la belle dame sans merci | carlisle cullen

01

Carlisle had never been to the flower shop but it was Alice's favourite and, somehow, he'd become an errand boy. His task was simple enough— get Alice some flowers. It happened, unfortunately, that flowers were not an area he had much expertise in. Far from, actually. He could identify a rose, pretty well— he'd turned her after all.

There was no one inside the flower shop as he entered, bell over the door jingling. Little Leaf, it was called. The small store didn't follow the name. One wall was plastered with more flowers than he'd ever seen in his life, another with greenery and filler, another with an assortment of plants ready to buy. He looked around in wonder, how the hell could anyone get this volume of plants to grow — let alone survive— in forks?

Intense clanging in a room beyond the staff only door proceeded a call: "I'll be right there, sorry!" He tried to seem distracted, catching several low curses no one was meant to hear before a disheveled woman half stumbled through the door. She was saying something, he was sure of it. Words were coming out of her mouth, slipping from her smiling lips.

"Are you okay?" It snapped him back to focus when she leaned slightly forward against the counter, brows furrowed. The scent coming off her was overwhelming, dizzying. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been even slightly affected by a human, let alone one who wasn't even bleeding. Yet just the barest inhale here had his throat tightening like a vice, a low burn spreading.

"Yes, yes. I'm sorry." He shook his head a little conjuring a smile, "I was just erm.. spacing a bit."

"I get that. I'm a total space cadet." She had a little apron on, brown and embroidered with flowers. "Are you looking for anything specific?"

"Yes. It's-" he almost forgot why he'd come in. Her face was so familiar, thought not in a seen around Forks kind of way. A way that tugged at his stomach and made him sure that he should know her. "It's my daughters birthday. She's big on flowers and stuff, I'm sure she's been in here shaking you down for everything you've got."

"What's her name?"

"Alice." He responded and the woman's face lit up.

"Oh!" She clapped her hands together, "You're in luck. It so happens that I love your daughter. She's in here at least once or twice a week." Her smile was warm, genuine. Most people could hardly hold eye contact with him but she didn't shy away. Every time their eyes met, he felt pinned to the spot. As if he'd forgotten how to think all together. "Are you looking for something specific?"

"I'm- I'm not sure. I was sent but it was out of necessity, rather than skill." He admits, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"That's alright. I've got skill enough for two and I know what she likes." The woman beamed and Carlisle felt a warmness blossom in his chest, "Do you want to get her an arrangement or something she can keep?"

"I think an arrangement." Carlisle decides, "Whatever you think is best, honestly."

"Arrangements are best for an achievement." She comments, flipping open a notepad. "Do you think she'll put it in her room or leave it in a common space?"

He thought for a moment, "Her room I think."

"Okay." She began to jot a couple things down, "Please, don't think it's strange that I know the colour scheme of your daughter's bedroom." It makes him laugh and her smile grows a little. "Okay, I'm thinking purple with cream accents." She suggests, coming around the counter, she leans up on her toes to pick a cluster of purple flowers off the wall before to the side to grab a single stem flower which is much darker. "Which?"

"I don't-"

"Come on, now. I can't do all the work for you." She reprimanded with a teasing smile. "Mainly, I don't know what shade she prefers."