Love Me, Love Me Not. It's the flower shop that shares the same strip mall as Dirty Laundry. It used to be Pushing Up Daises but old Betty McGormand decided to retire and move to Florida; she sold the business about a year ago and that's when it became what it is now. It's nothing special, really. Some shops go all in with the cute little accents and artsy chalkboard signs. Not this place. It's just a room filled with flowers and plants.
And one very grouchy proprietress.
Agnes is sitting behind the counter, idly flipping through a magazine. There is a single customer here -- a guy in his 20s. Looks like a bro for the most part but seems decent enough. Does she offer to help him? Newp. Just continues to flip through the rag she's reading -- flip, flip, flip -- while 80s music plays over the sound system. When he finally does approach with a bouquet of red roses in hand that he plunked from one of the buckets, she gives him a dry look. "Roses? Really? That's pretty fucking basic," she says with an irritated sigh. He looks startled. And then mad. And then seems ready to say something but she holds up her hand. "I get it. You're a 'nice guy' and you enjoyed that pussy. And you want to keep enjoying that pussy so what better way to do so than to give her some flowers after your .. what has it been? Third date? Fourth? Never mind that there is no real thoughtfulness behind it; it's just a calculated move to keep getting that tail." She pauses. Looks at him. "That's be $21.75."
He pays.
He leaves.
Agnes goes back to her magazine.
The Motley known as... well, those laundry People, jokingly called 'The Cleaners' or Count's preference 'The Soap Studs' or maybe 'The Dirt Deeds'. In Count's head it probably changes as fast as his nicknames for people. They reside a couple doors down, when a couple months back the old 'King Laundry' was bought and under new management the old 'King' sign was removed and replaced by a new one that reads 'Dirty'. Lulu worked there before Count came to town, and still does, she basically came with the place, and Cian came along not long after.
Now? Other shops have signs that read 'Under New Management' and Agnes has been getting emails and letterins urging her to consider selling, and to call Count at 277-4653, and one personal phone call from him. Considering Count has been IGNORED and probably either cussed at, or hung up on, the beast has decided to show up in person. Cian and Lulu have probably been subjected to some irritated mutterings from the beast.
As Good Boy Jock McPussylover leaves, the door is caught, and then a horned shadow darkens the doorway for a moment, only to step in further to reveal... Count. Black Skinny Puppy shirt, Torn jeans, heavy boots and a look of mild miffedness. In tow are Lulu and Cian, only one of whcih might make the group look intimidating.
It's totally Lu in full new moon attire! A soft boho maxi-dress in a light white-sage color with tie die white circles floating airly in the soft green. It's low cut so her althetic dancers build is mostly exposed, flowing sleeves and a tie-wrap type belt leave her free and flowing. She has jewlery made of beads, leather and lots of danglies to compliment the outfit and her hair is amply fluffy> The door is open and she blows in like on a breeze and starts to flutter through the store touching -everything- with dark eyes curiosity leaving smudges of iridescent dustr trails in her wake.
Cian is by no means the one to make the group look intimidating as he shuffles in on his Chucks after Count. He's got his phone up and his nose into it, a blue-light filter on even though it's not quite night time reading time. His other hand is stuffed into that off-black hoodie's pocket, fingers fidgeting with something in there as he texts away at someone, anyone, and no one. Lifting light-sucking eyes up to glance around disinterestedly, the Millenial moves away from the door once inside. While Lulu flutters about, Cian drifts. Not quite bumping into displays or shelves, but certainly bouncing more than the moth. The wisp sometimes glances up to see how Count will be interacting with the lady who runs this shop.
Agnes drops the money into the register and immediately stops paying attention to the bro, likely ensuring another 1-star Yelp review. She goes back to her magazine; therefore, she doesn't immediately notice the influx of people. Doesn't notice Count and his posse. But the door doesn't immediately close behind the departing customer with its usual clang, causing her to glance over her 'Will Brad and Angelina Get Back Together?' article. Jesus christ, /more/ people? She just got done helping someone and now she needs to haul out her customer-service skills /again/ so soon? GOOOOOOOOOOOOODDAMMIT.
She looks a moment at the ceiling and SIGHS.
"Yeah, what do you want?" she asks brusquely. She's seen Count around the strip mall -- in fact, she's seen them all -- but because she's deleted all his emails and hung up on his phone calls, she's not putting it together that he's the dude that wants to buy her shop. If she did realize this? She probably wouldn't be as friendly.
