All things considered, it was actually pretty stupid to stand against a public building during a school dance, where literally anyone could walk, making out with another guy. They were indescribably lucky that no one had wandered out after them.

Well, no one except Teddy, who made a noise of exasperation before throwing half a cup of ice water at Chris and Gordie, who broke apart instantly. "Because that's a brilliant thing to do with our entire school right inside the building," Teddy remarked, watching in vague amusement as Chris scrambled away, leaving Gordie against the wall.

"Um, we were just – I mean-"

"I just wanted to warn you that I've heard exactly two threats to beat the shit out of you two, a plan to rat you out to the Cobras, and precisely no blessings to your stupidly obvious relationship." While it was said in an airy tone, there was serious concern on Teddy's face. Chris felt his stomach sink and throat go dry, and he could see Gordie had lowered his head to his hands from the corner of his eye. "I, uh. Tried to tell people there was a girl you were going for, but nearly everyone noticed Gordie left after you did. I think maybe you should head home early or something. Or maybe not home. Maybe the tree house."

Gordie groaned, peeking up over his hands. "How long until this stops being a big deal, do you think?" Both Teddy and Chris turned to give him an incredulous stare, and Gordie's eyes flickered to the ground. "Oh."

After a moment of tense silence, Chris hesitantly turned and held a hand out to his best friend, gently pulling him from the wall. The two released the grip immediately, and Teddy sighed. "Just. Be careful, okay?" He watched silently as the two nodded and then, without a backwards glance, started to make a run for it, dress shoes clacking along the sidewalk.

He had carefully neglected to mention that one of the Cobras their age – a newer rank who was looking for a good way to suck up to Ace and Eyeball – had been at the dance with some date, and that he had left the building a second after Gordie's departure.

The Cobras probably already knew by now, and there would be threats of more than just beatings flying around.

Chris hurried up the ladder after Gordie, snapping the trapdoor shut and latching it with a rusty old padlock. It was hardly a good defense system, but it made them feel a little less on the verge of being attacked. They sat on opposite sides of the small card table in the middle, both staring at scratches on the surface and clueless as to how to start this awkward conversation.

"So," Gordie began, but then closed his mouth.

Chris shifted uncomfortably. "So." There was a terribly long pause, and then all at once Gordie dropped his forehead to the table, breath leaving in a heavy sigh.

"I wish Denny was here. He'd know what to do." He rubbed at his eyes tiredly, finally looking up at Chris. "We're as good as dead, you know."

"Yeah. I know."

"We can't go back to school. We can't stay home. We can't – we can't stay here."

Chris nodded miserably. "I know."

Frustrated, Gordie shot his head up and banged his fists on the table. "No, I don't think you do. We have to leave. Forever. Now. We can't live in our own goddamn homes – our own goddamn town anymore! We're not even out of school, and we're gonna have to – have to-"

Chris glared at him, frowning. "I know. I get it. We need to leave or we'll be killed."

Gordie stood up abruptly, beat up lawn chair tumbling backwards from the force and nearly banging his head on the low ceiling. He slapped both palms onto the table, shaking it slightly but not caring in the slightest. "We are going to die!"

"I know!" Chris shouted, and Gordie flinched and shut his mouth. "I know, okay? My brother is Eyeball goddamn Chambers, in case you forgot! We can't stay here, I know! At least you can go home and pack your shit up; the second I step near my lawn my brother will probably blow my fucking brains out!" He took a shuddery breath, standing slowly. "I. Know. And I'm terrified, Gordo. I am. I can't even… I'm not ready for this. I didn't mean to do this, I swear. And I wish I could take it back, but –"

"No!" Gordie blurted, flushing light pink immediately. He stood – well, as much as he could in the small space – and frowned. "I mean. Um." He looked away, crossing his arms defensively. "I don't. I didn't mean I wanted you to take it back. I just…"

Chris couldn't help the slight smile tugging at his lips. "I just meant that… I shouldn't have included the last bit. In public. At our school dance. On stage. Over a microphone."

"Well, yeah. Maybe. But I mean… yeah."

They stood there for a moment, half-smiling at each other. Their heads nearly brushed the roof of the small tree house, having grown a little too big to fit perfectly even with their shoulders hunched, and there was a constant pesky worry of someone tracking them down and beating them to a pulp. But for just one small moment, they stood peacefully, smiling dopily at each other.

But it ended quickly, and Chris sighed. "You better go pack what you can before your parents hear anything," he said softly, and Gordie nodded.

