A black convertible roof had been pulled down to let in some extra fresh air. Quilted fabric along padded seating felt cool to the touch. A half empty bottle of water sat undisturbed in the cup holder near the touchscreen dashboard. Pleasant, gentle wind made a dangling air freshener dance in its spot. Random lo-fi music was playing on the speakers, the tune being part of an extensive and carefully crafted playlist.

Alessandro leaned against his car door while soaking up the sun's rays. Sounds of passing vehicles filled his ears as he stood, waiting for his to finish charging.

About half of the twenty hour long road trip had been completed. They recently made their way into South Carolina and were reaching another coastal route.

While the northern states were still getting accustomed to chillier spring, the southern states were basking freely in the heated clutches of summer. Because of this, a cool sixty degrees had steadily climbed to a toastier seventy eight.

Even though Lance was taking a bit to snag some food from a nearby store, waiting for him wasn't a bothersome task. Standing outside was just as comfortable as sitting around in the car.

Fluffy clouds danced across the sky without a care in the world. A hot sun made its presence known every once in awhile before retreating again. Flocks of birds flew in large groups. The silhouette of an airplane could be made out as it flew overhead.

Alessandro pulled his attention away from the sky when his phone vibrated. Sliding his shades atop his head, he looked over a message from Leonardo.

It was a picture of him and Rain snuggling on a lounge chair by the pool. She was sleeping in the man's lap. An open book could be seen in the background alongside a mostly empty glass of wine. Leonardo chose to pose by sticking his tongue out while also holding up a lazy peace sign. 

Alessandro replied to the message with a quick 'don't drink all my wine :P'.

"Andro.~"

He turned around at the call of his name.

Pocketing his phone, he took in the sight of Lance jogging over with two large paper bags. It looked more like he went grocery shopping instead of going for a quick snack run.

"Uh, Lance? What's all that?"

"Everything you can imagine!" He laughed. "It's vacation time, which means I get to eat as badly as I want. So!- I got some donuts, chips, candy- I snagged you a bag of smoked jerky because I know you like those- some juices, more water, and a couple more things. Now we don't have to stop for food again until later for dinner."

"...You're lucky we have trunk space." Alessandro chuckled and shook his head. "Since you mentioned dinner, where would you want to stop? I was thinking an eat-in place to give us some time out of the car. If you want fast food though, I don't mind finding a rest stop for us to eat at."

"Hm, good question," Lance answered as he put the bags away. He nibbled on his bottom lip, pondering his options. "I'm fine with eat-in. You want to do an all day breakfast spot? Have some pancakes for dinner?"

"You and your pancakes. But sure, I'm fine with that."

Alessandro moved to disconnect the car from its charging station. He paid for the usage electronically and closed the hatch.

The battery was at a decent ninety five percent, so they wouldn't have to stop at a station again until they reached Florida. If everything went according to plan, they'd get to their designated hotel after midnight. It was roughly four o'clock, meaning there was still quite a bit more driving to do.

Further planning for the day was halted when cool fingers caressed the back of Alessandro's neck. He sighed at the feeling as a generous amount of sunscreen was spread onto his skin. He took care of his arms and face once the blue and orange bottle was passed over.

"You looked a little red. Just don't want you burning," Lance stated, his actions careful and instinctive.

Once they were both properly protected from the sun's rays, they climbed back into the car. Tinted shades were put back in their previous spots.

Alessandro turned up the radio when another song started playing. It was an upbeat tune that further amplified their excitement. He pulled out of the charging station to resume their journey.

Lance sat with his head propped against the seat's rest. His hair was partially tied up, but a few free fliers blew around his face. He didn't bother moving them because they wouldn't stay in place either way.

A large yellow bag of chips was sitting in his lap. A box of gummy candy was kept in his backpack to keep the sweet treats from melting in the sun. He knew the temperature wasn't hot enough for such a thing to happen, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Both food items were fed to Alessandro since his hands were on the wheel.

Vehicles of differing shapes and sizes drove on the surrounding roads. Nature continued to fly by when they weren't waiting at sunbleached stoplights. Multiple popular establishments could be seen, ranging from restaurants to hotels to the occasional outlet mall. Once Alessandro and Lance got closer to the coast though, buildings became further set apart.

The smell of trees became tinged with salt until seawater completely overrode it. Calls from doves became calls from seagulls. Even with a bit of distance in between the road and the ocean, crashing waves could be heard clear as day. People were seen in beachwear as they hung out on heated sand. Inflatable toys were tossed around alongside volley and soccer balls.

An amusing visual of beach life followed the two men for a long distance. The view was interrupted when the GPS made them turn back onto the freeway.

Lance took pictures of the scenery around them. He also took a few selfies in differing poses: one with his hand in his hair, one with a wink, one with a kiss being blown to the camera. Natural lighting added to his sun-kissed complexion, and an everlasting current of wind kept his hair blowing behind him. It was like being at a shoot without all of the necessary props doing their specific jobs.

