Chapter Text
Galo wiped the sweat off his brow as he started what seemed like the 800th caramel macchiato in the last hour. It was a bright and early Monday morning and Galo’s first morning shift. He recently began EMT school, and the only available classes were during the evening. Galo was definitely not used to the rapidfire pace of the early hours of the coffee shop. Sure, his old afternoon shift had its busy spikes, but this was an entirely different playing field. But even though the new atmosphere was starting to bury him a little, he was determined not to fall behind.
”Galo, that was supposed to made with almond milk!” Aina snatched the paper cup out of his hands, spilling some of the contents onto his apron, her indigo eyes piercing right through her pink bangs.
”Ah, crap! My bad, Aina. I’ll remake it now.” Galo instinctively reached for another cup, but found his fingers grasping at air. While he ran towards the back to grab more, he accidentally bumped into Lucia, who up until that moment was whipping out sandwiches and pastries to customers like a professional gunslinger.
”Hey, watch it! I’m in a groove.”
”Sorry, LuciaAAAH!” After grabbing a sleeve of coffee cups, Galo didn’t notice the small puddle of coffee on the ground and slipped backwards onto his bottom, paper cups comically flying everywhere.
”Galo, are you serious? Ugh, don’t worry about the remake, I’ll do it. Just focus on taking orders for now.” Aina helped Galo up, giving him a frustrated yet sympathetic look. “Try to relax, Galo. It’s not like this is your first rodeo.”
”Yeah, I know. I promise I’ll stop screwing up.”
”Well, at least the idiot knows he’s being an idiot,” a customer snapped, “where the hell is my drink? I’m running late for work!” She huffed her purple bangs out of her face, her stony, blue stare looking down at Galo like a bone piercing laser, pissing him off.
”Hey, lady we’re trying here!” Galo replied, glaring at the customer who had her arms folded, lips pressed in a thin line.
”Galo!”
Galo whipped his head towards the drive thru window, where he found Remi, their manager, glaring at him over Varys’ shoulder. He shook his head at Galo, his disappointment filling Galo’s legs with lead.
”Sorry, Remi…” He looked towards the front door, wincing every time the bell chimed. One after another, customers piled into the coffee shop with furrowed brows and a sense of undeserved urgency. Galo let out a sigh.
Alright, it’s time to grit my teeth and get this done. I can do this, everything is fine.
Galo wiped his hands on his apron, adjusted his visor, and began to man the register, where a tall, burly man of a customer, who was sweating through his suit, his lips curling as though they were hooked on a fishing line, was waiting.
Galo gave him his best smile. “Hi! What can I get started for you today?”
----------------------------------------------
The crew was almost done cleaning up, the air hanging heavy with exhaustion and relief. Galo took his visor off and ran his fingers through his blue hair. He looked around and was incredibly proud of not only himself, but everyone around him. The place was almost spotless, and although Galo had a rocky start, he pulled it together with the help of the others, especially Aina. Lucia and Aina were wiping down the last of the coffee spills while Remi and Varys took their breaks.
”Nicely done, Galo. I was worried there for a second, but you managed to pull through towards the end.” Aina placed her hand on his shoulder, giving him a warm smile. Galo was incredibly grateful for Aina, after all she was the one to get him a job at the coffee shop in the first place while he pursued his dreams of becoming a firefighter. She may be a little hard on him, but it’s only because she wanted the best for him, ever since they were kids.
”Yeah, I’m both surprised and impressed. In your typical idiot fashion, you goofed, but at least you finished strong, I guess,” Lucia playfully chimed.
”Lucia, what did I say about being nice to Galo?”
”Yeah, yeah. He knows I’m teasing. Besides, I might like Galo as much as I like you,” Lucia threw the both of them a mischievous wink.
Aina scoffed and crossed her arms, “Very funny,” she laughed. Aina could never not smile when she looked at Lucia. “And what do you think, Galo?”
”Uh, I think Lucia is better off by your side. You guys are perfect for each other,” He glanced over them, watching pink flush their cheeks. He pulled them both of them in for a simultaneous side hug. “I think we make a good trio of pals, though.”
”You really are a little bit of an idiot, huh?” Lucia laughed and both Aina and Galo joined her. They were interrupted by the bell chiming at the door, all three of them wincing out of habit.
Aina looked over at the door and sighed in relief. “It’s an easy regular. Galo, can you take care of him? I have to use the restroom.”
”I’ve got you covered.” Galo turned to face the customer and immediately felt his entire body spontaneously combust into an invisible flame.
