They had been walking for long hours into the night before they managed to come across anyone else on the road. It was a relief to see the gas station sign, seeing a sign of civilization again made the blond man suddenly realize how tired his legs had started to get. And further to their luck, there was a man with a truck filling his tank as they walked up.
Still Jesse had been a bit hesitant to walk up to a random stranger to ask for a ride, he knew not everyone was in the mood to be helpful, especially in the middle of the night, Blue, on the other hand, went on ahead on his own as if it were the most natural thing. Jesse watched as his new friend walked up to the stranger with no problem, calling out to him in a clear voice, “Pardon me sir, may I ask you something for a moment.” grabbing the man’s attention.
The driver was an older man, probably already in his 40s, driving a moving truck. While he wasn’t a giant, he sure as hell was bigger and more burly than Jesse. It didn’t help that he had a slightly mean face. “What do you want?” he asked in a grouchy voice. Blue smile under the shade of his hat, the rim tilted down, like he had when Jesse had first noticed him. Jesse found it odd, but quickly noticed the man stiffening as Blue started talking again, with a more direct tone that made someone stop and listen. On the other hand. The burly man looked shaken, scared even, of the taller man. He was obviously intimidated. But it was still odd to see.
“I don’t mean to bother you, but my friend and I need help making our way to Dallas,” he stated, still smiling, but it was stiffer than before, “Would you be able to aid us?”
Blue had not used a threatening tone, nor were his words in any way demanding. Yet the burly man was as stiff as Blue’s smile.
The man swifted on his feet a few times, putting more weight on one than the other, as he seemed to think over Blue’s words. It was an odd thing to see. He looked like he wanted to refuse. But he didn’t.
“I can’t take you very far, since Dallas is a long shot outta mah way,” the driver informed, “Don’t worry, sir, I figured as much.” Jesse replied, budding in, trying to be polite as he stood in front of Blue. The burly man just nodded, telling the two to climb into the back, and he’d drive them once they were seated. Jesse sure as sunshine was happy to be sitting again, even if it wasn’t on a cushioned seat, it was better than nothing after walking for so long. It wasn’t long before the blonde could feel sleep start to take him over. Soon he was out like a light, happy to finally be off his feet for a while.
His sleep didn’t last for very long, maybe 3 hours by car, so when Jesse next opened his eyes was when Blue was shaking him awake. His tired mind was too dazed to wonder where they were, only why he was currently awake. “We’re at another rest stop,” his traveling partner informed, as he jumped off the side of the truck bed.
The blond struggled a bit, honestly forgetting for a moment where he was. Blinking a few times, and finding his feet, he followed Blue in getting off the truck bed. But not before the driver said something out the window that left Jesse a tad puzzled in his sleep deprived mind.
Blue had to help him down with how high the truck bed was from the ground, and how little Jesse had control of his limbs at the moment, and all it really took was a little too hard of a tug for the smaller male to stumble right into his friend like a baby fawn trying to find it’s own feet. “Eh… sorry there…” Jesse mumbled as he held onto the other to stand up straight. He turned to the truck man and waved, giving his thanks for the ride, then Blue helped him over to the benches in the covered area.
It wasn’t ideal by any means, but honestly, beggars can't be choosers, and if they were lucky again, a patrol cop or ranger would find them and Jesse could get a ride home, till then, sleeping on a bench would have to do. As the young texan sat on the benches getting ready to lay down, he noticed the other man taking off his black coat, “Here,” still a bit dazed, Jesse looked up at him a bit confused, “It is going to get a little colder before the sun comes up,” Blue reasoned, “The mountain air doesn’t bother me all that much.” and before Jesse could put a refusal out, his traveler partner placed it around his shoulders.
Jesse would have shaken it off and handed it back any other time, but he was too tired to argue. The overcoat was so warm, comforting like an embrace, and he quickly found himself dozing off as he laid down.
Jesse watched as Blue leaned his tall form against the post of the covered area and his blue eyes were still as noticeable in the dark even to Jesse’s tired eyes as the two made eye contact. Unlike before, the feeling he got from those eyes were no longer threatening, but still hypnotic nonetheless. His tired mind felt fuzzy staring into that deep hue.
As sleep took him again once again, Jesse still recalled what the trucker had said to him, and what had left him so puzzled as his blurring gaze stayed focused on Blue’s form.
What did he mean by, ‘Be careful of that one?’
Once the sun rose above the mountain peaks and through the thick trees, Jesse was up right away, without needing to be shaken this time. It was an old habit, but when the sun is out, it’s time to be awake, that’s what his family taught him. Taking a moment to rub his eyes, he stretched as he collected his memories. Jesse had almost forgotten he slept on a bench, yet he slept oddly well for a man sleeping outside on a hard surface.
Aside from where he slept, everywhere the blond looked was covered in a soft layer of morning dew, the air was brisk, quiet, and the only thing that kept him warm was the coat he remembered he had been lent. For a moment, remembering Blue again, made his head fuzzy. Jesse rubbed his head, trying to wake himself up more.
