Chapter Text
"Hi, I'm Emma, how can I help you?"
With a cheerful smile, the waitress greeted the new guests, who adopted the smile as if infected.
"Hello Emma, nice to meet you. Two coffees for us to start and .... mhh wait a minute. Do you have an idea yet, Eden?"
"No, but I'm sure you can recommend something," Eden turned to Emma. "What would you say is the special of the day?"
"My friend and colleague always says it's the apple pie, but if I'm being honest, the chocolate mousse strawberry cake is the real standout. It's so unassuming, but the filling is a treat."
"With a recommendation like that, I can't resist, I'll take it."
"Me too. Thank you, Emma."
After noting the order, Emma disappeared behind the counter.
Smiling, Ortega watched as Eden looked around the entire bakery once more, then stood up briefly to take a closer look at the pictures of the windows' views of mediterranean landscapes. He nodded again to Emma, who was busy with the coffee machine, before sitting back down and looking into a still smiling face.
"The pictures are beautiful, the view is so peaceful. It must be nice to live in a place like this. Have you ever been to an area like that?"
"No, not yet, but it's tempting." Gently, Ortega's fingertips dance over the back of Eden's hand. "Maybe one day we'll make it there together. An afternoon with you is already my highlight of the week, I imagine exploring the world with you would be wonderful."
"I'm sure there are many who would mind me whisking away the city's hero for weeks of travel." He turned his hand so that Ortega's landed in his and was suddenly the one being held. "But I'm sure no one will mind some nice afternoons."
A comforting warmth crept through Ortega's chest, the feeling of being held, of feeling affection, was almost foreign to him. The warmth intensified when Emma came to the table with the tray, but Eden didn't pull his hand away, remaining with his as a matter of course.
"Here are your sweet treats. My boy friend likes the cake too." Emma nodded at the man who seemed to be waiting for her in front of the counter, flowers in hand, and nodded back in a friendly manner.
Ortega didn't look at the man behind him for long, he was too focused on the feeling of warmth enveloping his hand and was glad that Eden was taking over this conversation. Ortega enjoyed every moment of it.
"Looks like he didn't just come for the cake, he even brought flowers. Oh, and that shirt goes perfectly with your necklace pendant! It's a cute way to show togetherness."
Emma turned pale, her cheerfulness disappeared, and she stammered slightly before hurrying back to the counter. "Yeah, sure, that's nice. Enjoy your meal."
"Did I say something wrong?"
"Not that I noticed, you were friendly as always." This time, Ortega turned his head curiously toward the sales floor and spotted the man in the striking shirt, which clearly had the same pattern as the pendant on the necklace.
The conversation at the counter grew louder until the first words could be heard clearly at the table, then the volume dropped to a whisper until the intensity of the conversation increased again.
Ortega could tell that it was about the shirt and its provenance, but he preferred to focus on his counterpart. They put their heads close together over the table and whispered so as not to disturb the young couple's conversation.
"Apparently, the origin of the shirt is not clear. You've given her an idea she wasn't aware of."
"What do you think is going on? It doesn't sound like the answer is as simple as 'I bought it myself.'"
"Maybe she doesn't even like the necklace and is annoyed by this pattern." Amused, Ortega watched as his friend's eyes swept past him, unobtrusively but excitedly trying to notice every detail.
"Did you see the flowers? They're not from a garden center, they're a cheap bouquet from a gas station. Still fresh, so bought at the last moment before he got here."
"Impressive combination. A guilty conscience, perhaps?" For a moment, a shadow of memories flashed through Ortega's mind, watching people together, excitedly guessing together what they were thinking. With someone who could enlighten them if they were right. He quickly pushed the memory away and reached for Eden's other hand, something to hold on to, stability that wouldn't disappear like a memory.
"That could be. Maybe that's why he's wearing the shirt that matches her outfit? Did the effort he put in betray him?" Without hesitation, Eden's hands remained on Ortega's as he spoke, their faces close enough that they could feel each other's breath.
"Maybe we should leave and let them work out their problem on their own."
When Eden's eyes met his again, Ortega planted a kiss on his nose, grinning as he noticed the blushing cheeks.
There was a brief flash of realization in Eden's eyes, as if he had just become aware of the extreme closeness, but he didn't pull away, to Ortega's relief.
"You're right. Although I don't like to leave a mystery unsolved."
Ortega placed more than enough money on the small table and was about to put his hand on Eden's back to walk with him to the door, but he turned back to the table once more.
"Wait. I need to take someone with me." Gently, he guided a small beetle from the flower that served as a table decoration into his protective hands. "We'll take the little one outside. A small bakery might be a cozy place for us, but for him it's a prison." Then he smiled at Ortega and quickly walked outside to release the tiny creature into the open.
Another dark cloud of memories shifted in front of Ortega's mind, fogging him until he was outside, where an open hand waited for him to create new and brighter ones.