The incoming customer glided towards the register with the finesse of a leopard. Galo couldn’t help but notice his frame, small and slender, but strong and cut in all the right places, each subtle movement of his limbs slicing through the air like knives. Galo bet if he somehow got into a fight with this man, he would most likely lose, and that made him shudder in a way he didn’t understand.
Galo peeled his eyes off the customer’s shoulders and slowly moved them towards his face, which made him intake his next breath so sharply, Galo was sure he would never remember how to breathe again.
This mysterious man had his blonde hair tied in a small, messy bun. The chin length hairs that refused to be confined to his hair tie hovered over his elegant face, each strand swinging with every step he took, like delicate wind chimes moving with a soft breeze. As he walked further away from the front door, the sun shone a little differently on his head, and Galo noticed a soft shade of green glossing over his blonde hair.
The customer made it to the register, his eyes looking up at Galo’s, who at this point just realized he’d been holding his breath the whole time. He still didn’t think to exhale as he got lost in this man’s eyes, which were a deep shade of carnation, gently fading into soft violet. They reminded Galo of a sunset after heavy rain.
This guy is...breathtaking.
”Uhm, are you okay?”
Hearing the man speak for the first time forced Galo to finally exhale, but he did so too quickly, causing him to cough uncontrollably. His voice was deeper than Galo anticipated, but with a subtle touch of tenderness. It was not unlike velvet, rich and soft all at once.
Galo cleared his throat, “Sorry! I uh...I don’t know what came over me.” Galo could hear Lucia stifle a giggle behind him and he felt some heat rise in his cheeks and travel to the tips of his ears.
”That’s alright, I’m sure you’ve had a busy morning,” the man’s eyes glimmered with a bit of empathy, a half smile hovering at the corners of his mouth.
”So, uh, what can I get started for you today?” Galo felt himself begin to sweat underneath his visor. He wasn’t sure why he was so nervous to take his order, but there he was, tapping his finger against the counter, drumming to the beat of his increasing heart rate.
”I’d like a large hazelnut latte with soy milk, please,” The man looked away from Galo and turned his attention to the tote he was carrying, presumably fishing for his wallet. Galo felt a small pang in his chest, disappointed that their eyes were no longer lingering on each other.
”Uh, yeah, you got it,” Galo quickly grabbed a large paper cup, but his hands immediately began to sweat once his fingers gripped the black marker, the weight of the question he was about to ask hanging heavy on his shoulders.
”So, w-what’s your name for the order?” It was rare for Galo to ever stammer over his words, always presenting himself with gusto and self-assuredness, even if he was wrong.
”Sure, it’s Lio.”
Lio…yeah, that’s...nice...
”Alright, Lio,” Galo loved the way his name rolled off his tongue, almost like the first word of an incantation, “I’ll get that started for you right away.”
”Thank you, Galo,” Lio finally pulled his wallet out of his bag.
Galo was frozen in place, Lio’s voice reverberating off the walls of his skull, like a bell timing at noon, uttering his name.
Wait, how does he know my name? Is he a mind reader? I mean with those eyes…. No, no, don’t be ridiculous. There has to be an explanation, like fate or something.
”Uh, so how do you know my name?”
Lio paused as he took out his card from his wallet, his eyes meeting Galo’s once more, sunsets burning into his soul. They narrowed slightly, amusement filling their center, swimming at the edges.
Lio sighed out a small laugh and pointed very closely at Galo’s chest. Lucia was almost beside herself, hunched over the floor, desperately squeezing her mouth shut with both of her hands. Galo didn’t care, though, beads of sweat trickling down his neck, running into the hairs standing on his back. He didn’t dare move his eyes from Lio’s finger.
”Uh, your name tag?”
Lio’s words came crashing down on Galo, the obvious reasoning of it all seeping into every pore. For the first time in his life, Galo felt like a real idiot. He absentmindedly clutched his nametag as Lio pulled out his card.
”Right, of course, my nametag,” Galo was at a complete loss for words, another first. He took the card from Lio’s outstretched hand, their fingertips touching for a brief moment. Lio’s fingers were surprisingly warm. Galo wasn’t sure why he expected them to be frigid. Perhaps it was because Lio was decidedly fair, but the more Galo looked at him, the more he realized Lio was as elegant as a dancing flame. His eyes pastel infernos, his hair swirling and curling like smoke, his voice more soothing than a crackling hearth—everything about Lio made Galo want to jump headfirst into his embers and put it all out at once.
