Chapter Text
“mami, do we really have to go?” miles asked, looking at his mom pack the last box into the car. “miles, your dad will get better care where we’re going, besides who doesn’t love a fresh start?” rio replied, miles frowned. “i thought we were those people, you told me we were never gonna leave brooklyn!” miles said, sadness in his tone. rio looked at him, softening a bit.
“i know, miles, but things don’t always work out..” she said softly, miles looked down. he knew this was hurtful for the both of them but why did he only feel that he was the only one affected by this? “c’mon, get in the car, we got a long drive to mariposista.” rio said, miles begrudgingly go in the car. he couldn’t look at rio, he was still upset that they had to leave everything behind. it was bye bye brooklyn and hello mariposista,,, great.
after about a 5 hour drive, they made it. the place looked nice but miles did not wanna warm up to it, it was still nothing like home. “hey, mile,” rio said, miles looked over at his mom. “i know this is hard but we’ll get through it together, remember you’re not alone.” rio said sincerely, grabbing miles’ hands, he nodded, trying not to cry. rio cleared her throat, “c’mon, let’s get this stuff inside, it’s supposed to rain soon.” she said, miles nodded.
once they finished placing all the boxes, miles took his boxes and went upstairs. he walked down the empty hallway, a sense of loneliness washed over him. miles sighed as he made his way to his ‘new’ room, god he hated that word, new. all it reminded him of is his dad, alone in a hospital bed, away from their home.
tears streamed down his face, miles quickly rubbed them off and opened up the boxes. he put his clothes in the closet and pulled out his headphones. miles put them off and played his favorite song, sunflower.
as he looked through the rest of the boxes, he found an old picture of them together. he looked about 6, his missing two front teeth seemed to lighten up the rest of his smile, his parents stood behind him, hands on his shoulders, smiling as well. miles smiled at the picture then looked around him, everything was the same except he had his front teeth and his dad wasn’t here.
miles placed the picture on his nightstand, letting the tears fall this time. ‘i’ll get you back,,, somehow..’ miles thought, he heard a knock on his door.
“hey, miles, i’m going to-.” rio began to say then she saw the way her boy looked. she walked in and pulled miles into a hug, he just laid there on her, sobbing. “shhh, miles, “te tengo, todo va a estar bien..” rio reassured miles as he continued to cry.
once miles had calmed down, rio wiped away the rest of his tears. “do you want me to go? i stay and make us something.” rio asked miles, he shook his head. “you can go, mami, i know you want to see dad.” miles said, rio softly smiled. “alright, i’ll be back in a few. i’ll call you when i’m on my way back. try to get this place a chance, if not for me, for your dad. he would hate seeing you cooped up in here.” rio said, kissing miles’ temple.
he chuckled, “yeah, yeah. i’ll try, mami.” miles said, rio got up and went to his door, “remember, miles-.” rio started to say when miles finished it. “i’m not alone, i know, mami, you can go.” he said, rio went back and gave him kisses on the cheek. “ma!” miles exclaimed, rio chuckled, “bye, mijo. i’ll be back in a bit!” rio said, rushing down stairs. miles stood there, alone again.
after a few minutes, miles decided to explore the place, after all, he was gonna be living there. there was a light drizzle but he brought a jacket and his phone. ways into the forest, he found a well. ‘hmm, should i make a wish?’ miles thought before shaking his head, ‘i’m not 5 but,, i’ll make one anyway.’
miles looked into the pool of water below, closing his eyes. ‘i wish for my dad to wake up.’ he thought then opened his eyes. “hey!” a voice called to him, miles jumped.
“holy shit!” miles exclaimed, turning around. there were two boys that looked about his age. “are you new here? what i kidding? you are! i’m pavitr but you can call me pav!” pavitr said excitedly, hobie just waved. “hi, pav.. does the other guy have a name?” miles asked, pavitr chuckled.
