Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Chapter Text

Hands fidgeted and smoothed out Connor McKinley’s hair, which he immediately brushed off with a small mumble. It was too early in the morning to be doing this, letting his mother touch up the loose strands of his hair. He’s sat by the terminal, waiting to meet his mission companion and when they’ll be called to board.

“I miss that ginger hair when you were a young boy, I can’t believe it’s grown out so early into blonde. I can barely recognise you, you’ve grown up!” His mother whispered. One last touch to a loose strand at the bottom of his head, before the hands finally retreated. “My baby, all grown up. You’ve had some setbacks, but just look at you! District Leader in a new location! I’m so proud of you.” She cooed, her hand moving to pat at Connor’s back.

“But, what if–”

Connor cut his words short, spotting a man wearing the same attire and two older people approaching them. He lightly pushed his mother’s hand off him as he stood, adjusting his collar and straightening up his tie. Just as the man got close, he offered his hand. “Connor McKinley.” He greeted, waiting for his hand to be shook. As he did, he took in the man’s appearance. Blonde, a few inches shorter than him and looking rather unsettled. Unsettled? He didn’t receive a response, which his hand didn’t move. “Is something wrong?” He asked the other, who blinked and seemed to come back to the moment.

“Christopher Thomas.” Christopher took Connor’s hand, responding with a tight but firm handshake. “Sorry, you remind me of someone. You must be my mission companion..?”

“I don’t see anyone else approaching.” Connor intended it as a joke, but with the idle stare and the silence from everyone, he’s suddenly very aware of how awful it was. He quickly cleared his throat, before nodding. “Yes, I am–”

“Beginning to board! I repeat, beginning to board!”

With the lack of proper talking, the two boys turn away and gather their items. Connor was quick, a brief kiss to his mother’s forehead and a tight squeeze of a hug in return. Christopher’s parents hugged him tightly, with whispers of reassurances and promises to send letters. The two of them step away from their parents, before stepping closer to their new lives for two years. It takes a while and time passes, but soon they were both situated on the plane and in the air. Neither had spoke until long after take-off, at least Connor was content in his own company as he held a book in his own hands. 

Christopher turned his head to him, a hand idly tapping his leg. “I did think your joke was funny, before. I just wasn’t sure if I had to laugh.” He commented.

Connor’s hands slowly closed his book, before his attention focused onto him. He wasn’t exactly sure on what to think of Christopher, from the first impressions. “That’s.. Okay.”

“So, District Leader?”

“I’m going to treat you the same as everyone else, before you say anything.”

“Oh, no! I wouldn’t have dare asked to be treated unfairly compared to the others, Elder McKinley!” Even if Connor just met the man, he’s almost disappointed at the use of their titles immediately. It’s not a big deal and he’ll hear his first name again after the two years.

“Tell me about yourself, Elder Thomas.” He had simply replied with, letting his attention remain on the man as he began to talk. Talk quite extensively about his life, which he had asked about. He sometimes interjected and asked questions, but relatively let Christopher talk otherwise. At some point, the window outside turned dark and Christopher’s talking dulled down. The man now rested against Connor’s side, eventually fell asleep. Connor himself eventually slept, after tucking his book away and getting comfortable. Not once did he push off Christopher against his side. 

As Elder McKinley drifted off to sleep, resting a bit against his mission companion in return, he wondered about his other Elders that he’ll meet when they arrive. 

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Ka-Klink, Ka-Klink.

“You know, I think I should’ve just stuffed everything into a bag. This broken wheel is driving me insane.” Kevin tugged along the suitcase, giving a glance to the small hallway they were just exiting. “I wish we got our actual suitcases back. We did manage to convert.. Many people.” He gave a slight shrug of his shoulders.

“You already have some gifts in my bag. All of your stuff wouldn’t fit.” Arnold answered, the same bag from the start of their mission hanging comfortably on his back. His hands grip the straps, feeling over the seams gently. “Besides, Elder McKinley seemed keen to give it to you!” He added, with a grin.

“He didn’t want me to leave most of my stuff behind. Unlike you–”

“Kevin!” A voice rings out, catching both the Ex-Mormons' attention. Running towards them, specifically Kevin, was a woman who swiftly enveloped the man in a hug once she got close. A few others trailed after in a walk, the rest of Kevin’s family. Suitcase abandoned in thought, Kevin swiftly hugged back with a big grin.

