With a bus out of the question, Shane suggested that they find a place to spend the night. They popped into a store to ask about a motel. When people instead gave them disgusted looks, Shane bought each of them a change of clothes. He and Avery were still covered in a stranger’s vomit after all.

The girl at the register was nice enough to give them directions to a small motel, where they rented a room with two beds. It was safer for them to all stay in the same room, and Avery and Noah insisted that they could share a bed.

Shane took a shower first. When he got out, Noah was sprawled on one of the beds while Avery stood around, grimacing uncomfortably.

“You know, I would have let you shower first.”

She shook her head. “I had to make sure Noah knew the layout.” She smirked at him. “Besides, I’m pretty sure you would have been more uncomfortable, son of Aphrodite.”

He threw a towel at her. “Shut up and go shower.”

When Shane heard the water start again, he sighed and flopped onto the other bed. It was probably the most uncomfortable mattress he had ever experienced, but he was too tired to care. He probably could have slept on a rock if he had to.

“I’ve slept on worse.”

Shane jumped and sat up. Noah hadn’t moved apart from an amused smile. “How did you know…?”

“You were shifting a lot.” Noah said with a shrug. “These mattresses are kind of loud.”

“Uh, yeah.” Shane hadn’t even noticed. His gaze drifted to Noah’s closed eyes.

“What’s it like?” He asked without thinking.

“Being blind?” Noah sat up. “I don’t know how I’d describe it. I guess… I don’t have something others use to navigate.” He crossed his legs on the bed and faced Shane.

Shane stared into Noah’s eyes. They both unnerved and fascinated him. The fact that they were unfocused gave him the impression that Noah was experiencing a far away place. It was a place Shane knew he’d never know for himself.

“Imagine everyone has a map.” Noah instructed. “At a glance, they know how to get where they want to go.”

“But you don’t have a map?”

“I have to make my own.” Noah climbed off the bed and walked across the room. Shane moved to help, but he made it to the desk in the corner and sat down without trouble. “Once I’ve experienced a place’s layout, it’s easier to navigate.”

Shane nodded to himself. He thought he understood, in a broad sense at least. There were probably elements he would never think of on his own though.

“It’s not perfect.” Noah admitted with a shrug. “There are things I’ll never experience because they can’t be felt.” There was a wistful tone to his voice.

Shane stared. “What are you thinking about?”

“The sunrise.” Noah spoke on an exhale. A sad smile crossed his face. “I’d love to know what a real sunrise looks like.”

That surprised Shane. He had never given much thought to sunrises. He usually slept through them. They were nothing special in his mind.

But the way Noah looked and sounded made Shane’s heart twist. He had the sudden urge to do something. He didn’t know what, but he wanted to do something that would let Noah see a sunrise.

He felt foolish thinking about it.

“What about Avery?” He asked to break the silence that had settled between them. “Do you ever wonder what she looks like?”

Noah shrugged. “I have an idea.”

“How?”

Noah got up and walked toward Shane. He stopped when his hands brushed Shane’s knee. “May I?” He asked, raising his hands.

Shane’s mouth felt dry. “Uh, sure.” He croaked out.

Noah reached out and put his hands on Shane’s cheeks. Gently, he moved his fingers over Shane’s face. He moved slowly, taking his time in feeling every inch of skin.

Shane closed his eyes when Noah’s fingers neared them. Without seeing Noah in front of him, the feeling of his fingers became more intense. It was all Shane could focus on.

It felt too soon when the fingers disappeared. Shane opened his eyes to see Noah grinning at him.

“No wonder you’re so confident.” He laughed.

Shane tried to laugh too, but couldn’t.

For some reason, the comment bothered him. He didn’t know why though. He had heard similar comments most of his life. There was just something about it coming from Noah that didn’t sound right.