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THROUGH A FRACTURED EXISTENCE, TO THE RHYTHM OF ETERNITY.
IL MATTINO
Il Mattino is an Italian cafe sidled between a bookstore and a jewelry boutique in small but popular business district, just a downhill walk from the local non-denominational Christian church and residential area. The ocean is less than a ten minute drive away and within view in the distance. The area is cool even when the sun is at its apex at noon with a tinge of sea salt in the breeze.
The cafe itself is medium-sized with plenty of light let in with the large storefront windows. The decor is simple, but accented with key decor with wheat centerpieces and plants. There are some trinkets that are displayed that may look out of place, like atop the charging counter there's a sliding puzzle painted in pink, orange, yellow, blue, purple, and all shades in between.
The cafe specializes in coffee and brunch, though pastries are sourced from local Italian bakeries in downtown Little Italy.
While the establishment has two floors, the cafe takes up the ground floor. There is a yard for some reason, but that's because there are four dogs. They're kept separate from the cafe to make sure patrons are not disturbed, but people are free to go outside to pet them. Reviews have mentioned the owner lives on the second floor and the dogs' names are Harold, Olive, Vera, and Rocco.
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His face feels hot, so he ends up covering his whole face with his hand. What was the point of looking at him while talking to him now? ]
I can still check into a 24/7 motel.
[ Sure, he was a bit drowsy earlier, but now he's so wired. It would be impossible to sleep. ]
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Enough. Go to your room.
[ You're grounded. Dogs, please help him. ]
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All the dogs are gathered here today, sensing they're needed, and look up at Adolphe while Vera noses Jacopo a bit. What do you need them to do?
By the way, instead of going to his room he starts getting comfortable on the couch and also faces his back toward them. The role reversal. ]
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[ He sounds so exasperated. ]
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The dogs watch this like what will happen? Where are we sleeping? Olive will take the plastic bag to put it on the coffee table, though. ]
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Okay, everyone. Follow me.
[ To the dogs. Jacopo doesn't get a say. ]
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Adolphe.
[ WITH SUCH KILLING INTENT, but the dogs all softly bark happily as they follow!! ]
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[ He replies very evenly as he goes inside the bedroom and places Jacopo on the bed and puts the blanket over him. Do not attempt to escape. ]
Good night.
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[ Grumbled quietly as he's carried in, looking away the whole time. Embarrassing.
Tucked in, he just glares at him... Then bundles into a ball with the blanket. Rocco and Vera hop onto the bed, leaving the two dogs looking up at Adolphe expectantly. ]
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[ He says quite dryly, wondering if this would help Jacopo feel less embarrassed. He thinks that but he reaches over to gently pat Jacopo's head with his good hand, then proceeds to pet the other dogs too.
He is going to tidy up the living room and go to sleep on the couch. Adolphe thinks that Jacopo didn't mean to blurt that out, so he will leave the decision of what to do about it to Jacopo the next day. ]
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Harold and Olive whine a bit that Adolphe isn't joining, but they understand the mood is weird. They follow him along the house and sleep with him near the couch when he finally rests.
Morning comes... It is Sunday... And obviously Jacopo is going to sleep in quite late, but Rocco and Vera nudges the door open to greet everyone else in the living room. Bork bork. ]
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It's a peaceful morning. ]
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Around noon, they balefully stare at the door because they'd like to frolic outside in the yard downstairs.
Eventually, Jacopo will wake up, sluggishly do his morning routine except it's afternoon, and quietly appear whether Adolphe takes them out of not... Sometime in the middle of the night, he changed into some lounge clothes, but in spite of that still looks weary around the eyes.
He gets himself a cup of water... Sees this other cup of water... Looks at his own cup of water... Does math that this is probably Adolphe's full cup of water, so he shouldn't touch it. ]
Morning.
[ Like usual, except he has a massive hangover. ]
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Morning.
[ It's the afternoon. He glances over and... oh. ]
That cup is for you.
