AU Ask 18

[arukou]

 (From Reioka: Speaking of Florist/Tattoo Artist: Florist Tony moves into the vacant building next door and Steve takes over some cookies to greet him. Steve nearly face-plants when he sees a very beautiful Tony setting up a bouquet and blurts out "can I buy that?" to save face. Tony is flattered and tells him it's a hundred and fifteen dollars. All of the blood leaves Steve's face but Tony doesn't notice because he's putting the final touches on. "What the fuck" Bucky says when Steve lugs the flowers back.)

“What. Is that?”

Steve ignored Bucky and hauled the vase deeper into the shop, heaving it up with all his might and nearly pissing himself when the whole thing threatened to topple off the counter. It would’ve killed him if the damn thing broke now, after he’d hauled it all the way over with his own two skinny arms.

“Steve. What is that?”

“It’s a pack of PBR.” Steve groused, stepping back to stare at the massive bouquet. Even just seeing it again, only slightly worse for wear for being pressed against his face, made him grin like a dope.

“Why the hell would you bring this here? Why did you even buy this thing? Wait, have you got someone I don’t know about? Someone on the side? Stevie, we promised we’d share.”

“I don’t have someone on the side. I told you I was going to say hi to the new florist next door.”

“And he gave you half his shop?”

“I…I might’ve made an impulse buy.”

Bucky turned from the desk where he did the books, and raised one, very loud eyebrow at Steve. “How big of an impulse was this?”

“Uh…um, fifteen.”

“For that whole thing.” Bucky looked nonplussed.

“Fifteen. Plus a hundred.”

“A hundred and fifteen dollars, Stevie!”

“Shut it. I know.”

“A hundred and fifteen dollars for a bouquet that doesn’t even match the decor, Stevie?” Bucky gestured dramatically to the wrought iron gate at the front of the shop, the deep red walls and the diamond black-and-white floor tiles. “This is a tattoo parlor. What were you thinking?”

“You didn’t see the florist, Bucky.”

“Bullshit, you big softie.”

“I’m tellin’ you. Walk over there and say hi before you judge me.”

Bucky stood right up from his seat, and Steve had known him long enough to know he was going to do just that. “I’m going to go over there and say hi. Like you said. And when I get back, you’re gonna rub my feet for an hour because there’s no way whoever this is could be worth a hundred and fifteen dollars.”

“What do I get if I’m right?”

“You ain’t gonna be right,” Bucky tossed over his shoulder as he walked out the door.

“A blowjob then?” Steve could just see Bucky flipping him off.

Ten minutes later, the sound of the shop bell roused Steve from his sketchpad. He laughed so hard he nearly passed out when he saw Bucky carrying not one, but two massive bouquets.