Fic: "The Road Goes On", Miles/Sawyer, G
for my lovely toestastegood, who asked for the Future in the lostsquee Luau. I'm also using it for cliche_bingo, for "If only you'd notice me: yearning and obliviousness". I hope you like sweetheart ♥
Title: The Road Goes On
Pairing: one sided Miles/Sawyer
Word count: 855 words, rated G
Summary: When they come back from the Island, Miles and Jim get in a car and drive.
Note: This is to explore an idea that I had in this ficlet. Reading it first would give context, at least a bit. The style of this one is an experiment for me.
The first surprise is that Jim doesn’t go for a flashy car. It’s a blue Honda Accord.
It has A/C, though. Thank god.
****
As far as landscape go, it probably could not be more different than the Island they happily left behind. Jim exits the I-15 near Barstow and parks at the Desert Discovery Center.
Miles spends a good two minutes checking out the second largest iron meteorite found in the US and wonders what the hell he thinks he’s doing, following Jim like this on a road trip with no apparent goal.
They are only a couple of hours out of Los Angeles, he could easily go back.
He doesn’t want to.
****
That night they stop to eat at Bob's Big Boy coffee shop in Baker.
The food is atrocious, but the milkshakes are a little piece of heaven. There’s a gift shop and Jim buys himself a truly horrendous t-shirt featuring the world's tallest thermometer that is just outside.
"Phallic, much?" Miles comments.
Jim winks at him and Miles shakes his head.
****
To Miles’ surprise, Jim drives right through Las Vegas.
In fact, their only stop in Nevada is to fill the tank.
****
The fruitcake at the Hurricane Museum is one hundred years old.
Miles wishes he could say something but he just can’t. His only consolation is that Jim is equally speechless. There’s a first for everything.
****
They’ve been on the road for hours when they make a stop in Green River.
Miles’ head is a bit fuzzy, he’d been napping smushed against the passenger door, but he follows Jim out of the car.
They’re at an abandoned airfield but Jim’s definitely looking for something. A cute brunette succumbs to the dimples, no surprise there, and leads them to a hangar.
"Not bad," Jim says, looking at what Miles learns is the world’s largest watermelon.
It’s ridiculous and Miles laughs so hard, he nearly cries. Jim grins and Miles’ heart pings.
****
It seems they’re at a new level, roadside attractions wise, when Jim books them into the former Bugs Bunny Motel. Now called Big Bunny, but Jesus, the thing on the sign is going to give Miles nightmares.
"How do you even find these places?" Miles asks that night, gesturing around the room.
They’re drinking beer sitting on Jim’s bed, watching some crappy infomercial. It’s baffling because Miles never caught him checking out fliers or anything. Maybe there’s a wacky guide book hidden in the car.
"I’ve always had a gift," Jim says. "If you’d like to do something else, speak up."
Oh, there’s tons of stuff Miles would like to do. It’s just not on the menu.
"It’s fine. Just fine," he says, keeping his eyes on the douche selling a machine that gives abs of steel. Allegedly.
****
Okay, so this is fun.
Miles gives Manitou Springs the gold medal for the best use of fruitcake ever, as he observes with interest the tossing competitions.
"You know, this is the second thing we see with fruitcakes. Is there something I should know?" Miles asks, shoving his hands in his jacket, because it’s goddamn snowing.
"Nah," Jim says, before whistling his encouragement for the group with the big-ass catapult. Miles roots for them, too. One of the guys is way hot, and keeps heckling another dude who’s making adjustments to their machine. Miles checks him out maybe a bit too blatantly because when he meets Jim’s eyes, a couple of minutes later, he knows he’s been caught.
Afterwards, Jim doesn’t act differently. It’s almost a disappointment when there’s no smartass remark, nothing for Miles to use to diffuse the tension he feels inside
****
There's so much crap in Genoa’s Wonder Tower that they could exchange snarky lines forever. They're particularly creative at the "Guess What" game and Jerry, the owner, laughs and laughs.
When they finally make it up to the top the tower, Miles isn’t sure he can see six states but the view is nice. Save from the dummies.
"I had a crush on a man, once," Jim says out of the blue and Miles’ heart starts beating double time. He said once, not that he has one now.
"Right," Miles says. He’s taken by the irresistible urge to come clean. "Is it a problem?"
"No," Jim says, and Miles believes him.
It’s masochism at this point, but Miles will follow if Jim’s okay with it.
****
It’s easier now that Mile’s not worried to be found out. Oh, he tries even harder not to look too long and not to touch casually just for a fix, but he still collects each smile like a victory.
They stand side by side looking at a limestone pyramid with a bull on top, in St. George Cemetery.
"A minute of silence is definitely in order," Jim says.
"Agreed."
***
They don’t stay long in Stull, Kansas.
It’s a hoax, anyway. They both know where the Gates of Hell really are.
***
Miles doesn’t have what he wishes for, not really, but this friendship is close enough. He’s happy, mostly.
The road goes on.
The End
1. Barstow, California - 2nd Largest Iron Meteorite In The U.S.
2. Baker, California - World's Largest Thermometer
3. Hurricane, Utah - 100-year-old Pioneer Fruitcake
4. Green River, Utah - World's Largest Watermelon
5. Lakewood, Colorado - Bugs Bunny Motel, see the creepy sign
6. Manitou Springs, Colorado - The Great Fruitcake Toss, because it's awesome, more
7. Genoa, Colorado - Wonder Tower
8. Victoria, Kansas - Grave of the Man who Gave us Angus Beef
9. Stull, Kansas - Gates of Hell
Title: The Road Goes On
Pairing: one sided Miles/Sawyer
Word count: 855 words, rated G
Summary: When they come back from the Island, Miles and Jim get in a car and drive.