"Come with me. You're gonna have to use my clothes and stuff, since you can't really…" Ever go home went unsaid. Chris would never see his mother or his younger siblings again. He and Gordie would have to run away, to some other small town where no one knew them. They'd be dirt poor, have to start working young, and would probably be homeless for the better part of a while. They didn't have much of a choice, though.

But Chris only smirked. "Like I could fit my muscular body into your tiny-ass clothes," he teased, and they both laughed a little too hard at that. "Oh well. Let's get going," he added, watching as Gordie unlocked the padlock and opened the trap door again. He had one foot through it when Chris reached out and grabbed his shoulder, stopping the brunette abruptly.

Without a word, Chris stepped up close, smiling softly as he leaned in and pressed his lips to Gordie's. Gordie inhaled slightly, and then slipped his hands over his best friend's shoulders, fingers digging in maybe a little more than they should've. Chris pulled back just a moment later, smile turning almost bitter. "Won't get to do that for a while," he commented mildly, giving a semi-awkward pat to Gordie's shoulder.

"Oh. Right, yeah. Um, we need to. Um. We. What were we doing?"

Chuckling, Chris pushed past Gordie and slipped out the trap door.

Teddy had, miraculously, bought them time.

Moments after Chris and Gordie had run off, he'd filled in his date on some of the situation – just that people thought Chris had meant Gordie, but that there really was a girl and he needed help getting people to not go after him – and she was wonderful enough to promptly burst into tears and make a big scene about how "He had meant me! We promised we'd never speak of it again! My heart just doesn't belong to him – thank goodness his friend ran out to help him; I'm sure not running after him!" And then swept into the bathroom, still fake-sobbing, with a trail of girls hurrying after to comfort her. Teddy stared after her from the middle of the dance room, utterly impressed. Apparently, he looked stunned enough to convince everyone else around him that it was true, and that his date had, in fact, left Chris for him.

His date reappeared five minutes later, makeup running and clutching bunches of tissues, to gleefully tell him that every girl now believed that A) she had a messy break up with Chris and had fallen for Teddy, and that B) Teddy had stolen her heart and had a big dick.

(They hadn't even had a date before the dance. She just added the last bit for fun.)

(Teddy might just have to marry her.)

Unfortunately, the newbie Cobra had still escaped, but at least the rest of the school had gone back to dancing, and, after giving his date a proper kiss and a sincere promise that he'd call her tomorrow, he bolted after his friends.

"I can't run away with just an extra shirt, Gordie," Chris said hopelessly, looking from Gordie's stuffed duffle bag to his own (borrowed) empty one. Out of everything in Gordie's closet, only socks and one old faded t-shirt fit comfortably enough – the jeans, button-downs, and even the pajamas were all too tight. Gordie frowned at the two bags, dumping an armful of other goods onto his bed. He'd brought up a good amount of food, both canned and packaged, along with a can opener, canteens, a utility knife, and his old tent and camping blanket. He'd already scraped the house clean of hidden money and pocket change, and bundled up the fair amount of forty two dollars and twelve cents into a sock. Chris began packing what he could into his duffle.

"I have an idea," Gordie said quietly, and gestured for Chris to follow him out of the room. Chris had suspected what they were going to do, and sure enough, Gordie led him to Denny's room and right to his closet. Inside were clothes that fit much better, and Gordie managed to collect several sets of shirts, pants, and even underwear. Oddly enough, taking apart Denny's space didn't upset him; actually, it was kind of nice to be bringing small parts of him along.

Teddy arrived just as they managed to cram both bags full, tent and blanket bundled separately. He leaned in Gordie's doorway, arms crossed as he watched them sadly. "It's probably just the Cobras who think anything," he started, immediately earning two pointed looks.

"Just the Cobras," Chris repeated flatly, hitching his bag over his shoulder and securing the blanket to it.

"Well, my date and I managed to convince everyone else that you were talking about a girl," Teddy said, a bit proudly, "so yes, just the Cobras. You guys could probably stay if you play up the story and take the inevitable beating. I mean, Eyeball will probably still come after you, maybe Ace, but they'll probably lay off eventually."

Chris and Gordie exchanged a look. "We can't, Teddy. What, we survive whatever attacks now and then – then what happens? Could Gordie and I even look at each other without another round? Do I have to date a girl to keep them away?" Gordie ducked his head, pulling his own bag over his shoulder and pointedly not looking at Chris. "We're better off going somewhere where… where nobody knows us."

Teddy scowled, and opened his mouth to respond.

Gordie got there first.

