Friendship Blooms Fast [Antonio]

[Deleted]

born a poor young country boy, mother nature's son

I

t was as if there were a mini paradise in wintry Archadia. That paradise was just one building situated in the shopping district of town, not too significant over the size of all the others -- but the walls of any building couldn't limit one's appreciation for the place in its entirety, could they? Citizens and passerbys had likely grown so used to seeing sidewalks and streets lined with sleet and powdery snow that it was odd to see a florist's shop in the midst of it. Its displays stood out significantly over all of that white, and he couldn't imagine how someone couldn't possibly be lured in just by that alone. All of those colors and promises of an upcoming spring. Of course, that was all just Ivan's opinion. One that he could use to keep himself warm and giddy, since it wasn't exactly something he could go boasting about to others. Flowers weren't the most masculine of interests, not that that could really stop him.

Still, one look into the Russian's home was enough indication that he enjoyed them -- and certainly not in insignificant amounts. He liked to try and display as much yellow throughout his home as he could. If anyone were to ever come over and stay, he would hope that would give them a warmer first impression than he could on his own. Sunflowers were undeniably his best chance for doing that, and coincidentally he had fallen for them at a much younger age for precisely that reason. If anything, Ivan hoped to share that with mutants in particular, especially those that hadn't seen sunlight in so long - sunflowers were the closest resemblance and source of happiness for them that he could think of.

Most of the flowers Ivan owned were fake, however. Especially those that were smaller and intended for decoration. Living ones often did not remain in pristine condition for long, and that was all due to Ivan's incapability of keeping a proper garden (or flowers alone) alive. Insufficient amounts of sunlight, drowning them in too much water, forgetting to refill the vase... there were a lot of excuses, most of which Ivan did not notice each time. He didn't learn from those mistakes, either. Dead flowers were very unbecoming, but all they prompted him to do was go out and buy some more.

His hands were stuffed in his pockets, repeatedly making sure that he had brought enough money. He often preferred trying to save his money for other things, such as the auctions and necessities for home... but replacing his flowers was just as important a matter to him. He would always try and limit the amount he brought with him, wanting to make sure that he would not go overboard and buy more than he needed to spend, but most of the time he would forget that as well.

A bell rang above his head as he opened the door, announcing his arrival. He brought his hands out of his pockets, rubbing them together to summon a little warmth into them. Violet eyes looked from one side of the shop to the next -- it all looked as lovely as it smelled. He could stand there and admire it all day, at least until he remembered not to be in the way of other patrons. 

Before that could occur, Ivan turned and began in another direction to browse. He already knew where the sunflowers were situated, but why not take his time while he was here? Rather than heading straight for what he had come here for, he did just that -- taking slow steps to prolong his visit, and admire all of the other flowers he came across along the way. If there was anything that interested him about the place, it was the stock and its entire collection of flowers. He always wondered where they had all come from and who was responsible for obtaining them. Since he had made frequent visits here before, he could recall seeing one of the workers -- a tanned man who was most likely in charge.

Ivan always desired to question him about multiple things, but, not wanting to pull the man from his busy work, he held his patience. Waiting would have to suffice, until the worker was unoccupied and free to come his way -- perhaps to ask Ivan if he needed help, not that that was what he needed.

Word Count: 735
Tags: Antonio F. Carriedo
Notes:

by worldie for jen

[Antonio F. Carriedo]

It had been a short while since Antonio came to own the Little Florist. Normally a change in hands would leave a business closed for updates or changes for some time. But Antonio didn’t see the need or have the heart to do much at all to the shop he had – inherited. The old woman that left it to him was so sweet and had been so kind to him. He couldn’t bring himself to change the shop that had been her life. The love she had for what she did was obvious in every small touch that there didn’t appear any reason to anyway. The placement of each flower within categories was logical and neat, the shelves they were placed on presenting them properly. The only thing he did about the place was do some repairs, which were really a constant work in progress both on the shop and the apartment and greenhouse above.

