So I've been drawing for his birthday 3 years in a row already lol. I do hope I still have the strength to keep drawing and celebrate his birthday for many more years
i know back in s1 we all went crazy speculating that Chris is the only one with gold accents in his glasses in the ed cause he was working w the Klondikes.
but seeing this again at the end of the flowers bloom and noticing that Finn's glasses look suspiciously familiar...
like. that's crazy. you're telling me it's been there since s1?
its either that or they gave Flann those glasses on purpose because of the ed.
Piece by Piece- Chapter 2: fudgee bars and strawberry flan
Content warnings- none
Word count: 3259 words
After almost everyone in the room sternly shushed Chris, they all turned back to Flann, who seemed to have lost his nerve and was now staring at the floor, unable to meet their eyes any longer.
“Chris, I get that you’re shocked, but you don’t have to scream so loudly. Jeez, I feel like my ears are going to bleed…” Finn grumbled, and Chris turned on him, eyes blazing.
“You knew beforehand, didn’t you! That’s why you were acting so suspicious earlier! Unbelievable! My own buddy keeping things from me like this!” he whined, and Finn rolled his eyes.
“I can keep secrets of my own you know! I don’t need to tell you everything and besides, you were going to learn about this sooner or later. Stop being so dramatic.”
Wendy kept her eyes on Flann, seeming preoccupied. “Um… You don’t have your card anymore, do you? I’m pretty sure it was sealed away after the royal coronation…” she asked, and Flann twitched, timidly glancing up at her.
“Ah, yes. That’s what has been decided, and… I never want to go near it again, anyway.” He finished with a bitter smile and Wendy’s eyes widened, before she lowered her head and pressed her lips into a thin line.
“…I see. Welcome to High Card, I hope we get along from now on.” she said, giving a short bow before exiting the room, and Vijay held a hand to his chest, smiling amicably.
“I am Vijay. I don’t have much else to add to my introduction, but by all means, I insist you stop at my desk at any time so I can introduce you to my Verdure associates. Welcome to High Card, I look forward to working with you.”
In response to Flann’s lost expression, Finn came over and whispered “He means the potted plants around the building. Just smile and nod.”
Flann quickly followed suit. “A-ah, okay, alright. Thank you.” He gave a small smile back and Vijay nodded before heading out.
Leo started to walk out too, sighing. “I already introduced myself when I interviewed you, make sure to work hard, and try not to get influenced by those two idiots.” He shot Finn and Chris a look and they both shrugged, looking away.
Chris rubbed the back of his neck, giving a lopsided smile. “…We’ve met before, but I’ll introduce myself again just in case. Chris Redgrave, the charming ladies’ man with a major sweet tooth. Hmm… Well, I’m going back to work now, so see you around!”
The man left with a bout of laughter that sounded somewhat strained and Finn watched him go, glancing back at Flann’s unreadable expression and pinching the bridge of his nose with a sigh.
It wasn’t really surprising things would be super awkward between these two, considering what happened the last time they met…
Bernard, who had remained until the end, gently put a hand on Flann’s shoulder. “Mr Flann, I will be the one to guide you through our inner workings. Don’t worry too much about imitating me; simply observing and learning will do for today.”
Finn smiled to himself, relieved that Bernard was the one in charge of mentoring Flann. There would be no mentor as patient and professional as Bernard, so he felt comfortable enough to leave Flann alone to get to his work. He lightly patted Flann on the back, beginning to head out.
“Well, I’ll get to work now. Good luck, big bro!”
. . . . . . . .
Despite the shocking start to the day, business went on as usual. The members occasionally saw Flann with Bernard in certain areas of the building, Flann listening intently as the old man explained through things, but other than that, he had very little to no interaction with anyone else.
It was around morning tea time that another surprise was revealed.
“Wow, is that…?” Wendy gasped as they all sat down to take a break. Presented in crystal desert cups sat perfectly shaped flan with cream and fresh strawberries glistened invitingly.
Bernard poured some tea for everyone, looking very pleased with himself.
“Hoho. Just a little welcoming gift I prepared for our newest addition. Strawberry flan.” He said, casting a knowing look towards Flann, whose cheeks were dusted a pale pink and his eyes shining in wonder.
“I wasn't sure if you'd like sweets, so I decided to go with the subtle sweetness of vanilla, and plenty of fresh strawberries." He added, and Flann picked up a cup, a warm smile flourishing on his lips. He glanced firstly at Bernard, then at each of the High card members.
