disc/q5KWmtQARF

  Join my Discord!

  Diego strolled through the bustling streets of Florida, a faint smile tugging at the er of his lips as he soaked in the vibrant atmosphere around him. The sun hung zily in the sky, casting warm, golden rays that reflected off the gssy storefronts and rippled across the surface of the nearby o. The humidity g to his skin, causing a thin sheen of perspiration to gather on his forehead, but he didn't mind. It art of the experience.

  He nodded and smiled at a couple walking by, their ughter bubbling up into the air as they passed. A vendor to his left waved enthusiastically, showg a colorful array of trihat glittered uhe sunlight. Diego stopped for a moment, ied in the wares, his fingers brushing over a beaded bracelet as he exged pleasantries with the vendor. The small talk was easy, effortless—something he could do in his sleep.

  After a few minutes, he tinued dowreet, his hands sliding into the pockets of his light linen pants as he casually sed his surroundings. The familiar aroma of roasted coffee beans wafted through the air, drawing him to a quaint café led between twer buildings. Its outdoor seating area was shaded by a rge green awning, and Diego slipped into one of the wicker chairs with a satisfied sigh.

  As the waitress approached, he ordered an iced Amerio, the thought of the cool drink making him smile wider. A drop of sweat slid down the side of his face, and he wiped it away with the back of his hand, leaning bato the chair as he waited.

  It wasn’t long before his drink arrived, a tall gss filled with dark liquid and king ice cubes. Diego took a sip, the bitterness refreshing against the lingeri of the day. He allowed himself a moment of peace, just enjoying the simplicity of it all—the people, the he casual normality of it.

  As Diego sipped his iced Amerio, the cold bitteringling pleasantly on his tongue, he allowed himself a brief moment of nostalgia. It wasn’t often he could indulge in the simple pleasure of just existing in a pce like this, without a care in the world. He closed his eyes, sav the sensation of the cold drink cutting through the Florida heat. His thoughts drifted, zy and unhurried, much like the waves rolling in the distance.

  Opening his eyes, Diego caught sight of a woman sitting at a nearby table. She had blonde hair that gleamed uhe sun, and even from where he sat, he could see the striking blue of her eyes. There was something about her that caught his attention, something beyond her looks. It was the way she carried herself—straight-backed, posed, yet entirely at ease. The strength she radiated wasn’t in her physique but in her presehe kind of quiet fidehat made you take notice.

  Diego immediately felt a little self-scious, realizing he had been practically grinning like a kid over his drink moments before. He wiped his hand across his mouth, as if erasing any remnants of his earlier childish delight. Catg her eye for a brief sed, he offered a polite smile, ohat didn’t quite reach the casual fidence he usually carried himself with. The woman raised an eyebrow, just slightly, before returning to her own drink, some kind of iced tte by the looks of it. Diego quickly turned away, feeling oddly bashful.

  His gaze settled ba the café around him. People came a, chatting and ughing, their voices blending into a soft hum. Diego took another sip of his drink, trying to focus on the normalcy of it all.

  "Get a grip, Diego," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head with a chuckle. It wasn’t like him to get flustered so easily. Maybe it was the heat, or maybe he was just out of practice. He leaned ba his chair, letting the ess of the drink soothe him once more. Whatever it was, he’d shake it off soon enough.

  When Diego’s eyes were drawn back to the blonde woman, he caught the subtle curve of her lips—barely a smile, but it was enough. His heart sank a bit as he realized she must have heard his muttered ent. It wasn’t often that he felt embarrassed, but this... well, this was one of those rare moments. He froze, feeling a flush creep up his neck, but quickly smothered the rea, reminding himself that this art of the pn. He was here to leave an impression, after all.

  She didn’t look away this time. Her eyes, a striking shade of blue that reminded him of the Mediterranea his without hesitation. There was no disfort on her part, no awkwardness—just quiet curiosity. She had caught him in a moment of unguarded humanity, and now she was waiting to see how he’d ha.

  Diego smiled at her, a slow, easy grin that hi both amusement and something deeper, though he kept it all subtle. He leaned ba his chair, the picture of calm fidence, as if he had all the time in the world. He didn’t rush, didn’t force the moment—just let it happen naturally, like he was simply enjoying the day.

  "Funny how this heat has a way of making you rethink your life choices, huh?" His voice was smooth, the kind that slipped effortlessly into versation, pulling people in without them even realizing it.