As a result of skipping the step of weeks or so being closed for updates, Antonio had already begun to become familiar with the people of Archadia that frequented things such as flower shops. There were of course new people every day, and some who probably only needed to buy flowers on rare occasions. But there were also those he was learning the faces and names of. Frequent visitors, some the older woman had told him about. Her favorite customers that she’d grown to know fairly well. How to recognize them, their names, what they usually purchased. Antonio had been surprised and touched by her memory for such things. It was only right then that he commit them to his own memory and be on the watch for said people.

As he was helping a customer with his purchase, a young woman wanting some flowers for her boyfriend’s hospital room after breaking an arm, he saw one of just such people enter. Instinctively at the ring of the bell of the door he rose his head above the register to offer a bright smile, “welcome!” The man called in greeting. Only then did he realize who it was, and grin a little more to himself as he finished up what he was doing. He’d been wanting to talk more to this man in particular, intrigued by his obvious affinity for sunflowers. The woman had pointed this out to him, but not mentioned any specific reason for it. Either out of respect for privacy or not knowing herself, Antonio didn’t mind. It just presented his way to learn more about him himself.

As the woman left, Antonio moved from behind the counter to come up beside the taller male. His hands slid comfortably into the front pockets of his dull yellow apron that he wore. Perhaps as means of differentiating himself as a worker of the shop rather than another customer, as otherwise he wore rather normal clothes of a red button up with rolled up sleeves and brown pants. It was a lot more casual than the attire required of his other job, after all! Getting out of suits was quite nice.

“Can I help you, Sir?” Antonio asked, a friendly smile easily worn in his face.

Words: 539

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[Deleted]

all day long i'm sitting singing songs for everyone

T

he flowers he passed by next were vibrantly red and pink. He couldn't quite put his finger on the name of them, nor could he do so with most other types of flowers -- he had probably heard them before from his family, but gardening had become so absent in his life that he forgot most of what he knew. Half of the flowers in the world had names he could hardly pronounce, anyway, and thankfully sunflowers were so much easier to remember.

Before he could move on any further, he heard a voice. Ah-- that's the one he had been hoping to hear, wasn't it? Ivan turned to view the smile he was presented with, residing so fittingly on a warm face. "Oh, da," Ivan began, trying to fend off any indication that he was so pleased to have been spoken to. "I am just lookink right now, bot I know where to fint the ones I want to buy." His hand jutted forward, pointing a finger in direction of the back of the shop where the sunflowers were set on display or together in bouquet bundles.

Though his eye had caught another shade of yellow nearby, head turning to notice what the other man had on. Ivan felt a sort of sheepish envy to see how he was dressed -- if that was the attire that florists were allowed to wear, it was much prettier than the suit and winter gear on top of that that Ivan had to wear at his own station. Part of him wished he had an apron like that, even if he didn't quite have any reason to -- and so long as it was a slightly brighter shade than that one.

He lowered that hand back down, trusting now was a better time than any to get on with his purchase if he was so certain on what he was getting. It almost felt like an obligation to him that he bought one type of flower -- as nice as the others were, there were nearly too many for him to even begin deciding on. If he were so open to that many types, his home would likely be overrun with flowers. Which, unfortunately, would probably all end up wilted and much less decorative. In that case, he continued forward until passing into the back most area of the shop, met with another collection of flowers and gardening tools he had not seen upon entering. Their array was so inviting that he could only wish he was capable of starting a garden by his home.

There was a familiar twinkle in Ivan's eyes when he stopped to stand in front of them, even if that sheepishness continued to linger -- he wasn't exactly used to making this appreciation known to complete strangers. Unbeknownst to him, it seemed a small number of customers had recognized it already. He reached to collect one of those bouquets, looking at them with utmost appreciation. "I will jost get some off these~ Bot I dit want to ask you.." His previous curiosity made itself evident in his voice, casting another brief glance around the place before those eyes rested upon the store owner. "How are you keepink all of this so.. alife? I was also wonderink where all of these flowers came from."

