Abrose had been up for a few hours that day, the moonlit hours's events and the excitement that hummed in his veins making it impossible for him to sleep for long. He had taken the clothes Mel had given him and folded them neatly in a basket along with a few gifts to say thank you. He'd take those as well the horse he had borrowed to get back home down to the waste before the date since it was closer to the council gathering place. Right now, he was working on his next shipment of flowers to a noble in the neighboring village. Apparently this noble wanted to impress his mistress while also appeasing his wife and he though flowers would do the bamboozle. Abrose snorted a laugh as he sealed the letter shut, inside containing an arrival date as well as his best wishes to the wife. He snapped his head up with a start as the wobbly flip-shutter slammed open, nearly losing his balance and falling off his little stool. He quickly shoved the basket with the clothes under his desk, cheeks a light pink as he took a breath, trying to keep his.self from smiling. "Oh I bet I can." He muttered under his breath. "But please, entertain me as I do very important work."
Easton Scoffed. "Oh please, nothing you do is of importance." Easton gave Abrose a glare, straight into his peepers. They looked so familiar. Soon enough he shrugged it off. "Anyway, last moonlit hours I was at the ball, you know the one you probably didn't get invited to, yeah. I met this guy. He was wearing a red suit and he was looking absolutely stunning. So I walked over to him and we started talking and every word that came out his mouth felt like bliss to hear. He said that I was the one who made him blush like he was. I loved the way he looked at me. I loved the way he made me feel. He said that I can meet him the night after last night. I hope to go he comes. He told me some personal things. Of course, that is a secret. Even so I only so little, so the night after last night is where I will get to know him better and maybe…" Easton shook his head. "No, never mind. The point is I'm here to get his favorites flowers. Peonies. Please, tell me you have them. It's going to drive me bonkers if I have to look all over town for these flowers. There his favorite and I want this to be perfect you know?" Easton stood there like a lost puppy chasing after his owner.
For a heartbreaking split moment, Abrose swore Easton recognized him. He blinked and looked away as well, scribbling on a blank sheet of paper to make him look like he was doing something. He laughed softly and shook his head, half tempted to tell Easton exactly who he was, just to see the pure shock on the Fae's face. He glanced up, take a slow breath as he felt blush rise to his cheeks. How could the person who teased and insulted him by day be the exact person who spoke so fondly of their shared moonlit hours. He had spent that moonlit hours after he arrive reminicong over the ball and how the captain seemed to change in mere hours since they had seen each other. How gentle and kind and caring he seemed. Would he stay the same when he knew who his mystery plus one and Abrose were one in the same? He finally brought his gaze up towards Easton, peepers widening as he caught the end of his cut off words. Maybe what? His heart beat erratically as he imagined what Easton was too afraid to say. He swore softly as he glanced down at the paper, seeing that he had spilled the nearby ink. He stood quickly, flustered at both Easton's words as well as his sense of control. He found a nearby towel and quickly wiped his hands, the black ink staining his fingertips. "Yes of course I understand." He replied quickly, unable to meet the Captain's peepers now. "Give me one moment to clean up and I'll find those flowers for you." He made his way to he back to wash up and collect himself, needing space to breath. After several minutes in the washroom he appeared at the doorway and waved to Easton. "You're welcome to look around if you'd like. Most if the peonies should be near the front displays. Any filler foliage and small flowers should be to the left." He explained, having always loved puting his favorite flower to where his customers would immediatly see them. "Did you catch their name? You can add a letter along with the flowers." He suggested, hiding a small grin, he hadn't given his name last moonlit hours, so he wondered what Easton would do
Easton rolled his peepers. "Ha, ha, very laffy taffy. I didn't want to force him to give me his name. That would just be rude. I mean I'm sure he's on a higher social standing than I am. Then again he is quite cute. I love seeing him flustered. He did this thing where he wouldn't look at me, whenever I told him something that I found charming about him." Easton grinned as he said those words. "Even when he was touching flowers he was so delicate like they could snap at any moment. Then when I touched his cheek he leaned into and at that moment I wish I would've just-" He opened his peepers. "Wait why am I telling you this. Anyway, my question is, if you were him would you were him what bouquet would you love to receive? I'm not very much of a gift-giver when it comes to things like this." He looked at the flowers no wanting to touch them. The texture made him feel uncomfortable.