Note: This is to explore an idea that I had in this ficlet. Reading it first would give context, at least a bit. The style of this one is an experiment for me.
The first surprise is that Jim doesn’t go for a flashy car. It’s a blue Honda Accord.
It has A/C, though. Thank god.
****
As far as landscape go, it probably could not be more different than the Island they happily left behind. Jim exits the I-15 near Barstow and parks at the Desert Discovery Center.
Miles spends a good two minutes checking out the second largest iron meteorite found in the US and wonders what the hell he thinks he’s doing, following Jim like this on a road trip with no apparent goal.
They are only a couple of hours out of Los Angeles, he could easily go back.
He doesn’t want to.
****
That night they stop to eat at Bob's Big Boy coffee shop in Baker.
The food is atrocious, but the milkshakes are a little piece of heaven. There’s a gift shop and Jim buys himself a truly horrendous t-shirt featuring the world's tallest thermometer that is just outside.
"Phallic, much?" Miles comments.
Jim winks at him and Miles shakes his head.
****
To Miles’ surprise, Jim drives right through Las Vegas.
In fact, their only stop in Nevada is to fill the tank.
****
The fruitcake at the Hurricane Museum is one hundred years old.
Miles wishes he could say something but he just can’t. His only consolation is that Jim is equally speechless. There’s a first for everything.
****
They’ve been on the road for hours when they make a stop in Green River.
Miles’ head is a bit fuzzy, he’d been napping smushed against the passenger door, but he follows Jim out of the car.
They’re at an abandoned airfield but Jim’s definitely looking for something. A cute brunette succumbs to the dimples, no surprise there, and leads them to a hangar.
"Not bad," Jim says, looking at what Miles learns is the world’s largest watermelon.
It’s ridiculous and Miles laughs so hard, he nearly cries. Jim grins and Miles’ heart pings.
****
It seems they’re at a new level, roadside attractions wise, when Jim books them into the former Bugs Bunny Motel. Now called Big Bunny, but Jesus, the thing on the sign is going to give Miles nightmares.
"How do you even find these places?" Miles asks that night, gesturing around the room.
They’re drinking beer sitting on Jim’s bed, watching some crappy infomercial. It’s baffling because Miles never caught him checking out fliers or anything. Maybe there’s a wacky guide book hidden in the car.
"I’ve always had a gift," Jim says. "If you’d like to do something else, speak up."
Oh, there’s tons of stuff Miles would like to do. It’s just not on the menu.
"It’s fine. Just fine," he says, keeping his eyes on the douche selling a machine that gives abs of steel. Allegedly.
****
Okay, so this is fun.
Miles gives Manitou Springs the gold medal for the best use of fruitcake ever, as he observes with interest the tossing competitions.
"You know, this is the second thing we see with fruitcakes. Is there something I should know?" Miles asks, shoving his hands in his jacket, because it’s goddamn snowing.
"Nah," Jim says, before whistling his encouragement for the group with the big-ass catapult. Miles roots for them, too. One of the guys is way hot, and keeps heckling another dude who’s making adjustments to their machine. Miles checks him out maybe a bit too blatantly because when he meets Jim’s eyes, a couple of minutes later, he knows he’s been caught.
Afterwards, Jim doesn’t act differently. It’s almost a disappointment when there’s no smartass remark, nothing for Miles to use to diffuse the tension he feels inside
****
There's so much crap in Genoa’s Wonder Tower that they could exchange snarky lines forever. They're particularly creative at the "Guess What" game and Jerry, the owner, laughs and laughs.
When they finally make it up to the top the tower, Miles isn’t sure he can see six states but the view is nice. Save from the dummies.
"I had a crush on a man, once," Jim says out of the blue and Miles’ heart starts beating double time. He said once, not that he has one now.
"Right," Miles says. He’s taken by the irresistible urge to come clean. "Is it a problem?"
"No," Jim says, and Miles believes him.
It’s masochism at this point, but Miles will follow if Jim’s okay with it.
****
It’s easier now that Mile’s not worried to be found out. Oh, he tries even harder not to look too long and not to touch casually just for a fix, but he still collects each smile like a victory.
They stand side by side looking at a limestone pyramid with a bull on top, in St. George Cemetery.
"A minute of silence is definitely in order," Jim says.
"Agreed."
***
They don’t stay long in Stull, Kansas.
It’s a hoax, anyway. They both know where the Gates of Hell really are.
***
Miles doesn’t have what he wishes for, not really, but this friendship is close enough. He’s happy, mostly.
The road goes on.
The End
1. Barstow, California - 2nd Largest Iron Meteorite In The U.S.
2. Baker, California - World's Largest Thermometer
3. Hurricane, Utah - 100-year-old Pioneer Fruitcake
4. Green River, Utah - World's Largest Watermelon
5. Lakewood, Colorado - Bugs Bunny Motel, see the creepy sign
6. Manitou Springs, Colorado - The Great Fruitcake Toss, because it's awesome, more
7. Genoa, Colorado - Wonder Tower
8. Victoria, Kansas - Grave of the Man who Gave us Angus Beef
9. Stull, Kansas - Gates of Hell