A summer wind blew through Lily's hair as she and Mary sat alone on a park bench in Lily's hometown, the spot where they first kissed all those years ago. It was still early out and there were only a few older people out for walks right now.

Mary asked her the night before if they could come here today for an important conversation. Lily had been dreading this moment. They were breaking up. She was almost certain of it.

"So what's up, chicken butt?" Lily asked.

Mary chuckled and shook her head.

"You're such a dork," Mary said.

"C'mon. The suspense is killing me," Lily said.

"I just… don't know where to begin. I've been thinking a lot about my life and who I am. I'm twenty-one. Almost twenty-two. You ever feel like… you think you have yourself figured out and then… Bam! You wake up and you realize you aren't who you thought you were?" Mary said.

"No. Not exactly. I think life is about finding out who we are, though."

"Since you've been gone… I've missed you. I always thought I was a wanderer, that I just wanted to travel and disappear. Sleep around and never stay too long. But while you were gone… I've just wanted to be near you. Every minute."

"Aww," Lily said, and leaned over the stone table to give Mary a kiss.

Mary chuckled as Lily pulled away.

"I'm… thinking I need a life change. Dorcas and I… we've been drifting apart. I think you were the glue holding us together. I love her and I know she loves me but… things are different. Dorcas never wants to leave here and I just… don't see the rest of my life in New Hampshire."

"Where do you see it?"

"I don't know. Portland. Maybe Seattle. Somewhere closer to you. I need you in my life," Mary said, reaching over and placing a brown hand on Lily's face.

"You're welcome to live with me. I'll make space for you. Might have to talk to James about the living arrangement. He's probably going to move into my room. I… didn't really plan for having more than one partner under my roof," Lily said.

"We can figure that out. It would only be temporary. I want to live near a city. I want to be near lots of queer people. I want that thing that Pride makes you feel. That sense of belonging. I don't belong here."

"You'll always belong here," Lily said, touching the center of her chest.

"Such a fuckin' sap," Mary said, leaning over for another kiss.

"You know you love it," Lily said, giggling.

"Ya got me. Listen… there's something else. Shit, man, I haven't even told Dorcas. But… like I said, we've been growing distant."

"I'm all ears."

"I've been thinking a lot… for a while. For years, but especially the last year. I met some people… Fuck, why is this so hard?" Mary said, ruffling her short brain hair with her hands.

"Just take your time. No judgment me from me," Lily said.

Mary exhaled.

"This is so fuckin' stupid, man. I'm a grown up. I should've figured this shit out already," Mary said with a sigh.

"Remus is the same age and he's still figuring himself out. You saw the pictures of him in a skirt? I'm not sure where he stands right now but he's definitely rethinking who he is at his own pace."

"Yeah, that's the thing. I… think. No… I know. I know I'm…"

Mary looked like she was trying to push a boulder up a hill, afraid if she pushed too hard it might roll back over her.

"Sweetie, it's OK," Lily said, placing a hand over hers and squeezing.

"I'm… trans. I'm… a man," Mary said.

Lily almost climbed over the table to give Mary a tight hug.

"Oh shit. You're squeezing the life out of me," Mary laughed.

"I'm so proud of you," Lily said.

"For what. I haven't done anything," Mary said.

"You came out to your girlfriend. That's not nothing," Lily said.

"Right," Mary said as Lily pulled away.

"You're gonna have to come out to your other one, you know," Lily said.

"Yeah. I know… Listen, I know you probably have a ton of questions. Pronouns… He/him is cool but I'll understand if you slip up. Obviously, I want a different name but I don't know what yet so Mary is still cool. I'm gonna get on hormones and I'm not thinking about any surgery or anything," Mary said.

"Understood," Lily said, desperately wanting to make out with Mary right now but remembering they were in public.

"Dorcas will be home tonight. I guess… we'll all get together. See where things are."

"Yeah."

"So what about you, Lils? Do you really want to spend the rest of your days in a resort town? What do you want to do with your life? Not to put you on the spot, babe," Mary said.

Lily sighed.