Leaving his motley behind like a pair of super bouncy balls loose in an all tile bathroom, Count approaches the counter, stalks towards it really, all feral grace and carnal potential. I mean Count is good, really good, at walking slowly. The fear grace tho, utterly clashes with the rugged goth look of the mid 90's, and the eyeliner. "You Agnes?" Count asks, looking her over, glancing at her magazine, and then looking around the vicinity, taking it all in.
He lets his hands rest on the counter, leaning over a bit as he looks her over. He was not expecting her to be changeling, so it's throwing him off just a little bit.
Lulu flutters about the cooling display looking over the selection as she picks here and there a slowly growing bouquet of flowers that, for the knowledgeable, are totally ediable. She always leaves dust whereever she goes and she, for one, is not suprised that Agnes is Lost. Not in the slightest, because she's not a stranger here. The little boho fuzzheaded moth bounces around harmlessly off a display, Cian and the counter as she makes her way around the shop in the wake of Count's countenance. Bumbling about in the background and generally being..mothy.
Cian looks up at Agnes and immediately, the Darkling is sympathetic towards the angry plant lady. He doesn't like being disturbed or having to put on faces for people either! Nyah. Shuffling around, he kind of slides by a potted plant display and just makes a face, is he bored? Maybe. Count is handling the actual talking which is fine by him. Bouncing off of the fluttering moth a few times, the shadow creeps and peers around Count once or twice before wandering away again. His free hand comes out and he signs at Lulu quickly, <<Nothing poisonous.>> without his voice it's hard to tell if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
She watches Count walk his sauntering walk, her mouth pressing into a firm line and one eyebrow tweaking upwards. Setting down her magazine, she places her hands on either side of it -- left and then right -- and leans in a bit to meet him halfway once he's arrived at the counter. "What do you /want/, Horny?" she repeats, not answering his question directly but her manner seeming to confirm, somehow, that yeah. She's Agnes.
She stares at him intently, blue eyes going a bit narrow, but something over his shoulder catches her attention. The mothgirl bouncing around stirs conflicting emotions -- one on hand, she can appreciate Lulu's flower choices; one the other hand, dust /everywhere/. GAH. "HEY!" she calls over sharply and then upnods toward one of the buckets of blooms, continuing in a less-biting tone. "Don't forget to add some nasturtium." See? She can be helpful. Cian is given a few cautious looks -- what's he doing, what's he on about -- but because he hasn't done anything wrong /yet/, she doesn't yell at him /yet/.
So she swings her gaze back at Count and drums her fingers impatiently. Waiting.
"Yeah, yer definitely Agnes." Count confirms, especially as she shouts towards Lulu. "Yer the one who welt sell, everyone else is selling, 'cept you, and the Wong Family." From Count's back pocket, he pulls out a checkbook, putting it down between them, reaching over her desk to grab a pen. "Look, we'll pay you more than this place is worth, but Mercy Plaza..." Formerly known as Twixty lane "...is ours." Smile, wide smile. "I mean, you'll have more than enough cash to set up two blocks down, with some heft profit." They are nearly eye to eye, Count is all smiles and sharp teeth.
Lu nods to Cian around a mouthful of Chrysanthemum and Wax Begonia. Looks like Lulu just comes ehre when she's got the munchies. Which is fairly often. And nothing beats eating flowers and people watching at the bus stop. Which she also does fairly often. When she's startled by the sudden loud noise, more dust is stirred up by her mantle and she shovers a little.
However it doesnt last too long and when Agnes reminds her to grab some of the vibrant warm orange and red flowers from the display they've been carefully placed in and flutters about picking the ones with flowers just out of budding, nice and firm and juicy. She adds them to her little bundle of flowers before she drifts back noiselessly and shoves them at Count. Maybe she expects him to pay? Or maybe she expects him to present them to Agnes. Her own flowers. It's Lu, she's done odder things.
"Mr and Ms. Wong have been there so long, but at least they'll work with you." She adds helpfully and smiles towards Agnes with her -usual- itsy cheer. Anges' general grumpitude has very little effect on the mothbrain - she just comes off way to airheaded to even know when people are being mean to her.
Cian watches quietly, looking down at his phone he finally shoves it away. For like three seconds and it's back out so he can put his nose into it and type at someone that isn't here. The look of Lu with a mouthful of flower petals is flipping adorable, stealing his attention for a little bit as he smirks and nabs his phone with his mouth so his cramping, curling fingers can sign at Lulu again, <<They look perfectly ripe,>> he offers about the flowers. But of course he gets distracted again and drifts back towards the front of the store again before looping to the pre-made boquets, a wrinkle of his nose, but he says nothing. Instead he fiddles with something in his pocket and then comes out with a fidget cube, grey plastic, black buttons and knobs and things. "Besides, it means we can still have Chinese food when you're feeling lazy," he whispers when he drifts close to Count. And then away again, bumping into Lulu on his way to inspect something. Of course there are thankfully petals and the occasional loose leaf that keep his wandering fingers occupied.
