Work Text:
Five years after the events at the border
*
The sun was setting on the horizon beyond the beach, another peaceful day was ending in the quiet summer of Puerto Lobos. Daniel walked out to the patio and sat down on one of the chairs, he didn’t even have to move his hands now and a can of beer just flew into his hand.
This was already the fourth year they’ve spent in Puerto Lobos. Ever since their first road trip when Daniel was twelve, he had fell in love with this place more and more each year. In fact, they both did. So after Sean set off on his journeys with Finn, they had agreed to come here every summer. This has immensely pleased Daniel in particular, because it means two months of quality time with Sean by his side, no one else.
There are considerably more decorations on the patio than when they first arrived, aside from the art supplies from Sean, a pair of chairs has also been set here along with a barbeque grill and a mini fridge full of beers. Another perk of this place: being able to drink as much as beer as he like without Claire constantly on his back. It’s not like he’s should be, but he’s fifteen now and Sean had already been doing it at this age, so, who cares.
After he took a couple of sips, Sean finally came out of the house and joined him on the patio. His beard had grown out over the years and just recently acquired a black glass eye with wolves on it. After all the time with the drifters, the sense of restraint he had gotten used to was gone and Sean is looking more confident each time they meet up. Daniel loved it, he missed the old naïve Sean before it all started, but Sean had discovered the man he truly wanted to be over the past years and it’s just what Daniel had hoped for him.
Almost half of the sun was already hidden behind the horizon, still glowing with flamboyant light, the sky was painted entirely into dark orange.
“The sunset here always strikes me.” Sean picked up a can and relaxed on the chair after a full day of painting.
“Yeah, I’ll never get tired to that.” Daniel just enjoyed the calmness.
After quite some time, it was Daniel who had spoken first. “You do realise what day it is today, right?” During the vacations in Puerto Lobos, neither of them really bothered to mind the date, even if Daniel has also got a smart phone now. It’s the summer for the wolf brothers, so he just read the books quietly or chat with Sean all day long, because he had all the time to take care of his social cycle back in Beaver Creek. Though today is different, today is fourth of July, the day their journey ended and Daniel had set a remainder even before they arrived.
“Of course.” Sean turned to him and smiled faintly. “I was actually waiting to bring it up. Looks like someone is just as sentimental.” A little teasing tone in his voice.
That elicited a small laugh from Daniel and he returned the smile. “I can be an unconcerned teenager if you want.”
“Ha, I think I’m fine, thank you.”
“Seriously though, it’s just as important to me, wouldn’t bear to miss it.” Daniel dropped his beer can.
“You’re right, it’s the wolf brother’s special day.” A sigh escaped from Sean. “It was hard times for both of us.”
“It is, but look at us now.” In truth, the last five years had been like a dream to Daniel. After nine months of running and coping with his powers, he never thought that one day he got to return to the normal life in Beaver Creek, being surrounded by loved ones, including Sean. He had been living this life for too long, that he actually missed their adventures. Well, not the fugitive part.
“Have you ever thought that one day, we can have all this？As in, the house, every summer being spent here?” Sean turned to look at Daniel so he did the same. He’s nothing like the sixteen-year-old runaway teen now, only less tense, and happier.
“To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I’ll get to see you again when we surrendered. Two years later, we were able to visit here together. Life has its way of messing with people,” He used the power to quietly send the can into his hands again to make his point. “But we managed well, right?”
“Here’s to us.” Sean rose his can and went for a toast, Daniel followed suit.
“To the wolf brothers and their adventures.”
And that clicked something on Daniel, something he tried to imagine many times but just couldn’t picture it after five years of ordinary life in Beaver Creek.
“What do you think we’d be doing now, if we had crossed the border together then?” He took a look at the house behind them. “Because I just couldn’t imagine what we’d be doing here if it’s our entire life instead of summers.”
“I can, actually. It’s still going to be this house and this beach, but definitely not what we’re doing now. We’d be scared of getting recognized and I’d be searching the town for jobs that only pay minimum just to get by at first.” Sean took another sip. “You know my original plan was to open up a repair shop just like dad, so maybe we really could’ve pulled it off! I’d be fixing car all day and you can take handle the paperworks.”
Daniel smiled to the it. “Us running a garage, I like the idea.” He imagined the two of them sitting on the exact spot, looking slightly different maybe, and drinking the same beer. Sean would be full of grease from working on the cars, and he… Well, he just couldn’t picture himself living that life, so different to theirs now.
