Creative Writing Fragments.

INSPO - Blue Roses.

He has such a good taste in cologne, Tyler thought to himself as he entered the white-washed room. The walls gleamed, the counter-tops were spotless and the table was clean as the day it'd been made. Clear, precise, and perfect, just the way Tyler liked his work spaces.

"Good morning, James. My name is Tyler, I'm sure you've heard of me, and this morning I have the pleasure of working with you to make you once again into what you were," Tyler gave his most reassuring smile as he set his cosmetics case on the table side.

"Not much of a talker, are we?" he teased, readying his supplies and testing colors.

"Guess I'll talk for us both then," Tyler rambled with a giggle. He turned again to James and noticed the picture clasped in his hand. Tyler pulled it out of the man's grasp and studied it closely.

"Yes, I agree," he went back to his case and pulled out more containers, "that is exactly the look you need."

Tyler busied himself with arranging his cosmetic supplies in the order he'd be using them. He hummed quietly to himself while James waited silently behind his back.

"So we'll be getting started shortly, anything you need before then?" Tyler queried as he straightened to check his arrangement. His face broke into a smile.

"No? Well in all honesty, I have my ritual to go through. This'll only take a sec," Tyler quickly made his way around the room, opening all the cabinets wide to display their contents to the world. Clothing, shoes, cloths, spare cosmetics, and perfumes, they were nearly falling out of the cupboards. Once Tyler had opened all the doors, he worked his way backwards again to slam them all shut, the room turning into the blank, white box again.

"Sorry, about the delay," Tyler apologized, "now perhaps we'll start?" he quirked, facing James again.

Without so much as a sigh of protest, Tyler sets to work on his muse of the day.

Though Tyler considered himself quite the chatter, he remained nearly as silent as James throughout the process. Working from the photo provided by James himself, Tyler masterfully recreated the scene captured in the picture. The skin tones, the cheerfulness, the very essence of the happy photo. Pausing only briefly, Tyler swept his hair from his eyes.

"Half-way there, chap. Just hold out a little longer," Tyler quipped, his subject making no move to respond, "you could at least try warming up to me," Tyler taunted. When he still got no response, Tyler went back into his silent-yet-efficient work mode.

* * *

He's got a good nose. Tyler kept that thought to himself as he studied James one final time, his handiwork nearly complete.

And fabulous skin, all things considered.

Tyler squinted slightly and leant his head to the left.

Give him a pair of retro glasses and he'd be so chic. Tyler rightened.

"Whilst I can't get you the glasses your aesthetic self yearns for, I can do this much," with an elegant reach, Tyler took a rose from one of the bouquets that had been brought down during the makeover. The pastel blue petals practically glowed in the stark white of the room as Tyler slipped the flower under the collar of James' suit.

Tyler sighed and placed his hands on his hips.

"I suppose this means we're done."

The lack of response from James spurs Tyler into his finishing speech.

"Well it's been a pleasure to work with you, and I hope you wow them all. Good luck in wherever you'll be going to. Good bye, James."

Tyler packed his case in a rushed mess. James was giving him an odd feeling, so he thought it best to be off. Could just be the smell. Tyler told himself as he mounted the staircase, cosmetics case in hand. He reached the landing and opened the wooden door.

"Bye, Lani!" Tyler waved, passing by the resident priestess, "tell Rod thanks for the flowers."

"Will do, Ty. See you tomorrow, love," Tyler gave a last wave as he hopped out the door and down the front stairs of Rose House Funerals.