Fran woke up inside a small wooden house; it was dimly lit by a lantern hanging from the ceiling, dust particles floating in the air, no furniture decorating the place except for two backpacks and the king-sized bed in the corner where he was lying down.
And he wasn't alone.
Hugging him like a child hugging a Teddy bear was July, still asleep and snoring loudly like recording a T-rex roar.
Fran slowly tried to get out of bed without waking up the girl, first he tried to free from July's arms, but her grip was holding him tightly, so instead he tried to slip down like a worm, it could have worked but the bed creaked with every move, and soon it woke July from her deep sleep.
He was halfway out of the bed when July woke up, it took her a whole yawn to realize what she was doing. She stopped hugging Fran immediately, accidentally pushing him out of bed. Fran tumbled to the floor loudly, moaning from pain.
"Shit, sorry" July stood up quickly and helped him up.
Fran shook himself and smirked, "Don't worry, i love being tightly hugged and brutally hurled all at once". His tone was calm but with a playful tone.
July grinned sheepishly "Wait, where are we?"
Fran scanned all the room, looking for something to answer "I don't know" he said after finding anything.
He went to his backpack looking for his axe -just in case-, but halfway through he noticed something that made his stomach twist.
"Wait, where is my guitar?" His tone changed abruptly, voice shaking with nervousness.
He opened the backpack, extracting the heavy axe, but with his guitar nowhere to be seen. He looked all around the room; his movements were clumsy from desperation.
July watched him with awe, she went for her backpack too, but hers was untouched, with her guitar still in place. She smiled to herself and closed it before Fran noticed the instrument.
Fran ran his hand through his hair frustration, taking the axe and walking toward the door. with such aggressiveness that made July thought he might kill someone.
He was midway when the door opened snappishly.
Two big mans emerged from outside, they had dark red spears way too big to be useful, they were wearing the same tunics from last night and the angriest expression a human face could make. Behind them was yesterday's woman, with messy hair and a huge smile in her face.
"Welcome" Composure dripping from the woman's voice, contrasting with the happy smile adorning her face.
Before the woman said anything else, July started to listen a lot of voices near her, talking the same ancient language the woman spoke yesterday. She made a perfect 360 but saw no one.
The voices felt as if she had headphones inside her head, external shouting apart from her usual thoughts. Her head ached because of all the noise, but she hid it with a tired face.
In the other hand, Fran started feeling weird, no, more like having a lot of feelings, he closed his eyes and tried to identify them.
Nervousness... rage... pride... and excitement? It was hard to tell exactly what he was feeling.
The woman approached Fran first, oblivious to the storm of feelings Fran abruptly found himself in.
She took the axe away from his hand and put it down and started inspecting him from head to toe.
"You don't look different," She lifted Fran's arms as if looking for something else, after a rigorous inspection she spoke again, more disappointed this time. "don't you feel stronger? Or faster?"
Fran raised a brow "Exactly that, no" his tone was surprisingly calm by everything he was feeling inside.
The woman looked behind him, where July was still a bit stunned by the voices.
"And you?" The woman said, approaching July and examining her just like she did with Fran.
July stared awkwardly at her, "I'm not signing today, sorry" she managed to keep her usual tone despite the stunning voices in her head.
The woman rolled her eyes and crossed her arms "Are you like this all the time?"
July winked "Only when I get forced to touch a shining stone" her voice beaming with a mix of sarcasm and exhaustion.
The woman groaned and got back to inspect July.
"Really nothing? Not x-ray or speed or eternal wisdom?" The woman said even more disappointed, her face was begging July to suddenly fly through the ceiling or do something amazing.
"More like an eternal headache, what are these walls made of? I can listen to all your friends talking nonsense" July tried plugging her ears with her hands, but the voices didn't stop.
The woman put her hand in her chin, thoughtful.
But before she could say anything else, Fran interrupted her thoughts with a hand on her shoulder.
"Also, have you seen my guitar?" Fran was keeping his composure, but he sounded urged.
The woman turned abruptly, seeing Fran in the eyes, which made him more nervous.
"Your what?"
"My guitar"
The woman tilted her head, curios "What's a guitar?"
Fran couldn't contain the storm anymore "The, the instrument, with curves! And strings! and a hole in the middle of its body, where is it?!" Fran's breathing grew labored, and he tightened his grip on the woman's shoulder.
The guards changed their posture, ready to defend the woman, but she calmed them with a gesture of her hand.
