Harbinger Of Glory

Leo took another drink, and then Noah pointed at Leo’s phone.

”Have you checked your public accounts recently?”

Leo shook his head.

”Not really.”

”Why?”

”I’ve been busy. Plus, logging out and logging back into accounts isn’t the most fun. It just slips my mind.”

Noah nodded, but now that he mentioned it, Leo looked down at his phone.

He opened Instagram, first logging out of the burner account he occasionally used when he wanted to look through things without getting dragged into the noise.

Then he switched to his actual profile, and before the page had even fully loaded, Noah spoke.

”Thirteen million.”

Leo looked up.

”What?”

”Your followers.”

When he looked back down, the number appeared at the top of the screen.

12.9M.

It had been 7 million followers, getting to eight the last time he checked, and that had only been a month ago.

”That’s...” he muttered and refreshed the page.

Noah nodded, then unpacked one of the sandwiches he had brought.

”Media attention helps. Even when they’re dragging you through it.”

Leo kept on staring at the screen before Noah’s words broke his daze.

”And with attention, always come brands.”

Leo finally looked away from the screen and then nodded.

”I figured.”

”I’ve had quite a few reaching out. I’m filtering them, though. I don’t want you accepting everything just because they put money on the table.”

Leo chuckled.

”We shouldn’t be too niche, though.”

At that, Noah gave him a flat look.

”You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”

”We’re still with Glory Cafe,” Leo said between sips.

”Because you like their drinks.”

”They’re good.”

”They are good.”

”And their gelato.”

”Have you been eating it frequently?” Noah asked, causing Leo to wince at the thought of ratting himself out.

”I do, but not frequently,” he lied through his teeth while Noah picked up his coffee, deciding to ignore the blatant lie.

”Besides, they’re doing well. Really well, actually. They’re growing across England and the UK, but they’re being careful about it.”

”That’s good.”

”They aren’t trying to throw stores everywhere just because people know the name now. They’re picking locations carefully and testing things first.”

Leo nodded.

”I heard something about Milan mainly because they think your name is growing into something akin to curiosity in the Italian eyes.”

Leo smiled at that and then nodded.

”Well, one thing is for sure. Their gelato would do really well there.”

”I think so too.”

”It’s really good.”

”I’ll let them know you like it when I get the chance.”

Leo finished his latte and put the cup down.

”So what do you actually have for me?”

Noah’s expression changed slightly as he set his almost-done sandwich away.

”I’ve been looking at luxury brands that are interested in working with athletes, and there’s one in particular I’m considering.”

”Which one?”

”Loewe.”

Leo nodded slowly and then motioned for Noah to go on.

”They’re looking to expand their football presence. At the moment, they don’t really have a footballer attached to that collection.”

”And?”

”I want to submit a collaboration proposal. It’s not official, but I just want to suggest that you will really fit their image.”

Leo nodded again before Noah threw it to him.

”What do you think of them?”

But instantly, Leo threw it back.

”I don’t know much about them.”

”You don’t?”

Leo shook his head before looking at his phone.

”But I have an expert I can ask.”

Noah’s eyebrows pulled together.

”Expert?”

.............

”Loewe!”

Leo immediately pulled his ear away from the speaker while Vittoria’s laughter followed.

Mia appeared beside her on the screen, looking far too excited about the subject.

”When?”

Leo stared at her.

”Sit down.”

”I am sitting.”

”You know what I mean.”

Mia dropped back into her seat, though the excitement on her face did not disappear.

Leo looked between her and Vittoria and then went on.

”I just wanted to know about the brand. Nothing is happening yet. Noah just heard something, and we’re talking about it. It’s not official, and they haven’t approached me. It’s us doing the approaching, so we could very well be ignored.”

Vittoria nodded.

”Okay.”

She shifted slightly closer to the camera and then began.

”Loewe is Spanish, obviously, and they’re a very established luxury house. But they aren’t really known for managing athletes in the same way some other brands are.”

”Why?”

”They lean much more towards contemporary art, design and music. Their image is quite different from brands that build their campaigns heavily around sports.”

Leo nodded slowly while Vittoria went on.

”So football could be difficult.”

”At first, maybe.”

Vittoria smiled.

”But that doesn’t mean it couldn’t work. Their work is very distinctive, and they’re quite good at making something feel modern without making it feel...”

She paused.

”Obvious.”

Mia immediately raised a finger.

”And they have a whole history with—”

She began but then stopped as he found Leo and Vittoria staring at her.

At that, Mia lowered her hand and then sat back down.

”...Nothing.”

Leo laughed.

”You were about to start giving me a lecture, you fashion nerd.”

”I wasn’t.”

”You were.”

”I was going to add one thing.”

”Which was?”

Mia hesitated and then brushed it off with a sigh.

”Never mind.”

Leo shook his head, still smiling.

”You know you’re a bit of a nerd about this stuff, right?”

Mia looked offended while Vittoria laughed quietly from her side.

Leo then turned his attention back towards her.

”Who are you working with right now, anyway?”

”At the moment?”

”Yeah.”

”Valentino and Brunello Cucinelli.”

Leo’s eyebrows rose and then furrowed.

”Valentino, I know, but the other brand not so much.”

”What a dunce,” Mia said the moment Leo finished, but Leo didn’t condone her and just removed her from the group video chat.

Vittoria couldn’t help but laugh before she found Leo looking back at her.

”Look at you go,” he said with a smile and at that, Vittoria’s smile also widened.

”Look at youuu go too!”

For a moment, neither of them said anything.

They simply looked at each other through the phone, both smiling.

Then Mia, who had quietly joined back, made a disgusted noise.

”Oh, come on. You two should get a room.”

”You’re the one sitting there listening,” Vittoria replied while Leo continued laughing.

”I didn’t ask to witness all that.”

Leo shook his head.

”You’re jealous.”

”See? This is why I don’t like you,” Mia answered back and then left the chat of her own accord this time, while Vittoria laughed again before settling back.

”So...”

Leo glanced at her.

”What?”

”I saw Chelsea and Wigan are playing on the first.”

Leo’s lip lifted slightly.

”Yeah.”

”I heard the match might be rescheduled, and I thought...” Vittoria said wryly, ”so I got you an invite, but I guess it will be for nought!”

Leo chuckled and then nodded.

”My name being on the party list is already enough for me.”

Vittoria smiled and then leaned back.

”I’ll have a lot of fun without you,” she said, pouting a bit, which made Leo sigh.

”I hope you do.”