TW: Florist/Tattoo Artist AU

"Hey Trott, been a good day?"

"Yeah, just one guy today he wanted a full sleeve the poor guy. Got a woman supposed to be hear now." Trott replied to Ross.

"It still makes me wonder, you, a tattoo artist who has not tattoos." Ross said, rolling his eyes.

"Nah mate, too much pain for me, I'm in it for the art." Trott said with a smile, cleaning his hands of some stray bits of ink.

"Oh, have you seen next door?"

"No, but I've heard it. New tenant right?"

"Yeah, dunno what the shop is though, sign hasn't gone up." Ross said, leaning on the counter opposite Trott.

"Well, it better not be a tattoo shop or I'm gonna be beating someone arse." He said with a laugh. Right then though the woman who wanted watercolours stars adding to her arms walked in with a wave so Ross said his goodbyes and Trott got down to work.

To him, it was therapeutic. Creating a permanent image, permanent art on someone's skin, it was always what he wanted to do since he could remember. His mother didn't approve but his dad was okay with his son being happy at least.

The stars were blue and green dripping galaxies and the time seemed to flow by and it was closing time. As with every tattoo he recommended creams and recited the best after care methods before waving the woman good bye then closing down machines and locking up. It was only 4pm, but it was Saturday and the banging next door had completely died down so Trott decided to check out his new shop neighbour.

What he didn't expect though was rows of flowers out by the windows, and an attractive ginger man cleaning the large windows from the inside. Trott could feel his cheeks heat up as the man caught him looking grinning as the man smiled at him.

"Hey, I have the, err, tattoo shop next door. I'm Trott."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Alex but just call me Smith. What kinda name is 'Trott' anyway?"

"That's not my name – well it is but, heh, it's my last name – my actual name is Chris"

"Well it's nice to meet you Chris." Smith grinned, his eyes crinkling as his cheeks pulled up into a cute smile.

"Do you need any help or...?" Trott offered, looking around the co-ordinated chaos of the shop floor.

"Yeah actually, ummm..." Smith said, then picked up a bucket roses from the largest amount of roses Trott had ever seen in one place. "Could you take this outside?"

"Sure. Just by the others?"

"Yeah, here." Alex said passing the bucket and Trott could see him blush as their fingers brushed each others' which made his heart jump making him breath in a shaky laugh.

He placed the roses down, lovely red ones, then he took one out of the bunch. In some sort of courageous burst he walked back in with the rose behind his back.

"Roses are red,

Violets are blue" Trott picked up a flower that looked blue.

"Let's get together,

And make dreams come true." He finished with a grin, pushing the two flowers into Smith's hands.

"Trott, this is a geranium."

"Shut up and go on a date with me." Trott grumbled, looking down with a blush. "Cute florist guys...jeez..."

"We've just met and you're already trying to get in my pants and I love it. How about tonight?" Smith winked which made Trott's blush grow even more.

"I'd like that."

"You're gonna like my dick mate."

"What?"

"Gonna shove my cock in you mate!" Alex shouted with gritted teeth.

"Smith!"

Credit to SnowyTheButt