“Mom! Dad!” He exclaimed, completely unaware that his family would be there. Let alone want to see him, but he was glad otherwise and savoured the moment. He began to chatter with them, sharing a few more hugs with the various people assembled around him.

Arnold watched idly, holding his bag’s straps tighter. His gaze moved away quickly, surveying the airport lobby to see if his own parents had come along. Hope had bubbled and fizzled out soon enough, as seconds dragged on and his eyes saw nobody he would recognise. He shouldn’t have expected them to, after the district had been shut down. Everyone must have known about it. His eyebrows knitted together in thought. Kevin’s family had to know then, right?

So why were they here?

He turned his head back and opened his mouth, but closed it at sight of Kevin and his family gone.

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James Church stared up at the wall quietly. He tended to sleep without dreams, which he felt was a positive. However, it always made his nightmares stick out and feel more jagged in his brain whenever he felt like recalling them. It always hit rather close, even if they weren’t a ‘Hell Dream’ anymore. They were still harsh, without the backdrop of Hell itself. He’s never really worked up afterwards and even now, he’s just idly staring. Too awake to fall back asleep, but too early to start his day.

He wondered if Elijah Neeley was awake.

So that’s what motivated James to sit up and pull himself out of bed, briefly glancing at Elder Davis’s side of the room and then walking out. He’s out in the darkness of the main common area, stepping slowly and quietly. He’s approaching the kitchen that’s already got the light on, which intrigued him. He stepped in, blinking at the bright light and the sight of another.

Elder McKinley.

Should he be surprised at that? No, probably not.

“Elder Church, I didn’t take you to be an early riser. Not anymore, at least.” Elder McKinley’s words were light, without anything hidden behind it. “Something troubling you?”

It would be a perfect chance to talk about his nightmare. It would get some of the tension off his shoulders, to talk to someone.

James has never been the type to talk about himself or his feelings.

“No. I was just heading to Elijah’s room.” James admitted, a truth in that. “Elder Davis is.. He’s snoring. It’s getting to my head. I’d like to get a few hours of sleep, without smothering him with a pillow.” He gave a half-smile. He’s never been good with joking around with how he words things, it also seemed to poorly land as McKinley gave him a mildly-unsure look.

“Elder Neeley? Well, alright. Just make sure you both don’t sleep in late.” Elder McKinley finally responded, giving a smile. “Sleep well, Elder Church.”

And James began to step away, towards the small hallway once more. He’s briefly stopped before he can step off, glancing back at McKinley.

“I’m here if you do need someone to talk to, though. Okay?”

“Okay.” James would never take that offer.

He finally stepped away, quietly down the hallway and pushing open Neeley’s door. It’s a habit they both have, sneaking into each other's room and sleeping in the same bed with the other. James always found himself heading to Neeley’s as he simply felt comfortable in there. Besides, he always managed to keep Neeley in bed for an extra five minutes in the morning whenever he slipped himself into the man’s bed the night before.

James stepped closer, moving under Neeley’s blanket and shuffled in close. His arms moved slowly around the male’s body and kept himself close. He slowly moved his head to rest on the man’s chest and over his beating heart, who was sleeping on his back. As he let his eyes close, he felt a pair of arms around slowly wrap around himself.

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Blinking open his eyes, he stared up at the ceiling. The room was unnaturally bright for the morning and Kevin Price felt.. Off. 

He slowly sat up, dragging his gaze around and then to the closed window. Around the edges, sun brightly peaked through and managed to light up the room. Early morning was never that bright, never so.. His hand combed through his hair, out he goes from the bed and slowly gets himself out into the main common area. 

Nobody else was around besides Connor McKinley, sat quietly with a mug in hand and some book that Kevin didn’t know the title of. 

“What time is it?”

McKinley looked over, blinking at the man’s appearance.

“Nine o’clock.” The man answered, eyes drifting back to the book’s pages and shutting it slowly. “Everyone’s outside, right now.”

Kevin’s eyebrows raised at the time. “I slept in. I didn’t— I’ll try not to, next time. Sorry.”

“You don’t have to wake up at six, anymore. I mean, I’d prefer if my Elders were up before ten.. But otherwise that, wake up whenever.” McKinley waved off lightly, sipping at his mug. “There’s leftovers from someone’s breakfast, if you want something besides toast. I don’t know what it is specifically, though.”

