The rain had stopped by the time Luca left the bar. The streets were damp, streetlights glowing against the puddles. His shift had dragged on longer than usual, and the city felt quieter at this hour.
He tugged his hood up and walked down the empty road. The convenience store sat on the corner, its bright lights buzzing. Inside, the shelves smelled faintly of instant noodles and detergent. Luca grabbed a carton of milk and a pack of bread. Simple things. Enough to get by.
The clerk barely looked up when he paid. Luca didn’t mind. Silence was easier.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXKN0qxQ4S
The walk to his apartment wasn’t long. The building was plain, with peeling paint on the outside, but the small unit Daniel had found for him was clean. Warm. His own.
He kicked off his wet sneakers at the door and set the groceries on the counter. For a moment, he just stood in the living room. The place was quiet, the air smelling faintly of soap from the laundry he had hung earlier. The couch, the little table, the bed in the corner—it was nothing special, but it was his.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeE1eSxkjo
He headed to the bathroom, peeling off his clothes. The shower hissed to life, warm water washing the smoke and sweat of the night away. His skin still carried the sting from where the men had hit him under the bridge weeks ago. Sometimes he still felt it, even though the bruises had long faded.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkerTEn9CSk
Back in bed, Luca pulled the blanket up to his chest. He stared at the ceiling. His thoughts kept drifting back to Daniel.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQOkMVy2lC
The night Daniel had stopped his car, everything had changed. Daniel had given him more than food or warmth. He had given him a place to breathe. A chance to be something other than another lost boy on the street.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPqfhfTZo9
But lately… Daniel barely spoke to him. Their conversations were short, polite. Nothing like before. Maybe Daniel regretted helping him. Maybe it was embarrassing, being reminded of where he had found Luca in the rain, beaten and desperate.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwRiVwnAbp
Luca sighed, rolling to his side. The apartment felt too quiet. He hugged himself under the blanket, as if his arms could make up for the emptiness.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtzv3nd638h
He wondered what it felt like, having a family. Having someone who reached for you because they wanted to, not because they pitied you.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGBj9IOdHz
His eyes burned, but he blinked the feeling away. Sleep tugged at him slowly.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OkxdfZfAp
Loneliness filled the room as he drifted off, the sound of the city faint through the window.
~~~~~
Late morning light woke him. It slipped through the blinds, soft and pale. Luca stretched, blinking at the clock. Almost eleven. He groaned, dragging himself out of bed.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKHWNBlGGd
After a quick wash, he pulled on jeans and a clean shirt. His reflection in the mirror was pale, but the hazel of his eyes caught the light. He touched the small hoop on his bottom lip, twisting it with a faint smile. Today, he wanted a change.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6F5zGo5esL
At the salon, the woman behind the counter greeted him with a cheerful nod. Luca asked for a new ring. She replaced the old one with a slimmer hoop, polished and neat. He ran his tongue against it, liking the feel.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2mApr3rrh
Back outside, the streets were busier. People moved in quick steps, shops clattering open, voices sharp in the air. Luca walked faster, heading back to the Neon Bar.
The club always looked different in daylight. No crowd yet, only staff cleaning and setting up. Chairs stacked, glasses polished. Luca rolled up his sleeves and got to work, wiping tables, carrying boxes from the back.
By the time evening rolled around, the place had shifted. The lights dimmed, neon signs hummed alive, and country music poured from the speakers. Thursdays always drew couples; laughing, dancing, swaying close with drinks in hand.
Luca stood by the counter, wiping down glasses. Aria leaned next to him, gum popping, hair tied in a messy bun. She smirked as she watched him.
“Let’s play,” she said, nudging his arm.
“Play what?”
“Horoscope game. You know, guessing people’s signs based on what they order.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUex85Qs3wK
Luca laughed. “That’s stupid.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOcqbxrEx9
“Maybe,” she grinned, “but it kills time. Watch.” She pointed at a man ordering whiskey neat. “Scorpio. Intense, broody, probably cries at night.”
Luca snorted. “You’re terrible.”
“Your turn.”
He eyed a woman ordering a sweet cocktail. “Uh… Libra? She looks like she likes balance.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRAPMxP2z8
Aria clapped. “See? You’re getting it.”
They both laughed, the sound easy between them.But then the door opened. Luca’s laughter faded.
Daniel stepped in, dressed sharp in a navy suit, glasses catching the light. He looked out of place in the haze of neon and cheap beer. He always did.
Luca’s chest tightened, but he kept his eyes down, busying himself with the rag. Normally, Daniel would ask for him. But tonight, Daniel’s gaze moved past him. He beckoned to Sam instead.
Luca froze. Then forced himself to keep wiping the glass, pretending not to notice.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGMd1nhDd4
The TV behind the bar cut through the music suddenly. Breaking news flashed across the screen.
“Business tycoon and Minister of Defense, Charles Vale, was found dead last night. Sources say foul play is suspected. Early reports link the Volkov family to the incident. Authorities have not released a statement.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshBO3WMaTH
The bar grew quiet. Conversations slowed. Even the couples on the floor paused, eyes drawn to the screen.
