I Make My Own Luck

Oranges, pinks, reds, blues, whites, purples. All sorts of colors danced in front of Rhonin as the breeze following him swept through the door of Fleurish as he walked in. Immediately greeted by an employee he turned down their offer of help or cup of tea. He was just here to look today. There was no sick relative, no funeral, no wedding, no birthday, or any other special event/unhappy circumstance that he would be bringing flowers to. No special lady in his life right now as well. But oh did Rhonin enjoy nature's beauties. He was forever a man pleased by his senses. The sight of these flowers, the feel of their petals, the smell of their sweetness - all three he valued for their beauty. Already he felt himself designing wood carvings of flowers to go in the side of a custom broom. He would have to get the sketch board out and figure whether actually carving the design in would work well or burning the design onto it would.

He paused his lily-gazing for a moment to look out the windows of the shops. He watched wizards and witches walking along Diagon Alley. He saw children chasing and laughing with each other as they still somehow kept up with their parents. He wondered about the lives of all of these citizens and how they fit into all of this - this craziness they know as the wizarding world. Rhonin's thoughts turned to the ministry and a frown started tugging at his lips. He was not one for politics. Until recently, that is.

There was just something about the ministry - an oddness that he felt uncomfortable with but wasn't able to explain it. Aikaterina, his sister, could explain perfectly well why she didn't like the ministry. She was much more of an activist than he was. Sometimes Rhonin worried that would come into trouble with their business, Baltheczar Brooms, but so far it hadn't even come up. Kate was very good about things like that. He did not know how she managed. Even now she was discussing with the owner of Quality Quidditch Supplies to get a business with them. Their morning had started with Kate savagely awaking him from his slumber so they could come down to Diagon Alley.

Rhonin looked at a clock in the shop. 11:32AM. He sighed and went back to walking slowly around the flower shop. It had been sprinkling rain off and on all morning so far and Rhonin hoped it would clear for just lunch time at least so that he and Aikaterina could eat outside in the warm temperatures the world was finally bringing to England. As much as he loved the winter months, Rhonin savored the feeling of the warm sun on his skin when the world warmed up for summer.

He watched as a little old woman wandered into the flower shop, asking for seeds for her "splendid garden" that she adored. Rhonin grinned a small grin to himself as he felt the petal of a sunflower between his fingers. While lilies were his favorite, he so admired sunflowers. Much better flower to give a lady than roses.

Sometimes Holland wondered if she didn't miss summer. Sure, she loved her job and she wouldn't give it up for the world. But did that mean she could not appreciate summer for the ease it used to provide? As if determined to prove her point for her, a collection of children ran around her on either side before meeting as a whole in front of her once more and carrying on.

She offered a smile that showed only mild amusement before glancing up at the store signs. There wasn't a case that morning. No reason for her to spent her lunch hour in the cafeteria. She kept her pager on and told her team to do the same, but allowed them a day off unless they were called. Clinic duty had been handled by the lot of them that morning, clocking in the hours required of them by the Dean of the hospital.

Coffee in hand, Holland tilted her head to the side as she paused to look at one shop in particular. It was practically overflowing with flowers, and had its fair share of customers - or it seemed so, based on people who had paused at the displays to consider going in. Surely some of them did, right? Although she didn't find herself in need of anything from the store, she knew that her new roommate would be moving in soon. So perhaps, she decided slowly, she should try and make the flat more cosy. As it were, Holland cared more bout cleanliness than style, and failed to realize that her apartment was fairly devoid of color. With everything at work, she rarely spent time there, anyway. Mira, however, would be there far more frequently. Nodding to herself, she shifted her coffee into her other hand and tugged the door to the shop open.

As soon as she stepped in the door, a bright hello was called out from a blonde man who clearly worked there. She offered him a smile but did not wait around for him to start asking if she needed help; Holland was much more a do-it-yourself sort of person. She didn't often rely on others, even though she perhaps should listen more often when people tell her she needs to worry more about herself than those around her. She saw no problem with being allocentric, though, and hadn't really changed much since they first started suggesting it.