Fran started feeling new feelings; fear, shame, anger, surprise? He didn't know, but he did know that none of them felt right. After some slow breathings he managed to calm himself a bit, slowing his breathing.
"Do you know where it is?" Fran's usual calmness got back, though his emotions kept overflowing.
Everyone in the room stared at him, the guards seemed ready to pierce him with a spear if necessary.
"Uuuh, sure" The woman walked towards the door, she told something unintelligible to the guards, mimicking with her hands a guitar's shape.
Fran exhaled again and sat on the edge of the bed, his leg moving restlessly with anxiety.
July's eyes were fixed in Fran. She walked towards the bed and sat by his side. She examined him for a moment, the voices becoming little, nothing but distant murmurs.
When she spoke, she did it with a low voice, as if fearing touching a sensitive nerve.
"I didn't know that that guitar meant that much to you"
Fran sighed "You have no idea"
July smirked with irony "Maybe I do"
Immediately the woman finished talking with the guards, they nodded and went away from the old wood house, leaving her alone with July and Fran.
Almost all the voices in July's head went silent the moment the guards closed the door behind them, except for one, which sounded suspiciously similar to the woman's voice.
Fran also calmed down, he was still with a lot of emotions that didn't feel right, but it wasn't as bad as before.
The woman turned and clapped her hands, smiling awkwardly gentle "So, You two doesn't seem to have acquired some divine power, but you survived the trial, and that means you must participate in the invenientme"
July squinted "What is that? It includes stabbing?"
The woman snorted "No! Nothing like that, it comes from an old prophecy. You both will have to climb the thème"
"And that's important because?" July asked, hands in her hips.
"It's the hugest mountain in our town, it has spiritual connection with deities, and you two have been chosen to climb it!" The woman sounded truly excited.
"W-wait, like, climb a real mountain?" Fran asked
"Yes"
"Like, right now?"
"Relax, you'll have two weeks to prepare"
She explained to them the situation, they'll have two weeks to prepare; they will stay in that wooden shack free rent, the woman (who introduced herself as Satis) will be bringing them the essentials.
They can get what they need to climb the mountain from local vendors, but it won't be free, of course not, they aren't the first and won't be the last to participate in the mountain test. And they have an economy to keep.
So they will have a part-time job in a nearby bar, they'll get paid and with that they can buy everything they need and more.
"Any questions?" Satis said with a satisfied expression.
"Me, teacher" July raised her hand. Satis sighed in exasperation and nodded.
"Cant we like, just escape from here and ignore god's call?"
Satis smiled mockingly "We outnumber you, we have spears, a magic force field that only me can inactivate and, uh, spears"
July simply flipped her off.
Satis shrugged her shoulders.
Then the 2 mans from before appeared in the door, with Fran's guitar in hands.
Fran quickly straightened up and pointed to his instrument, attending to the new storm of emotions forming in his head "That one! Yes, that's mine" he said like a child receiving a Christmas gift.
July smiled faintly at his reaction. But the voices came back again, messing with her own thoughts, she forced a serious face that didn't suit her at all.
The man handed Fran his guitar and left. Fran inspected cautiously, fortunately it was intact. Well, at least no more damaged than before. He let out a sigh of relief, and a lonely tear rolled down his cheek, but he wiped it up fast.
"I'll see you down in one hour to adjust the details of your work, so hurry up! Or you'll get late" Satis said with enthusiasm, though she couldn't spread it to anyone.
She turned back to the door, both guards waiting for her.
She froze mid-step, she turned and said with a grin "Oh! And you'll oversee your new friend"
The wolf appeared from behind Satis legs, his eyes lit up when he saw Fran and July again.
Fran simply waved at him.
July gave him a nod with a small grin tugging at her lips "And there it is. My favorite encumbrancer."
"You're the first ones this fur guy had chosen in his short life, maybe you two have something... special" Her tone softened throughout the sentence, each word loaded with hope and fear at the same time.
When Satis closed the door behind her, July and Fran remained silent for eternal seconds.
July broke the silence awkwardly, her usual confidence fading as she turned to see Fran "So, uh, me and you, guitar maniac, should we try to escape? Or-" The wolf interrupted her, warning July with a snarl and a sharp look.
Fran snorted "I think he gave you the answer"
July gave the Wolf a look that made the predator stick out its tongue mockingly.
"Sooo, what's your name?" July said with a warmth that made Fran's stomach twist.
"Fran" his tone colder than he'd liked.
Even so, July gave him a warm smile "Not bad. I'm called July"
She extended her hand to greet Fran.
