He couldn't get her out of his mind. Not since the first moment he bumped into her. He could see her smile when he closed his eyes. It was almost torture. He decided to walk to work more often. Rain or shine he would stop by—not always to say something. Sometimes he'd just wave. Other times he'd actually go in the shop and ask her how she was. And there were a few other times where he'd stop in at the café first and order her hot chocolate. What the hell are you doing, Laxus? He'd ask himself… over… and over again. He was getting too attached. This girl… those mesmerizing green eyes… How could she make him smile and feel so at ease?
It was a warm summer morning—three weeks after he first met her—that he came down the sidewalk towards the shop, and saw her in the distance arranging the displays outside. She had those big five-gallon buckets, half-full of water, and full of different types of flowers. Laxus didn't know much about flowers, but the way she cared for them… he could tell she loved her job.
A little truck pulled up at the curb and Hisui waved at the driver like she knew him. He climbed out and opened the back to reveal a delivery of bags of potting soil. They looked heavy. Laxus began walking again, checking the time on his watch before moving up to Hisui's side. She glanced up with bright eyes.
"Detective!" She teased, saluting. "Good morning!" Her cheeks flushed in the morning sun and Laxus felt his own cheeks grow warm. "I'm just getting things set up for this morning. And of course, getting this new delivery into the shop."
"Good… morning!" Laxus breathed, trying to compose himself. "Did you want some help with that?"
"Oh these?" Hisui glanced over at the potting soil. "Sure!"
Laxus reached up on the truck to grab two bags, and groaned under their weight. Together they must have been close to a hundred pounds. No way in hell Hisui would be able to carry these. He glanced at the petite young woman as she handed the driver back his clipboard, and rolled up her sleeves. No way.
The flower shop owner reached out and grabbed a bag of soil—fifty pounds at least—and hefted it over her shoulder like it was nothing. His eyes fell on her arms—sleeves rolled up, muscles taut. She was stronger than he realized, and it made his knees go weak, and his face and neck flush. She's… very strong.
"Are you coming?" She teased, moving towards the shop, and swinging open the door with her free hand before grabbing the bag again as she almost lost her balance. How is she so strong?!
"Y… yeah." He followed after her. Together they unloaded the rest of the bags, and the delivery driver was on his way. Hisui laughed as Laxus let out a deep sigh, leaning over to catch his breath.
"Maybe you shouldn't have carried two at a time," she smiled, nudging him with her elbow. Her hair was a mess now, but it only made her more lovely. Stop thinking about it! "You should have seen your face when I lifted that bag," she laughed again. "Tom made the same face the first time he delivered on this route!"
Laxus frowned, glancing towards where Tom had disappeared down the road. She knows his name. "You're stronger than you look," he smirked, turning his attention back to the flower shop owner. Hisui laughed again.
"Everyone is always surprised! But…" She held up her arms, flexing her muscles, "These are what you get when you haul around five-gallon buckets of water and flowers all day." Laxus felt his face go hot all over again, and he glanced away. "Well…" Hisui gestured to his watch. "You're going to be late if you don't run. And I have to start on an arrangement for someone."
"R-right!" He offered her a little smile. Pull yourself together, Laxus! "Hey, tomorrow I'll bring coffee."
"Coffee?" Hisui teased, tapping the badge on his chest.
"Not coffee," he grinned, "Hot chocolate."
"You don't have to though," Hisui beamed. "I'm just happy to have you stop by and say hello!"
"I want to." For you.
"Well, I'll see you tomorrow then." Hisui waved as he turned to walk down the street the rest of the way to the station. Freed was waiting on the front steps as Laxus arrived, his arms crossed.
"You're late again." He huffed.
"Yeah, yeah."
"I don't understand why you insist on walking to work, you have a perfectly good patrol car. If you don't want to drive, we could carpool. We live in the same neighborhood."
"No, it's fine," Laxus scoffed. "The exercise is good, didn't I already tell you that was it?"
Freed narrowed his eyes. "I… don't believe you…"
"I'm not lying," Laxus shrugged.
"Fine, don't tell me. I'll find out one way or another."
"Sui!" Mirajane practically shouted, her hands planted firmly on Hisui's counter. "He likes you!"
"What are you talking about?" Hisui laughed a little. It was apparently Mira's lunch break. The flower shop owner had watched the door of the coffee shop burst open across the street, and the young woman come rushing across the pavement and through the flower shop door. The customer in the corner was pretending not to listen, but Hisui could see her eyes wander over to the counter as Mira let out an exasperated sigh.
"THE POLICE OFFICER! Laxus! He is smitten!"
"Mira, calm down what in the world are you… we're just friends. Well, not even that really… we're more like acquaintances."
"He definitely likes you, Hisui! I could see his blush all the way across the street when you showed him your muscles!"
"He was just flushed from hauling the soil bags into here. They're heavy."
"No. He blushed. And what kind of power move was that anyways?" Mira laughed. "Wow, Sui! Showing him your muscles! Yes, get him."
"I… no it's not like that!" Hisui felt her cheeks grow hot. "I was just… I was just joking around."
"Well he liked it."
"Mira stop," Hisui groaned. "He did not. We're just friends."
"He liked it. A lot."
"Mira, come on, I've got a customer," Hisui whispered.
"Hisui, you have to tell him. When he comes back, ask him out."
"I can't do that!" Hisui gasped. "What if he has a girlfriend?!"
"He doesn't have a girlfriend, trust me," Mira laughed, "If he did, he wouldn't be stopping by your shop every morning. But fine. Don't ask him out, give him one of your plants—like… there's flower language, right? What do these mean?" She gestured to a little potted plant with white flowers.
"Gardenias?" Hisui's cheeks flushed.
"Ooh, it's a good one!" Mira giggled.
"It means secret love," Hisui whispered.
"Yes! These ones!"
"He doesn't know flower language, Mira."
"So?!"
"So, let me help my customer," Hisui hissed.
"Only if you promise you'll say something to him," Mira sang.
"Fine! I'll… say something," Hisui said. "Get ouuuut!"
"Yes!" Mira pumped her fist, "OTP!"
"Get ouuut!"
Mira rushed out, giggling. The customer came up to the counter with a sheepish smile. Hisui sighed. "Sorry, about that." And rang up the little bouquet of yellow tulips.
It was late evening when he arrived back downtown, the street where Hisui's shop was. He knew that he closed her shop in the afternoon, but the light was still on. He meant to keep walking, but he paused at the window to see her inside, clipping the stems of coral-pink roses. Her hair was down, she looked tired, concentrating on her task. But something must have caught her eye because she glanced up and their eyes locked through the window. He waved. And she offered him a bright smile, her eyes lighting up. She came around the counter and unlocked the door, gesturing for him to come inside.
"You just got off of work, huh?" She beamed, tidying up the coral roses.
"Yeah," he nodded. "I'm on my way home. I didn't expect to see you still up."
"Well, I just wanted to have these roses ready for tomorrow."
"Speaking of which…" he bit his lip. He'd been thinking about this all day and now it seemed like a terrible idea. "I was wondering if I could purchase… an… arrangement?" Too late to turn back now.
"Oh!" Hisui's eyes widened, "Of course!" She offered him a smile that made his heartbeat quicken. She moved around the other side of the counter. "I can get started on it right now! It wouldn't take me very long. How big of an arrangement are we talking—"
"Your biggest one."
"Alright!" She pulled out her biggest vase, setting it on the counter and then offered him a bright smile. "What kind of arrangement are we talking about?"