“But that would mean no schools and no communication with people back in the states because the cops would be hunting for us like crazy. We won’t be relaxed as we are now.”
Daniel considered this again. What his life would be like if it’s only Sean, no Chris, no Claire and Stephen, no mom and no friends from school. He wouldn’t be alone, because there’s still his favourite brother by his side. But he would be lonely, because none of those people back home who had loved him would be here, and no school meant it would be hard to make any new ones. He wouldn’t be able to pursue what he likes, just like Sean wouldn’t be able to hold on to art and make a living out of it like he is doing now. Their entire life might be spent on the garage and in this town, not being able to chase their aspirations as fugitives. He has decided, this is not the life that he wanted.
“Well, I think I’ll hold on to this one.” Daniel said with a sad smile on his face.
“Me too, it’d feel too bad if I couldn’t travel with Finn and the drifters.”
Daniel felt truly happy for him, he had seen Sean struggle, but now he seemed relieved, after three years of traveling. It had changed Sean for the better. Being stuck in Puerto Lobos, running a garage to raise his little brother sounded like exactly opposite to what he would like. Anyways, that’s for another life.
“You know, I never said thanks to what you’ve done for both of us.” Now he’s getting real sentimental, which the cool teenage boy Daniel (at least what all of his friends think) back in Beaver Creek would definitely feel awkward for. But there’s no one else here except Sean, so he decided to let the feeling out. “I only felt scared back then, for the possibility of never seeing you again. I was being a brat.”
Daniel hadn’t understood how hard it must have been for Sean to have the courage to surrender, knowing the chances to be locked away for life. Now he did, almost reaching sixteen himself. Sean was really lucky to get only one year, but the year in juvie must had still been tough for him.
“Aww, look who’s feeling touched.” Sean stood up for a hug, and Daniel took him in his arms without hesitation. Daniel had only noticed that he can now bury his face in Sean’s shoulders by then, they haven’t done this for a long time.
“I’m the luckiest boy to have you as my brother. And I’ll love you no matter what you chose at the border back then.” Daniel felt the warmness, bring held in Sean’s arms. A teardrop was rolling down his face and didn’t exactly mind it.
“Even luckier than having powers?” Sean said playfully.
“Don’t ruin this, Sean.” He laughed.
“Love you too, enano.” Daniel couldn’t see Sean’s face, but he knew he’s smiling just as happy.
The hug seems like to went on forever. By the time they finally broke apart, the sky had already fully darkened and the moon was shining. They both went back to their seats and Sean lit a cigarette with dad’s lighter. He looked at it for some while, and Daniel was too. They both have mixed feelings for it, especially on this day. Looking at the dim light, it reminded Daniel.
“You know, I actually prepared something for today.” He got up and headed inside.
“Better than your fourth of July cookies?”
“Just wait and see.” Daniel smirked before disappearing into the house.
It turned out, it was sky lanterns that Daniel had prepared.
“Remember the lanterns we lit with mom in our last night in away five years ago?” Daniel asked as he prepared them enthusiastically.
“There’s no way I’m forgetting that. It was breathtakingly beautiful.”
“So did I think. You’re in for it today? To commemorate dad and our journey, you know.”
“You know I’m in.” Sean fished out the lighter again and lit both lanterns up.
Before letting them go, they exchanged a smile. It’s hard to tell if they’re sad or joyful ones, or maybe both, because it’s just like the wolf brother’s journey, it’s bittersweet.
After sending them out, the lanterns rose slowly into the sky, twisting with each other. Sean was actually waiting for Daniel to move them with his power, but they never changed their course. He turned to Daniel somewhat surprisingly, and he was still smiling back. Because Daniel knew, they don’t need any powers to stay close, they’re the wolf brothers, they share a bond that’s incorruptible by time or distance. No matter what happens, they are still brothers.
The lanterns never came back, they flew further into the sky, not separating, until they’re completely lost in the darkness.
Neither of them were willing to let this night go. But Daniel knew, the brothers still have an entire summer in Puerto Lobos ahead of them to make memories. And after that, they’ll part ways again. Daniel will return to Beaver Creek and get back to his friends, dealing with an entire summer of missed drama and gossips; Sean will unite with Finn and set off on their new journeys, Canada this time. It’s not the furthest distance they had been apart from each other, but Daniel knew they’ll be fine, and he knew they’ll eventually return to this place, which is now getting more like home each year. Their life is now crossing in the best way.