"I don't know. Everything seems so magical and perfect. I just try not to think about it. But they'll have to leave," Lily said, suddenly feeling very sad and looking down at her hands, gathered in her lap.

"Who?" Mary asked.

"James and Sirius. They weren't even supposed to be in town for so long. Sirius wants to be a photographer and he's so damn good at it. He can't have a future down there. Same with James. He's going to work on video games. He can't do that there either. This whole thing… it was just meant to be an easy going life change. I wasn't expecting to fall in love and build… build a family."

Lily could feel emotions overwhelming her. She urged herself to let go and cry. As the tears fell, Mary came around to her side of the table, wrapping his arms around her.

"It's OK. Let it out," Mary said, holding Lily close as she sobbed on his shoulder.

Lily wiped at her eyes and pulled away, sniffling and sighing.

"I'm OK. I'm OK. I just… I've been trying so hard not to think about it," Lily said.

"Change is hard. But change is good. We're young. We'll bounce back. We cope. I think you shouldn't think about what they want to do. What do you want to do?" Mary asked.

"I want… to express myself. I wish… I could do sex work but… in a way that people would appreciate artistically?" Lily said, chuckling awkwardly.

"Babe, you are definitely an artist when it comes to that shit," Mary said, giving Lily a kiss on the cheek.

"I need to know more people interested in that sort of thing. I could start my own company. Make… I don't know. Artsy queer porn. I'm tired of just fucking myself on camera. I want to touch and feel real people."

"Might be hard where you are," Mary said.

"I know. I know. But I don't know what to do. I have so many people I love and I want to do what's best for all of those relationships. What if one of them moves to Seattle, the other to back to San Francisco. What if I have to make Remus choose between me and Sirius? I'm afraid he'll follow me anywhere. God, why is everything so hard?" Lily said, tears falling down her face.

"You'll get through this. You'll figure it out. I'll be there. James will be there. Remus will be there. Sirius will be there. Maybe even Dorcas will be there. Have faith," Mary said.

"Thanks. Can we go home? Maybe make out and fool around?" Lily said.

"You got it," Mary said, giving Lily his best playful grin.

Sirius sat staring out the window as America flew by. Remus was asleep, head in his lap. Peter was still sleeping in bed, right where James had left him. Tonight he and Remus would share the bed and Sirius was nervous. They had shared a hotel room during Pride but… this was different. It was a decent sized bed but they couldn't avoid touching and the truth is when they were in close proximity they tended to move together like magnets.

But there was still a long time before that point. Soon they would pass through Salt Lake City on their way to Wyoming. If they didn't have twelve hours to cover they might have, perhaps, stopped there but instead they were going to go a bit further before stopping for a meal.

James had been playing Beyonce over the sound system all day, singing along to almost every song. He admired the life James was bringing to this whole experience. James had always been a bit of an instigator but Sirius thought he'd picked up a little of Lily's lust for life as well.

Sirius still couldn't believe he had been inspired to run naked to the lake and even more than that he couldn't believe he had been fine with it. It wasn't traumatic, though it easily could've been. None of his friends leered at his body or did anything to make him feel weird. And Remus… well, Remus always stared at his face and that was nothing new.

Everyone was a little worried about Peter. Since his breakup with Maddy… he hadn't been the same. When he was about he was on his phone a lot, seeming perpetually distracted.

After they moved past Salt Lake City they moved into Wyoming and headed for their first special stop of the day: the Greater Green River Intergalactic Spaceport. According to Google, the Spaceport was rechristened in the nineties when local residents believed visitors from Jupiter might be coming to Earth.

The drive out to the spaceport was long and boring. Wyoming seemed pretty lifeless, even in summer. To everyone's surprise the spaceport was entirely empty and unattended to. Just a giant landing strip in the middle of nowhere. He supposed if any visitors did arrive they would be happy for the extra parking space.

"Do you guys believe in aliens?" James asked as they stood before the huge landing strip.

"I don't think it's an issue of believing or not believing. There's probably some sort of life out there. It's a big universe," James said.

"I think we've definitely been visited. Definitely. Did you guys ever see that alien autopsy show? Chilled me to my core," Peter said.

