CHERRY WINE (SLOW UPDATES?)

chapter one

words in italic is spanish.

MILO GRIMANCED AS MIA SET THE TUNA SANDWICH IN FRONT OF HIM the strong scent wafting up to his nose. it was a dish he had never quite come to enjoy, and today was no different. he looked up at the woman seated across from him, her patience visibly wearing thin as she rolled her eyes in response to his familiar expression of distaste. every time a tuna sandwich crossed his path, he couldn't help but contort his features as if to express just how displeased he was. she had seen this reaction countless times and knew that this meal was destined to be met with his typical reluctance.

"eat," she said, gesturing to him with her fingers. the bell above the door rang, and she turned her back on him. the same white boy with blonde hair entered each time. milo was not fond of him. he caused him to itch.

milo sighed, looking away from the duo. he took a piece of his sandwich, chewed and swallowing slowly before repeating.

"tuna on white, no crust, right?" he overheard mia interrogate the blonde. "i don't know, how is it?" the blonde responded with a little shrug and flipped through his magazine.

"every day for the last three weeks, you've come here, asking how the tuna is," mia grinned, shaking her head slightly. "now, it wasn't good yesterday. it bad the day before that, and guess what? ithasn't changed," she said pointedly

"i'll have the tuna,"

"no crust?"

"no crust,"

"thank you," he said to the girl once the sandwich was laid down. he took a bite without hesitation and devoured it like nothing else. milo wondered if he was just doing that to impress the girl.

pushing the plate away from him, he wined, "i cannot do this," he picked himself up, wiped his mouth, took his plate to the trash, and threw it away.

"you did not eat," mia huffed, hands on her hips. milo shrugged, shaking his head. "tuna is gross, who even eats that shit?" he asked snarkily. mia tilts her head behind her.

milo laughs as he places his hands on her shoulders. "he's definitely not here for the tuna, hot stuff," he remarked, looking her up and down. mia felt her cheeks flush as she brushes his hands away.

"whatever," she says and turns her back on him. milo makes eye contact with the blonde male before entering the back room.

"you didn't eat?" dominic questioned, not taking his eyes off his automobile magazine. milo shrugged while looking at his boyfriend.

"tuna is nasty," the younger of the two replied, "but a burger would be nice," dom chuckled breathlessly, knowing it was a lie. milo tends to be a picky eater, and to justify not eating, he often pretends to be disgusted by the food.

"well, i'll get you a burger for dinner tonight," the toretto boy promised him. milo smiled, leaning down to plant a kiss on dom's bald head, calling him "the best thing ever," after that, there was no more talking between them. with his feet propped up in dom's lap, milo settled down beside his boyfriend.

"when is letty coming by? i miss her," milo finally asked. dom licked two fingers before turning the page of his magazine.

"soon," was all he received in response, a simple word laden with unspoken meaning. over the course of their nearly two-year relationship, milo came to understand that dominic toretto was a man of few words, a quality that was both frustrating and intriguing.

milo had a way of filling the silence with his exuberance, drawing dominic into the rhythm of his chatter. eventually, milo accepted that dominic preferred brevity over banter, recognizing that their dynamic didn't require endless dialogue to be meaningful.

however, this didn't diminish milo's love for engaging discussions; he found comfort in the fact that dominic enjoyed listening to him speak. it was a peculiar understanding between them—if milo wasn't talking, there was a good chance he was getting into something he wasn't suppose to, and dominic knew that all too well. the quiet moments often left milo wondering what mischief lay just beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to bubble up.

milo has an undeniable thrill for stealing, and he doesn't shy away from admitting it. the excitement of taking what he wants is an irresistible rush, pulling him into a risky game that feels almost exhilarating. this behavior is nothing new for his father, mia, or vince, who have repeatedly found themselves coming to his rescue whenever he faces the consequences of his petty thefts.

their willingness to bail him out only fuels his inclination, reinforcing the belief that he can escape without serious repercussions. milo's ongoing struggle with his sticky fingers isn't just a harmless quirk; it's a call for help that his loved ones can no longer ignore. it's time for them to confront this cycle and encourage him to seek more positive outlets for his desires.