Harbinger Of Glory

Vittoria came out of the shower with a towel wrapped snugly around her, hair damp and clinging to her shoulders.

Steam still hung in the air as she crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping under her weight.

For a moment, she just sat there, breathing out slowly before closing her eyes, embracing the goodness that comes in the morning.

..

[Never felt that shit in my life]

..

Her phone lay where she had left it after brushing her teeth.

She picked it up, thumb hovering for a second before she tapped Leo’s name and lifted it to her ear.

It rang.

Once, then twice.

And then just as she was about to hang up, the line clicked.

”Hello?” Leo said, breathless, like he’d picked up mid-run.

Vittoria laughed without thinking, mainly at how weird it was, and her thoughts slipped out easily.

”Why do you sound like someone’s chasing you? Are you okay?”

He chuckled on the other end, still catching his breath.

”Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Had to fight my way back to my phone. My friends grabbed it when they saw a girl’s name.”

”Sounds like a wonderful bunch you have,” she said, smiling to herself.

”I can picture it.”

”They’re alright,” Leo said, calmer now. ”Persistent ones, but idiots.”

She shifted slightly on the bed, pulling the towel tighter around herself.

”I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to miss your calls. I was exhausted and just... knocked out.”

”It’s nothing really,” he said right away. ”I figured you were asleep.”

Vittoria nodded before following up.

”I thought you might be in training,” she added. ”That’s why I didn’t call right after waking up.”

There was a brief pause, then Leo said, ”Actually, we’ve got the day off.”

She raised her eyebrows, even though he couldn’t see it. ”Oh. That’s nice, then.”

”Yeah,” he replied.

There was a hint of a smile in his voice.

”I was thinking I could show you around, if you’re up for it.”

Vittoria nodded, a little more eagerly than she meant to, then laughed softly at herself.

”Yeah. That would be fun.”

”Good,” Leo said. ”I can pick you up in about an hour?”

”That works,” she replied. ”I’ll be ready.”

”Alright,” he said. ”I’ll let you get on with your morning then.”

”Okay,” she said. ”See you soon.”

The call ended, and Vittoria lowered the phone before placing it back on the bed.

She exhaled, a quiet sound, something between a laugh and a sigh.

Then, she stood and walked over to the corner of the room where her luggage sat neatly stacked.

Dragging one of the bags closer, she set it on the bed and unzipped it, the familiar rustle of fabric filling the quiet space, before she began to sort out her clothes, a competition for what she would be wearing that morning.

...

Back at the accommodation complex, Leo stood in front of the mirror for a second longer than he meant to, tugging once at the hem of his white tee.

Dark, loose jeans, clean white New Balances, a jacket thrown on without much thought.

Simple, comfortable and good enough.

”Wow,” Jake’s voice came from behind him.

”So that’s the outfit. Very mysterious. Very I’m-definitely-meeting-someone.”

Ezra, already stretched out on the other side of the room, covered his mouth with the back of his hand.

”You won’t die if you shut up,” he muttered.

”I will,” Jake said, completely unserious. ”Eventually.”

Leo turned, one hand still on the strap of his jacket.

”Keep talking, and you’ll be back at your apartment by tonight.”

Jake let out an exaggerated gasp and dropped onto the couch, limbs going loose as he grabbed a controller.

”See how I’m being treated? You should be grateful I’m even here. If my PS5 were fixed, I wouldn’t be.”

Leo snorted as he unplugged his phone from the charger, sliding it into his pocket.

”I’ll be back soon,” Leo said, heading for the door.

”Define soon,” Jake called after him, but Leo didn’t answer as the door closed behind him with a soft click.

A beat passed before Jake leaned forward, lowering his voice like Ezra hadn’t been sitting five feet away.

”So... should we follow him? Just to see.”

Ezra didn’t even look up.

He slid his headset over his ears and pressed a button, the faint sound of a game lobby coming through.

Jake slumped back into the couch afterwards, controller resting in his hands.