Abrose focused on trying to get the stains off his hands with the now wet towel instead of thinking over Easron's words. He'd think about them later when he was allowed to be a flustered mess. He arched an eyebrow and laughed softly "I'm honored the captain of the Royal guard is sharing his deepest desires and thoughts with a lowly florist." He teased, giving up on his hands and throwing the towel aside. He sighed softly and thought for a moment. "I'm not particularly fond of gifts actually. In my mind, no gift could be better than the love between the couple, the experices shared between the two. That connection that only the two can have that's unique to them is the greatest gift." He shrugged and walked around the store a bit, pulling a few flowers from their water bins. "But since you seem to want to make a good first? Second? Impression, then a simple bouquet would do wonders, surprisingly. He pulled a few deep red peonies from a pin along with delicate white flowers from the filler section and started to arrange them into a bouquet, maticulously pulling and setting them in place, all the while making sure not to hurt the blooms. "Something like this should nicely."
"Yeah, you should be honored. You're also lucky I have no friends. That doesn't make you my friend that makes you my, those people who always follow other people around. One of those." He pointed, raising his eyebrows. He bit his lip analyzing the bouquet that was put together for him. "If you think that's what he would like I guess I'll just have to go with that. Of course, only because there are plenty of other customers who I know that you served. So, I guess, I have to trust your judgment. Not want, have to." Easton looked at the bouquet and then looked at Abrose. "Thanks, Abrose." He gave a cheeky smile before clearing his throat. "Anyway, I'll take it…"
"I'm following you around? You're the one that keeps showing up here." He added a bit more decoration to the flowers, as well as lightweight sneezepaper paper and a ribbon to tie it all together. He arched an eyebrow and smirked, "careful captain, I think you're bordering on a compliment and a thank you all in less than ten minutes, wouldn't want you to get hurt before your first date, would we?" He snickered and gently set the bouquet down to ring Easton up. "Alright, that'll be three silver." He went back to his little stool and counter area as Easton payed up, glad that the note for the shipment wasn't ruined by the spilled ink. He quickly checked on the hidden basket of clothes beneath to make sure those hadn't been ruined either.
"I came with a mission every time. Don't even try." He watched him bundle the flowers together in a noice refreshing arrangement. "Hey, I have to be a good customer if I want to get more flowers. I really want the guy to like me you know. Although he's sort of a mystery himself. I'm not complaining, he's sweet as well." He snapped out of his trance before pulling out the mint cheddar needed. "Well anyway, have a-" Easton paused for a minute. He walked behind the counter squinting at Abrose. "Have we met before. You look familiar…" He trailed off walking closer to Abrose. Easton's face was extremely close as he looked into Abrose's peepers trying to think of why he found him so familiar.
"if your mission is to annoy me, then you succeed most of the time." Abrose muttered, setting the inkpot up right. "You don't need a bunch of flowers to do so, captain. I'm sure they'll find your presence as much as a gift than any flower, that is if you aren't as rude as you are most days you come here." He pointed out, waving dismissevly as Easton turned to go. "Good lu-" he braced himself against the counter as Easton leaned in close. He barely took a breath, scared that one right move would make this entire situation far more complicated. The back of his legs brushed against the basket and Abrose nearly told him. Nearly breathed a yes, confirming the Captain's doubts. Yes, they'd met before, yes he was the one who's blushed so easily at his words. But instead, Abeise blurted "y-yes! Well, sort of, my little sister, she looked a lot like me and usually spent time around the inner city. You must have seen her around the area a few orbit parties back." Spirits how it hurt his heart to use his beloved little sister as a decoy just to keep his identity safe from the captain. "You must have misteken us." He muttered softly, slipping out from where Easton had cornered him, needing to escape that bonita gaze of his. He wondered if he'd ever look at him with such want as last moonlit hours or such heat as now if he knew who his mystery man was.
