Black cats and broken mirrors - [HIATUS]

01 - A stranger approaches

 Sometimes you might wonder what it is like to have good luck for the entirety of your life, imagine trying to perform the most dangerous stunt, doing it flawlessly and without a single scratch, or getting all the green lights in the traffic, or never worrying about bad weather whenever you went out, or never having to worry about being in danger because you're the universe's favorite child, it really seems like a really good thing, but, everything in excess or exaggerated quantity might be a problem.

 Still, who wouldn't want that? Matt would not. You could tell he was a lucky one, he was born with a silver spoon, went to the best schools - where no one would dare touch him -, with straight A's in every subject, he had a nice job that paid him way too well for just a cashier, just the life anyone else would like to have, except for himself. He had everything to be a smug, egotistical and purely vain person, had everything in his hands to even take over the world, if he wanted. Despite all the good things his life offered him (and that he was practically forced to accept most of the times), sometimes it was just too much, never getting his knees scraped when he was a kid kind of had an effect on his present life, as he grew, getting hurt seemed to be interesting for him, he would be proud to say that he broke an arm when he was 12, or that he had to try a thousand times to learn how to ride a bike properly without the extra wheels, and the idea of telling a funny story of how he got a scar on the back of his head was just a little bit exciting to think about. Adventure was tempting when you couldn't have it.

 He had everything, the perfect life, yet, he wasn't satisfied. Happens to some people. 

 The ginger just finished his shift at the café he worked at, it was a rainy day, but, ehem, luckily, he had an umbrella and an extra jacket with him. It was a little windy, but nothing that he couldn't handle. Could he have a little walk before going home? He thought so. It's not like he would get struck by a lightning anyway. The local central park would be his stop, it was the place that resembled nature the most in the city, that and he liked the smell of when the trees and the grass would get soaked with the rain, it remembered him about when he still lived with his parents, of course you would guess they loved him unconditionally, the smell made him nostalgic.

 Most people around were running to find shelter under the trees or around the buildings, except for one person, from what Matt assumed, a guy. Matt tilted his head in confusion, the stranger was sitting under a tree with his knees to his chest, and he had his hoodie up and head hanging down, nothing else covering him or protecting from the rain. Maybe he just had a rough day, enough to make him not care about himself like that. Maybe it was worth helping someone out, Matt could be a little bit vain, but he wasn't selfish. Perhaps that guy could use a little sympathy.

 The ginger walked up to the guy, holding his umbrella over the both of them, the shadow of the tree casting over them, once the stranger looked up, with wet hair on the way of his eyes, he was puzzled. Matt just smiled empathetically at him. "You shouldn't be out in the rain, you could get a cold." He said softly.

"Lucky of me if I don't, then," The other guy replied, with a light, but kind of sad chuckle. "But same for you. You'll get sick." He completed, but it wasn't like he cared.

 "I won't, I have…. a… a really strong immune system." He made up the excuse, which was true, but the main reason was something else.

The guy shrugged. "If you say so. I'll be going home now." He got up and dusted himself off, or got rid of the water that was still dripping from his sweatshirt, and took some steps forward, back into the rain, the only thing being protected was a small portion of his face, by the hood, and even that part was soaking wet.

 Matt instantly gave him space to get up, but knitted his brows together, he wasn't really going to walk alone under the pouring rain, was he? "Oh, would you allow me to accompany you on your walk home?" Now he was just being too formal, Matt mentally facepalmed himself for his choice of words, but kept on an awkward smile 

 The stranger turned his head at Matt, arching a brow. "Why would you? Don't you have to go home?"

"Because…" Matt scratched his neck, thinking of something to say. "...I'm just trying to be kind, that's all!" He smiled. "You wouldn't reject it, right?" Matt hoped not. 

 The other guy visibly cringed, in a 'why would someone ever want to walk me home' way, but he didn't have the guts to reject it. Although, if anything happened, he wouldn't feel guilty at all. He shrugged. "Fine, you can come with me." He looked down defeatedly, or more like, annoyed.

 Matt flashed him a lopsided smile, taking another step closer, he let the stranger lead the way while he walked on his side, casually watching the rain as it fell. "...By the way, I am Matt, and I assume you have a name too." He looked down at the stranger, who didn't look amused. It took him a whole minute, but he sighed and answered.

"Thomas." He said quietly.

"Do your friends call you Tom?"

Another quiet minute. "They would, I guess, but I don't have any friends." He said softer than before, which kind of took Matt by surprise.

Another minute.

"I'll call you Tom then."

-----
Word count: 1008.