Scott had always had a crush on Stiles. Ever since their first meeting as toddlers he'd carried a torch for this guy who eventually became his best friend. He couldn't really remember when it had transformed into something deeper but it happened sometime in their early teens. Scott had become more and more aware that this crush was escalating into love and desire.
They had slept together in the same bed many times. Teased each other in the shower after lacrosse practice. Been tangled together on the couch watching chick flicks that they later denied that they had seen.
Stiles was definitely in the friends zone. Scott couldn't do anything about his love for him without jeopardizing their friendship. Or could he?
He was pretty sure that Stiles was so not into guys. That fact actually made it a little easier for him to handle everything. He knew that his best friend was – and had for years been – in love with the school's bitch, Lydia.
Scott had never been able to wrap his mind around that. Lydia never as much as gave Stiles a second glance. If he talked to her she most of the time pretended not to hear him. If she ever replied it was with a frown and a sarcastic utterance.
Comforting Stiles after another drawback was Scott's biggest joy. He felt a little bad about his own thoughts regarding this but he couldn't help himself. When Stiles in anger and despair crawled under the blankets with him and poured his little heart out Scott could feel his own beat so hard with happiness that it could possibly show on the outside.
Sometimes it was tough shit to avoid kissing those tears away or caressing the little sliver of bare skin that showed between the pants and the t-shirt. After these sessions – when Stiles had left – Scott felt empty. Luckily they didn't come very often because even if Scott loved to hold Stiles in his arms he almost got physically ill when it was over and he was alone again.
Stiles' not reciprocated love for Lydia wasn't the only thing that made Scott sure that his friend was straight as an arrow. The fact that gay people could sniff each other out from a distance wasn't purely a myth. He himself had known about Danny long before the guy suddenly jumped out of the closet. It was like an instinct and that instinct told him that Stiles was out of reach.
A few month ago he'd noticed that the same Danny had looked at him curiously. At times he'd approached Scott but Scott had managed to avoid a confrontation. He knew he needed to find himself a beard if he was going to keep this secret. Sooner or later Danny – or someone else for that matter – were going to out him by accident or purpose.
Allison came to the rescue. He felt bad about leading her on but he looked at it as a way of survival. She was nice and sweet and – surprisingly enough – she seemed to be content with this platonic relationship for the time being. Scott knew perfectly well that he could perform with a girl but it didn't feel right. Somehow it felt that he'd be cheating – on himself.
Ever so often he could sense a spot of jealousy from Stiles when Allison was around and it made Scott's heart ache a little but it it also pleased him in an odd way. He knew it was only because they had such a close friendship and Allison sometimes got in the way, but it was kind of nice.
Even if Danny looked at him weirdly sometimes Scott managed to get through his junior year without anymore questioning stares from the guy. Now they had only one year left until he could get away and go to college.
Right now they were on the threshold of summer. Exams were over and Allison was leaving with her dad to visit family. Stiles was eager to get out of town and suggested a road trip. "We can just jump in the car and go." He gave Scott that innocent boyish smile that was impossible to say no to.
Scott wasn't sure if that was the best idea but after clearing it with their parents, promising to call every day, they set out one Friday morning shortly after school was out for the holidays.
They didn't know where to go but none of them had ever been on the east coast and they pondered about crossing the continent.
"Let's see how it goes." Stiles turned onto I-10 and sped up to as he merged in with the other cars on the highway. "Swimming in the Atlantic would be great but it's a long drive." Scott didn't mind. Having Stiles for himself for almost two weeks was both scary and so totally divine. He could probably had agreed on going around the world if it was possible.
They had spent so many hours together over the years but this was the first time that they would be on their own for so long and Scott wondered if this would be the time to tell. Not about his love for his best friend – that would be too scary – but only that he actually liked boys. It could possibly scare the hell out of Stiles knowing that they had been so close and intimate as only two best friends could be.
Scott decided to play it by ear. They were going to sleep in the car on the way to save money until they knew their destination. Knowing that the early summer nights could be a little chilly it would possibly be some accidental cuddling in the back of the jeep. Scott couldn't help looking forward to it and decided that no matter what he was not going to say anything yet. At least not until they booked into a motel or something.
Fourteen hours later – a few miles after entering New Mexico – Stiles exited the highway and pulled over. "There is no way I can go any further tonight." He yawned loudly and leaned over Scott to fetch a water bottle from the floor on the passenger side. "I need some shuteye." Scott chuckled. "You should have let me drive for a few hours." Stiles had been adamant about driving himself and Scott hadn't want to argue about it. Stiles scoffed and climbed into the back of the jeep pulling his sleeping bag out of his bag. "Sure, but not now."
When they woke up the next morning – no cuddling involved – it was steaming hot in there. The night hadn't been as cold as Scott had hoped but it was still nice to meet Stiles' face when he opened his eyes. The food in the cooler was still reasonably fresh and they had PB&J sandwiches and iced tea for breakfast.