Fran shook her hand "Curios to meet you in this situation"
July sighed "Yeah, well. Never thought I'd end up working for some magic stone followers that make me hear voices" her usual sarcasm fully back by the end of the sentence.
Fran tilted his head with curiosity "Voices?"
"Yeah, I think i can listen to all the town from here, they're talking goldstoneish" July spoke with a serious expression, as if it was the most common thing in the world.
"Are you listening to them now?" Fran looked at her with expecting eyes.
"Noup, maybe because the door is closed, but when the guards and the religious lady were here, I could hear at least 3 voices" July shrugged.
Fran stared at her with a confused expression "I never listened to voices"
July smirked "Never expected you to do it"
Fran gave her a side eye look.
"We have an hour before being forced to work" July walked towards the door with a grin on her face.
"Wanna walk?" She invited him nodding the door.
The wolf's tail wagged excitedly, and he turned to see Fran expecting an answer.
Fran smiled sheepishly "Why not"
Outside the door a bright new world was waiting them.
The house was above a small green hill, with yellow flowers growing nearby and stone stairs that went down directely to the town.
The town was... something else.
It was small but vivid, houses all circled around downtown. The scene was colorful, the structures around were quirk, the place conveyed nothing but warmth, each building with different colors, and watching from the hill Fran and July could see how the colors were slowly changing, starting with dark purple and ending with a light yellow.
At the center of it was a fountain; it had a glowing red heart pierced by a spear with a dark green brain as its spearhead from where a completely transparent water was overflowing and falling gracefully just to be thrown upside repeatedly.
The point of view just made it better. From the hill they could see everything; the murals painted on unoccupied walls, kids running careless although barefoot, and wolves laying down on the street.
Fran turned to see July's face. Her face was a poem, bright wide eyes from surprise, gasping with the comfortable sound of the water falling, the air stroking her brown hair gently from her face. The phantom of a grin tugging at her lips.
Fran stared at her for a beat that felt like forever, he didn't know why but his heart told him to memorize the moment. He made sure to catch the bright in her eyes, the small grin, the way her brows eased, and her hair not resisting the cool gust of air.
The wolf was trying to get Fran's attention, with snarls, grunts and barks. But nothing worked. The beast pushed Fran's leg with his snout, when he noticed Fran's gaze, he moved his head indicating Fran to follow him.
The man followed the wolf aside the house, visualizing what was behind the wooden structure.
Fran's jaw dropped at the picture behind his eyes.
"I think I found the mountain Satis was talking about earlier" Fran's tone was sarcastic but calm.
"Huh?" July said without looking at him.
"The one we have to climb" Fran turned to see her, amusement tensing every muscle of his face.
July finally looked at him, peeking from the corner of the house to see the enormous mountain.
It was huge, it had some observable trees and caves. The sun was peeking from the peak of the mountain, making it look even more immense.
"No fucking way" July said half-laughing, but Fran noticed the fear in her words.
"We're doomed" Fran muttered.
"We're blessed" July bumped his arm playfully.
They got interrupted by the Wolf's bark, who was one step from the stairs leading to the town.
Fran and July exchanged a knowing smile before following their fur friend.
They were halfway down when July stopped abruptly, holding her head as if it might fall.
"You okay?" Fran said concerned by her sudden reaction.
"I can hear them. Lots of voices now. I-I cant get down there." Her head was buzzing from inside and her nose started bleeding.
Fran noticed the bleeding and put his arm around her shoulders "Let's get back then"
July nodded, her nose bleeding uncontrollably.
The wolf followed them closely, a hint of worry spreading through his face.
Fran helped her upstairs and laid her down on the bed. Taking some paper from his backpack and putting it carefully in her nostrils, stopping the hemorrhage.
July's headache stopped abruptly when the door closed behind them.
"Fuck" she said, still stunned from what just happened.
"Better?" Fran was startled.
"Yeah, thank you" She was rubbing her temple more out of fright than pain.
Fran stared at her, thoughtful.
"Isn't it weird?" He slowed his pace.
"Exactly what?" July asked disgusted with the situation and the question.
Fran's tone was more calculated now "Your nose bleed"
July squinted in mock disbelief "No way! Really?"
Fran didn't react at her sarcasm "Shouldn't you have bled from your ears?"
July stopped halfway through another derisive comment.
She put her hand on her chin, thoughtful.
Her mind started working as if putting a puzzle together.
"If my ears didn't bleed" She straightened up and started pacing in circles around the room.
The wolf stared at her, his tail wagging in amusement.
