Who: Tsuzuki and Gabe (Groot) What: Two gardening enthusiasts meet. When: Early-mid July Where: The greenhouse that Tsuzuki works at. Warnings/Ratings: None~ Status: Complete when posted
Lunch time really was Tsuzuki’s favourite time of the day, and he relished in being able to sit down and eat, wolfing down the pita he had picked up from down the street and then finishing off with approximately half of a pie that his sister had baked for him. Really, he would have been happy just eating the pie for lunch, but Ruka was always going on about how he needed to eat things that weren’t sweets all the time. He had just finished eating and was taking his time getting ready to go back to work, when the bell indicating that someone had come in rang.
Which really was a godsend, because when he was talking to customers, his boss never yelled at him about getting back to work. So, he quickly finished putting away his dishes, and bounded to the front door, greeting the man who had entered with a large smile. “Hello! How can I help you today?”
Gabe was also on his lunch break and had decided to check out Tsuzuki’s greenhouse after chatting on Valar with him the other day. He was always up for discovering new sources for plants and supplies, and finding a fellow plant enthusiast was always nice. Besides, it’d be a nice break from being out in the hot sun giving tours around the arboretum.
As soon as he pushed into the place, a young man rushed up to him and greeted him with enthusiasm. The New Yorker in Gabe had him cringing away inwardly and wanted to wave him off, but since being in California, he knew better. Plus, if he was right, this looked like Tsuzuki, though it was hard to tell sometimes from just internet avatars. He smiled warmly and stuck out a hand.
“Hi, I’m Gabe. Tsuzuki, right?”
Tsuzuki took Gabe's hand and shook it in the extra friendly, two-handed way. "Ah! From the Network, right? I'm so glad you came! Come on in." He let go of Gabe's hand, and began to lead him from the front desk area into the actual greenhouse, flowers and small trees growing on either side of the paths that ran through it.
“Yep, that would be the place.” Gabe smiled. This guy was definitely super friendly. It was going to take some getting used to. He followed Tsuzuki through the shop to the greenhouse and instantly felt himself relax. The humid, warm air was familiar and comforting to the botanist. He looked around at the various species of flowers and trees. “Nice specimens you got here.”
"Thank you!" Tsuzuki said. "I do most of the planning and pruning myself, though we had volunteers who come by to help as well. I tend think of most of the flowers growing here like they're mine. What's it like working in an arboretum?"
Gabe chuckled. "Similar to here, only most of the plants are look don't touch. And on occasion I gotta lead tours of the place when I'm not planning the next bed. But I feel the same way you do: like they're mine. Guess it's a plant enthusiasts thing." He stopped to admire a particularly striking hibiscus that was as tall as himself, with vibrant red flowers scattered among the broad green leaves. "Man, this one's gorgeous."
“Oh, you’ll have to take me on one of your tours,” Tsuzuki exclaimed. He was very interested in visiting the arboretum. He hadn’t been to one since his older sister had taken him to one as a child, and he had enjoyed it back then quite a bit.
He all but preened when Gabe complimented the hibiscus tree. “Thank you!” he said. “The guy who’s job I took had kind of neglected her.” Tsuzuki’s boss could say what he wanted about Tsuzuki being lazy, but at least he cared about the plants in the greenhouse. Given the state of the place when Tsuzuki had first started working there, he couldn’t say the same about the last guy. It was probably part of the reason why Tsuzuki’s boss only yelled at him instead of firing him whenever Tsuzuki showed up to work hungover, or was caught napping somewhere tucked away. “But with a bit of TLC I managed to bring her back.”
Gabe grinned. “Sure. I mean they’re all scheduled, unless you want to come on a weekend. They got all sorts of stuff going on there too. Lessons on gardening, activities, wine and dine festivals. Every section has its own collection of plants from various habitats. Mediterranean, Forest, Desert, fruit trees.” He was tempted to run his fingers along the green leaves, a habit of his with plants he was fond of, but refrained. This was another man’s plant after all.
The corners of Gabe’s mouth turned down into a displeased expression at the mention of neglect. “Who works in a greenhouse and then neglects the plants? Good thing you came along or she could have been a goner.TLC is all plants ever need.” He smiled then. “So, what else you got here? Seems pretty nice and cozy of a greenhouse.”
“He’s lucky I never met him, that’s for sure,” Tsuzuki said, cracking his knuckles. Not that there was any weight behind the words. Tsuzuki was very opposed to violence and could barely hurt a fly.
"If you'd like I'd be happy to show you the hydrangeas!" He said, already leading the way. “It is a pretty cozy place though. At the end of the month we put out some tables and chairs in here, and have people come for high tea. There’s usually a small string band that plays, and these delicious cookies and sandwiches that get served,” he said as they walked towards the hydrangeas. He had never grown them before he had started with the greenhouse, but now they were one of the prominent flowers in his own garden in shades of pink or blue. He loved how he could change the colours just by changing the pH balance of the soil. The hydrangeas in the greenhouse were all blue, growing behind a bed of white peonies that managed to highlight the dark green of the leaves of the hydrangea and the blue of the blossoms.
