Gaele could understand Gavven’s – and even Jurao’s – looks of surprise. Braelin was… well. Honestly? He was weird – but in a good way!

“I’ve been raising most of these plants for years as a personal hobby,” Braelin went on, sharing a piece of his pastry with a laughing bird, “They only drop their petals, blooms, and leaves if they want to when I ask. I’m hoping my little shop can show others that it’s possible.”

“They usually do, too,” Gaele chuckled, “They really love Braelin.”

“I’d offer a bouquet as thanks for the pastries,” Braelin said, “But I wouldn’t want to imply something I didn’t mean.”

Gavven giggled, “I’m afraid neither Jurao nor I are likely to be customers for that reason.”

“Ironically,” Braelin chuckled, “I would not be my own customer.”

They were, of course, all referencing the fact that demons gave flowers to another for a singular purpose – to express a desire for sex with the other party. Braelin had explained that this was not the case for most humans – fos had felt dizzy after hearing the wide range of events humans would give each other flowers for. Funerals? To parents? As a wish to recover from surgery? They all seemed so… wildly inappropriate, even if logically, Gaele knew it wasn’t to express the same sentiment.

“My friend Feyl will likely offer his patronage,” Jurao said, “And I would not mind if you wished to give one with human sentiments in mind.”

Though, Gaele considered, Jurao is also weird in a good way…

“Oh,” Braelin said, “In that case…”

Gavven giggled, “I can’t wait to see what everyone else thinks of it…”

“Um,” Gaele cleared fos throat, “But, I mean, you aren’t worried about what others, ah…”

“I’ll just explain that humans gift flowers for a wider range of purposes,” Jurao replied, watching as Braelin went around the shop collecting blooms with interest, “And that it is a way to help a neighboring business get attention.”

Braelin smiled as he went behind the counter with an armful of flowers and plants, “Thank you.”

“We all try to support each other on Hope Street,” Jurao said, stepping closer to watch, “Likely, the other store owners will stop in later this week.”

“That’s true!” Gavven added, “Everyone’s been wondering about you!”

“Really?” Braelin asked, focused on his work.

Gavven nodded enthusiastically, “Really! Kloy owns the clinic at the end of the street, so you’ll probably see him this afternoon. You’ve already met Adhi, I hear?”

“Yes,” Braelin nodded, “I’m friends with Yheor, one of his chefs – she told me about the shop up for rent and suggested opening the Flower Shop.”

“I see! Well, other than those two and Jurao,” Gavven added, “Exmarre owns the Trendy Traveler Clothing Boutique next door, and across from him is Gakke’s Fortunes of Mahen – though he and his siblings run it together, really. On your other side is Goyl with Salacious Storybrook,” e rolled eir eyes, “Not that he only carries romances, or even only ‘salacious’ ones…”

Braelin chuckled, “By the way, I already know Kloy.”

“You do?” Gaele asked, not having known.

“He’s my sister-in-law’s cousin,” Braelin replied, “Though I wouldn’t say we’re close.”

Gaele thought of the doctor – honestly, Kloy scared fos a bit. He was rather big and muscular for a physician, and fos had always felt there was something… insincere about how he acted like a harmless old man. He did seem kind, just not… harmless? Which was a weird thing for a doctor, at least, Gaele thought it was… to pretend to be harmless, anyway.

“Oh, how nice!” Gavven giggled, “Now you can get to know each other better!”

“It does seem like an apt opportunity,” Braelin agreed.

“Now, let’s see…” Gavven counted off on eir fingers before nodding, “Right! Across from Goyl’s is the Farmer’s Grocery, they carry demon and beastkin goods. Jouvi runs it currently, and it’s been in her family for generations. Across from the clinic is my pet shop! Furry Friends and Scaly Pals!”

“Oh, you run the pet shop?” Braelin asked.

“That’s right!” e giggled, “Please stop by even if you just want to pet or talk to the animals! It helps keep them socialized. Oh, and across from Bountiful Treeking is a double-story business – the bottom floor is Ierge’s small appliance and household goods store, Odds and Ends, and above is Halvern’s CPA business.”

“Yes, Gaele mentioned that fos father worked close by,” Braelin nodded.

Gaele chuckled, “Yeah, Dad’s glad I found a job nearby – though he probably wishes it was more business related…”

“And here I thought I would be the first customer.”

“Good afternoon, Kloy,” Braelin greeted as they all turned to see the doctor.

Kloy smiled in that kindly way that seemed well rehearsed, “Good afternoon – though I’ve no idea who you could be making an arrangement for. Gaele, perhaps?”

Gaele felt fos face heat up as fos sputtered, “N-no! Not me! Not that, uh, there would, um, be anything wrong with that!”