Easton thought for a moment. "You must be right. Tell your sister I said hi." He took the bouquet of flowers and marched out of the store. He walked to the place where he said they would meet. Instead of just waiting there he decided that he should get the place ready. Abrose said not to do anything extravagant…so… Easton came back 3 hours later with a nicely prepared picnic. Easton put on different clothes since he was off duty. He had on his regular clothes that he would wear around the house or if he was going out with friends. He laid the blanket down flat. He pinned it down with heavy things so if a gust of wind were to come their way it wouldn't affect it. He put the basket in the middle laying out the snack his cooks had prepared. He brought a gas lamp that he could use so they would be able to see. Once he was arranging everything he leaned against the leafy tower holding the flowers. He didn't mind waiting, it gave him time to think.
Abrose nodded "I will." He whispered as he watched Easton walk out of his store. He waited a few moments before going back to the counter and taking the basket full of clothes. He didn't expect anyone to drop by at this time so he decided to risk his visit to Mel before he got ready for the date. He smiled softly as he approached the mare in his back garden, having put her near some earth fur to eat. She huffed softly and walked up to him, he large nuzzled pressing against his hand. "howdy, partner, wild thing, ready to go for a few more rides?" He whispered, patting her down before slowly mounting the horse, letting her get used to his weight before nudging her into a canter towards the estate.
"Mel please, I can't accept any of these." Abrose pleaded, trying to give his friend the basket.
"And why not? If you don't want it you can sell them." Mel waved a dismissive hand and walked up to the mare.
"Because it doesn't belong to me, you let me borrow them." Abrose tried to argue
"Yes, and now I'm letting you keep them."
Abrose sighed softly and rested his head against Mel's shoulder, looking up at the young Fae with pleading round peepers.
Mel growled softly and took the basket. "Fine, but you're keeping the mask as a keepsake and no arguing." He ordered, putting the mask in Abrose's hands.
Abrose smiled softly and nodded "thank you Mel."
"You're welcome. Now what are you going to do about this bonita beast?" He asked, nodding to the mare.
Abrose shrugged "I was actually hoping you'd keep her until you can bring her back to the palace."
Mel arched an eyebrow and nodded slowly, head tilted in contemplation, a feral grin spreading across his features. "Or I could pay off the stable hand and you can have her."
Abrose blinked "you don't have to do that-"
"No, bit I can. Tell you what. If you keep the mask and horse, I'll keep the clothes. No arguing or anything."
Abrose shook his head but knew he couldn't refuse his friend. "Alright, you Fae demon, I'll bend." He muttered teasingly, hugging his friend right before mounting the mare again.
Mel bowed teasingly and watch Abrose leave.
The moment he got home, he tethered the mare to a fence post and quickly went inside to change. He pulled on a simple blue tunic paired with dark pants and the mask. He didn't look quite the part of a noble but that's what Abrose wanted. He needed to slowly show Easton the truth. He decided to stop by a jewelry shop and pick up a simple silver ring with a marble, laid in white rose and thorns. By the time he rode over to the council gathering place the sun had begun to set. He pulled on his mask and let his mare rome around a bit, trusting her enough not to run off before walking up the small hill and looking around, a broad smile spreading as he beheld the bonita setting. "You keep surprising me, captain. This is bonita."
Easton gave a small smile. "Well, don't thank me, you should thank the guy that works at the flower shop. He helped me with, well, with trying to not make a fool of myself." He held out the flowers with a light blush on his face. "I know you said you liked these flowers, so I wanted to get you some. Although, you have probably seen them a lot since they are your favorite. My apologies, I seem to be rambling." He looked down at the bouquet and then back at Abrose. He placed a hand on Abrose's head, slowly moving it down to his cheek. "Let's sit, shall we? I would like to get to know you if that's okay." He bowed slightlyy.
