Chapter Text
Droplets clung to tree branches, slipping free every so often to land on the ground. Everything was still, as if the city itself was taking a breath, savouring the quiet after the rain. Mafioso, had no reason to be out here today; yet there he is.
The sound of hurried footsteps vastly approaching breaks the peaceful atmosphere. His gaze followed the source, landing on a man with messy brown hair clad in what appeared to be the uniform of the local fast-food chain. Their eyes met briefly, and that fleeting connection sent a jolt through him. Though the man quickly averted his gaze and attempted to slip past unnoticed, Mafioso’s attention only sharpened. That man— he made his heart pound violently in his chest, his face growing warm. No, he couldn't simply let him walk away. "Slow down there. Where are you rushing off to?"
The man froze, turning around with a nervous expression. "Sorry for disturbing you. I—I'm just really tired and want to get home quickly” walking home? That would mean he lives around here.
Mafioso tilted his head slightly. "It’s nothing, really. How about I walk you home? These parts aren’t exactly known for their safety," he offered, his tone leaving no room for refusal as he stepped beside the man. "Well? Shall we get going?"
He flinched slightly. "Ah! Yeah, sure..." He fidgeted with his hands, a nervous gesture that Mafioso found so undeniably endearing. “You ever been to O’Malley’s?” Mafioso abruptly asked, easing the tension and lingering awkwardness in the air.
He snorted, face easing into a smile “that place? Yeah, once. Overpriced beer, sticky floors, and some guy who wouldn’t stop telling me his life story after two shots of whiskey.”
Mafioso’s lips curled into a faint, teasing smile. “So, a five-star experience?” There was a beat of silence, then a loud and unrestricted, genuine laugh was let out by 007n7. The way his face lights up when he laughs— the crinkle of his nose and the way he tilts his head back. Mafioso watched quietly, something in his chest tightening. It was such a simple thing, but that laugh— it was warm, genuine, and real. It was contagious too. Before he even realized it, a rare smile found its way onto his face.
"Easy- Murphy’s is a great bar. It’s loud, the bartender swears at you, and they have this old jukebox that plays nothing but classic rock." 007n7 mentioned as he wheezes, trying to regain his breathing back. Mafioso lets out a huff, "so a chaotic mess?"
007n7 slams his fists to his palm, smile wide on his face. "Exactly, that’s my kind of place.” The words hung between them, heavier than the damp air. For a moment, the only sound was the distant hum of a car passing by, its headlights sweeping over them before disappearing around a corner. “Have you been to other places? I want to travel someday, but I haven’t found a place to go to” Mafioso finally asked, voice quieter now. There was a beat of silence before the other replied, “Maybe…you could try-” 007n7 frowned, interrupting himself.
They slowed to a stop, standing at the corner of an empty intersection. A soft breeze carried the faint scent of rain, and for the first time that night, neither of them had anything to say. Instead, Mafioso just looked at him, the kind of look that lasted a second too long to be casual. He can’t help it, he was just too enchanting to not eat up every glance he could take off him.
“You keep staring at me like that, and I’m going to think you like me or something,” 007n7 teased, a smirk replacing his frown, he’s getting quite comfortable with him, that’s nice. Maybe he has a chance with him.
Mafioso supressed his inner desires, opting to huff out a laugh instead, shaking their head. “Maybe I do.” He cocks his head to the side, it was bold, said without hesitation. Yet it made something tighten in the air between them. Their gazes locked, and in that split second, he knew that this impulsive action he’s about to do, there was no turning back after he had done it.
Without thinking, Mafioso leaned in.
The kiss was hesitant at first, uncertain, but as soon as their lips met, something inside both of them unravelled. It was warm, a little clumsy, and tasted faintly of rain and whatever flavour of chapstick 007n7 used earlier. Neither pulled away. Instead, they sank into it, letting the city fade into the background.
But not every moment lasts forever. Without warning, 007n7 pushed him away— not harshly, but it still stung. Mafioso barely had time to process it, let alone speak, before he saw the man turn and run. His footsteps echoed once, twice, then grew faint, swallowed by the night.
Mafioso didn’t move. He just stood there, arms still slightly outstretched, as if the warmth might linger a second longer. As if pretending if he was stayed still, he might be able to attract 00n7 back.
Why did he run? Mafioso replayed the moment again and again in his head—the embrace, the quiet between them.
Was it too much? Too soon? Was it him? The worst part wasn’t the silence that followed. It was the familiar ache that curled up in its place. He’d felt it before— In the quiet after debt collecting turned sour, through cold rooms filled with half-truths and loaded guns, back when he was more reputation than man.
People always left eventually, he knew that, he just forgot how much it could still hurt when they did.
-
007n7 clocks out of his shift, no matter how great the pay is in builder brother’s pizza place, he can’t change how much of a headache it is when all of the staff there HATES him. The unhidden raging glares directed at him— hell, some are even deliberately leaving banana peels where he walks by often, causing him to fall and once he does, he gets MOCKED for it.
He’s so tired of those “We should put him as a poster up at the register. ‘If you disrespect staff, one day you will become staff.’”, “Ladies and gentlemen… give it up for Employee of the Fall!”, “Hope you clocked in. Wouldn’t want your paycheck to float like the cash register did on that incident.”, “Did you slip or is your son hacking the gravity settings again?”.
He tries again and again to brush those memories to the back of his mind. He freezes, now noticing the tall dark figure from the corner of his eye, he made his chest tighten with familiarity. Ah, it was the man from yesterday, how did he find him here the question barely had time to settle before the memory crashed back in. The kiss. The way it caught him off guard. The way he panicked, why did he run? It wasn’t because Mafioso was unattractive— God, no. He was anything but.
007n7 can’t help but to notice his eyes— those eyes. Yesterday, they were bright, striking even. Now... they looked different, softer. Perhaps he lost that spark when he ran away that night. He continues to stare at Mafioso, not noticing that he had inched closer towards him.
The moment 007n7 realized Mafioso had moved, he flinched—startled to find him suddenly right in front of him. “Dear… why did you leave me that time?” Mafioso asked, lips pouting just enough to sting. There was a kind of fragility in the way he looked at him, and it caught 007n7 completely off guard.
“I—uhm…” he stumbled, turning his head quickly to escape that piercing gaze. But Mafioso took the gesture as retreat. Hurt flickered in his eyes before he reached forward and pulled 007n7 into a firm hug, arms wrapping around him like he was trying to anchor himself to something that kept slipping away. “Don’t leave me again,” he murmured, voice low, almost cracking
“Yes! Right—right, I won’t this time. Promise!” 007n7 blurted, the words tumbling out faster than he could think. But even with the promise spoken, Mafioso didn’t let go. He only held him tighter, burying his face in the crook of 007n7’s neck as if he would leave again.
In that embrace, he felt something rare and quite staggering; affection without fear. To be wanted despite it all was something he didn’t know he’d ever get. Mafioso shows him its possible, that it was right here. 007n7 felt his heart clench at the realization, maybe just this time he could let himself fall again.
It didn't matter what happened would happen later—if he were to be hurt by him, broken and bleeding, that’s a problem for future him. What matters now is this moment in time, to be cherished until Mafioso would inevitably leave him—it was bound to happen, no one he loves could stay permanently with him, its just how it is with him. Bound to be left—ripped apart before being left to stitch himself together again just to be torn by someone else again.