Archive of Our Own ^beta

Late at night, you didn't think such a small diner would be so crowded.

The sound of glass clinking against porcelain and forks scraping plates irritated your senses, making it difficult to think. More specifically, reminisce about what once was.

It had been a long three years since you left Arcadia Bay, plenty of time to think repeatedly of the things you would have done differently had your sister and friend still lived. Unsurprisingly, there are many things you would change if you had it your way. Any consequences be damned. That's likely why you weren't the person gifted (or cursed) with powers like Max's—the power to reverse time and alter it to what you wished it to be. Or, that's what you assumed she could do. It wasn't like you could ask Max now that she's gone, off somewhere in New York working on becoming a big-time photographer. You still never understood Max; how she could find peace after what happened, how she was just able to accept the universe's fucked up way of balance. Where's the balance in taking not one but two teenagers' lives in cruel ways? You came to terms not too long ago.

Before it was just you and your sister, Rachel. You'll always see her as your sister, your family, since she was all you had growing up. Even if you weren't blood, you were family. At only 16 months old, your parents left you on the doorstep of the Ambers unceremoniously. It was their way of saying, 'We don't want this anymore. It's yours now!' 'Gee, thanks.'

Life wasn't all bad being taken in and raised by the Ambers. They were always like this perfect greeting card family; the hardworking father who was head DA, James, and Rose, a stay-at-home mother who raised two nearly perfect daughters. Nearly perfect. Rachel was the one with outstanding grades, the one who joined clubs and helped with causes, and was friends with everyone, was beautiful, and was often described as hot, smart, and wild. The golden child of Arcadia Bay.

Then there was you, the stray left at the door, never to be acknowledged. You weren't ignored completely, but James and Rose made it clear to you that you certainly weren't what they wanted even if they didn't verbalize it. Which was worse. You differed from Rachel, anti-social, uninterested in after-school activities—a real homebody. Though you had good enough grades to get into Blackwell Academy with Rachel, and while she pursued drama and acting classes, you busied yourself with a different aspect of the arts. The art of photography, that is. The act of capturing a single moment through a lens, immortalizing it, captured your attention like none else. That was the only thing you seemed to enjoy.

Being the most distant child, left in the back of minds or the dark, Rachel was the only one who showed you attention or affection really, the only person you could turn to. By all means, she didn't have to. You lived under the same roof, sure, legally you were family, but she could've been like her parents and simply have been civil without fully acknowledging you. But part of you was glad she didn't. It was nice being her sister.

That title, however, vanished as quickly as she did in April 2013. After going to a party, she was just... gone. It was so unlike her to leave without you. She used to talk about disappearing one day from Arcadia, but to leave so abruptly without so much as a letter to you? Something wasn't right. And you hated how her parents just brushed it off as her simply sticking to her words and finally running away. By the way things looked, it seemed she did just that, and for a while, you unfairly resented her for that. Chloe, you and Rachel’s best friend back then, was desperate to find Rachel. She printed mountains of missing posters and stuck them everywhere she could. Everywhere.

As if the universe's torture couldn't get any worse, on October 7th, the same year you lost Rachel, you lost Chloe as well. To that elitist asshole Nathan Prescott. In a matter of minutes, as she went to milk him for some money in the bathroom, she too was gone. That prick admitted the reason for Rachel's disappearance was that he had murdered her via overdose.

It was the straw that broke the camel's back. You wanted to leave more than ever after finding out, and Chloe's death didn't help convince you to stay. You had to leave before meeting your own tragic end, like everyone else. Thankfully, James and Rose didn't fight or lecture you when you told them, try to reason with you, and talk you out of it—of course, they wouldn't.

Before you could even leave, Max came to see you a few days after Rachel and Chloe's funeral, to give her condolences. She was there when Nathan shot Chloe; she was there for Chloe's first, and she had to sit there in the bathroom and listen to the last moments, her pleas. You couldn't help asking why. 'Why didn't you help her when she needed you the most?' She seemed saddened at the question, answering with a plain, 'I tried.' You just nodded, wanting to end the conversation so you could get the hell out of Arcadia Bay.

That was all three years ago, and it only faintly stung to think about now. It felt like a lifetime ago, though. Three years ago, the only people who truly knew you died, and only three years since you've been on the road trying to escape it all. You've ultimately made it nowhere, still Oregon just not Arcadia. It's honestly ironic how badly you wanted to escape, yet you can't.