"Can it be..." July whispered to herself
July remembered exactly how the voices sounded like, not exactly from outside her head. The pieces clicking together in her head.
"Maybe I don't have super hearing..." Her voice raising "maybe I can read minds!" she yelled with enthusiasm.
Fran moved his head with surprise "You think? Can you read mine?"
July's enthusiasm disappeared as quickly as it had arrived.
"...no" disappointment making sense of the short word.
The wolf barked to catch their attention.
July sat just in front of the wolf, watching him with suspicious eyes.
"Satis said something about you choosing us. You know more than you can say" she accused him.
The wolf trampled in answer. July grinned at his reaction.
Fran crouched next to him "Can you answer us all our questions?"
The wolf grunted affirmatively.
July quickly asked him what she wanted to know "So... Can I read minds or what?"
The wolf nodded. July screamed in excitement. Just to get disappointed moments later.
"It's a shame that nobody here thinks in English" her grin not disappearing though the realization.
"But why can't she hear my thoughts?" Fran asked directly to the wolf.
The wolf gruntled something that July and Fran didn't understand.
"Uh huh" July mocked the wolf.
The wolf widened his eyes offended.
Fran held his right hand and tapped his wrist with his thumb.
"Maybe you can't read my mind because we both touched the stone?" Fran guessed.
The wolf wagged his tail and grunted in agreement.
Fran grinned proudly "Knew it"
July put her hands in her head again "Now, how am I supposed to go to the town? My mind almost imploded when I tried to get down there"
Fran took a moment to think.
"Maybe you can... learn, to control it" he said softly, looking at July's eyes.
July answered dryly "I don't even know how it works"
Fran smiled gently and spoke without taking his eyes off her "I can help you"
July's face softened.
"Why?" Her tone of voice was barely audible.
Fran stood up and shook himself "Because..."
"We're together in this" Fran extended his hand.
July hesitated, eyes trembling with doubt at the offer. But she took his hand anyways.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Okay, ready?" Fran asked gently to July, who was a few steps away from him.
"If I die, I'm blaming you both" she pointed to Fran and the wolf.
Fran, July, and the wolf slowly made their way down the stairs.
"You tell me when to stop" Fran's gaze focused on July, which only made her grow nervous.
After a few steps down July stopped abruptly, her mind rang with the same noise as the last time.
"Here" July groaned uncomfortably.
"Okay, okay. Calm down, focus on the voices" Fran's calmness contrasting with July's inner chaos.
July closed her eyes, trying to find a way to silence the barrage of shouts unleashed in her head.
Her nose started bleeding again, Fran immediately stopped the bleeding with a piece of paper.
But July couldn't keep her composure more, she held her head down and grunted.
Fran acted quickly, stepping down and clutching July's shoulders, attempting to ground her.
He was talking to her, but his voice was nothing more than background noise in July's thunderous head.
Only two words managed to cut through all the chaos.
Close.
Mind.
She processed the words almost automatically.
Of course, if the voices weren't from outside, nor inside, they must be heard from a middle ground.
July put her hands in her ears instinctively, but all her focus was on her mind, trying to separate her thoughts from the noise from outside her brain.
She felt how her mind moved away slowly, as if leaving a crowded mall behind.
Her mind was now free of those foreign thoughts that had permeated it without permission.
Reality gradually regained control of the stimuli received by July's brain.
"Hey, are you still in there?" Fran's voice was growing with worry as he tried physically to ground her.
July grinned triumphantly "I did it! I don't know how to explain it, but when you said that I should close my mind it's like, well, I locked my thoughts from everything!" her hands moved in circles, trying to explain the inexplicable.
Fran looked at her strangely "I said nothing about closing your mind"
July met Fran's brown eyes, losing for a moment the control she had just regained.
"Thank you" A small whisper left her lips.
Fran averted his gaze "No problem"
They kept walking, both trying not to look at each other, although some glances betrayed their attempts.
Fran tried to hide his hands in his pockets while July couldn't help but play with her hands nervously.
They stopped at the entrance downtown.
Fran stopped, his feelings overflowing again, but this time it was like a whole cascade falling upside down. There wasn't a single feeling he wasn't feeling, all at once.
Fear. Anger, Happiness. Anxiety. Enthusiasm. Surprise. Hope.
Even some he couldn't explain, he had never felt that before, but his stomach twisted, his hands were trembling, an unpleasant tingling sensation made him scratch his neck fiercely.
He came to a sudden Hait, breathing slowly and trying to calm himself.
