Invictus

Newcomers

“You should get a tattoo.”
Alec firmly believed in coincidences, in the serendipity that could bring the hazards of life, but even he could admit that sometimes, things seemed to happen for a reason. He was too much of a pragmatic person to truly believe in fate and destiny. So even when Jace blurted those words at him as he stumbled into his shop, they remained abstract
concepts to him, no matter how it nudged at the back of his mind.

Alec looked up from the bouquet of bouvardias he had been arranging and lifted an eyebrow at his brother. “Come on,” Jace said, leaping on the counter to sit in front of Alec. “They’re finally done with the renovation work in the shop next door. It’s gonna be a tattoo parlor. You’ve been thinking about
getting one for ages. It’s fate, man!”

Alec rolled his eyes, rolling the sleeves of his shirt back up. “I don’t even know what I’d get done,”he mused, fingers trailing on the petals of a flower to readjust it. “I’m not going to rush to get a
tattoo just because a tattoo parlor is conveniently opening next to my shop. I’m not going to let my skin get permanently inked by the first tattoo artist I run into.”
Jace stretched out on the counter to kick at Alec’s thigh, although not hard enough to hurt. “Your standards are ridiculously high. You’re never going to find someone good enough for you if you refuse to give a chance to someone.”
“Are you still talking about tattoos?” Alec deadpanned, glancing up to throw him a pointed glare through his lashes.

Jace shrugged, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “I don’t know, you tell me. How was your date last night?”
“Awful.” Jace leaped off the counter, throwing his arms up in the air dramatically. “See? That’s exactly what
I’m talking about! I’m sure it wasn’t that bad.”

Alec took a step back to admire his handiwork, lips pursed into a thoughtful grimace. Satisfied with himself, he gave a quick nod and turned towards his brother. “He was boring,” he said, but it was more of a groan.

Jace heaved out a deep sigh and swirled around when the entry door bell clanged to signal someone’s arrival.
“Wanda!” Jace shouted immediately, voice hitching up with enthusiasm. “Tell Alec to stop being ridiculously demanding!”

Alec had never truly dared to ask her age, but Wanda was an old woman. Her winter-white hair made her pale wrinkly skin look even paler. Her blue eyes, surely over years of experience and life
struggles, were always a bit cloudy, but it didn’t manage to hide the kindness they truly bore.

She was always neatly dressed and made up to fit her high-class standards, which contrasted greatly with her attitude. Alec had been surprised at first, a bit put off if he was quite honest, but she had grown on him the way ivy grew on walls, inexorably and, in the end, tremendously.
She hobbled over to them. “What did you do now?” she asked, and her Polish accent was thick like
it always was when she was ready to bicker. “Nothing!” Alec exclaimed defensively. “I had a date last night. The guy sucked. Jace says I’m
being picky.”
“I thought you youngsters said it was a good thing when a date ends up with someone sucking?” she replied, arching an eyebrow in an innocent manner that fooled no one.

“Wanda!” Alec and Jace called out in a same voice, and her toothy grin made Alec snort fondly.

“Here,” she said innocently, dropping a paper bag on the counter. “Tuna sandwiches and szarlotka .”

“Thank you,” Alec said, handing over the bouquet.

They had had an arrangement ever since Alec had opened his shop two years ago. She brought him sandwiches and the Polish pastries she prepared in the bakery she owned in front of his own shop, and in exchange he provided her with a fresh bouquet for her counter every day. There was clearly one of them getting the best end of that deal - him, Alec could admit it - but neither of them had ever complained. It was also the occasion for her to take a break when she needed it, and he liked her presence in his shop, familiar and ever friendly, although utterly shameless.

“Have you seen the newcomers?” she asked, pointing to the wall Alec shared with what would apparently be a tattoo parlor.

Alec shook his head, biting in his sandwich and slapping Jace’s hand when he went to steal a piece of apple pie.

Wanda ignored Jace’s affronted yelp, and her smirk widened. “The owner is very handsome. I wouldn’t mind having him for breakfast.”

Alec rolled his eyes. “I’m sure he’s way too young for you.”

“Of course he is, kochanie ,” Wanda replied. “Doesn’t mean I can’t admire his assets, and there are plenty. I saw him carry a few boxes inside and I suddenly felt like I was sixteen again, having hot flashes and all.”

“You’re impossible,” Alec sighed. “And he can’t be that handsome.”

“Probably not to your unreachable standards indeed,” Jace chimed in through a mouthful of apple pie and Alec threw him a glare. Both for the remark and the pie thief.

As if on cue, the entrance bell chimed again, and they all straightened up and turned to face the potential customer in a same movement.