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feeling-pushy · 1 year ago

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The Early Years Shorts

Four little shorts that cover those early years spent with Montanha, Rosie and Asher as they traveled the world together, also a way to show the development of the future romance shared between Montanha and Asher :3

Anyways hope you like them!

Short 1: Montanha Doesn’t Like to Swim

It had been a couple of weeks since they picked Asher up, and so far he’s been an excellent addition to the team. Not only has he been incredibly helpful, picking up the slack when it was needed. But he had been providing another unique voice in the long conversations shared traveling down the long winding roads. Rosie and Montanha liked having him around.

The three of them were in what they believed to be the state of Mississippi at this point in their travels and had just found a place to rest for a few days. It was out, deep in the woods, where those Creatures wouldn’t really venture out. And there also just so happened to be a clean river nearby. An excellent place to fish and to swim on these increasingly hot summer days.

Montanha, Rosie, and Asher were quick to set up the camp. And once it was done, Asher decided to surprise his friends with a gift. Calling them both over to see. “I've been holding on to something real special!” he said, digging into his backpack. After a minute, he pulled out a dozen or so packets of powdered shampoo.

Both Rosie and Montanha's eyes go wide at the sight. “Holy crap!! Where'd you get those??” Rosie exclaimed, Asher smiled, “I found them in a storage facility while we were scavenging around. Probably just couldn't be put on the store floor in time before everything happened! But the good news is, we're not gonna smell like shit anymore!”

“Oh hell yeah!! I'm gonna go take a bath then! Don’t wait up!!” Rosie said as Asher handed her one and she went running off towards the river. Asher watched her go for a moment before turning his head to look at Montanha, “You and I can probably do the same after she's done, don't you think Montanha?”

Montanha, however, involuntarily flinched a bit when he said this, and his posture stiffened as he became a bit more guarded, “oh- uh- you mean together?”

“Yeah, I mean... Unless you're a more private guy? It doesn't really matter to me”

“Erm, yeah.... Sorry.” Montanha mumbled, not looking Asher in the eye as he said this, his hands unconsciously holding the front of his leather jacket together to hide himself. “Oh, dude. No worries! My brother was a private guy so I get that” Asher said quickly, seeing his obvious discomfort.

“Yeah....’ he then suddenly stood up, “I need to go... over there.” he said before somewhat stiffly walking off. As soon as he was out of Asher's sight and hearing, he let out a big sigh. He felt somewhat bad for lying about being a private guy, though in some ways he was. There were just certain, things, he didn’t want him to know about. He just didn't want Asher to end up treating him differently. With a tight-lipped frown, he decided to go make himself useful and go chop some wood.

Asher sighed as well as he left. Damn it, leave it to him to accidentally offend him. He'll have to make it up to him.

The first thing Asher thought to do was invite Montanha to go swimming. Perhaps if they could swim and have a bit of fun together , maybe Montanha would warm up to him. He waited a day to ask just to make sure he'd cool down enough

“Hey dude! I figured since we've got a good spot to hang for a bit we could go down to that river and maybe go for a swim! Cool down a bit, y'know?” Asher asked, approaching Montanha who was organizing their excess pile of wood. Montanha’s eyes widen a little at the question, “I uh, I can't swim.” he said rather quickly, too quickly really, as once again he unconsciously pulled his jacket front closed to hide himself.

Asher blinked, having not expected this answer, “Oh, um... Ok!”

“Ok...’ they both stand there for a moment before Montanha suddenly just turns his head, ‘Huh? What’s that Rosie?? I'm coming!” with that he ran off to the right, and into the brush. Not even a minute later Rosie came in from the left, eating a handful of blackberries she'd found, “what’s he running for?” she asked curious as she munched on a berry. She then turns her head and holds out a hand for Asher, “blackberry?”

Asher doesn’t go for a berry and instead just sighed, “I'm... Not sure actually. I think I might have offended him the other day on accident… I think he’s still mad at me.”

“Yah did? Wow, how'd you manage to do that?”

“I'm not sure, he didn't tell me or anything but just kinda... Ran off. After you went to wash yourself in the river I suggested going in together after you were done and he just got funny. I just didn't realize he was a private guy.”

Furrowing her brows, Rosie continued to nibble on her berries like a little squirrel before the realization struck her, “Ohhhhhhhhh.... Yeah, don’t worry about it.” she said after a moment. Asher just turned his head to look at her, forehead wrinkling, “You sure? He seemed really upset.”