“of course they do, new guy! his name’s hobie, he’s nonverbal right now.” pavitr explained, miles nodded. “my name’s miles so you don’t have to call me new guy.” he said, pavitr nodded. hobie just stared at them, bored. “alright, miles, what brings you to mariposista?” pav asked, hobie looked interested now.
miles put his hands in his pockets, “some stuff happened back at home is all.” he said plainly, hobie raised an eyebrow at that. “oh, touchy subject, i get it.” pav whispered, hobie frowned. he walked over to miles and tugged on his arm, “what?” miles asked, hobie just stood there. “he’s asking if you want a hug.” pav said, smiling softly. “oh! yeah, a hug’s fi-.” miles began to say when hobie wrapped his arms around him.
miles could feel tears coming on, weird. hobie hugged tight but not too tight, it was warm like his dad’s hugs. “thanks, hobs.” miles whispered, hugging back. pav grinned, ‘they’re so cute!’ he thought, grinning further. hobie let go and patted miles on the back.
miles just smiled, hobie went back next to pavitr. “so, what do you want to do?” pav asked, miles shrugged. hobie pulled out his guitar, where it came from, no one will ever know.
he shredded a chord, “explore the forest?” it said, miles’ eyes widened. “yo! you can do that?” miles asked, hobie nodded with a smirk. “exploring the forest it is!” pav said, walking to the well, where miles was still standing.
“so what should we do first?” miles asked, looking at the two of them. “we could explore the garden?” pavitr asked, miles and hobie nodded and they were off. miles noticed that hobie was standing over him, not that he minded. “miles.” hobie rasped, miles looked at him.
“hey you guys! check this out!” pavitr shouted, miles and hobie looked at each other. “l-later.” hobie whispered, grabbing miles’ hand and running over to pavitr.
“look! isn’t she pretty?” pavitr asked, gushing. hobie shook his head, miles looked in confusion. “who is that?” miles asked, pavitr shushed him. “that’s gayatri, gayatri singh. she’s the most beautiful girl i’ve ever seen.” pavitr said. hobie snickered, “t-ta only girl ya seen.” he whispered.
miles chuckled, hobie smiled softly. miles had an earthy, slightly deep laugh. hobie wanted to hear it more, pavitr scowled at him. “c’mon, hobie, stop joking.” he said, hobie putted his hands up in defense.
“pavitr?” gayatri called out, pavitr yelped and fall backwards into a bush. miles and hobie cackled, gayatri ran over. “hey, hobs, who’s this?” gayatri asked, hobie signed miles’ hand, “M-I-L-E-S.” gayatri smiled, “nice to meet you, miles.” she said, miles blushed softly.
hobie stared at him then gayatri. pavitr shot up, “hey, gayatri!” he exclaimed, leaves in his hair. gayatri giggled, “hi, pav.” pavitr tilted his head before taking the leaves out his hair. “here, let me help you.” gayatri offered, pavitr blushed as she placed her hands on his head and took out the leaves.
“alright, love birds.” hobie signed, miles looked at his hands as he did it. gayatri and pavitr both blushed and miles chuckled, hobie smirked. “oh right, gayatri, would you like to go exploring with us? we’re giving miles a tour.” pavitr asked, wrapping an arm around gayatri’s shoulder.
gayatri smiled, “thanks, pav, but my dad will probably want me back. it was nice meeting you, miles.” she said, waving to the boys, who waved bye back. pavitr looked like a sad puppy, hobie frowned. miles noticed this, hobie seemed to mirror other’s emotions which was nice… maybe to miles anyway.
pavitr snapped out of whatever trance he was in, “let’s go, guys!” pav said, stomping along the way. hobie didn’t look amused, miles took his hand and looked away from his face. hobie turned pink, well not him himself but his outline was definitely pink. miles gasped and smiled, “c’mon, love birds!” pavitr yelled to them.
hobie rolled his eyes and miles blushed, they walked over to pavitr. at the end of their tour, the three stood at miles’ door. “well, that’s the end of our tour, see you again tomorrow?” pavitr said, miles nodded and pavitr waved goodbye. “see you at home, hobie!” he said with a wink and two thumbs up.
miles and hobie stood parallel to each other, they looked into each other’s eyes. “see you around, hobie.” miles said, breaking the silence between them. hobie nodded and gave him a squeeze, breathing in miles’ scent. miles stood stiff, caught off guard but hugged back.
as they pulled apart, miles could see rio’s car coming up. he looked back and hobie was gone without a trance,, well except a pin that was at his feet. he picked it up, the pin said “hobie’s”, miles smiled softly.
“miles!” rio exclaimed, grabbing him into a hug. miles softened as rio tightened her grip. “how are you? were you okay on your own?” rio asked him, miles nodded and she smiled. “c’mon, entremos.” rio asked, miles looked out one last time before going inside the apartment