Chapter Text
"It's been a while since we last took a trip together," Edgar said. His voice sounded far off, though Mikey couldn't tell whether that was a reflection of his state of mind or rather his own, newly shaken out as he was from that liminal state between slumber and tracing the voices on TV.
They had been watching Mulholland Drive; Mikey had predictably nodded off halfway through. Between the comfort of having Edgar next to him again, solid and warm, the familiarity of the voices on TV and just being back in the ritual of their movie nights, it had been impossible not to. Here they were. They were here. Edgar was here. Everything was okay. They were safe.
The banality of just being together, watching a movie, was precious and overwhelming and all too easy to just slip back into. And so Mikey had dozed off, perfectly content to watch a movie with his boyfriend and fall asleep on the couch.
The warmth of a hand on his knee, a little squeeze. Mikey let out a happy sigh. Another squeeze, more insistent. "Well? What do you think?" Ah.
"Oh, uh, yeah I guess you're right, Panther. But, that's to be... I mean, it's... I don't know, a lot has been going on, right? I'm just glad we're together again." Rolling his shoulders and shifting his weight, Mikey took a moment to press himself tighter against Edgar, slipping his left hand under Edgar's shirt and up, until it found a natural resting place in that little dip in Edgar's waist. Skin against skin. He gave it a little squeeze. Edgars skin was solid, soft, warm; undeniably present. He let out another happy sigh.
"That's true, I suppose," Edgar conceded. Mikey knew that voice. Edgar was about to introduce a 'but.'
"But that doesn't have to remain the case, does it? After everything that has happened, I feel like we've earned a break. It doesn't have to be long. Just a few days, maybe? We could transport in and out, all by the books. I've always wanted to see the sequoias."
Mikey hummed an uncommitted sound as he thought it over. That did sound nice. The Redwood National Park had been on his to-visit list for a long time, too, and it would be wonderful to just be with Edgar for a bit. Quality time. Making memories. Being together without Marissa's teasing comments about their clinginess lingering in the back of his mind. "That does sound nice, Panther. If you think that Base can spare us for those days? We only just got everyone back and I know Charlie is adamant we figure out the whole Project CANNON thing and its repercussions ASAP."
"We can take a few days off while Charlie and Mike hold down the fort, can't we? Charlie is very capable and surely Mike is well-versed in leading Base by now. Come on, what do you say. Just you and me and the open road. Just me and my Mikey-Bear. Doesn't that sound good?"
"I guess, yeah," Mikey said. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was forgetting something, or maybe neglecting to point out some essential point that was being overlooked. Lingering traces of his sleepy state still wrapped his thinking in cosy coils. But he had to admit, the thought of spending time with Edgar (solid quality time, without interruptions or stacks of paperwork for Edgar to head back to after the lunchdate was done) was enticing.
Mulholland Drive was still playing in the background. Rebekah del Rio had just stepped on the stage of Club Silencio and begun to sing.
"Then it's settled. I'll talk to Mike in the morning. C'mere." Edgars hand on his chin, gently squeezing. Mike yielded eagerly, leaning into the kiss. A perfect moment at the end of a perfect day, laced with the promise of things yet to come. Edgars smile mirrored his own.
"Just you, me, and the sequoias. I have to say, I'm excited. It's really been a while since we had a road trip."