Word Count: 551
Tags: Antonio F. Carriedo
Notes:

by worldie for jen

[Antonio F. Carriedo]

At the point back towards the sunflowers Antonio turned to follow the direction of the finger, although it was with a sort of knowing grin. Yeah, figured as much. It was always those. Sunflowers. Just as he’d heard and just as he’d seen with his own eyes. It was funny now, making the connection that it was actually quite charming. The sunny flower with such a tall stalk being the favorite of the towering man. He smiled to himself. Perhaps that wasn’t where the likeness ended.

Pulling back the stool behind the counter so he could sit since the man was at back anyway, the sunflowers only just to the right of the register where he’d make his purchase, Antonio turned to look at him at the question. He blinked, chin resting in the hands of his elbows resting on the countertop. How was he keeping them alive? Well that wasn’t necessarily the type of question he’d expect. The second one a lot more like what he’d thought, where he got such flowers in a place such as Archadia. “Well,” he turned in his seat to be sideways, only one elbow propped now as he used the other to gesture, “potted plants are a lot easier, so long as you keep them watered. The bouquets are kept under those.” He pointed to the jutting out of a sort of hood cover, what kept them refrigerated to a degree. They weren’t to the level of bigger florists for sure, but the various ones placed over specific shelves did their job well. Antonio hadn’t always liked the harsh feeling of full refrigerated units anyway.

“Cut flowers can be kept fresh enough with water for a while, and keeping them cool under refrigerated conditions adds to that. Flowers that are shipped are in refrigerated trucks because of that.” When he reached the next point, however, Antonio brightened. “Depending on the season you’ll always have to have some of your flowers shipped, but there’s also always some kinds you can have growing in a greenhouse. There’s one on the roof that’s giving us even more beautiful flowers. It’s convenient and all to have them brought to in from other places to be sold, other places where other flowers are blooming than you can grow. But I think being able to see ones you’ve taken care of yourself make people happy is even better.” Perhaps sometimes people bought flowers for lesser reasons, hurriedly trying to make up for a forgotten anniversary or a sick relative they didn’t particularly care for. But when people came in to buy for themselves or a true loved one, and Antonio saw the smile – that was the magic.

Casually Antonio kicked his legs on the high stool before returning them to rest his toes on the rungs. “Did that help at all?” He laughed lightly.

Words: 491

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made by MISSO for use only by BECCA

[Deleted]

sit beside a mountain stream, see her waters rise

H

e turned after having asked his question, handling his heap of sunflowers carefully to rest them down on the counter. He gently nudged them closer, although he was in no true rush to proceed from there -- his attention was now focused on the response that came promptly afterward. Ivan's hands fell away from his pending purchase, not yet reaching for his money while he listened. The store owner spoke excessively and in a manner that conveyed perfectly his level of experience beyond Ivan's own.

Violet eyes followed where those gestures directed, confusion churning in his expression. Watering was explanatory enough, but he hadn't any idea about the refrigeration. That threw him off of what he had always preferred to believe about flowers; that they always looked warm and brought warmth and had everything to do with warmth. That thought might have been geared more toward when he was a younger child, wrapped up in his idea that he would one day reside in their sunny fields -- but he still had not let go of it entirely.

"Did that help at all?"

"It dit," he responded quietly once getting his mind back on track, another smile twitching briefly at the sound of laughter. He felt a pressing urge to keep their discussion going, as if uncertain whether that really had answered all of his questions. "I know the pots are easier. They are like one little patch off garden to care for, as moch as I woult rather haff a full one. They really do like beink kept cool, though..?" That image still seemed strange. He wouldn't want to be refrigerated if he were a flower, he could bet. He could also recall seeing something extra that was on the roof of the place, but he hadn't thought much of it until it was mentioned now. 

He was sheepish suddenly, having received all of this advice from someone who didn't know him prior to this. Ivan was feeling a brewing determination to do a better job with these sunflowers than he has in the past. Even if the other man wouldn't have a chance to come and see his progress, he would work based on a desire to make him proud. "I am sure you make a lot off people happy this way," he continued. "Because you are cheerful like flowers are, right?" ...Make anyone proud, really. As nice and familiar as it sounded to make people happy based off of his caring for flowers, that wasn't something Ivan could recall happening as of late.