"Yeah. That was creepy," James replied.

Sirius glanced at Remus, hoping he wouldn't agree with them.

"I didn't see that. But… I don't believe we've been visited. The distance to travel to here to say from the the nearest star for instance would take tens of thousands of years. That's a long time to see something in the sky. And that's if they never stop. But they would need to get energy somehow. It doesn't matter how advanced they are, they are still subject to the normal laws of physics. Which means they need energy. A constant source of it! Enough to travel for tens of thousands of years. And… imagine that was you. Imagine you traveled tens of thousands of years, worked miracles to have enough energy to do it and then you, what, come sneaking around and sticking probes up people's asses? I don't get it. It stretches plausibility!" Remus ranted, everyone staring at him with wide eyes.

"Same," Sirius finally said, giving Remus a grin as he exhaled.

"Well. Yeah…" James said.

"So what you're saying, Remus, if I understand, is that if the aliens come… it'll be an invasion?" Peter said, looking genuinely worried.

Remus sighed.

"I see lots of people saying what they think aliens would be like. Neil deGrasse Tyson thinks we'll have to explain to aliens why we're not vegan. Which makes no sense. For all we know any visitors capable of making it here would be cannibals or something. But fine. I'll toss my prediction into the ring: I think if any aliens that advanced come here, they'll probably strip-mine our planet for resources without even looking twice at us, and they won't be secretive about it. We're ants."

"You ants ready to go?" James said.

Everyone grumbled in the affirmative.

Their next destination was closer to Cheyenne where they would be staying for the night. It was cabin entirely made of dinosaur bones. It wasn't open but they were still able to take pictures around it before moving on to Cheyenne.

"That's wonderful!" Dorcas said, giving Mary a hug, having just heard his revelation about being trans.

"Thanks. I'm sorry I haven't said anything," Mary said.

"No, it's fine! I know I've been distant lately," Dorcas said, adjusting her glasses as she sat back on her sofa.

"Yeah… about that…" Mary said.

"Oh boy," Dorcas said with a sigh.

Lily was grateful to not be between her partners at this moment even though the conversation that was about to occur affected her too.

"I think it's time for us to all…I guess, check in, ya know? See where we all stand with each other," Mary said.

"I'm still good if you're all good," Dorcas said, looking worried.

"I think that we're having this conversation shows that maybe things aren't all good?" Mary said.

Dorcas frowned and looked down.

"No one is upset at anyone. I can't speak for Lily, but… I feel like we're drifting apart, Dorc. Are we?" Mary said.

"Maybe. But… there's no reason. Nothing has changed," Dorcas said.

"Or maybe it has. Or maybe we're just getting older. Either way… I'm going to move out west. I'll live with Lily for a bit until I figure out my next move," Mary admitted, seeming regretful.

"Oh," Dorcas said sadly.

"You're welcome to come too. We could be one big family… at least… well, until… I don't know," Lily said, remembering that her newly crafted family might be on shaky ground.

"Guys… my whole life has been in New Hampshire. I've lived in this town since I was born. You asked me last year and I said no… I think I'm still a no. I'm sorry," Dorcas said.

Lily was disappointed but she expected that reply.

"I understand," Lily replied.

"Me too," Mary said, rubbing Dorcas's arm.

"Where does that leave us? Is there an us anymore?" Dorcas said.

"I don't know. Does it have to end? None of us are planning on becoming monogamous, I assume?" Mary asked.

"No," Dorcas said.

"Then why does there need to be an ending. We can just accept that this part of our lives is over. I'll always love you, though," Mary said, his voice choking.

"I'll love you too," Dorcas and said their mouths were on each other.

"I am also still in love with you both," Lily declared and they both tackled her.

"I can't believe we're not drunk and running around naked," Remus said as he fluffed up his pillow next to Sirius in the bed of the motorhome.

The lights were out and the shades were drawn. Almost nothing in the bed area was visible. James and Peter were already snoring in the other part of the RV, James on the sofa and Peter on an air mattress.

"Shame. I didn't mind checking out your cute butt," Sirius said and Remus chuckled.

