Flower Language

The sky is a moody gray, hiding the brightness of the sun behind its dark clouds in the kingdom of Agnivo.

Odin hums a tune softly to himself as he busies himself with misting his flowers, finding a certain tranquility in the emptiness of his flower shop. Whenever it looks like there will be rain, there’s less of a bustle in the market streets, and so he’s not surprised by the lack of bustle.

He finds a certain sort of peace in days like this. Although Odin delights in seeing his regular customers and catching up with them, listening about their lives as they talk about which bouquet of flowers they’re looking forward to decorating their homes with today, he also has found appreciation in being alone with his thoughts, allowing himself to enjoy the companionship of his flowers.

He has learned to take pride in his modest, wooden flower shop, with a chestnut wooden finish that he picked out just to match the gray cobblestone streets of Agnivo. He doesn’t find himself bored at all, as he pokes his head outside to make sure his periwinkles and hydrangeas are adequately protected from the rain, nestled in their flower boxes outside his shop window. Satisfied, Odin continues humming his song as he turns his attention to his flower racks inside, checking the freshness of his arrangements.

It’s when he’s on the last shelf - the tallest, on his toes and squinting his eyes at them to get a good look, does he hear the bells chime to announce the presence of a customer. Surprised, Odin instinctively smiles and turns around, clapping his hands together.

“Ah, I thought it was going to rain today, I’m surprised I have a-” Odin is interrupted when he realises this isn’t one of his regular customers. Instead, he’s greeted by a shock of blond hair and a magenta gaze that he’s too familiar with. “- A customer…”

Outside, Odin can faintly hear the soft pitter patter of raindrops starting to hit the cobblestone.

“O-Oh, you’re back,” is all he can muster, as his eyes drop and he reaches an arm up to clutch at the other. Not expecting any response, he asks.

“Why are you here, Noel?”

His old friend only shakes his head, reminding Odin faintly of a dog shaking water off its fur after a walk in the rain. Noel idly scratches his hair with a free hand, not really looking at Odin.

“I happened to be in Agnivo, and I just… Wound up here,” he mumbles. “I don’t know.”

Odin raises an eyebrow at such a vague answer. Noel is a terrible liar, and it’s hard to imagine someone traveling all the way here just on a whim. But Odin knows better than to press someone like Noel, and he can only sigh. Instead, he busies his hands with his monstera, picking off the dried leaves from the plant.

“Alright,” Odin replies flatly. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Noel shifting uncomfortably on the spot. His previously comfortable and homey flower shop suddenly feels claustrophobic and stuffy, and Odin is already feeling fed up with this sudden change in atmosphere. “Did you come to buy flowers, at least?”

He turns his eyes over to his old friend, seeing Noel knit his brows in confusion. Maybe he’s caught up in his thoughts, trying to figure out another appropriately vague answer he could throw at Odin.

“I don’t know what to buy,” Noel eventually confesses, an answer that is so like him that Odin can his lips tugging upwards into a grin.

“Well, do you think they’d last the trip back to Elior?” He tries to sound patient.

“Flowers aren’t really my areas of expertise,” Noel replies bluntly, crossing his arms. Odin laughs softly and smiles.

“I know.”

He sees his friend’s eyes widening at that, as Noel just stares at him dumbly. He can feel Noel’s eye piercing through him, and it makes him feel hot, as if he’s been standing under the sun for too long. Realising his mistake, Odin quickly purses his mouth and forces his smile down, shaking his head and instead looking back at his flowers.

“Um - Then, is there anyone you’d like to get flowers for?” he asks, trying to change the conversation. “Altair, perhaps?”

At the mention of that name, Noel seems to snapping back into reality, visibly stiffening and narrowing his gaze, looking away from Odin.

“No.” He says flatly. “I did not come here to talk about him.”

“You don’t know why you came here,” Odin lightly chides his friend, as he skims his fingers through his row of flowers. Hmm, what would be good for Altair? Odin idly wonders how he is faring now.

Solidagos, to symbolise good fortune? No, too bright.

Edelweiss, to wish him courage and diligence? No, he doesn’t think Altair would like the appearance of these flowers.

Pink peonies? Odin’s fingers falter, as he can’t help but touch their soft petals ever so lightly. No, they’re for something more…

He sighs and continues his search, before finding something to his satisfaction and picking it out.

“Ah, how about these?” he takes out a few stems, bringing them over to Noel. The flowers are a milky white in color, the petals curving delicately over its yellow center.

“What, for Altair?” Noel asks, squinting down at the small bouquet. “What are they even?”

