set us up the sun

Axel scoured the pot he'd burnt. It had only been a minute that he'd left the mush to wring a rag, but the stove liked to flare and catch and now their one decent cooking implement was three-fourths charred.

But Riku didn't blame him. Riku never blamed him; not for nothin'.

"Clear night." Riku lit his candle. The wax was thin and mellow, colored muddy from the all the separate oils he'd used to make it. "Perfe't fer the firecrackers."

"Hmph."

"Care ta climb the hill'n watch?"

Suds sloshed about the bucket. "Naw."

"T'ain't that much of a trek."

Axel was quiet.

The backdoor hinges squawked as they twisted. Outside, the empty sky strained to make a star; grunting cricket-chirrups, it labored for a pin of light. "Grab a quilt. We'll lay out un'er the ol' birch."

Nails shrieked dents in the copper. "Dammit, Riku. Ain't worth tyin'."

Air from the wide-open door whispered in; Riku's candle gave a turn.

"Them kids they jus gonna stare at you'n me and laugh." Axel clamped his fists to the washtub sides. The forks at the bottom began to rattle. "They's gonna laugh like they always done."

Riku almost spoke.

"Are you likin' what they call you?" The hunch of his shoulders was trembling something furious. " 'Sinners' an' 'queer' ."

The white-blue wick whimpered.

"Faggot."

Axel spat into the dirty dishwater.

"They jus don un'erstand." Riku stepped beside him; their forearms slid against each other.

"Ain't nobody gonna as'cept us."

A breath snuffed the candle. Riku lit another match.

"I as'cept us."

Axel took the light; Riku held it, too, and for a long time they just watched it burn.

done


i gots me a heat-stroke. :D