Oneshot Advent Calendar

December 8- Flowers

"Yeah, I mean, who doesn't-" Wes paused, seeing his desk.

Thad chuckled. "Who's the newest admirer, Wes?"

"Well, considering that they gave me roses, I think I've never talked to them a day in my life," he responded, sitting at his desk and picking up the bouquet.

"There's a note," Thad observed.

Wes read it. "I don't-" he sighed. "I can't read Chinese. I'm not Chinese."

我爱你

Thad read it over his shoulder. "It says 'I love you.' I took a class once," he added at Wes's weird look. "It was over the summer, had to get out of the house."

"Hm. I feel bad that they're pinning all their affection on someone they don't know."

-

Days later, he walked in to the classroom to a different bouquet on his desk.

"Man, again?" Thad asked. "What even are those?"

"Hyacinths," Wes said. He didn't look irritated like usual. "They're my favorite flower."

Thad looked interested. "You've never told me that."

"I've never told anyone that." He sat down at his desk, reading the note. It was handwritten by someone with very nice penmanship.

Wes- I know you hate roses, you think they're too expensive and cliché, and I can't say I disagree. I thought hyacinths seemed to suit you. Have you ever heard the story of how hyacinths came to be? About Hyacinthus and Apollo? Personally I think it's rather sweet.
(P.S. I'll try not to kill you with a discus.)

Wes chuckled at the postscript. "I love that story, it's why they're my favorite."

Thad read it, raising an eyebrow. "About time."

"About time for what?"

"About time for a guy to send you flowers."

He blushed. "Why do you think it's a guy?"

"Wes, Apollo and Hyacinthus is a gay love story. He joked about him being Apollo and you being Hyacinthus."

"Now where'd they do that?"

"'P. S. I'll try not to kill you with a discus?'" Thad said, as if it was obvious.

His blush deepened. "But what guy would send me flowers?"

-

Soon the news flew all over the school. A boy had sent Wes, the most popular, handsome, and athletic kid in school, flowers.

Nobody knew who the kid was, but he was a laughingstock.

Wes had tucked the flowers safely away in his locker, keeping them in water so they didn't die. It was the only time he'd bothered trying to keep the flowers he got alive. He had pulled a purple one out of the bouquet, keeping it with him.

"What even are those?" a girl laughed at lunch, clearly trying to get him to notice her. "He didn't even bother getting roses!"

Her posse laughed with her until Wes spoke.

"They're hyacinths." The entire hall fell silent, looking at him as he regarded the girl coldly. "My favorite flower, actually. I don't like roses, I think they're cliché and overused."

"But- but people always get you roses!" another girl objected.

"That's because they've never bothered to ask. I also get notes written in Chinese characters, or Mandarin, and I don't know either language. I've never left the state in my life and I'm not even Chinese."

The hall was silent. Then the boys started snickering, then the girls who hadn't made a fool of themselves joined in.

The normal chatter resumed, Wes continuing to his table. One of the boys on the track team leaned in as he sat down. "So you're not uncomfortable? Getting flowers from a guy?"

"Why should I be?" he asked.

"'Cause it's gay," another said.

He shrugged. "I see no difference in being sent flowers by a girl and being sent flowers by a guy, except this guy clearly knows me better than anybody who's sent me flowers before."

"But aren't you worried he'll do something?"

Wes looked the boy dead in the eye. "Look, if you have a problem with gay people, you can leave. Any of you."

"Lesbians are hot," one of them spoke up.

Wes gave him a disgusted look, getting up and leaving.