"Your check, Sweetie." The server's raspy voice pulled you out of your head as she placed a receipt for the cheap burger and fries you had gotten. This was life for the time being. Going around, squatting in places, pick-pocketing, or getting minor jobs for some quick cash. It wasn't perfect, and yes, you could go back to Rose and James. But what you couldn't do was bear to live in a hole anymore. It made you feel trapped. You are trapped. Your mind would remind you. But you're alive. That is neither here nor there; you don't think it's anywhere. The view is better out here. Being 16 years old, with your sister and friend dying at 13, you didn't want to live in a hole anymore, and did something about it. The point isn't, did you even really leave? No, not entirely.

One push is all you need really, and when it comes, hopefully, you'll be ready for whatever it is, and wherever it may lead.

Your head felt like it was throbbing as if someone was taking a hammer to your skull from the inside. God, why does my head hurt so bad? You tried to move but found that you couldn't. Your wrists were tied down and ankles were taped against wooden legs. Your eyes cracked open but then immediately shut and face scrunched to protect them from the unpleasant bright white light they were met with.

You blink a few times to adjust to the light. When they finally do, you could take in your surroundings. Bright camera lights were all around, with a white backdrop on the ground, and a very professional-looking camera positioned before you. Now... this was an odd setup.

You knew this was a dream right off the bat. But it felt so real, way too real. From the feeling of being strapped to a chair to the bright camera lights making your headache and drowsiness worse.

Trying to shake and wiggle out of the seat was futile, eventually tipping the chair and making it fall. "Shit!" You curse under your breath as your head hits the ground. "Oh, dear," a man tsked—his voice... that voice. Suddenly, the chair is lifted back up, making the dizziness worse. His voice made a displeased shiver run up your spine, and goosebumps rose along your skin. You felt sick. "Careful, wouldn't want to damage that pretty face." He disgustingly purred, a cold gloved hand caressing your cheek, making you flinch away. Looking up, you saw it was him. Mark Jefferson. Eyes darkened with something sinister, and lips pulled into a faux warm smile. It made your stomach turn.

•••

Monday, November 7, 2016

You woke up with a sharp inhale through your nose; once taking in your surroundings and realizing you're safe, you let go of my breath. Damn, nightmares. Raising a hand to scratch your forehead, you just lie in bed looking up at the cracked ceiling.

Questioning life as one usually does in the early mornings after a nightmare.

You take a deep breath and release through pursed lips, seeing a plume of your breath being blown out. Fuck, it's cold. The fire was slowly but surely dying, which meant having to sit up and push the old ragged blanket off, and head towards the door to get more firewood, slipping a thick and warm jacket on.

Sean

He cupped his hands over Daniel's and breathed hot air, rubbing their hands together to keep warm. "Any better?" He asked, looking at Daniel. The boy nodded slightly. "Hey, we'll find a warm place. Soon." Sean pats his shoulders. "Ok. Where did Shroom go?" Daniel looks around for the dog. Sean stands from his kneeling position to look for her too.

"Shroom! Shroom?" Daniel started to wander around with his hands cupping his mouth, calling out for Mushroom, as does Sean. "Mushroom! Shroom!"

"BARK!"

They heard the dog yapping coming from further away from the woods they were surrounded by. Daniel perks up a bit. "Shroom!" He begins to run towards the barking. "Daniel! Hey, wait!" Sean starts after him, telling him to come back. I've told him time and time again not to wander away from me, but of course, he never listens. Sean internally groans.

I know things are... difficult, and it sucks. But I need to keep him safe. I need him to listen. I need him to do what I tell him.

I need someone to help me.

Sean pushed through the branches sticking out of the many trees, finally reaching Daniel. He's stopped in his tracks, looking at another person kneeling with their back to them petting Mushroom.

Shroom immediately perks up upon seeing Daniel as she yaps, trotting her way to him. The person turns their head to follow Mushroom, but their eyes widen a bit as they follow up to the two people in front of her. She gets up in a hurry, shoving her hands in her jacket pockets, sort of getting tense at the sudden sight of people. Getting a good look at Daniel, she then fixes her gaze on Sean, her eyes studying him, which he found to be pretty.

His throat dries, more than it already has from the cold weather.

Her gaze softened from a hesitant look to something of familiarity.

