Lucas POV

Lucas had been to Cibeles Plaza several times for a drink or a coffee with friends, but this was the first time for a business-related activity. As he approached the building with Kyle, he felt awe and trepidation. He thought formality was expected, so he had bought a suit and tie for the occasion. However, Kyle chose casual attire and looked like a prince.

Entering through the glass doors, Lucas noticed the distinctive styles of fashionable bureaucrats walking inside the numerous galleries of semicircular arches. The grandeur of the interior, with its intricate sculptures and vast, airy spaces, exuded an aura of authority and history, making Lucas feel small and out of place. As they walked, Lucas caught sight of two girls checking them out and giggling. He felt a twinge of flattery, quickly overshadowed by an unexpected surge of irritation as Kyle winked back at them.

Lucas mulled over his reaction to Kyle's flirtatiousness towards the girls at the city hall. "Why does it bother me so much?" he wondered. "Am I afraid of losing him?" He sighed inwardly. "But Kyle isn't mine. He'll probably never be. I need to get that through my head. He's my friend, and that's what matters."

They were about to enter the lift when Lucas stopped walking. Kyle turned to him, eyebrows raised. "Is there a problem?"

Lucas shook his head, trying to push aside his mixed emotions. He entered the elevator with Kyle, resolving to explore his feelings later. "I just want to understand why our business forms are in a 'Hello Kitty' folder?"

Kyle winked at him, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Because we need to stand out from the crowd."

Lucas couldn't help but smile at Kyle's unconventional approach. The tension in his shoulders eased a bit as he realized that Kyle's confidence and nonchalance were precisely what he needed to balance his anxiety. As the elevator ascended, Lucas glanced at Kyle and felt a surge of admiration.

Lucas widened his eyes as Kyle led the way into the chaotic office for business licenses and tax registrations. This is it, he thought, a mix of excitement and anxiety churning in his stomach. We're doing this. But what if we fail? 

Their business in the office seemed straightforward, but the paperwork and bureaucracy involved turned it into an unexpected ordeal. Lucas felt out of depth, relying heavily on Kyle's composure and confidence. His frustration peaked when they were sent to the "Zonation and Buildings" office.

Fortunately, Kyle found the words that pressed the old lady to help them. When Kyle and Lucas returned to the business license office, the girl shuffled through the towering stack of papers, but Lucas and Kyle spotted their folder—distinguished by its bright Hello Kitty cover. He stifled a smile. Only Kyle would choose such an unconventional way to stand out. Despite the absurdity, it seemed to be working.

Their triumph in getting the temporary license was a relief, but Lucas couldn't shake off his lingering anxiety. He needed to find a way to be more helpful and to match Kyle's resilience and resourcefulness.

As they walked out, Lucas glanced at Kyle, appreciating his unwavering support and feeling a warmth he hadn't experienced in a long time. Although they had shared a room for almost two months, Kyle had become someone he trusted and could rely on.

When they left the building, the weight of the day's events began to lift. Kyle's steps slowed down, and Lucas followed suit. Then, he lit a cigarette in silent contemplation. As they stood outside, Lucas vowed silently to be stronger, to better support Kyle, and to ensure their shared dream of Empanadas Haven would thrive despite the obstacles. Lucas felt a growing sense of camaraderie with Kyle. Despite the chaos and the unexpected hurdles, they had managed to get through it together.

When the only thing left from the tobacco was its butt, Kyle stood up and pulled Lucas with him. "Come on, we should do something fun. I know an excellent shop close to El Retiro where you can get some weird spices you wanted to use."

Leaving the bureaucratic maze behind, Kyle and Lucas ventured into the wide avenues around El Retiro Park. As they approached a shop in vibrant yellow, the air became thicker with the scents of distant lands. The entrance was decorated with glyphs. Kyle read them for him: "Spice of the World."

Behind the counter was a woman wearing flowing robes embroidered with golden threads that accented her dark eyes. She was pleased to see Kyle.

"Hey, you finally came; it's so nice to see you," the lady said, slightly bowing.

Kyle blushed, "Hi, Fatima. I want to introduce you to my dear friend, Lucas."

Lucas shook her hands, and Fatima looked at the duo with a knowing smile. Possibly due to the warm light of the shop, it seemed as if little flames danced in her eyes. "Nice to meet you, Lucas. You are welcome to check on our shelves. Ahmed darling, please help our customers."

