Newsies One-Shots

Chapter 47 - Buttons and Elmer

Buttons and Elmer are Besties Who Run a Florists Together
Ship - Buttons and Elmer (brotherly)
Era - Modern
Triggers - None

"Buttons, time to get up. We've to open up in an hour," Elmer called out to his roommate.

Switching on the hob, he started to make eggs for the both of them, the way he did every morning.

Buttons came into the kitchen a minute later, his hair messy from quite literally just rolling out of bed.

"Can you-" Elmer looked over at Buttons, about to ask him to make the toast. "You're already on it."

"Of course I am, it's a morning," Buttons pointed out. "We do this every morning."

The duo fell into a comfortable silence as they finished making the breakfast, Buttons setting the table while Elmer served it up.

They usually spent their mornings going over the plans for the day and getting an idea of what needed to be done in advance.

"Do we have any orders due today?" Elmer asked. "I know there's that wedding anniversary one due tomorrow but I'm not sure about today."

"There's the one for a birthday but other than that there aren't any big ones," Buttons explained. "I'm pretty sure a couple said they'd be coming in to see about a bouquet for them both."

Elmer nodded. "That doesn't sound too bad."

They finished their breakfast soon after, exchanging small talk as they cleaned up the kitchen before getting ready to leave for work.

Elmer and Buttons walked to their shop together, Buttons suggesting ideas for wrappings on bouquets.

Buttons didn't abandon his love for sewing when they opened the florists, he would still sew most of his own clothes and holders for their bouquets.

He thought it added an extra touch to the flowers and make them more personal.

He'd sewn almost all of his entire outfit for that day too.

A yellow skirt with flowers embroidered onto it with a white shirt with yellow cuffs and collar that he too embroidered to match the skirt.

He finished the look off of with a pair of plain white shoes and his favourite tote bag.

It had his name on the top with lots of buttons all of different colours, shapes and sizes sewed on all around the bag.

He'd occasionally sew things for Elmer too, he did a tote bag with a similar design to his for Elmer, only his had lots of different flowers and shapes.

"Do you have the key?" Elmer asked him once they'd arrived at the shop.

Buttons always carried the keys, Elmer tended to forget them otherwise, while Elmer was always the one to unlock the shop, he claimed it was to make sure nothing happened to Buttons' outfits.

Buttons reached into his tote bag and pulled out the keyring with his key to the shop and their apartment.

He passed it over to Elmer who unlocked the shop and pulled up the awning.

They went about their usually morning routine, putting flowers out the front, planning for orders and placing out flowers and wrappings for people to see.

As Buttons had said the couple came in looking for bouquets for their wedding.

Buttons was in a world of his own while Elmer talked to the couple.

He didn't even notice when one of them came up to him.

"Excuse me, I love your outfit," she said. "Where did you get it?"

Buttons turned around, surprised. "Oh." He looked down at his outfit. "I can't remember."

Elmer looked over and blinked. "Didn't you sew that one?" he asked with genuine curiosity. "I remember you working really hard on it."

Buttons blushed and shrugged. "It's really nothing."

"It's really good," the other lady said. "I love the flowers. Especially the sunflowers, they're her favourite."

Elmer sensed Buttons wanted to get out of the conversation. "Do you want some in your bouquets? Sunflowers I mean. They might look nice if it's a summer wedding."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea, what do you think babe?" the first lady agreed.

The second lady nodded in agreement.

"Right, if you want to head into the office I can bring some ideas," Elmer explained. "I just need to get some things."

The couple nodded and walked into the office at the back of the shop.

Elmer immediately went over to Buttons once they'd gone into the office.

"You feeling okay?" he asked quietly, running his hand along Buttons' arm.

Buttons smiled lightly at the gesture, it was something small but between the two of them it meant a lot, it helped to remind him that Elmer was there for him.

"Yeah, just panicked a bit," he explained. "Didn't expect to be talked to and it's embarrassing that I make my own clothes."

"Why's it embarrassing? They look so cool. You always look so cool," Elmer rambled. "You're the most fashionable person I know."

Buttons smiled gratefully and rubbed his hands together. "Thanks, I'm sorry. I should have been better at talking to customers."

"No, it's okay. You weren't expecting people to talk to you and you panicked a little bit. That happens to everyone."

Buttons shrugged, his gaze fixed firmly on Elmer's shoes.

"I've got to go talk plans but why don't you take a little break? Go get a hot chocolate or maybe go home and take a short nap. Then come back when you're more relaxed," Elmer suggested.

"Yeah, that sounds nice but I don't want to leave you on your own," Buttons tried to argue but was quickly shut down.

"I'll be okay, you go relax and I'll be here when you get back."

"Okay, bye El."

"Bye Buttons."

~~~
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