Tour x Weight x Embarrassment

Please read Author's Thoughts at the end of the chapter, some things are explained there.

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"Wait, Julio!"

Julio turned around, surprised when he saw who was running towards him. "Dolores, what did you need?"

"Ah, um, nothing really, just wanted to see if you wanted someone to show you around." Dolored answered as confidently as possible, but Julio still caught on to the stuttering blunder at the beginning of her words –something which made him smile amusedly.

"Sure, I'll take you on that offer." Julio answered while offering her his arm, something which Dolores clearly didn't expect. She had a very soft blush in her cheeks, but she quickly held onto his arm and started guiding him towards the "hottest" spots in the town.

What Julio didn't know was how his new appearance affected people. After all, he only knew how he looked know based on his memories, which were from a kid who had barely turned eighteen years old. He now looked like a beautiful man, with sharp features and bright green eyes. His skin, which was of a colour similar to Camilo's but more yellow-ish, was unblemished and smooth, giving him even more points in the beauty department. His body, on the other hand, looked manly with wide shoulders and tight muscles. Overall, he was perhaps the only other man besides Mariano Guzmán that could be considered a "lady killer" in all of Encanto. At least, based on what the movie showed. He wouldn't learn of that until a bit later, though.

"This is 'El Tute', a pulpería that opened last year. Most people in town usually come here to have a drink, chat and sometimes some parties are held randomly." Dolores explained as she showed him the social hub of the town, the central plaza and the shops in it.

"Right in front is El Paujil, a shop that sells clothes. I think a ruana would look good on you, unless you dislike wearing the same style that Camilo does." Dolores said, throwing in her two cents. He honestly thought that I could do with a one of those poncho-like coats, they looked good and he low-key liked them. To boot, he only had a pair of black dress pants, a pair of burgundy alpargatas and a white shirt. Either a black or burgundy ruana would look good surely.

"I'll consider it, you can help me choose a design then." Julio said while motioning her to continue the tour. Honestly, there wasn't much to see in the town. "Where to next?"

"Well... this is one of my favourite places, and I tend to go there when I don't really want to pay attention to what I listen." Dolores said while walking towards the outskirts of the town. He would've argued it was dangerous hadn't he been with her. After all, he was probably the safest person to be around in the current situation.

"Hmm... let me guess... it is related to water?" Julio asked with a smirk, making Dolores open her eyes in surprise. She looked at him a bit confused and with a lot of curiosity.

"How did you know?" She interrogated him.

"Well, if my guess is right, I also used to go there after dad passed away." Julio answered with total honesty. And he was actually right. About two hundred meters away from the town stood a lone waterwheel, surrounded by mills. It was perhaps the most peaceful place in town, without going all the way to the border. As soon as they arrived, Dolores sat on the edge of the river, took of her shoes and let them hang on the water, enjoying the comforting cold and soft drag of the current. Julio just emulated her, since he had done it before too.

"I got used to coming here whenever I hear things I don't want to hear. I came when grandma argued with my Tío Bruno, when Mirabel didn't get a gift and the adults talked about it, when I realized Mariano would always be meant for Isabella, and lets not even talk about the times the villagers say unpleasant things." Dolores admitted, bearing most of the weight she carried to me.

I could somehow understand, considering what I had done and that she knew me from before, but at the same time it was weird. Yet I didn't feel it wrong. There was a strange feeling of comfort around us, as if we could just talk about anything.

"The year before I disappeared, before I turned eighteen, my dad died. Do you remember?" Julio asked. Seeing her nod, he continued with his story. "That year, I came here many times. To think on my own, you know? I thought about how many things I still wanted to share with him, and the many more I wanted to show him in the future. It was hard, getting over that. And when I disappeared... when I woke up, I mean... I just wanted to talk to someone about it. And instead of doing something for myself and spending time with my mom, my only family, I took the time to help you all out. Because I could."

"Where are you going with this?" Dolores asked, clearly misinterpreting my words as a jab at her being unable to bear with the responsibility of her gift. Julio smiled before splashing some water in her face, which she clearly didn't take well. "Hey, why would yo- huh?!"

"Please let me finish. I don't regret taking the time to talk with your family, but I also don't think that what I did was right. Just as I don't think that what you do is selfish. You know, not wanting to hear everything." Julio said while hugging her softly. It was clearly out of bounds, but it just felt... right, for him to do it at that moment. "And as for where I am going with this... is that if you ever feel like you can't take it anymore, or if you just want to let it all out... I am always going to be around from now on, so you can count on me and lean on my shoulder, ok?"

Once he was finished, Julio just let go of Dolored and she stared at him for a few seconds before nodding, whispering the softest 'ok' ever and showing Julio the most beautiful smile he had ever seen in both his lives.

"So, you like Mariano, huh?" Julio said while trying to hide the dejection he felt. Of the entire town, Dolores was perhaps the only girl he was interested in. She was beautiful, sensitive, funny and trustworthy.

"What, nononono, I don't like him anymore. That was waaay back, while you had been missing." Dolores lied blatantly while trying to play it cool.

She had actually liked Mariano until the attack, during which he did nothing but cower while her family fought. If anything, he was only a slightly larger man. But in her eyes, Julio was a lot more handsome, sensitive and supportive. Also, he was someone who seemed to understand her, so she quickly denied liking Mariano in any way. Julio sighed in relief when he heard that. He didn't want his first crush in this world to be in love with another man, that would've hurt a lot. Both had failed to hide their emotions just now, Julio having shown both dejection and relief and Dolored in her urgency to deny his claims.

As they stared at each other, they burst out laughing when it fell on them that they both were trying to keep the door open for something to happen. There was a weird tacit understanding between them. As if they mentally had told each other 'I want this to happen, but let's take it slow'.

"I suddenly feel your weight, and it is quite heavy." Julio suddenly said. Dolores looked at him with a ferocious look that was quite unlike her, but it was to be expected, since the comment sounded like an insult to her actual weight. Julio just laughed at that, before quickly correcting himself. "Not literally, dumbo. In my heart. It feels heavy, but also cozy and comfy."

Dolores just laughed at her own misunderstanding before smiling at him once again. Then she placed her hand on his chest.

"I also feel the same in my heart..."

*

House of the Acosta's, minutes later.

After dropping Dolores off at the Madrigal's home, Julio went to his house and locked himself up in his room without saying a word. If his mom had seen him, she would've surely laughed at his current appearance.

"What the heck were you thinking spouting those things?! You are clearly going too fast dumbass, you two haven't talked in five years!" Julio reprimanded himself in embarrassment, totally forgetting that a certain someone could hear everything he was saying very clearly.

*

Casa Madrigal, Dolores' room.

"You really are a dumbass... but how could I have just flowed with that?! Oh my god I was so into the moment! Thank goodnesss he can't hear me or I would faint!" Dolored also reprimanded herself, thinking about the way she acted like a girl in love in one of those novels her mother read her when she was little. "But... he is really hot... and he is so caring..."