Familiarity? Does she know who we are? Shit. "Uh..." Sean cleared his throat. "Thank you for finding our dog." "She's yours?" "Yup." Daniel nods. "Thanks." He gives her his charming smile. Ah yes, my brother. The 'charmer'. "We should probably get back on the road." Sean pats Daniel's shoulder, signaling they need to get the hell outta here.

"Are you sure? It's pretty freaking cold out here. You two look like you're freezing yourselves to death." She's right. Sean looked at Daniel; his little nose was as red as Rudolph the fucking reindeer, his lips were blue, and his fingertips looked as if they were beginning to purple. Sean figured he probably looked like he was on the verge of hypothermia too. "You two can come in and warm up." She offers, crossing her arms over her chest to tuck her hands under her armpits.

Daniel needs to get warm. Sean hesitated–this could be a trap. But I can't let Daniel freeze...

"Alright... Thank you." He nodded, keeping Daniel a tad closer to his side. She nodded with a small smile and motioned for us to follow her back to her supposed cabin up ahead. ••• She led the boys through the sliding doors, where there was a furnace on the right, a mattress up against the back wall next to an open door leading to another room, and sat them on the end of the bed in front of a makeshift table.

Sean glanced around at the cracked, chipping walls and lack of electricity, but it looked pretty cleaned up.

She comes back with two bottles of water and some store-bought wrapped sandwiches. "Thank you." Sean took them and handed a sandwich and water to Daniel, to which he immediately started to dig in. "So," she began, sitting on the table in front of us. "What are your names?" She asked, though Sean felt like she already knew.

"I'm Daniel. What's yours?" He asked eagerly. She smiled softly as she introduced herself. "How about you? You got a name?" She turned to Sean, leaning forward, her elbows on her knees, with a soft smile. "Sean." He responded curtly, looking her in the eye. It kind of feels like we were in a staring contest, and she's winning.

"The Diaz brothers, I assume?" She quirked a brow. Sean's heart sunk, and the smile he felt creeping up fell. She backed up, sitting straight. "I'm not gonna tell anyone if that's what you're worried about. I don't have anyone to tell." She shrugged. "Oh, ok. Thank you." Sean thanked, a little breathless. She nods, offering a crooked smile.

A beat of silence washed over them before Sean spoke up again. "We should probably head out." He sighed. "Aw, really?" Daniel looks up at his big brother as he gathers their things. "Yes. I'm sure {name} doesn't want a rowdy kid running around." Sean hands Daniel his bag. "Hey! I'm not rowdy." The older boy chuckled, you're right, just a handful. "I don't mind. But if you two got somewhere to be, don't let me stop you." She stands.

*BOOM*

A loud crack of thunder shakes the cabin and catches our attention towards the evolving weather outside. Great. Perfect weather for this shit.

You

Mushroom begins to bark and yap at the thunder emitting from the sky, *BA BOOM* only to whimper and cower between Sean's feet.

"Well, it'd be cruel to make you two walk out there in a storm. So you both will crash here tonight." Sean seemed taken aback. "Are you sure?" "Of course. Just until it's decent out." You tap his shoulder. "You two can take the bed. I'll get the floor." "Oh no, we-" Sean began to shake his head and raise his hands to protest. "I insist. I've slept on plenty of surfaces. A little dirt won't hurt." You joke. He was still reluctant but agreed for him and Daniel to take the bed. ••• Wrapped in a cocoon of blankets in front of the fireplace, you take one last look at the boys (and Shroom) getting comfy, and finally, you're able to drift off to sleep as well.

1,348 Words

Bloom - The Paper Kites 

Eyes fluttered open to stare up at the boxcar ceiling, your legs dangling off the edge, swaying with the speed of the train. Frank dragged you, Chloe, and Rachel to yet another concert at yet another old barn. You don't mind it...much. But it's always like you're not even there.

Frank and Chloe are all over Rachel, and they're always either high or drunk, or both, out of their minds...so you made the executive decision to just leave them.

You left that barn and hopped on a train, to where? No fucking idea. But you'll find out when you get there, speaking of which, this looks like a good place to hop off.

You quickly stood and backed up to get a running start before jumping. And tumbled forward onto your stomach, knocking the wind out of yourself.

I'll just wait for the next one, hopefully, one that'll take me back.