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Thanks.
[ Hovers around it if it's in the kitchen, or if it's in the living room he will take a seat on the couch on the side closest.
He sips the cup of water in hand as the silence stretches. For him it feels like forever, but maybe it's just been a minute. ]
About... Yesterday.
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[ He says that first, before letting his mind catch up with what that really means. It means they'll have to talk about what happened last night unless Jacopo feels like swerving topics last minute.
But Adolphe will take this as a gesture that Jacopo actually does want to talk about what happened the day before. ]
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If they weren't basically living together, Jacopo would have glossed it over and added some distance so things could go back to normal. ]
You... Must feel uncomfortable—and I'm sorry for blurting that out. I had a lot of alcohol, but that was still out of line.
[ He wanted this place to be safe for Adolphe, so it weighs on him that he might have destroyed it. Rubs his face, ashamed all over again. ]
If you wanted to leave and never see me again, I'd understand. I can help you find a place.
[ This really escalated to assumptions, but he's prone to doing that. ]
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If I wanted to leave, I would have already left while you were sleeping. But I didn't. So I'm fine staying here. I know that you know better about things too, so I'm not worried about it.
[ ... ]
But me? Really?
[ It still feels surreal. ]
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Reassured, yet still ashamed and embarrassed is a good summary. He finishes his first cup of water and reaches for the second, keeping his eyes anywhere else in the room. ]
Is it really so surprising...
[ Grumbly. Perhaps
he had a crush for a while
and had been hiding it for a while,
but also did everything he could to hide it.
Okay, maybe it is surprising? While he thinks his poker face is very good, he doesn't know if someone could see through him. Maria did, very easily. Ugh. ERGHHH. ]
I—suppose... I was also surprised. [ Swirls his cup of water just to do something like a restless idiot. ] When it happened.
But... Yes. You.
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But he's also surprised that it's still him. It's him? Why? He can't fathom it. He could never fathom being loved like that by anyone. ]
... I'm not sure what to say.
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The good thing is that you don't need to say anything.
[ Jacopo isn't asking him to do anything. They're just both here, having to accept a truth, but it doesn't need to be about that. They have a whole day left, their whole lives ahead, and they can spend it however they want... They can forget this happened. ]
But I did mean what I said and I don't want you to forget.
[ Contrary to his idle thoughts about ignoring it all, he's here saying he wants Adolphe to remember he's loved. He isn't sure where these words are coming from, either. ]
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No, actually... he's thinking about it right now. His head feels like a mess and he thinks he should say something even though Jacopo said that he didn't have to. He can't just say "okay" and leave it like that. ]
I won't forget—
[ His phone rings its default ringtone that was set a decade prior, probably, and the owner picks it up. There's a deep frown on his face upon hearing who is at the other end of the call. Other than "what do you want" and "bye", Adolphe was quiet the whole time, almost grumbling.
... ]
Sorry, I need to go. When I get back, you better not have booked a motel or whatever.
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His gaze is dark, close to being a glower, but not aimed to Adolphe... Probably to whomever or whatever sprung up on the call. Snapping out of it, he rolls his eyes a whole revolution when he's scolded. ]
... Everything all right?
[ Hesitantly, after a pause. ]
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... it's a hand check up.
[ If Jacopo wants to go with him, he can. Adolphe usually doesn't ask if anyone wants to come along because he always assumes no. ]
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But right now he's just being a concerned friend, worried in his own way even though earlier it looked like he'd bite whoever was on the phone. ]
A checkup that makes you so irritable.
[ He thinks it over because normally he would join, but... Aren't things weird between them? Won't it just make it weirder and more awkward for Adolphe? Jacopo can easily pretend and enjoys being around him, but he doesn't want to burden him. 800 thoughts per second after the most harrowing moments of his life last night. ]
... If you'd like company...
[ He rubs his neck nervously. Roundabout as usual. ]
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