Clover | ✔

Chapter 05: Night Shade

Sascha was humming as he swept the shop, when the bell above the door chimed. It was early morning, with the shop having just opened, and Sascha was a bit surprised to have any customers at that time. Still he smiled and looked up, only to be met with the sight of Evan standing in front of him, two cups of coffee in his hands.

"Good morning," said the man, extending a cup to the florist.

Sascha took it, a bit surprised to see Evan there so early.

"Good morning, Evan," he said. "I hadn't seen you here so early in a while."

"Well, I figured there wouldn't be as many customers in the morning," Evan shrugged, leaning on the counter. "Besides, I wanted to see if you were still mad at me for what happened last time."

Sascha looked a bit uncomfortable at the reminder, but he smiled a bit and shook his head.

"No, I'm not mad," he said. "I was never mad, you just took me by surprise."

Evan was relieved to hear that the other man wasn't really mad at him after all.

"Sorry about that, I'm not the most tactful person," he admitted, because it was one of the reasons he had never been able to stay with a woman for too long (though he didn't really mind all that much).

"It's just, we never talk or hang out outside of this place," he pointed out. "You're the only one of my friends I never see outside of work."

Sascha sighed, putting the broom he was holding aside.

"Evan, you know I don't go out much," he started.

"So, maybe you should," Evan cut him off. "Listen, I'm just trying to get to know you a bit more, okay? That's all I want from you, Sascha."

"Why?" the florist questioned, clearly confused. "I thought you weren't interested in me, so why go through all that trouble"

Evan grinned, and Sascha actually wondered if he should have asked that.

"Actually, I'm very interested in you, I just don't know why. So, I thought if I got to know you better I might find out. I told you, remember? I'm still somehow attracted to you."

"Evan!" and Sascha was definitely blushing then. The other man just laughed.

"Sorry, but you asked. Besides I really just want to be your friend, Sascha, because I know that's all you'll ever allow," not to mention, Evan didn't want to risk losing Sascha's friendship because his eyes refused to listen to his brain when it said Sascha was a guy.

"Besides, it's your fault for being unnaturally pretty for a man," he said jokingly. And this time Sascha laughed too. "So, do you think we can ever hang out as friends?"

The florist thought about it for a moment before nodding.

"I guess so, as long as it's just as friends," he insisted. "You're sweet Evan, but I still don't think it would be a good idea for us to be anything more than that."

Evan sighed dramatically.

"So I should probably find a new girlfriend, then," he said.

"Probably," Sascha laughed. "I can get you some nice flowers to help," joked the florist.

Evan smiled as he watched Sascha laugh, thinking that was when he was at his best.

They chatted for a bit longer, Sascha having taken a seat on his usual stool while he sipped the coffee Evan had bought him. It was a nice way to start the morning, he thought, especially because mornings were usually a bit slow. Evan was just telling him about a half-asleep co-worker who'd gone to the wrong floor and spent an hour arguing he was in the right office when the familiar bell chime sounded.