“Thank you so much. I’m sure I will enjoy the taste and effort put into it.” he said, and the mood seemed to lighten as everyone had tea and dug into the treat, which was silky smooth, slightly sweet and paired well with the tart strawberries. Amongst the light chatter, Leo huffed as he took a bite of flan, cream and strawberries layered in his spoon, glancing at Bernard somewhat sulkily.
“Aren’t you spoiling the newcomer a bit too much? He still has yet to complete his work trial; I wouldn’t suggest getting so attached too quickly.” He murmured, and Bernard sipped his tea leisurely, eyes crinkling with a mischievous twinkle.
“Oh? Is the young master jealous, perhaps? Not to worry, I can spoil you too, if you so wish. Shall I make your favourite dessert?” he asked, and Leo bristled, angrily taking a big gulp of lukewarm tea. “No need. Also, I am not jealous. Don’t get the wrong idea.”
Bernard chuckled quietly to himself and gazed at Flann, who had Finn sitting next to him. The younger was trying to drag Chris closer, while the other man resolutely dug his heels into the ground, whining that he’d rather sit next to a gorgeous lady on his next date.
“He is not a victim, but a survivor. There is no doubt that invoking San Galgano for so many years has taken a heavy toll on both his mind and body. I only wish to help soothe the pain in his heart, even by a little.”
Leo gazed into his teacup, before draining the rest of his tea, sighing. “…You’re too nice.”
“Perhaps it comes with age.”
After that, the rest of the day continued, and Finn did his usual sales promotions to customers that came in, sometimes with Chris pitching in and sealing the deal. When it was time for his break, Chris excused himself to the back room and hummed as he unwrapped a fudgee bar, not looking up when he opened the door.
He went to sit down on the couch when he caught sight of someone in the corner of his eye and whipped his head around to see Flann sitting on the other end of the couch, staring at the table and taking another bite of his sandwich.
Flann subtly glanced over at Chris, but then twitched when he realized that he had been caught in the act and quickly lowered his gaze.
The golden-eyed man frowned, feeling somewhat irked. He didn’t have to avoid looking at Chris all the time, it wasn’t like he was going to get mad or anything. Besides, he had pretty much gotten over the whole ‘sword throwing’ incident and all that jazz, and dying on the job was nothing unusual (although if he were to say that in front of Flann or Finn, neither would be too happy to hear it).
“You know, I’m not going to bite your head off if you make eye contact with me. At least greet your senior when he comes in.” he said with a sigh, and Flann nodded, a small smile appearing.
“Understood. Good work today, Mr Redgrave.” He said, but the polite smile didn’t make Chris feel any better; quite the opposite actually and he sighed, going back to his bar.
“…You’re hollow. There’s no life in the way you talk, and the smile doesn’t reach your eyes. Did your spirit get eroded while with the cursed card, as well?”
Chris commented offhandedly, but then winced when he saw Flann’s expression darken.
He sat up straighter, blinking in shock.
“Wait, don’t tell me it actually did?” he asked, and Flann gave him a pained smile, shaking his head. “No, it didn’t, but… It’s just... that I don’t know how to act around you and everyone else yet. I’m not even sure how to act normally, since I barely remember myself as an individual. I was simply ‘Tilt’, the vessel of San Galgano.”
Flann’s complexion had paled alarmingly, and Chris decided it was a great time to change topics.
“Uhh, by the way! I heard there was a new menu item at Crazy 8, I’ll show you once we go there after work! You’re coming, right?” he asked, and Flann was back to staring vacantly at the table before him, having remembered to finish his sandwich. He shook his head.
“I’m going straight back to the apartment after this.” He said, and Chris sighed, quickly chomping up the rest of his fudgee bar in frustration.
“Ugh, are you always this much of a loner?” Chris was about to add ‘back in the Klondike family’ but then bit his tongue at the last minute, not wanting to rub salt into the wound.
Flann paused for a while, hanging his head. “…There was only one person I was always with, so maybe.” He said, and Chris inwardly cringed. He knew very well who exactly Flann was talking about.
A gloomy silence fell over them and Chris was beginning to regret entering the room in the first place. So much for trying not to bring down the mood. If it was going to be like this, he might as well get out what he wanted to say. He was an outspoken person, after all.
