Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow (Aiden Gallagher x Reader)

I

You were working in a little florist's shop in high school. It was a part-time job you enjoyed and it surprisingly paid well. It was a rustic little place, bell above the door and everything. Your boss, the lovely Catherine, enjoyed having someone young that took an interest in her field of work despite having no knowledge prior to what she had taught you.

You were leaning against a wooden work-top making a hibiscus wreath, a specialty of yours during the holiday season, and the smell of the plant was beginning to cling to your fingertips when you heard the bell chime behind you. A gust of crisp December air burst through the door with the potential customer. You stepped back, brushing your hands on your apron in an attempt to get the sticky feeling of plant and floral foam off your fingers, and turned to greet the stranger.

Looking up, you found the most gorgeous man you had ever seen. He was tanned, like a perfectly baked cookie, and he had a crown of chocolate locks atop his head. His jawline looked sharper than broken glass and his eyes were a striking shade of green that made you want to shudder under his gaze.

"Hello, sir, what can I help you with?" You asked, before blinking several times to shake the thoughts out of your head. The stranger quickly glanced around the shop, giving a small smile and then scratching the back of his head.

"I was just, uh," He paused slightly, as if he was nervous, "looking for something for my girlfriend for the holidays." He said, his pitch raising at the end of the sentence as though it were a question.

You chuckled at his nervousness. "Are you sure? You sound like you stumbled in here by accident," You smirked. He looked panicked for a moment, the smile dropped off his face to produce a shocked expression.

You laughed at his bewilderment. "I'm joking! I'll be able to help you pick something out for your girl, though quite a lot of stock has gone since it's the holidays," You walked over to the counter, crossing your arms over your chest as you leant on the desk and peered over into the virtually empty back room. "Was there anything you had in mind, sir?"

He shrugged, exasperated, "I'm afraid I'm absolutely clueless, she likes," he looked desperately at his phone screen, illuminated by the iMessage app, "lilies-"

"Basic bitch," You said to yourself a little too loudly. Your eyes went wide as you slapped your hand to your mouth in embarrassment. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to be rude, it's just- well it's- common, lilies are a common favourite and-"

He shook his head, chuckling, "Don't worry, I quite like your brutal honesty. I just thought getting her favourite flowers would be nice... or something." He ran a hand through his hair anxiously.

"Then we'll do that," You smiled gently, going to grab some lilies for the guy.

You returned with a couple colour variations and he finally settled on white lilies, to which you added some orchids, carnations and magnolias. Which cleared a portion of your shelves. Whilst arranging the bouquet, you conversed leisurely with the man, who you learned was only a similar age to you and was named Aidan.

"Aidan, may I ask what you do for a living that gives you the budget to get flowers from a florist's instead of your local supermarket?" You questioned, starting to finish up with the arrangement, only glancing up at him slightly.

He took somewhat of a deep breath, "Well, I sing and act professionally and I earned the title of the youngest UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador at fifteen," He stated and cringed slightly, wondering if he'd overdone it.

"Environment Ambasador? Cool," You said, tying the stalks together with a bow, "If the planet dies I go redundant." You looked up, grinning. You typed a few things into the monitor on the till and rung him up. "Actor too? Anything I might've seen?"

He pulled out some bills, counting them up before sliding them across the desk, "I was in the Nickelodeon show Nicky Ricky Dicky and Dawn as a kid, and I'm doing the Umbrella Academy on Netflix at the moment."

You put the cash away in the till, gave him his change and tapped your chin thoughtfully. "I'll have to give it a watch," You smirked, "will that be all?"

"Could I get your number?" He asked hopefully.

You scoffed, "That's a big ask, and I thought you just spent a nice little sum on flowers for your girlfriend."

"Oh god, not like that-" He cried, cringing at the idea of infidelity, "I just liked talking to you and thought maybe you'd want to be friends?"

You sighed, but your face rested in a smile. "Alright then, pass me your phone." He handed you his phone, which you swiftly typed your own phone number into before sending a text saying 'hey' to yourself so you knew it was him. "I'll see you later, I guess. I hope your girl enjoys the flowers," You chirped, waving as he left the little florist's shop that breezy Saturday.

He smiled down at the new open messages with the contact 'Y/n' which was followed by a cute little tulip emoji, oblivious to your future.