Falling For The Florist [Natsu Dragneel] | ✓

six; hollyhock

     It was just another day in the relationship of Izumi Akihiko and Natsu Dragneel; she'd been explaining a simple process for the past hour, and he still didn't understand it.

     "Like this," Izumi demonstrated for what, to her, felt like the billionth time. "You drop the petunias between each marigold."

     Natsu grumbled incomprehensible words under his breath and failed once more at placing the flowers. "This is hard!"

     Izumi huffed and adjusted his fingers. "It's not that complicated."

     "If it weren't, I would be able to do it!"

     In defeat, the florist held her hands up. "Fine," she surrendered. "Put them in however you'd like. Just don't touch the calla lilies, because they're both pretty and expensive."

     "You don't trust me?" He grunted and stuffed a handful of daisies carelessly into the vase. 

     "Not with flowers, because you just fucking ruined twenty jewels worth of them."

     Natsu eyed the daisies and their crushed stems. "How," he said in disbelief, "Are daisies so expensive? That's crazy!"

     Izzy slipped up behind him and snatched the flowers from their container and split them mid-stem before she meticulously and delicately guided each back into the container. For some extra pop, she wove a few pink poppies into the mix. 

     "It's really that easy," she said and slipped the bouquet into the cooling display. "That one's worth about thirty jewels or so, I'd say."

     "I could go to a buffet for that much!" Natsu exclaimed. "What the hell is wrong with this country?"

     Izumi didn't suppress a critical snicker. "Maybe part of it is that certain boys yell way too loudly when in discomfort."

     The statement made the dragon slayer sink into one of the few emerald waiting benches. In irritation, he blew a heavy breath at some roses. 

     "Anyway," Izzy fled to the counter. "I got you something."

     The boy perked up. "Eh?"

     Izumi turned around the service counter and popped open a drawer, rummaged with care through the contents. Seconds later, she held up a sparkly, very feminine dry poppy brooch. 

     "It's cool, huh?" She chirped. "Maybe you could use it if you ever need to look fancy."

     "What'll I need a flower brooch for? My sex change operation?"

     Izzy faltered and cast a glare over to her boyfriend before she dropped the brooch to the floor. "If you don't like it, just say it. It's not like you could get married one day or anything."

     Natsu turned up his nose. "Fine. I don't like it."

     The florist bit her lip and gingerly picked up the flower, fumbled for a needle, and quickly cast a price tag through the connecting fabric. A tad upset, though she wouldn't admit it, she set it on the top shelf of her miscellaneous-type selling paraphernalia.  

     In his mind, Natsu noted that most people wouldn't be able to reach it without the stepping stool. It was an unusual and inconvenient spot.

     Despite it, he turned his attention away. The dorky thing wasn't deserving. He wouldn't need something like that, would he?