.
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Text
The Chronicles of a Romantic Florist (2)
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Alee pulled into the circular driveway, following the path to stop directly in front of the menacing manor. Mieran leaned slightly to look up at the house through the passenger side window, it was a lot more imposing up close than from the bottom of the hill it sat on.
“The family is unconventional but they're nice all things considered.” Alee commented as he put his car in park. He could tell from Mieran's quick glance that the artist didn't quite believe him. Alee flashed the man a quick smile before undoing his seat belt and exiting the car.
Mieran followed suit, closing the door behind him. Alee headed to the small trailer attached to the car, unlocking the bolts while Mieran waited, leaning against the sleek black door of the vehicle. A crow cared above, wind blew a decent breeze that rustled the nearby trees. He felt like he was in one of Alee's horror films.
“Good afternoon.”
The artist jumped, caught off guard by the sudden appearance of a man in a suit. Parts of his brown and white hair tied back, a calm, almost.. Mieran wanted to say a smug, but not quite, expression on his face. The man stepped closer, and beside him, Mieran felt even his clothes were perhaps too… Lax.
“Did I scare you? Sorry.” His chuckle was light. “I didn't realise Doctor Destan hired more staff. Lumio D’Stella, co-owner.” Lumio introduced himself with a slight flourish. A man who knew who he was, what he was. 
“I'm not-”
“Lumio, stop flirting with my- friend. Mieran can you help me with these please?”
Alee’s voice came from the trailer, he already sounded exasperated. He didn't want the man to wait. 
“Mieran Atrum.”
He nodded his head and quickly stepped away from the director, rounding the back of the trailer. “How did you-” Mieran reached into the trailer, tugging on Alee’s waist to get him unstuck from between the vases of flowers.
“I forgot about last night! My hip still hurts.” Alee complained with a huff, taking some of the vases of funerary flowers and placing them in Mieran’s arms. One for each arm tucked secure against his torso. Mieran, however, felt his cheeks heating up. Last night had been.. Physically intensive..
The two rounded the car, stopping in front of Lumio once more. Alee balanced two vases whilst holding a clipboard out to the brunet. Lumio took it and the pen attached, signing their name at the bottom for the delivery before handing the clipboard back to him.
“Always a pleasure to work with you, Mister D’Stella.” 
“And you, Doctor.”
Mieran didn't miss the way Lumio pivoted to watch Alee hop up the steps of the manor, expression unreadable if he himself didn't specifically understand it. The door creaked open for him and he quietly slipped inside, leaving Lumio to turn their attention back to him.
“Need help?”
“No, no. I got it.” Mieran answered relatively quietly as he opted to instead follow the man. He wasn't sure how he felt about Alee calling him their friend instead of their boyfriend. But then, he couldn't get mad, they hadn't yet clarified the label attached to their relationship. Knowing Alee, Mieran figured he was nervous about upsetting him with the wrong choice of word rather than any malicious intent.
Easy to go from friendship to dating, much harder to go back. 
The door opened for him too and he stepped inside the old large house, immediately taking in the beautiful grand entrance. Alee was stood speaking to someone that towered over him, it's form wasn't exactly.. Right. But then, Alee sometimes had a fox tail. Who was he to judge? The woman who opened the door smiled at him before disappearing through a small archway.
“Ah my helper for the day, Mieran come here.” Alee beckoned him over and he went to stand by his lover's side. “This is Mieran, the tattoo artist I told you about last week. Mieran, this is Umbrastella. The other half of D'Stella and D'Stella Funeral Home. And Lumio's parent.”
It tilted its head at him curiously, as if examining him before it nodded at Alee. The florist seemed pleased by this reaction Mieran didn't quite understand. Alee bumped his shoulder against his, as if to reassure him. An appreciated gesture while he was so out of his own element.
It gestured with a lanky limb towards a large arch and Alee nodded. The artist quickly followed him into the room, vases clutched close to his chest.
“Don't worry it doesn't bite. I've known Umbra for years.” Alee set the vases on a wooden table, and Mieran followed suit, looking around at the beautiful chapel. It really was like an american gothic film. 
Alee began to take old vases void of flowers off the various pedestals in the room. “Do you mind putting the new vases up? I have to load these into the car and.. Get the other ones for the rest of the home.” Alee grabbed the last ornate vase, flashing a small smile at Mieran who quickly nodded.
The florist kissed his cheek on their way out the door and he couldn't help his smile. Most of the flowers he used were white, with the exception of small primroses scattered throughout the bouquet as filler. Eternal love.. Mieran's expression softened as he put the bouquet on the pedestal in front of him. 
Meanwhile Alee sped out of the room, hell bent on getting his vases back. He stopped short of running into Lumio's chest, the mortician steading him and the vases so nothing or nobody would fall. Their hands were warm on his shoulders. 
“Careful, fox.”
