The next afternoon, Mia’s Flowers settles into its familiar rhythm of dripping stems, paper rustling, and traffic murmuring beyond the glass. Gi pauses mid-arrangement, attention fixed somewhere outside.
Mia notices from behind the register. She sets aside her ribbon and scissors, waits a moment, then comes around the counter with deliberately unhurried steps.
Mia Gordain
Sugar, if you stare at that window any harder, I’m going to start charging it rent.
She stops beside the half-finished arrangement, close enough to offer company but not crowd him. Her sunglasses remain perched in her white hair, and her expression softens beneath the teasing.
Mia Gordain
You’ve been somewhere else since you walked in. Is this about last night, or are the roses suddenly telling you secrets?
Mia Gordain
He can tell me if he wants. And if he doesn’t, I can still make him drink some water.
Mia Gordain
No gossip, no lectures. Just your old boss asking whether you’re all right, sugar.
“"ummm, do you know Oscar? His father owns Spinster."”
SUCCESS (Superb Conversation, rolled +0)
Gi William
Ummm, do you know Oscar? His father owns Spinsters.
Mia’s eyebrows lift above her sunglasses. She glances toward the window, where late afternoon light catches the shop glass and the unfinished bouquet between them.
Mia Gordain
Oscar Ryan? Of course I know him. His father’s owned that grocery store since before Oscar could reach the top shelf.
Mia Gordain
Sweet kid. Polite, nervous as a rabbit, and far too willing to apologize when somebody else bumps into him.
She picks up a loose sprig of eucalyptus and tucks it into the arrangement, her mouth curving with affectionate recognition rather than suspicion.
Mia Gordain
Why? Did he help you find something at Spinsters, or has my favorite florist finally made a friend outside these four walls?
✓ Quest Accepted
Tell Mia about Oscar
“"I'm not sure 'friend' quite fits. Regardless, I may have invited him to come out at my apartment tonight"”
SUCCESS (Superb Conversation, rolled +2)
Gi William
I'm not sure “friend” quite fits. Regardless, I may have invited Oscar to come out at my apartment tonight.
Mia’s hand pauses among the eucalyptus stems. Her teasing expression shifts into delighted recognition, while the shop’s quiet rhythm continues around the unfinished bouquet.
Mia Gordain
You invited Oscar Ryan to your apartment tonight? Sugar, that sounds considerably more interesting than friendship.
She places the sprig into the arrangement and studies Gi over the top of her sunglasses, careful to keep amusement from becoming pressure.
Mia Gordain
And before you worry, I’m not asking for details. I’m asking whether you’ve got enough food, clean towels, and a plan that feels comfortable to you.
Mia Gordain
He looks hopeful. I’ll fuss just enough to help, and not enough to scare him off.
Mia Gordain
You can make it welcoming without making it a production. A good meal, a little room to breathe, and no letting this town’s gossip write the evening for either of you.
Quest Complete
Tell Mia about Oscar
“"I'm not putting any formal labels on this. You know how this town is. It's just a hang out, that's what it needs to be as far as anyone else is concerned. If anyone asks, it's just a hang out okay? I don't want people to get the wrong idea of Oscar, he's too nice to get dragged into these things."”
SUCCESS (Superb Conversation, rolled +4)
Gi William
I’m not putting any formal labels on this. You know how this town is. It’s just a hangout, as far as anyone else is concerned, okay?
Gi William
If anyone asks, it’s just a hangout. I don’t want people getting the wrong idea about Oscar. He’s too nice to get dragged into these things.
Mia studies him for a quiet second, then nods and returns the eucalyptus sprig to the arrangement. Her smile turns firm, protective, and entirely free of teasing.
Mia Gordain
Hangout it is, sugar. If anybody asks, Oscar came by for dinner and company, and that is the whole story. Nobody gets to make him pay for being kind.
Mia Gordain
I’ll keep my mouth shut, and I’ll shut down anybody else’s before they get comfortable. You have my word.
Mia Gordain
And I’m sending you home with my good serving platter and a lemon pie from the back room. Consider it insurance against awkward silence.
✓ Quest Accepted
Host Oscar for a private hangout
+ New Item Acquired
Serving platter
+ New Item Acquired
Lemon pie
“*I work all day and get everything ready for Oscar. I made a lovely meal of homemade chicken Alfredo, homemade garlic bread. And I got some red wine. I prepared board games in case he likes those, video games, movies, whatever Oscar may like. Then I hear a knock on the door, it must be him*”
SUCCESS (Good Cooking, rolled +2)
The workday passes in a blur of stems, ribbons, and careful arrangements. By evening, Gi’s apartment smells of garlic, butter, roasted chicken, and warm bread.
The table is set with Mia’s good platter, two glasses, and red wine. Board games wait beside the television, while a small selection of movies and video games leaves the evening open to Oscar’s taste.
The apartment looks welcoming without feeling staged. Flowers brighten the windowsill, garlic bread cools beneath a clean cloth, and the chicken Alfredo rests ready to serve.
A knock sounds at the door. After a brief pause, another follows, softer and more tentative, while the hallway settles into quiet around it.
Oscar Ryan
Gi? It’s Oscar. I hope I’m not too early. I brought dessert, like I said, and a couple of grocery-store sodas.
Through the peephole, Oscar stands in his white shirt and blue sweater vest, holding a bakery box in one hand and a plastic bag in the other.
Oscar Ryan
Also, for the record, I am prepared to lose gracefully at board games. Or video games. Probably not both.
“*I open the door, I'm wearing some black dress pants, a white button up with the top 3 buttons undone, and my sleeves rolled up a little. I'm also wearing dark brown dress shoes.* "Hey pretty boy. Good to see you. And trust me, you'll probably win at the games"”
SUCCESS (Superb Conversation, rolled +2)
The door opens, revealing Gi in black dress pants, a white button-up with three buttons undone, rolled sleeves, and dark brown dress shoes. Warm apartment light frames him.
Gi William
Hey, pretty boy. Good to see you. And trust me, you’ll probably win at the games.
Oscar Ryan
Oh. That shirt is doing dangerous things to my ability to form sentences.
Oscar stops for half a second, eyes catching on the open collar before darting respectfully back to Gi’s face. His grip tightens around the bakery box.
Oscar Ryan
Hi. Good to see you too. I was ready to be nervous about the games, but now I’m nervous about standing normally.
Color spreads across Oscar’s cheeks. He steps inside when Gi welcomes him through, carrying the dessert and sodas toward the inviting table.
Oscar Ryan
This looks incredible. I brought chocolate cake, and I can put the sodas in the kitchen before I embarrass myself at Mario Kart.
Quest Complete
Host Oscar for a private hangout
Skill Upgrade: Cooking Good→Great