White Camellia
Ever since the newest addition, the town of Bluebell never sounded more alive. Weeks after Phillip had moved in, the once calm and quiet town square would be livened up as the farmer would come riding his horse or sometimes even bringing his cart filled with the items requested by the townspeople. Half of the day he was out and about in his farm and in the forest then into town to deliver the goods. After that, he'd stop by the café in which Howard would make sure a meal for the farmer was prepared for whenever he came.
That was the routine Cam had figured out during the weeks of working on his flowers. The day was quiet as he snipped and arranged the bouquets up until lunch where he'd take a break and Howard or Laney would get him some food. After that he'd finish eating and go back to his work. Usually, it would take an hour or so after lunch for him to hear the clacking of the horse's feet sometimes accompanied by the rattling of a cart and Phillip's voice shouting out greetings to the folks he passed by. This time he had brought the cart, but Cam was already closing the shop when the farmer came to the café, jumping off his horse and unbuckling it from the cart before letting it go to Grady's on its own to get some water for itself.
Green eyes silently watched as Phillip slumped unto a chair in one of the café's tables. He was obviously exhausted and judging from how late he arrived at the café, he wasn't just travelling in the forest.
"You went to Konohana?" Cam had to raise his voice a little bit more than usual, just to make sure Phillip heard it as he seemed to have almost nodded off in his seat.
The farmer looked up at him as if he was surprised to see another person there, chuckled, shrugging and leaning back on the chair, "Yeah. Finally found the cricket Gombe wanted to enjoy his tea with and met up with the panda guy." He stretched his arms and slumped even more, eyes on Cam as a small smile was etched on his face before looking at the large flower wreath behind him, "You finally finished it."
Cam was trimming the stems off of some of the newly-bloomed flowers until his attention was on Phillip before looking at his own work, "Oh yes. The wedding coordinators will get it tomorrow morning." And off his eyes went to his work again.
"Looks really nice though. The bride would probably love it." Phillip had taken out a small fruit from his pocket and bitten it, his head resting on his fist as he adjusted his position on the chair.
"Of course, I do make sure my work is very finely done and arranged. Otherwise I wouldn't be a very good florist." The green-eyed man didn't even look up from the flowers, but it only made the other smile even more.
"So you probably got a lot of girls swooning over you for your skills in flower arranging."
That made Cam look up at Phillip, his brow quirked up before joining the other as they furrowed in confusion, "What do you mean?"
Phillip laughed, and shrugged again, "You know girls. They like the sweet, quiet guys with the unusual skills in attracting them."
"I'm not trying to attract any girls, Phillip." Cam had looked away again, to the flowers lying on the table and back to the one he was trimming off.
It only made the farmer laugh again, "Just saying! You don't see too many male florists around. You'd never know, maybe Laney has a crush on you."
The florist glanced up at him for a moment before getting his attention back on the flowers, "She fancies another man, she told me already."
"Oh? How about Georgia? She told me once that she really liked how you arranged the flowers."
Cam frowned, gently placing the flowers into a large vase behind him and started cleaning the counter, "Ash just asked Georgia out." Phillip looked surprised at that, but it didn't seem like the other was going to let him respond, "I'm not trying to get a date."
The farmer finished the fruit already and now had his leg propped up on another chair, "Oh?" his smile was a tad wider as he continued to gaze at the florist. Silence occurred for about a minute, before it was broken with an 'ah' sound from Phillip's mouth, "You have a city girl, don't you?"
Cam furrowed his brows at him again as if his words weren't understandable at first. And then he frowned, shaking his head, "I do not have a girlfriend. Nor do I try to get one. I'd rather save up a bit and focus on my work."
As Phillip was about to say something, Howard had opened the doors of the café, balancing a large tray of food on one hand, "Phillip, dear! You're quite late on your usual schedule here." The large man's sing-song voice greeted them, "Don't worry, I prepared you a full dinner."
The young man waved at him and sat up straight, "You didn't need to, really. A simple meal is just as fine as this, Howard."
"Oh don't be so modest. I can practically hear your stomach grumbling from inside, dear." Howard placed the dishes down in front of him along with an empty plate and utensils, "Laney just finished her cheesecake and will bring you a slice." He then turned to Cam, who was already done closing the shop, "Oh Cam, come here and join Phillip! I'll get you another plate. The food's enough for the two of you." Before the brunette could say anything, the chef had walked into the café.
Phillip already started eating, scooping up large amounts of meat and some greens into his mouth. When Cam looked at him, he smiled, mouth full, and gestured to the free seat across the table. He took a seat, posture more upright than the other as he watched him swallow and take another large bite.
"Quite an appetite you have." He blinked at the ginger, who only flashed him another smile with cheeks filled with food and a shrug.
