Kind of Like You

1 . Flower Boy

He was just in time. The smell of shaved wood and honey hit him subtly, like a cloud as the cute cart toting man turned a corner to start heading in his direction.

His face heated at the sight of him, his over-sized peony colored shirt under similarly light blue overall shorts to show off his nice legs, his brown eyes and hair just a few shades brighter than the brown of the wooden cart he pushed around seemingly all morning.

Ludwig was simply smiling to himself until the man came into view and then Ludwig was awkwardly smiling at him. At least the greeting was reciprocated in a much more charming, graceful fashion as the man sped up towards him, practically bouncing as he waved wildly with one hand and pushed his cart forward with the other.

"Um --"

"Luddy, it's good to see you again!"

Before he was even able to try and speak, the man -- Feliciano -- had beat him to casual conversation again, he was just a natural people person. But it was hard not to notice the nickname he'd been given after only having been spotted and stopped by the man twice before. It made his face heat up unnaturally for the second time in a less than 5 minute time-span. He hoped Feliciano neither cared nor noticed the coloring of his face as he diverted his attention to the contents of the man's cart.

It was filled with -- overflowing with -- vibrant, tropical flowers. Tame, simple flowers. Overbearing, intricate flowers. All thrown together in one cart next to one beautiful man.

"See anything you like today?" Feliciano prompted, noticing Ludwig's eyes resting on a small white spiral of a flower rooted in the back corner of the cart.

Ludwig hummed in approval as he glanced over the cart for a second time, feigning intrigue and understanding.

"They look healthy, you must take good care of them."

Feliciano beamed at the compliment, beamed and smiled a wide sunny smile like he often would. Ludwig had often spent thoughts throughout his days on wondering whether or not it was genuine or a business practice, but enjoyed it nonetheless.

"Thank you, I do my best!"

"Um, any recommendations?"

A careful hand raised to his chin as he looked over his own supply of flowery foliage, glazed eyes carefully analyzing his stock before he reached in beside the small spiral flower to grab an equally small yellow flower with delicate looking petals and rich purple dots radiating out from its stigma in a soft gradient. He reached his hand out to Ludwig with the flower loose in his grip, and Ludwig let it flow into his hand -- savoring the brush of Feliciano's fingertips against his palm.

"It looks like you, solid base with a soft coating."

Ludwig looked up from the flower in his possession to the man who still smiled warmly. Often, Ludwig had been told he was the opposite -- hard exterior, soft interior --, but maybe the man who had caught his interest saw a side of him many hadn't. But that was obvious, he couldn't look into the innocent gleam of the man's eyes for more than 3 seconds before heating like the sun.

He couldn't stay and chat forever though, he had to go to work eventually -- even if he'd left early just to catch the flower boy at the corner.

"Alright, how much?" Ludwig fumbled to get his wallet out of his pocket and Feliciano laughed lightly, airily and so sweetly it made Ludwig's heart freeze and melt for a moment. He dropped his wallet.

"Damn."

He reached down to pick it up, but Feliciano was lighter and quicker, already handing it back to the slightly bent over Ludwig. He started to straighten and mumble out a thanks when Feliciano plucked the flower from Ludwig's hand and placed it behind his ear, securely tucked under a few stiff blonde locks of hair.

"Free of charge."