”Here, Galo,” Lucia slyly grabbed the cup out of his hands, “I can make his drink while you ring him up,” Her teal eyes twinkled with mischief as she wriggled the marker of his hand, skipping away, her bright, blonde buns bouncing to the rhythm of her unexplained excitement. Galo narrowed his eyes at her, but his mind still lingered on Lio, too distracted to notice her whipping out her phone and writing on the cup.
”Uh, thanks?” Galo shook his head, turning his attention to Lio. “Do you need a receipt?”
”No, thank you,” Lio responded as he took his card back from Galo, who noticed he deliberately took it back with the very tips of his fingers, avoiding his touch.
Lucia, who is normally the fastest team member, was taking her sweet time, whistling some odd tune as she carefully made Lio’s coffee. She gave Galo a cruel smile and a sly wink, moving in slow motion as she continued. Galo still didn’t know what her game was, and hated that he was forced to play along without knowing the rules.
Lio pulled out his phone while he waited, and Galo realized he’d been quiet for some time, the silence filling him with self-consciousness, a third first.
Should I say something? I have to say something, right? I mean, I can’t just stand here staring at him. God, he is so beautiful. Okay, uh, compliment him on something. But what? I can’t just say I think he’s the most prettiest person I’ve ever seen in my life, can I?
Galo’s turquoise eyes desperately scanned Lio, who was luckily still transfixed on his phone. He noticed Lio’s earrings, triangle-shaped black studs that hugged his ears nicely.
”I, uh, like your earrings,” Galo stammered. Lio looked up from his phone, his hand grabbing his ear lobe. He gave Galo a small half smile, locking his eyes with his again, daring him to say more.
”They’re really cool,” Galo continued, “they remind me of those plastic bread tie thingies that keep loaves of sliced bread closed.”
Lucia let out a shriek, which sounded awfully familiar to her laugh.
”Sorry! No need to worry, just burned my hand a little is all,” she giggled.
Lio’s eyes widened, his lips parting slightly. He stared at Galo before slanting his eyes again, which were brimming with fiery amusement. They drifted over to Galo’s broad shoulders, slowly memorizing them before shamelessly wandering to his large chest. They stopped there for a moment, and Galo could have sworn he was burning a hole in his heart.
Oh man, is he sizing me up? Did I offend him? That was a stupid thing to say, why did I say that? Does he want to fight me, now? I kinda hope he wants to fight me… Wait, I don’t want to fight him! What is he doing?
Lio let out a soft giggle, which made Galo flinch.
”Bread tie thingies, huh?” Lio fiddled with one of his earrings, twisting it in his long, lithe fingers. “I haven’t heard that one before. I kind of like it.” He gave Galo another half smile, who at this point was absolutely melting over hearing Lio’s warm, smooth voice form an extended sentence.
”Haha, yeah. Uh, so—”
”Galo, his coffee is ready,” Lucia interrupted. She handed Galo the beverage, and he immediately almost dropped it, his body feeling a little weak for reasons he wasn’t sure of.
”Oh, right,” he blushed, “here you go, Lio.” He outstretched his hand, waiting for Lio to take his drink. Lio paused for a moment before grabbing it, this time deliberately intertwining his fingers with Galo’s, who couldn’t bring himself to let go, or breathe, the warmth of those graceful fingers setting him on fire. Lio seemed to lean forward a bit, tugging a little at the cup of coffee, or more accurately, Galo’s hand. Those sunset eyes, not daring to break Galo’s gaze. Galo found himself starting to lean forward, his heels starting to leave the ground as he felt his torso hover over the counter, inching closer to Lio.
Exasperated, he let go of the cup, resulting in Lio’s lips forming a slight smirk.
”Thank you, Galo.” Lio turned on his heeled boots and headed for the door. Galo watched him saunter towards the exit, drinking in every single movement. He watched Lio bring his cup to his lips, unfazed by the heat of the coffee. Lio furrowed his eyebrows as he looked on the writing on the cup, a flicker of confusion twitching at the corner of his eye.
Oh man, did Lucia mess up his drink? Misspell his name? Is it Leo instead of Lio?
”Hey, did we get your drink right? Because we can remake it, if you want.”
Lio turned to face Galo, his eyes darting from his shoulders to his chest and then to his eyes. They lingered there for a long while, and Galo silently begged Lio not to leave.
”No, it’s perfect. Have a nice day, Galo.” Lio waved as he exited the shop, the sound of the bell rippling through Galo’s bones.