It would probably be a stretch to say that Agnes /likes/ Lulu but one can't actively dislike someone who treats a flower shop like a 7-11 snack aisle. At least she's not buying basic red rose pussy bouquets, right? Right. So the moth almost gets a smile. Almost. Kinda. Agnes' mouth twists into a kind of grimace -- it's like her face is an unwilling participant in this non-hostile expression and DOES NOT LIKE IT ONE BIT.
"The Wongs aren't selling because they aren't stupid," she says. Which really would be news to them, considering how many times Agnes has yelled at them and called them idiots. But right here, right now? They are on the same side so: not stupid. "And what the fuck is this shit?" The Wizened woman gestures at Count's checkbook and scoffs. "Even if I was dumb enough to sell to you, do you think I am so brainless as to accept a /personal check/? What, do you think I am going to sell this place for a couple hundred and the change you have in your pocket? Fuuuuck yoooou." She flutters her hand at him, the gesture a dismissive one. Away! Away with you, silly horned man!
Cian has made his way to the counter and now all three of them are there. In her face. GOD. People. Plants are so much better. Sitting back down on her chair, she folds her arms across her chest and shifts her attention from face to face to face and waits. For something. Tick-tick-tick.
"So is someone going to pay for Floofy's flowers or what? That'll be.." she looks over what Lulu's collected. "$18.50." Pause. "And I don't accept /checks/."
"Eighteen Fifty? For Fucking /flowers/?!" Count retorts "You cant even Eat them!" of course, Some might peg this as an Act, as Count does occasionally use flowers in his work, or seduction rituals, but no one needs to know this lie. He lets out a disgusted snort and puts the checkbook away, and then pulls from his front pocket a thick roll of cash, and starts flipping through it. It's all 100's, he signs and puts it back and then calls over his shoulder "Looo, you got any smaller bills?!"
He ignores the personal check comments and says "The Wongs have been here fer forty years, and are stubborn, you cant claim th' same." The Fluttery hand is also ignored, and as she rises and folds her arms, he leans further over the counter, his blue tongue flicking out for a moment like a snake.
Count's expression is annoyed, everyone else saw the cash this crew was throwing out and ran off like lottery winners. I mean if Agnes hasd Actually read the emails and saw all the 0's....
Lulu hmms and oh's and pulls her big old carpet bag over her shoulder and drops it on the counter with a clatter and starts digging through various and sundry things. Lots of socks, several unopened packets of tictacs, listerine and gum packages in various stages of emptiness. There are crumpled bills and from the sound of her purse hitting the counter? A metric fucktonne of change. She digs around and pulls out a dryer sheet which she pulls a battered twenty from and sets it on the counter. She's still chewing on some of the Begonia leaves as she does. They have a strange slightly sour citrus smell. She looks towards Cian and smiles a bit his direction before the dark matte eyes turn back to Agnes and Count as they get closer. Covertly, since they're so intent on eachother, after the twenty is palced on the counter beside the intently focused monochromatic starers she lifts both pointer fingers to Cian, and presses them together in a totally ADULT immidation of a smooch.
Cian blinks slowly turning between the two people talking, nope not his fight. So he just sliiides on by, but only after whispering to Count, "But that's exactly what Lu did," if only so that his friend and compatriot doesn't end up looking TOO foolish. He does snicker a little and murmur the word, "Floofy," under his breath while the Wisp makes another drifting circuit. Lulu's already paid but she makes sure to get his attention and he's looking now, intently. A smirk and a little breath held before puffing it out and ending RIGHT back at the counter with the trio again. Looking between Count and Agnes again, he barely retains the snortle and he covers his mouth with his hand. Signing at Lulu, <<Now kiss>> Count could take offense if he'd bothered to do what he suggested to Candice and learned sign language.
"Did I say $18.50? I meant, /$23.50/," Agnes counters when Count starts complaining, a small smirk curling up one side of her mouth. Go on, buddy, keep grousing! The price will continue to go up. His annoyance nourishes her soul -- if he persists in being visibly irritated by her, she will persist in needling him. Hey, everyone needs a hobby.
Then there is Lulu, dropping her bag onto the counter. As the moth roots around in it, Agnes gets a glimpse of the chaos contained within. "Oh for fuck's sa..." she says to herself, trailing off as she rubs a long-fingered hand over her face. She has all this STUFF here on her counter, in her SPACE. Fuckin' people. PEOPLE. Ugh. At least she comes up with a twenty. Count only has $3.50 more to go at this point.
