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"Kudzu, could you pull into the train station actually?"
The raccoon wordlessly nods and turns the car around. They didn't get too far yet.
Kudzu is quiet, and has been ever since they left Leo's place.
Chase wishes he knew what Kudzu was thinking, the silence in the car bordering on uncomfortable after such an emotional send-off. He reaches his paw over and wraps it around the raccoon's, rubbing his thumb soothingly over his knuckles.
Kudzu looks over and smiles softly, prompting Chase to lean over to place a quick kiss on his lips.
When they arrive at the train station, Kudzu elects to stay in the car again, asking for another kiss while he waits.
Chase exits the car and stares towards the train station, framed by the setting sun on the horizon. The fiery hues are now starting to bleed into deep, cooler colors. The desert air is pleasant, no longer oppressive in its heat but now replaced by a gentle calm breeze.
He glances back at Kudzu again. The raccoon quirks an eyebrow, before nodding his head towards the station.
Chase feels incredibly thankful to have someone as understanding and patient as Kudzu. He probably knows what this station means to Chase, after all, he caught him and Leo fooling around here two years ago.
He walks towards the station, committing the details of it to memory. He doesn't know if he'll ever return here again. He begins to feel his well of emotions spill over, the tears he's been holding back finally begin to fall. He'll let himself just feel, with no guilt for now.
The illusory knife in his chest is gone but the wound is still there, fresh and open. It'll be some time before it finally closes, and even then, the scar will leave a permanent mark. How could it not? He's known Leo almost all his life, through the good and the bad times, through love and anger. The red wolf has carved his name onto Chase's heart whether he liked it or not.
Chase walks along the railroad, recalling the first time they decided they were going to be boyfriends. Everything was simple and sweet back then, just two idiots in love. That train departed too early for him, with adulthood slamming into his life, fragmenting it into pieces he barely knows how to pick up.
He finally lets his thoughts wander to Leo himself. Seeing the wolf again just brought on a deluge of swirling emotion. To hear that the wolf suffered immensely these past two years hurt him more than words can describe. It was a relief to hear that he's been starting to recover. Hopefully time will mend his wounds just as it did for Chase.
He walks back to the station, the sun finally hidden away by the night. He can hear the chirping of crickets start up. He takes one deep breath and sits in the moment, mentally saying goodbye to this station, to Echo.
He's not quite ready to truly say goodbye to Leo yet. He can't help but feel there's still magic between them.They don't necessarily have to be lovers but they can at least salvage their friendship in the future, when they've both recovered. They were best friends once, after all.
He picks up a rock. He knows Leo didn't want his new contact info but Chase wants to leave this behind. A secret. Maybe in the off-chance that Leo finds this, that would mean reconciliation between them is possible. He lightly carves his number onto the side of the station. In a town as deserted as Echo, he probably doesn't need to worry about some random prank-calling him. Even then, the desert sand and dust will wear away the carving over time.
With one last glance at the station, he bids it a farewell. He walks back to his boyfriend, the raccoon patiently waiting in the car.
Goodnight for now, Leo.
x-x-x-x-x
Leo tosses and turns in bed. How can he sleep after such a turbulent day? He's honestly surprised at how well he handled himself, seeing the otter again after two years. It's a little sad but he's glad to see Chase and Kudzu are doing well together. They deserve it.
He can't help but feel the tears coming on again. He's fought hard for the past two years trying to recover. Maybe he can let himself have a cheat day, just this once.
Annoyed with his insomnia, he decides to go take a walk. He doesn't even want to look at the clock, already knowing it's balls deep in the middle of the night.
He steps outside and pulls out a cigarette but he doesn't light it. After a few moments, he frustratedly flicks it away, not even wanting that right now. He's not even sure what he wants. He just feels an ambiguous emotion swirling in him, unresolved and tense. He takes several deep breaths, trying to calm himself.
The nighttime desert air feels nice against his fur, though the dryness makes his nose twitch slightly. He just walks, following the sound of crickets, listening to the crunching gravel under his heavy footsteps. He finds himself walking along familiar railroads. His mind threatens to think about that day again but he fights it. He has to move on. He can't keep chasing distant memories…but it's his cheat day, he can let himself think about it just this once.
He thinks about the past few years with him and Chase. He has so many regrets and things he wished he had done better.
With some recent healing and reflection he's done, he can finally see what went wrong between them.
It's too late to fix it now though, the train already departed. All that's left for him is to move on, to continue with his life.
He made it to the station when he suddenly catches the distinct scent of an otter. It's faded but it's real, not the illusory scent that deluded him in the past. He searches around the station until he finally finds the spot where the scent is the strongest.
There, carved onto the side of the station is a phone number.
Leo smiles fondly. He distinctly asked the otter not to provide him with it, as it would impede his progress. He pulls out his phone and saves the contact still...it'll be their little secret.
One day, when he finally conquers his obsession and is free from the ghosts of the past, he can finally reach out to Chase... as friends.
He tucks his phone back into his pocket and begins to walk. He stares up at the moon, the gentle light illuminating his path home. Right now he feels good, as if he can reach out and grab the moon, resolve renewed.
He whistles a happy tune as he walks along the railroad, looking forward to tomorrow.
For now though, goodnight Chase.