suddenly

He crunches hundreds of leaves as he growls at the sidewalk. This wasn't his fault, right? What else could have been expected for him to do? This is exactly what anyone else would do...right?

His hands are stuffed in his pockets, as if squeezing his phone will somehow stop it from continously ringing, that silly, nerdy ringtone that he had permanently installed, without permission.

He rounds the corner, lost in thought, straight into another body. Leo finds himself falling back (not because he's physically inclined to do so but out of surprise) and starts to apologize as he catches sight of a pair of warm, honey colored eyes that seep empathy.

"Oh, no problem at all, man." Leo takes careful notice of the blond manbun. The other man's voice is warm with a bristling edge that intrigues Leo. "It's not like I was paying attention either." Leo's mouth forms into a smile before he can stop himself, glancing down at the map in the other man's hands.

"Are you lost?" Leo blurts out increduously - not because he's surprised someone got lost but because the man is holding a physical map, something he hasn't seen in real life in years. Who still used those to get around?

The pale man laughs good naturedly, beginning to fold the map up. "No, no, nothing like that. My dad left me with a map to all of his buried treasures." He grins sheepishly at Leo's puzzled look. "It sounds weird but he was a cartographer and I think he left this as his legacy, some way to pass down his passion to me in hopes that it'll awaken some genetic code in me to do what he did and what his father did. I think he's trying to prove that it's still relevant and all we need is to - " He pauses and brings his eyes back to Leo. "Sorry...Quinn." He holds a callused hand out.

Leo takes it without thinking, giving a short shake. "Leo." He responds, letting the silence that falls between them settle before he slyly tilts his head. "Too bad his son wants to be a pirate, am I right?" He jokes awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck.

Quinn blinks twice and then a bark of a laugh escapes his mouth, followed by low chuckling. "That's right, I'm too busy searching for booty to follow a map." He gives Leo a quick wink and begins unfolding the map again. "I gotta get back to treasure hunting, Leo, but thanks for reminding me of what's most important." He's already beginning to back away.

Leo can feel his face flushing from the wink. He smiles shyly and fiddles with the zipper of his jacket. "If you ever need a first mate, I'm working that pirate life at the taco shop on campus. I'm a great swimmer so I can help you when you fall overboard!"

Quinn's grin threatens to split his face and he almost falls into the intersection as he stumbles backward. "Bon voyage, Leo!" He blows a kiss.