There was a time when things seemed simple. When he wasn't in love with his best friend, his coworker, the girl he'd known since childhood. They'd grown up as neighbors, started a business together as friends, and now…

Neville glanced at Hannah as she swept the stray petals and errant soil into a pile. She always insisted on sweeping because she was a tidy person and she liked her space tidy. She was singing under her breath, a song that was unfamiliar to Neville. Her blonde hair was in a bun with a few escaped strands, which framed her heart-shaped face.

Neville didn't understand why — he was new to navigating feelings for his best friend — but his heart skipped a beat. She was just...Hannah and that was what made him fall for her so hard, so quickly.

It also helped that they shared matching soulmate tattoos, a rose with thorns, but she didn't know it. He'd accidentally seen it after tucking her into bed once and she'd shifted in bed, revealing the black and white tattoo on her neck. Neville's was on the back of his knee.

"Neville." She stood before him suddenly, fiddling with the strap of her apron. "I need to...ask you about something. I've been meaning to for a while, and…"

She trailed off, looking nervous.

"And?" prompted Neville.

"I think I don't have a soulmate!" she burst out, and Neville's blood ran cold.

"You don't…" he stumbled over his next words and swallowed them back.

"I don't," she repeated miserably, looking so downcast Neville reached over to hug her, glimpsing her tattoo. "It's — it's not c-colored, or —"

I'm right here, he thought, but the words got stuck in his throat.

"It's okay," he said instead. "It's okay because I don't think I've got one either."

It's a lie, an utter lie, but the other words won't leave his mouth.

"Y-You don't have one?" She pulled away and wiped her eyes with her apron. "I thought — you're so happy these days, I thought you'd met them."

"I wish," he lies. "I just suppose that I like working here. I have a newfound appreciation for flowers. I just thought I was here because I wanted to support you but they have so much meaning behind them." He was rambling. It seemed to happen a lot these days.

Hannah pushed back a lock of golden hair. "I'm glad you understand my love for flowers," she said. "Maybe you can…"

As she launched into a list of tasks he can fulfill because of his newfound love, Neville just gazed at her. The way her face lit up, how her hands moved…

He was a goner.


It was an accident. Hannah had been leaning in to kiss him on the cheek, and Neville hadn't noticed, and he had turned his head at the last moment. Hannah's lips were sweet and warm, and she was just surprised as him, so the kiss was clumsy and awkward.

It was the best first kiss Neville could have asked for, and the tattoo on Hannah's neck bursting into bright colors was even better.


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