The air in the coffee shop seemed to chill as soon as Lio exited the building, the sudden cold underscored by the sudden silence. Galo needed to catch his breath. His eyes kept darting between each hipster-esque portrait that lined the beige walls of the coffee shop, unable to fixate on a single one. He placed his palms on the counter and shifted his weight onto them. Galo felt if he kept all of his weight on his legs, he would surely collapse. He didn’t understand why he felt so weak, why his breathing was so uneven, and he was positive he sweat right through his shirt.
Lucia’s voice cut right through him, like a sickeningly saccharine melody full of mischief slicing through a cacophonous quiet.
”That was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen with my eyes.”
”Shut up, Lucia,” Galo groaned.
-----------------------------------
”And THEN he says, ‘They look like bread ties,’” Lucia cackled as she relayed all of the events that transpired during the early afternoon to Aina, much to Galo’s dismay.
After Lio left, Aina returned from her restroom break, not fully admitting she may have fallen asleep a little. She walked back to a snickering Lucia and a mortified Galo, who quickly finished up his remaining work and darted out the door.
Now, the three of them were sprawled on Aina’s living room, gathered around a box of pizza. Galo always felt right at home sitting criss-crossed on her carpeted floor. Her place was small, but it adhered to a bright aesthetic Galo was always fond of—light wooden furniture accented nicely by the lush green of the house plants Heris mothered. Galo’s favorite part was the abundance of photos that dotted the walls and graced the tables, photos from when they were children to now, little reminders that he and Aina were never alone despite the tragedies of their parents.
”And to think I truly believed Galo had a moment of courage when Lio was egging him on,” Lucia sighed, “but alas, Galo freaked out and let go. A shame, really.”
”Wow, Galo. You’re not one to back down from a dare,” Aina took a bite of her pizza crust, “Lio must have really captured your heart. Although, he is very beautiful. I sometimes catch myself staring, too.” She gave Lucia a side glance, who in return, playfully propped her foot up on Aina’s shoulder. Aina quickly shooed it away, and Lucia laughed as she sat up and leaned her head on her shoulder. Galo couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if Lio rested his pretty head on his shoulders, the very shoulders that Lio made a point to check out.
”It really was a hilarious sight to behold, but luckily for Galo, that idiotic charm of his certainly had an effect on Lio.”
”Wait, Lucia, what do you mean?” Galo’s eyes widened at her, begging her to elaborate. She gave him a cheeky grin, and he could have sworn her teeth seemed a little sharper than normal. Lucia was always so impish in nature.
”Galo, did you really not notice Lio eyeing your torso like a lion stalking its next meal?”
”I thought he was sizing me up because I said that stupid thing about bread ties.”
Lucia and Aina began to cackle, but Galo’s thoughts muffled their laughter. Galo was not unaware of his stature, he knew he was nicely built and strong looking, but it was all out of necessity. He had to be in tip top shape in order to succeed as a firefighter. Speaking of which, Galo couldn’t bring himself to concentrate during his EMT class during the evening, his mind constantly drifting to the way Lio’s hair caressed his face, the way he stared at him with those unusual eyes, the way he uttered Galo’s name…
Galo let out a loud groan, “You really think he might be interested?”
”Shockingly, yes,” Lucia leaned forward and tugged at Galo’s blue mohawk, “even with this excuse of a hairstyle.”
”Hey, you’re one to talk!” he retorted.
The three of them fell into laughter, which helped Galo relax. He always looked forward to decompressing with Aina and Lucia after they all finished classes, even if they couldn’t meet up as often as they used to. Aina was studying to become a pilot while Lucia was knee deep in her mechanical engineer major. He may not have been the brightest bulb amongst the trio, but that didn’t matter, and Galo was beyond grateful.
”I guess you’ll find out tomorrow, then,” Aina gave his shoulder a reassuring pat.
”Yeah, I guess…”
-----------------------------------
Somehow, Tuesday mornings were much busier than Monday mornings. Perhaps it was because people normally don’t start dragging their feet until Tuesday, or maybe it was because this particular Tuesday was much a much chillier day in Promepolis than the day before and more people yearned for a warm beverage. Either way, Galo didn’t have a minute to think about it. This morning, he was on coffee making duty while Aina manned the register. Remi thought it would be a good idea for Galo to sling beverages so he could learn to pick up the pace without messing up. So far, Galo was having a much easier time than the day before. Despite all the coffee grounds tucked under his fingernails, the occasional small sear on his skin from a splash of coffee, and the relentless influx of bodies charging in one after the other, Galo was having very little trouble keeping up. He kept himself on autopilot, knowing full well if he allowed his mind to wander on its own, it would drift too far and fall into a deliciously warm pit of fire, with pink and violet flames licking at his soul.
