Damian's jaw tightened.
"And then..." Alessio's hands clenched tighter. "For the first time in my entire life, someone stopped me. Someone looked at me, really looked at me, like I was a person instead of trash."
He looked up at Damian directly now, his dark eyes wet but not crying.
"For the first time in my life, someone addressed me with dignity." His voice gained strength. "You didn't look disgusted, you didn't look away and you asked my name like it mattered... Like I mattered."
Damian said nothing, his crimson eyes fixed on Alessio's face, but his hands, hidden in his pockets, clenched into fists.
'You reminded me of my past life, Alessio.'
"For the first time in my life..." Alessio's voice cracked again. "Someone brought me to a restaurant. A real restaurant with clean tables and actual food. Not scraps or garbage, but real food that people paid money for."
His breath hitched.
