At the gate of the kids' park, Carlo stopped, causing Leo, who was walking slightly behind him, to stop as well.
"Hey," he said, turning slightly. "Thanks for coming."
Leo shot him a sideways look, one eyebrow lifting.
"Don't make it weird."
But Carlo frowned.
"I'm just saying thanks."
"Yeah, yeah," Leo replied, already turning away. "Don't make it sobby. Or gay."
Carlo snorted, shaking his head.
"I wouldn't even be interested."
Leo lifted a hand without looking back, fingers flicking once in a lazy wave as he headed off down the pavement.
Carlo, after standing there still for a while, nodded once like he was coming to a decision.
And a moment later, and after another subtler nod, he turned, going the way from the path Leo had taken.
Leo, on the other hand, kept his hands in his jacket pockets and thoughts spiralling towards what Carlo might have meant by the conversation, but even after contemplating the whole walk, nothing concrete seemed to come to mind.
