#the cowboy doctor; greyson

[jeremiahofphilo]

"It should be around here somewhere..." It wasn't often Greyson found himself on this side of Linkon. There were probably 20 other florist shops closer to Akso, but when he'd been chatting up Dr. Zayne's Hunter friend about getting the poor man some plants for that contemporary jail cell he called an office, she immediately scrawled an address on the back of his card.

'The guy there, Jeremiah. He'll definitely take care of you.' She'd said it like Greyson had never seen a plant before. Like his office didn't already have several thriving ones that he maybe couldn't name but that was fine they were green that's all that mattered.

When he finally spots the sign, it's all too obvious. Flowers lining the street and giant windows brimming with colourful splashes of vegetation, it was like a living art studio. The humidity hits him with force the moment he opens the door, lungs a little tighter from the heat and moisture, but the smell of the soil and peat moss are an immediate memory of home.

"Um, hello?" He calls. Not seeing anyone at the counter, he starts to browse, left to his own devices he'd probably pick a fine plant. How hard could it be to give a living thing to a man he greatly admired who barely remembered to sleep some days. Surely not that hard at all. Right?

@drgreysonmd

Jeremiah returns from the back of the store after hearing the door chime, handheld still pressed to his ear as he carries a few heavy, somewhat awkward bags of leca pearls to restock the 'gardening' aisle of the shop.

Briefly he greets the man in his shop with a nod and wraps up his order with a fellow seller, setting the phone down in its spot at the desk at the back of the store.

"Hey sir, welcome! Let me know if I can help you find anything." He greets, warm as ever albeit a little out of breath from the business of the day.

"Are we looking for flowers for a lady or just browsing today?"

He had to ask. Even with just his quick glance, noting the way the man was dressed, and the way he carried himself, there had to be a lady. Men like him didn't just waltz until flower shops. There was always a lady.

[mikrowrites]

all hail the magic man

•part nine-finale•

A month later...

Charlie tapped her foot on the tile, staring across the room. There was a cheesy poster, a smiling monkey with a cowboy hat. She furrowed her eyebrows at it, snapped out of her daze.

“Charlotte Greyson?”

Stephen had recommended Charlie go to therapy. She wasn’t a big fan of the idea, but only went knowing he’d know if she didn’t, and that was a can of worms Charlie would rather not open.

A few days after Tony’s funeral, Charlie hit a low. She couldn’t find the will to get out of bed, much less eat or do anything productive. Stephen was patient with her the first couple of days, leaving her alone as he saw fit, but once a couple days turned into a week, the concern grew between himself and Wong.

She hadn’t laughed. She hadn’t smiled. She just simply had no emotion around them.

They called it “Survivor’s Guilt”. Charlie called it “Incredibly Painful”.

“So, Charlotte-“ the therapist began.

“Charlie. Please.” Charlie mumbled.

The therapist smiled. “Charlie... my name is Dr. Valdez. You can call me Camilla, okay?”

Charlie nodded, her fingers rubbing the hem of the couch in nervousness.

“So, Charlie. Start from the beginning.”

So she told her story. A naive girl, raised in the Mystic Arts by two beautiful people, a kind and generous woman, and two caring men. Losing all of them. Tony and Steve came around for her but... they’re gone too. Charlie trying to help Thor, but the man losing himself.

The therapist nodded, silent when Charlie finished. The woman looked expectantly at her, Dr. Valdez finally opening her mouth. “You are so strong.”

Charlie scoffed. “If I’m strong why am I sitting here.”

“Strength is knowing when to accept help, and to persevere above hurt. You’ve done all of this, you are exceptionally strong.” Dr. Valdez smiled.

“I don’t feel like it.” Charlie muttered, looking down at her lap.

“You won’t.” Dr. Valdez sat forwards. “And it’ll be a while for the ache to go away. But it will. And you’ll be all the better for it.”

- - - - - -

Charlie woke up the next morning to the smell of something burning and the shear screech of an alarm.

She burst out of bed, running through the Sanctum until she reached the kitchen, where Wong was sitting at a table with his head in his hands and Stephen fanned the smoke detector with a towel. A burnt and shriveled something laid in a pan, smoking.

“What is happening?!” Charlie shouted through the alarm, Stephen turning to her with shock. The alarm finally died out, the man sighing while scratching his head.

“Well, ah... Wong and I-“

“Just you.” Wong grumbled.

“I, was trying to surprise you with birthday pancakes.” Stephen sighed, scraping the charred remains of batter into the trash.