Alessandro was caught in the background of multiple pictures. At first, he didn't notice because his attention was on the road. But when he did catch on, he made it his self proclaimed mission to make every silly face he could think of.

A particularly delighted laugh was given in response to the poses and made it even more worthwhile.

Instrumental lo-fi music was swapped for energetic party songs. The two spent some time singing together to the tunes they knew and dancing to the ones they didn't. A specific song made Lance laugh. He turned down the radio so he wouldn't have to speak over it.

"Oh man- you know what this song reminds me of? You remember when we went to that one football game during junior year in- ah, what was it- I think it was late September? We were wearing those matching wool sweaters that we picked up at the mall?"

"Yeah, I know what you're talking about." Alessandro nodded.

"You remember how the football captain was also the cheer captain that year? And how he had to change out of his uniform during the fifteen minute break before the cheer squad did their routine?"

"That was awesome, come on now. He came back onto the field by doing a backflip. Everybody lost their minds."

"Yeah, us included. I remember because you started the big wave that went throughout the entire performance. Even the security guards got involved."

"I am a man of many talents."

Song lyrics were forgotten as hysterical laughter picked up in volume.

*

The sun was almost completely set by the time Lance took a turn driving. He had woken up from a two hour long nap and felt energized. He wanted to give Alessandro a break since he had been behind the wheel for most of the trip. It was a good time to swap too as he'd started to feel tired himself.

He propped his arm on top of the door to lean his face against his hand. Dark shades were put away since they were no longer necessary. Goosebumps formed on his arms when the temperature began to drop. He found the breeze refreshing though, and relaxed with wind running through his curly hair.

Green eyes were kept on the horizon to watch the end of a slow sunset. An orange and purple sky became darker and darker until vibrant colors faded. Bright hues were replaced with a deep, dark navy. A half hidden moon began its slow ascent.

A few stars began waking up, but many of them remained hidden because of nearby light pollution. They'd probably gain more of a presence as the night continued on.

Without moving his head, tired eyes took in the sight of Lance driving.

His skin looked a bit paler now that the sun was gone. The hand which housed the spider tattoo raked through his locks to keep them out of his face. He wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary, but the natural scene around him still added to his already stunning appearance.

Alessandro etched the scene into his mind when he decided to close his eyes.

He felt calm—and that alone was a superbly strange sensation.

He'd become so accustomed to wearing a mask all the time that not doing so felt out of place. He'd become so accustomed to upholding a perfect facade that sometimes, he forgot what it meant to truly relax. He forgot what it meant to just take a moment to unwind. To be free.

It was something Alessandro struggled heavily with. He had a hard time being passive because he was afraid of being left with malevolent thoughts or emotions; things he couldn't always control. He didn't like doing nothing for too long because it made him feel unproductive.

But Lance—him just being around made things so much easier. Because when it came to him, there was no need to pretend. There was no reason to try so hard when it came to simply living life.

His mentality of taking things one day at a time seemed childish at first. Considering how life was slowly changing, maybe he did such a thing because he knew there wasn't a real point in worrying about the future.

Lance was always more concerned about the present because it impacted him right then and there. He didn't worry about the future because it hadn't happened yet. Having that sort of thought process most likely saved him a lot of stress, anxiety, and other unnecessary emotions.

Alessandro wished it was that easy for him. He wished he could just flick a switch and not have to worry so heavily about what ifs. But that habit was something he did so much, it was now ingrained in him. It would take time to unravel that ball of normalized tendencies.

He had the fleeting thought of Lance helping with that specific issue before fading consciousness lost to restful sleep.

*

When Alessandro woke up, he noticed the car wasn't moving. The windows and convertible roof were still down, but there wasn't any loud wind like there was earlier. All he could hear was crashing waves. The ocean sounded closer than before too.

It was difficult to say what time it was since the car was off. The moon was higher, and the sky was lit up with an army of gorgeous stars. The surrounding area was dark enough for full constellations to be seen. A few wispy clouds blanketed the bright shapes, adding to their overall beauty.

Lance was leaning against the hood of the car. His hands were in his pockets. A sweater that was too large to be his own was draped over his shoulders. The garment bellowed in tandem with the thick, muggy air surrounding them.

Bluish gray eyes were looking up at the starlit sky. He was taking in every detail in complete silence.

Alessandro climbed out of the car. He was quiet in order to not disturb the tranquil atmosphere. He took his place beside Lance and gazed up at the sky as well.

For a moment, they didn't say anything. They just stood side by side with their shoulders brushing against one another.

"We're in St. Augustine. I charged the car a little while ago while you were sleeping. My legs started feeling achy, so I decided to stop. Wanted to take in the sights too for a little bit."

"It'd be a waste not to."

