#gnb fic

"I- pr- be- pardon?"

He instinctively leaned away as Francais used his elbow to give Estevan a bump on the arm. Almost knocking over his drink, Estevan quickly steadied it with his hand, his shoes gripping the building tiles.

"I mean, how did you, out of all people, get onto the path of becoming a bishop?"

It was in the later hours of the night when most of San Sebastian was asleep, save for the late-working trades. Most of the religious leaders took up residence in the church, getting ready for tomorrow's Sunday service. To not disturb their work, Estevan led Francais by roof to a nearby apartment building. There, Estevan and Francais clinked a few glasses and started to chat away.

Both had grown up in the same general area, a little community section near the docks. Estevan grew up in a middle-class household, was comfortably sent to Catholic school, and eventually worked under his father's leatherworking trade. Francais, however, grew up in a lavish household. His father was an officer in the San Sebastian military, which allowed his family to garner a couple of riches they could splurge every now and then on expensive wine bottles.

But as Estevan reached the 'ripe old age' of 17, he left leatherworking to pursue a lifelong commitment to the church.

"I- uh... felt like it?" Estevan, again, braced himself and his drink as Francais clapped a hand on his shoulder, shaking him with a laugh.

"Oh, come on, T. You and I both know that's a shallow answer." Francais placed his hand back on the roof tiles, leaning back on his hands and looking up into the night sky. "What happened to that kid with callouses on his hands and smug look that told me all about his flirtatious outings?"

Estevan felt himself going red, and he sighed, eyes locked onto the lights of the street. "That- I wasn't flirting with any one of them! It's just a coi-coincidence!"

"Calling bull, you always came back with a few marks under your collar."

"I decided to become a priest-" Estevan shakily chuckled, "-because I felt like it. Really!" Francais gave Estevan another look, prompting him to continue.

"Look, it- I don't know how to explain it that well, but I felt it. I held the hide in my hands, and all of a sudden, I couldn't really stomach holding it anymore. Right as the bells tolled for noon, I looked up at the cross and..." Estevan swivels his head around to look at the cross on the dome of the building on the mountain, trying to make out its shape. It was nearly hidden against all the darkness of the night.

"Francais..."

Estevan steeled himself as he looked into his friend's eyes, resolve narrowing.

"Something big is going to happen."

Francais scoffed, sliding down onto his back to look at the stars. "Oh yeah? Like what?"

"I-I don't know, but something big is going to happen. Like, life-changing stuff." Estevan followed suit, nudging his glass into an open crevice in the roof.

"It was like... when I looked up at that cross, God was calling me. Calling me into the church, into the- the pews. To look into the eyes of Mary and the Archangel and... and to become a leader, or something.

It felt like, through the eyes of Jesus, I was called for something more. Like, since there was such a big thing planned for the future, God chose me to be one of the people to handle it." Estevan swallowed his spit nervously, hands draping across his chest. "I really, REALLY can't describe it well, Francais. At that moment, I knew that I was destined to serve under God. That, whatever is going to come, I would... be one of the keys? I think?"

Estevan turned his head to Francais, seeing him smile humorously.

"Oooh, so you're gonna become one of the big, handsome, famous guys, eh?" Estevan shot Francais a glare.

"Yo-You know what I meant! I don't- I don't want to become a priest just because I want attention from anyone!"

"That's not something the devilish womanizer Estevan would say."

"You sh-shut your-" Estevan shoved Francais's shoulder, both of them sharing a couple of laughs. Francais eventually calms down enough to give Estevan a nod, putting his hands behind his head.

"Okay, but in all seriousness, alright. I just-" Francais purses his lips, "I don't know. It's just a huge change that kind of came up overnight. I mean, you're basically leaving all those years of training under your Dad to go and struggle through the priesthood, you know? I literally heard your Dad's disappointment and approval from halfway across town.

Not that I'm disapproving of this, I'm sure Father Jean would be happy to hear that another soul has come forth to lead. All of this was so sudden and such a big-"

"-change?" Estevan completes, starting to get lost in thought.

"Yeah. A big change. If I decided to throw away everything I worked for to go train again under the church, my mom and dad would kill me! You're lucky to have parents who still support you going in a completely different direction."

"I do. I really do. I'm very glad that they... that God opened up this door for me. And that my parents recognize that. I wouldn't be able to go and get any degrees without them. I-I may not know a lot b-but I'm determined to learn! I want to make my parents proud and- and God proud too.

It's not going to be as hard as you think it is. Before you know it, I might even become a cardinal!"

"...Aaaaand then you'll start preaching about looking for a wife."

"Francais."

Before Estevan could nudge Francais away, Francais sat up and dug into his jacket, pulling out an opaque wine glass with red wax on top. He gave Estevan a meschievious smile, waving it around a bit.

"Why don't we celebrate that realization with a little bit of wine?"

Estevan coughed out a laugh, feeling his lips pull into a grin as he stared at the labeling.

"No way. That's the wine I've always wanted to try! Wait, let me get my-"

sssSSSSlip- CRRAAAASSSSHH!

Both friends jumped at the loud sound, cringing as they heard someone startle in their sleep and get up angrily. As Estevan shifted to sit up and grab his bottle, he loosed the tiles enough to let his glass slip and fall into the top room of the building, breaking the glass and spilling alcohol everywhere on the floor. Estevan notes the clammer of metal and a flame.

"Oh shi-" Francais quickly stands up, dragging Estevan to stand with him. "Dude, let's get out of here! We can't have you retiring before you get started!" He quickly waves Estevan back to the church, aiming for one of the open windows on the side of it. "Go, go, go!"

Estevan laughs softly, only cascading as Francais returns the laugh. Soon, the sound of laughter rings out across the roof tiles as both teens rush to hide. The flames of lanterns flickered, complementing the sparkling stars, only alluding to the event that is to plague the island.