Gabe wanted to chuckle at the faux display of aggression but instead settled for a smirk. He’d done his fair share of bouncing at clubs, and seen enough displays to know when someone meant what they said and when it was just posturing. But he appreciated Tsuzuki’s enthusiasm at protecting the plants.
“That’s right, the hydrangeas!” Gabe grinned, following the smaller man. The activities described were not unlike what Gabe had experienced or been a part of at Fullerton. “Sounds nice. I’ll have to bring my girlfriend sometime, she’d probably like it.” Okay, he might too. Maybe. He’d never been to a high tea, he’d have to ask Nina what that actually was.
When they reached the hydrangeas Gabe sucked in a small amount of air in a tiny gasp. The display, for all its simplicity, was simply stunning. Maybe because he hadn’t seen a good crop of hydrangeas since he’d left New York City (California being in the throes of a drought of biblical proportions didn’t exactly allow for frivolous, water sucking plants such as these).
“Wow. Tsuzuki these are amazing! You weren’t kidding.” He marvelled at the quality of the leaves, and the multiple tiny flowers forming the perfectly round spheres of color.
“Oh please do! Is she a plant enthusiast as well?” he asked. Not that one really had to be an enthusiast to drinking tea and eating sandwiches surrounded by flowers. Tsuzuki had a terrible sense of smell, but he’d had people tell him that the aroma of the whole thing was incredibly relaxing.
At Gabe’s praise, Tsuzuki practically swelled up. Standing straight, shoulders back, a huge grin plastered across his face. They really were his pride and joy, and getting praise from someone who actually knew a thing or two about gardening was extra great. “Thank you,” he said. “I sometimes worry that they’re a little frivolous, but what’s life without a little frivolity, right?”
“She’s British,” he chuckled. “So the whole tea thing is right up her alley. She loves plants too. I’ve helped her develop the green thumb she never knew she had.” Gabe sounded not too proud about it, and he smiled a little to himself. Nina was a quick learner, and really did have a knack for keeping the plants they’d worked on cultivating in great condition.
“Exactly,” Gabe laughed. “So what if they take up more water than most plants in a state that’s in a drought.” He inhaled their fragrance deeply. “Damn, I forgot how much I missed these.” He stared at them a long while, debating whether to buy any. It was frivolous. They’d wilt in a heartbeat in the California heat and with water restrictions, he’d get fined just trying to keep them alive outdoors. Gabe suddenly wished he had a small greenhouse so he could do this. In a temperate atmosphere like this, they wouldn’t be as needy.
He looked over at his newfound friend who looked proud as a peacock. He couldn’t blame him, Gabe had his own pride and joys at home - his bonsai collection.
Gabe suddenly checked his watch, remembering the time. He still had to get back to the arboretum, and there was lunch to grab and then the traffic to get through. “Hey man, this is really cool, but I gotta jet; I’m gonna have to come back on the weekend or something. I definitely see some stuff I’d like to get. You do bouquets?” It was always good for future reference, with him now having a girlfriend and all.
"I have heard those British do have a penchant for tea," Tsuzuki said, offering a playful a wink. "You should absolutely bring her! Especially if she's relatively new at at gardening. I've always found gardening to be a great skill to have, so it's good that you've helped her develop her skills." There was something about getting your hands a little dirty gardening, or even just sitting outside surrounded by beautiful flowers when you were feeling down that really helped perk a person up.
He was a little disappointed when Gabe said he had to leave, but he understood. It wasn't as though they could have sat chatting all afternoon. "We prefer to sell potted plants to cut plants if you'd be interested in one of those instead," Tsuzuki said cheerfully. "But for a fellow plant enthusiasts, I could likely get you a nice bouquet if you'd like." It wasn't an offer he made to just anyone, but Tsuzuki knew how to cut flowers and arrange bouquets, and his boss trusted his judgement enough to allow him to make the call on when to offer bouquets.
Gabe laughed. “You have no idea.” He smiled at the offer, and nodded. “Yeah I think I will bring her, it’ll be fun.” He hoped. Then again, he hadn’t had a date yet with her where he was bored to tears. Spending time with her was always full of fun.
“Totally understand,” Gabe said with a nod, as they headed back towards the entrance. “I prefer potted myself.” He spotted a nice section of English roses and filed that away for future reference. “But yeah, in case I get myself in a bad spot, a real boquet might be good to have on hand. Thanks, man, I appreciate it.” When they got to the storefront, Gabe turned and shook hands with Tsuzuki. “Well it was great meeting you in person, Tsuzuki, and I look forward to seeing you on Valar. Have a good one.” And he unfolded his sunglasses and slid them on as he headed towards his car, one friend richer.