Cian drifting about doesn't escape her notice and she suddenly shoots out a finger, pointing at the Darkling. "Are you going to fucking buy something or what? This ain't a god damn museum." Yes, she knows he's with them. Yes, she realizes that he's likely just along for the ride. But that doesn't mean she has to /like/ a bunch of random people wandering around her shop not buying shit.
So. Lulu's flowers undergo another price hike.
"$28.50! Pay up, champ!" She's focusing on Count again, since he's the one seemingly rolling in cash.
Oh Hell No.
The look of annoyance on Count's face goes still, and somehow changes, there's a gleam in those golden eyes now, something vicious and full of malice... something inside of him waking up. "Twenty Eight Fifty? That's highway robbery, fer a bunch of frost damaged weeds." Wait, nothing in here is damage by frost. Right? Was that a chill? Did Count's breath just hang in the air like a cloud of fog for a moment there?
"Why don't you, stop being a mangy Cunt, and accept the cash we already gave ya, and I dont turn this little hovel into the next ice age? Why you gotta shit on my friends? All Lulu wanted was some of yer flowers. I come in here, offering you cash, and you run yer mouth like you've been sicking on Lemongrab's cock." Obscure Cartoon reference? Count stays up too late too often.
Escalation seems to be happening, while behind him, Lulu and Cian seem to be Shipping them.
Lulu's mantle with the strange little effects the potential of her aura has on things does very little to a strong mantle. But despite the shivers she smiles to herself and sneaks her fingers towards the flowers and slides them off the counter while Count is upping the anty and Cian is getting fingered. Lu slips off quietly with her clutched noms and she drifts back off to find a quiet corner to eat them in. It may not be the bus stop the but people waching here is grade A. It could possibly be for shipping purposes, she writes enough nonsense on her 'backup' memory; I.E. Count's laptop.
Cian blinks and then just smirks as the price keeps rising. He can't even argue, he's just bemused by it all. Fishing in his pocket a moment he finds the twenty spot and plucks up whatever candy thing happens to be on the counter before tucking it into his satchel, quicklike so no one notices whatever else might be in there. <<Does that cover it?>> he signs at the lady behind the desk, and then like the proprietess of the store before him, Cian rolls his eyes and then simplifies his pointing, forty bucks on the counter top, gesturing wildly to the Lulu and then the candy and then smiling that oh so charming grin. Shipping Count? No, they'd never do that. They're his friends and Motleymates!
Weeds? Did he just call her flowers /weeds/? Oh no. No he did not! Agnes takes the twenty, drops it into the register and SLAMS it shut. "You are $8.50 short, Horny," she says, the growing chill in the room causing her breath to frost. "And if you kill off my flowers, you can be fucking certain that I will never sell this place to you. In fact, I will get the Wongs to sell to /me/ and I will expand my operation. Doubt me? I have my ways." After all, she's so charming. Who wouldn't want to sell to her?
The Wizened starts to come out from behind the counter -- to do what? rumble?! HA! -- but there is Cian, handing over another twenty. This puts an end to whatever she was planning to do and Agnes takes it, harumphs, and makes change: he gets $10 back. "Alright," she replies with a short nod. "We're square." Flowers paid for. Candy paid for. Best thirty-bucks they ever spent, right? She looks at them each in turn -- Lulu, Cian, Count -- and then narrows her eyes a bit.
"There's no more operation to expand sugar-tits!" Count snarls back, and if he had a tail, it'd be thrashing. Well, lions tail. Guys, there's something to talk about, related to that, but not here.
As Agnes starts to move around the counter, he moves to meet her, squaring his shoulders, ready to throw down... building up a full head of steam. And then Cian pays for the rest, and it's done. Count lets out a puff of air from his nostrils and pulls black lips back from his too sharp teeth in another snarl, silent this time.
"Ugh fine, you win this time." his vividly blue tongue slides over his teeth, still looking a touch agitated, and then glances around before he asks "You do black roses?"
Lulu is doing what bugs do best, staying the heck out of Winter's way and gnoshing flowers. She pops one of the orange headed flowers into her mouth and chews idly while she watches her motleymates torment Agness. At least she's just eating the flowers that she bought. And then Count asks for black roses and she sighs and flutters back up and over to him, drifting about the tension ridden Chimera and smiling before looking towards the Wizened, "He doesn't mean that. He's looking for a Black Baccara.." She drifts about a few times. "He would never imply you dye your flowers." She holds up a half eaten boquet. "I can attest. Pure and tasty." She backs up, now that she's between the wizened and Count, backing up into Count and smiling lightly. "But if it would make you feel better, you can come do your laundry for free sometime." The black eyes moth offers to the sour-faced Wizened.
