Infinite Miles

Chapter 18 - Star Gazing

Sydney's too tired to drive and considering she's the only one out of the three with the ability to do so, they decide to call it a night.

Miles moves to the other side of the car so Sydney can recline her seat. He doesn't mind though, he gets to look out the window and wait for the fox to get up again. It does after about 15 minutes.

Axel chuckles as he points at the animal. "It looks drunk. Like you that one night up on the Stupidly Tall Building."

"Sydney already compared me to the fox, now you too?"

Axel laughs again, but quietens down when he hears Sydney snoring.

"You tired?" Axel asks Miles. He shakes his head in response. "Wanna stare at the stars?"

Miles opens the car door and Axel does the same, stepping out onto the grass again. Axel goes to sit on the car hood and lays his back on the windshield, pointing at the dots of white in the dark sky. Miles hops onto the hood beside him.

"Know any constellations?" Asks Axel.

"Nope."

"Same."

They sit in a comfortable silence as they admire the view and sneak a few glances at each other. The moonlight on their pale skin makes them glow. Like stars that have been misplaced from their home in the sky.

The cold temperature is already something their bodies are used to. So it doesn't bother them, the slight chill of the night. They don't even get goosebumps anymore, and when they shiver it's usually because of something else. But all of this only makes them crave the sunlight even more (the complete opposite to the vampire myth). That's all they want to do, make it to the next morning.

"I had a dream last night that I was normal."

Miles turns at the sound of Axel's voice, Axel still gazing upwards.

"No crash, no vampires, no missing posters. I was just an ordinary boy, in an ordinary neighbourhood, with an ordinary family. The person I was before. It was boring, I barely remember it. But I kinda miss boring, y'know? I want to be boring. I got a bit of my old life back when I came home, but obviously it wasn't the same. I hoped out of everything, everyone, that you would be the same. You were. And I thank the universe that you were. But you're different now - Not that it's a bad thing." Axel quickly adds, not wanting to make Miles feel bad. "Given everything that's happened, the fact we're still here and that I still have you is a miracle. So it's okay if you're different. Just know that I still love you. I'm convinced I always will."

"I'm convinced I always have." Miles says. He's now the one gazing at the sky while Axel is gazing at him.

"I hoped everyday that you would come back. I would look out my window and hope we were staring at the same moon, and wishing on the same star." At that moment a shooting star crosses over the sky, and Miles smiles at it.

"Everyday I was told that I had to learn to live without you. But I had no idea how to. You were always there, across the road, and the second you weren't, I was lost."

"The first year was the worst year. The rest just mesh together. And when I saw you outside my kitchen window, with a frickin' cigarette in your hand, I knew, I just knew, everything was going to change. Everything except how I felt."

"I was 13 years old when I fell in love with you. And 17 when I fell in love with you again."

Axel smiles, but it doesn't start from his lips or even his eyes, it starts from his heart, and blossoms outwards like a firework or a flower in Spring. Axel likes to think that he too was in love with Miles before realising it. It would explain why the boy was always on his mind.

"Is this going to be a leap year type of thing? Are you going to fall in love with me every 4 years?" He jokes, the smile on his face has yet to falter.

"Shut up." Miles says as he nudges Axel with his arm.

"It'll be like an anniversary. I'll even buy you flowers."

"You'll forget."

"No." Axel shakes his head. "I won't."

•••••••

The two boys wake up in each other's arms, cramped uncomfortably in the back seats of the car. This would have left anyone sore, but luckily for them, physical pain is a lot more temporary now. (Only the physical).

"Morning boys." Sydney says, a little too chipper for someone who isn't much of a morning person. The smell of her coffee quickly fills the car.

"When did you get coffee?" Miles asks as Axel squeezes through the gap between the seats to get to the front. "And when did you change?" Is Miles' follow up question as he surveys Sydney's new outfit.

"We passed a couple stores on our way here. I may or may not have bought a couple clothes..."

"Sydney!" Axel exclaims.

"You left us alone in the car?!"

"No Miles I walked all the way." She deadpans, the sarcasm clear in her voice. "I took the car. I'm not like you guys. I can't wear the same thing for three days straight."

"Fine. But did you get us coffees too or did you blow all the money on a new jacket?" Asks Axel.

"Ha, ha very funny. And no, I didn't get you coffees because I know you don't like coffee. So here-" she grabs another cup from the cup holder "is a hot chocolate for you, and a vanilla latte for Fantastic Mr Fox back there."

Axel bursts out laughing, grateful that he hasn't taken a sip of his drink yet.

"This again? Guys, I do not resemble a fox." Miles argues, taking a sip of his latte and yelping as the scolding liquid hits his tongue.

"Oh, so that's what the fox says." Axel replies, causing Sydney and himself to fall into another fit of laughter.

"Screw you guys." Miles says, trying to look annoyed but failing miserably. "Shouldn't we start driving now?"

Sydney turns the keys in the car, starting up the engine. "Not long left now." She says as she turns the car onto the road. "We've got 2 hours."

2 hours until we reach my grandma's house.

2 hours till home.

••••••••
A/N

I don't know about you guys but I loved Fantastic Mr Fox.

And I never miss an opportunity to throw in a dramatic monologue😂 they just keep happening.