  The woman didn’t respond immediately. She tilted her head slightly, her eyes appraising him with a flicker of i, perhaps curiosity. Diego wasn’t in a hurry for a reply. He took another sip of his Amerio, letting the sileretch just long enough to be fortable, not awkward.

  "It does have that effect," she finally said, her tone measured, yet not unfriendly.

  Diego nodded as if her words carried profound wisdom. "Especially when you find yourself in a pce like this. It’s like the world just slows down a little, gives you space to think… or not think. Whichever you need." He chuckled softly, more to himself than anything, as if he were amused by his own musings. It wasn’t forced, just genuine enough to seem real.

  He let his gaze wander over the café briefly, before bringing it back to her. "You don’t look like someone who gets caught up ihinking. More like the type who knows exactly what they want, and how to get it." The words were simple, almost offhand, but the pliment was there, wovely into the versation. He knew better than to overpy it. Just enough to he door open, see if she’d walk through.

  The woman’s lips curved into a faint smile, barely noticeable unless you were watg for it. Diego was watg. "Maybe," she said, her voice steady, giving nothing away. Her eyes, though, held a flicker of something else. Amusement? I? It was hard to tell, and that art of the game. But Diego could py this game all day if he o.

  "’t say I bme you," he tinued, his toill light. "This pce has a way of drawing out the truth in people. Maybe it's the heat, or the o… or just good coffee." He raised his gss slightly in a mock toast before taking another sip, letting the siletle again. No pressure, no expectations. Just a simple moment shared between twers—or at least that’s what it seemed like.

  She didn’t bite immediately, and that was fine. Diego wasn’t the type to push. He’d id the groundwork, and now he’d let her decide what to do with it. He leaned back further, letting the wicker chair creak under his weight as he took imosphere again, the casual hum of the café and the distant sound of waves breaking against the shore. His fingers drummed lightly on the side of his gss, just a faint rhythm to pass the time.

  After a few more seds, she broke the silence again. "You seem awfully rexed for someohinking their life choices," she remarked, her tone carrying a hint of challenge, but nothing overtly frontational. It was subtle, like everything about her.

  Dieged lightly, letting a small smirk tug at his lips. "I guess I’ve learhat w too much about deakes them harder. Sometimes it’s better to just… let things unfold. Trust that the right choice will show itself eventually. Besides," he added, leaning forward slightly as if sharing a secret, "I’m pretty good at nding on my feet."

  Her blue eyes flickered with something, perhaps reition of the fidence behind his words, or maybe just the sehat he was someone used to navigating life’s twists and turns without breaking a sweat. Whatever it was, she didn’t dismiss him, and that was a win in his book.

  "You make it sound easy," she said, her voice a bit softer now, though still guarded.

  Diego chuckled again, a low sound that was more a vibration in his chest than a ugh. "Oh, it’s not. Not by a long shot. But I figure if you pretend it is long enough, you might just start believing it yourself." He let that hang in the air for a moment, watg her rea. Then, as if shifting gears, he added, "Though I imagine you’ve got your own way of dealing with things. You strike me as someone who’s pretty good at handling whatever life throws at you."

  This time, her smile was a bit more pronouhough still restrained. "I manage," she said simply.

  Diego nodded as if that settled the matter. "Yeah, I see that." He gnced around the café again, as if notig something for the first time. "You know, this pce is a bit of a hidden gem. Not too crowded, good coffee, det view. Nice spot to catch your breath." He gestured vaguely toward the o beyond the buildings. "But then again, you probably already khat."

  She didn’t answer right away, but there was a small shift in her posture, a slight easing of the guardedness she’d shown at the start. Diego didn’t need more than that. He could tell she was warming up to the versation, even if she wasn’t showing it overtly.

  "Must be o have the time to sit and reflect," she said, almost casually, but there was a note of curiosity in her voiow.

  Diego gave a light shrug, the gesture deliberately nont. "It has its perks. But I think it’s less about time and more about taking the moments when you find them. Even in the busiest of days, there’s always a moment… if you know where to look." He g her agaiing her gaze directly. "But I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that."

  Her eyes held his for a long moment before she finally spoke again. "Maybe not. But it’s always o hear it from someone who gets it."

  Diego allowed a satisfied smile to form on his lips. He could feel the shift in the dynamic betweehe subtle but undeniable ge in the air. The versation was flowing now, the tension easing. She wasn’t quite an open book, but the pages were turning, and that was more than enough for Diego to keep reading.