“You’re up earlier than I thought you’d be,” The blonde flinched, whipping his head around to see Blue, his new travel partner, walk up. The tall native man had two bottles of water in one hand, and some vending machine bags of trail mix in the other. It wasn’t a big breakfast, but was obviously better than nothing. For a moment, he wondered where the man had gotten them before looking slightly past him, Jesse noticed that this rest stop also had vending machines and-
“A Payphone!” The Texan shouted excitedly, his mind jolting from it’s morning haze as he sprang to his feet, rushed past Blue and over to the payphone. He dug out the few coins he had in his pocket and quickly put them into the coin slot so he could call home. He was bouncing a bit on the balls of his feet, impatiently as the phone rang, hopefully Missy would be up by now to get his call. He wanted to let her know that he’d be home soon, and that he couldn’t wait to tell her about his bonehead mistake, just to hear her laugh, so when the phone went to voicemail, his heart sank a bit.
She either was still asleep, or wasn’t there to hear the phone.
So he couldn’t talk to her.
Jesse had let out a sigh, but put on his best, ‘Everything is just fine,’ voice as he gave his message, as he turned around and leaned against the wall of the restrooms for support.
“Hey there Missy, it’s me and uh-” he tried not to sound upset that she hadn’t answered, but time was short with the call, “I’mma be home sooner than expected-” as he spoke he glanced up to see Blue looking at him.
He was still standing where he was when Jesse ran past, he felt compelled to look Blue in the eye once he noticed him. His mind started to feel funny again, “I screwed up a bit-” the blond swallowed a bit as he didn’t break eye contact with the other man. He started feeling choked up all of a sudden, like the words didn’t want to come out. “B-But, everything is fine,” he said quickly, as he felt his hands start to shake, and a buzz in his ear, “I met someone who was giving me a hand, so I’ll be home soon. Bye.” Jesse hung up the payphone, and braced himself against it. He had thought he had more to say, but for some reason the words he had before were gone, and now he just wanted to end the call before he started tripping over them.
Taking a deep, shaky breath, he started to realize how overwhelming this all actually was. He then tried calling his Uncle Jo, since his repair shop should have been open, but when he didn’t answer either, he felt the stress he had been ignoring start to overflow as his body started shaking. How he managed to ignore it that long, he wouldn’t know.
His family had warned him about traveling, about trying to be a traveling salesman or doing something that seemed outside of what they viewed as common sense. But Jesse always ignored them, because honestly, he had always wanted to travel, he was curious to a fault and now the first time he tried to travel a long distance, he screws up so amazingly. Proving them right.
It was just a bit too much when he finally thought about it, to the point it tried to overflow into tears.
The blond rubbed his face with a long sigh, his brother always got on him for how emotional Jesse would get so easily. And it always made him feel small compared to his brother and uncle who were much more burly next to his lean baby faced self.
The blond man leaned against the restrooms again, before sliding down to sit, as he rubbed his flustered face. He didn’t look up hearing the approaching footsteps. Blue didn’t pry, he just sat next to the other man quietly, waiting for the blonde to signal he wanted to talk about what was on his mind.
His thoughts came out as a cluster of word babbling mess.
Blue really was a good listener, when Jesse needed to babble and vent, he didn’t feel judged, he wasn’t told things he heard many times before and was tired of hearing, and it was refreshing. The situation had been stressful, he hadn’t been prepared for it, and he lost a lot of personal items. On top of that, he couldn’t get through to his family, and even if he had, it was doubtless that he’d make it out of the conversation without a good scolding.
Once he calmed down, Jesse ate the food Blue had gotten him, it wasn’t much, but it would have to do till they could find a better place to eat than a rest stop vending machine.
“I really don’t know what to do…” Jesse sighed after swallowing a mouthful, “I screwed up so bad before even getting to my destination… and…” he didn’t know what more to say. It was too early in the morning for this, and there was too much stress to have bubbled up so suddenly.
“Everyone makes mistakes,” Blue chimed in after being quiet for the whole ramble. “You didn’t mess up to the point of getting you or anyone else hurt, so I’d say it’s a salvageable situation.” Jesse looked at the other man, who just smiled at him. “I’d say I screwed up pretty badly.”
“Yess, well, it could have been leagues worst.” Jesse chuckled and rolled his eyes. Blue was right, in a silly way, but right regardless.
Once their stomachs were filled, at least a bit, the two started their walk again. They talked more and joked, and played road games to keep occupied while they walked along the long road. Jesse couldn’t help but feel a tickle in his stomach when Blue’s eyes lit up, or hang on every word when he relayed tales of his travels. Blue’s voice was soothing, calm, collected, but also firm and grounding. Talking to and joking with him was a comfort. He still didn’t go into details, but the things he told Jesse peaked his interest and satisfied his earlier curiosity.
Jesse didn’t even notice the hours as they ticked by. While chatting, the world was drowned out, he could only hear their voices, and time flew past them like it was nothing.
Night fell in what seemed like a short time.
They had managed to find a road stop diner off a larger intersection. It was there they had their first full meal that wasn’t trail mix. It was cheap, but still filling, potato salad sandwiches, tall glasses of orange juice, and a bowl of seasonal fruits. That was all they could afford for the moment. It wasn't a bad meal, but Jesse was really missing his bed and family meals. They stayed till the diner closed, taking the time to enjoy the refills of juice and fruit, and then cleaning up a bit in the clean restroom. Luckily the employees of the diner had seen this enough to not become annoyed with them.
When the diner closed, the two men took to resting against the wall of the building, away from the parking lot in order to get some sleep in before walking again.
Jesse did not know how Blue could be comfortable sleeping while standing, but maybe it’s just a skill you need in the life he lived. Always ready to move on. It sounds lonely, Jesse thought, wondering if there had ever been a time where Blue traveled with someone else by his side.
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