“I.. Okay.” Kevin answered, standing there for a few extra moments. He finally stepped back, once he saw McKinley open his book again. “I’ll talk to you after I eat, Elder McKinley.” He lightly added, before turning and moving to start his day. 

— —

“So what else is loose, rules-wise?” Christopher Thomas had approached, a few days later.

On his knees, picking away at some weeds in a poorly-maintained garden, Connor McKinley glanced up. “What spurred this on?”

Christopher shrugged, going to grab a pair of gardening gloves and moving to sit beside him. “I don’t know. I just heard that someone was baffled at the concept of sleeping in, when we’ve had other Elders do that since.. Y’know.” He mentioned vaguely. “So there has to be more rules that have suddenly loosened that nobody even figured out, Connor. Anything that comes to mind, immediately?”

Connor raised an eyebrow, before shrugging and turning his attention to picking at more weeds. “Ask me something, then. I’ll see if it’s been loosened within reason.”

“Homosexuality?”

He stilled, hand resting down on the ground. His gaze slowly returned back to Christopher. “I-“ He quietened up. He’s never really considered or thought about it.

“Too soon?” Christopher’s tone was soft, offering to move on if needed. 

“..I wouldn’t stop anyone.” McKinley answered, picking away at the greenery. He suddenly breathed out, at the feeling of a glove gently against his back. He didn’t realise how tense he had gotten, until he slumped slightly and offered a smile to Christopher. A quiet moment passed between them, before the glove moved off and Connor glanced to where it previously been. A small bit of dirt, in the shape of Christopher’s glove, had stained a small bit of his shirt. “That’s going to be so annoying to clean out.” He laughed. 

“Maybe you should loosen up the rule on uniform!”

Connor merely responds with flicking a bit of dirt at Christopher’s face. A laugh emits from the other blonde. 

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“You missed a spot. No, not there– Here, I’ll just..”

Oakley Michaels's hand reached over, rubbing the last bit of sunscreen to Christopher Thomas's neck. In return, his hat was adjusted for better cover on his face.

"Thanks." Christopher hummed, now adjusting his own hat. It was a brutally hot day, but he had insisted earlier that it was a perfect day to sit outside. Well, under the shade of a tree and have enough sunscreen on both of them to gleam.

Oakley smiled, leaned forward to press a small kiss on Christopher's cheek and quickly regretted it when he tasted sunscreen. Before he could comment, Christopher had taken his hand and began to drag him outside.

"I'd take us to a cooler spot, but everyone's going to be there. You remember that lake, where that small dirt path is..?" Christopher glanced back to Oakley.

"I did see a few other Elders making their way towards that path. I think I saw some snakes around there, a few weeks back."

"Oh, really?"

"I'd trust them not to get bitten?" Oakley shrugged. It wasn't his problem to deal with at the moment, if it happened at all. Snakes don't swim.. From memory. He's with Christopher right now, escaping the heat. So he didn't need to dwell on it much longer. Which, Christopher gave an agreeing hum and their small conversation ended at that.

They arrived to their desired tree, only a short walk from the house. The two settled down, leaning against the tree trunk and eyes glancing out to their surroundings. Christopher leaned his head against Oakley's side, who then leaned his head lightly onto Christopher's head.

A calm silence fell over them, soaking in their moment.

"..When we get up later, it's going to be sticky." Christopher mumbled, eyes drifting up.

Oakley gave a light snort, remaining unmoved. “Yeah.. That’s for future-us to find out. Right now, just forget about it.”

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James Church's head rested against Elijah Neeley's chest, listening to the man's mouth breathing. His eyes lingered up at him, taking in the sight of the incorrectly-healed nose that was highlighted by the light peeking in. A hand bunched up at the blanket, gripping it lightly and keeping it over the two of them.

The night was young, along with themselves and whatever they might call their close nature.

Elijah's hand moved down through James's black hair, freshly shaved and much more suited for him. His hand rubbed lightly through it, like some magic 8-ball. "Suits you much better." He mumbled, drowsiness held in his voice. "Reminds me of a.. Sheep, maybe."

"That's stupid." James stated bluntly. "Why a sheep?"

"The texture, that's it. It's just hair."

"To you." His head adjusted, getting comfortable once more and briefly closing his eyes. "I see it as a fresh or new start. Something cheesy like that."

“James, being cheesy? That’s a first.” Elijah lightly mused. “Let me shave it next time, there’s a few spots back here that are longer than the rest.” His hand combs through again, fingers scratching lightly on top.

“Deal.”