July noticed the hard face and asked, "Everything okay in there?"
Fran forced a smile and straightened "Yeah, just catching my breath"
July's eyes remained on Fran's figure for a second longer, but she kept walking.
The wolf stopped beside him, squeaking with concern.
Fran petted his head "I'm okay buddy, just needed a moment to slow down"
The wolf stared at him, knowing the truth, but decided to follow July instead.
Fran pulled the emotions apart just enough so he wouldn't get controlled by them, he was an expert doing that.
The three of them arrived at the place where Satis had arranged to meet with them. They found her casually chatting with a tall-old man, dark skin, gray hair, at least 6 feet's tall, and big enough to lift July and Fran with one hand.
Satis noticed them in the distance, signaling to come with them.
When they got close Fran's feelings focused more on calm, anxiety, a giant grief making him hug his chest for physical pain, though he realized that it wasn't how his usual pain felt.
"Hello guys! You're just in time to meet your new boss" She pointed with both hands at the man standing beside her.
"His name is Fortis!" The man nodded unenthusiastically.
"He isnt a talkative one, but he sure knows how to boss around" Satis nudges him playfully.
Fortis rolled his eyes and let out a sigh of defeat.
"Fortis, this is July and Fran, they're the ones he-" she pointed at the wolf "choose"
Fortis extended his hand politely; his face was neutral but with hints of fatigue. He looked down at the wolf and crouched down.
"hoc est esso melius que potersti accipere?" The man's tone was sharp, but with glints of tease.
July groaned in the most exasperating way "Anyone else here knows how to speak my same language?"
Fortis looked at her, his tone shifting to something colder "Yeah, I do"
The serious tone in Fortis' voice brought a mischievous smile to July's face.
Fran noticed the look on July's face and muttered something about first impressions.
"Yeah, you look exactly like the grumpy boss type" she shook Fortis hand though he didnt give it to her "name's July"
Fortis remained cordial "I'm Fortis"
July used both hands to take Fortis's enormous hand.
Fortis took his hand back with enough strength to make July fall, her face directly on the floor.
Fran was trying hard not to laugh, or cry, or scream, or whatever his guts felt the urge to do.
Fortis looked at Fran, his gaze judging every single frame of Fran.
Fran extended his hand with calm and respect "Name's Fran, nice to meet you"
Fortis' gaze lingered at his hand, he didn't take it, but his face eased a bit.
"You don't look bad"
Satis helped July to get up.
"Welp, you'll be working in Fortis bar, he will tell you everything you need to know to do a great job" Satis explained "It'll be just 4 hours after midnight, after that you can do whatever, you want"
July crossed her arms "We are getting paid... right?"
Satis rolled her eyes "Of course, that's the point. You must prepare to climb that mountain in about 15 days"
Fran raised a brow "And why exactly after midnight? Weird working hours"
Satis opened her mouth, but Fortis talked first.
"Because it's the time where I have more customers" he raised his voice, clearly tired with all the questions.
"Are you two done complaining or what?" Fortis said with more weariness than authority...
Fran nodded. July cursed under her breath.
"Good, you start tomorrow. I'll give you today free, so you get to know the place"
Fortis petted the wolf's head before heading to what was allegedly his bar. The wolf grunted and went straight to the hill.
Satis clapped her hands "Welp, do you want me to give you a tour?"
July sighed "Do we have any other options?
Satis grinned and started walking, stopping a few steps ahead of them.
"Here, I know this place better than the palm of my hand" she made them a sign to follow her.
Fran and July followed her.
The place was outlandish, vivid with colors and the faint hum of music in every corner, not enough to stun, the exact volume to give more atmosphere to the already pronounced place.
They walked toward the place, stopping at every stand, people smiled kindly at them, some kids were excited when they heard that they had been chosen by "Fortis' Wolf", the adults were more contained, like they had seen this all the time.
"So, Fortis is the owner of the wolf that chose us?" July asked, intrigued.
"No, the wolf hadn't let anyone tame him. Fortis is like a friend to him" Satis explained as she led them around the town.
They stopped at the fountain, there Satis explained fragments of the fountain history.
"The heart and the brain are the symbols of the mages that raised this community, we still don't know what does the spear means, some say is betrayal" Satis gaze never left the fountain.
"Some say?" July said with her arms crossed.
Fran's hands trembled, but he asked cordially "And what do you think?"
Satis grinned, clearly enjoying the attention "I think it represents union. Creating a real bond is painful, you must let the other person in to make it real, and sometimes pierce it with a spear of reason is the only way"
July blinked, Satis words struck a chord she wasn't expecting to touch.
