flower city

bloemenstad‌:

The idea’s pretty fun, gotta say. He’d probably have been thrilled by the prospect. A novel and inexpensive gift, but homemade, in a way.

Science is just really awesome.

Yes, it really is a marvelous thing. [But Lilli didn’t stop by to talk about science, did she? There’s no point in dancing around what’s been hovering between them. Still, she finds herself unable to just dive right into it.]

Thank you for meeting with me, by the way. I know how busy you’ve been with your brewery and I suppose the bulbs.

[ Hans is anything but typical where conversation is to be had. especially considering the circumstances he's avoided talking about ]

Right. Yes. Very busy. You've been busy too, haven't you? You know how quickly time passes when you're in such a state.

It's doing well. It's been such a project too.

You see, the thing is, botany is special to me and I got a bit– carried away with some bulbs.

Suddenly it’s half a year later.

neerlandstrots

“You doing the whole tulip mania again or something?” Harm asks, as if he was there to witness it.

"...yes, Harm, that's exactly it. I wish to have a second golden age. With gold tulips." Hans looks oh so convincing too.

#lmao #ic

lilli-of-the-mountain‌:

I suppose it would, yes. Flowers for Sinterklass. I wonder if we could have even imagined such a thing a few centuries ago.

The idea’s pretty fun, gotta say. He’d probably have been thrilled by the prospect. A novel and inexpensive gift, but homemade, in a way.

Science is just really awesome.

#im v not sober im sorry but this is true #ooc ;

@boekvanontdekking they would be the nerdiest of the dutchies by far talkin shop even at the most upscale or low-key events

‘how are your latin-word-for-fancy-flower this season?’ ‘oh my genus-specificus are doing fantastic! they’re super rad.’

lilli-of-the-mountain‌:

I should like to see the bulbs that are worth so much devotion. [Lilli smiles to herself, thinking that if there really were bulbs, they would be the most magnificent tulips possible.]

You will! As soon as they bloom, that is. If I work it just right, they should be ready to show off just in time for Sinterklass. Wouldn’t that be somethin’?

You see, the thing is, botany is special to me and I got a bit-- carried away with some bulbs.

Suddenly it's half a year later.

dutch-and-flemish-painters

What if.

Anthonie Beerstraten - Haarlem brewery “De Drie Klaveren on the east side of the Spaarne river in Haarlem, looking south towards the "Eendjes- of Leidse Waterpoort ” at the corner of the Kampervest and Turfmarkt - 1660

Anthonie Beerstraaten (4 February 1646,[1] in Amsterdam – after 1665), was a Dutch Golden Age painter.

[ he isn't dead it seems. Or has he been? Hard to say. He's still questioning where time went ]

#ic #rifp

bloemenstad:

[ oh he’s not worried about Koen, he’s glad she’s talking to him about it even if it’s not a big deal to him. Koen is one to get around, after all ]

Oh I see. Makes sense! Good for you for being bright like that. What sort of degree? I’m sure you look great in a cocktail dress or nothing at all.

Oh wait, you do look great in nothing but pearls as well. [ a cheeky grin ]

I don’t mind, Lilli. I’m glad you’re really honest though.

Ähm, well I never actually finished. I failed out. Ultimately, geometry doesn’t help recover from wars, either. [She still feels like a terrible failure for that, though. She’s the only nation that she knows of who doesn’t have a single degree to their name.]

Of course I want to be honest with you, Hans. I care very much about you. I don’t want this relationship to be based on lies. [She really wants this to last.]

...Oh? Would you like to though? I know it must feel awful to not be able to finish something. [ he pats her hand and gives it a squeeze. he only wants the best for her and understands this whole thing completely ] It's never too late.

And I care a lot about you, Lilli. I'm very glad to have met you. This has been a great past few months. [ how sweet it is ] I'm terrible at lying so no worries on my end!

#v: little white daisies

like for a starter or ask!

