Herbs and Spices // snowbaz

record shop (au) - part 2

"Fuck!" Baz spat through his clenched teeth, his eyes willing clothes to jump out at him as he stood angrily in front of his closet, completely dumbstruck about what he should wear to his date with Simon. 

He knew the pair were going on a picnic date, Simon had let him know that, but the whereabouts had been shrouded in mystery and Baz was in turmoil. He didn't know what to wear at all, or what made him look the nicest (even though that was ridiculous considering Simon had literally seen him at work, where he looked his worst.)

"Oh for fuck's sake Baz, pull it together," he said to himself in the mirror. 

"Basil, what are you yelling about in there?" His Aunt Fiona hollered from inside his spare room, where she had been staying for the past week she had been in town. 

"I can't find anything to wear," Baz called back.

"For?" Fiona said as she walked into his room and dropped onto his bed, looking at him with her eyebrows raised.

"A date."

"Basil!" She sounded scandalised, and thrilled, "Have you met a fella?"

Baz blushed slightly, "Yes... maybe... I don't know if he'll stay with me if he knows how long it takes me to get ready."

Fiona laughed, "You're just nervous, just dress comfortably, in something you feel good in. Don't try to impress him, he already likes you. Plus, you look good in everything."

"That's not true," he laughed, "Well, actually I do look good in everything, but he might not already like me, we've barely talked."

"I'm sure he likes you already, who wouldn't? Now just be your charming self and all will be fine." 

"Thank you for the comforting words, I'm just going to wear these jeans," Baz pulled them off the hanger sharply and folded them over his arm, "And this shirt, and some kind of shoe, whatever." 

Baz sighed heavily and raked his hands through his hair, wrapping it around his fingers until he felt the pull. Fiona smiled at her nephew,
"Basil, you'll be fine, okay?" She said, pulling him into a tentative hug.

Baz sighed again, "Yeah, I'm sure it'll be good."

*****************

The doorbell rang out, harsh and true in Baz's quiet apartment.  He had pushed Fiona out 20 minutes before the doorbell rang, knowing he should deal with his pre-date anxiety completely by himself. 

Baz pulled sharply on his shirt, readjusting it before he swung open the door to reveal an already 100 watt Simon, grinning at him from the other side of the doorway. Baz tucked his chin back towards his chest bashfully.

"You ready to go?" Simon said.

"Yeah," Baz exhaled, feeling the breath relieve the tension from his shoulders, "Never been more ready."

********************

"How long have you been working at the record shop?" 

"For a while, it's the best job I've ever had, and the boss is really great, and the staff discount is incredible, discounts off music, off instruments, it's just really great," Baz grinned at Simon who was spread out on the green grass next to the loudly rushing river, and Simon smiled back, his arm bent to hold his head up as he lay on his side.

"Do you play an instrument?" Simon said.

"Yeah, I play the violin, and I sort of play the guitar, but the violin is definitely my favourite, I've played it for years," he replied, shrugging.

The pair were sitting on a plaid picnic blanket, it's gentle rustling being heard every time one of them moved, which hadn't happened in a while as the two had settled into their retrospective positions, Baz sitting cross-legged and Simon lying next to him on his side, his head cupped in his hand, their bodies facing each other.

"What about you?" Baz smiled down at Simon, "Do you play any instruments?"

"Oh dear god, no, I'm musically challenged when it comes to actually playing music," Simon laughed, "Although I do love music when I'm listening to it, but not at all when I'm trying to play it." 

"Ah, you probably just haven't found the right teacher," Baz said flirtatiously, feeling a blush come to his face at his boldness, and Simon laughed quietly.

"I think I might've found the right teacher now," Simon said, his hand that wasn't holding him upright dropping to sit between the two boys, dropping next to Baz's hand. The two looked at their almost touching fingers, as they tentatively laced the tips of their fingers and then moving to interlace their entire hands. 

Both of the boys smiled down at their interlocked hands, as Baz traced his thumb against the back of Simon's hand.

"So... you really do like music? I thought you were just at the record shop to watch me," Baz teased his date, his fingers squeezing Simon's gently.

"Well, I was there to watch you, but I do really like music. I've always loved music, it's always been there for me, you know? That sounds dumb, but in every circumstance that I needed it, music was there to welcome me, and make me feel better," Simon grinned at the other boy, "Does that make any sense?"

Baz rolled his eyes, "I work in a music shop, in the age where everything is downloadable, of course, it makes sense to me." 

Simon laughed, "I suppose I'd never thought about it like that before, how are you even still employed?"

"I think it's probably because of my charming personality and wickedly good looks," he quipped, dropping his left eyelid in a quick wink. 

"Yeah, yeah, that only works if your customers are all interested in you."

"It worked on you didn't it?"

*******************

okay, I struggled writing this for so long, it's a bit riduculous, I couldn't figure out a way to end it so whatever I'm done with it now. At least it's over 900+ words long so there you go.

Thank you for reading and comment and vote if you liked it, or if you didn't then comment and tell me why! I'd love to know. You can also comment any future ideas for stories because I've got some but I would love to have more!