"well, even if you did, I wouldn't have said anything." He offered a gebtle smile and accepted the flowers, consuming oxygen to produce carbon dioxide in the familiar and comforting scent of the flowers. "Oh I could never tire or seeing these, they're a favorite for a reason." Abrose hid a laugh. "It can't be often you get flustered, it's cute seeing you this way." He blinked and raised his head to look up at Easton, a soft sigh leaving him as he leaned into his hand, peepers fluttering shut. He nodded slightly and followed Easton to the area he had set up for their twilight munch. "I actually got you a little something as well, as a thank you for last moonlit hours and for council gathering today." He said, pulling the small box with the ring inside and handing it off to Easton. "It's not anything significant or anything," he added on quickly, "just as friends." He used slightly and knelt down on the blanket, glancing around at their lovely surroundings. "Ah so that's what this is all about, still trying to figure me out after all the hints I have you." He teased lightly.
He scratched his cheek. "Well, don't get used to it. It's only you who could make me this embarrassed." Easton lowered himself down on the blanket with a smirk. He looked at the ring and then back to Abrose. "Are you proposing already? How kind of you." Easton held out his right hand. "You got it so you have to place the ring on my finger." He moved the bouquet aside making human containment unit for him to move closer. He looked at him bumfuzzled. "I never get what you mean by that. If you were giving me hints you're very bad at giving them. If anything I seem to have given you enough because you know who I am." He shrugged with a smug look on his face.
"It's not like that," Abrose managed to say through a laugh as he gently took Easton's hand in his own and slid the ring onto his finger. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss to the hand before letting go. He tilted his head with a grin and shrugged "is that so, my dear captain? Surely you've seen some parallels between my hints and someone else you know to have figured out who I am by now." He popped a grape into his mouth and shrugged, propping his hands behind him. "Well, considering you made it obvious last moonlit hours, it wasn't too hard to figure out, though I still don't have a name to put to that stunning face of yours."
Easton only looked away when the ring was placed on his finger. He looked at it for a second before beginning to fiddle with it. "It's bonita…" Easton took one of the breadystacks already laid out beforehand. "I don't know what you mean by my hints were obvious, they most certainly were not!" He huffed bitting into one of the many delious sangwhiches that had been prepared by his kitchen. "You're the one who's too obvious. But anyway, since you seem to know me, tell me something about you. I know your favorite flowers. I know your past. I just don't know anything else. It keeps me up day and moonlit hours just thinking about you. wonky-donky thing to say when you just met someone I know. My apologies." Easton smirked. "You think my face is stunning? Why thank you. If you so wish to know, my name is Easton. But you my dear…" He took Abrose's hand, kissing the back of it angelicly. He looked him dead in the peepers and said in his husky voice, "You can call me anything you want."