"You really had time to think about that line, huh?" July's voice was sharper than she expected.
Satis grin softened, her usual enthusiasm dissolving against the melancholy "It's not like I have really said it out loud before"
Everyone went silent as the moon took over the sky, the darkness of the night was nothing compared to the deep feeling of loneliness Fran started feeling. This time he couldn't say if it was just another of those weird moments of today, or just him.
Satis noticed the shift in the air, she smiled again, though her smile didn't really reach her eyes.
"Anyways, you must go to sleep, it's getting late, and you have a long first day tomorrow" Satis voice was trying to sound casual, though she was tracing circles on her triceps with her fingers.
July and Fran nodded, walking towards the choline where they will sleep for the next weeks.
Neither of them broke the silence, they just walked side by side until the door of the wooden house was in front of them.
The Wolf rested at the bed's side, lifting lazily his head when Fran and July stepped inside.
Fran finally stopped feeling weird sensations, he thought on telling July about what was happening to him, but he stopped himself.
'She wouldn't care' he repeated to himself.
July -unaware of Fran's situation- smirked, she clapped her hands to draw Fran's attention.
"Soooo~" she started playfully "You do actually know how to play the guitar?"
Fran rubbed the back of his neck "Kind of"
He took his guitar.
"Do you mind if I play something before sleeping?" he asked sheepishly.
July widened her smirk and went directly to her huge backpack, almost bouncing in excitement.
"Just if you let me join you" She stood tall with her guitar in her hands.
Fran chuckled "Okay, that's a huge coincidence."
July nodded, a spark of life lighting up her eyes.
"We might be the chosen ones after all" she said sitting cross legged in the floor, already tunning her guitar.
Fran smiled "Which do you one to play?"
July gave him a smug grin "Try to follow me"
She started with something simple, a soft melody with a slow rhythm.
Fran recognized the chords and joined her, both guitars sounding softly, each string being torn with practiced ease.
July looked at him "Not bad, guitar boy"
Fran rolled his eyes, but a smirk betrayed his offended acting.
"Now try to replicate this" Fran started playing something more vibrant and energetic, his fingers speeding up the pace.
July smirked, listened attentively and started playing it too. Synchronizing perfectly at Fran's tempo.
The chemistry was undeniable.
"You're really good actually" Fran's amusement infected July.
Both stopped at the same time. Their hearts in sync even at a high speed.
Even the wolf woke up, amused by the spectacle that they had given.
"That was..."
"Awesome" July finished the sentence while catching her breath.
"Have you ever tried to compose a song?" Fran asked
July cracked her fingers for no reason "Yeah, I tried, but I never liked what I wrote"
"Like the lyrics?" Fran said while rubbing his wrist.
"Yeah" she said shyly.
"And do you know how to sing?" he began to play a melody unconsciously.
"So so" her eyes saying otherwise.
Fran kept playing the melody "go ahead"
July waited until the exact moment to get into the groove.
"But if, there's one thing" her voice was smooth but clear, changing easily the tone at the exact moment.
"A heart with a beat~" Fran kept playing the melody, but he was truly impressed by July's voice. An angelic sound in a high but low tone, Fran felt his ears being caressed with a velvety sound.
"Caaaaaaan do, is love..." her voice softened with each word.
"...again" she finished.
They stared at each other, unsaid things spoken with just one glance.
"That was amazing!" Fran said excitedly.
July's cheeks went pink from shame; a weird pride sensation blossomed in her chest.
"It's nothing, don't overreact"
Fran calmed down, but he kept a smile that was between teasing and amusement.
"I'm serious, you're a really good singer" although everything, his words were meant, no lies. And that made July nervous.
She thought of a reply, but her mind didn't answer her.
"Thanks" she said a bit embarrassed.
When July lifted her head she found Fran's eyes, looking at her with something more than just surprise.
They stared at each other, trying to read each other's face, eternal seconds passed until the Wolf sat between them.
He grunted something and went back to his place, as if saying that they should go to sleep.
Fran cleared his throat and put his guitar aside "I think we should rest"
July blinked before turning to see the bed "Yeah. Yeah"
Fran went to his backpack and took a sleep bag, unfolding it next to the bed.
July bit her lip and muttered "Good night"
Fran laid down in the sleeping bag, the wolf curled up beside him "Good night"
The air was heavy with feeling, like two magnets trying to separate themselves from each other. But being attracted by a force bigger than them.