"Your butt is cute too," Remus said.

"Thanks," Sirius replied and Remus turned, planting his lips on Sirius's.

Sirius adjusted his body, feeling excited as the kiss lingered, their hands beginning to seek places on one another's bodies to rest on. Sirius trembled but didn't waver from his position.

It felt like they held steady for an age, hands roaming and lips gliding. Remus's hand was on Sirius's hip, clutching his thigh as he felt that warm sensation in the pit of his stomach, all the blood rushing down below. He moaned into Remus's mouth, clenching his thighs as his legs rubbed together. Remus turned his body, pressing himself against Sirius. Sirius also turned, draping a leg over Remus's, desperately wanting to move closer.

Remus's hand gripped his ass as Sirius's mouth found Remus's neck. It was funny how easily this happened. They were making out like it was just a thing they did. But they never had before.

Sirius was definitely wet. Very wet, in fact. He wanted to urge Remus to touch him there. It would be so easy for Remus to slide a hand in his pyjamas, finding the place where where he ached and throbbed with desperate longing. But their friends were so close.

"Remus… we can't, can we?" Sirius whispered.

"Probably not. Not the right time. Shit," he said, and rolled away.

"Fuck," Sirius grunted, the full brunt of his arousal hitting him, thinking he needed a change of underwear.

"Yeah," Remus echoed.

"Are you as horny as I am?" Sirius asked.

"Probably."

"Do you want to… take care of it?" Sirius asked.

"Usually. I guess I can go to the bathroom," Remus said.

"You don't have to. We could… just… umm… I'm OK to just touch myself here. It won't be comfortable in the bathroom. I can't very well ask you to go away, can I?" Sirius said.

"Yeah. OK. Is there Kleenex?" Remus asked.

Sirius searched around, knowing he saw the box somewhere. He finally grasped it and handed it over to Remus.

"Thanks," Remus said and Sirius saw him pull his pyjama bottoms down, the light through the shades briefly glinting off his erection.

Sirius slid his hand into his pyjamas, his fingers quickly finding his large, swollen clit, stroking it urgently while he listened to the grunts of pleasure his boyfriend made, and the sounds of skin on skin from his desperate strokes.

Sirius slid fingers down to his hole, dragging his ample wetness back to his clit. He realized he was enjoying himself so much at this moment that he didn't care if James or Peter heard something, though he was certainly making an effort to be quiet anyway.

"Ugh. I wanna come so bad," Remus moaned.

"Do it. Beats jerking off in the shower, doesn't it?" Sirius said.

"Yeah," Remus replied, sounding on the verge.

"Wish I had my vibrator," Sirius said.

"That's fair," Remus said.

Sirius was surprised how long Remus held on, sounding perpetually on the edge.

"Can't you come," Sirius said, almost to that point himself.

"Yeah. I'm waiting for you. I want to hear you come," Remus said.

"Aww. OK. I'm almost there," Sirius said, his fingers working his clit hard.

"Nice," Remus said, breathing hard.

Sirius looked over at Remus, wishing he could see more than faint outlines of his face and his movement. His legs clenched and he whimpered as his orgasm hit.

"Fuck," Remus grunted, his mouth letting out twisted moans of pleasure.

Hearing Remus come, sent Sirius over another peak, squirming against the sheets as he shuddered. And then they went silent aside from the breathing.

"I made a mess," Remus said, sounds of wiping with tissue audible.

"Yeah. Me too. But I'm so tired," Sirius said.

As Remus cleaned up, Sirius found it difficult to remain awake. His fingers felt sticky but he thought he could wait until the morning.

"That really happened," Remus said.

"Yeah," Sirius said.

"I always thought… we'd talk about it. It would be… I don't know. I mean it was nice. Just…" Remus trailed off.

"I got ya. I liked it," Sirius said.

"Me too," Remus said, leaning over for a kiss which reached as soon as their faces could align.

Remus got out of bed and headed to the bathroom, coming back out after a minute or two. Sirius was barely conscious as his boyfriend slid back into bed next to him.

"Attempting sleep, 2.0," Sirius mumbled and everything began to fade.