Charlie was silent for a moment, taking in the scene before her.

Suddenly laughter bubbled up in her throat, the woman hunched over and gasping for breath. Wong immediately looked up, Stephen grinning.

“Oh my g—I think I’m dying—oh my—“ Charlie stuttered through laughter, Stephen and Wong chuckling as well.

The three opted to go to Denny’s instead, before they drove out to the temporary Avengers facility, where Charlie got to see Pepper, Sam, Rhodey, Bruce, Wanda, and Clint. They all spoiled her (though she adamantly has requested that they not) and threw a large party.

Charlie was drinking a beer with Sam and Rhodey (it’s not illegal unless you get caught), animatedly talking about some topic when Pepper approached Stephen, who stood leaning against a wall farther away.

“She’s doing so much better.” Pepper observed.

“Yeah. She really is.” Stephen murmured. “She started therapy yesterday, is starting daily medication next week. She’s doing the work.”

Pepper hummed, pulling something out of her bag and handing it to Stephen. It was a messily wrapped gift (it was Dora the Explorer wrapping paper) with an envelope taped to it. Stephen’s eyes widened as he read the words “Wizard Girl” in familiar script.

The ginger smiled. “He had it for her months ago. I added something else and Morgan wrapped it. Give it to her when she gets home.”

Stephen nodded, pulling Pepper into a hug before shaking his head.

Hours later Stephen and Charlie arrived back to the Sanctum. Charlie stretched out her arms, smiling at Stephen. “Well, it’s been a great 20th. I’m probably gonna head to bed now. Thank you, Stephen for everything.”

“Of course.” Stephen smiled, pulling out the gift. “Here’s one last gift for you. Goodnight, Charlotte.”

Charlie took it, her breath catching seeing the envelope. She walked carefully to her room, shutting the door and sitting on the bed. She stared at the gift for a moment before carefully unwrapping the paper and opening the box.

Charlie let out a wet laugh. She brought a mug out of the box, which read “FUCKING AWESOME WIZARD”, the girl fondly smiling at it. She set it aside carefully, opening the envelope and pulling out a letter, carefully unfolding it. Charlie furrowed her eyebrows in confusion when she read the letter was written days before Tony’s death.

Charlie,

I’m really bad at writing letters. Really fucking bad at it. But I’m giving it a shot. Just for you, kid. I decided to do this on a whim for your birthday gift. So bear with me.

I’m proud of you, kid. After all that’s happened, so many of us have been lost in our hurt, but you made lemons out of lemonade lemonade when given lemons. Seeing you live your life to help those who need is something that truly shows how great you are, Charlie.

You have a good heart. Never let your heart grow cold. I know firsthand what that does to people. God, I hope it never happens to you. I can foresee a bright future for you, kid. And you’re a wizard, so I hope you can see it too.

You’re going to tease me for this letter later, that’s fine I’ll indulge it. But remember, a year ago, when you said I helped you feel like I was your father? You helped me see I was doing right by Morgan, and right by you. Call me, I’m always willing to be your dad for you.

Happy 20th Birthday, Charlie. Stop growing up or I’m calling the cops. And keep being so goddamn talented. You know what they say, all hail the magic man. (Or woman, I suppose)

Yours Truly and Incredibly Handsomely,

Tony

P.S. Enjoy your mug! oo

Charlie wiped the tears from her eyes, running her dry thumb across Tony’s name. She folded the letter, placing it carefully back into the envelope and sliding it into her favorite book. Charlie set the mug on her desk, before stopping and looking out her window.

She smiled, winking at the sky. “Thanks Tony.”

Death is cold and suffocating. It leaves rivers dry and flowers wilted, your whole body aching.

It can waltz around you, stealing away all your love and everything you know, and spare you as an even crueler joke.

But Charlie drifted to sleep that night, with a new strength encasing her heart, willing her to keep going. For Stephen, for Wong, for everyone.

Death had stared Charlie in the face before.

And she said no.

- - - - - -

A/N: Thank you for reading this series! I’ll definitely continue it once the Doctor Strange sequel comes out, but for now that’s a wrap! Thank you so much again, lovelies xx

Taglist: @knightofreaders @imabookworm31 @lizlil @viarogers

[droidsandewoks]

And the Movies played on: 17 essential movies about HIV

December 1 is Worlds AIDS Day, an chance for people worldwide to unite in the struggle against HIV/AIDS, show their support for people living with the illness and also to commemorate individuals those we’ve lost.