Although her eyes were set on the flowers around her, Holland had a hard time ignoring the man who was gazing out the window and then looking at the sunflowers. He was impossible to miss, and frankly impossible not to notice. Ducking her chin, Holland felt her cheeks burn slightly. As many good-looking guys as she had seen lately, this one seemed the most relaxed; she didn't meet a lot of calm or easy-going people around the hospital. The only problem, it seemed, was that he was in the store at all. Surely he was buying for someone? She vaguely hoped in the back of her mind that it would be for his mum or grandmum, but rather than asking, she just made her way past him.

If she nudged him slightly - which she did - it was most certainly an accident. And if she glanced over her shoulder to toss him a not-so-apologetic smile - which she did - she most certainly meant it to appear apologetic.

Now if Rhonin Baltheczar was anything, it was a thinker. He was constantly enveloped in his thoughts which was the most like reason he often spent so much time alone. We would be wood working with his thoughts, walking along a path with his thoughts, in a flower shop with his thoughts - they were his constant companion. Even now as he made it a point to take in the beauty of the flowers around him and the weather outside, his thoughts were ever the distraction.

But a gentle nudge took his thoughts away from their consistent pondering. At first he was sure he had started to space out and Aikaterina was here to drag him elsewhere, but that seemed out of character. If it were Kate, she'd have simply grabbed his wrist and dragged him physically. So Rhonin was prompted by this to turn and look at who it was. He was met with the figure of a lady still walking as she must have just been passing him and his sunflowers. Then she turned to give him a smile. Apology? It must have been, but Rhonin didn't see the need for one. She wasn't rude and the flower shop was far from capacious as far as the flower browsing area went. He looked back at his flowers.

Something compelled him to look back up at her though. She was eye-catching, he had to admit. She seemed the working woman type and held a coffee which he most certainly felt confirmed the stereotype. The stereotype, though, was not a bad thing. He enjoyed working, and his sister did as well. What with them beginning their broom company, Rhonin had almost forgotten others worked as much as he and Aikaterina seemed to. He pulled back from these thoughts as he realized he must be staring and went back to his flowers. Curiosity brought his gaze to the flowers she was around. What was she here for? Couldn't be the same as him, as he was sure most people just window watched to appreciate flowers before moving on with their business. The odds were not in favor of that. So maybe he'd make a suggestion.

Moving slowly so as not to seem like he was on a mission, he walked up near the woman. "The colors of these are nice, but," he motioned to the flowers in front of her while speaking before reaching behind them for a different flower he had noticed before continuing, "the white plumeria is just as pretty. And more exotic though it looks simple." Rhonin extended to her the small one he had picked up. He had admired the plumeria earlier and noted they were from Central America. That was exotic, right? Exotic to England at least. There was his defense if she proved some expert on exotic flowers. He then felt a bit rude for barging in on her browsing. Maybe she wasn't looking for conversation. "I don't mean to bother you, though," he said with a small apologetic smile. Maybe now was the time to take his leave.

Holland’s gazing at the peonies was interrupted by a reaching hand and the voice of the man she had not-so-subtly brushed past moments before. An almost secret smile crossed her face as she looked up at him, taking in his words just as she took the extended flower in his hand. Though she kept her gaze locked on his, she tucked her chin slightly to lift the flower to her nose. “Are they?” She asked, tilting her head to the side as she lowered her hand. “I didn’t know.”

He offered a smile, which Holland immediately returned. It was amazing how his eyes could appear so piercing even as he spoke to her and seemed so charming. “You’re not bothering me,” she assured him, gaze dropping briefly to the flower she still held. Without thinking, she took a drink from her coffee and then looked up at him again. “I’ve got someone coming to stay with me and the place could do with some life, y’know?” Holland shrugged, glancing around at the displays. The blond man who had greeted her when she walked in smiled at them from the counter but said nothing this time.

“I’m just trying to pick out something. Maybe,” she offered slowly, giving him a once-over, “since you seem to have such good taste, you’d have some suggestions.” Something about him, aside from his looks, interested her. He seemed friendly, but almost reserved. In her experience this either meant he was that way due to past experiences, or had grown up in an environment that caused it. Either way, she was curious. Even if she ended up wrong for either or both scenarios, understanding people who seemed in need for a good talk or in need of just someone around them was something that Holland was undeniably good at. Her past certainly explained her ability to get close to patients. It also explained why she avoided going near her patients, for fear of becoming attached.