Lumio's hands slid down his arms before letting him go. “Thanks, Lumio. In a bit of a situation right now, two weddings and a funeral. Just my luck, right?” The florist smiled and shook his head at them. Busy, he was very busy.
“I get it. I do have a question though~” The mortician smirked when Alee raised an eyebrow, waiting for their question. “You and your… Friend.” Lumio did quotations around the word. They didn't need to actually ask their question, Alee perfectly understood their insinuation.
“Yes.”
“Too bad, he really caught my eye.”
And as if on cue, their eyes glinted slightly, differently. The crisp blue colour remained but the rest of their eyes twisted and changed, diamondlike. But only for a moment.
But it wasn't their eyes he was focused on. It was something else entirely. An ugly feeling in the pit of his stomach, rising up and leaving a bad taste in his mouth. His heart clenched, almost uncomfortably so. Why did that upset him? He couldn't tell, he hated that he couldn't tell.
“He's in the chapel, feel free to talk to him.”
Alee didn't stay to wait and hear anything else from them. His heart pounded in his ears, and it hurt, like it was being squeezed and crushed. In the crisp autumn air he felt slightly better, but not enough. He hated the feeling in his chest, tried to ignore it as he put the vases in the trailer. If he ignored it, it'd go away, that was all he could tell himself.
He ran a hand through his messy hair, strands of black and early white falling over his fingers. With the vases situated, he grabbed more of the remaining new ones, pulling them out of the trailer. He had work to do, he couldn't think about it. The uncomfortable feeling.
A soft click behind him and he turned quickly. “Umbra.” Alee exhaled. It gestured to the vases in his hand and he held them out to it. Umbrastella took the vases in its arms, pivoting towards the building. But it stopped before moving around, turning its head to curiously look at the florist. 
“Don't give me that look, he's your son.” 
Umbrastella tilted its head the other way, blinking slowly. Alee leaned into the trailer, grabbing the last of the new vases. And when he turned back towards the house, the older mortician was gone. The florist sighed for what seemed like the tenth time in five minutes. He was almost done, at least. Almost finished.
Alee headed back inside, noting Umbrastella had placed the vases on the entrance pedestals. That just left the hallway and family room. He quietly moved through the home, hearing the nearby chatter, but he ignored it. He wanted to get back to his shop really. 
He finished with the vases and returned to the entrance of the chapel, poking his head into the room. For a moment his disguise faltered, the magic weakened, his eyes a reddish hue. Lumio stood near the raised bier, a hand on Mieran's forearm as they spoke to one another. Mieran seemed invested in the conversation, Alee assumed by his body language.
That feeling again. He hated that, the jealousy. But, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he focused once more on the illusory magic hiding his features. He wasn't sure who he was jealous of. Was he jealous that someone liked Mieran? Was he jealous that Lumio didn't like him? He couldn't tell, he couldn't differentiate. He wet his lips, sucked in some air, exhaled.
“Mieran. I have to return to the store. Ready?”
“Yeah! Just a second, Alee.”
Mm.
“I'll be in the car.” 
Alee quickly left the room, his chest squeezed, it hurt. Was it truly the latter? Was he truly so selfish as to want both their attention? Was he truly so selfish? He had Mieran, Mieran loved him. Well, he assumed so.. They hadn't gotten there yet. The trailer closed with a slam and he wondered when he managed to get outside and back to his car. He locked the trailer and entered his car to wait.
The passenger side opened and Mieran slid into the seat. “Well they were very nice.” He shut the door behind him, then he pulled his seat belt on. Alee bit the inside of his cheek as he turned the key in the ignition. “Are you alright, babe?” Mieran's hand slid over his on the clutch, touching his white knuckles, prompting him to loosen his grip.
“Huh?” He pulled his hand away out of instinct. “Yeah, sorry. I'm fine. Just lost in thought.” Alee pulled off, following the curved driveway.
“You're sure?”
“Mhm. What did you two get to talking about?”
“Your forearm tattoo, actually. I told him I designed and inked it.”
Alee listened to Mieran talk about his conversation with Lumio, the art of tattooing, art in general. He kept his eyes on the road, hands on the wheel. 
“He said he liked you.”
“Huh?”
Alee nodded.
“Oh.. Well..” Mieran seemed a little bashful. “I actually thought he was into you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah I mean he talked you up a lot even though he knew we're already together. Seemed very…” Mieran exhaled a small laugh. “Puppy lovelike? It was pretty cute.”
Mieran turned his head, looking at Alee as he drove, the soft sounds on the radio he didn't pay attention to. He recognized the way Alee's brow furrowed, his jaw clenched. His expression softened at theirs.
“You like them.”
“I've just known them a long time.”
“You can like them, you know. I don't mind.”
