We'll Take the Usual

by Faulty Paragon

"Why do you always insist on going here? We can get food anywhere else-" "Because it makes me happy. It's a good place- and you deserve to know all the best places after what you've been through, right?" –Galo and Lio go to their favourite pizzeria every day for different reasons, captured in a short collection. Post-movie.

2. bounce

We'll Take the Usual

bounce

The slice in his hand was a simple one- just a little bit of pepperoni, a molten layer of melted cheese and a delicate wash of tomato sauce as a base. The crust was cooked perfectly, with that ideal mix between drip and bounce and snap. Everything about it should have been perfect.

And yet, all Lio could do was stare at the slice in front of him.

Upon Galo's third slice of his Inferno-Volcano-whatever-it-was, Lio's restraint was finally noticed.

"Lio, what are you doing?!" Galo cried, peering in far too close for Lio's liking. "Why aren't you eating? Are you sick?" Without even giving him a chance to respond, the man immediately pulled out his cellphone. After a few moments, he cried into the receiver, "Remi, Lio needs help, he-"

"Shut up," Lio hissed, swatting away Galo's concern. He quickly scooped up his pizza slice and took a bite, tearing at the item aggressively with his teeth. "See, I'm eating," he muttered around a mouthful.

Galo froze, taking a moment to contemplatively glance at the stubborn man.

Lio rolled his eyes and turned away, but in just a few moments, he was distracted by the taste. It was warm, nostalgic. He couldn't remember eating pizza for years, yet it was familiar nonetheless- despite the many years, the flavours of oregano and mozzarella instantly brought him back to-

He shook his head, placing the rest of the slice back down onto his plate. His fingers shook. It had been a long, long time since he had been able to enjoy something as innocent as a slice of pizza.

"You gonna finish that?" Galo asked gently.

Lio didn't raise his eyes. "No."

"Okay."

And they sat there on the porch of the pizzeria for a while after that. Galo said nothing else about how Lio didn't eat. Instead, he simply smiled. "My treat. You did great today on the mission, after all. You're officially the new rookie of Burning Rescue."

Lio bristled. Staying around wasn't his intention. He was meant to be a nomad, after all- Gueira and Meis were waiting for his heart to heal, and he knew that. Didn't Galo know it, too? "But I-"

But Galo shoved another slice of pizza into his mouth, and Lio had no choice but to quiet down and chew through another slice, and that was that.