Flutter: Asking Location permission pauses all app execution, how to let it run asynchronously - ios

Question

When my app requests location permission the entire app stops until the dialog is complete (e.g. if the permission dialog pops up during a page transition the transition will freeze mid transition until the dialog is resolved).
Literally it causes execution to pause.
Using: flutter_riverpod, location.
The offending code:
import 'dart:async';
import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart';
import 'package:flutter_riverpod/all.dart';
import 'package:location/location.dart';
class MapApiBloc extends StateNotifier<MapApiState> {
// Instantiating a location service
static Location _location = Location();
// This will subscribe to the user's location
StreamSubscription<LocationData> _streamSubscription;
// Permissions stuff
bool _serviceEnabled;
PermissionStatus _permissionGranted;
// Initial (empty) state
static const MapApiState _initialState = MapApiState(userLocation: null);
MapApiBloc() : super(_initialState) {
init();
}
// This runs when you initialize the class
init() async {
// Checks if user toggled on location service
_serviceEnabled = await _location.serviceEnabled();
if (!_serviceEnabled) {
_serviceEnabled = await _location.requestService();
if (!_serviceEnabled) {
return;
}
}
// Asks for permission
_permissionGranted = await _location.hasPermission();
if (_permissionGranted == PermissionStatus.denied) {
_permissionGranted = await _location.requestPermission();
if (_permissionGranted != PermissionStatus.granted) {
return;
}
}
// Starts the subscription
_streamSubscription = _location.onLocationChanged.listen((event) {
state = MapApiState(userLocation: event);
});
}
#override
void dispose() {
_streamSubscription.cancel();
super.dispose();
}
}
class MapApiState {
final LocationData userLocation;
const MapApiState({#required this.userLocation});
}
final mapApiProvider = StateNotifierProvider<MapApiBloc>((ref) {
return MapApiBloc();
});
UI Code:
class ViewNearbyMapPage extends StatefulWidget {
#override
_ViewNearbyMapPageState createState() => _ViewNearbyMapPageState();
}
class _ViewNearbyMapPageState extends State<ViewNearbyMapPage> {
Completer<GoogleMapController> _controller = Completer();
#override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(title: Text("Search Sellers")),
body: Consumer(
builder: (context, watch, child) {
var location = watch(mapApiProvider.state);
if (location.userLocation?.latitude == null) {
return Center(child: CircularProgressIndicator());
}
CameraPosition _myPosition = CameraPosition(
target: LatLng(location.userLocation.latitude,
location.userLocation.longitude),
zoom: 14.4746,
);
return GoogleMap(
initialCameraPosition: _myPosition,
onMapCreated: (controller) {
_controller.complete(controller);
},
);
},
),
);
}
}