“Oh he is, but it ain't because of you... Kinda. Anyways, just don’t sweat it. He'll get over it.” She offhandedly stated. Rosie then just placed some black berries in his hand, then patted his hand a little, “Well, I'm gonna go fishing, smell yah later!” As Rosie walked off again, Asher, hearing the word ‘fishing’ perks up a bit, “Fishing...”

The following day, Asher and Montanha both sat at the riverbank, fishing poles in hand. Fortunately, Montanha said yes when Asher gave him the invitation to go fishing with him and he thought now would be the best time to hopefully talk things out.

“So, uh… I wanted to apologize for the other day Montanha.” Asher said, getting the conversation started, “Hm? Oh! Uh... I-It's fine...” Montanha stammered, eyes glancing away. “No it's not. I shouldn't have made you uncomfortable but I'm gonna do my best to not do that from now on.” Montanha chewed his inner cheek a bit as he again pulled at his jacket, fingers fidgeting with the metal zipper teeth, “... It's not your fault. You didn't do nothin' wrong, it's cause of me.” He mumbled, still unable to look at him. “don't say that now. It’s never anyone's fault how they feel.”

“Still, I don’t want you to think you did anything wrong. You're a nice guy Asher.’ Montanha said softly, watching his hands as they found the zipper itself and he very quickly zipped it up and down the teeth as he tried to process his thoughts, he then let out a deep sigh, ‘Can... Can I admit something?”

“Sure man!

Montanha nodded, looking out into the water, “Look, I just... There is a certain image I know I project. Which is a big, strong, and manly man. The kind of man people depend on. And I care a lot about how people see me... So it's hard to admit that I'm-’ he hesitated, feeling a cold twisting in his stomach before he let out a sharp exhale, ‘I'm Transgender.”

Asher was silent for a second before speaking, “Oh! Ooooohhh! I totally get it now!”

“Yeah... That's why I got all weird about you suggesting we bathe together and the whole swimming thing. Cause I didn't want you to know and have it change how you saw me.” He admitted. Asher’s eyes softened a little and he looked out at the water as well, “I see... Thanks for telling me. I want you to know it doesn't change how I think of you.”

“You're just sayin’ that.”

“No I'm not, really! Hell, I have things I haven't told you about cause... Well actually cause of the same reasons.” Asher mutters.

“Yeah? Like what? If you don’t mind me ask’n.”

Asher didn’t speak for a moment as he swallowed dryly and took a deep breath of his own, he then turned to look Montanha in the face, “I'm actually pan...” he admitted.

“... Oh, like pansexual?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh.’ Was all Montanha said blinking a bit in surprise, he then quickly cleared his throat, “Well, if it helps, I'm also gay too. So it doesn’t matter much to me. It doesn't change how I see you either.” As Montanha said this, he finally fully turned his head to face Asher, giving the copper haired man a small smile. This was met with an equally warm smile as Asher gazed back at him, “Thanks man.”

As Montanha continued to smile at him, his face began to flush as his cheeks started to get warm. The only reason he looked away in that moment is when he felt a yank on his fishing pull, and on instinct, he yanked up in response before reeling it in. Cussing lightly as the fish fought back, yanking harshly against his poll. After a quick tussle with the thing, he managed to pull out a large Sauger fish.

Holding it up and away from both his and Asher's faces so they don’t get cut by its sharp fins Montanha gave Asher a wide grin, “Now, this is something I care a lot about! Woo! Look at the size of this one!” he joked with a laugh. Asher laughed and grinned just as wide, his warm brown eye sparkling, “yeah! That'll go nice on the fire tonight!”

“damn right!” As the two of them share this moment together, Montanha couldn't help but feel his heart swell a little.

Asher really did make a good addition to the team.

Short 2: Do You Wanna Build A Ground Blind?

As the cool autumn breeze rustled through the trees, Rosie and Montanha found themselves relaxing by the fire pit which was yet to be lit. The smell of the chilly midafternoon air felt good and gave Rosie a sense of energy.

Leaning back, Rosie looked up and admired the clear blue sky, seeing a few wispy clouds floating by. Just then Asher walked towards them, a grin on his face. "Hey guys, I just caught a couple of fish for lunch!"

Montanha smiled at that, but Rosie made a face, "fish again? Is that all we got?" she complained. Montanha chuckled, “We also have some dried fruits and nuts from our last supply run if your lookin to nibble on something else, squirrel girl."

Rosie met that answer with a punch to Montanha’s arm. Plopping down next to Rosie, Asher smiled as he watched their usual antics. Once Rosie was done hitting Montanha she leaned back on her log and let out a big sigh, "I'm just saying, some red meat would be suuuppppeerrr good right now." Rosie then turned her head to look at Asher. "maybe we should do some hunting?"