Cian isn't being much in the way, he's just that annoying shadow that sticks too close. The Wizened goes into full angry mode and the thief just goes wide-eyed and hides behind Count and then Lulu. Yup totally the scary one. He will at least start following after Lu to make sure she doesn't rack up a hundred dollar flower bill with her snacking. Even going so far as to whisper, "Chew on a sock er something, before Count gets that vein in his forehead," he chides her and even fusses over her fingers if she reaches for more flowers.
'You do black roses?'
Agnes just stares at him -- STARES -- for a long moment and then flails her arms toward the door. "Black roses? Are you fucking kidding me? Take you goth bullshit and get out of my shop. After all, I'm sure you have important things you need to hurry back to, like applying eyeliner to your dickhole or crying while listening to the Cure." Before he can huff about the Cure, she bellows: "I. DON'T. CARE."
And then there is Lulu. Adorable Lulu. Fuzzy, floofy Lulu. Piping up about Black Baccara. This seems to settle her down a bit (yeah -- YEAH! -- she /doesn't/ dye her flowers) and then Cian! Holy shit. "You can talk?" she says with a surprised blink when he whispers to the moth. Agnes scrutinizes him more closely now, clearly wondering what other secrets he's holding back.
Really, it's not about 'The Cure' or 'Eyelining his Dickhole' it's that Count has had a really, really really trying week, and his nerves are frayed to their limits. His left eye starts to twitch, and he steps forward unconsciously... only to find that there is a moth-girl in his way. When did she get there?! he looks down at Lulu, and with an exasperated huff of air, sends up a cloud of dust.
Count teeters, and there's a feral agression simmering under his skin, like a beast that just wants to come out, and rip and tear, but instead, he reaches out to take a hold of Lulu's shoulder, squeezing tight and says "No, I totally meant Dyed, I don't know what the Fuck a Black 'Barrette' is, I'll just continue to get them from FiFi's Flowers." Fifi's is a terrible florist, who doesnt take care of their shit and specializes in rainbow bouquets of dyed carnations and other such atrocities.
Agnes can see, and probably the others too, that Count... is at the end of his rope... and so the beast turns, and leaves...
Lulu is there indeed and she feels the strain of the Chimera against her back and the dust flutters about her and she blinks those light absorbing black eyes towards Agnes. Or did she wink? It's so hard to tell with how fast the little moths lids moves. She squirms a little though she's not very strong so she leans when Count does and then steps to the side a few times when suddenly the solid form of Count is gone. She shakes herself and smiles at Agnes, waving the flowers at her and turning to flutter after though she does dd to Agnes, "Please come by." And then she's hurrying out gesturing for Cian to follow and help her soothe the poor Goth's nerves. To Count as she goes, "You know, I think I saw some Scarthistle with what looked like Promise Leaves by the river gate the other day. But there was totally a big old spider in the way..."
Cian snorts a little when Agnes goes off about Goths and their bullshit. The greyscale thief stiffles it a little, making a muffled muted sound. Of course Count takes it entirely different, but thankfully there's an Oracular Moth in his way between him and violence. Instead he huffs and storms out. The shadow blinks over to Lulu for a moment and then after the wake of grump that is Count. Going right back to signing to the blonde, <>. A faint smile is given to the flower shop owner and he whispers to her, "Sometimes," before patting the money still on the counter and simply drifting off after his friends as he takes out his cellphone again. Taptaptapping to everyone who isn't here. Disinterested in all this shit. Still, his Motleymate needs him so he goes. A little wave behind him at Agnes as the last of the trio ducks out.
All he wanted was a single dyed black rose, okay you guys?! GOD. Everyone is so mean. Especially Agnes. "Fifi's has shitty flowers," the Wizened says which is 100% true. What is also 100% true is that FiFi's has much better customer service. Fuck, they could spit in your face, give you a paper-cut and kick your dog and that would be a step up compared to the level of customer care found in this place. Is it any wonder that Agnes' shop only has one star on Yelp?
Yeah. Not a great mystery at all.
When Count stalks out, the woman simply lifts her chin slightly. "I will see you around, Floofy," she says to Lulu and, to Cian, she comments: "Try not to talk my ear off next time." She watches the trio leave and once the bell over the door stops ringing, she returns to her magazine and exhales slowly, relishing the solitude of an empty shop.
/Will/ Brad and Angelina get back together? She'll have to read to find out.
Birds are gonna shit on Agnes next time she leaves her shop.
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