If We Are Forever ✓ [NOW RADISH EXCLUSIVE]

2. routines

TWO
routines

Santiago woke up an hour before his alarm due to Percy clawing at his door. Plus meowing as if she was about to die, which resulted in Santiago not being able to go back to sleep before and after letting her outside.

He ended up making breakfast for both him and Luca to eat, despite knowing the blond would go for leftovers instead once he woke up. Santiago glanced at the clock. It was six in the morning, and Luca usually got up around noon or later. He winced. I need to help him fix that bad habit.

          After finishing a plate of eggs and toast, Santiago grabbed a few bottles of water and tossed them in his gym bag. He had a routine: work out in the mornings, stop by the diner on the way home for food, then get home and pester Luca until he becomes agitated enough to get up. Then he did whatever he wanted, and would later head to work on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The occasional Monday, too. When he wasn't one of the bodyguards, he was helping Rosa out with the car repair shop.

           Unfortunately, said routine got fucked up.

           Santiago slowly stepped out of his car when he saw how empty the place was. There were usually a few people, but not this time. He checked the sign on the front door that read 'CLOSED' with no explanation. He frowned deeply. Well, shit.

           He stood there idly for a moment, as if the place would just suddenly open up, and groaned. Santi dragged himself back to his car and jammed his key into the ignition. "Guess we're seeing each other early, Rosa," he muttered to himself. He loved the woman, he did, but she was a bitch in the mornings.

He met her through his bodyguard position. She'd been a dancer there before she came out as trans, and ended up quitting because she felt out of place. So, she got a job with her uncle, and now Santiago visited and helped out a bit. She'd been one of his best friends there. She still was.

When Santiago parked, he got out, feeling kind of awkward in his tank top and sweatpants that he only wore to the gym or when he was lazing around at home. He found Rosa in the shop, rummaging through some tools in a metal box. Santiago made his presence known by snatching up a screwdriver, spinning it around. Rosa gave him an unimpressed look.

"Good morning to you, too," she said, snatching the tool from his grasp and dropping it back inside the box. "You're here early. No work out?"

"It's closed," he explained. "So, now I'm here. You need help with anything?"

"Yeah, you know how to work the front, right?" she asked, raising a thick brow. Santi nodded. "Go take over for Sascha, will you? The poor girl is hungover as shit. Blowing chunks in the employee bathroom. Is that a Russian thing? Getting drunk on Mondays?"

Santi shrugged. "I dunno. But yeah, will do."

            "Thanks, baby."

            Santiago left and made his way to the front. He definitely wasn't in proper work attire, and would probably make a bad impression, but if Rosa didn't give a shit, then he knew he was probably fine. For the most part.

             He'd gotten away with doing nothing for a straight thirty minutes until the little bell jingled, signalling a customer's entrance. When Santi looked up, he almost choked on his own spit.

              Lincoln looked at him, a brief flash of recognition crossing his features. He was dressed more casually this time, in a white sweater and black jeans, slivers of his tattoos peeking out at the neckline. Santiago shifted, awkwardly smiling. Looking at the guy reminded him of last night, when he watched him and Kit suck face for a couple weird seconds.