  As the versation drifted into more casual topics—small observations about the café, the city, even a brief mention of the weather—Diego maintaihe same rexed demeanor, his responses measured and thoughtful. He didn’t press for more than she offered, just matched her pace, keeping the rhythm of their exge steady and unhurried.

  Diego could feel her gaze subtly trag his every move, a quiet, analytical attention that didn’t betray any impatience. She was trying to piece him together, figure out if he was more than just a man lounging in a café, effortlessly stringing words into a versatio her observe, knowing full well that mystery art of the appeal. It wasn’t about hiding—it was about letting her discover enough to stay curious.

  He leaned back, letting the wicker chair creak again, his fingers idly trag the rim of his gss. The sun caught the ice as it melted, casting a soft shimmer across the table. "You know," he began, his voice easy, unhurried, "I think I uimated this pce. Florida has its charm."

  There ause, and then a faint chuckle from her dire. "Uimated? That's not something I’d expect to hear from someone who seems to have everything under trol."

  Diego tilted his head, giving her a pyful smirk. "Ah, but that’s the trick, isn’t it? Knowing when to let go of trol. Sometimes the best moments e from what you don’t pn for."

  The subtle shift in her posture, the way her fingers rexed around her cup, told him more than words could. There was a flicker of something in her eyes, a spark that Diego immediately reized. Challenge accepted, it seemed. She set her drink down carefully, folding her hands in front of her as she finally spoke again, her voice calm, measured.

  "I see yay," she remarked, her toher acg nor dismissive. Just stating a fact, or at least what she thought was one. "But why are y to flirt with me?"

  Diego didn’t flinch, didn’t miss a beat. A slow, amused smile spread across his face as he leaned forward slightly, log eyes with her. "Flirting?" he echoed, his voice carrying a soft note of surprise. "I’m just being friendly. Maybe the heat’s making me seem more charming than usual."

  The er of her mouth twitched, just barely. She wasn’t buying it, but she wasirely pushing it away either. Diego let the moment simmer before tilting his head slightly, his gaze steady and pyful. "But now you’ve got me curious. What made you assume I’m gay?"

  She didn’t answer right away, and that sileold Diego more than any words could. When she finally did speak, her tone was thoughtful, her words deliberate. "I’m good at reading people. And you’ve got that... ease about you. Like you don’t o prove anything."

  Diego smiled teasingly, letting the moment hang in the air. “Well, what if I’m married? Loyal to my wife, and that’s why I don’t feel the o prove anything.” His tone was light, almost pyful, as if he were tossing the idea out there just to see how she'd react.

  The woman didn’t miss a beat. Her gaze flicked to his left hand, lingering just long enough for Diego to notice. "N," she pointed out calmly, a faint smirk pying at her lips. "If you were so loyal, you’d carry it. And even if you fot it today, there’d be a mark. But there isn’t."

  Diego’s grin wide that, a spark of amusement lighting up his eyes. "So you checked my finger?" He leaned back slightly, a soft chuckle esg his lips. "You’re observant. I’ll give you that."

  She didn’t respond immediately, but Diego could see the hint of a smile tugging at the er of her lips. He decided to press on, keeping his tone light, versational. "And you’re quite fident in your looks, I see. Assuming any man would feel the o prove something just by sitting across from you."

  There was a brief silence, ohat Diego let linger, enjoying the subtle tension that had built between them. He could tell she was sidering her response carefully, and that made the moment all the more intriguing. He raised his gss to his lips, taking a slow sip as he waited, his eyes never leaving hers.

  When she finally spoke, her voice was measured, a touch of humor in it. "fidence isn’t a crime, is it?"

  Diego shook his head, a low chuckle rumbling in his chest. "Hopefully not, otherwise I'd be guilty." He raised his hand dramatically, adding a bit of fir to his words. The woman’s ugh, soft and genuine, broke through the temosphere like the first drop of rain after a drought. Diego’s smile widened, letting her ughter soak into the moment, settliween them like a shared secret.

  “So you admit I was right?” she teased, her voice carrying just the fai hint of challenge.

  Diego grihe kind that came with a fsh of teeth, quid disarming. “I admit that I’m gay, sure. But flirting? That’s up for debate.” He paused, his eyes twinkling with a pyful glint. “Let’s just say I prefer a more... direct approach if I’m ied.”

