Lust Of Paris

𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬

Smiling, he offered the plate of cheesecake to a customer and wished her a happy day. It truly was a good, warm day and he was back to work after his vacation ended. Some might complain about that but he was happy about it.

Gabriel didn't mind waking up early and going to open the bakery, his pride and joy. While being away from there, he hadn't even realized how much he needed it, baking daily and having the same routines every day what to follow.

Of course he could have baked at home and he did but it wasn't the same thing. Besides, he had gotten already bored at home without anything to do while everyone else was busy. What could he do alone? Sleep, cuddle with Bernadette? No, he had never been one to enjoy being at home, doing nothing.

"Hé! J'ai faim, donne-moi quelque chose de bien," (Hey! I'm hungry, give me something good) all too familiar voice said once he stepped inside the bakery. Still smiling, Gabriel looked up and watched as Leo walked closer. Without saying anything else, he stared at different sweets in front of him, most likely thinking of what to pick.

Chuckling, Gabriel said, "Si vous avez vraiment faim, allez manger de la vraie nourriture. Les gâteaux ne se remplissent pas assez!" (If you're really hungry, go eat real food. Cakes don't fill enough!)

Completely ignoring what he said, Leo picked a croissant, two muffins and a cup of coffee. After paying, he went to sit at one of the five tables the tiny bakery had. There he opened his laptop and started to work on something while eating.

While he talked with the sweet old woman who was next in line, Gabriel couldn't help but watch his ex-husband. Much to his shame, Leo was already watching him and winked with a smirk. Rolling his eyes, he watched away but not before seeing him chuckling.

Although Leo annoyed him, Gabriel was glad that he was with him again. Their friendship was slowly becoming just like in their college days when they were still getting to know each other. And now, almost ten years later, they were doing it again. Talking, getting to know each other, meeting at safe places. But unlike a decade ago, now they wouldn't end up naked in the bed.

It truly was nice, speaking with Leo again and hearing what he had done since their divorce. Gabriel had almost cried when he heard more details of how he still visited a therapist and was trying to stay sober but it wasn't easy. Not only that, Leo told had gotten new friends who forced him to leave home and have some fun. It seemed that he truly was working hard to get better and enjoy life again. Good, he had felt enough pain for a lifetime.

Unfortunately, the start wasn't all rainbows and roses. While Gabriel had Élise and his family who helped him during the darkest times, Leo had no one. Not a single person helped him with alcoholism, nightmares or panic attacks. For four months he did nothing and left to the store and a bar, even ending up at the hospital numerous times.

Now they were in a good place and agreed to be friends. Only friends, nothing else. Gabriel couldn't lie, he had been curious a few weeks after Alex left. Curious about Leo, about their relationship and what it could be, curious about starting over. But after one date that he asked for, he knew that there could never be a relationship anymore. Not like before.

After explaining that to Leo, he was disappointed as expected. For a while, Gabriel had thought that he would even do something, try to force him and destroy whatever hope they had for a friendship. But he didn't. Instead, he asked for a hug and told how much he hoped that it wouldn't be a final goodbye. That he wanted to keep in touch and become friends.

Friends. That was strange and new to Leo and Gabriel. They had only stayed as friends a bit more than a week before starting to date in college, and did that long enough until it was time to get married. And the rest was history. Could they be friends, for real? Hopefully so, Gabriel would hate to lose him again.