Michael had no determined sense of destination set, so as they roll away from the U.S. capital, and the storm starts to clear, he watches the road signs. With the stop for lunch and gas, the next stop they need to make is a hotel. They've been driving for a while, the beautiful Appalachian Mountains starting to make themselves known as the sun casts shadows around them. That's when Michael sees a sign on the road. "Cal, we should go to the Shenandoah Valley." He suggests, already checking the weather for tomorrow. It's supposed to be clear and warm. Now, Michael is, and never has been, inclined to the outdoors, that's why he's a programmer.... And pasty, but that's off-subject. But, there are probably great photo opportunities there, and Calum needs to take more pictures. He doesn't take enough, in Michael's opinion. "Uhm, sure. There's a hotel coming up. We stop there for the night and then leave in the morning?" Calum glances over to Michael. "Yeah, that's fine with me."
"Do we even have fucking hiking boots?" Calum laughs as they're looking at what to do tomorrow. "Uhm." Michael trails off. "So, that would be a no, right?" Calum confirms. "Great." He chuckles as he collapses back into the pillows, running a hand over his face. "We don't have to have hiking boots, Cal." Michael tries, but his friend just scoffs. "Uhm, yeah we do, Mike. How about this: we go and buy hiking boots tomorrow on the way, get there and do some easy exploring, and sleep in the car, don't look at me like that we've done it before. The best times to hike on that trail are to time it with the sunrise, so we'll be there already." Calum suggests, and Michael has to admit, it's a pretty good idea. "Ok, let's do that." He nods.
Driving after eating a delicious breakfast is not a good idea. Michael feels like he wants to hibernate for six months, but he can't because he's behind the wheel. "Ok, there's a shoe store coming up in ten minutes, we'll go there." Calum directs, bopping his head to whatever song is playing. Probably a The 1975 song, and when Michael tunes into the song, it's 505 by Arctic Monkeys.
Michael laughs as Calum almost trips while he tries on a pair of boots, receiving a middle finger. "Would you be laughing if I fell and broke something? I doubt it." Calum sasses, making Michael laugh more. "Nah, I'd make sure to get that shit on video for Luke and Ash." Michael giggles. "You're literally the worst friend." The brunette complains as he tries on a different pair of boots. "I'm actually the best friend you could ever ask for." Michael reasons, leaning his arm on his shoebox. Calum sighs. "Why is that true?" He asks rhetorically. "Oh, this pair fits." He realizes.
They reach the Skyland area, and Calum gets out his camera as Michael goes and checks them into a lodge. Calum is leaning on the car when Michael comes back out, and he smiles in his head, watching Michael make funny faces as he walks back. Somehow the baseball cap/SnapBack he's wearing goes with the cargo shorts and grey shirt, the hiking boots adding to the whole ordeal. "We're booked. Tonight and tomorrow.." Michael smiles proudly. "You're awesome," Calum says, laughing softly at how proud Michael looks. "Oh, I know, but thank you." Michael sasses back. "We have the Maple Cabin, and there's access to the dining hall." Michael details that as they start to explore the area, the sun is already on its decline in the sky. Calum looks both ways before crossing the road to where the lookout is. "So if this is west, we'll be hiking east in the morning," Michael notes, making Calum sigh amusedly. "Yes, son. You're getting your directions down." He remarks, deservedly getting whacked upside the head. "Fuck off, it's been a long day." Michael laughs.
The little cabin is nice inside, the only downside is the separate bedrooms. Calum likes to hear what Michael has planned, or what Luke and Ashton are up to, but he supposes two nights will be ok. But will it?
It's a shock to Calum when he wakes up to find Michael already in his room with breakfast. "What time'sit?" Calum puts together, what he hopes, is an understandable sentence. "It's 4:30," Michael informs him, surprisingly chipper for not being a morning person one iota. "Jesus." Calum collapses back into his bed. "It's an hour and fifteen-minute hike, Cally. The Sunrise is at 6:30. C'mon." Michael gently coaxes. "I've got coffee and a blueberry muffin. Or two, or three. Actually, four is the right number but that one is already in me, sooo." He trails off, hearing Calum huff out. "I'll leave, but you won't get pics of the sunrise, so I'll stay here and be annoying." Michael decides. "I'm up, don't worry. Can I have a muffin?" Calum says, sitting up.