The other sipped from the glass of water after he swallowed, "Spent the whole lunch time travelling across the mountain." Cam only nodded at that while Howard came back with another empty plate, set of utensils and a glass of water.
"Now you boys eat up now. Especially you, Phillip, but make sure Cam gets to eat too!" And off he skipped into the café, leaving both them alone again.
Silence reigned again between the two men, mostly because Phillip was concentrating on stuffing himself full with the offered food and Cam, well, wasn't much of a talker himself especially in eating. Once in a while he'd glance at the farmer and the other would look back, making the florist look away again. That happened twice or more, and Cam decided to dismiss it as him being curious as to how Phillip managed to stuff half of a chicken piece inside his mouth along with a piece of celery and a scoop of mashed potato. Though he didn't realize he had actually asked it, even if it was said in his low and quiet voice, but the other heard him.
And Cam almost regretted it when he saw the other smirk after swallowing the whole thing he had inside his mouth.
"I can fit a lot of things inside my mouth, love."
Green eyes widened at the hidden innuendo while the farmer went back to his current mission of cleaning his plate. He willed the creeping warmth in his cheeks away and found sudden thanksgiving when he heard the door swing open and Phillip looked up to see who it was.
"Hope you two like blueberry cheesecake." Laney's voice sang as she placed the two plates down.
The ginger waved at her, drinking water to help push the food down, "Can't find a reason not to like it, really."
Cam thanked her as she slid a piece towards him, "Oh, yes, Cam. Tell the people who want the cake it's already finished, so they can get it when they come here to fetch your flower wreaths." She then turned to Phillip, who was already done with his meal and was now taking small bites of the cake, "How is it?"
"Can't recall any cheesecake as good as this one, Laney." He smiled again and took another bite.
The florist had finished his own meal as well, taking a small bit on his own slice and watched as Laney's expression morphed from surprise to flattery, even if it was the most modest of it. With that he felt a faint, very faint, tug in his chest. He easily ignored it and flashed a smile when she turned to look at him, "The same as Phillip's answer."
"Oh you two should stop." She laughed, moving to pick up the empty plates in front of them, "And Phillip, drink lots of water if you don't want a stomach ache from all you've eaten."
"I'll help out with the dishes when I'm done." Cam called out when she carried the dishes into the café, his slice halfway-done while the other man was already chewing on the last piece that was the crust of the cake. Laney nodded, telling him she'll be needing it after all the baking she had done today.
Phillip downed the newly-filled glass of water and slumped back, patting his belly, "That was good. Really good."
"Hopefully you can walk properly back to your farm." The florist muttered as he was left with the crust and the other laughed as a response.
"Nah, I'm good. Just going to call Randy. Need to look after him, after all. He's pretty exhausted from running." He stood up, stretching and whistled, quite loudly though you can blame how it loud it was on the silence that usually reined the town at night.
Cam stood up as well, picking up the remaining dishes and glasses, "You should go. It's already dark and it's best you get some proper rest."
Phillip nodded, watching as his white horse came running up and front of the café, "You too." He patted the horse's face gently and it let him, moving its face toward him more, "Can't face the blokes tomorrow being all sleepy and groggy." A grin was etched to his face as Cam looked at him, that slowly morphed into slight shock and he immediately went over to the cart, "Oh yeah, I forgot! Wait a minute, Cam."
Confused, the brunette stood there, holding the dishes as he watched him scurry into the cart. He didn't request anything nor mentioned he needed something. But he stayed patient, and Phillip made a sound of victory and jumped off the cart, holding the said item in his hand.
"I found this while looking for a ladybug earlier. I don't think I've seen it in your flowers before and I thought you might need it. Or you know, just keep it. It's special though, the others were still buds and all." The ginger handed over the flower, just in time for Howard to come out and offered to carry the dishes for Cam.
"Phillip! Are you off now?" he sang as the farmer walked back to attach the cart to his horse. "Take care and be careful now. Rest a lot as well."
Phillip waved and jumped on Randy, "Yeah. Thanks a lot for the food though, I'll pay you tomorrow when I get the money from the shipment."
"Oh no worries, dear. That was a free dinner, or at least my payment for the bottles of milk I requested." Howard waved as the young man was moving already.
"Evening to you two." And off Phillip ran with his cart and horse, not after a small wink that Cam certainly caught.
The large chef chuckled, "Oh, he is such a wonderful boy. Full of life and energy. Never seen someone so jumpy and active as he is!" he laughed even more, walking back into the café and leaving Cam on his own.
The florist now had his full attention to the flower. It was a fully bloomed, white Camellia.
"You're adorable."
A/N: So researched about flower meanings and poof look at this adorable flower. And the horse's name is Randy because I couldn't think of a name.
More inappropriate innuendos and flirting and cute stuff later.