He smiled softly and bowed his head "I'm glad you like it." He snorted a laugh took a breadystack for himself. "Oh they definitely were my dear, more so than mine." He reassured waving a hang "no, don't apologies, please! It actually amused me that you say that, considering that I did similar." He admitted, his cheeks heating with blush at the confession. He breathed instead readily and glanced off towards the mare, making sure she didn't wander too far as he thought about his answer. Something that wouldn't give him away immediatly. "I'm not a Lord." He said softly "or part of any noble family." He said softly and carefully. "I know it most likely seemed so at the ball but my friend, the one I said I came with actually lent me those clothes. This is as schmancy as I can get with what I have at home," he gestured towards himself "well, save for theask. That was a gift from him." He breathed a laugh, glad to at least get one lie off his chest. He snapped his attention back to Easton as he said his name and took his hand. "Easton." He repeated softly, a smile tugging on his lips. "A bonita name." His blush grew darker as he held the Captain's gaze, seeing the same want in his peepers, now paired with such desire in his words. "I'd call you bold, almost far too bold for using such an implicit tone with me, dear. Especially after only one moonlit hours spent with you." He said softly, voice barely above a rough whisper. "How, dear? Do you manage to tempt with with such honey coated words, hm?" He laughed lightly, finally willing himself to look away from Easton's heavy gaze if only for moment, but never once letting go of his warm hand
"Is it so bad I want to sway you will my word till you think of no one else but me?" Easton loved the way he reacted to him. It made his heart flutter and it let him know he was doing something right. He looked down at their hands, then back to Abrose, then once more to their hands. He delicately laced their fingers together almost as if he moved any faster he would have broken Abrose right then and there. He took his free hand and placed his pointer finger and thumb onto Abrose's chin. Easton made sure their gaze met. He was trying to read the boy before him. Easton was shocked when Abrose confessed that he wasn't from a noble family. Rank was important to Easton. It would tell him how he should act and treat others. It was how he found balance in his life. This man had just broken that balance and fore once it felt good. It felt free. He didn't et go of Abrose's hand, fearing that if he did, he wouldn't be able to hold it again. "That's….That's very…well…very surprising." He cleared his throat. "But even so, I don't think it has to determine anything for us. It's just a title." Eastonlifted his hand up to his lips, slowly planting a kiss of the ring Abrose gifted him with, never once looking in the other direction away from Abrose.
Abrose blinked and glanced down at their laced hands then up at Easron as his chin was tilted up. "You're the only one I think of ever since yesterday. No matter how I may try to distract myself." He admitted, gently squeezing Easton's hand. He watched for Easton's reaction, scared that he might blew his chance. "Surprising really? I'd find it more surprising if a human were a noble, considering most are Fae." He mused softly, lightly grazing his thumb over Easton's hand. He blushed at the kiss as he held his gaze. He breathed a laugh to break the tension and sighed softly. "Would it have made a difference if you knew that when we met?" He asked softly, shifting so that the hand on his chin was now on his cheek. He leaned into the gentle carress and pressed a kiss to his palm. "Would you have gone up to me if you knew?"
Easton glanced at his movements with a deep gulp. "Well. If you want me to be completely honest. Yes…it would have changed me going up to you. If I knew I probably wouldn't have even glanced at you. If I did knew and you had everyone else fooled, I would've walked up to you. The reason for that is because of my parents if they even caught a glimpse of me with someone who wasn't up to par, then I don't know what they would do to you." He sighed, giving his loving smile. "I'm not supposed to tell anyone this but our family is…is a bit of a financial crisis. It's nothing too bad, but they believe it is. I'm working more shifts more hours to help them out. The queen said that if I could catch this guy named Abrose then I could earn a lot of mint cheddar. She won't tell me why, so in the end, I tried but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I didn't stop doing trying though, I just don't want to, but if I don't my family… Abrose is just a sweet guy. Not that I would ever tell him that. He's so rude. I can't blame him, I was rude to him first. Only because I had to distance myself from those people, make them see that I'm a higher rank than them, at least that's what my parents told me to do. I know it's no excuse and you can hate me if you want, but I would like to make this work." He looked at him with peepers that anyone could tell he was longing for him. "If there even is a 'this.'" Easton only shook his head with a laugh. "My apologies for being close." he pulled his hands away folding them neatly in his lap.
