The Warm Algorithm

Chapter 20: Spark in the Rain

The rain fell steadily, painting the streets in shimmering reflections of neon lights. Calixta hurried along the sidewalk, clutching her umbrella, her heels splashing lightly in puddles. 

She wasn't expecting anyone, but as she reached the bus stop, she saw him. Lucien Kael, already standing there, slightly soaked, holding an umbrella that clearly wasn't large enough for both of them.

"Hey," he called softly, a teasing smile tugging at his lips. "Looks like we're stuck in the rain together."

Calixta laughed nervously, adjusting her own umbrella. "I guess so. I didn't expect to see anyone familiar out here."

"Familiar?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, stepping closer under her umbrella to share the small dry space. Their shoulders brushed, and she felt a subtle jolt of electricity.

"You," she admitted softly, looking up at him, the rain dripping down from the brim of his hood.

"I was hoping to catch you before you disappeared into the storm." Lucien smiled, his gaze warm.

The bus stop was crowded, the sound of rain mixing with distant traffic. A sudden gust blew rain sideways, and Lucien instinctively moved to shield her with his umbrella, getting splashed himself. Both laughed, the tension breaking into playful warmth.

"You're soaking!" Calixta exclaimed, her voice tinged with concern.

"I'm fine," he said with a grin, shaking off the drops. "Worth it, though. I'd do it again just to see you laugh."

Her cheeks warmed, and she looked down, trying not to meet his gaze—but she couldn't. There was something in the way he said it, something genuine and tender, that made her heart flutter.

They fell into easy conversation, talking about trivial things at first, the storm, the buses, the small inconveniences, but gradually the discussion deepened. Calixta admitted a fear she had been feeling lately about her next novel, and Lucien confessed he had been nervous about seeing her again, worried he might say the wrong thing.

"You're not," she reassured, a soft smile curving her lips. "You're... easy to be around."

Lucien's chest tightened with a quiet thrill. 

"I could say the same about you," he murmured. His hand brushed lightly against hers as he pointed to a puddle she was about to step into, a fleeting contact that sent a small shock through both of them.

The bus finally arrived, the doors opening with a hiss, but neither of them moved immediately. There was a lingering pause, a quiet acknowledgment that something unspoken had passed between them, something tender, electric, and undeniably intimate.

As they stepped onto the bus together, sharing the cramped space and a small, warm smile, Calixta realized her heart was lighter, her pulse quicker. Lucien's presence wasn't a replacement for anything, he was someone entirely real, here, and capable of making her feel alive.

The rain continued to fall outside, but inside, a warmth grew between them. A quiet promise that their connection was just beginning, and it would be impossible to ignore.