The name hung in the air like a heavy stone. Volkov.
Then, slowly, the noise returned. Glasses clinked, music played, voices rose again. But the air felt different.
Luca’s hands tightened on the rag. His mind kept circling back. He swore that before the night ended, he’d ask Daniel about it.
And why he was avoiding him.
Daniel rose from his seat after finishing his drink. He pushed his glasses up, excused himself quietly, and walked toward the washrooms.
Luca’s heart beat faster. He wiped his hands on a towel, set the rag aside, and slipped away from the counter.
The hallway to the washrooms was narrow, the walls humming faintly with the bass of the music. Daniel stood by the sink, washing his hands, when Luca stepped inside.
“Daniel,” Luca said softly.
Daniel glanced up at the mirror. His face didn’t change, but there was a pause before he answered. “Luca. You should be working.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22bxk6qQrw
“I… I needed to ask you something.” Luca’s voice came out smaller than he intended. He took a step closer. “Why are you avoiding me?”
Daniel shut off the tap, drying his hands on a paper towel. “I’m not avoiding you.”
“You are.” Luca’s fingers curled at his sides. “You don’t talk to me anymore. You don’t look at me. Did I do something wrong?”
Silence filled the space, broken only by the muffled beat of country music outside. Daniel folded the paper towel carefully before tossing it away.
When he finally spoke, his voice was low. “It isn’t you. It’s me.”
Luca frowned. “That’s what people say when they don’t want to explain.”
Daniel turned toward him. The harsh bathroom light caught the sharp lines of his face. For a moment, his usual calm cracked, and something uneasy flickered in his eyes.
“I’ve been keeping my distance,” Daniel admitted. “Because I realized something I didn’t want to. I care for you more than I should.”
Luca blinked. His chest tightened. “What do you mean?”
Daniel adjusted his glasses, a nervous habit. “At first, I thought it was just… protective instincts. You were young, lost, and I wanted to help. But lately, it feels different. And that makes me question myself.”
The words sank in slowly. Luca stared, hardly able to breathe.
“So you’ve been avoiding me… because you think what you feel isn’t real?”
“Yes.” Daniel’s gaze dropped. “I didn’t want to approach you with feelings born from pity. That would be shallow. And unfair to you.”
Luca’s throat felt tight. He had spent so many nights wondering if Daniel regretted taking him in, if Daniel thought he was nothing but a burden. But now…
His heart thudded. “Daniel… I don’t think it’s shallow.” His voice shook, but he forced the words out. “Because I like you too. I’ve liked you for a while.”
Daniel froze, lifting his eyes to him.
Luca took a small step closer. His hands trembled, but he clasped them together. “I thought you were embarrassed of me. I thought maybe I reminded you of where I came from. But if it’s because you’re afraid it’s not real… then I need you to know it is. At least for me.”
For the first time in weeks, Daniel’s expression softened. A trace of warmth broke through his guarded composure.
“You… have a crush on me?”
Luca flushed. “Y-yeah. I do.”
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDzQErKeWr
Daniel let out a quiet breath, almost a laugh. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, as if scolding himself. Then his eyes met Luca’s again, steady this time.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxYSH8WdLa
“Then maybe we should stop avoiding it.”
Luca’s chest felt lighter, the tension that had sat heavy on him easing.
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWaVoU9xNS1
“Does that mean…?”
Daniel gave a small nod. “If you’re sure. We could try. Go out. Date.”
The word felt strange, almost fragile, but Luca’s lips curved into a smile.
“Yeah,” he whispered. “I want that.”
The bathroom light buzzed above them, the music outside picking up in rhythm. For a brief moment, it felt like the world had stilled just for them.
Then Daniel adjusted his glasses again, pulling his composure back into place. “We’ll talk later. For now, finish your shift. I’ll see you after.”
Luca nodded quickly, his cheeks warm. He watched Daniel leave, his footsteps steady down the hall.
Alone, Luca pressed a hand to his chest. His heart wouldn’t calm.For the first time in a long time, the loneliness in his small apartment didn’t feel so heavy.
Luca slipped back into the bar, his apron brushing against his legs. The music had shifted to something livelier, couples twirling across the sticky floor, laughter rising above the twang of guitars.
He moved behind the counter, picking up glasses, stacking them, anything to keep his hands busy. Aria caught sight of him and narrowed her eyes.
“What’s with the face?” she asked, popping her gum.
“What face?” Luca tried to play it off, but the heat in his cheeks betrayed him.
Aria grinned like a cat. “Oh, that face. The ‘I-just-saw-my-crush’ face. Spill it, pretty boy.”
“Shut up,” Luca muttered, scrubbing harder at a glass than necessary. But he couldn’t stop the small smile tugging at his lips.
Across the room, Daniel had returned to his corner. He was speaking quietly to someone on the phone, his expression unreadable, his suit immaculate under the shifting neon.
The TV above the bar flickered again, still tuned to the news. The anchor’s voice carried over the noise for a moment:
14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvZo5WtKj9
and then Add to home screen.