A towering man with a warm smile, olive skin, and jet-black hair came forward, and with a small pat on the arm, he gestured for Lucas to follow him.

The shelves were lined with colorful jars of spices, their labels adorned with intricate calligraphy. Lucas recognized many of them. The earthy warmth of cumin, the sweet cinnamon, and the smoked aroma of paprika made him smile. Several jars of small lemon pieces were placed next to jars of a red paste, possibly the fiery harissa made with hot peppers and olive oil.

Lucas questioned Ahmed, "Home recipe?"

Ahmed nodded proudly. "Passed from generation through generation."

"And that one?" said Lucas, signaling a jar that looked like cummin but had an aromatic bite.

"Homemade Ras El Hanout, the best on this side of the Atlantic," answered Ahmed.

Lucas smiled, thinking of all the possibilities and combinations for the empanada fillings; that was part of his bargain with Kyle. "I want three of them."

They continued walking through the shelves, and Lucas took bottles of preserved fruits sweetened with different spices and pickled veggies. He hesitated for a moment after looking at the tag price. Maybe he could do it himself.

Kyle came forward and asked, "Why are you hesitating?"

"We should keep things within a budget, and I can do it myself," Lucas paused.

Kyle beamed his most charming smile, "Listen, if there is something you want to experiment on, it's best to have some samples; it's fine. I can pay for them. You promise me to create ten new recipes; the only path for creation is trying different paths a little step beyond."

Lucas couldn't say no to those golden eyes full of mischievousness and carried two bags with exotic spices.

Instead of returning to their apartment, Lucas and Kyle decided to go to the place they rented to open their empanada venture. During the trip back to their shop, Lucas had time to reflect on their ordeal. He couldn't shake the feeling that something else was behind their bureaucratic hurdles.

"Why do I feel like we're being tested?" Lucas thought, the nagging suspicion gnawing at him. "Why did I feel so annoyed when Kyle winked at those ladies? It's not like he belongs to me or anything."

Over the past two months, Lucas has grown to enjoy Kyle's kindness and warm smile. In the last three weeks, he's learned to value Kyle's determination and problem-solving skills even more. "He's so dedicated," Lucas mused. He's always thinking of every detail, every possibility."

They had worked together on their business plan, found an excellent location to open their empanada store, and bought some furniture. Lucas couldn't help but notice how much more thorough this process felt than his marriage. "We discuss everything," he realized. "What to buy, when, and how to manage the budget. It's like we're real partners."

Lucas's thoughts inevitably drifted to Jacob. "Jacob wasn't evil," he conceded. "But he failed me when I needed him most. I had no compassion and no understanding when I failed my exams. And those long, cold winters..."

In contrast, Kyle showed vulnerability from the beginning. "He's been so open," Lucas thought, smiling. "Bit by bit, he lets me in, allows me to show my true self."

Jacob had hidden many things from Lucas, even as they prepared to marry. "He could have told me about his... preferences," Lucas reflected bitterly. "Keeping multiple partners. How could he keep that from me?"

Kyle hadn't revealed every detail about his own life, but now that the cat was out of the bag, he used the same charming, almost flirtatious way to assure Lucas that things would be okay. "He's honest, in his way," Lucas acknowledged. "And that flirtatious smile... it's comforting, even if it's not directed at me."

Lucas mulled over his reaction to Kyle's flirtatiousness towards the girls at the city hall. "Am I afraid of losing my monopoly on his time?" he wondered. "But Kyle isn't mine. He'll probably never be. I need to get that through my head."

It wasn't his first rodeo liking a guy out of his league or someone straight. "Even with gay guys, things don't always click," he reminded himself. "It's better this way. I need a friend most right now."

He also knew he had compared Jacob and Kyle since Jacob hadn't delivered his last belongings yet, despite having been more than a month since they met in that bakery. "Why is he avoiding me?" Lucas pondered. "Jacob blocked me on social media... last I heard, he moved in with his lover."

As they approached their shop, Lucas shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "Focus on the present," he told himself. "Kyle and I have a business to run. That's what matters now."