She set the flower back in its place, preferring to have a hand free in the event that she was paged or simply had the chance to take another flower from the man standing before her. She probably should've been wary about a stranger being so open to speaking with her, but Holland was quick to note that she had started it herself. That is, if his decision to talk to her after she pretended to bump into him meant anything. Pulling gently on the ends of her hair where pieces fell over her shoulder, Holland started towards the carnations merely for their color, glancing over her shoulder at the man as she moved around to the other side of the shelf. If he were interested, he'd follow. If not, she could flower hunt and all would be well. Just, of course, not nearly as fun.

Rhonin gave a short nod. "Straight from Central America, as the sign goes," he said with a look thrown to the small card arranged in front of the flowers. Although he preferred his time alone, Aikaterina was taking far too long for him to just stand in front of daisies and sunflowers without something to do other than loiter. Why not make small talk with a stranger? Especially if she just so happens to be Rhonin's right kind of pretty.

He was relieved when she confirmed he was not a bother to her. As she took a sip of coffee, he looked again at the plumeria next to them and silently thanked the flowers for being his conversation starter. When the woman began speaking again, he made it a point to listen. Rhonin's suspicions of her being a working woman were confirmed in his mind when she mentioned her place could do with some livening up. He had never met a girl who didn't enjoy decorating and whenever his sister became busy trying to start up their company was when her decorating skills were pushed to the side. He assumed she must be a hard worker if she assumed her own place needed livening. Or maybe Aikaterina was just a tinge crazy.

When she gave the offer for him to help her out with flower picking, he was relieved this had not become an awkward interaction. After she put the flower down with the other plumeria, he followed her. Rhonin gave a short chuckle to her comment on his good taste in flowers. "I prefer simple flowers, is all. Something that generally isn't attached with a meaning," he motioned to the carnations they were approaching. "Like these. Valentine's. That's why they're mostly sold in pinks and reds, but the blue carnation is just as eye catching. My sister's favorite." He faced her a moment with his hands up. "But I'm not some sort of flower expert," he said with a playful smile. He formed his smile into something more sincere. "I'd be happy to discuss flowers with you, though." Rhonin looked away toward the sunflowers he'd been admiring before looking back.

He extended his hand to her, realizing what he felt was missing. "I am Rhonin, by the way. Rhonin Baltheczar." His smile was polite this time. If they were to be discussing flowers or coffee or tea or whatever could come up, she should at least know his name. And he her's. Rhonin glanced outside again for any sight of his sister. The feeling of impatience wasn't there this time, though. He had something to do other than be that flower shop creep that just stares at things and leaves. His eyes returned to the girl in front of him. "So what's your favorite color? I'm sure there's a flower somewhere in this shop with it."

Holland, though usually observant, had been too focused on the man standing next to her to actually look down at the card and read a bit about the flower he had offered her. A light blush lit her cheeks – something that rarely, if ever, happened – and she looked down at the flower again. “Then you’re quite right,” she replied quietly. “Exotic.”

Tilting her head to the side, Holland smiled at the dark-haired man as he explained his preference before she nodded. “Sometimes the simple explanation is the best. I suppose that also applies to flowers.”

Her life at work was full of complicated messes, and Ms. Fox was quite convinced that anything that did not involve pondering for hours would be a nice change of pace. Perhaps, she mused, something simple and normal and just fun was what she needed. It would certainly make for a good change of pace when she wasn’t at work. Her hand instinctively jumped to her pager, as if thinking of work would make it go off and pull her away. Thankfully, that was not so, for the little box remained silent.

A smile lit her face, the corners of her eyes crinkling in amusement. “Lovely,” she added in return for his decision to stick round and chat with her. “Holland,” she set her hand in his, “Holland Fox. Y’know, like the country.” She added her usual comment, hardly realizing she was doing so. “To make it all the more amusing, I’m pretty sure there actually are foxes there.”

He asked after her favorite color, and Holland just found herself laughing. The coffee in her hand was traded into the other hand, if only for something to do as she spoke, teasing him. “You’re sure? What if I said my favorite color was the most obscure little color that ever was?” She paused, watching him from beneath her lashes, but eventually gave in and decided to give a direct answer. “I think that burgundy has been my favorite for a time now. Though the lighter-colored flowers might be equally impressive.”