Each World’s AIDS Day we upgrade the Queerty list of the Finest in HIV/AIDS movies. This year’s entrance is , a shifting French play about love and loss in the early days of activism.

All these 17 cinematic discoveries represent a few of the most intriguing, complex and portrayals of this epidemic and the suffering, patience and struggle it has engendered. Some are groundbreaking, others are award winning but all are necessary to understanding the impact HIV and AIDS has had on our culture.

Check out Queerty’s selections for 17 essential movies about HIV/AIDS.

An Early Frost (1985)

An NBC made-for-television film, An Early Frost was the first significant film to take care of HIV and AIDS. Aidan Quinn plays a successful lawyer who, on returning home to visit his parents (played by Ben Gazzara and Gena Rowlands), shows that he’s both gay and living with AIDS.

Parting Glances(1986)

First-time director Bill Sherwood died of complications from AIDS in 1990 without finishing another film, but Parting Glances nonetheless stands as an amazing legacy. This independent film explores 24 hours in the lives of Michael (Richard Ganoung) and Robert (John Bolger) as Robert readies to leave for Africa on a long-term assignment and Michael tends to his ex, Nick (Steve Buscemi in his first significant role), a punk rocker combating AIDS as his band makes it big.

As Is(1986)

Pre-dating Larry Kramer’s The Standard Heart by a month, William M. Hoffman’s As Is was one of the first plays to Take Care of the AIDS epidemic. Hoffman accommodated the play about effects of AIDS on a bunch of friends living in New York City because of television movie starring Jonathan Hadary, Robert Carradine, and Colleen Dewhurst.

Longtime Companion(1989)

The initial widely-released film to tackle the subject of AIDS, Longtime Companion chronicles the first years of this epidemic through the lifetime of a bunch of gay men (Dermot Mulroney, Bruce Davison, Mark Lemos, Patrick Cassidy, John Dossett and Stephen Caffrey) plus a straight sister (Mary-Louise Parker). The title was taken from the phrases used to refer to the surviving same-sex spouse of an AIDS victim in a New York Times post.

The Living End (1992)

Gregg Araki’s New Queer Cinema take on Thelma & Louise finds two gay, HIV-positive men (Mike Dytri and Craig Gilmore) about the lam with nothing to lose after a few of those kills a homophobic police officer. Luke (Dytri), a gay hustler, and Jon (Gilmore), a shy film writer, embark on a hedonistic road trip with only the motto “Fuck that which” to direct them.

And the Band Played On (1993)

HBO accommodated the 1987 nonfiction book by Randy Shilts, And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic, in to this Emmy-winning docudrama starring Matthew Modine as Dr. Don Francis, an epidemiologist fighting to identify what would eventually become known as HIV/AIDS. Featuring an all-star cast, the film explores the infighting among the scientific community which hampered the early fight against the epidemic.

Zero Patience(1993)

Before his brief internment in Egypt, openly gay filmmaker John Greyson wrote and directed the musical about alleged “Patient Zero,”Gaëtan Dugas, the gay flight attendant linked to the epidemic of the AIDS epidemic in Randy Shilts’And the Band Played On — he is played by Jeffrey Nordling in the HBO docudrama, that continues on exactly the same date since Zero Patience. Greyson’s film refutes that the “Patient Zero” theory since the ghost of “Zero” (Normand Fauteux) starts a romance with Victorian sexologist turned modern day museum taxidermist, Sir Richard Burton (John Robinson).

Philadelphia (1993)

Tom Hanks won his first of two consecutive Best Actress Oscars for his portrayal of a gay man fired from his law firm after it’s shown he has AIDS. Denzel Washington plays a homophobic small-town lawyer, the only man willing to shoot his controversial scenario, who in the method overcomes his bigotry. Antonio Banderas rounds from the superb cast as Hanks’ buff.

Jeffrey (1995)

A gay romantic comedy about AIDS? Yup. Based on a play by Paul Rudnick, Jeffrey (Steven Weber) has jumped off sex all-together due to his increasing paranoia within the AIDS epidemic. This is because he meets the perfect man in Michael T. Weiss, a charming, HIV-positive hunk who challenges his convictions. It is a small stagey but gets bonus points such as Patrick Stewart and Bryan Batt (that the closeted Salvatore from Mad Men year 1) as a constantly bickering gay couple.

