The night air was cool, a welcome relief after the stifling heat of the forge. Ravenholt had settled into a quiet hum, the villagers retiring to their homes after another long day.
Bran sat on a low stone wall near the edge of town, his thoughts tangled in the strange tension that had lingered between him and Tobias all day. He wasn't sure what to make of it—of him. Tobias had a way of getting under his skin, stirring up feelings Bran hadn't had time to examine, let alone understand.
The crunch of footsteps on gravel pulled him from his thoughts. He looked up to see Tobias approaching, his silhouette sharp against the moonlit sky.
"Mind if I join you?" Tobias asked, his voice softer than usual.
Bran shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Suit yourself."
Tobias hopped up onto the wall beside him, the space between them small but significant. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, the sounds of crickets and distant rustling filling the air.
"You always this quiet?" Tobias finally asked, nudging Bran lightly with his shoulder.
"Not always," Bran said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Just thinking."
"About?"
Bran hesitated. He wasn't sure how to put it into words—the strange pull he felt toward Tobias, the way their conversations seemed to hum with something unspoken.
"Life, I guess," Bran said vaguely.
Tobias chuckled. "Big topic for a small village."
"Yeah, well... you got me thinking earlier," Bran admitted.
Tobias tilted his head, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Did I now?"
Bran nodded, his gaze fixed on the distant tree line. "About what I'm doing here. Whether this is all there is."
They fell into silence again, the weight of Bran's words lingering between them. Tobias didn't push for more, just sat there with him, offering quiet companionship.
"You ever wonder about what's next?" Bran asked suddenly.
Tobias let out a breath. "All the time," he admitted. "But I stopped waiting for answers a long time ago. Now I just try to make my own path, even if it's messy."
Bran turned to look at him, the moonlight catching on Tobias's features. There was a raw honesty in his expression that made Bran's chest tighten.
"Sounds... brave," Bran said quietly.
Tobias grinned. "Or reckless. Depends on who you ask."
Bran found himself smiling despite the knot in his stomach. Tobias had a way of making the world feel bigger, like there was more to life than the forge and its endless heat.
They sat there for what felt like hours, neither needing to fill the space with words. And though nothing was said, nothing resolved, Bran knew something had shifted between them.
It was subtle, like the first spark before a flame—but it was there, undeniable and waiting.