"We'll die if we stay here," he said softly. Chris swallowed loudly, and Teddy looked uncomfortable. "Either this round or – or the next time Eyeball wants to fuck with us, or if someone sees us and…" He clenched his fists around the strap of his bag, knuckles going white. "If it's not now, it'll be next month. Or in six months. If it's not the Cobras, it'll be someone else." He picked up the packed tent, throwing it over his shoulder to join his duffle. "We can't stay."

Teddy looked a little heartbroken – unsurprising, as he was just as lacking in the friend department as they were – but nodded. "Well – I guess I'll walk you guys a bit of the way. Where are you going?"

Chris grinned softly at him, and stepped around Teddy to lead the trio out of the house. "West, I think. I've heard there are tons of farms that you could walk right up to and work on. They're always looking for new labor and all that. Always wanted to be a farm boy," he joked. Teddy paused in his step, making a face.

"That's the most homo thing you've ever said to me, and you've confessed feelings for another guy. A farm boy. I'd pay to see that," he scoffed, but followed them out the door all the same.

ONE YEAR LATER

"Do you think they're lost?"

"Gordie, for the hundredth fucking time, I know exactly as much as you do," Chris said, patiently enough but ready to throw the groceries he was putting away at the brunette head staring out the window. "He said he'd be leaving around nine, so they'll probably be here any minute." He managed to cram the carton of eggs into the very top of the fridge, right next to the downright ridiculous amount of butter they kept in. Gordie went through a lot of buttered toast. It was almost disgusting.

It took two attempts, but he managed to snap the refrigerator door shut (although it still seemed like it wanted to protest and pop back open, likely due to the abundance of meat and vegetables jammed into it) and turned back to face the rest of the small flat.

Their apartment was not much at all – and yet it had been very difficult to come by. As Chris had hoped, when they left Castle Rock a year ago, they were able to hitchhike and walk their way into farmlands, and the third farm they came across was thrilled to have two young, intelligent, fit workers that could start that day. The pay had been meager, but they were provided with a small shed set up with mattresses and an outdoor toilet and shower to stay in, so they took it. And that's where they had worked for nearly ten months. In that time, Chris's skin had taken on a solid tan and the freckles spattered across his nose stood out wildly – at least, when he wasn't sun burnt. Gordie, on the other hand, didn't tan as well but had gained lean muscle and a keen green thumb, even taking a few taped packets of seeds from the farm when they'd quit. The farmers had been happy to see them prosper, but were disappointed to lose two great workers who got along perfectly and didn't cause drama.

"I wish all friends were like you two," the lady of the house, Ms. Mabel, had told them on their last day. Neither Gordie nor Chris said anything to that, but they thanked them profusely for giving them a chance and wished them well.

The next step hadn't been quite as easy as strolling up to a busy farmer and seeing if he needed extra hands. Chris had managed to get a job in a convenience store the next town over, which didn't bring in much money at all, but allowed them to afford a tiny flat off the main road. Gordie had started submitting short stories and opinion articles to both of the local papers – one had outright told him to fuck off after the eighth submission (and eighth rejection, to his dismay), and the other one rejected him six times and then hired a new editor, who fell in love with one short story he'd written about Castle Rock. It wasn't nearly as steady of a paycheck as Chris received, but Gordie got a reasonable sum for each article they approved. So far, he'd had four published. Chris kept clippings of each one.

A week ago, the paper that had cursed him off went out of business. The one that liked Gordie's writings, on the other hand, thrived with the new customers. And two days later, Gordie was offered a full-time position as the assistant editor. Suddenly, at eighteen years old, they were proper independent adults. It was wild.

So, here they were, in a flat that had one small, outdated bathroom and one bedroom/kitchen/living room combo. There were no closets for them to store things, the kitchenette was as old as the building itself, and the rent was probably a little more expensive than it should've been. It was tiny. It was old.

It was theirs.

It also had one of the only landlords who willingly rented a small apartment (that only held the one bed) to two men – but then, they'd used the "we're like brothers, and we've got no family" excuse, and it eventually worked. What they did when the door was locked was no one's business, and what their landlord didn't know wouldn't hurt him. No one, if they played their cards right, would know.

Except for Teddy and Vern, who were late, as Gordie pointed out for the hundredth and first time. "It doesn't take that long to drive here," he complained loudly, slumping on the windowsill. Chris came over to peer out with him, but the road before the apartment building was empty.

"Well," he started, and slid his hands down Gordie's sides, stopping only when he reached the hem of his shirt. Expertly, he flicked his fingertips underneath and pressed them against skin. "They can knock when they're here," he said suggestively, and Gordie snickered and smacked at his chest with the back of one hand.