The Cure (1995)

Two young boys from Minnesota embark on a venture to New Orleans in expectation of finding a treatment for AIDS, where one of these is dying. Erik (the late Brad Renfro), a loner with a neglectful mother, finds kinship in Dexter (Joseph Mazzello), who contracted the disease through a blood transfusion. Erik’s mother does not approve of their friendship due to her own prejudices and ignorance, but Dexter’s mom sticks around for the boys as their friendship is a great comfort to her own son.

It Is My Party(1996)

Dependent on the death of famed architect and designer Harry Stein, It’s My Party Equipped Olivia Newton-John with her Grease director, Randal Kleiser, that had been likewise Stein’s ex-lover. Eric Roberts directs an all-star cast as Nick Stark, a gay man slowly losing his grasp on life and reality. He yells a two-day celebration for friends and family with the goal of committing suicide during its end. Stark’s estranged lover, Brandon (Gregory Harrison) also serves as an uninvited guest and can be treated as such by Nick’s loved ones, that feel Brandon left him in his most vulnerable.

All About My Mother (1999)

Pedro Almodóvar chose the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar for this play about Manuela, a single mum (Cecilia Roth) who travels to Barcelona after dropping her teenaged son in an auto crash. There, Manuela befriends numerous characters such as Rosa (Penélope Cruz), a young nun, Agrado (Antonio San Juan), a transsexual prostitute and the estranged father of her son, Lola (Toni Cantó), a transvestite dying of AIDS who never knew he had a son to start with.

Angels in America (2003)

Tony Kushner’s epic 1993 Pulitzer Prize-winning play conducted away with 11 Emmys and five Golden Globes as a mini-series for HBO, helmed by director Mike Nichols. Meryl Streep and Al Pacino direct a stellar cast (including Emma Thompson, Mary-Louise Parker and Jeffrey Wright in the role he originated on Broadway) in this sweeping pursuit of societal upheaval amidst the background of AIDS and Reagan-era America.

The Buddy (2007)

Sarah (Emmanuelle Béart) and Mehdi (Sami Bouajila) are an unhappily married couple living in Paris in 1984. Sarah’s close friend, Adrien (Michel Blanc) — a middle-aged gay doctor — meets Manu (Johan Libéreau) an attractive younger guy, while napping, although Adrien is madly in love with him, their relationship remains platonic. Mehdi and Manu, nonetheless, start a sexual relationship which becomes much more complicated following Manu is diagnosed with AIDS. Along with Manu’s sister Julie (Julie Depardieu), the characters become witnesses to the devastation of this disease.

Precious: Based on the Book “Drive” from Sapphire(2009)

Mo’Nique provides an Oscar-winning performance for the ages since Mary Johnston, mom of Precious Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), a morbidly obese adolescent who has undergone years of mental, sexual and physical abuse. After being bitten numerous occasions by her father, leading to two pregnancies, Precious learns that she is also HIV-positive. Yet she manages to locate a new lease on life through a caring instructor (Paula Patton) and a challenging social worker (Mariah Carey).

The Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto are getting rave reviews in this recently published narrative about homophobic, drug-addicted rodeo cowboy Ron Woodroof. After being diagnosed with AIDS and given 30 days to reside, Woodroof (McConuaghey) starts taking AZT, the only FDA-approved medication legally available from the U.S., which then almost kills him. With the help of his doctor (Jennifer Garner) and also Rayon (Leto), an HIV-positive transgender woman, Woodroof starts running in illicit anti-retroviral medications from all around the world. They shape the Dallas Buyers Club, one of dozens of medication clubs which pop up around the country helping to prolong the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS. However, the FDA shortly catches end of Woodroof’s surgeries and sets out to shut it and down him.

BPM (2017)

UPDATED: the most recent addition to the listing might well be the best.

Each year, states are encouraged to submit one (and only one) film to the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for consideration from the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film category. This year France selected as their official entrance  , a film about a bunch of tireless HIV/AIDS activists from the 1990s in Paris. And for good reason: BPM, composed and led by Robin Campillo, has already won the Grand Prix in the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, making overwhelming acclaim from audiences and critics in the festival. “An involving and erotically charged discourse that puts politics and sex on the agenda without ever compromising on cinematic flair,” writes Katherine McLaughlin.