“Magnolias, freshly picked,” Odin smiles serenely. “In some parts, they wish good fortune upon the recipient. In others, I hear they represent nobility. I think he’d like them,” he offers the flowers to his friend.

Noel looks pensively at him for a few seconds, and Odin does his best attempt at looking innocent, pushing the flowers gently into Noel’s chest. After a long pause, Noel eventually lets out a grumble and reluctantly takes the flowers from him.

“Fine,” he mutters, reaching into his pockets to lay out some coins onto the counter. Odin takes a quick peek at them, surprised to find that Noel bothered to bring Agnivo currency. Pleased, he takes out a ribbon to hand over to Noel, bundling the magnolias for him.

“I’m sure if you take good care of them, they’ll last the trip back,” he says, quickly taking his canister to delicately mist the flowers, making sure they stay moisturised.

When he hands the flowers back to Noel, he sees his friend awkwardly standing by the counter, a foot from the door. Noel seems hesitant, as he chews his lip and goes back to shifting on the spot. This is the part where the customer is supposed to leave, Odin thinks to himself.

“Umm… Thanks,” Noel stammers.

“You’re welcome,” Odin replies. He feels the uncomfortable, stifling air returning back, and a part of him would do anything to make it go away.

Another pause, and he swears he can see Noel turning a warmer shade.

“Do… Do you want to… Eat?” Noel asks, wincing in the process. Odin widens his eyes.

“You mean, to go out for a meal? Now?” he clarifies. He sees Noel nodding fervently.

At that, Odin feels his heart aching ever so slightly. Of course, deep down they both know why Noel is here, even though neither of them will really say it. He wishes the times were simpler, like they were back then, and Odin bites the inside of his mouth so hard that he thinks he’d draw blood.

There’s too much between them, and it’s too soon. Even if he wants to, Odin thinks that it’s better to have time heal their wounds first.

“I’m sorry, Noel,” Odin’s voice is soft, as he tries to hide the tremble. “Not right now, I don’t think I can.”

He can tell that his answer was not what Noel was looking for.

“Oh, okay,” Noel mumbles. If they were children, Odin would be running over to his side to give his friend a comforting hug. But it’s not like back then, and instead all he can do is stand at arm’s length from Noel, trying his best to keep his composure.

Instead, he tries for a smile, one that can reassure the both of them.

“Maybe next time you visit, okay?” he says, lifting up a hand to tuck a strand of blond hair behind his ear. “Next time, you can bring some flowers from Elior over to my store too. It’s so hard to find primroses around here, you know?”

At that, he sees Noel visibly perking up, his friend’s gaze lifting back up. He nods at Odin, giving him a brief smile.

“Thank you, Odin,” he says, and it sparks something in Odin that he thinks he’s forgotten about for a long time. Noel turns around to open up the door, the bell ring faintly as it’s being jostled. “I think the rain is over now,” he notes, tilting his head out to check.

As he steps out, Noel freezes just for a second, looking back over at Odin.

“You’re okay here, you’re sure?” he asks.

“Of course, you don’t have to worry about me,” Odin reassures his friend with a grin. Noel huffs and gives his friend a smile in return.

“You know better than to ask me that,” he replies, and Odin feels the same spark again that makes him hitch his breath.

As Noel makes his way out of the store, Odin feels a sort of unrest, as he shakes his head, rousing himself from his state.

“Noel, wait,” he finds himself calling out, and before Odin has time to think, he’s darting out of the store, stopping by his flowerbox to pick out a single hydrangea.

Thankfully, Noel isn’t too far, as Odin is able to catch up to his friend fairly quickly. He looks surprised as Odin sprints up to him, holding out the small blue flower out to his friend.

“You didn’t get any flowers for yourself,” he says, pushing the hydrangea into Noel’s hands. “I know you don’t know their meanings, but take this one. From me.”

Noel flickers his gaze between Odin and the flower, taking it from his hand.

“Put it in your hair, dry it and use it as a bookmark, flowers have many uses,” Odin finds himself rambling, as Noel inspects the flower. “I never knew what was your favourite, but I think it suits-”

“I like it.” Noel declares, cutting him off and promptly tucking the flower neatly behind his ear. He looks down at Odin and smiles - the sort of genuine, big smiles that Odin hasn’t seen in so long. “Thank you.”

As Odin grins and looks back up at his friend, the grayness of the sky begins to let up, as sunlight peeks through the clouds and stream down onto the cobblestone streets.

[Hydrangea - Gratitude for being understood.]