”Fake friends,” he muttered, before turning his full attention to the screen as the game loaded.

An hour later, Vittoria stood just outside the hotel entrance, coat buttoned, hair falling easily over her shoulders like it hadn’t taken any effort at all.

When she turned and caught his eye, she smiled first.

”Hi,” she said as Leo neared her.

”Hi,” Leo replied, then cleared his throat. ”You look... beautiful.”

She nodded, not wasting his compliments.

”Thank you. I didn’t want to overdo it.”

She gave him a quick once-over, eyes flicking from his shoes to his jacket, then back to his face.

”You clean up well. Not the first time I’ve seen so, though,” she said, causing Leo to laugh beside him as the two started walking.

Leo shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, turning to her.

”So,” he said, ”what do you want to do? Anything you had in mind?”

Vittoria tilted her head, pressing a finger lightly to the side of her jaw like she was genuinely thinking it through.

She walked a few steps in silence before answering.

”I want to see where you play.”

Leo blinked. ”What, Wigan?”

She nodded. ”Yeah.”

He looked at her again, just to make sure. ”You mean the town, or the stadium?”

She smiled, slow and certain. ”Why not both?”

Leo stared at her a tad bit longer before the corner of his mouth lifted.

”Alright.”

He raised a hand a moment later and flagged down a taxi.

When it pulled up, he opened the door for her like a Valet.

She stepped in, glancing back at him like she was amused by the gesture but appreciated it anyway.

The drive went easily with the two just making small comments about the weather as compared to Rome, while the buildings thinned out around them.

Vittoria leaned toward the window, watching everything pass with clear interest.

When the car finally slowed and stopped, she stepped out first.

She took one look around and froze while Leo paid the driver and joined her on the pavement, hands back in his pockets, watching her reaction.

”Yeah,” he said simply, with an embarrassed expression.

Her eyes lifted, then widened, and she let out a soft laugh that came more from surprise than amusement.

”No way,” she said while Leo followed her gaze.

He groaned quietly, already shaking his head before she even turned to him.

His face filled the billboard above the street, relaxed smile, coffee cup angled just right, the Glory Café logo bold beneath it.

Something impossible to ignore.

Vittoria laughed again, this time openly, folding her arms as she studied it.

”That’s you,” she said, like she needed to confirm it out loud. ”That’s actually you.”

Leo slipped his hands into his pockets.

”I know. I’ve tried very hard not to look at it.”

She glanced at him, eyes sparkling.

”You’re a little superstar here.”

”That’s pushing it,” he replied, flat and quick.

”It’s just a local thing.”

She stepped closer to the billboard, craning her neck slightly.

”Local or not, that’s your face ten feet in the air. It looks nice too.”

”They needed someone whom the locals like,” he said.

”I happened to fit the bill with all of my recent performances. Well, most of them,” Leo said, voice trailing off at the end as his mind went back to the Rotherham game.

Vittoria noticed the lower tone at the end, then reached out and took his hand, giving it a gentle tug.

”Well, now we have to go.”

Leo raised a brow. ”Go where?”

”The café,” she said, already pulling him along.

”Since your face is on it, it must be good.”

”I haven’t tried much of their drinks,” he said, laughing as he followed.

”Just the cappuccino.”

She slowed slightly and looked back at him. ”And?”

”And it’s good,” he admitted. ”That’s all I’ll promise.”

”That’s enough,” she said, nodding once like the matter was settled.

”You endorsed it. I trust your judgment.”

Leo looked at her hand, still holding onto his wrist, before nodding.

”Alright then. Glory Café it is.”

They walked a little further, Vittoria still glancing back once or twice at the billboard.

A few minutes later, Leo nodded toward the café entrance.

”There it is.”

She smiled, releasing his hand and gesturing ahead. ”Lead the way, superstar.”

He shook his head, still smiling, and stepped forward, holding the door open as they went inside.

They found a table afterwards, slipping their coats and jackets off before a waitress approached the two.