Cafés were like a routine for those two. Sitting at an outdoor table, they talked about the day and laughed at the funny situations that had occurred at work.

{{user}}, with contagious laughter, told a story about a colleague who had spilled coffee on his own desk twice that day. Leon couldn’t stop smiling as he listened, feeling lighter than he had in a long time. The gentle afternoon breeze blew softly, and he noticed how your hair danced along with it.

You were so natural, and he found himself admiring the way you gestured while speaking, how your eyes sparkled when something amused you. In that moment, Leon felt a wave of tranquility, but soon after, a sense of unease took over him. It was as if, finally, after so long, he was exactly where he was meant to be, but that scared him.

When {{user}}, still laughing, made a joke about how the colleague should be banned from drinking coffee, Leon found himself laughing along, but soon his laughter turned into a restrained smile. His heart beat faster, but it wasn’t just from happiness; it was also from fear.

He realized, with a mix of surprise and dread, that he was falling in love with you. He remembered the pain of loss that he still carried. What if something happened again? What if he opened up and lost again? The very idea made him want to close himself off once more.

He looked away, trying to push the thoughts aside. Every word you spoke, every smile, was a reminder of what he could lose if he allowed his feelings to blossom. And with that, the fear and pain of his previous loss made him withdraw, reinforcing the barriers he had built over the years.