“I asked for an arrangement as a way to help a fellow Hope Street business,” Jurao explained, saving fos from further embarrassment. Well, not that Gaele thought that was his goal or anything, but it was still nice!

Kloy chuckled, “I see – well, I’m glad it’s not a wreath, at least.”

“No, I know better than that,” Braelin snorted.

Wreaths, of course, advertising a business as a brothel – which the coffee shop across the street was certainly not.

“Why did you never say you had a connection to the Ealdwines, Kloy?” Gavven grinned, “I’m just teasing – I’m sure you’d rather not be distracted by questions about celebrities.”

Kloy considered this, then asked, “Vajur?”

“Vajur,” Gavven nodded in agreement.

“Hm?” Braelin asked.

“A novelist who frequents Demon King’s,” Kloy explained, “And who’s very good at tracking down information…”

“Ah,” Braelin nodded, “I see.”

“He’s partners with one of my baristas,” Jurao added.

“But to answer your question, Gavven,” Kloy chuckled, “You’re correct – especially as my cousin is not the celebrity herself.”

“Jaevve and Malson met on the set of one of his early films,” Braelin said, “He was one of the most frequent visitors to the medical tent.”

“How is Henes, by the way?” Kloy asked.

“Fos is doing well,” Braelin smiled, then added, “Henes is my zasus – Malson and Jaevve’s child.”

Gaele hadn’t known Braelin had a half-demon zasus – but then, fos was starting to realize fos knew very little about fos employer. Braelin has said his family was in the acting business, but Gaele hadn’t realized they were famous until hearing Gavven mention it from the other room.

“Here we are,” Braelin said, bringing over a small vase of flowers.

“Thank you,” Jurao said, accepting the vase and looking it over curiously.

“No, thank you,” the human replied, “I appreciate the help.”

“You already have customers!?”

Gaele flinched at the loud voice, and they all turned as another human with pale skin walked into the shop – a demon child clinging to his back.

“Speaking of the man,” Kloy snorted.

“Cousin,” a pink-skinned trollish demon greeted with a laugh of her own, “It’s been too long.”

“Malson, Jaevve, we were just talking about you two – and my favorite zasus,” Braelin chuckled, reaching over his brother’s shoulder to ruffle fos hair.

The child giggled, burying fos head against fos father’s shoulder.

Malson Ealdwine??? Gaele thought, feeling nervous, THE Malson Ealdwine?

Malson himself took off a pair of sunglasses, a baseball cap hiding most of his sandy blond hair, before demanding, “What were you saying!?”

“Just mentioning the relation,” Kloy snorted, “Henes has gotten bigger since I last saw fos.”

Jaevve laughed, “Fos has! It’s been a few months, hasn’t it? Since Yuletide. Come here, Hen, let your cousin see you.”

Henes let fos-self be pulled off Malson’s back, and even reached out to Kloy.

“Indeed,” Kloy agreed, shifting the child onto his hip. Gaele thought it was the first time fos had seen a genuine soft smile on the man’s face.

Gavven squealed, then covered eir mouth, “Sorry, sorry! I’ve never met a celebrity before!”

“Gavven is friends with Gnori,” Braelin supplied, giving his sister-in-law a wry look, “The one in your current film.”

“Oh?” Jaevve grinned, “We should exchange numbers then – he seems like a good sort.”

Gavven’s tail wagged in excitement as e nodded, eyes shining, “I would love to! Oh, I love meeting new people!”

Jaevve chuckled – then noticed the vase Jurao was holding, and her brows arched, “What’s this?”

“Hello,” Jurao nodded his head, “I run Demon King’s Coffee across the street – I offered to get an arrangement to help Braelin advertise as a new merchant on Hope Street. I am Jurao.”

There’s so much happening, Gaele thought, finding fos-self backing away as the chatting continued – it was making fos feel a little dizzy. 

Braelin shuffled fos way to say, “You can go back if you’re feeling overwhelmed, Gaele – my brother is… a lot, even without the actor thing.”

Gaele chuckled nervously, “I think I will – um, not that I think-”

“Gaele, it’s alright,” Braelin stalled fos with a hand, “I know you don’t mean anything by it; I get overwhelmed sometimes too. It’s important to take care of yourself when that happens.” 

“Th-thank you,” Gaele said – and fos really meant it. Braelin never seemed to get mad at fos – when Gaele made a mistake, he just gently helped fos fix it and walked fos through it. And he didn’t think stage fright was silly, or that Gaele should give up because of it – like fos had thought before, fos boss was weird. In a good way.

Fos snuck off while they all continued talking – though the other demons would have easily overheard their conversation, even with how soft Braelin spoke and his brother just shy of shouting as he and his wife caught up with Kloy.

I think I’m going to like working here, Gaele thought, feeling light as fos went back to watering the plants in the back.