Have some other HIV/AIDS-related cinema we might have forgotten? Sound off in the comments below! 

from droidsandewoks http://www.droidsandewoks.com/and-the-movies-played-on-17-essential-movies-about-hiv/

[jeremiahofphilo]

Sprouting

[Closed with @drgreysonmd | continued from here]

There's a bit of pride that Jeremiah feels hearing from customers that their plants weren't dead and that they'd heeded his advice.

"That's great!" He exclaims, chuckling as the man continues along in his response.

The mention of the hospital doesn't go missed. In his heart, it makes him a tinge cautious. On one hand, being friendly with a hospital worker could prove useful in the long run. On the other hand, it was equally as dangerous for his identity.

Maybe he's not a doctor, but a med student, nurse, or some other... something else.

"I see. Oh! Don't mind me!" He says, putting his hands up.

He couldn't help but feel lighthearted at the conversation. It was... cute, generally, seeing any of his customers like this. Even more so that it was typical of well-dressed men to be the ones most often exhibiting this behavior. It didn't make him jealous not quite, but it was endearing to watch humans in their attempts to convey affection.

"I'll even forget you mentioned it." He says, shaking his head, a curious twinkle in his hazel eyes,

"So on a new subject, Mister Greyson, what brings you in today?"

[jeremiahofphilo]

3 weeks.

It had been 3 weeks since Greyson had last stood outside this shop front, admiring the rich display of colourful florals, swearing to himself he'd never return.

And yet here he was.

It's not that he needed another plant per-say, his office had a few now, and his home had plenty. His little nerve plant was doing well, and while Zayne had expressed his gratitude and curiosity at the strange little vein-like leaves, Greyson could sense he was more confused by the gesture than anything else.

Back to square one on that front, I guess.

So why the hell was he even back at Philo? It's not like there weren't 20 other florist shops and nurseries between Akso and here, all with plenty of greenery and flowers to satiate whatever desire his brain had cooked up. Sure, maybe there were a few things he'd seen here last time that he wanted a second look at. Yv had really liked the little kaychain for his spare office key- maybe his sister would like one, too?

Or maybe it was the friendly service of the owner, as helpful as he was handsome good-humored, that has drawn him back despite the touch of embarrassment he had to swallow last time he stepped through these doors.

Quietly entering this time, he's grateful for the empty front desk. At least he can workshop a better excuse in the meantime.

@drgreysonmd

When he hears the door chime, he is staring intently at a streaming feed up on his mobile device behind the front desk, monitoring a wanderer attack on the other side of Linkon.

"Welcome to Philo!" He calls out without looking up quickly, but as soon as he does, he immediately straightens and smiles in a friendlier greeting, recognizing the patron.

In the weeks that took up space between meeting the flustered man, a few things had lingered in Jeremiah's mind, but only as a fleeting thought to wonder how things worked out. The other, now that he was thinking about it, was how well dressed this man was, and how striking his eyes were. That's all, though.

"Well, what have we here?" He asks, hoping to come off as warm and engaging. "I was wondering how things were faring for you. How did your plant gift work out for you?"

[jeremiahofphilo]

After our first 5 hour surgery was done today, Zayne was quick to remind me we had another doozy waiting for us in an hour 🫠. So I just wanted to send you this old cowboy fun fact I always think of on the hard days.

@drgreysonmd

Jeremiah feels the buzz in his pocket. It's a few minutes before he can look at it, finishing with a flick of his sword to send a wanderer in front of him into ashes.

He knew, objectively, that today was a surgery day, and that it was normal not to expect to hear from him. In fact, he wasn't sure why he was so anxious about it today. It felt like he'd actually sent him off to war in the morning.

Quickly he grabs the protocore to examine it. It's the right one, so he doesn't crush it, just pockets it and sinks back against a tree, wincing in pain as he does. It hurts to lift his thigh to grab his phone, but he does, anxiously unlocking it.

The pain subsides for a moment, looking at the silly image. For a moment, he just stares, and smiles.

[->Grey: I miss you too. I'll swing by your place tomorrow.]

He waits a beat, clenching his teeth as he hears the bushes rustle to reveal another unwelcome spike in metaflux.

[->Grey: Alien fun fact; I love you. Do your best.]

[jeremiahofphilo]

"Pep talks. I'll list it right under bridezilla maintenance services." He laughs.

While Jeremiah had no idea what epist- episto- emipest-? Something was, he recognized playful banter. It was mildly refreshing for a customer. There was something in those steel blue eyes. He wouldn't forget it. If the man returned, he'd be sure to remember him.

Now the name matters, so as he rings him up, he is thankful for Linkon's cashless society and plans to pay attention to name that should pop up on his screen.