  That earned him a raised brow and another subtle curve of her lips. She wasn’t buying his innoce, but that was fine. He wasn’t here to sell it anyway. The fun was i-quite-said, the spaces between words where possibilities lingered.

  Diego leaned ba his chair, the wicker creaking in protest beh him as he rexed into the versatio the sileretch out for a beat, then two, sav the shift in the air. She didn’t seem unfortable with it, whily intrigued him more. Most people rushed to fill silences, afraid of what might emerge if they didn’t. But not her. She was tent to let things simmer, to see where they went without f them.

  He tilted his head slightly, studying her. “You know,” he began, his tone casual, almost versational, “you’ve got a knack for reading people. I’m impressed.”

  She shrugged, not taking the bait for fttery, but Diego noticed the subtle shift in her expression. He could tell she liked that he noticed, even if she wasn’t going to ht admit it. “It’s a skill,” she said simply, but there was more behind those words. Diego could se.

  “A skill like that... it’s gotta e in handy.” Diego’s voice lowered slightly, almost spiratorial. “Helps you stay a step ahead of the game, doesn’t it?”

  Her eyes narrowed, just a fra, but she didn’t look away. Diego could feel her weighing his words, assessing him, trying to decide if this was just another line or if there was something more beh it.

  Finally, she responded, her tone measured but not dismissive. “Maybe. Or maybe it’s just about staying in the moment, paying attention.”

  Diego nodded, a small smile pying at the er of his lips. “That’s fair. The moment’s where the magic happens, after all.” He paused, his gaze drifting back to the café for a moment before returning to her. “But I’ve gotta admit, I’m curious. What do you see when you look at me?”

  She didn’t answer right away, and Diego could almost hear the gears turning in her mind. He wasn’t trying to be coy—he genuinely wao know. Her perspective, her analysis. It art of the game, but it was also more than that. He liked seeing how people saw him. It told him as much about them as it did about himself.

  After a few beats, she tilted her head slightly, as if sidering her response carefully. “I see someone who’s used to getting what he wants,” she said finally, her voice even. “But someone who doesn’t take himself too seriously. You’re not reckless, but you’re not afraid to take risks either.”

  Diego’s smile deepened, not because of what she said, but because of how she said it. Direct, fident, but with enough space for doubt. She wasn’t itting to a full analysis, just a piece of the puzzle. He liked that. It made him want to offer something back, to see how she’d ha.

  “Not bad,” he replied, his voice light. “But I’ll tell you a secret... I’m not always in trol. I just make it look that way.”

  The look she gave him was sharp, curious, probing. Diego held her gaze, a faint smile pying on his lips, but he didn’t flinch. He knew she was searg for somethih the surface, trying to peel back the yers he’d so carefully pced. He wasn’t going to make it easy for her, but he also wasn’t hiding. It was all right there—if she had the eyes to see it.

  She didn’t look away. Her eyes flicked over him, taking in the casual fiden the way he sat, the easy manner in which he hahe silence. Finally, with a subtle gesture, she motioned for him to joi her table. It was a small movement, barely more than a tilt of her head, but it was all the invitation he needed.

  Diego didn’t rush. He took his time, standing sloig up his drink before strolling over to her table with the same unhurried grace that had drawtention in the first pce. He slid into the chair across from her, setting his gss down with a quiet k.

  For a moment, he just looked at her, letting the tension haween them, unspoken but palpable. His smile softened, being menuine, less of a mask. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and easy, the kind that could make someone lean in without realizing it.

  Diego lightly touched his forehead, brushing back a stray lock of hair with a small, disarming smile. "Where are my manners?" His tone was casual but warm, the words slipping out effortlessly as if they’d been part of the versation all along. "Diego, Diego Martinez."

  He extended his hand, not too formal, just a simple gesture te the gap between them. His eyes remaieady on hers, a glint of easy fidence mixed with genuine curiosity. He wasn’t trying too hard—just letting the moment unfold, trusting that she’d meet him halfway if she wao.

  For a heartbeat, there was silehe kind that thrummed with unspoken possibilities. Then, with a slight tilt of her head and a measured look that revealed just a hint of amusement, she took his hand.

  “Carol. Carol Danvers.”

  --

  Please rate and review! Much appreciated! Leave a ent, tell me what you think!

  To Read up to 50 advance Chapters (25 for eaovel) and support me...

  patreon./thefanficgod1

  Please drop a ent and like the chapter!