After a makeshift morning ritual they were on the road again. This time Stiles agreed that it would be better if they shared the wheel.
They sang their way through the state of New Mexico and as they entered Texas they took a break in El Paso to get gas and something to drink. Stiles didn't want Scott to take over yet, but he promised that it would happen sooner or later.
A few miles before San Antonio Scott passed out. He'd been fighting it for a few hours already and when the singing and the conversation haltered it was inevitable.
He woke up when the car skidded to a halt. He looked around startled. "Sorry, sorry I fell asleep, where are we?" He looked over at Stiles who sat hunched over the steering wheel. "What?"
Stiles lifted his head and wiped his eyes. "Fuck! I almost fell asleep." He rubbed his eyes again. "We can take a break here or..." He leaned his head on the wheel again. "We're in Louisiana. You want to keep going?"
When Scott nodded hesitantly Stiles jumped out of the car and came around to the passenger side. "Get out. You drive. I need a minute."
Scott had to laugh. Stiles was normally so protective of his car and didn't want anyone else to drive it. That he'd promised to let Scott behind the wheel was surprising in itself to say the least. That he actually wanted it was mind-blowing.
Looking at his watch Scott was surprised to discover that he'd slept for almost four hours. He started the car and entered the highway again. Only a few minutes later Stiles was curled up in his seat sleeping like a baby.
Those four hours of shuteye was enough for Scott to be able to drive through the night. He kept the speed slightly over the limit. They had really not discussed where they were going so he just stayed on I-10. The road was quiet and Scott didn't bother to put on any music so the only sound over the engine was Stiles' breathing and an occasional grunt.
They came to Pensacola in the early morning hours and Scott decided to stop for a bite to eat. So far they had been munching on the packed lunch Scott's mom had sent with them in an oversized cooler. She'd obviously tried to provide them with food for their entire trip but the sandwiches were getting soggy and the fruit was turning into mush.
Stiles was still sleeping but Scott gave him a rap on the shoulder to wake him up and he startled visibly. "What? Who? Where are we?" He was panning the inside of the car with wide open eyes. "Are you gonna tell me where we are?"
Scott chuckled but on the inside he felt his heart skip a beat. The confused and innocent stare was the most adoring sight. "We're in Pensacola." He got out of the car and pointed to the gas station he'd parked at. "I need to take a leak." Stiles jumped out of the car also. "Where did you say? Did I sleep through Louisiana?"
He came running behind Scott waving his arms. "And Alabama?" As soon as he caught up he tugged on Scott's sleeve. "Did I have a nice trip?"
A half hour later they were on the road again. They had got a chance to freshen up somewhat and also had a big burger each. After driving all night Scott was tired and even if he fought it he couldn't help starting to doze off.
The taking-turns-behind-the-wheel plan didn't turn out so well. They were going on this trip together but it sure didn't feel like that when one of them were sleeping half the time.
The music was back on in the car and Stiles sang along making the sleep a little choppy. Scott startled every time Stiles tried to hit a high note. It was perfectly horrible but oh, so cute. Eventually he couldn't fight it any longer and whatever Stiles said or did Scott was out cold for more that seven hours.
He woke up from the phone ringing and still half asleep he sifted through his pockets to find it. It was his mom. She asked where they were and Scott looked at Stiles curiously. "Where are we?" He could see that they had the ocean on the left. It had to be the Atlantic and Scott wondered if he should tell how far they'd gotten.
Stiles gestured to a road sign up ahead. "Cocoa Beach." Scott decided to give his mom a white lie. "We are somewhere in Texas, I'll call when we find out."
Stiles looked at him curiously when he put the phone down. "Seriously? We are in Florida. Why did you lie?" Scott shrugged. "I really think she wouldn't be too happy about it. We are very far from home."
A few minutes later they found a parking lot near the beach. "How about a dip in the Atlantic?" Stiles crawled over the back of the seat and dug through his bag. "Did we bring towels or... Oh, found one."
They changed into swimwear in the restroom of a beach-side restaurant before they ran across the sand and into the water. It was late in the afternoon and most of the beach-goers had left. They played around in the waves for a while before they lied down on the towel to catch some sun. It wasn't really big enough for both of them so they were squeezed together giving Scott mixed feelings. It was mostly nice but every time Stiles moved Scott got chills and had a silent fight with his dick to keep it calm.
Eventually Stiles decided that they had gotten enough sun. It was about to disappear behind the buildings behind them anyway and the beach was practically empty now.
There were outdoor showers next to the restaurant and they got most of the sand off before they went inside to change in the bathroom again and get a bite to eat.
There were still a little residual daylight left when they pulled out of the parking lot and headed south. They had finally decided on a destination and Stiles wanted to get there before morning. "Key West!" he said happily. "That'll be awesome. It's like the worlds end." He turned to Scott and smiled. Scott shook his head. "You know that the world is not only the US? I think the Cubans and Brazilians, for that matter, could tell you that."