And it could be the soft lighting of the superficial light versus the dark contrast of the outside, or the fact that it's quarter to five in the morning, but Michael looks so soft. His hair tried to be tamed, it looks like, is peeking out of a beanie, his face is soft from sleep. His green eyes look particularly stunning this morning. Calum takes his time eating the muffin, stealing glances at Michael as he eats his other muffin and sips on his tea. The whole time Calum has known Michael, he's only had coffee three times, not that Calum is counting. "No coffee this morning?" He points out. "Nah, too harsh this early in the morning." Michael shakes his head, swallowing the bite he took. "It's better at like nine, so it gives you the boost til like, three, then you have another cup, and you're good for the afternoon." Michael reasons. "You drink coffee?" Calum tilts his head, feeling the shock fill him as he finishes his first muffin. "I wouldn't be alive most days if I didn't, Cal. Did you think I don't drink coffee?" Michael wonders, sipping on his tea. "I've only seen you drink coffee like three times. Of course, I thought you don't drink coffee." Calum admits, making Michael giggle. And god, that giggle mixed with the way Michael looks this morning is enough to make a man melt.
"Calum, half the population drinks coffee. Except for Ashton, because, well, he's a weird one if we're being honest." Michael shrugs, getting up and stacking his plates. "Ok, you've got, like, five minutes to finish breakfast and get dressed because we'll miss the sunrise, and tomorrow morning is supposed to be shitty." Michale changes the topic.
Calum holds his camera close as he and Michael use their phone flashlights to show them the way. Michael has a trail map, and he never gets lost, so Calum trusts him. It's five thirty, and they've got another thirty-five minutes to go. The sky is getting the tiniest bit lighter, but it's barely noticeable. "Oh hey, little fella." Michael stops, shining his light down the trail, seeing eyes gleam back. "Mike, what the fuck are those eyes attached to?" Calum asks. "A raccoon, no biggie, right buddy?" Michael talks to the animal. The raccoon looks at them one more time before continuing to cross the trail and back into the woods. "Bye Rocket," Michael calls softly to the creature, making Calum roll his eyes.
The last little stretch was pretty grueling, and Calum is grateful they bought hiking boots. There's no way he could've done that in Converse. The sky has a pinkish lilt to it, barely there light. They reach the outlook and Calum is starting to be able to see the silhouette of Michael's face.
Calum is so happy that Michael woke him up, the sun starts to spill out, pinks and oranges, reds flowing into yellows, lilacs, and violets bouncing off of the surfaces of the mountain. He takes a sparing glance at Michael, who's in complete awe of the natural paint palette. He takes a few shots of it, ensuring that the moment stays forever innocent. They watch as the sun starts to get a little higher in the sky, the colors turning from a majestic violet-blue to a more royal blue. "Fuck it's so pretty." Michael comments. And Calum looks over, Michael's eyes still scanning over the horizon. "We gotta do this more often, Cal." Michael notes, glancing over to his friend to find him already looking at him. "What?" He laughs, it's not unusual to find Calum staring at him, but it's typically when they're studying and he zones out. But this is not somewhere he should be staring at Michael and he should instead, be staring at the sky. "Stop staring at me, dude," Michael scoffs, turning back to face the morning sky. It would also be unusual if Michael said he didn't like it. Of course, he would never say it out loud, but if he did then it would be unusual.
The way back is much easier due to the lighting, but there's dew collecting on the trail. "Hey, Mike? Can you put my camera in my bag?" Calum stops them halfway back down, holding his camera out. As he looks at the decline, he realizes it's a little muddy from the rain last night, even though they had no problem going up . "Yeah, sure." Michael obliging easily.
Calum made it down with a little sliding, but he stayed upright. Michael on the other hand, well.... He didn't fall, but he almost did. Calum laughed, but that didn't stop him from holding his hands out in case Mike needed them. "I'm glad you found amusement in that, Cal, real glad." Michael laughs, knowing he can't actually be mad at Calum when he would do the same thing.
They grab brunch before their checkout is due, looking through Calum's pictures.