"Keep it in your pants for five minutes, will you? We haven't seen them in a year; I'm not going to have them run away because we couldn't wait until after they were gone," Gordie pointed out, gently elbowing Chris back and stepping away from the window. Just as he (finally) made to leave the windowsill, a beat-up car with rust over every tire squealed down the block, slowing as if the driver was looking at each house. It eventually slid into a free spot in front of the apartments, and Gordie let out a little 'fuckin' finally' before heading for the door.

Just before he reached the lock, hands grabbed onto his waist and manhandled him around, shoving him roughly up against the front door. Chris smirked and stepped right up against him, pressing him firmly into the cracked wood of the door and wedging a thigh between Gordie's legs. His hands left his waist and grabbed one of Gordie's wrists each, easily bringing them up above their heads and pinning them quite effectively to the door as well. Gordie was instantly flushed and wide-eyed and already breathing faster, but also simultaneously giving Chris a look that said don't you dare. Chris, nearly as stubborn as Gordie after living with him for so long, gave a wicked grin and rolled his hips once, leaning down to bite at Gordie's lower lip. Gordie groaned and dug his nails into his palms, automatically clenching his thighs around Chris's.

And just as a knock sounded on the door, Chris abruptly stepped back, let go, and went from bedroom eyes to completely normal. "Gonna let them in?" he teased, satisfied with how utterly fucked up Gordie looked.

"You're such an asshole," Gordie hissed, allowing himself a few deep breaths and an angry glare before he turned and unlocked the door.

Teddy, Vern, and Teddy's date from ages ago, Jessica, stood there looking expectant. Teddy took one look at Gordie's face and made a gagging noise, but pressed himself into the apartment all the same. "Couldn't even wait until we left, Chambers?" he asked, kicking off his shoes and making himself entirely comfortable on the small couch. Jessica gave each Chris and Gordie a hug and joined him, looking just as at-ease as he did.

"Heya fellas," Vern said, tackling them both into a tight hug. They hadn't seen Vern since – well, since before the dance last year, really, and from the phone calls they'd had since, he'd gotten over their relationship nearly as quickly as Teddy had. "We brought burger meat!"

The small group gathered on the sofa and the bed, taking each other in and settling in the warmth of the long-awaited reunion. "We don't have a grill, Vern," Gordie pointed out. Vern shrugged, like he couldn't care less what they made with the meat, as long as he got to share it with them.

"Are you guys thirsty? We have – well, some pretty shit beer, but." Chris got up to put away the meat they'd brought and pulled a couple of six packs from the overstuffed refrigerator. Returning to his spot on the bed between Vern and Gordie, he passed around the packs and made himself comfortable.

"So," Jessica started, clapping her hands together. "How are things? How have you been? How's –" she gesticulated to the entirety of the apartment. "Life?"

Gordie shrugged and glanced at Chris, cracking open his beer and taking a small sip. "Same old, I guess? I dunno, it's been such a crazy year that lately it's been feeling calm in comparison."

Vern leaned over to peer at him curiously. "I've barely even heard about your year, though! You gotta tell me the story, Gord! Sincerely!"

Gordie tilted his head thoughtfully. "Well –"

"Hey, I haven't heard about any of your story, minus the phone updates here and there," Jessica cut in, throwing her legs casually over Teddy's lap. "You have to start at the beginning!"

Teddy threw his head back in exasperation, tapping his beer against the arm of the sofa. "The beginning? These fucks have known each other since practially kindergarten! Do you have ten hours to listen to their shit?"

"Well, at least start when things got interesting," she amended, swatting at Teddy's head. Gordie and Chris both grinned, easily understanding why Teddy had stuck with her for so long. But her words made Gordie have to think. Interesting? Kissing your best friend in the woods was definitely interesting, if there hadn't been signs of it happening before that. But… had there? They'd always been close, so maybe he'd just been oblivious.

"It's a Saturday, and we're all sinners," Vern said amicably – and that was a laugh, as he was the least likely to sin of their entire crew. "We're not going to church tomorrow – we have time for a long one. Tell us a story, Gordie."

Gordie thought for another moment, and then settled onto the bed more and pulled his legs up comfortably. "Alright, alright, I have a story. It's not since kindergarten, but it's still a long one. Settle in, gents," he said, glancing around their circle. Just as they used to in childhood, they all excitedly shifted and stared at him with rapt attention. "Well, I guess the first really interesting thing," he began, "was when four dumb kids decided to go find a body."