Abrose slowly pulled his hands back into his lap as Easton let go, blinking rapidly as he processed his words. “So title did have everything to do with whether you would have approached? If abrise hadn’t worn the mask, and if he had been himself that moonlit hours, he would have never met with the caotain. And maybe that would have been for the best, then he could’ve saved himself this heartbreak. He looked away, not returning that bonita smile Easton threw his way. He was being hunted by the very man in front of him and his queen. And if Abrose revealed himself now he had no doubt he’d be turned in, for the sake of Easron’s family. he huffed a small laugh and shook his head. He knew it was selfish, knew of course Easton's main concern was the well being if his family but for once, Abrise thought he had somone to rely on, somone to share his past with that wouldn't immediatly judge him for the magic that ran in his human syrup. But Abrose had none of that, not even now when he was a complete stranger to both himself and Easton. He didn't dare look up, didn't want to see Easton's face as he spoke the most horrible words he had ever said to anyone. "This?" He breathed "there was never a this, captain. You must have misinterpreted my intentions. For there can never really be a thisisn't that right? Whatever this was, was merely a distraction for myself and surely for you as well, to escape our lives for a bit." He slowly stood and turned his back to Easton, untied the knot that kept the mask in place and let it drop to the ground. "It was fun while it lasted." Abrose muttered softly before striding to the mare and mounting, gently nudging her in a walkaway from the Willow leafy tower, tears stinging his peepers.
Easton felt like he had been ripped in two. He wasn't prepared to have this happen the night after last night. "W-Wait…" He mumbled as he listened to the man before him. Even someone like him could cry and he was extremely close to it. Easton felt a pain in his chest. Of guilt, pain, and regret. What if I didn't tell him. I should've kept quiet. "Wait!" He stood stumbling over the bonita picnic that took hours to prepare. The light flickered out and he stood there in the dark looking like an idiot. He was speechless. He didn't know what to say what to do. There was nothing he could say or do to make him see anything else but a monster. "I…I…I thought…maybe…" His words came and went with no steadiness in his voice. He took a deep breath forcing himself into a voice that no one could see through and said, "My apologies for thinking I can make this work. I wasted your time." Easton turned away from Abrose. He bent down and started to clean up the mess he had made. He moved the half-eaten mandatory sustenance (like cheetos) into the baskets. He moved the gaslamp that was no longer lit out of the way. His was twisted with anger and regret. He was never this soft with anyone and when it does it always comes back to bite him.
Abrose forced himself not to pull his mare to a stop as he heard the shift in Easton's voice. Back to the stoic, remorseless captain of the guard he had first met, without the tease and relentless taunting. He bit his lip hard to keep from sobbing loudly but it wasn't enough to stop the flow of tears slipping down his cheeks. Abrose clutched his chest as if that could stop the twisting in his heart as Easton's voice rang in his head, heartbreakingly soft and pleading before he had shifted. I Wasted your time. Never in millennia would Abrose ever call their time spent together a waste if time. He lowered his head and squeezed his peepers shut, only lifting it when his mare gave a whinny as they approached his home. He gently patted her neck as he slid off her back and shuffled inside, ignoring the messy front area and going to the are he used as a home, private from everyone else. He stood in the center of the living human containment unit are and glared around at the glass bottles and empty pots that littered each emtly table he had. This. This was what he had sacrificed a seemingly perfect start to his relation with Easton for. He knew deep down he did it for his customers and his lost family but he never knew it would have cost him his heart. Gritting his mouthstones as he felt another wave of tears stinging his peepers, before they started flowing, Abrose gripped an empty pot and threw it across to the human containment unit, shattering the pot into mega-bunches of pieces followed by every vile and jar that was in sight. After hours of tearing his home apart, and realeasing an agonizing, sobbing loudy shouty, he slumped to the ground, surrounded by pieces of glass and his heart. "I'm sorry."
