Turtle, Puppy, and a Flower God

I looked at my reflection, running a hand through my soft now mint green hair. Looking up at the stylist, I thanked and paid her, taking my leave. Snow in the beginning of winter began to fall. Humming softly, I completed my errands, still feeling just as numb as before. Sure, I was alive. But it doesn't mean I felt anything. Everything was slow. Just like a turtle.

People walked on either side of me, some with hybrids and some without. Cats, birds, dogs, rabbits, and a sketchy looking snake passed me with collars around their necks. I didn't like how people owned these other people. Sure, hybrids looked different. But to own them? Too much.

The faint scent of roses and other flowers drifted under my nose. Don't have anywhere to be, so why not?

The scent led me to a flower shop, where a man's back faced me as he stood on a stool, sliding a few flowers out of the vases up on the shelves for an elderly woman next to him. His back remained to me as the lady pointed out other flowers that she wanted.

His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, a black apron tied around his neck and waist, his white shirt hap-hazardously tucked into his black jeans. He wore a pair of red converse. The man was pulled through the aisles by the woman and I just decided to look around, liking the welcoming feeling in the air. The chimes on the door sounded out as I pushed open the glass entrance.

"I'll be with you in one second!" A man's voice hollered.

A few minutes later, the old woman hobbled out, the chimes ringing again. Usually I would hate the sound of wind chimes, but today must be different.

That's a first.

I had stopped feeling things in high school, and every day seemed just as colorless as the last. But now that I'm in this shop, I could've sworn I felt something spark.

"Hi! How may I help you?!" A cheery voice asked me. I turned to see a man with a huge heart-shaped smile and a small blue flower in the pocket of his apron. A strange air was about him and he seemed to have a halo. There was something about him that attracted me to him. What was it? His name tag read J-Hope. What kind of name is that?

"I'm just looking," I murmured.

"Are you shopping for anyone?"

"No."

"Yourself?"

"No."

"So you're just looking?" He asked.

"I said that, yes." He looked at me for a second before turning on his heel and weaving through the aisles and out of sight. "Weirdo," I said under my breath.

I looked around the store for a bit, seeing so many different colors and petals and shapes and sizes of flowers. Some were plants or tree saplings, but most were flowers. Normally, all the scents of the plants would be unpleasant, but there seemed to be a system where once you left one section, the scents swirled together in a magical harmony.

It was interesting, to say the least.

What I didn't see was that J-Nope guy around. (Yes I did this on purpose) But just as I was about to leave, I heard someone behind me.

"Wait!" I looked sideways to see the man. He grinned and held out a small bouquet. "Here. It doesn't matter if they're for you or a special someone, but I just thought that these complemented your hair and eyes."

"I didn't want to buy anything."

"Oh no! You don't have to worry about that! I paid for them!"

I turned fully to look at him. He was tall. Taller than me. And I had a thing about people taller than me. But for some reason, I didn't mind as much. My hand went out and took the flowers, fingers sliding over his to get a grip around the stems. He released the bouquet and bowed to me.

"Have a nice day!"

"Thanks," I said softly.

I turned and left the shop, the chimes ringing overhead. I felt a pair of eyes linger on my back until I was out of sight from the flower shop. That was when I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

I was about to enter my apartment complex when all of a sudden, I heard whines and whimpers from an alley. Someone must've left their hybrid out. Just great. I've never really felt much of a connection to hybrids. They're just like other ordinary people, only they have animal ears, tails, and sometimes the ability to transform.

But for some reason, my body acted on its own and turned into the alley. The snow had gained volume here, much more was shifting under my feet. The whines got louder. And louder. And louder. And stopped.

I looked around to see a blue-lipped, trembling, pink-haired boy staring at me with wide eyes filled with fear.