Work Text:
“What are you doing with that?”
The strange man blinked in surprise and Javier found himself also surprised. He hadn't meant to say anything to the stranger. Still, at some point his curiosity had burst free.
The man had been doodling on a loose sheet of paper for the better part of his stay in the random café they were in. Javier had found himself staring as the man turned strange lines into masterful designs. Like a fantasy illustration almost. Then much to Javier's shock, the odd man had crumpled the paper into a ball and moved to throw it in the trash. Next thing he knew he was asking the man what he was doing.
The man's face went through a few emotions. Surprise, curiosity, indignation, sadness, and eventually he landed on a shoddy poker face.
“What's it to you?” The man said.
Javier fought the urge to run, “I saw your illustrations and felt it was a waste to throw them away. That was all.”
The man made an unfortunate face, “I have a hundred drawings like these at home. I can afford to throw it away. If you'll excuse me.”
The crumpled paper fell helplessly into the trash receptacle and Javier almost mourned the wasted time and skill. The man brushed past him and exited the building, shoulders hunched over and hands shoved in pockets. It didn't matter, he supposed. He had other things to do anyways.
Javier did not consider himself a flowery person. However the job at the local florist paid decently and he didn't have to know a ton right out of the gate. The other staff were happy to teach him what he needed to know.
As he arrived at his place of work his boss directed him to a delicate vase on the counter. It was smaller than what was useful. Too small to hold anything other than a flower or two to make it more than just a piece of blown glass. It was kinda sad. Lonely.
“Take it next door please, it's going to a Kim Suho.” His boss said not unkindly.
Javier set his bag down and nodded, grabbing the little vase. Inside it were two red spider lilies. They were pressed against each other and painted a very somber, minimalistic picture. Their shop didn't get a lot of customer orders for this particular flower, so it was likely an order that had to specially be called in. For just two of the fragile flowers. It wasn't really romantic or celebratory either. Many were aware that red spider lilies were commonly associated with death. So someone, Kim Suho apparently, had specially ordered two flowers that symbolized death.
It was a little weird but Javier kept his thoughts to himself. His job was simply to deliver it next door. That was all.
He stepped out of the florist's shop and walked the six steps to the next door business’ door. Javier glanced at the sign.
‘Frontera Tattoo Parlor’ was written in plain lettering. It wasn't what Javier had expected. Then again he wasn't sure what he had been expecting. He stepped inside the shop, vase in hand, and a little bell jingled announcing his presence.
The shop was well designed and laid out. Relaxed lighting and dark walls, a comfortable waiting area, and just a soft atmosphere. Plants littered the space and a large woman was tending to them. At a counter a man created him, his skin was dark and he held an accent.
“Welcome, did you have an appointment?” the tall man asked.
Javier shook his head, “I'm here to deliver these flowers to a ‘Kim Suho’?”
The man nodded and gestured to a chair. Javier didn't move.
“I will go get him.” The man said and disappeared through a corridor.
The large man returned to his spot at the desk and pointed down the corridor, “He said to come see him. Go back that way.”
Javier nodded and the man smiled at him. He tentatively walked back to the corridor and was pleasantly surprised to see that there were multiple private rooms for what he could only assume were tattoo appointments. The rooms were much more organized, with brighter lighting, and less plants. However it was much harder to pinpoint which room to go into with the vase. He should be back to work by now…
Getting antsy, he went into the first room that was completely open and had all the lights in it on.
Only to be met with the weird brunette from back in the café that morning. Who was facing away from him and had his shirt pulled off, still on his arms as he shifted.
Javier felt his mouth go dry as the man's back moved and he learned that the man may have looked scrawny and thin but he was much, much more muscled and toned than what his loose clothes had betrayed. And speaking of those horrid clothes… they had covered the man's body completely. Which in turn had hidden a beautiful tattoo. One that Javier was desperately trying not to stare at.
Coincidentally, red spider lilies were a part of the tattoo. The flowers were sitting at the bottom of an illustrated pair of lungs and trachea. The spider lilies were delicate, they had been forged into unblemished skin but looked so fragile. The red of them was so vibrant it reminded Javier of blood. The way the flowers seemed to suffocate the lungs, spilling over, was entrancing. Like watching something die inside. It was a large tattoo, taking up most of the man's body. It was brutal looking and Javier hadn't expected to see it on a man as strange as this one.
Nor had he expected to see the man again, let alone so soon or here.
Javier swallowed dryly and tried to peel his gaze from the flowers on the other's back. His fingers twitched with the urge to trace each petal and every curve of the muscle. The man must've realized he wasn't alone because he turned and spotted Javier standing there looking at a loss for words.
“You again?” The brunette said as he swiftly pulled his shirt over his head, effectively hiding the secret.
Javier swallowed and tried to regain composure as his cheeks felt warm from either embarrassment or from something more he didn't know, “... yes.”
The man stared at him, brown eyes boring into Javier. Like he was something to dissect or study. Javier's hand tightened around smooth glass.
Right. The flowers.
“Delivery for Kim Suho?” Javier said in his stony customer service voice.
The man glanced at the vase with an eyebrow raised before recognition passed through his eyes. Then, surprisingly, a sorrowful look crossed the man's face. It was not the usual response to receiving flowers.
The man held out a hand, “Those are for me.”
Javier raised an eyebrow, “You don't look like him.”
‘Suho’ sighed, “Not this again… yes, I am Kim Suho. I also go by Lloyd Frontera. It's a long story but I can provide identification if you're really going to push it.”
Javier studied the man before deciding he didn't get paid enough for two flowers and a vase so he passed it over to Suho- or Lloyd?
The man nodded, “Lloyd works.”
Javier didn't-
“Like that I read your mind, yeah I know.” Lloyd said in a haughty tone.
Javier scowled but said nothing.
The man turned and set the flowers down on his workbench. He smiled at them in a way only someone who was hurting could. Javier felt the urge to say something, reach out, try to ease whatever pain was inflicting itself on this stranger. There was some sort of draw to him. An allure or something.
Javier looked away and his eyes caught on another stray paper. It too was covered in doodles like the one from the café. Javier silently let his fingers trace the smooth paper. This time the doodles were organized, likely a book of designs for tattoos. Javier's eyes caught on a drawing similar to the tattoo hidden on Lloyd's spine.
A colorless heart, realistically drawn with valves and everything. More spider lilies were in the image. They burst from the arteries, veins, and vena cava. Javier was sure that if he looked inside the heart's chambers, inside the ventricles, that it would be filled with more of the flowers. It drove him crazy, almost. Seeing all of those spider lilies paired with such a gory theme.
Lloyd took the paper from in front of him, tucking it away from sight.
Javier sighed and forced himself to move on. He was still on the clock after all. He stepped towards the door and froze as Lloyd broke down in a coughing fit. Javier turned, unsure of whether or not to offer assistance. Lloyd had pulled a handkerchief from somewhere and he held it to his face effectively covering his mouth and nose. Javier stepped closer.
Lloyd waved him off, “I'm fine. Get going.”
Javier caught sight of the red staining the cloth. He ignored it, because he had no right to not to.