Impress Me Not: The Architect

Chapter 25

"So," he started the conversation up again. "How did you know my name was Polish?"

He was in sweet torture at this point. The food was spicy, but it wasn't going to kill him. It was just like he told him before, he liked a challenge. Valentino wasn't the first, and probably wouldn't be the last, to try and surprise him with spicy food. He had been around the world and had plenty, this dish just caught him by surprise. It was just a little above his comfort level for spices.

That seemed to define this man well: just above his comfort level. He wasn't used to having a conversation like this on the first date. It was new and exciting. And the way the man in front of him smiled and laughed tonight was far better than any other time he was able to sit down and talk to him.

It took a lot to get him to eat with him that night. He really didn't seem like he was up for it. He wasn't sure why until he actually came and sat down. Then it was easy to see that Valentino was just the type that didn't know how to start a conversation. It was pretty cute to watch him get nervous just a little, though.

"I've been there one or two times," Valentino answered, taking another big bite of his food. Casimir could tell that it was just to tease him some more. That was alright with him, though. He rather enjoyed how this man teased. It only made him want him more.

"Really?" he asked. "When was that?"

"Oh, that was when I was a teenager," Valentino shrugged. "My brother was on tour over my summer break and had me tag along with him."

"Now that sounds like a dream come true," he smiled. "You probably thanked your brother a thousand times over for letting you travel with him."

"It wasn't exactly free," Valentino laughed. "I had to do some of the backstage work for him, and get picked on by his band mates."

"Were they mean?"

"No," he shook his head, still smiling at the memory. "They just saw me as their little brother too. They're all super close."

It was nice talking to him about all of this. He really wished that the night could go on forever. It was interesting figuring out how that mind of his worked. His body language was a whole other thing entirely. The man always tried to come off as cold, and he could see it more so periodically throughout the night. He didn't know why he wanted to come off that way. It seemed like it was on purpose sometimes, and he had no clue why. All he knew was that the moments when he would get lost in thought and stare at him were the moments Casimir enjoyed the most. He could get absolutely lost in those eyes.

"So, why did you move here?" Valentino asked. "I know it wasn't because you were running out of work or anything."

"No, Dear," he shook his head. "If that were the case, I'd wind up never settling down in one place. I have to travel for work quite a lot."

"Then why did you move?"

"Well," he sighed, trying to hide his own sadness. "There wasn't much left for me in that city, simply put."

He hadn't been thinking about that place in about a week now. If he was being honest with himself, his thoughts would hover over those memories for just a second, but then they would always wind up coming back to the man in front of him, that had so suddenly taken his heart. It had been nice to not have to remember the heartache that he had just a few short days ago. It was nice to be caught up in the happy emotions again, trying to figure out how to get this man out of his shell more and out to eat.

"It's because of them, wasn't it?" Valentino took him out of his thoughts. He looked to see that those eyes of his had grown softer. It reminded him of one of the first times he talked to him, right outside the church that his friends were planning on having their wedding.