"I also imagine you haff yours shippt from soch nice places." Finally he reached in to obtain the money he had brought along with him, his fingers carrying it over to set on the counter. "I am rememberink one place I always wantet to go to. Rostov-on-Don, to the southwest off here. Plentiful sonflowers are grown ant shippt from over there, ant the sommers are soppost to be nice. Oh-- ant if you woult like to know, my name is Ivan."

Word Count: 505
Tags: Antonio F. Carriedo
Notes:

by worldie for jen

[Antonio F. Carriedo]

Antonio could pick up on some faint confusion when the man asked if they really did like being kept in cooler conditions. He smiled at that, nodded, and said-“refrigeration is mostly used by shops so the flowers can last long enough to go home with someone and brighten their place for a time. In houses you just need to try and keep them out of direct sunlight or any really warm area, like near a fireplace. Replace the water every three days or so with new water. Cut maybe half an inch when you do that from the stems, and they’ll continue getting a good flow of nice, clean water!” It was nowhere near a scientific level about preservation, but Antonio knew enough to give advice. Between his family’s love for flowers since he was young, and his various travels to learn about the care and growth of plants, he’d learned a fair amount. And what was the best thing to do with knowledge? Share it, of course! Especially when it was something in the nature of flowers that could so easily make others happy.

Although Antonio smiled again when he was likened to flowers for cheerfulness – that was always a nice compliment to receive – it was what followed that made him excited. He nodded to the likening, but… his smile brightened, broadened out when the there was the drop of a name he recognized.

“Rostov! Sí, ese lugar! On my way here I had to at least stay the night, I mean, it’s famous for the ‘fields of sunflowers.’ I was so sad that it wasn’t the right season to be able to see them properly. But of course there’s loads to buy and look at until then, books and postcards and things. I’m already set on taking off from here when it’s season to be able go see them. Can’t very well not!” He laughed.

What fear of being too talkative and bright, if he had any, was apparently gone from the man now. Despite his automatic actions to take the money and ring up the purchase at the register, properly making out the change, he talked as he did so, smile all the more sunny. “It’s really nice to finally talk to you, Ivan. Mrs. Nadya-she mentioned there was a man that bought sunflowers primarily. I was curious, I’ll admit. Anyone who loves one flower in particular has got to be really interesting. Hearing you want to go to Rostov too, that just makes it obvious that you are. Anyone who loves sunflowers, that are supposed to represent the sun and sweet happiness, must be.” Some would say that a person’s favorite flower should represent their personality in some way. That anyone who liked flowers should be bright and sunny. But now that he looked at him, something in Antonio made him want to say they still fit this large, albeit sheepish man. It only made him want to talk to him more to see if that likeness continued.

The receipt and change were held out together then, “oh, right, and I’m Antonio.”

Words: 516

Tags: @jen

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[Deleted]

listen to the pretty sound of music as she flies

E

ach detail that Antonio so carefully laid out for him seemed only to pile onto the already heaping realization that Ivan was undergoing. Oh, he'd been doing everything absolutely wrong, hadn't he? That was a little frustrating and disappointing for him, but he didn't dare let that show on his expression. Poor flowers needing to be away from sunlight rather than directly under its heated glare. Needless to say that is what he'd always do. Right in the window so that they could see the sun, and anyone outside of that window could look in and see them. But flowers were now more technical and high maintenance that he thought. At least that wouldn't turn him away from them completely. He would just have to take these mental notes.

He was, by now, growing admiringly used to Antonio's general radiance of cheerful attitude and spurts of laughter. They all sounded so natural and he wished he could hear people who behaved like this more often. He didn't dislike the other guards that he worked with, but this place was so different in every which way. He could very nearly imagine himself working here instead, but he wouldn't let that change him now.

That the Spaniard had so enthusiastically recalled the city Ivan mentioned, however, was enough to surprise him. He scrutinized the man's expression to ensure he was speaking correctly. The plans that he had already set out for himself made Ivan fairly envious, but that was something he kept smothered under the surface as well. He thought he had known the place rather well, but he didn't seem as fortunate when it came to visiting - nor visiting any time in the near future.

