Silent love song 3

 "I..." Bruno frowned, thinking hard. "I used to know someone a very long time ago with that name."

"It's common enough."

"I guess?" He reached over and retreived his footwear from where it had been thrown. "You could've just told me to sit, you know." He grabbed a handful of sand from the road and tossed it over his shoulder, muttering.

Elly bit her lower lip shyly, staring at the ground. "Yeah, I didn't mean to scare you. I've been watching you, too, and I wanted to talk."

"Talk?" He laughed wildly, flopping on the dust-covered trail beside her. "You <i>pounced</i> on me!"

"Yeah, well." She gestured to her tail, grinning so wide that he could see her canines were sharp. "Part cat. Y'know."

"Ah, that's okay. I'm just glad you weren't looking for a late night snack."

"Sorry," Elly laughed, just as awkward. "I really am. Most people scream and run when they see me, or worse, attack, so when you didn't move I took the opportunity as I saw fit." She picked up the roses and held them close, inhaling deeply. "I've never gotten flowers before."

Bruno watched her, entranced. His Sight had shown him the woman of his dreams, and though he lived alongside magic he almost couldn't believe what was happening. "Why are you both?" He finally asked. "I mean... puma, human." He spread his hands apart. "I thought we were the only ones with magic here in the <i>encanto</i>."

She shook her head, and he saw what he thought was part of her hair rise from her head, two furry cat ears unfurling to perk at him attentively. "I ran away from the village a - a very long time ago. My parents told me I couldn't see my friend anymore, and I took the news badly. I'm not sure what made me turn into this strange hybrid, but I do remember running through the jungle crying." She set the flowers aside to wipe the tears running down her cheeks.

<i>A very long time ago.</i>

"Did you..." Bruno reached out and touched her hair with trembling fingertips. He had this wild idea in his head, but it couldn't be. "Your hair, your eyes. Were they always purple?"

"No." She sighed brokenly. "No, and my hair was shorter than all the other girls when I was younger."

"My heart, it's <i>you</i>." He choked, his dark eyes wide. "I thought you left me." He caught her hands in his and held them to his lips. "I thought you'd - they all told me you had gone."

"Bruno." Elly cried harder, leaning in closer to rub her cheek on his hands holding hers. "Bruno, you came looking for me. At last. <i>At last</i>, my love."