The nap didn’t last very long, then it was back to walking again. And like always, it was a while before coming to a sign with the route number and the places nearby, with a light pole overhead, so taking a moment, Jesse unfolded his map. They had walked quite a bit, and he knew they had taken a few breaks to rest and take a quick drink of his water bottle, but when he looked at the map, he was still surprised by the distance they managed. It didn’t feel like it had been that long, but his watch confirmed otherwise.
“We’re a few hops from my town.” Jesse chirped with relief, he was getting hungry, and he could really use some biscuits and gravy, “I guess time really does fly when you have company.” the young man smiled at his travel companion who was standing close so he could look at the map. Blue smiled after looking over the map and loosely wrapped an arm around Jesse, his hand resting on the other’s arm.
Jesse felt slightly flustered, Blue had acted so friendly during their time together, it was so casual and quick, the blond wasn't quite used to it. But at the same time Jesse felt oddly comfortable with it though. In Fact he actually found him liking the closeness. “We should be in town in a few hours, if we can catch a ride even sooner.” Blue commented and the other agreed nodding.
The two started walking again after Jesse refolded the map and put it in his pocket.
It wasn’t a long walk before the two heard an approaching motor in the quiet night, and with a little flashlight waving, they got the drivers attention and a ride into town in the bed of the man’s truck along with some delivery crates. During the drive, they continued their conversations about everything and anything that came to mind. Their journey was coming to an end.
Neither said it, but they knew it would end very soon, and they’d part ways. Part of Jesse hoped Blue would stick around for a little while, so he could show him around, repay him for his help, and give him a place to stay for a bit.
However, Blue was a free spirit. Even if he stuck around for a bit, the man would take his leave once any business he had was finished. Whether it was finding quick work, or simply stocking up on supplies. It was just his way, Jesse had come to learn. As they talked about his travels, the Texan couldn’t help but both admire and feel jealous of that. Cause it wasn’t like he could uproot his own life to follow Blue.
Right?
-*-
The ride into town stopped once as the sky started to turn colors, signaling a coming morning, and at a slightly busier Gas station where Jesse was able to use the pay phones there, thanks to the left over quarters from their diner meal. He was able to get through to Missy, who, from the sound of it, was a mess of worry after getting Jesse’s earlier message.
They had agreed to meet somewhere after the person they were getting a ride from dropped the two off. Jesse couldn't wait to introduce Missy to Blue.
Course when they actually got there, Jesse and Missy made a slight scene once they saw each other, and despite his excitement, the blonde felt- odd about it. He was happy, he just felt off for some reason. Especially when he saw Blue looking at him over Missy’s shoulder as they continued to hug.
The native man had been smiling like he had over the past two days together, but now that Jesse was with Missy again, that smile, and the look in his eyes, felt very off to Jesse. And at the time, he couldn’t understand why.
The greetings and goodbyes were quicker than either would have liked. Missy, bless her heart, insisted Blue come for breakfast as a thanks for helping Jesse. The man refused however, his friendly smile never dropping, as he vanished into the crowd.
He seemed to take all the warmth of the moment with him too. Jesse felt his heart tighten when he could no longer see Blue, wishing he had gone after him and also insisted on Blue staying. If it hadn’t been for the conflicting feeling deep in Jesse's gut, he probably would have.
If he hadn’t run into Blue, he probably wouldn have noticed things like, feeling lonely, or agitated, or probably not thinking clearly and worrying himself silly. Time would have moved by slower than molasses. Like he thought, it was the little victories that mattered.
But when he disappeared from sight, Jesse realized something he hadn’t before. The entire time he spent with the man, their voices, their footsteps, and their laughs had been the only thing he could remember hearing. Even as they turned in the first time to sleep, Jesse couldn’t recall hearing any of the life in the forest other than the wind. It was an odd thing to realize.
He pushed that out of his mind though as he tried to ease back into his usual, daily routine. However, that didn’t happen as easily as he would have liked.
Jesse always felt relaxed at home before. He enjoyed time with Missy, but now the moments he had loved, lost their charm somehow. It had been a full week before he acknowledged it. He continued to have swirling thoughts that kept fighting in his head, making a mess of his mind. He had his Uncle, his Brother, his Mima and his Missy, yet he still felt lonely as each day passed. He shouldn’t feel lonely though.
He loved Missy, and even when he woke up at night next to her, he still felt that way. Their lives together had felt warm, tender, it was a good life. He had known her since they were little. People called them the perfect couple when they started dating. They understood each other, and enjoyed one another company. They were in love.
At least that's what he would like to say, but in reality felt disappointed that it was her next to him in bed, instead of Blue. He didn’t stop thinking about Blue. His voice was in his head constantly, the feel of his presence was missed, and Jesse felt uneasy not knowing where he was, or what he was doing as time kept passing without seeing him.
Blue’s presence had been comforting, and warm, in a way that reminded him of his Missy, both were friendly, and gave Jesse a warm comforting feeling in his belly, though Missy where had a gentle glow like a summer firefly, Blue had a spark like a 4th of July sparkler, that set them apart in a wide stride.
Missy’s eyes used to be enchanting when filled with joy, but now were dull compared to the hypnotic eerie glow of Blue’s eyes.
He had thought he would gently ease into forgetting Blue after the man vanished, but night after night, he would wake up, and there the man would be, in the front of his mind. Along with a deep longing to see those eyes again, to hear that voice and feel his touch.
He longed for all of it.
Months passed, the feeling didn’t go away, but it was a slower build than Jesse remembered. It was 5 months of a build up until he realized one night, he had become infatuated with Blue. With his lifestyle, with his spirit, and with everything that made Blue, well Blue. Jesse became completely and wholly unable to not think of the man.
It was like that realizatin had sent a signal through the world.
Jesse sat awake that night, staring at the moon, as he did many times those long months, when his ears caught the howl of a creature that sounded like a wolf.
Only, it sounded off, not quite right, but attention grabbing all the same.
Before Jesse could question the oddities of the sound, soon it seemed like a chunk of the night had grown eyes and legs as it moved within the trees behind Jesse’s house.
Erie blue eyes, and fur so black, the creature blended into the night, and didn’t even reflect the light of the full moon over head. Just like the howl, and the eyes it adorned so brightly, there was something very off about the wolf-like creature that showed itself.
It had all the features of a wolf, in a sense, but the creature was more like, what someone thought a wolf should look like, it had an all too unreal look to it, that drew Jesse in.
And he followed the creature.
He ran and ran after the giant wolf creature, it was like his heart knew what was happening, before his mind did, because he questioned why he was doing this. What compelled him to chase a strange creature. To run into the woods barefoot, like his life depended on it. It was confusing, scary, and exciting all at the same time.
Jesse understood once the beast stopped.
When the beast stripped itself of its pelt, things started to make sense again. Everything that had been at the very corners of his mind were brought to light and made complete sense now.
Blue was so odd, yet fascinated for more reasons than Jesse thought pos
Because Blue was here now. Everything made sense, and it was only natural when a hand was extended to Jesse, he took it with no.
If you asked him 50 years later if he regretted his decision to wear a beast’s pelt, or cutting ties that night, Jesse might answer, “Maybe,” but he would also answer, “Maybe not.”
“It’s not something you can really understand until you walk in the footsteps of a beast, and see things through the eyes of something that’s not human.” he might respond with a mischievous spark in his own blue eyes.
“Even then, 50 years is a long time to help get over something you can’t change.”
“I’m just happy I can travel with the one I love.”
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