"Oh," Ivan said in a hushed breath, exerting some of that pent excitement, and then his voice raised to its normal volume. "That is very fortunate for you." The words field of sunflowers rung through Ivan's head again, and his smile expanded beyond his control. Someone who associated with himself so well, it seemed. "You make it sount even better than I coult. I shoult try again one day to see what else they haff to offer."

His eyes lowered again to watch his purchase take place. That his money was being processed so quickly only meant that he might have to take his leave soon. That was a most disappointing thought, and it made him worry a little - but thankfully, before that worry even had time to course through him, Antonio continued talking. Gozpodina Nadya. The name sounded familiar, easily linked to the face of an old woman who had been here before... but those other details were not what he expected to hear. 

So he had made some sort of reputation here. As all of this began wrapping around Ivan's head, he found himself terribly flustered - more than he had been at the start of this, but he didn't want to bring any attention to it. His heart fluttered and all he could to was hold true to a confident smile, one that he hoped wouldn't give way to how delightfully strange this sounded to him. "I-I am flattert, really, thank you.. I thought it was normal that people arount here woult haff a certain flower they are very attacht to. I dit not know my case was special too."

His nerves almost made him want to laugh at calling himself special. "I guess this has been one off my favorite places," he added, voice low again. His hand reached to snag the small slip of paper and the change that went with it, carefully stuffing all of it into his coat pocket. "I am sorry I haff not heart about you ontil now then, Antonio. So that I am not holdink op any costomers, I shoult maybe be leavink now." 

Not that he quite wanted to, but he wasn't sure if it would be ideal to stand here and talk all afternoon. Either way, his hands were reaching forward to take a possessive hold around the next bundle of sunflowers to belong to him. You will live better than the last ones, he mentally promised them.

Word Count: 693
Tags: Antonio F. Carriedo
Notes:

by worldie for jen

[Antonio F. Carriedo]

In his head he congratulated himself, told himself that he was learning when he didn’t automatically launch into suggesting that the other try and make time to go on this planned trip with him. This meant that Antonio had, in fact, done so before. Talked about traveling with someone he had only just met. And with complete sincerity. After a few shocked looks and even guffaws at a few embarrassing businesses events, though, he’d been trying to curb at least some of his forwardness. For now he allowed himself to brighten simply at Ivan’s smile in talking about the location in question. Of the duration of this meeting Antonio had noted few full expressions on this customer, some mild looks of confusion at the idea of refrigerating flowers, surprise at his knowledge of Rostov. But a smile was always what he was looking for, hoping for. He definitely didn’t mind seeing it on Ivan.

“When you have the time, I would definitely recommend it. Vacations, at such a pretty place no less, is always good for you.” Of course a large portion of his own adult life had been spent on a kind of ‘vacation’ of sorts in such places, so he didn’t have much room to talk. But all the same.

Gripping the end of the stool on which his sat between his legs, Antonio probably would have begun to kick his legs if it weren’t for the counter in front of him. He was that happy and content at that moment. Had he been of the more observant sort he may have noted Ivan’s flustered emotions. For now Antonio thought he was simply shy. “At least from what I’ve seen, a lot of people that come into city flower shops are looking for roses or bouquets for others. Dates, anniversaries, seeing people in the hospital. People buying flowers they like for their home – I like them.” Not that he detested the others, but they were usually too much in a hurry to bring the flowers to their intended owner to talk with him and further appeal to his curiosity.

No, Ivan had stopped and talked long enough to pique the Spaniard’s interest. Antonio found himself only wondering more about him now than he had when he had been initially described by the past owner. “Well, I hope I can help it continue to be one of them,” he smiled. “And I hope we can get to talk again sometime, maybe when it’s not as busy. I’d like that.”

He rose up his hand for a short, friendly wave gifted with his continued smile when Ivan left, leaning just enough from his helping the customer after him. “Have a nice day, Ivan!”

Words: 453

Tags: @jen

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