“So… on the topic of Burst… Were you two really lovers? Because it seemed more like a one-way street instead of a two way.” He said, unable to keep the bitterness out of his tone and Flann closed his eyes, staying silent.
“We talked a bit in the car before our… ‘encounter’ with you and Finn, but… did you know she was dying? It seems like she already played an X-hand for you long before this. And yet you pushed her away and called her an outsider.”
Chris watched out of the corner of his eye as Flan trembled, but he wasn’t done just yet. “Even if you regret it now, it’s too late. At the very least, visit her grave, apologize and thank her for what she’s done. Maybe then, you’ll feel better.”
He said, sighing deeply. He knew he was being an asshole right now, but it wasn’t fair how things were left off. And besides, he literally owed her his life and his ability’s full recovery, so he wanted to say this much at least.
“…Sorry, I don’t mean to kick you while you’re down, nor do I want to come off as a power-abusing senior, but it just doesn't sit right with me when someone tramples all over a lady's feelings. Even if it was unintentional."
And with that, he stood up and exited the room, leaving Flann alone.
. . . . . .
When it was time to clock out, Finn gave a big stretch and an exaggerated sigh of relief. “Whew~! Finally done! Ah, Flann! Do you want to come with us? We’re all heading to the usual pub, the stuff there is pretty good!” he said, but Flann gave a soft smile and shook his head.
“Sorry, maybe another time. I’ll head back first, so have fun.” He said, and Finn’s smile faltered a bit. “O-Oh, okay. Here’s the key. See you at home, big bro. good work today.”
Flann bowed to Finn and everyone else before walking in the opposite direction, and Finn glanced back at his brother one last time, then followed the others to Crazy 8.
At the pub, Wendy sulked because Leo had banned her from drinking any alcohol that night and instead munched on some drinking snacks while Chris and Finn ordered their usual. Finn glanced at the whipped cream tower, still impressed at how it was even staying upright. Then his gaze moved towards Chris, who had seemed a little out of it ever since Flann left.
“The cream’s gonna get soggy and fall.” He warned, and Chris snapped out of his daydream, starting to scoop the tower of sweetness into his mouth. Even then, Finn found it really weird that Chris didn’t immediately go on a tangent about how much he loves the parfaits here, or about some shop he found recently that served a dessert that he would then rate the taste and presentation of.
“…Was it that much of a shock to see Flann working here?” he wondered aloud, and Chris paused in the middle of a spoonful, arching an eyebrow and giving a questioning ‘Hmm?’. Finn waited for Chris to finish his mouthful.
“Well sure, it was shocking at first, but then I got over it.” he said, and Finn gulped down some of his cream soda. “Oh, okay. I thought you were still bothered about it. You seem distracted.”
Instead of answering right away, Chris took his time to finish his parfait, before setting it down and looking Finn directly in the eyes.
“How about we go outside to talk?” he said, and Finn gave him a confused look, but Chris simply stood, flashing a smile at the others who had looked in his direction curiously.
“I’m just going out for some fresh air~” he said, and Finn also stood up to follow the brunette. “Me too.”
Once outside, Finn narrowed his eyes. “…What did you do?”
Chris guiltily looked away from Finn’s piercing gaze. “…Uh… I might have criticized Flann about how he treated Burst.”
“You WHAT!?” Finn yelled, and Chris covered his ears, sighing. “It’s just—ugh, I couldn’t not talk about it.”
Finn ground his teeth. “Chris, I know you two aren’t exactly on good terms but—" he was cut off by Chris groaning loudly, putting his head in his hands. “I get it! I know I shouldn’t have done that, and I feel like a complete asshole.”
“Well then, you should know what to do next.” Finn grumbled, crossing his arms, and Chris sighed quietly. “Yep. I got it.”
“And Chris…” Finn fixed Chris with a serious expression, bordering on disappointed. “I know you wanted justice for Burst, but Flann already regrets the way he treated her. We talked about her just yesterday. He… was really upset.”
“…Oh…” Chris closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. “…I’m sorry.” His voice came out smaller than intended, and Finn shook his head.
“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.” he replied, and Chris hung his head helplessly. He felt a firm pat to his shoulder and looked up.
“At least you understand now. come on, let’s get back inside. The others are probably wondering what we’re doing.” Chris followed Finn back inside and Leo quirked a brow, glancing between the two questioningly.
