Liuk and Leon walked side by side through the busy streets, each looking in a different direction until Liuk turned his head and looked at the blond.

"We've already passed quite a few shops where ye could've looked at some watches. Are ye looking for a specific place? Somewhere cheaper?"

The blond started looking ahead and let out a deep sigh.

"I wanted to have a look in the shopping centre. That way we can have lunch there afterwards. I take ages choosing things."

the blond commented.

"Really? If I were ye, I'd just buy one out here. Ye know what shopping centre prices are like."

Liuk looked ahead to match Leon's gaze.

"Living's gotten ridiculously expensive."

"Living?"

the other asked.

"Yeah. Ye're born without yer consent and then have to survive on back pain and coloured bits of paper we call euros."

Liuk said with a light laugh.

"That's an interesting way of looking at it, I suppose. I've never really thought about it."

He shrugged.

"I just exist and do whatever life allows me to do to stay alive. But if ye think like that, maybe something's gotten too difficult. Do ye work?"

"Not yet. I just study. I live with my older sister."

the dark-haired man replied.

"Still studying? But ye look about my age. We're nearly the same height."

Leon tilted his head, studying the details of Liuk's face.

"Didn't ye go to university?"

Liuk observed his movements.

"Hm?"

Leon pulled back and looked forward again.

"No. I felt like I had more important things to do, like taking care of my plants or buying socks, so I never really bothered."

"Then do ye work?"

"Honestly, ye're trying to find out far too much. Wasn't our objective buying my watch?"

"It was, but we're practically on a date now."

Liuk kept a small smile.

"A date? With a lad? Catch yerself on."

Leon clicked his tongue.

Liuk raised an eyebrow, trying to understand the comment, but simply continued following him.

As they entered the shopping centre, Leon took a deep breath and pulled up the hood of his hoodie, beginning to walk slowly.

"Why'd ye only do that now? There were people out on the street too, ye know."

Liuk said, looking at the blond hidden inside his own clothes.

"Yeah, but ye don't know how unpredictable shopping centre people are! Don't ye come to places like this? Don't ye know how petty they can be?"

"To me they just look like people shopping. And I don't normally come to places like this when I can buy everything in the city centre."

Liuk rubbed the back of his neck, watching the endless crowd.

"There!"

Leon pointed at an electronics shop and headed towards it.

"But there was a shop from the same company in the city centre."

Liuk followed.

"Lukas! Stop criticising everything I do! You'll see how different things are."

Leon stopped and looked at him, yawning.

"Actually, it's 'Liuk', and I'm not criticising everything ye do. I was just offering a solution."

He shrugged.

"Yeah, but ye're not helping. Just follow me, since this is that 'date' ye mentioned."

He entered the shop.

"Ye talk like the word 'date' only means something romantic."

Liuk crossed his arms while watching Leon look through the watches.

"This one looks nice and fast."

Leon pointed at one.

"God... that costs more than a thousand euro. I think there'd be cheaper options in the city centre."

"What's yer obsession with the city centre?"

Leon lifted his head to look at him.

"Good question. But I also wonder what's yer obsession with shopping centres."

"I think they're more practical."

"I don't."

They stared at each other with narrowed eyes until Liuk started laughing.

"That's enough of this nonsense."

He stepped closer and placed a hand on the blond's shoulder.

"Better focus on the watch. Remember ye told me it takes ye ages to choose?"

Leon stared at Liuk's face, breathing heavily before stepping away.

"Of course I remember. I told ye less than an hour ago."

Leon grumbled, rubbing a hand across his forehead.

"Then that proves ye don't have the memory of a goldfish."

Liuk laughed again.

"Take that hand off me and try not to get in the way."

"Here come Ríthe's orders again."

Liuk commented.

A few nearby people stopped and looked at Leon, who immediately hid himself as much as possible inside his hoodie.

He grabbed Liuk and pulled him closer.

"Stop touching me without asking and don't say my name like that, Lukutis!"

"It's Liuk."

he corrected.

"Whatever."

Leon pushed him away again and returned to looking at the watches.

"It'll be this one."

"That one's... very expensive."

Liuk observed.

"Maybe. But it caught my interest."

"I thought ye were indecisive and would've taken longer."

"Sometimes. But today I want to... get out of here sooner."

he replied, heading towards the till.

While waiting in the queue, Liuk began watching Leon's closed hands, noticing his fingers moving.

"Completely pale skin... and he didn't like it when I called him by his surname... if something's wrong there, I'm going to need help."

Liuk thought as he stepped closer to Leon and the cashier.

"And I know exactly who might be able to help me... or at least try."