Work Text:
Eskel winces when he hears the bell on the door chime. Of course it's in the five minutes when all his employees are out since Deirdre just went on a coffee run. Actually, a glance at the clock says it's already been more than five minutes since Deirdre left. Which means she's probably flirting with the barista she sometimes mentions.
"Be right out!" He wipes his hands off and steps out of the back room to the front counter. "Good morning, sir. What can I help you with?"
The first thing Eskel thinks when the man turns around is that he's beautiful; bright blue eyes, thick brown hair that Eskel wants to touch, and a cheerful smile. The second thing Eskel notices is the bright patterns of colorful tattoos that cover both arms and disappear under his shirt sleeves. "Good morning! My name is Jaskier and I'm one of the owners of the tattoo shop that's opening up down the way and I wanted to get some flowers for the front desk."
Eskel barely manages to bite down on the question he wants to ask. "Well, let me welcome you to the area then, Jaskier. I’m Eskel. What were you thinking for the arrangement?"
Jaskier mumbles something that Eskel almost thinks is "You in my bed" before Jaskier shakes his head. "Something bright and sunshiny, I think. Our shop is all bright blues and reds with lots of gold."
"I can work with that. Do you want to come in the back while I put it together?"
"Oh! Is that going to get you in trouble with your boss?"
Eskel can't help chuckling at that. "Not at all since I am the boss. Besides, this will take a little while.”
“Well, how can I turn down that invitation. Lead the way, Eskel.” Jaskier winks and gives a little bow and Eskel can feel his face getting hot. Just inviting Jaskier into the workroom feels so ridiculous. It’s one of the few places Eskel doesn’t worry about people reacting to his scars. But Jaskier didn’t. And if Eskel is reading the situation right Jaskier was flirting.
“Go ahead and take a seat,” Eskel gestures at the two desks in one corner with their haphazard piles of order forms, purchase orders, bills and invoices are stacked around a couple of computers; “do you know any flowers you definitely do or don’t want?”
Jaskier settles into one chair and spins it back and forth, eyes a little distant as he gives the question some thought. “I don’t think so? Flowers aren’t really my thing, Pris just wanted me to come get some flowers to ‘Liven up the place a bit!’” He leans forward and lowers his voice as though imparting some great secret. “I really just think she wanted me out of the way for a little while.”
Eskel just turns to look at Jaskier from the shelves of vases, one eyebrow lifting in skepticism.
“I may have been getting a bit frantic about our grand opening tomorrow.” Jaskier pops up out of the chair and begins to pace in the space between the desks and the work tables. “It just feels like such a big step and I want this to work out because there’s just so much riding on our success and I don’t know how to manage that when this is something we both really want and I’m terrified I’m going to let Pris down and she wants to hire Essi to run the front desk but we don’t want to get her hopes up that we’re even going to succeed at this and I just!” Jaskier trails off and Eskel looks up from the flowers he’s pulling out of the bins. Jaskier is hiding his face in his hands.
“That certainly seems like a lot of pressure.”
“I’m sorry, Eskel. I shouldn’t have unloaded on you like that.”
“Seems like you needed to get some of that stress out, though.”
“I…I did. So thank you for being a kind ear.” Jaskier bounces a little and shakes his hands as he paces a couple loops and then settles back in the chair. “So how long have you been a florist, Mr. Bossman?”
“Been a florist for almost 15 years. The old owner gave me the shop about 7 years back so he could retire. Said he could see I was dedicated to it and that I had a good head for the business.”
“Wish I could have your head.” For a split second Eskel blinks down at the flower in his hand and sucks in a sharp breath of shock before Jaskier is babbling again. “For business! I just struggle with the book-keeping part of things and it’s all so very important so I don’t want to mess things up and accidentally get in trouble for whatever kind of clerical error I might make and I don’t want to fuck up an employee’s pay or mess up with our vendors and…” This time Eskel steps into Jaskier’s path.
“I can give you the name of a good accountant. He’s helped look at my books now and then to make sure everything is good. He’ll probably like you, too.”
“You would do that? Thank you! Oh, that would be such a relief, even just having his information. That is a huge weight off my shoulders.” Jaskier smiles and tension runs out of his shoulders like melting snow. “Seems Pris was right to send me out for flowers. I’m very glad to have met you, Eskel.”
“Well, your flowers are ready.” Eskel gestures at the vase sitting on the work table, a small profusion of blue and purple and red and yellow flowers emerging from the simple vase. Eskel has even tied a gold ribbon around the narrow part of the vase. “On the house today. Since you’re opening up a new store. And let me get you Zoltan’s information so you can call him about maybe managing your books.”
“Oh, Eskel, you shouldn’t! This is your business and I wouldn’t want to take profit from you like that!”
“That’s the fun part about being the boss. You get to decide when and who to give gifts to.” Eskel guides Jaskier back to the front and studiously ignores Deirdre sitting behind the front desk. He can already see the shit-eating grin on her face out of the corner of his eye. “Wait here, I’ll get Zoltan’s cart for you.”
Eskel hurries to his office and flips through the box he keeps business cards in and quickly finds Zoltan’s before rushing back out to Jaskier. Leaving him with Deirdre for too long seems like a bad idea.
“Here you go, just give him a call and he’ll help you out. Tell him Eskel gave you his number.”
“Thank you so much, Eskel.” Jaskier takes the card and the flowers and heads out the door.
“Oohhhhhh, Uncle Eskel, are you into that guy?” Deirdre leans forward over the counter and props her chin on her hands, grinning at him.
“Did you ask the barista out today?” Deirdre blushes, covering her face with her hands, and Eskel takes the opportunity to make his escape.
He pulls his phone out and shoots a text off to Geralt and Lambert. “Met a guy. I think he likes me. I may have given him my number.”
Jaskier unlocks the front door of the tattoo parlor and locks it behind himself. He sets the vase down on the front desk, turning it around until it looks good, pulling out the slip of paper tucked between a couple of blooms. Priscilla calls from somewhere in the back, “Well? Did you get some flowers.”
“Pris, I met the man I want to marry!” Jaskier unfold the paper and gapes for a second. “Oh my gosh! He gave me his phone number!”