Alee's eyes flicked to the side, to look at Mieran. Brown eyes flickered red, he turned his attention back to the road. They didn't respond to him, and he reached out hand resting on Alee's knee, reassuring.
“I love you.”
The car stuttered as his foot lightened on the gas, his head snapping to Mieran's pleased expression. “Don't crash over it..” He squeezed their knee, gently butting his head against Alee's shoulder.
“I- sorry.. I love you too.”
Mieran smiled and sat up straight once more. “Then I don't mind. I already told him to go for it anyways.” The car stuttered again. “Wow, you're predictable.”
“Shut it!” 
Mieran snickered at him.
The rest of the afternoon went without a hitch, Alee felt far more reassured. But also nervous, he didn't know if what Mieran thought was actually the truth, or if that was how the conversation had actually happened. He could only overthink it as he crouched down, watching the herbs he grew in the greenhouse within his store. He understood plants much better than people. Especially extraordinary people like Mieran and Lumio.
His fingers brushed against the perky green leaves. He sighed, sitting on the ground beside the plants. Another soft exhale. His phone vibrated in his jacket pocket and he groaned, falling back and laying on the paving stones that lined the room. The florist pulled his phone from his pocket, squinting against the overhead lights.
Alee sat up when he noticed who had sent the text, eyes wide, his ears twitched. Lumio. Coffee? It occurred to him he didn't even know if the mortician liked coffee. But he agreed, if they were offering, coffee sounded nice. He suggested the coffee shop nearby, though began to reconsider when he realised how that might look to the staff there.. He always brought Mieran.
No, no he'd bring Lumio somewhere else. Tomorrow, according to the next text from them. Tomorrow. He laid back against the floor. His heart raced in his chest, he was excited. Giddy. He felt the same way he felt whenever he asked Mieran out for a date. Was this a date? He didn't know, he had to tell Mieran though. He'd snag the mortician for both of them! Oh, he felt so embarrassing.
He paced in front of the small restaurant, checking his phone for the seventh time in just as many minutes. Lumio was late, but then Alee had also been early. He chewed the inside of his cheek.
“Sorry-”
“Ah!”
“I'm late..  Jumpy in the presence of death are we?”
Alee turned around, sliding his phone into his pocket as his eyes landed on Lumio. More casually dressed than they usually were, white blouse with flowy sleeves, a corset, jeans. Lumio smiled at him and he quickly averted his gaze.
“Don't worry about it. Lunch?”
Lumio stepped past him, moving to the door and pulling it open for him. “Thank you.” Alee bowed his head politely and quickly moved into the restaurant, Lumio following closely behind him. Alee quietly spoke to the waiter who nodded and grabbed two menus, leading them further into the restaurant.
“I didn't know you liked Italian.”
“There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Lumio.”
Lumio sat down, thanking the waiter as they took the menu. “That's true.” They conceded. Alee slid into the booth across from them, taking the menu as well. Only to pause, Lumio raised an eyebrow at him.
“Shit- I forgot something.” He stood with a sigh, placing the menu on the table. “Spiced maple manhattan please, he'll know what it means.” The waiter nodded and penned something down. “I'll be right back, I'm so sorry.”
Lumio could only watch as the man rushed out of the restaurant. He shrugged slightly, smiling at the waiter and placing his own drink order. He opened the menu as the man walked away with his notepad, but he instead leaned back, looking around the small restaurant. It was surprisingly quiet for a Friday afternoon. Only a few patrons. They furrowed their brow, that was strange.
But they couldn't give it much more thought, Alee returned, setting a dark red vase on the table in front of him. A black bow wrapped around the pretty glass. Several flowers were tucked into it, neatly arranged. It was so.. Vibrant. Unlike the ones he often brought to the funeral home. Their eyes lit up, pulling the bouquet closer to him.
“Do you know what it means?” He asked as he sat back down.
“You used ambrosia as the filler. That means love is reciprocated.” Lumio looked up at him. “That was as far as I got on the plant symbolism list before I got bored. I don't know how you remember all those.” 
Alee laughed, covering his mouth when some patrons turned to look at them. “You always were so honest..” He dropped his hand. “These ones are solid purple carnations. In general carnations mean fascination, but these ones represent whimsy. Being solid, they're also affirmative.” He then pointed at another flower.
“And these are purple orchids, respect and admiration. Then pink orchids for happiness. And lastly these ones are pansies. They mean you occupy my thoughts.” Alee couldn't help his cheeks getting pink as he explained the floral meanings. His eyes briefly met Lumio's.
Lumio reached across the table, resting their hand on top of his. “Thank you.” His hand was warm against Alee's much colder skin. “You've occupied my thoughts for a while now.” They smirked as they watched his face light up bright red. “I really thought I missed out on you when you told me about Mieran accepting your crush..”
“And yet he was the one who told you to ask me out.”
“Thankfully. He is cute though, you have good taste.”