Although it was many hours before sunset, the temperatures had already cooled down when Lucas and Kyle reached their shop. Lucas left their brand-new spices on the shelve and looked for a towel to clean the counter.

Meanwhile, Kyle sat in one of the chairs and looked at Lucas. He had been reticent after leaving the City Hall. After a moment, in a deep voice, Kyle declared, "We should already open next Thursday."

Lucas stopped the cleaning and looked at Kyle in astonishment. "What?"

 Kyle smiled, "We have the permit and can now get the tax registration form in my name. We can register our society later. We don't need anything else in paperwork for now."

Lucas came close to him, "Ok, but we need time to prepare everything, right?"

 Kyle nodded, "That's why I think this is an advantageous week. We don't have much work in the Uni next week, only some projects, am I right? so we should seize this opportunity to organize everything to open and invite friends over."

Lucas stopped what he was doing and said, "We still need to do the menus, marketing, and decoration."

Kyle countered, "I have already prepared some concepts. I can send them to you, and I think I can arrange everything quickly."

Lucas furrowed his eyebrows, "In one week?"

Kyle smiled. "Yes."

Lucas sat in one of the chairs, looking at Kyle. They had decided on this empanada venture three weeks ago and had been quite thorough in their plan; they even bought the fire extinguishers and stored them in their apartment. He just needed to organize a few things, such as getting the ingredients and putting them in the fridge.

Yet Lucas couldn't shake the feeling that Kyle was odd after they left the city hall, but his instincts told him Kyle's desire to open the shop didn't come from the wrong place.

Lucas nodded, and Kyle grinned. Coming forward, Kyle shook his hand intently, "Let's do this together, okay?"

"Okay, let's do it," Lucas grinned, and they both left to prepare for their shop's big inauguration.

When Kyle and Lucas returned to their apartment, they found several boxes in the hallway. Mrs. Hutchinson came over carrying a yellow envelope with slightly red eyes. "A guy came in; he said he was your ex-husband. He gave me this envelope and left the boxes. I told him you would return soon, but he didn't want to stay. I am sorry."

Lucas opened the envelope; the signed divorce papers were inside.

Lucas barely talked when carrying the boxes inside the apartment with Kyle and Mrs. Hutchinson's help. He left himself on the couch and said nothing after everything was inside.

Kyle returned to the kitchen with freshly brewed coffee and chocolate cookies for the three. "For the bitter taste in your mouth," he said when handing the cup of coffee to Lucas.

"Why did it have to end this way?" Lucas asked, almost crying.

Kyle shrugged, "I don't know."

Mrs. Hutchinson left soon after. Lucas started to weep when she closed the door, and Kyle approached him. First, he touched his shoulder and embraced Lucas, letting his head rest on his torso.

Kyle touched Lucas's hair, "Let it go now. I know it is eating you alive."

Lucas started to wail. "It is all over now. He didn't even wait to say goodbye; he probably doesn't even understand how much it hurt, how much I was betting on our love; he was the most important person to me."

Kyle handed him a towel to dry his tears and whispered, "He wasn't good enough for you. You deserve so much more."

"I don't think so," Lucas replied.

"You do, not judging your life choices, but even now, you don't seem to hate Jacob, do you?" Kyle questioned.

Lucas pondered briefly and said, "No, I don't. I don't understand why this happened?"

"People are complex, full of masks and lies. Jacob was no different, and his mask fell short when you married. Living and sharing everything with someone is difficult," said Kyle.

Lucas smiled, "very difficult?"

Kyle nodded. "And demanding, but you are worth the try."

Kyle let him cry, "Did I ever tell you about the day my brother died?"

Lucas shook his head.

Kyle continued while embracing Lucas, "He was the kindest, sweetest person I ever knew, and one day, he decided to embark on a quest to change the world and improve people's lives. Of course, he ended up getting killed by bigotry, envy, and hate. His death changed me, but I am not sure if in a good way. I got angry with my dad for allowing it, but in the end, I partially became a good-doer because I think that even if a small act of gentleness can improve a person's life, I am keeping my brother's sacrifice upheld."

"I am a charity project?" Lucas asked.

"Nah, you are my business partner and hopefully friend," Kyle answered, smiling. "Now, let's change the topic and check out the logo designs I made. Hopefully, you will like at least one."

Word count: 2821

Cover: Cibeles Fountain