They stop at the few overlooks scattered, finally getting off and out of the Shenandoah National Park at two in the afternoon, the weather turning into a dark storm quickly. Michael is soon looking up places to stay, seeing a few lodges closer to where they are, but they are booked. "There's The Blue Goat Lodge, but there are literally no reviews or photos, so I am not trusting that." Michael shakes his head, Calum laughs as turns on the windshield wipers. "Oh, there's a Holiday Inn. It's still about an hour away, but that's ok, right?" He turns his head to look at the driver. "Yeah, unless the weathers turns even shittier, we should be good." Calum says, glancing at the sky. "Are there any places to eat near there? I know I'll be hungry by the time we get there." Calum asks, and Michael starts checking. "Umm, there is a Chinese restaurant, a Wendy's, a Little Caesars, a Burger King, a Pizza Hut, and a Mexican restaurant." Mike lists off, looking to see if Calum wants anything. "What do you want, cause I'll eat anywhere, but Mexican does sound good." Calum informs, watching a streak of lightning scar the sky. "I was actually going to say that I wanted Mexican too." Michael admits, smiling when Calum nods with the choice. "Mexican food it is." He decides.
The restaurant had the best Mexican food either of them had ever had. And they walked out quite happy, even if it was pouring. "Ashton's birthday is in like, six days." Calum points out as he dries himself off in the passenger seat. "Oh yeah, we should send him something, shouldn't we?" Michael acknowledges, pulling out of the parking space. "Yeah." Calum says. "That can wait til tomorrow though, we'll look for Luke's too." Michael suggests. "Two in one, very nice." Calum nods his head in agreement.
It has to be close to three in the morning, when Calum is jostled awake. "Mikey?" He blinks out the sleep in his brain, trying to see what woke him up. "Can I like, get into your bed with you? It's so embarrassing but I-" Michael is cut off by a sharp crash of thunder and Calum wonders just how hard he sleeps if he hasn't heard that at all. Focusing back to Michael. "I hate thunder, and I don't know why. But may I? Please?" Michael practically whimpers, and Calum doesn't hesitate in scooting around to make room, albeit a little sluggish from sleep, but still opens his bed. "You don't have to ask Mike, just tell me and I'll do it. Come on." He says softly, watching in the dim lighting, the shadow that his eyes adjusted to see, starts moving towards the bed when a flash of lightning sears through the window. Michael gets under the covers and slots himself next to Calum hurriedly before the next crash of thunder rumbles through the room. Calum wraps his arm around Michael's upper body, pulling him close and holding him tightly. "You're ok, Mikey. You're ok." He assures quietly, slowly starting to slip back into unconsciousness, but he forces himself awake to make sure Michael goes to sleep first, running his hand through Michael's hair. "I'm sorry." Michael whispers, facing away from Calum. "Mike, it's ok. I'm not gonna judge you for anything. I'm terrified of heights, we all have something. Ashton hates the ocean." Calum shares. "You hate heights?" Michael asks quietly. "Fucking hate 'em. Why do you think Luke went with you to the Empire State instead of me?" The older chuckles as thunder rumbles outside.
"Seriously? I had no idea, I'm sorry." Michael apologizes again. "It's ok, I've lived with it for twenty-two years." Calum shrugs it off, and it's true, he's fine with it. "Still sucks, though." Mike says into the darkness.
When Calum stirs awake, there's a weight on his chest, and his right arm is going numb. He blinks his eyes open to find faded purple hair in his line of vision. One glance outside and it's enough to say 'ew '. It's still pouring out, and Calum can safely say he does not want to do anything today. So, with that thought in mind, he gently rolls Michael off of his chest and flips on to his side, bringing Michael back to his chest, falling asleep quickly.
The next time he wakes up, Calum hears the shower going, noticing the emptiness around him. He sighs, his mind starting to buzz, going a million miles a minute. He had Michael climb into bed with him, cuddle up against him, fall asleep on his chest. He had Michael find comfort in him, in his body warmth. Fuck. And there goes the denial that Calum had worked so hard to get himself to accept. Flying out the window, bye-bye denial. Have a nice life. "Fucks sake." Calum mumbles, running a hand down his face. He likes his funny, purple-haired friend. And he's liked him for quite a while, sophomore year, actually. And now he has to go the rest of this trip with that looming over his head like the storm last night. Fuck that storm, that storm created this mess. Goddamn thunder and shitty lightning. Damn it.