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It was a warm summer night, Shorter was driving in his ugly rusty topless car. Ash was shotgun with his feet hanging out the window, smoking a cigarette feeling the wind from driving maybe little too fast cooling them.
It was one of those nights Ash actually felt his age, even though they were practically smuggling drugs hours prior. It felt nice being able to relax for a bit, listening to Shorters favorite alternative metal band playing on the radio.
It felt so nice Ash wished it could last longer. Even though Shorter took the longer road on purpose. They were on a practically empty highway when the song came up.
“Dude this is my favorite song” Shorter said as he turned up the volume. “Listen you’ll like it”
As the song started playing Ash decided on being nice and listen to this song even though it almost sounded just like the song prior.
Ash would never admit it but he loved every song shorter loved, well almost all. But knowing this was Shorter’s favorite made it automatically his favorite. He would never tell him that of course.
‘This town don't feel mine
I'm fast to get away, far
I dressed you in her clothes
Now drive me far away, away, away’
He liked the instrumental beat but he was only focused Shorter’s concentrated expression and the way his lips moved to the words he was mouthing while the song was playing.
‘It feels good to know you're mine
Now drive me far away, away, away
Far away I don't care where
Just far away I don't care where’
Shorter mouthed and made contact with Ash piercing green eyes that could only be described as beautiful.
Ash Continued to look his way even after he turned to his eyes to the road.
He know he and Shorter kind of had a strange bond. He knew that best friends are close, he had found out after watching his boys over the years. Even though he doesn’t completely understand it he knew that what he and Shorter had was different. They were what people would say ‘unusually close’ and ‘inseparable’ He loved shorter a lot, there were even times where he thought he was in love with him. But when he had told Shorter that he’d deny it and say that Ash just didn’t know the difference between platonic love and romantic love.
But he knew that whatever it was he has never felt this way for anyone else, not even his teacher Blanca who was actually nice to him.
He knew Shorter felt the same way. And he knew Shorter could become jealous and even possessive sometimes.
And Ash liked that about him, because no one has ever felt the need to protect him that way shorter told him he did. Of course Ash knows how to protect himself, he could tackle Shorter down if he wanted to even if Shorter was physically stronger.
Whether or not he had feeling for Shorter, he didn’t feel the need to rush and find out he just liked the way it was. He liked their mutual understanding, their talks, his comfort, and the way he showed his physical affection. And Ash has never exactly liked the touch from another man. But after Shorter had hugged him for the first time he hadn’t noticed how touch starved he was. And he craved his best friends touch.
He liked that when shorter touched him it wasn’t so it would escalate to something else, it isn’t to make him uncomfortable. It was just Shorter’s love language. He feels really comfortable with Shorter and he likes that he’s nice to him.
“You like it?” Shorter asked
…
“I don’t get it they’re just moaning and screaming random words” Ash huffed rosy cheeks visible on his pale skin under the stars and street light flicking by.
“Yeah but they’re good at it” Shorter said as he smirked at ash.
“I guess..” Ash mumbled while smiling for himself and looking away.
As they were beginning to approach the city their nostalgia and mood almost draining away from them as reality was beginning to set. And they weren’t just teenagers having fun, they were gang leaders with too much responsibilities on the shoulders.