Lance hummed. "How are you? I know you're a little late on taking your meds."

"I'll be fine. I'm calm enough to not need them as much right now. I'll still take them, just... in a bit."

"As long as you're okay."

"...Are you?" Alessandro asked. "I don't mean to pry, but I know what happened with your folks is bothering you more than you're letting on."

"How do you figure that?"

"Because it's been a little while, and you haven't talked about it since it happened. You aren't the only one who's perceptive about the little things. I know you- and when something really gets under your skin, you don't like talking about it."

"I'm... conflicted." Lance sighed. "I'm glad that my parents are gone because I don't need to deal with their bullshit anymore. It's just- at the same time- what they said bothered me. It was a load of crap- but hearing my folks tell me that they don't need me- it's just a punch in the face. I wish it didn't bother me as much as it does."

Alessandro could understand that even though he'd never gone through such a thing.

His own family members were very open in terms of his sexuality. The Bales knew about the original relationship back in high school and were more than supportive. At the time, it gave Lance an opportunity to experience familial love even though he didn't get it from his own family.

Maybe, deep down, he was still hoping he would.

"I think you feel this way because a part of you didn't want it to be like this," Alessandro explained with a gentle voice. "I think a part of you wanted them to accept you because, well, that's what parents are expected to do. Unfortunately, they didn't. And they let you and your sister down. But it was dead weight that you two were carrying anyway. You're going to thrive without them."

"I hope so."

"You've been doing great without your parents so far. They disowned you, but you've been living without them for the last five years. Yeah, things were tough because you didn't have money when they left. Even with that though, you've done your best with the cards that have been dealt to you. You should give yourself a little more credit."

"I don't know, Andro. Life's just- everything after high school was just kind of fucked up for me. Art school and modeling were great, but everything else was just shit. I haven't felt like me in a long time. I wish it had only started when I moved in with Donovan. That'd be a lie if I said that though."

"Was it because of the breakup?" he asked.

"Honestly? I think it was more that I didn't have any support after the fact. You know how my parents are- how they've always been. I was struggling with my emotions, and their reaction to that was just sending me off to school even though I wasn't completely ready. As soon as I was done and everything was paid off, they abandoned me. Didn't leave me a dime to my name even though they had more than enough money to do so. They didn't bother helping me look for apartments or for jobs. They didn't even tell me they were moving to LA until a week before my graduation. I was lucky that Donovan offered me a spot at his place once he got it, but we both know I made that decision in a moment of weakness. And all it took was that moment of weakness to send me spiraling out of control."

A firm hand was placed atop Lance's shoulder. Warm fingers gently rubbed against the stiff muscle.

"I want to say something, and I want you to really hear the meaning behind it. It's something I've been trying to come to terms with by going to therapy," Alessandro said.

"I'm all ears then."

"It's okay that you've made mistakes, Lance. It's okay that you wish things were different and that you feel conflicted. There's nothing wrong with not having all the answers. You're only twenty seven. You're still figuring life and yourself out. You have that 'worry about today' type of mentality for a lot of things. Give yourself that same energy when it comes to you. And give yourself a pat on the back for making a name for yourself without your parents' help. They're worried about themselves. I know it'll take some time to come to terms with them leaving, but you need to worry about yourself. Not just in terms of surviving. Worry about things that make you happy too. You deserve at least that."

"...Can I say something too? Without you freaking out?" Lance asked.

"Of course."

He took a deep breath, pulling his gaze away from the sky.  Bluish gray eyes focused on Alessandro instead. The glimmering pools swam with multiple unnamed emotions. "These past couple of months with you have been my happiest. It made me realize that- even with everything that's happened between us- I've missed having you around. Hell, I just missed you. And while I was initially angry with you, I can admit now that one of my biggest regrets in life was pushing you away. I know our relationship was rocky at the end, but you've always been an amazing friend. Sometimes I wonder how things would've turned out had we kept some form of contact after breaking up."

"We've both made mistakes. No real need in getting caught up on what happened in the past. We're taking a road trip and vacation together. I'd- I'd rather focus on the fact that you're here now, instead of focusing on the times you weren't."

"I suppose."

"But for what it's worth, I think it'd be fair to admit that I missed you too. While things are still kind of confusing between us, I'm still happy that you're here with me."

Lance smiled. He looked back up toward the sky with a soft exhale. "Yeah. I'm happy being here with you too."

"...Thanks for giving me a second chance."

"Thanks for giving me so many reasons to do so."

Waves continued to crash against the shore. Moonlight reflected off of the water's surface. Deep inhales took in the heavy fragrance of salt.

The calm, isolated environment brought about a feeling of tranquility.

It was unclear how much time was spent standing beneath a starry sky on the beach. Neither Alessandro nor Lance really cared. They still had some driving to do, but that could wait. For now, they just wanted to enjoy the moment they had together.