past and present

decamp

"Will you run away with me?"
Simon woke up with Roger's head laying on his bare chest, their fingers still intertwined. Last night came flooding back to him, all the details precious moments he would keep tucked away forever. He smiled, but the question was relentless.
"Will you run away with me?"
The question kept pounding in his head, needing to be answered. He wanted to so badly that he couldn't even put it into words. He imagined the hut they would build, the peace of the woods, the serenity of quiet. But what would happen if they got rescued? Would they leave the life they built or stay here forever? What would happen to their relationship if they did go back into society?
Will you run away with me?"
Simon couldn't bear it any longer.

ROGER'S POV
"Hey... Roger?"

He was tapping my shoulder. I could sense the urgency.

"Mmm...I'm up." I really didn't want to leave the warmth of his chest, but something was wrong. He seemed nervous, excited and embarrassed all at once. Suddenly I felt very aware of myself. Looking down, I blushed and covered myself with my sun-bleached shorts. His expression softened as he giggled a little bit. But something in his mind flickered and he was unsure again.

"I've been needing to ask you... What did you mean when you said 'will you run away with me' before Jack tried to kill you?"

I swallowed, feeling my face heat up.
"Well, um, I meant that we could, like, start a life together? Apart from the rest of the kids? Like our own private place to enjoy what the island has to offer. But if that's not what you want, I'm fine with that. I love you, and that's all that matters."

His tone rose with hysteria.
"But what would happen if we get rescued? Would we stay here? Would we leave with the rest of them? I'm starting to worry what would happen to us outside of the island."

Something inside me broke. It hurt me bad to see him like this, but I couldn't hold back.

"Do you not trust me? Is that what this is? Simon, you know that I would follow you to the ends of the earth, and it hurts me that you think that our relationship only exists in this stupid place! How could I see anyone else when I know you're out there?"

"Roger, you know that's not what I meant. I just don't want to start a life with you here if it's going to be ripped away from me!" Tears started dripping down his face, the messy kind you see in the movies. "I can't have that happen to me again, not with someone who actually loves me! You know what that did to me, Rodge."

"So... what if we stayed here? Just the two of us?"

SIMON'S POV
I froze. We both knew there was nothing back at home for us, with the war ripping apart everything we've ever known. So much pain and hardship was inflicted with what should be our home, and besides, the island has been more of a home than I've ever known.

Gripping his face with both hands, I brought his face close to mine so that our foreheads were touching. Closing my eyes, I whispered my answer.

"Yes."

THAT FOLLOWING NIGHT.
SIMON'S POV
"Are you ready?"
Roger's whisper in my ear made me shiver with excitement. Tonight was the night we'll finally start our new life together. We decided not to tell anyone, as they might want to disturb our privacy. With that in mind, we left by night.

The spot was about an hour walk away from the beach, and was a secluded area with a fruit tree grove untouched by even Jack himself. A bubbling stream gurgled nearby, supplying fresh water for the two of us.

I nodded, unable to suppress a smile.
"Let's go."

Holding hands, we set off in the moonlight bathed forest.