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The truck was parked, food left with flies buzzing over is as Carlos watched Luke pace, the sunset over the lake making a beautiful backdrop to the current turmoil between the two.
"Really Luke, it was just a small thing, promise." Carlos hadn't meant to cause, whatever this was. A breakdown? Generalized homophobia just spilling over? "It was just a tou-"
"It wasnt just a touch though Carlos." Luke's voice was sharp, scathing. "It's never been 'just a touch' for you."
"It was never 'just a touch' for you either Luke." Carlos put his food to the side now, standing up as well. "You did things too."
"I'm not no damn faggot like you Carlos."
"I never said you were one Luke. I just thought with all that's between us-"
"There was no between us." Carlos paused, staring at Luke. "There was no, all that was between us. There was nothing." Carlos watched Luke's eyes, he didn't watch back. "There nothing. All of “this” isn’t anything. We’re just best friends Carlos. That’s all we’ve ever been."
"So all of this. All of, the holding eachother, the stolen kisses, the trust and the love- it meant, nothing to you?" Carlos stood up straighter, his voice beginning to shake. "The sharing of clothes, the cuddling, the nights in bed together-"
Luke tensed. "We said we'd never discuss those."
"We also said we wouldn't fight, not after all of this. We said we wouldn't ever judge eachother Luke." Carlos stepped forward, tears burning his eyes. "You promised. We promised. We promised eachother a life together, Luke Reed, and you've left me on the damn string again, left to be blowing in the damn wind."
"I didn't leave shit Carlos. You know that. You know what would happen if you pushed anything Rivera." Luke looked different when they fought, Carlos looked at Luke as he continued to spit poison. Luke looked different now.
"Luke. Get in the damn truck." Carlos stepped by him, starting to stock up the fire.
Luke borderline scoffed, stepping forwards. "I'm not sure if you need a reminder, but just because you decided that you wanted something that wasn't there so badly, doesn't mean you-"
Carlos whipped around, pulling Luke towards him, a certain venom he barely recognized in his throat as he whispered to Luke in his best mimicry of hate. "Get, in the damn truck. Good night Luke." He let him go, his knuckles aching from the tight grip.
Luke looked at him then, really and properly in the eyes. Carlos couldn't tell you what he must have saw, hate, resentment, love in its own most twisted, heartbroken way. He knew why Carlos was kicking him out of the truck bed, he could deal.
"This ain't like you, Carlos Rivera." Luke looked shaken, he looked at Carlos in a way he didnt recognize.
"I don't think you know who I am anymore, Luke Reed." Carlos turned away, working on the fire "Turn on the heat. Don't freeze."
"The front never gets cold, you know that." Luke stepped away.
"I do, but I assumed you didn't. You don't know a lot of things Luke." Carlos didn't look up. "You can wear my clothes, if that isn't, "too much" for you."
"You can't sleep in the front though, it's too cramped for the both of us." Luke's voice was laced with confusion, worry too, he always sounded more worried now. "And you don't like sleeping alone."
"I'll manage."
His tone spoke more than he did, a unending exhaustion and frustration caused by the eleven year long fight against what they wanted. For once, Carlos had no more to say to Luke.
There was a pause as they stared at eachother, a certain feeling shrouding the campsite. Carlos watched as Luke grabbed his leftover food, the limited sunlight casting a golden glow to a man that was anything but holy, but if you had asked at one point, Carlos would have confidently told you, in this lighting, that Luke looked like an angel.