(What are you doing roleplaying you should be a fiction depiction writer)
(aw thank you XD the same goes for you, I love your writing style in both our rps. In all honesty I don't write much out of here save for a few fan fics so that means a lot, thank you again <3)
Easton didn't know what to do with himself. Once he cleaned up he headed back to his house. He felt defeated and for once in his life worthless. He didn't know why he felt this way about someone he just met. It wasn't as serious as he felt but yet, everything inside of him tore away with each step inside of his empty house. With each stride came something else broken, with each grunt was something more undone. By the time he reached the broken escalator he looked back to see a mess his servants would have to clean up. Glass sharped, broken wood, pillow feather laid out on the floor, and picnic that was prepared spread across the floor like crunchy medley dressing. He only trudged up the steps. He closed the wobbly flip-shutter kicking off his shoes. He undressed and laid there staring at the ceiling. He held one hand over his chest while the other was held over his peepers. "I'm so stoopid…why did I ever think…it could work. Humans really are what I was told…" Easton hated himself more than anyone for trusting someone enough to have the moments they shared be called merely a distraction. That moonlit hours he ended passing out after hours of contemplating what had happened. He woke up feeling groggy and tired. He got dressed but messily put on his clothes. His clothes weren't straight and he had dark circle's under his peepers. Nothing about him looked approachable. Once he was done he went out into town. Abrose was probably going to laugh at him if he heard what happened. People would move out of his way as he walked through town. His didn't have a shine or a glow in them. They were simply dull. Like they used to be.
(Don’t thank me I’m only telling the truth)
Similar to the moonlit hours before, Abose barely slept, only management a few hours before waking up in the early morning hours. Upon seeing the state his human containment unit was in, then further seeing the dying flowers in the shops area, Abrose knew that'd he'd have to close for the day to fix everything. Abrose dragged himself from the bed and dressed, changing into fresh clothes. He stood in the center of the flower shop and looked around at his wilted flowers, perfectly reflecting his own emotions. He took a deep breath, surpressing his emotions for now as he bustled around and cared ftor hem, gently coaxing them back to health with his magic. He took the entire morning to heal his plants andti give himself a chance to think over what he'd done the moonlit hours before. As the morning went in, and as customers flowed in, Abrise fell into a Rhythm of numbly attending to his patients and silently working. Whenever someone asked what was right, he'd gently shake off their concern and tell them he wasn't feeling well. By noon, Abrose had found a slot of time to clean his living area, barely registering the cuts on his hands as he swept the shards of glass and ceramic pots into a near pile off tto he side.
Easton looked at the florist shop that he went into every day. For some reason, it looked as unapproachable as he did. He needed to get his mind off things so what better a distraction than to do his job. "I'm back." He hummed as he walked into the store. His rhythm felt off. His usually bold and annoying mood seemed different as he did his best to try to hide his emotions. Easton looked at the flowers in the see-through wall and frowned just a bit. "So, how is your daily healing job going. I hope you don't have too many customers today." He leaned on the front desk like he usually did, not even phased by the flowers touching his arm. He looked down at his hands. "You ever had that one thing that you thought would work out just…." he made a clicking noise with his mouth. He made a dropping motion with his hand with a scoff, "go down the drain?" He sad laugh came from his mouth. "Yeah, it…it isn't fun." He took a deep strained breath in. "You look like you're doing better than me. Before you say anything, it didn't work out…yeah. It's fine I'll…I'll move on. I think." His voice was soft but you could tell it wasn't normal. He tried to get himself back to the way he used to be. "Anyway, I just came in here to annoy you. You seem to be having a bad day so why not come in and make it worse hm?"
Abrose appeared in the doorway, wrapping a bandage over his cut hand. "howdy, partner, I'm sorry but we're clo-" he looked up, peepers still puffy and red from last moonlit hours, the remains of tears staining his cheeks. "Easton," he barely whispered not daring himself to say the name outloud. They weren't on first name basis anymore. He sucked in a deep breath and willed himself not to cry again, not to beg for forgiveness. Abrose focused on wrapping his injured hand, sitting down at his stomach so he wouldn't collapse into a pathetic sobbing mess. Hce leared his throat "I'm sorry to hear that, captain. I truly am." He said softly, looking anywhere but at Easton, forcing down the pain in his chest. You did it for the both of you, so neither would get hurt, he reminded himself. "You're right, I'm not having the best day it seems. So why not torture each other more?" He stood from his table and glanced an armfull of dead flowers. "You grab the water buckets while I take the flowers. Might as well put yourself to use while you annoy me."
