i'd like a rose, please * joshler

1*flowershop

word count: 1082

tyler:

"i'm getting my first tattoo today, whether you like it or not, mum. fricking 23 and still living with you in this stupid flower shop. i should just leave you!"

tyler heard the words before he could process them, but showed no remorse. his voice and mind were twisted with frustration, and his mother stared at him through concerned eyes. tyler had always wanted tattoos as a kid, but his mother had always restrained him. she had always been just there for him. all his good decisions...were on account of her. and here he was, screaming at her, practically; over a tattoo. he wasn't her first child, but he was the one still living with her, while his siblings were out doing important things with their lives. tyer was stuck here. and if he was going to be here for the rest of his life, he was sure as hell gonna have fun while he had the chance. mother's permission or not. because in his opinion, he was only staying out of kindness, for his mother's happiness. he could leave her whenever, and what could she do about it? honestly.

that day, the day he said such a thing, was the day his mother died.

she had a heart attack while he was at the grocery store. no one was there to help her. she was alone. she died.

and now tyler ran the shop all by himself, living with the regrets of leaving his mother, of having the last words he ever spoke to her, the ones who tore her heart apart. he vowed to never give up on this flower shop, even if he only made roughly $20 a day. it was a job, wasn't it? his siblings understood his grief, but he hadn't told them about what he had said. they helped him, financially. tyler was sure, age 25 at this point, that his life would be spent relying on others.

fast forward, to the "present." ish.

tyler was now 27, still depending on his siblings. today was his mother's death anniversary, and he decided he was to do something important. tyler was finally get the tattoo she never wanted him to have, but it'd be a rose. in honor of her. and there just happened to be a tattoo parlor beside the flower shop. it was the same one he had wanted to go to at 23, as a kid, even. at last, he would enter its doors and uncover the secrets of it all.

he rarely saw anyone go in and out of that parlor. he secretly hoped the person running it was just as solitary as he. perhaps, a friendship could blossom. what if it was a girl? tyler smiled. he quickly plucked a rose from the pots in the back, figuring if it was a girl, he could give it to her, and if it a man...well, his tattoo was going to be of a rose. it could be a model, or something like that. tyler giggled awkwardly to himself as he walked along the sidewalk to the parlor. opening the large wooden door, he was welcomed by silence, and a pretty long flight of stairs. his breathing quickened as he walked up, until he reached the top. he stumbled in, face going white as he saw the person inside, sitting on a large chair in the middle, along with needles and other tattoo equipment. tyler began to regret this choice; he had a terrible phobia of needles. still, he stood strongly and walked towards the man, who had fiery red hair and a fully tattooed arm.

the man flashed him a smile, and tyler's heart almost burst, clutching the rose tighly behind his back. don't blush. please don't blush, tyler warned himself. you're god fricking straight.

"it's friday, my dude," the man said suddenly, and tyler's heart twisted like a pretzel. "whooo."

tyler didn't laugh, he just stood, shocked. the man let out a chuckle. clearly tyler wasn't very social.

josh:

"and what tattoo would you like today?" hummed josh softly, smiling when he noticed the customer, a frail sort of boy, admiring his muscular arm covered with tattoos. the boy was actually sort of cute, which josh rarely saw in men. handsome, often did come to mind, but cute was different altogether.

"i'd like a rose, please."

josh's eyes twinkled amusedly. "i'll be honest, flowers are not my specialty. it may be crappy. sure you don't wanna go to a different parlor?" he asked honestly, voice entertained.

"i'll give you a model," the boy answered, pulling from behind his back a fully blossomed pink rose. it was a perfect rose, frankly, with bright lime colored leaves and subtle thorns.

the boy smiled at josh, as if he knew it was an unrefusable offer, and josh couldn't argue. his blood was rushing with excitment, but if quickly twisted to concern as he grabbed the boy's wrist, lowering his hand; and the rose. the boy looked a him a bit confusedly, and josh sighed before he spoke.

josh shifted uncomfortably as he replied in a tone of curiosity, "where did you happen upon it?"

"i run the flower shop next door. ever heard of it? big white banner and--"

"oh, you mean that one! is that nice old lady who runs it your mom?"

"well, yes. she ran it." tyler said slowly, emphasizing ran.

josh's eyes widened. "dang, i'm so sorry. my dad passed, too. he used to teach me how to do tattoos. but he died a while back, man. maybe when i was 9 or 10. i've been tattooing for a while. shame i still can't get flowers right. sort of pathetic, if you ask me--"

"pathetic? psh. i can't do anything but cut flowers!" tyler interrupted, and josh laughed.

"nice."

tyler's face reddened, embarrassed by his own outburst.

"i'll do the flower, but tattoos can hurt, for some people i guess. i'm used to it, but it might be sorta a shock for you, assuming you don't have any yet?"

"right," tyler confirmed, breathlessly.

"so, first tattoo on the house. on one condition."

tyler's eyes brightened. with his financial situation, saving money is always a plus.

"you're going to get another tattoo sometime. and," josh added, "you're going to visit me once a week. every tuesday. we'll get lunch and hang out."

"why? why do you want to hang out with me?"

"'cause."

the rose dropped from tyler's hand.

"yes, please."