On the Road Home

sunsets and soft eyes

He looked odd and uncomfortable, curled into the seat next to me. Ryan was still the same as always, at least as far as I could tell. His dark hair fell gently around his face, making him look soft and warm. I grimaced, turning back to the straight, dusty road. We had been driving for hours now. After I snapped and told him to stop, he had taken his hand away from the radio dial, and went to face the open expanses of fields and farmland that we had been passing. He drifted slowly, and in no time, he faded to sleep as the farmland transitioned to a more dry substitute. Sagebrush and ugly, small shrubs replaced any darker, more full plants, and the whole place was relatively monochrome. It was very dull. Watching it almost made me fall asleep, but I had to drive. We had been in the desert for some time, but as the light of day began to fade, it gained a strange, warm beauty.

Now, cast in soft, golden light, Ryan was purely angelic. (Despite being crumpled into awkward angles). But it was so very Ryan. We had been friends for a long time before I had to leave. My thoughts cut off. He shifted, stretching out, and I turned back to the road.

"Mornin', little guy." I'd expected a retort of some sorts, but none came. He cracked a few of his joints before looking over at me, a strange smile on his face. "What?" He laughed, breathy and sluggish. Crows feet, damn. Everything about him was warmth and smiles and kindness. Back in middle school, that softness wasn't all too uncommon. But now, seeing him again as an adult, I was very glad that he's still full of that light. A yawn pulled me back to reality, and my eyes squint to keep from watering.

"Should I take a turn driving?" I pondered his quiry, rubbing my neck with the hand I didn't have on the steering wheel. With a glance to the rear-view, it was obvious that the bags under my eyes could carry us both home, and I blinked several times. My contacts had been in for several hours longer than usual, and it felt like sandpaper to still have them. Feeling eyes on me, I look back over at him. Ryan is still looking up at me, and if the light outside wasn't turning steadily to a red-orange, I would've sworn that a light blush was spread across his cheeks, and I thanked any gods I knew of for the fact that the light would have a more extreme effect on my pale face to hide a blush of my own.

"Yeah, I'd appreciate that, at least while I take out my contacts." He shined his warm, toothy grin at me. My heart shot up to my throat and, looking forward away from him, I cracked a small one back at him. His breathy giggle filled the would-be silence, and I pulled over onto the shoulder of the road. Every joint in my entire body crackled and popped as i slowly unfolded myself from the car. Being 6'4" could be nice, but it did have some disadvantages, after all. It was nice to stretch out, but the dry desert air had a way of exhausting you, and without the distraction of driving, I soon felt the exhaustion settle deep in my bones. "You sure I'm not one of your ghouls?" I tossed at Ryan after catching a glimpse of myself on the window. His responsive laugh filled me with glee. 

"No, I'm pretty sure you aren't," he sputtered, choking on his laughter. Yeah, you're pretty. I ducked back down into the car, on the passenger side this time.

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I must have been hearing things. I'd just woken up, after all. 'You're pretty,' played itself over and over in my head. I'm sure I was imagining it, I thought to myself, watching Shane practically curl into a cannonball just to get in the car. A wave of relief crashed over me as I realized he wasn't able to see me. This blush was going to be impossible to hide, and the sunset was already fading violet. Biding my time, I paced the length of the car to let my complexion fade back to olive. A knock on the window startled me and I jumped, looking wide eyed at the source. Shane was stretched out across the front of the car, laughing his ass off. I glared, yanking open the door. 

"You're such a jerk." At least now I had an excuse for my reddened face. His eyes curved into crescents, snorting lightly as he moved back into his own space.