Alee rolled his eyes, interlacing his fingers with theirs. “Yeah well I'm wooing you for the both of us.”
“Oh?” Lumio raised a brow, thumb rubbing Alee’s knuckles. “Aw you two want to share me? What an honour~” Their tone was teasing but Alee’s cheeks only got redder. 
Alee opened the menu with his free hand, eyes gazing at the menu even though he knew what he wanted. “We'll let you consider it, but if you're interested.. It's something we're willing to try out.” Alee all but mumbled.
“Let me wine and dine you first and then we'll talk about it.”
“Flirt..”
Before Lumio could respond, somebody that wasn't their waiter approached the table, setting their drinks down. Alee seemed to light up when he saw the man in question.
“Ah, hi, Cirino. Cirino Agosti, owner of this lovely place. Lumio D’Stella.”
“Oh the mortician! Nice to meet you. Alee is my highest paying customer. What can I get you two today?”
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Blizzard (Hirudo 3?)
taglist: @cerasus--flores
tw: none actually lol
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The snow came down heavily, blanketing the town and castle in heavy flakes. The blizzard had lasted two days now, far worse than the area had ever seen in previous years. It made hunting difficult, leaving some denizens of the castle irritable and tired. The cold didn't help either, the wood pile covered in snow, the wood wet and ice speckled. 
Jacques had managed, with Lumio's help, to keep everybody minimally fed at least. Often hunting for those near death on the roads into town or the woods behind the castle. But it was barely enough, he had to resort to those willing to risk the blizzard for supplies. Often apologizing to the God in question for changing their fates. But times were rough for all.
A knock resounded through the large manor, echoing off of the stone and wood walls. Alee looked out of the window, it was still blizzarding outside, who could that have been? The man stood up, bringing up his heavy dress to move faster. He got to the top of the stairs when he saw Eudes enter the main hall as well. The master of the manor went down a few steps to watch. Eudes opened the front door, greeting the snow covered person on the other side. 
"Hello, welcome to House Destan, how can I help you?" 
Alee watched and listened curiously, he could only really see the person's shoes from this angle but, still. "The storm has made travel to the town impossible, and I would rather not freeze." A man's quiet voice spoke, his accent wasn't odd, but it wasn't French either, British, Alee assumed. He crouched down a little bit to try and see him.
"Can I please come in? I won't be a bother. I just need to warm up."
Eudes turned his head, looking up at his master behind him on the stairs. Alee seemed to think about it, before giving his companion a quick nod. Eudes turned back to the man in the doorway. "Come in. I am Eudes, the butler of the house." He stepped back, letting the man in. Alee finally got a better look at him.
"Mieran."
Blond hair, brown eyes, pale.. He was wrapped in heavy rust coloured robes, wet from snow. His nose was pink from the snow, he had a bag on his arm, arms wrapped around his body. Alee stood straight, descending the last few steps as Eudes shut the door behind the man. He looked up, seemingly surprised by the man's sudden appearance.
"Mieran." Eudes addressed him, pivoting to look up at his master. "The master of the house, Lord Alee Destan. My Lord.” He bowed somewhat as Alee approached them both, stopping beside his longtime companion. Alee waved his hand halfheartedly and Eudes stood straight once more, looking between the two men. 
“Welcome to my home. Have you eaten? I can have our chef prepare something for you.”
“My lord.”
“I’m aware, Eudes.” 
“Food would be pleasant. Thank you..”
Alee nodded, his smile not once faltering as he gave a look to Eudes. The man bowed once more, taking a step back and disappearing further into the house. “I’ll show you to where you can stay. I’ll also have our housekeeper, Giana, bring you warm clothes.” He gestured up the stairs and Mieran gave him a small smile, mostly hidden by the scarf around his neck.
“You’re from Great Britain, correct?” Another nod. “Ah, thought I recognised that. May I ask what brings you to the French Empire?” 
“Oh.. Ah, research. I am a doctor.”
“Oh, how quaint! So is Eudes.” 
Mieran’s confusion momentarily flashed across his face before it settled back to his previous expression. But Alee’s keen eyes didn’t miss the man’s surprise. “Yes, a medical doctor, no less. Still, he chooses to work for me. His medical expertise occasionally comes in handy, often in circumstances like yours, that brings strangers to our home.”
“You seem well though, despite the chill.”
He cracked another small smile at Alee’s words, following him along the dim candle lit hallway. "I am well, thank you." Alee opened a door, stepping inside the room, Mieran followed him. "Wow this is.. Very nice." He looked around the large room, a big bed, a fireplace, there was even a nice sized desk and chair against one wall.
"I'll get some wood for the fireplace while Giana brings you clothing. Or rather, our chef Jacques probably will. Make yourself at home, she'll be by soon."
"Thank you, Lord Destan."
"Please, just Alee is fine, doctor."
"Then just Mieran is fine."
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