"Under the early sun, forbidden kisses are exchanged. This day is theirs."
- J. Harper, "Morning Glories".
Jay watched the steam curl away from the mug in his hands and disappear. This morning was a cool and damp one, perfect for breakfast in the greenhouse. Last night's rain had left the garden smelling of wet earth and early spring. He breathed deep, lungs burning from the chilled air, and let the mist carry the scents of lavendar and honeysuckle to him.
"Do you live there?"
Tim's voice startled Jay into almost dropping his tea. The man was leaning on the railing of the second floor balcony next door, struggling to get his lighter to light. The cigarette in his mouth bobbed with every quiet curse of frustration. Jay felt a smile pulling on his lips. They hadn't spoken much in the last two weeks. Not since Jay had gone to his shop for a tattoo to celebrate his seniority at the Rosswood Flower Garden.
"Not exactly." He called. "I live around the corner. It's, like, not even a two minute walk."
"Cool. How's the tat?"
"Good. I think it's all healed up now. No more flaking or stinging."
"Sweet."
Silence fell between them like a cloth being draped over a table. It wasn't a heavy or awkward silence Jay noted. No, he was comfortable with this silence. The men sat in their respective "back yards", smoke curling away from cigarette and drink, letting the rosy gold glow of the sun creep over them. Bathed in the warmth of the sun, Jay felt the leaves beneath his shirt twitching as they tried to grow. Thank god for oversized hoodies.
"So, uh..." Tim cleared his throat, grinding out his cigarette into the railing. "Brian's visiting family out of state today and, uh, we usually go to lunch on Thursdays so...I mean, I'm kind of looking for an excuse to take my extended Thursday lunch break. Did you want to...? I mean, I could pay if-"
"No, no!" The words stumbled out of his mouth and halted Tim mid-sentence. "I can pay for myself. I'd have to see if Jessica would mind, but somehow I don't think she will so...Yeah, I'd like to go to lunch. That would be cool."
Once again a silence fell and blush rose into both mens' cheeks. Jay sipped his tea, ignoring the fact that it was still too hot to drink. Tim wrestled another cigarette from the pack with clumsy fingers. From inside the shop, Jessica watched and smiled. In the bathroom of their apartment, Brian picked at the gem stones rising out of his skin with exasperated hatred boiling in his heart.