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The flames painted a second sunset across the sky. Hux could hear the crackle from where he sat, top row of the bleachers, away side. The little orange kitten that had started this all had finally fallen asleep in his lap, fur still spiky even though she'd dried out. Despite the fire department's efforts, it seemed like the school would be a total loss.
Kylo's arms wrapped around him, pulling Hux back into his warm chest. He laced the fingers of one hand through Hux's, the other curled around Hux's hip. Lips brushed his temple, and Hux could feel them smile.
"They're probably going to expel us for this."
The words startled a laugh out of Hux.
"You think?" he said, and Kylo laughed in return, a deep, rolling chuckle that Hux could feel in his bones.
"Worth it," Kylo murmured in his ear as the roof of the gym fell in, and Hux couldn't find it in himself to disagree. Yes, there'd be hell to pay and then some, he knew, but that wouldn't be until later, hours or days from now, when the full story came out. So for now he'd bask in the glow, physical and metaphorical.
"Better that the Homecoming bonfire, I have to say." That got another chuckle out of Kylo. When they'd first met, Kylo had clomped around the school with a scowl permanently affixed to his face. Hux had taken that as a personal challenge. And look where it had gotten him.
No, he thought. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, with anyone else, he thought.
He pulled Kylo's arms more firmly around him, to the sleepy kitten's disgruntlement. Tiny claws poked through his jeans as she shifted, letting out a brief mewl before tucking her head back under her paws.
"I wonder if I could collect some of the ashes?"
"Something to remember me by?" Hux teased.
"Like I could ever forget you."
They stayed through the night despite the chill, until the last of the flames subsided, the rising sun washing everything in softer shades of red.
"We should probably leave," Hux finally said, trying to stretch without disturbing the kitten, who still slept in his lap.
"We could for real, you know. Leave."
Twisting around to look up at Kylo, Hux gaped at him.
"Like leave leave? Leave town? And go where?"
"Anywhere. Everywhere. I've got a car and a trust fund. Sky's the limit!"
Kylo had parked in the back corner of the grocery store lot down the block. Hux made it in and out of his house with no one the wiser, scaling the trellis that Kylo'd been using for years to sneak into his room and packing a bag. While he waited for Kylo to do the same he sat on his hands to keep from biting his nails, because it seemed to take Kylo forever. He jumped in shock at the slam of the trunk, never having seen Kylo emerge from his house.
"Mom almost caught me. She'd fallen asleep in front of the TV watching the news. Thank goodness dad's off on one of his long haul trips." Kylo buckled himself in and scratched the kitten's chin before starting the car. She'd taken up residence on the dash, right on top of the heating vent.
"So where should we go first?" Kylo asked as they idled at the red light at the outskirts of town.
"That way." Hux pointed at random.
"Second star on the right?"
"I'd finish that line, but it's already morning."
"Til the next morning, then. And the one after that, and the one after that."
"All the mornings." Hux put his hand over Kylo's on the gear shift.
"Okay, then. Let's do this."
Neither of them looked back as Kylo hit the gas. Hux watched the town shrink in the rearview at first, counting the lights as they flickering out with the sun rising in the sky before them. Finally, the road curved and the buildings disappeared from view, and he turned his attention to the road ahead. Only looking forward from here on out, he decided. Only forward.