”Uh, Bee-ayer?” Galo shouted as he held up one of the more complicated orders of the morning.
”It’s Biar!” The purple-haired customer from the day before barked, snatching her coffee from Galo’s hand like a bloodthirsty vulture.
”Sheesh, what a colossal—”
”Galo! I needed that matcha latte and americano yesterday,” Aina didn’t even have a second to look at Galo as she voiced her demands, keeping her charming smile as she took order after order.
”I’m on it!
After several, lighting fast hours passed, the crew finally had time to begin cleaning up for the afternoon buzz. Galo couldn’t peel his eyes off the front door while wiping down the countertops, his gaze fixed on the moving clouds drifting through the early afternoon sky, their wispy edges curling like smoke.
”You lookin’ for someone, bud?”
Galo jumped at the bass of Varys’ voice, who was grinning like a schoolboy, looking at Galo with a glint in his eye that looked way too much like Lucia’s influence.
”Shouldn’t you be on break with Remi right now?” Galo sighed as he ripped his eyes from the door to face a snickering Varys.
”I decided I’d rather not miss the show Lucia was telling me about.”
Galo rolled his eyes, “He may not even show up today.”
”Oh, but he’s an everyday regular,” Aina chirped with Lucia giggling in her shoulder.
”Come on, Aina. This isn’t like you. Don’t stoop to their level!”
”There’s no malicious intent here,” she winked, “it’s all just good fun.”
Galo’s groan was interrupted by the chiming of the bell, signaling a new customer entering the shop. Rather than wincing, the entire crew craned their necks to catch a glimpse of a slender figure gliding through the entrance. Galo couldn’t help but notice the chilly air that rushed in as the door opened seemed to dance around the figure, almost as if he was too warm to touch.
”Looks like you’re up,” Lucia whispered as she shoved Galo.
Galo stumbled towards the counter and was immediately met with Lio’s eyes burning into his own. He quickly avoided his gaze, trying his hardest to look anywhere but at Lio. However, they darted back to Lio’s hair, which today was tied in two small, messy ponytails, with even more strands of hair escaping to billow around his lovely face. He was wearing an oversized auburn sweater, which cut off right where his high-waisted jeans began, and judging by the sound of his footsteps, he was wearing the same heeled boots as the day before.
He is...so cute. I don’t know if I can do this.
Galo strained his ears to listen for laughter from the crew behind him, who were all working remarkably slow. He could just make out a small huff of a giggle from Aina, which motivated him to meet Lio’s eyes once more.
Lio was already smiling, his eyes flickering with amusement.
”Good afternoon, Galo,” he placed his elbow on the higher part of the counter, resting his chin in his palm. Galo shuddered at the sound of his name, Lio’s voice engulfing every single one of his thoughts.
”Hey, Lio,” Galo somehow managed, “uh, large hazelnut latte with soy?”
Lio’s eyes narrowed and his smile slowly faded into a smirk, “Yes, thank you. It seems you already know me so well, and we’ve only met just yesterday. You’ve even memorized my name.”
”Uh, I guess I just have good memory?” Galo replied as a thought occurred to him, finally giving him the chance to justifiably smile, “you also remembered my name.”
”Did I? Or perhaps your nametag gave me a little help again,” Lio whipped out his card with his free hand, prompting Galo to take it. As Galo began to pull, Lio seemed to do the same, filling Galo with a confused sense of excitement. Lio finally let go, forcing Galo’s arm to reel back a bit, his face suddenly flushing with pink.
”Hey, Galo, I can make his drink for you again, you just worry about ringing him up,” Lucia slithered next to him, taking another large cup, bouncing back from where she came.
Once again, Galo struggled to find something, anything, to say to Lio, who this time was not preoccupied with his phone, but was rather staring at Galo’s shoulders again, almost like he was asking Galo to notice.
Come on, Galo. Think! Think of literally anything to say! It can’t possibly be as dumb as the bread tie thing.
”So, do you get soy milk because you’re lactose intolerant or is it something else?”
Varys, Lucia, and Aina all suddenly began to cough uncontrollably, tears welling in their eyes as they tried desperately to stop. Galo felt his heart drop right into the pit of his stomach as he watched Lio’s reaction.
Lio’s eyebrows shot up quickly in surprise at Galo’s question, astonishment joining the amusement in his eyes. He dropped his elbow from the counter and covered his mouth, and soon Galo realized he was trying, and failing, to stifle a laugh. Tears began to form at the corners of his eyes, somehow adding fuel to their fire.
