The entrance seemed to broaden as Blaine stepped through. His soft, blush-pink shirt draped gently over his shoulders, and his ivory trousers were flawlessly matched with shoes reflecting the light like a mirror.
Yet, it was his face that captivated Rava, illuminated by that unmistakable smile.
Not just any smile, but his.
The evening, previously bleak and grey, suddenly became warmer, as though someone had ignited the sun in the heart of autumn.
"What brings you here on your day off?" Ivi's voice cut through the air as she emerged from the storeroom, a box of coffee beans cradled in her arms.
Blaine gestured dramatically with his arms.
"Couldn't stay put— you know how it goes," he declared, scratching at his forearm as though it itched. "I get antsy if I'm still for too long. Figured I'd offer a hand with tidying up, but…" - his gaze scanned the impeccably organized café - "...it seems you've done just fine without me."
Iris scoffed and folded her arms.
"Aha! So that's it," she exclaimed, shaking her head with playful amusement in her eyes. "Feeling a tad guilty about being the only one with a day off after last night's… festivities?"
Blaine laughed — a sound so charming that even Ivi couldn't help returning the smile.
"Alright, alright, you got me," he admitted before directing his gaze towards Rava. And in that instance, something changed in his features. Barely noticeable, scarcely there, yet enough to make Rava's heartbeat falter in its rhythm.
"Rava."
"Yes?" he answered in a flash, nearly interrupting him, and inwardly cursed himself. Idiot. Couldn't even wait a heartbeat?
A tell-tale blush rose on his cheeks and climbed his neck.
Blaine either missed it or pretended not to.
"Care for a stroll?"
"Yes!" Rava blurted out even more quickly than before, and internally groaned. Why couldn't he just hold back for a moment?
He sprang up from his chair so abruptly it nearly fell over.
"Just a second!" he called, already hurrying towards the storeroom to retrieve his jacket.
Silence descended behind him. Iris and Ivy remained frozen, their mouths agape, sharing a knowing look.
"You… mentioned you'd lock up yourselves!" Rava shouted from the back, even though he was only a few steps away. "So… catch you later!"
Blaine waited at the door, his smile deepening with warmth. As Rava appeared, a little out of breath, he extended his hand.
"Shall we?"
Rava nodded, unable to trust his voice any longer.
A gentle breeze of early фгегьт rustled yellow leaves about their feet. The sweet aroma of popcorn from the neighboring park hung in the air.
Rava inhaled deeply, sensing his anxieties start to melt away, settling somewhere deep within.
He checked his watch—still forty minutes before his stream was scheduled to begin.
"I believe," Blaine declared, lifting his face towards the trees overhead, "early autumn is possibly my most cherished season."
"Me too," Rava responded automatically, and mentally scolded himself for the thoughtless falsehood.
Blaine chuckled, a warm sound that echoed perfectly against the golden silence that enveloped them.
"Really? I always thought you leaned towards the winter season, more."
Rava faltered. How could he see through me so completely?
With his hands thrust deep into his denim jacket pockets, he muttered, "I do like winter, actually."
"With hair like yours," Blaine teased, giving a playful tug to a strand, "I'm certain you stay nice and warm throughout the cold."
Rava laughed, a warmth blooming across his cheeks. They were walking closely together, their shoulders occasionally brushing.
He still didn't fully grasp why Blaine had chosen to come today.
Perhaps the café had just been a pretense.
Or perhaps… perhaps he genuinely simply desired to be in his company?
The thought tightened something within his chest—something tender and subdued.
Then, Blaine abruptly stopped and turned to him.
"I wanted to talk."
"Oh?"
Rava felt his body stiffen without conscious effort. His fingers clenched into fists, fingernails biting into his palms.
He knew what was likely coming - the park, that night... the way he had fled.
"I owe you an apology."
Blaine looked away, his gaze fixed on the park stretching before them.
"I crossed a boundary. I shouldn't have interfered in your personal life—or touched your phone like that. It was reckless. I'm sorry."
When he turned back to face him, a hint of sadness flickered in his eyes.
Rava's hand twitched, as though it wanted to reach out to him—but at the final moment, he tightened it into a fist.
"I'm the one who should be apologizing," he said softly.
"I overreacted. And... I shouldn't have run off like that."
Blaine nodded. His smile returned, not his customary bright, carefree grin, but something gentler, quieter. Then, unexpectedly, he put an arm around Rava's shoulder.
And that was the sum of it.
Rava's mind promptly entered a state of complete chaos.
SOS!
SOS!
SOS!
He could feel Blaine's warmth through the fabric of his shirt, the faint trace of his woody cologne.
His heart was pounding so fast it was difficult to draw breath.
He jerked away, nearly lost his balance.
But Blaine either didn't notice, or chose not to.
Instead, he seamlessly transitioned into inconsequential chatter.
"City's a mess this time of year, wouldn't you agree?" he said casually. "Rain practically every other day. And don't even get me started on autumn fashion - trench coats and damp shoes. Look at those poor souls!"
He gestured at passersby with mock severity.
Rava nodded in agreement, feigning attentiveness, but his mind was elsewhere.
He hugged me. Just a friendly hug. But I… I longed for more than that.
Blaine, meanwhile, was now chatting cheerfully about snow and picturesque winter getaways.
"There's this spot just outside of town," he was saying, "where the snow accumulates like a scene from a movie. We should go together, once it snows!"
But Rava wasn't listening.
He was preoccupied with Blaine's hand on his shoulder.
How near his face had been.
How deeply he desired to kiss him.
"Do you have a girlfriend?"