Chapter Text
While Hinata has a lot of patience, the bubblegum snapping, bored looking florist across from her is beginning to get on her last nerve.
“You said,” Hinata speaks, very gently and with exceeding care, “that the bouquet would be ready by Monday.”
“So what?” The cashier says blandly.
“It’s Friday.”
With a bored look reminiscent of an ancient bloodhound, the florist twirls a string of neon blue gum around her manicured finger and eases a pair of hot pink headphones onto her ears, connected to a garishly colored walkman. The tape within screaming some sort of awful sound that seems a mix between bubblegum pop and shrieking.
“Look lady,” she drawls, picking up a newspaper she seems to have had stashed behind the counter, leaning back in her chair to put her bare feet up on the counter. Hinata grimaces as her eyes flicker over the headline and overly graphic pictures of chaos, trumped up no doubt to sell more copies. GANG FIGHTING SPREADS FROM CITY, it screams, accompanied with another ticker tape byline; VIGILANTE REBELS TAKE BACK STREETS .
The bored tone of the cashier calls her attention back to the moment. “I don’t control the trucks, and it’s not my job to heft your fuckin’ daisies to and fro--”
“Tulips.” Hinata murmurs under her breath, but the girl can’t hear her, only pausing to stab her tongue through an obnoxiously big aqua bubble, following it with a disgusting chomp of the sticky mass like a goat chewing its cud.
“--I take your money, and put it in the register. That’s all I do.”
Balling her fist in righteous anger, Hinata tries to not let her temper get the best of her, stilling her shaking arm with a hand. Reaching into her purse, she pulls out a notepad and pen, scribbling furiously, then rips the note off and holds it up.
With a lazy roll of the eyes, the cashier--Tayuya, Hinata reads on her red faded nametag--sighs and puts down her reading, shoving the headphones down onto her neck as she puts her feet back on the ground. Leaning on the counter she looks her customer up and down, and finding her plain appearance (straight dark hair, an old lavender sweater, mom jeans, the most boring white tennis shoes ever created, and a shapeless black purse she got on sale from a thrift store) greatly wanting, sneers. However she seems to find her pathetic enough to have mercy on her, growling audibly before ripping the piece of paper and the pen out of Hinata’s hand.
“Who the fuck orders flowers from this shitshow of a shop for a goddamn wedding ,” she grumbles as she writes, nearly tearing the paper with her distaste, then shoving the paper back into Hinata’s hands before glaring at her.
“The only flower shop within three counties that has guaranteed inventory is the Temple of Topiary.” Jabbing a finger at the already weathered paper, she leans in, “They’re the only ones I would ever trust with a wedding, and you should do the same--” her eyes snap down then back up again, “if you ever manage to have one of your own.”
Before Hinata can regain her ire, she continues, “The Temple is in South Konoha and it stays open until seven, so you can get your flowers tonight if you leave right now and speed like your life depends on it.”
“I--I don’t have a car.” Hinata says.
“Tough shit.” Tayuya replies brusquely, and she picks her reading back up again, effectively dismissing her. When Hinata’s shoulders visibly sag, she seems to cave again, closing the pages with a smack.
“Look kid, neither do I and my shift doesn’t end for another three hours, or else I’d take you there myself. If you want those flowers, you’re gonna have to figger somethin’ out.”