Oneshots

Tattoos and Flowers (SDS)

AN: Idea comes from The-Ace-Shipper

Running a flower shop was hard work that required all of his attention. This was the excuse Michael made every time his best friends, Brandon and David, tried to get him to get out and do something. The truth was: Michael didn't like going out. He didn't like interacting with people unless it involved flowers, his one true passion. If it didn't involve flowers, he wanted nothing to do with it. Really, it was a wonder he had made friends with Brandon and David, but the three of them had been friends almost since college so maybe that had something to do with it. 

But still, the point was, he didn't like going out. 

Which led him to wonder just how he had ended up outside of a tattoo parlor, intending to get a tattoo. If he thought back on it, it was all David's fault. He and Brandon had come into his shop to talk as usual when the ginger decided to show off his new tattoo. Around his left bicep, there was now a curled-up black dragon that seemed to be spurting blue fire out of its nose. 

It wasn't that amazing but the concept of getting a piece of artwork on your skin that would last a lifetime intrigued Michael. And of course, his friends jumped on that as it would get Michael out of his dang flower shop for once. The two of them somehow convinced him that getting a tattoo would be good for him and when it didn't look like he would do it, they said something about him always some kind of flower with him if he got one on his skin. 

He hated that they knew his weakness for flowers.

So here he was. About to enter a tattoo parlor for the first time in his life. David had recommended this one to him and so he was deciding to trust the ginger, or more specifically, the craftsmanship of the dragon tattoo, and had come here. With a deep breath, he pushed open the door and walked inside. 

The tattoo parlor was pretty empty. There weren't any other customers and the only other person inside was a ginger who looked bored out of his mind sitting at the counter. The ginger's eyes brightened the instant he walked inside as if relieved to see him (probably because of the boredom in retrospect).

"Heya cutie~ What brings you here?" Michael couldn't help but blush at the cutie part. Like what the heck? The ginger chuckled at his blush as he walked around the counter and said. "You just gonna stand there looking pretty or are ya gonna tell me what kind of tattoo you want, sweetheart?"

He felt himself blushing even harder at the continued flirting, but he quickly shook himself off as he pulled out a drawing of an Aster flower with sprigs of Gladiolus flowers stemming out from behind it. 

Asters symbolized wisdom, faith, and valor while Gladiolus' symbolized strength of character, remembrance, faithfulness, and sincerity. He felt these flowers represented them well so he had drawn out the design with a careful hand, using his flowers as references. 

Handing the drawing over to the ginger, the ginger examined it with a careful eye before looking up at him with curious eyes. "You didn't strike me as the flower type."

"I'm pretty everyone in town who knows about my flower shop would be quick to correct you on that... Ritchie was it?" Michael rolled his eyes as he glanced at the other's name tag. 

Ritchie chuckled and nodded as he led the other over to a chair. "Should've known a pretty thing like you would be with other pretty things. Where'd you want the tattoo?" 

Michael blushed a little more at the compliment before saying. "I wanted to get it on my left upper bicep." 

"Full color or did you just want the line work?" Ritchie asked patiently. 

"Full color, or else someone will mistake the Aster for a daisy or something and I won't have that," Michael informed him. 

"Oh? And why so?" Ritchie asked even as he got the go-ahead to get to work. 

"I chose these flowers for a reason, they're sort of my personality. Daisies, on the other hand, are all about innocence and purity, which is not me at all." Michael said trying not to move at the stinging sensation of the needle. 

"Aww, so I don't get to corrupt you?" Michael probably would've jerked out of his chair at that statement if not for a hand reaching out to keep him in place. "Don't hurt yourself now, sweetie."

Michael found himself blushing heavily by the time all of the linework was complete on his tattoo (and he was informed by Ritchie that he would have to wait a bit before having the coloring added). Despite the pain in his arm and the flush he felt on his face, Michael found himself smiling. Though after paying Ritchie and turning to leave, he was caught off guard by Ritchie calling out. "See you later, my little aster~" 

Michael felt his face go even redder than before, which he hadn't thought was even possible, as he hurried out of the tattoo shop and away from the flirty ginger.