Standing upright and brushing off the grass and dirt from your clothes, you adjust the red beanie atop your head. Wherever you landed was... pretty. A field of wildflowers as tall as you, to the far left, was a pretty tall hill, 10-12 feet above the ground, the wall leading to the edge looked concave and made of dirt with roots sprouting here and there, at the top the ledge was fenced off with an old looking brown picket fence with vines curling around the posts, and trees surrounding the entire back. But down the side is a gravel pathway leading up to the ledge.

Might be a nice view from up there.

•••

On your way up the hill, the path started going more and more into the forest until only shining cracks of the moonlight through the trees were your guiding light. Your hand brushed the trees lightly, the tips of your fingers getting scratched and snagged.

You could see the ledge slowly coming into view. *Snap* you halted. You glanced around, but seeing how dark it was, you couldn't see much. "Probably just a rabbit or something," you muttered to yourself. Don't freak yourself out. On your path, there was a golf sized rock, which you felt the urge to kick as you walked. One particular kick was a tad too hard as it ricocheted off a tree, disappearing over the hill in front of you. It landed somewhere, making a soft *thunk*.

"Ow! Hey!" A young boy's voice calls out, and a dim beam of light began moving your way. Hide! You didn't see any adequate place to do so other than the bush to your right. Putting no further thought into it, you just jumped in. The weight of your body made the twigs and leaves crunch. Why did I think this was a good idea?

The twigs poked all over your legs, back, and neck. Then the bright light shone on your face, making your hand lift to block it. "Could you maybe not blind me?" "Sorry." A quiet voice says, lowering and turning off the light. You blink a few times to rid the splotches in your vision. You could make out the silhouette of a boy, a boy who reached out his hand. Which you reluctantly took.

His hand is soft, you note, as your hand slides into his. He helped you up and bent down to pick something up as you once again brushed yourself down. "Here." He handed you your beanie back. "Oh, thanks." You murmured, slipping the beanie back on. "Are you okay?" You give him a slight nod. "Why did you jump in the bush?" "I didn't want anyone to see me if I had pissed them off." "Did you throw that rock at me?" "Oh, no. I kicked it." He furrowed his brow a bit. "Not at you, of course." Your hand nervously scratched the back of your heated neck. It's not like he could do much damage anyway; he was shorter than you and scrawny.

"Oh. Ok." He nods and looks at his feet. "Sorry," you muttered. He nods once more and turns around to walk back to the ledge. You followed.

The full moon lit up the night, seeming to beam down on the ledge, which didn't have a bench, but a sideways log in the middle. The boy sat on the ground, leaning against the log and staring out at the seemingly endless world. You walked and sat down next to him. You could see him staring out of the corner of your eye and turned your head a bit to meet his gaze, but he quickly averted his eyes with his lips tight in a straight line, a light blush coloring his face.

"So..." You pursed your lips. "What are you doing here?" "You first." He doesn't look away from in front of him like he's afraid that if he looks you in the eye, he'll turn to stone or something. "My friends were ignoring me at this party, so I ditched 'em. You?" You nudge his shoulder. He looks hesitant but sighs. "Just looking for some kind of sanctuary." He shakes his head, motioning around us. "Hm. Sanctuary from what?" "Does it matter?" He mutters while rolling his eyes, finally turning to me and giving a closed-mouth grimace. You can get a clear view of his features.

Light tan skin, short dark brown hair, two distinct beauty marks high on his right cheekbone, and brown eyes that looked slightly red, as if he was high... or crying. He wore a dark navy blue shirt with khaki knee-length shorts and some sneakers. His knees and legs looked to have scrapes and bruises. "Did you fall or something?" You pointed to his legs, which he brought up against his chest, and rested his cheek on his abused knees. "No. It's nothing." He defensively grumbles and shakes his head.

"Well, "nothing" looked like it hurt." You retorted, crossing your arms. "Why would you care? You're a stranger." "Fair enough. But we don't have to be strangers." You scooted closer, and though he made no effort to move away, it was clear he wanted nothing to do with you.

"Hi," you tell him your name, putting your hand out for him to shake, and... nothing.

You sighed, smile falling as you dropped the offered hand. "Fine." You stood up to leave. But a hand grabbed yours, keeping you from leaving. "S-sorry!" He lifts his head, finally looking up at you. "I'm sorry, alright. I just... don't wanna be alone right now." He slowly lets his hand fall from yours. "Stay?" He whispered. Why am I always the go-to comfort person? "Ok." You agreed, sitting back down. You two were close enough that your shoulders bumped against each other, and he laid his head on my shoulder. "I don't think I've seen you at the camp." He lifts his head. "Camp?" You question. "Yeah. There's a camp back that way." He nods his head toward this 'Camp'. "Oh. Where are we?"