“And what were you two up to?” he asked, and before Finn could answer, Chris chimed in with a cheeky grin. “I was advising Finn on the best places to go if he ever got a date~”
“Dude, what the hell!?”
. . . . . . . . .
The following day went on without a hitch. Flann and Chris didn’t talk to each other for the entire day, but that was to be expected, and he didn’t interact very much with the other members either. He entered like a shadow, being barely making a sound, before disappearing whether the others noticed him or not.
When it was time to leave, Finn gestured for Flann to follow him and Chris. As they entered the car, Flann spoke up. “Where are we going?” he asked, and Chris flashed a smile. “Paying a visit to a certain someone, of course. But first thing’s first; we need to get some flowers.”
They stopped at a flower shop and took their time to look at the various types of flowers and their colourful shades. Flann breathed in the fragrance of one nearby and Chris wandered over, staring at the flowers on display.
“I’ll give you some advice for the perfect bouquet. One that fits the theme of your message.” He said, and while Flann gave him a strange look, Chris began pointing to certain flowers.
“Those are Hyacinths. Purple is the shade of remorse, and the perfect flower to ask for forgiveness.” He moved a bit further away and while the words stung Flann, he followed Chris as he stopped near another flower.
“These are anemone flowers; white symbolizes sincerity. And, the ones right next to it are called English bluebells. They symbolize humility, unending love and fidelity.”
A tremor went through Flann, but he gazed at the delicate blossoms, mulling their meanings over in his head. Chris reached out to a cluster of flowers, gently ran his finger over the soft petals, a sombre smile on his face.
“And finally, these are pink hydrangeas. They mean love, affection and gratitude.”
Chris concluded his explanation, before his smile returned to cheerful and he collected one of each of the flowers he had pointed out, bringing them to the counter. “We’ll take these, and two other bouquets for a special occasion. Thanks~”
As they got their bouquets, Finn eyed Chris curiously. “You sure know your stuff.” He commented, and Chris gave a quiet laugh. “Just some trivia to impress the ladies.”
. . . . . . . .
The grave stood a short distance before them, and Finn glanced at Flann, before walking over to place his flowers at the grave. He moved to the side and Chris followed after him, placing the flowers down, before joining Finn and they both gazed silently at Flann, expectation and encouragement shining in their eyes.
He clenched the bouquet tighter and took a hesitant step forward, then another. Before he knew it, he was right in front of the grave, and he could clearly read the words ‘Flann Oldman and Burst, together as family’ engraved into the cold stone.
He placed the bouquet onto slab and knelt, or rather, his knees gave way and he covered his face as all the guilt came crashing down again. Between sobs, he poured out his heart.
“I’m sorry, Burst… You were the only one who stayed by my side and supported me. Even though you knew your feelings wouldn’t reach me in the past, you loved me until the end. I… I’m grateful, really. Thank you for loving me. I’ll be okay now, so please, rest in peace.”
He stood, and Chris pulled out a handkerchief, holding it out to Flann. He took it and dried his tears, managing a smile that overflowed with tenderness and gratitude while still looking at the grave.
“I can’t dwell on the past forever, from now I’ll move forward. I need to live my life to the fullest, for Burst’s sake, too.”
The three of them slowly made their way back to the car, Finn’s hand resting on his brother’s back while Chris gingerly patted his shoulder, absentmindedly munching on a fudgee bar and staring into the distance.
The breeze gently rustled the flowers in the bouquets, brushing the petals delicately.
The next few weeks following the royal coronation incident were plenty eventful, and Finn found that he had very little time to rest, but that was fine. In fact, it was better that way, and he almost missed the lively bustle and chaos of work when he returned home, back to the stifling silence and emptiness of his small apartment.
There, his mind was free to unwind and relax, and eventually turn to thoughts of his brother. There, he seemed to sink, quietly drowning in the pain and loneliness of losing the only family member he had left in the world.
It was a cruel twist of fate; reuniting so late and losing each other so early. Not even having enough time to reconnect and fill in the gap of missing years.
Finn sighed, exhaling sadness. He brushed a stray tear from his face and got up from the seat near the window, giving a big stretch and groaning as he heard a few places pop. He was about to get ready for bed when he paused, slightly turning his head back to the window. He frowned, blinking in puzzlement.
Perhaps it had been the wind, but he could have sworn he heard a soft voice call his name.
