#threads:santiago

[muse-legion]

„I’m sure she will be, if she takes after you that is.“ Santi mused with a soft smile upon his lips. He took a sip of his wine, savoring the taste before continuing, "But really, Gisèle, you're beautiful, smart, and successful. You’d win anyone's heart." The words fell from his lips easily, though he was just being honest. "As for the options," Santiago began, placing his glass down and folding his hands on the table, "well, there's always the 'enemy to lovers' trope. You know, starting off as rivals, constantly butting heads until the tension turns into something else entirely. But I can’t think of anyone I’d really consider an enemy so there’s that. Or perhaps a 'fake relationship' plotline, pretend to date for the sake of an important deal, only to actually fall for each other. Then again I’m no actor and probably couldn’t sell it anyway, although I have admit the thought crossed my mind for my sister's wedding. Just so they finally leave me alone with the nagging questions." He paused for a moment, taking another sip of the wine; his gaze holding hers, "But my personal favorite would be the 'childhood friends to lovers' arc. It's a classic. Two people who've known each other forever, supporting each other through the years, and finally realizing that what they've had all along is the real thing. Now that could actually be the real thing. If both are feeling the same way of course.“ He may or may not have been hinting at something right there - not so subtly but the wine was getting the best of him.

Santi allowed the silence to linger for a beat, letting the words hang in the air between them like a delicate thread of possibility. It was a bold move, but he had a feeling that Gisèle was the type of woman, who appreciated a bit of audacity now and then - as long as he wasn't going too far. "But," he added with a wink, "who says we have to stick to just one option?" The conversation had taken a turn that Santi hadn't quite expected, but he didn’t mind at all. Maybe this was his way of testing the waters. It was refreshing to indulge in a bit of whimsy with someone he respected so much. „Yeah but, hey, she was having fun. That's all that matters. Now my fate is in your hands and I can only hope you can keep a secret and won’t sell me out; or I’m a dead man.“

Gisèle smiled at the photo, "God she is adorable. If I ever have a daughter, I would want one just like her," she said, sounding a bit reminisce. She wasn't sure she'd ever have a family. She had spent so long building her empire, she'd never settled down with anyone. She'd only met one man worthy of that and he was sitting in front of her but she didn't want to risk ruining the friendship. Still, when she questioned his comment, his gaze flickered to his lips and wondered what they would feel like on hers. Instead, she met his gaze again and gave him a coy smile, unwilling to answer the question out loud, "Oh please, neither of us need a rom com style makeover," she retorted.

Raising an eyebrow, Gisèle was curious by his statement, "Oh yeah? And what options would those be?" she asked curiously, leaning forward a little. She didn't know why she was suddenly feeling so daring. Maybe it was the wine or maybe it was the melancholy she had been feeling lately but the lines appeared to be blurring to her now, "That was you?! God, you have so mych to pay for for that one," she joked.

[muse-legion]

Closed starter for: @elpida

In order to celebrate his latest promotion, Santiago decided to get some donuts for his colleagues at the real estate office. He liked to share his success and put a smile on their faces. There was a little bakery on the way, which caught his eye before but it’d been closed for a while and only just reopened as far as he was informed. He walked in, one hand casually in the pocket of his pants and his signature smile on his lips. “Good morning. I’ll take twenty donuts please. Not all for me, don’t worry. It’s a special day at the office.” Santi trailed off carelessly. He tended to treat almost everyone like a friend and chatting someone up just came natural to him. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around. Are you new?” And this was exactly why he got in trouble and hearts got broken - he just spoke his mind freely without thinking about it twice and sometimes it came across a little flirtier than he intended.

[muse-legion]

“It really seems you’ve found your groove,” Santi remarked warmly after hearing her share tales of her job. It was rare to see someone so passionate about what they did for a living. The more he listened to Fiona, the more he wanted to know about her. Maybe it was the glint in her eyes or the contagious smile and her sense of humor that kept drawing him in further with every passing second. there was something genuine about knowing when you’ve discovered your purpose—and they both knew it well. With gleeful laughter ringing between them—even more so at Fiona's whimsical yet relatable comparisons—it felt like each moment hummed uniquely together under golden sunlight. “Interesting thought but I think maybe I wasn’t meant to be an astronaut. To be honest I’m a little impatient sometimes so waiting for eight months for the next chance to come back home due to technical issues is probably not for me anyway.”

Unable to help himself as enthusiasm radiated between them, Santi pulled out his phone —a token gesture driven by excitement—to show Fiona some pictures of the B&B. “That’s it, Casa del Tren. It’s still running and I’m still in contact with the family that owns it. They’re very welcoming and friendly and it’s just really cozy despite the industrial atmosphere. Very unique. You’ll have to see it to understand what I mean.” Pausing for a moment to give her some time to look at the photos, he grinned at her teasingly. “If you’d like, I could ask if they still got some space whenever you’re free? It’s definitely worth a visit.” Maybe it was a little too soon to ask but creating lasting memories was what Santi lived for after all. “No pressure or anything. It’s just a thought.” He reassured with a playful wink as he couldn’t stop gazing at her in admiration. “I don’t know about Gilmore girls but B&Bs definitely are romantic - especially this one.”

Fiona was used to listening to people with an acute attention to detail, but it was so rare that she got to hear about things they loved. She watched Santi light up talking about his job and she immediately felt a rush of warmth she could only label as attraction wash over her. Being so focused on her job meant that Fio didn't make time for flirting or dating, but with just one conversation Santiago was making her question why that was. One little exchange and she was licking her lips, hungry to know more about him. "Trust me, the vast majority of people dialing 9-1-1 and ending up in a hospital aren't doing it for something self-serving and in a way that's usually even more sad. I think while I see it as a place of helping and healing the other perspective is definitely one of fear and grief. I think that's why a lot of people go into pediatrics, but as soon as I had my first rotation as a nurse in the ER that was where I knew I was meant to be."

"Maybe as an architect you're still using the same skills as an astronaut and a farmer? I just knew I wanted to help people. I was always that person. A bit of a teacher's pet, I guess." Fio laughed again, shaking her head, "But this train station turned B&B sounds amazing. Is it still running?" The excitement was obvious in her eyes as they lit up and she leaned forward, her shoulders lining up to face him better. "Maybe it's the Gilmore Girls fan in me, but I've always thought there was something magical and romantic about a bed and breakfast." Fiona covered her cheeks with her hands, laughing at herself as she hid the blush."