The village seemed to freeze around them.
For the first time, Alex and Leo really felt it—a quiet tug between two people who didn't need words to get each other.
Alex shifted, his coat brushing against the grass, and he tipped his chin toward the horizon. "The village...it looks different at dusk," he said, almost mumbling. "All soft edges. Like everything's holding its breath."
Leo glanced over, a small smile barely showing. "Yeah...it does," he said, honest and calm. "Everything feels more peaceful now."
Alex watched the last gold of the sun slip over the rooftops. "I've been all over...film sets, city skylines, you name it. But there's something about this place—simple, quiet. Makes me notice stuff I usually don't."
Leo nodded and let the silence settle between them. "Yeah...like how the grass smells. The wind. Even just...the sound of nothing."
Alex looked at him, teasing gently. "You pay attention to all of it, huh? Even when everyone else is rushing around."