"Sunset Lake Summer Camp." "Seattle?" You ask, and he nods. You hum and nod in response as he lays his head back on your shoulder. I guess I'm further from home than I thought. You look down at him once more before looking ahead at the scenery. They won't mind if I'm gone for a bit longer. They probably don't even know I'm gone at all. A soft smile finds its way to your lips. "What's your name? Only fair since I told you mine..."

That got a soft chuckle from him. "I'm Sean."

1,243 Words

The sunlight shone through the cracked windows onto your face, making your eyes squint before looking around, and for a slight moment, it felt as though you were back in Arcadia. In your old room, with windows that were wide open to let the cool coastal breeze in. When your eyes adjusted, you could see the fire dying, and you returned to this broken-down house.

You rubbed your eyes, trying to bring yourself back to reality and out of the past. Unwrapping from the cocoon of your sleeping bag, you sat up, stretching your arms high above your head to feel the satisfaction of your joints popping. What a weird dream... The more I try to think of it, the more I forget.

You look towards the bed where the boys should be sleeping. Should be. Yet the bed was empty. "Dammit." You quickly crawl on your knees to your bag and search through it. This is what you get for being nice. Your mind reprimanded you.

But everything was still present in its place. You look towards the sliding door. Their belongings were still here as well. You could hear Mushroom yapping outside. They probably just went out for a walk or something. You got up and grabbed a hoodie, slipping on your boots as best you could without tripping. Setting your foot down, you heard a crunch—a broken beer bottle. When did that happen?

You slid the door open and walked out down the porch. *Clink* *Crash* The sound of a bottle breaking came from the river.

"It's alright. Here, try this bottle." You slowed your steps as they came into view. Hiding behind a tree to see what they were up to. It looked like they had a shooting range set up with glass beer bottles lying around the cabin, but they were far too close to shoot. One bottle began vibrating, then slowly floated. Float? The bottle is floating?

Your eyes widened, and your jaw fell open as you stared in disbelief. Daniel had his hand reached out, his eyebrows pinched together, his teeth chewing his bottom lip and his eyes squinted in focus on making the bottle float about 2 feet into the air until it dropped and shattered into the snow.

Daniel huffs out and slightly slumps, catching his breath as Sean holds his shoulders up while comforting him. "That was great, enano! You're getting better." Sean smiles fondly down at his brother. "Yeah! I am! Did you see that, Shroom? Shroom?" Daniel looks around for his dog, as does Sean.

"ARF!" Looking down at your feet, two paws jumped up on your leg. Busted. You look up and meet both Sean and Daniel's eyes. Like a deer in headlights, Sean gets in a stance looking like he's getting ready to book it.

You stood straighter and took a deep breath. "Soooo..." You undecided-ly crossed and uncrossed your arms before shoving your hands into your pockets and then leaned against the tree casually. Though it's apparent, this situation was anything but normal.

"You...are telekinetic?" You arched a brow. They both looked taken aback. "Yes..." Daniel answered slowly. You hummed and nodded your head slowly. "And you're not freaked out?" Sean questions. You slowly shake my head no. "It's not the weirdest thing I've seen," you admit with a soft, breathless chuckle. "Really?" Daniel perks up. You nod.

"So you're not gonna tell anybody?" Sean quickly asks, his posture and stance loosening. You shake your head no once more. They have powers, they're on the run, with nowhere to go—no, you've been more than fine on your own, and that's how it's going to stay—but I could help them. If they wanted to hurt me, they would've done it by now—Sean's voice pulled you from your head as he called your name.

"Are you okay?" "Yeah, yeah. Just thinking." You started biting the inside of your cheek, thinking of what to do with these two until you tasted that familiar copper.

"If you want, you can stay here," you said slowly, hesitating. "It's a nice, quiet, desolate place for the two of you to practice your, Y'know..." You trailed off, waving your hand a bit. "Really? We can stay?" Daniel runs up to you, and you think for another minute before letting out a shaky "yes", and he wraps his arms around your waist to give a tight squeeze. Sean approaches the two of you, mouthing a 'thank you'.

