A Pure Love- Gjon's Tears Fanfic

Chapter 3

My heart began beating faster and faster the closer I got to the coffee shop, and my face was still red by the time I walked in. I saw Gjon sitting at a table, waving and directing me over to sit. He had already bought me my favorite. That's how I know he's not angry, so I breathed a slight sigh of relief and smiled and waved back at him before finally sitting down. "Thank you," I told him after seeing my coffee shop staple on the table.
"Hey, no problem!" he exclaimed. Then he directed me to look up and listen to him. He spoke softly as to not distract everyone else in the shop: "About the other night, now. Did you by any chance feel some sort of... spark between us while we danced? And almost kissed? You can tell me honestly."
I sighed in and out deeply, but feeling safe with him still. Then I nodded my head with a quiet "yes. I did." My face went red of feeling ashamed.
"It's alright, no need to feel ashamed," he replied. "You know? I felt it too."
"Really?"
"Yes, I did. And I know we were drunk off our socks, but it still happened."
I shrugged in agreement. "They do say that drunk actions are sober thoughts."
He nodded with a slight closed-mouth smile. Then he put his classic thinking face on. It always made me laugh, but now probably isn't the right time to laugh. "Yeah. So what should we do about this?"
We both took a moment to look at each other, with sips of our coffee, and think about it- if we were really in love with each other and how to handle it.
Finally, I thought of something. "I think we should give it some time. Be friends for a while and see where the feelings go."

Gjon smiled at that answer in agreement, then took another sip of his hot caramel macchiato with whipped cream and extra caramel (see, I memorized his staple coffee order too). "I like that idea. I will admit though, that I actually have had a crush on you since I saw you at the semifinal."
The butterflies in my stomach fluttered more than ever at that moment, and my face went red with nervousness. "Ooh, wow. I'll say the same, actually. I don't know exactly how it came about, but the moment I saw you in person for the first time in years just... I don't know."
"Ignited something?" Gjon took the words right out of my mouth.
"Yes, exactly!" I smiled and nodded. "You just finished my sentence."
"Because it ignited that little spark in me as well." He smirked. "Maybe it just comes out at this point when we drink. But I know it's not healthy to get drunk like that all the time."
I smirked back. "Yeah. Let's just see where it goes. No need to rush right into it. Deal?"
"Deal." We held our mugs up and did a "cheers."

We continued the coffee date talking and catching up on good news and testing one another on what we still knew about each other on what has and hasn't changed. Overall, though, it was refreshing to actually have an important conversation with someone in such a safe place and healthy way. No one has ever given me that the way Gjon has before. He never put up a fight, placed blame, or made me feel ashamed of myself.
My mind then, unfortunately, reminded me of my ex, Luco. My ex from college, whose face of rage haunted me in my sleep. My ex, who threatened to deliberately hurt himself if I left but made it so that I had to walk on eggshells as to not piss him off. Hence, making the conditions with him almost impossible. My ex, who was charming at first but only used that to lure me in and show his true colors once I was sucked in.
My ex, whom I heard killed himself shortly after I managed to leave him but I swore I could have seen him alive, out, and about a few times after hearing that. Maybe I could just be paranoid. But maybe not, because what I'm seeing right now has to be so real that I almost spit out my last sip of coffee.
Oh shit.

Luco walked into the coffee shop, which I saw just out of the corner of my eye. My face changed from a bright smile to yet another red face of fear; I could barely say a word. His bright brunette slicked-back hair, and brown eyes which used to be red with fury struck a nerve so bad I started to shake. Immediately, Gjon noticed and took my hand from across our table. "What's wrong?"
I directed him to look up at the rage-filled man who walked into the coffee shop. He then turned back to me and whispered quietly enough for no one but me to hear, "who is that?"
I mouthed the words, "my ex." I took a deep sigh in then out. Then I whispered the same as Gjon did, "I need to get out of here."
With no questions asked, Gjon took me outside the shop. I led him to hide with me on the side of the building, the alleyway between there and the magical bookstore where I spent my high school days and more recent days working before I saw Gjon again. I finally gulped and said, "he's dangerous. That's why I needed him to not see me."
"What did he do to you?" he asked with genuine concern. "And since when have you and him been apart?"
"Since summer last year," I replied, hyperventilating. "I broke it off myself because..." my words trailed off, afraid to say the truth. "A lot of reasons. I don't feel ready to talk about it exactly right now."
Gjon gave me a sympathetic frown and took my hand. "I understand. Whenever you're ready to talk about it, I'm happy to listen."
I smiled at him, but inside I was crying a mix of emotions: both of joy and of fear because of Luco. "Thank you."
I couldn't bring myself to go back inside the coffee shop until the coast was clear of Luco, but I did take a peek inside to see him walking out with his drink. Likely a dark roast black coffee as bitter and bland as his heart. Without needing to say a word, Gjon stayed on the lookout for me to make sure we were out of Luco's sight. Only then did we walk back into the shop to finish up our last few sips.

I breathed a sigh of relief as we sat down and mouthed a desperate, "thank you again."
"Of course." He smiled at me, shaking my hand with both of his.
We then got ready to head home, placing our empty mugs into the container for dirty dishes. But I was still scared of Luco seeing me. Knowing that he lives so close to me now (we used to live together in Lausanne where I went to college) in and of itself scared me. So I, being the brave soul I apparently am, asked Gjon, "could you walk me home? If it's on your way?"
He nodded his head with a small smile. "It's not on my way, but I don't care." We then proceeded on our merry way back to my house. It was a comfortable silence, the first ever comfortable type of silence since last summer when Luco made his last attempt to me at an uncomfortable silence before he hit.
But the day after Luco hit was the day I bravely left. No longer caring that he could potentially harm himself or worse. The fear was still there, but today at the coffee shop only confirmed that abusers are as dishonest as they come.

Then as I headed inside for Rosalee and I to get ready for work later today (we both work at the bookstore), I hugged Gjon goodbye as a thank you.