- Not for My Flowers💐 -

📘Chapter 6: A Visit

✨ = Sparkling Cookie's POV || 🪴 = Herb Cookie's POV || 📘 = Third Person POV

    "Ugh!" Herb cookie groaned and slumped against his chair. It was the opening night of Sparkling's "Juice" bar. And it was loud. Herb was trying to quietly read A Florist's Guide to Flowers, but alas, life had other plans for him. He wanted to throw his book down onto the desk, but decided to have mercy and gently placed it down on the cream surface, nudging his bookmark into place. If he wasn't going to get a peaceful night to himself, he might as well spend it with his flowers.
    Instead of grumbling to himself at home, Herb decided to go to his shop. Sadly it was next to the loud event, but he had music and headphones. He'd survive. Hopefully.
    He was snipping the stems of sweet peas and adjusting the leaves of gardenias when a sharp knock interrupted the muffled chatter coming from the bar. Herb pouted to his bouquet, put down his scissors and headphones, then made his way to the door. The sign that hung on the glass entrance obscured his vision but he recognized the black pants and towel that was tucked into its hem. Herb paused and readied himself, mentally and physically. He wiped the grouchy look off his face and opened the door.
    Sparkling, brown suspenders and all, stood there with a glass a hand. The glass contained a light greenish-yellow cocktail with a sliced lime and a lonely cherry floating atop a pile of ice. "Hey Sparkling," Herb said begrudgingly, "and co." He'd added that last part when he saw company. A vampire-like cookie with slick hair and a glass of juice was smirking at him. A girl with puffy white winter attire and a large cup of cocoa peeked at him curiously behind a cookie whom he recognized as Mint Choco. The mint cookie had stopped by the shop and bought a bundle of white lilies and poinsettia. When he looked closer at the cocoa girl, he noted that the pattern on her skirt matched the bouquet wrapping.
    Herb groaned to himself. Social interaction and noise? Life was definitely mocking him. Sparkling's smile brightened while, unbeknownst to Herb, his cheeks darkened happily. "Hello Herb! I brought you a drink!" Herb grew skeptical. "What type of drink?" Sparkling's smile widened as he launched into his spiel. "Well, it's a Black-Eyed-Susan! Instead of the usual sugar syrup*, I figured it would be too late for that anyway, I replaced it with some soda. It also has some fruit juices and-" Herb internally sighed. Might as well humor the poor lad. The leafy boy shed a tight smile and took the glass He downed it in a few swallows with the vampire chanting, "Chug, chug, chug..." Herb took a quick bow, to Vampire Cookie's glee, and handed the glass back to Sparkling. "So, how was it?" Herb's smile loosened as he reassured the bubbling boy that the drink was delicious. Vampire's smirk came on in full swing when Herb gave Sparkling a quick hug and a promise to hang out the next day. The caped cookie started to cough wildly when the glass door closed. "Cough, simp, cough" Sparkling was in a daze since Herb gave him a hug. Mint Choco shook his shoulder, then resorted to slapping him. Cocoa giggled and teased the bartender by saying, "Looks like someone's got a crush~" Sparkling laughed and flicked her mug. "Shut up guys, it's just a silly crush anyway. Herb's my friend!" The group just deadpanned him as Sparkling rushed to his bar, blushing madly when he ate the cherry that Herb had left untouched.

Side Note: *Sugar Syrup is the equivalent to alcohol in my story since, y'know, they don't use actual alcohol in the game and I ain't gonna start using it here