#after dinner #ooc

like for a starter or ask!

#after dinner #ooc

bloemenstad:

[ he’s smiling still as she speaks, albeit mildly concerned ] Koenraad? Well that’s alright. I’m assuming not… Well how recently? I don’t want to pry, of course, but I’m just curious I guess, since he and Amy are the way they are.

You did schooling after the war? I can’t recall the last time I set foot in one… Might not be a bad idea to look at though. [ allow him to just scribble that on the napkin close by ]

The most recent was…during their last breakup. Before they got together, now. [She feels awful telling him this, but it’s not as though she knew she would be going out with him. She really hopes this doesn’t put him off. He’s such a wonderful man and she would be devastated to lose him, though she would understand why.]

I had to do schooling. I was suddenly on my own and I did not have a single degree to my name, save for one I earned in finishing school. [She sighs, lamenting that part of her past.] Nobody cares if you’re wearing an afternoon frock or a cocktail dress when your people are recovering from the aftermath of war.

[ oh he's not worried about Koen, he's glad she's talking to him about it even if it's not a big deal to him. Koen is one to get around, after all ]

Oh I see. Makes sense! Good for you for being bright like that. What sort of degree? I'm sure you look great in a cocktail dress or nothing at all.

Oh wait, you do look great in nothing but pearls as well. [ a cheeky grin ]

I don't mind, Lilli. I'm glad you're really honest though.

#v: little white daisies

bloemenstad:

[ nom ] Oh no problem. I taught many to skate. My neighbor to the north is a madwoman on them, so I had to learn so I could try and beat her at her own game. [ chews slowly ] Still can’t do it, but speed skating is fun.

We’ll be sure to bring a chair and butt pillow, ha. [ an amusing idea ]

[ well he hadn’t thought much on the subject in ages so he may look a bit blank a moment ] Oh it was in the 50s. A girl from Canada. She was very sweet and soft spoken. Heart of gold. She came with her family to see the tulips that were like those she saw in her own country. A botanist. [ he doesn’t mind sharing, it has been so long ]

Anything else since has been rather… casual I suppose?

That is how it’s been with me, too. [Well, he opened up to her. The least she can do is open up to him.] I haven’t had a steady since, well, the turn of the century I think? After the wars, I was too busy failing out of high school for something more permanent. [She laughs at her own self-depreciating humor before she goes on.]

There, ähm–well, I want to be perfectly honest with you, Hansli. I think that’s important for us. And this is big. Bigger than that I’m a Catholic. [Really, this makes the whole Catholic thing seem like nothing.] Koenraad was in there, for a time. Recently. Very recently. But it’s over.

[ he's smiling still as she speaks, albeit mildly concerned ] Koenraad? Well that's alright. I'm assuming not... Well how recently? I don't want to pry, of course, but I'm just curious I guess, since he and Amy are the way they are.

You did schooling after the war? I can't recall the last time I set foot in one... Might not be a bad idea to look at though. [ allow him to just scribble that on the napkin close by ]

#v: little white daisies

bloemenstad:

[ he made it awkward, oops. he’s happy though, albeit hungry and enjoying his pie ] Oh okay, just making sure. I was talking about you at work and the subject came up, I assumed clarification was in order.

I would, yes. I haven’t… Really done this in a long time. It used to be ‘going steady’ last I was involved, haha.

[ are his cheeks rosy? Maybe ]

Ice skating is… An option then? Later. Days from now. Are you alright?

Ice skating would be lovely. [She agrees to the date the second she finds her voice, again. It’s a little strained and she’s definitely going to practice some scales when she gets home to make sure her range isn’t damaged but she’s fine.] You will have to keep me upright, however. I am terrible at it. Really, just awful.

[But then he says something that sparks her interest.] Oh, really? Who was the last person you ‘went steady’ with, then? [She’s not looking to provoke him or searching for something to be jealous over. She’s genuinely curious.]