* TIME / TRIPPER.

IMPORTANT LINKS !

rules

dossier

                 her green eyes lit up at the sight of so much makeup.  who would have thought that a simple, passing compliment on alessa’s stunning abstract art would blossom an excitingly new friendship?  gabby scans over the palettes upon palettes.  thankfully there was a mix of nudes and colors,  but definitely outside her comfort zone.  she’s better with hair than makeup anyways.  the light eyeshadow that is usually plastered onto her lids and the bright peach blush on her cheeks are wiped for a clean slate.  she feels bare, but aleesa hasn’t given her a reason to feel her insecurities.  “ as ready as i’ll ever be ! ” she says, with the slightest feeling of deja vu, which is quickly discarded.  the blonde sits happily in front of her, moving around until she gets comfortable.  “ i trust you !  thank you for doin’ this, ya know’ – i rarely stray from my regular routine. ” 

basil doesn’t even feel the grin growing on his face, but it is — widening, stretching, beaming. it’s hard not to smile as alessa grows brighter and brighter the more she speaks about her flowers. enthusiasm has always been a contagious thing, delight shared over hobbies he’s never held and interests he’s never considered—but now it feels even more so, with the florist and her almost tangible excitement. her sincerity nearly distracts him from her words. 

nearly. 

but he still catches them and nods along with her answer : chrysanthemums, carnations, tulips. and the last tidbit, too. there and gone before she turns back to him, swept away with her gaze. she’s never received a rose before. he’s aggrieved on her behalf, surprised by the admission. if people aren’t giving her roses, he hopes they’re giving her some kind of flower, any flower. it seems cruel to help people pick the things and never receive any in return. for now, he’ll let the comment be swept aside as she poses her questions, but he’ll keep it in mind—right at the forefront with all the other little facts he’s picked up about alessa since dropping by the shop this morning.

        “i might be,” he laughs. “would you be kind enough to let me list you as a reference if i were?” brows quirk, his mouth still curled in amusement. he’s only following her joke, of course. while it would be nice to work surrounded by flowers, he knows he’d be a terrible help to customers, getting distracted by all the petals and colors, drawing everything on any piece of paper he could get his hands on. they’d hate him, and he wouldn’t blame them. but it’s a nice thought nonetheless. he waves a hand as if waving away the joke from the space between them. “even with your recommendation, i probably couldn’t even come close to stealing it. you’re like an encyclopedia of flowers — i didn’t even know chrysanthemum was a word until you mentioned it.” 

he shakes his head before glancing back to the sketch in progress. that big, wide, close-to-a-laugh grin turns into something smaller as he looks over the outlined flower. he hums in reply to her question.

        “they’re a close favorite, but then again, i feel like every flower is a close favorite.” a lighthearted, helpless little shrug as he looks back to her. “it’s hard to pick just one, y’know? but i think if i had to, my favorite might be zinnias. they’re so colorful and—” he tries gesturing, making what looks like a very tiny, very circular explosion with both of his hands— “poofy? i really like them, but they’re hard to draw.” another glance to the drawing. “so daffodils seemed like the next best bet.”

unless they’re working in the floral shop, it’s rare to come across others with a genuine interest in flowers, including multiple variations of said flowers. alessa has a tendency to overwhelm people when talking about her passions — whether it involves flowers, music, or art. her excitement can sometimes get the best of her. nonetheless, she is so grateful she hasn’t steered basil away. it’s hard to make and keep friends these days.

time travel doesn’t help either.

        “i knew it. i could see it in those shifty eyes.” her head shakes playfully when another laugh falls from her lips. even though it’s a joke, she’d love to have a familiar face in the shop. although she doubts much work would get done. the two would be too distracted and too involved in their own conversations to eagerly help customers. still, it’s a nice thought. “really? well, if you stick around, you’ll end up becoming an encylopedia too. i have way too much up here.” she gestures by tapping a finger to her temple. to be fair, there’s still so much more to learn but she’s confident in her floral knowledge. she’s willing to share everything as long as he’s interested.

alessa’s smile grows wider and wider as the other speaks. she offers a small nod, humming in agreement.

@timetripper​ 💖

        “so do you know what all these flowers mean?” it’s a question asked with nothing but curiosity. no underhanded motive or sarcastic edge, just genuine interest. only one of many questions that popped into his mind the moment he learned where she worked. “there’s a language, right? red roses mean love…” he glances at the flowers on display before tilting his his head, considering. “i think that might be the only one i know. red roses mean love.” there’s a sheepish chuckle before his gaze flits back to the sketchbook.

they’re tucked in a corner of the shop, where basil has taken up a workbench for himself, pencils and paper scattered atop the surface. he helped himself, really, finding a stray chair and pulling it up to the table. business at this hour is slow enough for it not to be a great offense, he figures, but if alessa asked, he’d move his stuff in a heartbeat. 

in the meantime, he’s been sketching flowers around the shop. as inspiration, he’d claim, but really, it’s an excuse to draw something pretty. he never has enough opportunities to draw flowers—or plants in general, if he really thinks about it. 

he’s got the beginnings of a daffodil sketched before his gaze darts back to alessa.

        “is learning all those meanings a requirement of the job?” now amusement bleeds into his tone, mouth curling into a smile at the corners.

     the quietness found within the shop brings her peace – a calmness she finds solace in. in her defense, such a feeling is rare. she finally chooses to enjoy the moment instead of meddling with time. having some nice company is a huge plus. the girl eventually turns to face basil with a small smile. “i wouldn’t say all but a good majority,” she add quietly with a laugh.

although the topic of the language of flowers only incites more excitement. she shifts from behind the counter, walking towards the display with a bounce in her step. “you’re absolutely right!” she starts while throwing her curls into a messy bun. “red roses are the most common ones for love but so are the red variations of chrysanthemums, carnations, and tulips.” alessa answers quickly, unable to hide pure delight. she sits there and ponders for a moment, taking in the display before her. “i always wanted to get a red rose, or any rose for that matter.” her thoughts drift elsewhere before shaking her head and finding his gaze again.