A familiar voice.
His body moved without a second thought and he raced to the window, slamming it fully open and staring down with wide eyes, not expecting to see anything—
Except he did.
Messy pink hair framed a haggard and sombre face, and the same emerald eyes as his own gazed up at him, dull and lifeless. Finn rubbed his eyes, then looked again in case it was a hallucination, but the result was the same.
Now that he looked closer, it seemed like the other man was gradually losing energy, starting to sway in place and he quickly bolted out of his apartment, down the stairs and to the front, screeching to a halt before the other man.
“Flann…?” he slowly reached out and lightly gripped his brother’s arms. He was still wearing his black suit shirt, but his blazer and tie were nowhere to be seen. Flann stared at him blankly, before closing his eyes and falling forwards, making Finn yelp in shock and struggle to keep them both from crashing to the ground, knees shaking with the effort. With a strained grunt, he began dragging the man back up to his apartment, groaning in dismay when he remembered the stairs.
After a lengthy upward battle with the stairs, he barely managed to open the door and take a few wobbly steps into the room before his legs gave out and he wheezed as he felt the weight on top of him knock the air out of his lungs. He struggled to get out from under the dead weight, and when he was finally free, lay on the ground, gasping for breath.
“Ughhh… I really need to work on my weight training…” he gave a long sigh of exhaustion, before reluctantly getting up and beginning to drag Flann further inside. Once he hauled the unconscious man onto the bed, he sat down on the chair nearby and pulled it towards the bed, leaning closer to examine Flann.
His older brother lay there, his face pale and breathing labored. It made Finn wonder how he even got to the apartment in the first place while in this state. He didn’t see any injuries, nor did it seem like Flann was burning up, so it was probably just sheer exhaustion the other was suffering from.
He stared a while longer, his lashes lowering a bit, before he reached out and gently touched the other’s forehead. Right on the spot he had…
He shook his head, still in disbelief. He pinched himself and flinched— yup, this wasn’t a dream. By some miracle, Flann was alive.
He hesitated, before shuffling onto the bed and laying his ear to the other’s chest, finding comfort in the slow, but steady rhythm of a heartbeat. He could feel warmth through his clothes and also while he had dragged him, though at that time, all he could think of was how freaking heavy Flann was.
As he lay there, lost in his thoughts, he felt Flann stir and jolted, shuffling away and back onto the chair as Flann opened his eyes, still seeming dazed. He tried to sit up, but was only able to prop himself up onto his elbows before falling back down with a quiet groan.
“Don’t push yourself, just lie down for now… but I… still can’t believe this. You’re alive.” Finn murmured, his mind a complicated mess and Flann stared at him sorrowfully. “…Yes, it seems like that’s the case… I thought for sure I was dead. There’s no way I would have survived a shot to the head at that distance…” he said quietly, and Finn felt a pang of guilt, hanging his head.
After blinking rapidly for a while, he looked back up, a warm smile and relief in his eyes as he knelt on the floor, laying his head and torso onto the bed and gazing at Flann. “But I’m glad. So glad. That you’re here. I missed you so much, big brother.”
Flann’s eyes widened, before watering and he squeezed his eyes shut, covering his face with his arm and turning away, his breath stuttering. Finn gave a shaky laugh despite his own tears and reached out to hold his brother’s hand that was gripping the edge of the blanket so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.
“Finn… I… I’m so sorry…” He barely managed to choke out through sobs, and Finn hummed in reply, lightly running his thumb over the other’s hand in what he hoped was a soothing motion. “Mm. I won’t say everything is okay and forgiven, but… now that you’re here, you can make up for everything you did, yeah? You have a second chance. So, cheer up.” He said, grinning at Flann while wiping away the rest of his tears and Flann let out a long, shaky exhale, a sad smile appearing.
“Yeah… I’ll pay the price of my crimes while living. That’s the best way, I think.” He murmured, and Finn nodded.
“And, Big bro?” Finn’s voice was soft and full of joy, and Flann curiously peered over at his younger brother, who was smiling tenderly.
“Welcome back, Flann.”
Just those words alone made Flann’s heart swell with happiness, and he closed his eyes as tears brimmed again, his smile slightly wider.
I wanted to help. I wanted to save you. It was a terrible reunion, but still, you're my... Stopping the misfortune caused by the cards... that's what we do.
