Wired (Gencio)

Chapter Four

These headphones were the best headphones Genji had ever owned. They were lightweight, comfortable, and noise-cancelling. He had already had them for two weeks  - a new record - and he loved them, so much so that he got lost in the world around him thanks to them.

Like now, for example.

One of his programming lectures was playing softly, droning out the noises of cars zipping past and blaring their horns. He walked slowly on the sidewalk, taking special care not to step on the cracks. Hell knows where he was going, he was just letting his feet take him wherever they wanted to go. Before he knew it, he had passed the froyo shop. Then he was pushing a door open, and the bell above it jingled excitedly. 

"Hey, Sparrow!"

The Asian's head snapped up, and brown eyes met amber ones. Lucio was grinning at him while fishing coins out of the cash register. A lady stood patiently on the other side of the counter, clutching an instrument case tightly.

After it dawned on him that he had magically found his way to Sinata a Batida, Genji returned the smile and waved back sheepishly. He leaned against a nearby window, letting the other handle the customer. While he appeared cool and nonchalant, he was internally freaking out. "Really, Genji? You just had to come back to the store with the cute cashier. Of all the places you could've went, you chose-"

"Come again soon!" The voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he stood up straighter. He watched as the lady walked past him and heard the bell chime behind him. As soon as the door shut, Lucio jumped up on the counter and sat on it. He crossed his legs and pulled out his phone for a second. "How's it going, fledgling?"

The Shimada was taken back by his casualness. "Alright..." He slowly started making his way over to the counter. "Did Zen tell you my nickname?"

He looked away, a playful gleam in his eye. "Maybe... but hey! Sparrows are one of the cutest birds on the planet."

The unintended compliment made his heart soar, but he quickly forced those feelings down. "You then, my friend, must have never seen a cockatiel."

"Are those the pikachu birds? Y'know, the ones with the red cheeks?"

Genji stared at him a moment in amusement. "If that's what you wanna call it..." His lecture finally wrapped up and he hit pause, taking the buds out of his ears. The musician finally noticed the earbuds and perked up. "They workin' well for you?"

"Yeah!" The college junior's face lit up at the mention of it. "These were a lifesaver. My grades have skyrocketed since I bought these." He twirled them around his finger. "I just had to stop by and thank the man who made it possible."

"Don't thank me." Lucio had started bouncing his leg. "Thank Jaap Haartsen. We wouldn't have Bluetooth without him."

He laughed at this, shaking his head. "No, seriously." He locked eyes with the other and gave him a lopsided smile. "Thank you."

"No problem, Genji," he answered, hopping off the counter. "Just doin' what I love." He started heading towards the back of the store, the sound of dubstep coming from his phone. "I have to take this, but come back later, will you? I like talking to you."

Feeling stupidly giddy, he nodded and made his way out the door.