•••

The winter made days pass faster than you liked, and soon you were back in the cabin with the sun beginning to set, leaving you to bask in the beautiful dusk of sunset. The sound of the glass door sliding open made your head turn. "Hey." Sean gave a sheepish smile. "Hey. Whatcha got there?" He was holding what looked like a cigarette box. Man, I could use a smoke right about now.

He sat down next to you on the steps. He pulls one out between his thin fingers. "Care to share?" You rest your head on the palm of your hand, and he nods. He sticks the cigarette between his lips, pulls out a Zippo with the plate saying 'Puerto Lobos', and lights it as you watch closely. His fingernails have dirt beneath them, and his hands seem rough and calloused. He takes a drag, puffs out, and hands the cigarette back to you. "Puerto Lobos, huh? What's that?" You take a good long drag, feeling the smoke fill your lungs. "It was my dad's. He's from there. Puerto Lobos, Mexico. That's where we plan on heading." He said. "Mexico? Damn, and I thought I had big dreams." You huff a small laugh of smoke, picking at the dirt under your own nails.

"Oh yeah? Where are you headed?" He asked as you handed him the cigarette, and he took another drag. His hand brushed yours, making the skin feel warm and tingly. "Nowhere. Everywhere." You vaguely answer. "I used to dream of leaving my shitty town for places like Portland or Long Beach... or somewhere like that." He hands you the cig and you take another drag.

"Oh, where did you live?" Another puff was exhaled through your nose. "Arcadia Bay. " You mumble. "I saw that place a couple of days after we left Seattle. It looks like a pretty cool town." "It's alright. At least, to me then it was the most boring place on earth... sometimes I think about going back," you admit softly, solemnly. You sigh, and he nods. At least you have a choice. He's lost everything...

You handed him the rest of the cigarette and patted his knee. "But we all have regrets." You stood up, heading inside to avoid the awkward silence.

But he called your name, prompting you to turn as you reached the door.

"Yeah?" He seemed to hesitate before he spoke. "You said you've seen weirder things than a telekinetic kid. What's weirder than that?" You chuckle at his question. "I'll tell you some other time.

1,158 Words 

Tears Over Beers - Modern Baseball

It's been a little over a week since the boys have been with you, and every day you three would go out and have Daniel practice his powers on objects near the river. Mostly, you would just watch and supervise the two brothers.

"Try this one." Sean pointed to a small, fist-sized rock. "That one's too easy! Look!" "Don't brag. It was too heavy for you a few days ago." You pointed out. Daniel reached his hand out trying to lift the rock.

Little specks of snow rose with the rock and swirled around. Then it drops.

"Let's try to lift something else. Not too heavy though, I'm a little tired." Daniel said, sounding a little breathless. Sean glances around at the surrounding objects. "How about that one?" Sean points to a much larger rock next to the previous one. "I can do it with the small rocks but not the big ones." But Sean gently shook his head and approached his brother. "You can do this. Trust me." He places his hands on Daniel's shoulders reassuringly. "Just relax, and focus." You chime in. "You got this, kid." Your hand finds Daniel's head, giving a gentle pat.

"I'll try." You and Sean both back up and watch Daniel as he lifts his hand and works his magic, hearing that familiar faint ringing as the air flexes. The rock shudders, the air shifts, then it slowly rises from the ground followed by the surrounding snow. It spun slowly before being gently set down. "Whoa! I did it!" Daniel turns to you and Sean with glee at his strength. It's nice to see him happy. "Holy shit! Like a boss! You're getting good at this," Sean praises his little brother. "Did you see that, Mushroom? That was the biggest rock ever." Shroom jumps and yaps at Daniel in response to his excitement. "That was hella awesome, Daniel!" You chuckle a little as you ruffle his unkempt hair, his smile bright when he looks up at you.

"How about those cans?" Sean points to the 3 empty cans sitting on a stump. "Can you fly them all at once without dropping any?" "Sure! Look." With slightly clenched fists, he focuses on the cans lifting above the stump. "You're getting way better at this," you tell him. "Come on, dude, that's just the start. Let's try something else." Sean walks behind us to a fresh patch of snow, which he picks up to create a snowball. "Cool! You're like Coach Aaron! You're my power coach." Daniel stands near a stump as you move out of the way, not wanting to get hit by the snow. "A snowball fight?" Daniel questions.

"Not yet. This is a new exercise, young apprentice." Sean explains, "See if you can stop this in the air. Cool?" "Ok, but you better not hit me. Like that time you gave me a bruise! I'm serious!" "You won't let me, right?" Sean teases. "Try it..." Daniel grins.