"And truly. I know humans tend not to care much for floral meanings, but they really can say so much. If you ever are in the area again, perhaps you'll be able to share with me that your intentions were well met."

He finishes and shows the man his amount due, trying not to make too much eye contact, but he does to send him off, letting some genuine warmth seep into his words with the first half of an old Philosian send off.

"May the light guide your way home this evening, Mr. Greyson. Take care."

"It should be around here somewhere..." It wasn't often Greyson found himself on this side of Linkon. There were probably 20 other florist shops closer to Akso, but when he'd been chatting up Dr. Zayne's Hunter friend about getting the poor man some plants for that contemporary jail cell he called an office, she immediately scrawled an address on the back of his card.

'The guy there, Jeremiah. He'll definitely take care of you.' She'd said it like Greyson had never seen a plant before. Like his office didn't already have several thriving ones that he maybe couldn't name but that was fine they were green that's all that mattered.

When he finally spots the sign, it's all too obvious. Flowers lining the street and giant windows brimming with colourful splashes of vegetation, it was like a living art studio. The humidity hits him with force the moment he opens the door, lungs a little tighter from the heat and moisture, but the smell of the soil and peat moss are an immediate memory of home.

"Um, hello?" He calls. Not seeing anyone at the counter, he starts to browse, left to his own devices he'd probably pick a fine plant. How hard could it be to give a living thing to a man he greatly admired who barely remembered to sleep some days. Surely not that hard at all. Right?

@drgreysonmd

Jeremiah returns from the back of the store after hearing the door chime, handheld still pressed to his ear as he carries a few heavy, somewhat awkward bags of leca pearls to restock the 'gardening' aisle of the shop.

Briefly he greets the man in his shop with a nod and wraps up his order with a fellow seller, setting the phone down in its spot at the desk at the back of the store.

"Hey sir, welcome! Let me know if I can help you find anything." He greets, warm as ever albeit a little out of breath from the business of the day.

"Are we looking for flowers for a lady or just browsing today?"

He had to ask. Even with just his quick glance, noting the way the man was dressed, and the way he carried himself, there had to be a lady. Men like him didn't just waltz until flower shops. There was always a lady.

[jeremiahofphilo]

As soon as he sees her name scribbled on the card, he feels pink rise to his cheeks. Even this version of her is still finding ways to put him in situations. All he can do is shake his head and laugh. What went around truly came back around.

"Ah yes. She's-" No, they weren't close friends, not here. His eyes dart to the side, "A nice customer. That means a lot! Thanks."

The mention of the shop name makes him smile. He's glad it has some meaning here on earth and that he doesn't have to try to make something up. He'd leave his roots out of it, always, but humans tended to value a little connection. "I guess it is. This used to be my late fiancee's place. So it has a lot of meaning that way. That and there's the undeniable way that flowers and romanticism have always gone hand in hand. It felt appropriate. It's nice to see customers connecting to those they love. That and... well there's always some interesting stories too."

He inclined his head in a nod, wondering what type of story the man in front of him would have. Although, with eyes and meek mannerisms like that, he wondered if it would be anything at all. There's a twinkle in his eye when he speaks next. "I suppose actions do speak louder than words then. I wish you the best of luck with your colleague."

"It should be around here somewhere..." It wasn't often Greyson found himself on this side of Linkon. There were probably 20 other florist shops closer to Akso, but when he'd been chatting up Dr. Zayne's Hunter friend about getting the poor man some plants for that contemporary jail cell he called an office, she immediately scrawled an address on the back of his card.

'The guy there, Jeremiah. He'll definitely take care of you.' She'd said it like Greyson had never seen a plant before. Like his office didn't already have several thriving ones that he maybe couldn't name but that was fine they were green that's all that mattered.

When he finally spots the sign, it's all too obvious. Flowers lining the street and giant windows brimming with colourful splashes of vegetation, it was like a living art studio. The humidity hits him with force the moment he opens the door, lungs a little tighter from the heat and moisture, but the smell of the soil and peat moss are an immediate memory of home.

"Um, hello?" He calls. Not seeing anyone at the counter, he starts to browse, left to his own devices he'd probably pick a fine plant. How hard could it be to give a living thing to a man he greatly admired who barely remembered to sleep some days. Surely not that hard at all. Right?

@drgreysonmd

Jeremiah returns from the back of the store after hearing the door chime, handheld still pressed to his ear as he carries a few heavy, somewhat awkward bags of leca pearls to restock the 'gardening' aisle of the shop.

