End of the Line by Nicky James

TWENTY-THREE

Leopold

We spent the winter in Halifax. Killian’s parents opened their home to us and told us we could stay as long as we liked. The first few days were filled with many stories and tears. Killian told them what he’d been doing since he’d left home at sixteen, and his parents answered the lingering questions that had been plaguing him for years.

When Killian had come out, he’d come out not only to his parents but at school as well. There had been problems at school with bullies, and Killian’s grades had started to slip. According to his dad, Killian had become withdrawn and depressed.

The changes he’d seen in his parents had nothing to do with acceptance. They had been growing more and more concerned for their son’s happiness and safety and had spent many nights arguing about what to do about it and how best to help. They hated seeing him so distraught. The outgoing boy they’d once known was slowly vanishing before their eyes. It was killing them to see him struggle.

They’d discussed moving or sending Killian to a different school, but money was an issue, hence the discussion of selling the old car.

So like me, Killian had jumped to conclusions, seeing his worst fear instead of the truth. When he’d run, his parents had been devastated.

Spring was in the air, and we were making plans to head back into the world. Killian and his dad were sharing a cigarette and quiet chat out in the garage while I double-checked our supplies.

My phone buzzed with an incoming call, and I grabbed it. It was a video call from Dodger. I connected and grinned when his smiling face appeared on the screen. His hair was tied back like always, and he still had the Johnny Depp goatee and glasses thing going on.

“Hey, Troy.” I had started calling him by his first name because it bugged him.

“Green. When I see you again, I’m going to kick your scrawny ass.”

“You can try. What’s up?”

“Just curious when you two were heading out?”

“Within the hour. Killian’s dad is taking us to Saint John, and we’ll catch out tonight. We should be in Montreal in a day or two. Will you be there?”

“Next week for sure. I got tied up here, but I’m coming.”

“Willow is meeting up with Tyler later this week, and they’re heading that way too.”

“It’s gonna be a party, man. Can’t wait to see you.”

“Me too.”

“I got something special for us.”

He waggled a joint in the camera’s view, and I laughed. “Nice! Fun times ahead. So, did you get it? The other thing.”

Dodger grinned, and the camera grew wobbly, moving at a nauseating speed until it settled again. I was staring at Dodger’s calf and a new tattoo of the Rail Rider emblem I’d created.

“Nice! Oh wow, it’s a lot bigger than I expected.”

“Go big or go home.”

Dodger had called it. Posting my tattoo in the riding community had started a trend. More and more riders were posting their matching ink. Some people gave the emblem their own flair, but it was the essence of it that made me smile.

The door to the bedroom opened, and Killian fell onto the bed beside me with a grunt. “Hey, Dodger,” he called out when he saw who I was talking to.

“Killer. How’re things at home?”

“They’re good. You going to Montreal?”

“I’ll be there.”

“Show him your tattoo,” I said.

Dodger showed it off again.

“Ty and Willow were going to get theirs together on their way down, I think. They’ve been saving up.”

“Nice.”

We chatted for a few more minutes before hanging up.

“Are we all packed?” Killian asked, scanning the gear.

“Yup. Everything is double-checked and good to go.”

“Dad’s ready whenever we are.”

I straddled Killian, pinning him to the bed and smiling down at him. “I’m excited to get out there again.”

He gripped my hips. “Me too.”

I kissed him, savoring his flavor and taking it a bit deeper, brushing his tongue with mine. He hummed into my mouth and pulled me down so I was lying on top of him. His cock was rigid against my thigh, and I wondered how long his dad might be willing to wait.

Killian threaded his fingers through my hair and ravaged my mouth, hiking his hips and grinding us together. I chuckled at his enthusiasm.

He pulled away and smiled. “What?”

“Nothing. I love you. I love this. All of it.”

“I love you too.” He kissed me again, and I knew we weren’t going anywhere soon. Our ride to Saint John would have to wait.

But that was okay. We weren’t in a hurry.

The world felt so wide open for a change. There were no restrictions. No boundaries. It was alive for us to grasp onto and take hold of. It was ours to explore one day at a time. Every day had gotten better and better. Killian had promised once that we could go to the end of the line together.

Initially, I’d naively thought that was a place. For a guy as worldly as me, it was embarrassing to remember. The end of the line wasn’t a destination. It was a journey. A road to a future that hadn’t been written.

And we were going there together.

 

THE END