Sean threw the snow. Daniel deflected it rather than stopping it.

"Aw, that sucked. How about one more?" Daniel looks to his brother as Sean picks up another snowball. "Ready?"

He throws another and... It stopped! Right in mid-air.

"Yes! Look! Look what I can do." "I knew you could. We've taught you well. But you, you're a master student." Sean smiled softly, seeing how well Daniel's power had gotten. However, it doesn't last long before Daniel drops the snowball, breaking out into a coughing fit. His sickness has you concerned, considering it's been a few weeks now, and he's still not better.

"Hey, that cough still sounds nasty." Sean goes to calm his brother. "You're not getting better." He pats Daniel's shoulder. "I told you I'm fine. Just a little beat." Daniel assures us. "Well, you need rest now. Our little superhero." You caressed his hair, then slid your hand down to the side of his face to wipe some dirt off his cheek. "Can we go back now?" Daniel asks. "Yeah, we just need to fill up the canteens before we head back," Sean tells him as he runs off to play with Shroom somewhere.

"That cough has been going on for days. I really don't like that," Sean tells you as we walk towards the dock. "I know. He's not getting any better. Wish there was more I could do." For the short time they've been with you, you've grown to like these guys. No matter how hard you tried not to get attached, it seemed inevitable with these two. Reaching the dock, you hand him the canteen. "No, you've done enough. Food, shelter, water... company." "Company? Is Daniel becoming boring to you?" The both of you chuckle, dipping down to fill the canteens. "I love Daniel. But being stuck with him 24/7 is..." He trailed off, not sure how to say it without sounding like a dick about being with his little brother all the time. "Mm, I get it. You need to be around people your age. Someone else to talk to." He hummed in agreement, a slight grin on his lips you tried to ignore.

With the canteen filled, you screw it shut. Damn, that water was freezing. Shaking off the water, you feel the cold air blow against your hand, numbing the appendage. "We should probably head back to the cabin to warm up." Sean nods and stands upright. He offers a hand to help you up. Taking his hand in yours, you feel his warmth despite the cold from the air around you, and just as you thought, his hands were rough and scratched. You never wanted to let go. Déjà vu.

He hoisted you up, face so close your noses brushed. Your visible breaths mingled, and your eyes locked, not missing how his eyes shifted to your lips. As nice as the proximity was, it made you nervous, so you slid your hand from his and gave a small quick smile. Even with the air freezing your face, the warmth of a blush warmed your cheeks, neck, and ears. Thankfully, he couldn't tell because of the cold.

The four of you entered the cabin, shrugging off coats at the door. "Brr... cold!" The young boy complained with a shiver. "Don't worry. We'll make a fire. We're pros now." Sean assures before Daniel has another coughing fit. "Dude, that cough doesn't sound too good." You pat Daniel's shoulder. "Nah, I'm okay. Just cold." His voice sounded scratchy. "Well, at least you kicked ass today. Level up!" Sean writes Daniel's progress of the day on a board of cardboard he found lying around, using it to keep track of Daniel's power progression. The little dude is getting strong. You thought, strangely proud.

Sean finishes writing in time to see Daniel making the plate on the table float. "Oh no, guys, this is a haunted house!" Shroom barks at the levitating plate. "More like 'uh oh, it's time to go over the rules.'" You mean, 'Uh oh, lecture time'. "I told you about showing off." "I was just-" But Sean motions to the bed as a 'take a seat'. To which Daniel plops down with a huff. "Whatever. Dude, I know the rules."

1,191 Words

You left the two boys to talk about their next stop on their journey, stepping outside and taking a cigarette from your back pocket. Lighting the stick between chapped lips, slightly biting down with unbrushed teeth and taking a deep inhale, and enjoying the familiarity of smoked-filled lungs. You sat on the old creaky steps, looking up at the night sky to count, or at least try to, the stars. Remembering how Rachel loved the stars and astrology. 'The stars we're seeing have already been dead for millions of years. They're all...' "lies." You speak aloud in a tone that's hardly a whisper, more so a mouthing of the word.

If they leave, they leave. There's not much I can do about it. You try to reason with yourself. It's impossible to stick with people forever, right? You can't keep doing this. Doing what? What exactly am I doing? Attaching yourself to anyone who shows the least bit of attention because you're lonely. Because you have no one. You knew they were never going to stay. Oh, just shut the fuck up already. You tap your forehead with your knuckle a little too hard, sighing deeply in frustration with your own mind.