Briefly he greets the man in his shop with a nod and wraps up his order with a fellow seller, setting the phone down in its spot at the desk at the back of the store.

"Hey sir, welcome! Let me know if I can help you find anything." He greets, warm as ever albeit a little out of breath from the business of the day.

"Are we looking for flowers for a lady or just browsing today?"

He had to ask. Even with just his quick glance, noting the way the man was dressed, and the way he carried himself, there had to be a lady. Men like him didn't just waltz until flower shops. There was always a lady.

[jeremiahofphilo]

Oh. Not a lady. A man. Noted.

Jeremiah smirks a little at the obvious fretting behavior, trying to take him seriously. Being in the industry, he'd seen his fair share of 'just friends' and 'just colleagues' around.

"I see." He says with a mock frown in thoughtful observation.

The notes of neglect perk his ears and were it a friend he might've made a quip about it, but not a perfect stranger, and not a customer.

Wiping his brow, he motions for the man to follow him to the other side of the aisle.

"If you're looking for office greenery, I highly recommend a ZZ plant. They can withstand extremely low light, even thriving of fluorescent, and need to be watered only once to every two weeks. I would let the soil dry out between watering. Some of my customers have said in fact that they thrive on neglect. Needless to say they're difficult to kill." He chuckled, indicating to the shelves.

"I have a few varieties, they come in black or green, and depending on the size you'd like. Ah, but if this amount of foliage is too much, then I'd also recommend some succulents. I've also seen success with these little guys."

He picks up a small plant with tiny pinkish-red veins laced into dark green leaves. "Funny enough these are called nerve plants, but I think it's because the leaves look like veins. They need to watered every 3 days but, they can definitely withstand AC and no light. Sorry for the ramble!"

"It should be around here somewhere..." It wasn't often Greyson found himself on this side of Linkon. There were probably 20 other florist shops closer to Akso, but when he'd been chatting up Dr. Zayne's Hunter friend about getting the poor man some plants for that contemporary jail cell he called an office, she immediately scrawled an address on the back of his card.

'The guy there, Jeremiah. He'll definitely take care of you.' She'd said it like Greyson had never seen a plant before. Like his office didn't already have several thriving ones that he maybe couldn't name but that was fine they were green that's all that mattered.

When he finally spots the sign, it's all too obvious. Flowers lining the street and giant windows brimming with colourful splashes of vegetation, it was like a living art studio. The humidity hits him with force the moment he opens the door, lungs a little tighter from the heat and moisture, but the smell of the soil and peat moss are an immediate memory of home.

"Um, hello?" He calls. Not seeing anyone at the counter, he starts to browse, left to his own devices he'd probably pick a fine plant. How hard could it be to give a living thing to a man he greatly admired who barely remembered to sleep some days. Surely not that hard at all. Right?

@drgreysonmd

Jeremiah returns from the back of the store after hearing the door chime, handheld still pressed to his ear as he carries a few heavy, somewhat awkward bags of leca pearls to restock the 'gardening' aisle of the shop.

Briefly he greets the man in his shop with a nod and wraps up his order with a fellow seller, setting the phone down in its spot at the desk at the back of the store.

"Hey sir, welcome! Let me know if I can help you find anything." He greets, warm as ever albeit a little out of breath from the business of the day.

"Are we looking for flowers for a lady or just browsing today?"

He had to ask. Even with just his quick glance, noting the way the man was dressed, and the way he carried himself, there had to be a lady. Men like him didn't just waltz until flower shops. There was always a lady.

[jeremiahofphilo]

Home sick.

He considers for a moment the last time he felt home sick. It was every day, and forever ago, all at once. Or maybe more like white noise ever present in his mind.

"That's what I'm here for!" He smiles, letting his hands drop.

"Well, I can't quite say I have strawberries in stock right now, a bit out of season. But I do have these."

Moving around the counter, he walks to an aisle that has a tall spinning display of various seed packets in categories from fruits, herbs, vegetables, and edible flowers.

"Let's see, I know I had some- yes! Here we are. Strawberry seeds and they're not hard to grow. I think with the right setup, it's definitely possible. But,"

He observes the slightly taller man, now is his turn to chuckle a little awkwardly at himself while he pulls the seeds from the display.