”You are certainly a silly man,” Lio laughed, “to answer your question, no, I’m not lactose intolerant, at least not entirely. Regular dairy gives me a bit of a stomach ache and really, I just prefer the taste of soy milk.”
Galo breathed out a sigh a relief at the mercy of Lio’s answer, “Well, that’s—”
”His order is ready!” Lucia sang as she slid the hot coffee cup into Galo’s hand. He handed it over to Lio, who, much to Galo’s disappointment, did not intertwine his fingers with his. Still, their fingers did touch momentarily, and Galo briefly forgot what it was like to ever feel cold in the first place.
”Thank you, Galo,” Lio took a sip of his coffee, and Galo noticed his eyes glide over to his chest. He realized that Lio was waiting for him to do...something, anything.
Come on, man! This is it, he is literally waiting for you.
All Galo could do was nervously drum his fingers on the counter, sweat dripping down his neck. He managed to keep eye contact with Lio, whose pastel infernos wavered, brimming with disappointment.
”Well, then, I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon. Thanks again,” Lio walked away from the register and out the door, the timing of the bell thunderous in Galo’s ears.
Ah, shit.
”Oh no,” Lucia gasped, “I think I may have accidentally made his drink with regular milk instead of soy milk.”
”What!? Lucia!” Galo jumped over the counter and sprinted out the front door, failing to notice the open bottle of soy milk on the counter next to her.
The cold wind sliced at Galo’s unprotected arms and face, but he didn’t pay it any mind. His eyes scanned the sidewalk, left and right, until he could make out two small, blonde ponytails, faintly glowing pastel green in the sun.
”Lio!” Galo began to sprint towards him, shoving past disgruntled pedestrians, ignoring their cries. Lio turned to face him, a bewildered look spread across his face. Galo almost ran into Lio, somehow managing to stop his full on sprint right in front of him. He didn’t realize until that moment how much shorter Lio was, those wonderful, fiery eyes looking right up at him.
”I think we accidentally made your drink with regular milk, let me remake it.”
Lio raised an eyebrow at him and took a long sip from his coffee, “It tastes just fine,” he adjusted the sleeve so he could read the writing, “and it correctly says soy milk on here. It seems as if you’re mistaken.”
Lucia…
”Oh, well, that’s good!” Galo exclaimed. He scratched the back of his head, unsure of what to say next, a cold chill billowing between the two of them. He shuddered, wondering what in the hell he was doing out there in the first place. He noticed Lio standing very still, as if he was waiting there, expectedly.
Lio finally let out a long sigh, “Well, I’m off, then. See you tomorrow.” Lio turned around and began to walk away, and Galo felt as if all of his organs were going to slide out of him all at once. He couldn’t bear to watch this flame flicker out as Lio drifted further and further away.
”Lio, wait!” To Galo’s surprise, Lio did wait as Galo caught up to him again. He made sure to look directly into the center of Lio’s inferno.
”Do you maybe want to get something to eat sometime...maybe? I have a couple of days off this week,” the words flew out of Galo’s mouth almost as quickly as the warmth from Lio’s immediate smile filled his entire body.
Lio let out a loud laugh, the velvet embers of his voice causing Galo to smile.
”I was wondering how long it would take you to ask. Thankfully, not long at all. I was starting to think you were just a charming fool. Yes, I would like to get something to eat with you, Galo.”
Galo had to force himself to keep talking before his heart found itself lodged in his throat.
”Oh, great! I guess we should exchange numbers, then,” Galo was surprised to hear Lio laugh even louder.
”Oh, I think I already have your number,” Lio took out his phone and turned the screen towards Galo, “this is it, no? I believe your friend with the buns tried to help you out yesterday.”
Lucia…
”Anyway, I’ll text you a date and time that works for me, you can pick the place,” Lio slipped his phone into his back pocket, gracing Galo with a bigger smile, all traces of amusement gone, replaced by sincerity.
”Yeah, sounds like a plan,” Galo subconsciously extended his hand. He was absolutely confused as to why he did, but was relieved to find Lio humoring him, giving him a warm, firm handshake.
”See you, Galo,” Lio turned and walked away, leaving Galo standing with his hand still outstretched. Another strong wind smacked right into him, slicing and dicing at his exposed skin. But Galo didn’t feel anything but unexplainable heat as whispers of a quiet, powerful flame fluttered throughout his entire body, causing him to grin from ear to ear.