Stiles was tapping the steering-wheel in sync with the music as he turned towards Scott with a frown. "Shut up. You know what I mean. Don't be such a smartass." He shrugged and turned the frown into a smile again. "End of the world. Here we come!" he shouted out the window throwing a sneer Scott's way.
Scott couldn't do anything but chuckle at that. He nodded his head in agreement. "Sure. End of the world, sure." He knew he didn't sound convincing but Stiles didn't seem to care.
They drove through Miami and found a McDonald's off US1were they stopped for a quick meal. None of them wanted to take a long break. With only a few hours left on the road until they reached their destination they decided to keep going.
When they were done eating Stiles offered to let Scott drive again. "I want to enjoy the view," he said as he jumped into the passenger seat. Scott hesitated for a split second before he took the driver's seat and got them back on the road.
It was pretty late and after only a half hour the lights from the city were behind them and they drove into the darkness. "Not much of a view." Scott scoffed and rolled his eyes at Stiles. Stiles shrugged and leaned back inn his seat. "Well it's not completely dark." He pouted a little and Scott had to laugh. "Eh, no, okay." They did drive passed a few houses and businesses and occasionally there were a row of streetlights but all in all it was pretty darn dark.
It didn't get very much better either and at one point it really felt that they were going to the end of the world. Scott turned to Stiles. "I hope this bridge doesn't end with us tipping over the edge of the world." He chuckled a little, mostly to himself and Stiles scoffed. "Yeah, right. So now you believe." He tried to put up a pouty face but Scott could see that he was struggling not to laugh.
When they drove into the little town of Key West they spent a few minutes looking for their accommodation. They had found a surprisingly cheap motel in the center of town online and booked a room just before they left Miami. Not even worrying about the low price they walked through the narrow courtyard. There was a pool between the buildings but it looked more like a pond. When Stiles suggested a swim in the morning Scott refused to answer. The pool did not look particularly inviting but it could of course be better in daylight.
The room was slightly better than expected but not great. There was a queen-size bed taking up most of the main room. A small sofa and a coffee table was cramped into one corner and further in there was a dingy kitchenette. None of them wanted to go to sleep yet so they just threw their bags on the bed and headed out on the street.
A half hour later they sat in a booth in a dark, dodgy bar a little off the main-strip. Like a lot of the bars there this one too had their own in-house drag-queen. The guy – in a tight-fitting sequined dress – was flirting his way through the crowd miming to Simply the Best on playback.
Scott panned the room and came to an estimate that there were about fifty percent homosexuals in there. He felt slightly uncomfortable. When a waitress came over they both scooted in to the darkest corner of the booth. Stiles waved two fingers in the air and with a low, burly voice he addressed her. "Rum and Coke. Two please."
The waitress cocked her head sighed. "How about this? I'll give you coke now, and then you can come back in two-three years to get the rum. Okay?"
Stiles nodded. "Sure, sounds like a deal." Scott was still hiding in the dark and covered his face in embarrassment. "You just had to try that? Did you really think it'd work?" He looked up at his friend and shook his head. Stiles just laughed it off. "Really? No, but it was worth a shot."
Since they were now busted for being underage anyway they moved over to the edge of their seats so they could watch the show. The guy in drag was now strutting around in leather boots with insanely high heels. The background music was These boots are made for walking and he targeted random guys pretending to sing into their ear. "...these boots are gonna walk all over you."
A DJ was hanging on the corner of the stage. He was obviously running the music for the show. In between the acts he put on random songs waiting for the drag-queen to change. The guy was tall with blonde curly hair and a constant smirk on his face.
During one of these intermissions he lifted his glass and winked towards their booth. Scott turned away but startled when he noticed that Stiles winked back. "What? What are you doing?" Scott knew he sounded a little distressed but he was pretty sure the DJ was gay also so Stiles was playing a dangerous game.
Stiles chuckled. "We have to get to know people. If we are gonna get any booze in this place we have to be friendly." He picked a little hip flask out of his pocket and poured some of it's content into his glass. "It's all we have." He gave Scott's coke a shot of it also before he tucked it back in his pocket.
Sipping the drink slowly Scott noticed that a guy was eying them from across the room. He was probably in his early to mid twenties and was very handsome. His short black hair was slightly ruffled. Dark eyes were panning the place under equally dark brows. His cheeks and chin were covered in an afternoon shade. As Scott was staring the guy suddenly turned his gaze towards them again. He lifted his glass and nodded a little before he put it to his lips. Scott started sweating and turned away quickly. "We should leave." He nudged Stiles but his friend was now focused on the drag-queen throwing profanities to the guests as he danced around in a cheerleader outfit. Everybody in the room was laughing except Scott and – as he soon discovered – the black haired guy.
Again Scott tried to get Stiles' attention. "Let's go, I'm tired." He was freaked out by the stare from the guy and wanted to get out of there quickly. Stiles sighed heavily and emptied his drink before he got up. "Okay, okay. It is kinda late anyway."