Chapter Text
Monty remained friendless for four years, before his grandfather suggested that they ought to visit Atlanta. At first, he remained hesitant; that he'd have the door slammed the door on his face, telling him to go home. And for a eighteen year old being told that a thirteen year old hated him despite their early stages to friendship as kids: well, he wouldn't really be able to deal with that properly.
Except that wasn't the case...
Unless he was properly faking it. He could've been–but from what he was seeing, it wasn't it. He was embraced with a proper hug, one that made him freeze.
They attended a local county fair, one that Len was entered in to show horses. He kept trying to convince him to at least touch the horse—that it wasn't going to bite him. Of course, he'd refuse and tell him he'd make it up to him some how.
As the day progressed and the evening came, Len informed him of his night off and how he wouldn't mind spending the night with him. This later progressed to them sitting up on a ferris wheel, and while they were close to the top, the ride stopped.
At first, it could appear normal but the ride operators were nowhere to be found.
"I betcha I could fix it if I was on the ground." Monty murmured, a slight shiver running through his back due to the chilled Georgia air. He received a good chuckle from that, and Len looked terrified all the least. "The ride isn't going to break, promise you that we're not going to fall to our deaths."
"—how could you tell?" Len asked quietly, making it impossible to hear him due to all the other carny games.
"Because it's secure."
"Oh."
"Ye'h."
There was a few good minutes of silence between them, making it awkward for Monty to ask.
"Never seen the fireworks from up here–"
"Why d'you hate me so much?" It was a quiet question, and Scott wasn't even sure that McCoy heard him.
"Wait, what?" Lips pursed and a look that almost represented a ghost, Len tried to turn so he could face him.
"What did I do that was so wrong for you to just leave me alone? That you never came back to Scotland for?" His frustration was coming to the surface, nostrils flailed and almost yelling.
"Woah, woah, woah, Monty! I don't hate you! Could never hate you!"
"Then why did I get the cold shoulder for a solid five years?"
"Why did–did my dad not tell you about the shuttle crash?"
"Wait, wee McCoy; what?"
"Y'know, it's always good to get two sides of the story, idiot. When my dad and I were coming back from Aberdeen, we were almost in Atlanta, almost. Then the shuttles engines gave out and it crashed. My dad and I were lucky, the others...not so much."
"...Uh."
"If you seriously think I hated you, you're wrong. I just didn't want to risk it, thought I was going to die if I got on one again. Could never hate you though, would never."
"Oh."
"Yeah, I'm sorry Monty."
"No, I'm sorry for exploding like that. When's the fireworks?"
He was trying to change the subject as quickly as he could, trying to just – drive away from the topic because he didn't want to let Len or himself linger on it.
The ferris wheel jolted forward a bit and this time, Montgomery clutched onto what was in his hand. The ride startled him and then he realized how tight of a grip he had on Leonard's hand.
"Shit, sorry - really didn't mean to."
"Mistakes happen."
Leonard leaned into the Scot and Monty draped an arm over his shoulder. From the booth behind them, Monty could hear the snickers but he didn't pay too much mind to it.
When they both got back to the ranch, they shared Leonard's room. Monty offered to sleep on the floor when Len suggested that they take all the comforters and just make a bed on the floor for the both of them and sleep in sleeping bags—tell stories.
They were asleep for less than five hours before Len shook Monty awake.
"Hey, Monty - wanna show you something. C'mon, old man."
Monty argued against it when he saw the time, but Len dragged him out of the house. They threw on light coats and tried to avoid stepping in any mud that could ruin Monty's only pair of pajamas he brought over.
Len tugged Monty to sit down with him, and they waited. Waiting for the sun to come up.
They entered this clearing and god, it was like a painting. The sun hit in all the right ways and Monty was in awe. Leonard commented about how he'd sneak out in the morning, before helping out--how he'd do it every early Sunday morning.
Monty had to leave later that day, but it got him to think about attending a University out in Georgia.
He didn't mind moving from Scotland to spend some more time with Len.