You close your eyes, taking one last drag off the cigarette, hoping to silence the doubting and cruel voices in your head, letting yourself slowly fall back and reminisce.

Warm, breezy days at Arcadia's junkyard, giving each other tattoos; long truck rides, skipping school. The smell of sweat and perfume, gasoline, cheap alcohol, and weed from those nights of loud music. A glimpse of blue hair, blonde hair. Then morning headaches and free breakfast at the Two Whales diner.

"Y'know, falling asleep in the cold is a one-way ticket to hyperthermia." Your eyes snap open at the sound of Sean's voice, who is now standing over you looking down with his hood up, a half grin playing on his lips. "And... with a lit cigarette, now that's hazardous." He takes a step down to sit beside you, plucking the cigarette from your lips, which has burned down to the filter. "I didn't think I was out here that long." You mumble slowly, sitting upright. Sean flicked the cigarette off into the snow somewhere.

"So, what's the verdict on your next destination?" You hug your legs to your chest, your cheek resting on your knee. "Our grandparents, in Beaver Creek. We're going to leave tomorrow. It'll take us about a day or so." You hum in response. He shifts his body so he's facing me with his back leaning against the wall behind him, one of his legs bent and the other resting on the step below us.

The moon illuminated his face for your eyes to notice every detail of him. Creases already forming around his mouth from frowning and smiling, his tired eyes slightly red with creases and purpling eye bags under them. His full lips chapped as well from the cold weather. How beautiful.

"Do you...wanna come with us?" he asks, almost so gently you almost didn't hear his proposal. "Do you want me to?" You responded slowly with the same tone. Your eyes don't falter, not once. The tension of... something felt so tight, your face bloomed with warmth, and my heart felt like it had sped up with him looking at you like this. "Yes, I'd... really like that. So would Daniel." Again with that softness. "Ok." you whisper, giving a slight smile, which he smiles back. Even in the darkness, you could see his face blush.

"I'll, uh... go with you." You affirm gently with a breathy chuckle, straightening your posture. A small smile grows on his lips.

The two of you weren't by any means physically close, but the words exchanged felt intimate. Like you were close without having to be near. It made you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. As cheesy as that sounded.

"We should probably head inside now," you suggested in another whisper. Speaking to one another as if we were trying to hide, when in fact you were completely alone. "Ok." He nodded. He stood up first and reached a hand out for you to take, which you did.

When you stepped back inside, Daniel wasn't in the bed. Shrugging off your heavy jacket and placing it on an old chair, you walked the short distance to the backroom to peek inside. Daniel had fallen asleep in his tent, slightly drooling on the comic book he had found, with Shroom curled beside his head. You smiled softly and knelt, sliding the comic book gently out from under his face to close it. You petted his hair and gave him a quick kiss on the forehead, rising to your feet and blowing out the burning candles on the dresser before leaving the room. "He's passed out," you tell Sean, to which he nods.

You crawl onto the bed and plop down on your back with a huff, stretching your arms above your head as a relaxed sigh leaves your nose. The bed shifted as Sean lay down next to you, and you turned to look at him once more. He's staring up at the ceiling with his hands resting on his stomach. He must've sensed your stare since he turned his head to look at you as well. You immediately turned away and rolled over. I don't know how much more of the staring tension I can take.

"Goodnight, Sean." You hiked your leg up to get in a comfortable position. "Night." He responded. He blew out the candle on his side. The only light we had came from the clouded moon outside and the furnace that was still burning.

Your eyes shut as your body relaxed on this old mattress. Until a hand crept over your waist, "Is this...okay?" Sean whispered. As soon as you nodded, that hand turned to two arms wrapping around you and his nose nuzzling your nape. Just as quickly as your body tensed, you relaxed in Sean's arms. "I'm glad you're coming with us," he whispered into the hair at the base of your neck. "Me too." You responded, albeit a little shakily.

The breath and the ghosting of lips on your neck sent a shiver through you. Your legs became entangled with each other as he pulled you closer, so your back was flush with his chest. You felt as though you could've melted into him right then and there with how warm he felt.

Most nights it used to be your own arms wrapped around yourself for comfort. To give that sense of false warmth, but with this... with him.

I don't think I ever want him to let go.