"It depends on your window direction, if you'll need a plant light, humidity in your room. Ah, maybe she's not the only one gung-ho about gardening but I promise, I'm not going to drop by with a pallet of dirt. I'm more in the business of selling it." He laughed. "I don't charge for advice so if you ever want to drop by with a question or a sick plant even, I'm happy to help."

Sprouting

[Closed with @drgreysonmd | continued from here]

There's a bit of pride that Jeremiah feels hearing from customers that their plants weren't dead and that they'd heeded his advice.

"That's great!" He exclaims, chuckling as the man continues along in his response.

The mention of the hospital doesn't go missed. In his heart, it makes him a tinge cautious. On one hand, being friendly with a hospital worker could prove useful in the long run. On the other hand, it was equally as dangerous for his identity.

Maybe he's not a doctor, but a med student, nurse, or some other... something else.

"I see. Oh! Don't mind me!" He says, putting his hands up.

He couldn't help but feel lighthearted at the conversation. It was... cute, generally, seeing any of his customers like this. Even more so that it was typical of well-dressed men to be the ones most often exhibiting this behavior. It didn't make him jealous not quite, but it was endearing to watch humans in their attempts to convey affection.

"I'll even forget you mentioned it." He says, shaking his head, a curious twinkle in his hazel eyes,

"So on a new subject, Mister Greyson, what brings you in today?"

[jeremiahofphilo]

"Oh? You've heard of me?" He questions, eyes showing surprise. "May I ask how you heard?"

It was a bit of a concern, the prospect of being known.

The shop was tucked in a forgotten corner of the city, conveniently. It was easy to walk by. His website? Despite being a skilled coder, it was nonexistent to mitigate discovery. Returning customers came and went, sure, but he never went out of his way to get to know any. The more known, the more dangerous it was. For a minute, he considered if maybe this was a friend of Xavier's then.

The evol mention and embarrassment from the man makes him smile warmly, picking up another plant.

Definitely heading into 'just colleagues who aren't just colleagues territory.'

"Maybe you two will have matching desks then. Plants have a way of connecting people, don't they? I'll wrap these two up for you at the checkstand."

The obvious learned way he speaks about veins makes him consider if the man is a medical student. All the more reason to keep his distance then. Best watch what he says. Still, there's a sense of pride in being able to quickly help others find what they need and for someone who'd been alone the better part of the last 14 years, these small instances made the years pass a little less bitterly. The constant battle of connect, but don't be known. Be friendly, don't make friends.

He doesn't bother asking the man's name. He doesn't care to know, and he'll see it on the transaction form anyhow. For the time being, he indicates to the small selection of plant and constellation themed gift pins, keychains, charms, and paperweights.

"If you're looking for anything else to brighten someone's day, there's some token gifts and some cards here at the front."

"It should be around here somewhere..." It wasn't often Greyson found himself on this side of Linkon. There were probably 20 other florist shops closer to Akso, but when he'd been chatting up Dr. Zayne's Hunter friend about getting the poor man some plants for that contemporary jail cell he called an office, she immediately scrawled an address on the back of his card.

'The guy there, Jeremiah. He'll definitely take care of you.' She'd said it like Greyson had never seen a plant before. Like his office didn't already have several thriving ones that he maybe couldn't name but that was fine they were green that's all that mattered.

When he finally spots the sign, it's all too obvious. Flowers lining the street and giant windows brimming with colourful splashes of vegetation, it was like a living art studio. The humidity hits him with force the moment he opens the door, lungs a little tighter from the heat and moisture, but the smell of the soil and peat moss are an immediate memory of home.

"Um, hello?" He calls. Not seeing anyone at the counter, he starts to browse, left to his own devices he'd probably pick a fine plant. How hard could it be to give a living thing to a man he greatly admired who barely remembered to sleep some days. Surely not that hard at all. Right?

@drgreysonmd

Jeremiah returns from the back of the store after hearing the door chime, handheld still pressed to his ear as he carries a few heavy, somewhat awkward bags of leca pearls to restock the 'gardening' aisle of the shop.

Briefly he greets the man in his shop with a nod and wraps up his order with a fellow seller, setting the phone down in its spot at the desk at the back of the store.

"Hey sir, welcome! Let me know if I can help you find anything." He greets, warm as ever albeit a little out of breath from the business of the day.

"Are we looking for flowers for a lady or just browsing today?"

He had to ask. Even with just his quick glance, noting the way the man was dressed, and the way he carried himself, there had to be a lady. Men like him didn't just waltz until flower shops. There was always a lady.