Chapter 11 #2
“This is the only thing I miss about where I grew up,” Danger muttered, elbows on the railing as he peered out over it. “Nothing but green woods to get lost in and creeks to explore, though coming home with leeches sucked. Half the time my old man couldn’t stop laughing as he got them off me.”
“How many times did he tell you to keep your ass out of there?” Pope asked.
“Was his favorite thing to yell after me when I rushed out the door, right behind, Don’t you go getting into shit and leading the pigs back here. Like they could find the place. We lived so far off grid that sometimes I forgot towns existed.”
“Bet it was peaceful,” Roan said.
“Nothing like laying in the grass and staring at the stars with no other sounds in the whole world but the crickets chirping,” Danger admitted. “On the nights when the fireflies were out it was…”
He shrugged and let his words trail off, only for Ocean to finish his sentence.
“Magical.”
Danger nodded. “Yeah.”
“I loved to follow the fireflies through the forest,” Roan said.
“There was a spot my friends and I claimed that had this crumbling old house on it. We’d hole up in there until we’d have to sprint to get home on time.
Had all kinds of shit stashed there, from cigarettes to comic books.
Bobby’s mom always had these ninety-nine cent shots of alcohol at their place that he’d stuff in his pockets and bring with him.
I loved when he brought a bunch of the same flavors because that meant I could slowly sip one and if anyone asked, tell them it was my second or third. ”
Seeing them appreciate the majesty of the place, so relaxed and at ease they’d started opening up to one another, was exactly what Pope hoped to see develop during their trip.
Hearing Roan admit to pretending to drink more just to fit in with the crowd he’d run with was more confirmation that he was desperate for acceptance.
The fact that he’d stopped Pope from pouring him more on the deck showed trust.
That was the kind of foundation they could build on.
“I never saw a firefly until I was in Australia,” Ocean admitted.
“And I kinda freaked out the first time one lit up as it flew past me. It was my first trip over there, and I’d heard all kinds of wild stories about how everything there wanted to kill you, so I thought it was glowing because it was poisonous. ”
“Oh man, I bet that got a laugh.”
Ocean groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Dude, it took more than a year for most of the guys to stop giving me shit. Waru still calls me Firefly whenever he sees me. Those guys didn’t have to take us to the beaches they surfed or share their culture, but I’m grateful they did, and I’m glad you brought us up here today.
It’s as peaceful as standing on the shore. ”
“Figured we should enjoy as much nature as we can before we hit the city,” Pope admitted. “After that it’s just neon lights and people until it’s time to head home.”
“I missed Oklahoma on my trip east,” Ocean said.
“I wanted to see the gulf, so I drove through Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas until I found it and followed the coast until I’d driven through Florida and decided it was finally time to head north, but only after I’d spent a couple days surfing off St. Augustine. ”
“Nice spot for big waves,” Pope said. “I’ve surfed the area a few times myself.”
“How much of the country have you seen?” Roan asked.
“All but a handful of states,” Pope admitted.
“Ocean has me beat when it comes to seeing Arizona and New Mexico. I’ve never been to Idaho, and it’s unlikely I’ll ever see a need to drive through it.
The only reason I’ve been to Utah was on a run to Vegas.
We went through the Rockies on that ride.
Hands down Colorado is the most beautiful state I’ve ever driven through.
Never been to Maine, Vermont, or New Hampshire either. Otherwise, I’ve seen the rest.”
“Even Alaska and Hawaii?” Roan asked.
“Yup, a couple times,” Pope replied.
“I’ve only seen Hawaii,” Ocean admitted. “I try to avoid cold places, so Alaska isn’t anywhere near my bucket list.”
“How about you?” Roan asked, turning his attention to Danger.
“Alaska and Hawaii, I’ll never see, because it will be a cold day in hell before you get my ass on an airplane,” Danger replied.
“If I can’t drive to it, I’m not going. I don’t do buses or trains either.
No fucking way I don’t pick up charges trapped in a metal container with a bunch of other folks.
As for the rest of the states, it’s been hit or miss.
I’ve seen everything around North Carolina and along the Gulf; I’ve been to Texas a handful of times too, but I’ve never seen any part of New England or most of the stuff out west.”
“I’ve been on a few plane rides that involved the possibility of me winding up in handcuffs,” Ocean said. “But it was worth it to surf off Gold Coast and Streaky Bay.”
“I don’t even know where the hell those places are,” Roan admitted.
“Australia,” Pope said. “One of several places still left on my bucket list. Looks like you’ve got me beat again.”
Ocean grinned the way he always did when the subject of surfing and where to find amazing waves came up.
“I’ve got buddies out there if you ever wanna check it out,” Ocean offered. “They’ll show you the best spots to catch the ride of a lifetime.”
“One of these days we’ll find the perfect time for me to take you up on that,” Pope declared.
“Looking forward to it.”
“We should probably get rolling,” Pope said. “There’s a smokehouse nearby that makes some serious goddamn barbeque; we can grab lunch.”
“Hells yeah,” Ocean declared, turning away from the railing and all but dashing for the stairs, Roan hot on his heels.
“I can go for some barbeque,” Danger admitted, shaking his head at their antics. “But I’ll be damned if I’m racing them down all those stairs.”
“Let ‘em waste the energy,” Pope said. “It’s not like they can go anywhere.”
Instead of wasting time with more words, he caught a fistful of Danger’s hair and tugged him into a kiss that went from hot to smoldering when Danger deepened it.
Somewhere in the distance, the eagle cried out again, but this time, Pope had no interest in seeing what it was up to.
Danger had slipped a finger through his beltloop and tugged their bodies flush, rocking into every kiss, a low groan rumbling from deep in his throat.
They were both short of breath when they broke that kiss, then Danger reminded Pope of the boyish imp he’d been when Pope had first met him, flashed Pope a wicked smirk, and dashing for the stairs, calling out over his shoulder: Last one to the bottom pays for lunch.
The pounding of Danger’s footsteps echoed like the eagle’s cry as he hurried down the steps, while Pope just chuckled and took his time, since he’d planned on paying anyway.