“That's not a bad idea. We could use a fresh source of meat besides fish." Asher agreed. Rosie then got a bit more excited as she sat up, “Hey you know what we should build??’ both men look at her with a raised brow, ‘a ground blind!!”

“a ground blind…?” Montanha asked slowly, confused. Asher, on the other hand, perked up, “Oh shit yeah! A nice ground blind would be perfect. Then we could go out early and set ourselves up to hunt deer instead of just looking around for them.”

“Exactly! Ugh been a long time since I did some good old-fashioned hunting in a blind.” Rosie said, Asher nodded humming in agreement. Rosie’s enthusiasm had been contagious as Asher suddenly stood up and stretched, a determined look on his face. “Alright then, let’s get started. We should scout out a good location for the blind first. We’ll need to find a spot where deer are likely to pass through. Somewhere near water or a game trail would be ideal.”

Rosie jumped to her feet, already buzzing with energy. “I know a spot! There’s a clearing not too far from here, near a creek. I’ve seen deer tracks there before.”

“Lead the way, Rosie,” Asher said, grabbing his gear. Montanha, wanting to help out, followed suit and the trio set off through the woods.

The crunch of leaves underfoot and the crisp air filling their lungs, Rosie led the way, her eyes scanning the ground for familiar landmarks and a smile on her face. After a short hike, they reached the clearing she had mentioned, just a small opening in the middle of the trees with plenty of grass and what few wildflowers were still stubbornly sticking around. This would be an ideal spot for deer to graze, and therefore an ideal spot to hunt.

“Here it is,” Rosie announced, pointing to the ground where several deer tracks were clearly visible. “This is where they come through.” Asher knelt down, examining the tracks. “Looks fresh. This is a good spot.”

Rosie looked around, noting the natural cover provided by the trees and bushes. “We could set up the blind over there,” she said, pointing to a cluster of trees that would offer a perfect vantage point. “Perfect,” Asher agreed. “Let’s gather some materials and get to work.”

They then spent the next few hours collecting branches, leaves, and other natural materials to construct the ground blind. Rosie and Asher both showed off their expertise as they worked to weave branches together, creating a sturdy and camouflaged structure. Montanha pretty much followed their lead, gathering what they needed him to gather or helping to lift things that needed to be lifted as both Asher and Rosie added their own little touches to ensure the blind was both effective and comfortable.

By the time they were finished, the sun was beginning to set, casting a warm glow over the clearing. The blind stood ready, and Rosie stepped back, admiring their handiwork. “This is going to be hella perfect! Tomorrow morning, we’ll come out here early and see if we can bag ourselves a deer.”

“Sounds like a plan, I look forward too it!” Asher said with an excited grin.

As they made their way back to camp, Rosie and Asher were both abuzz with anticipation as they talked about the upcoming hunt. Even as they ate by the fire pit, now lit and crackling with warmth, they continued to discuss what weapons to bring, what gear to wear, and whether they should pack thermos’s with warm drinks. Montanha was content to just listen along, even if he wasn’t all that into the subject matter at hand, it was still just nice to see his friends excited about something.

When it was time for bed the three of them got into their shared tent and got themselves situated in as they cuddled, Rosie being little spoon to Montanha, and Montanha being little spoon to Asher as he laid in the middle. It was ideal for keeping warm, as well as giving each other a sense of comfort and safety. As Rosie snuggled up, she didn’t look tired at all as she grinned all giddy, “Tomorrow’s going to be a good day,”

“Yeah,” Asher agreed. “It’s going to be great.”

“Try to get some sleep you too.” Montanha said, “especially you Rosie.”

“Ok Dad.” Rosie quips with a smirk, Montanha just rolls his eyes, “Shush. Go to bed.” Asher chuckled, “Alright, good night you two.”

“Night.”

“Good night!”

With that, they settled in for the night, even Rosie did after some effort, the promise of a successful hunt fueling her dreams as she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon, casting a soft glow through the trees. Rosie was the first to stir, like the excited child she was, she started to shake Asher awake, “Ash! Wake up it’s hunting time!” she whispered loudly.

Asher stirred after a moment and he gave her a sleepy smile, “yeah, give me a sec, I’ll get suited up.” Rosie nodded as she then turned and shook Montanha, “get up big guy! It’s hunting time!” Montanha lifted his head to look at her, blurry eyed, “What time is it?” he mumbled.

“I don’t fuckin know’ she takes a moment to check her phone, ‘four A.M.”

Montanha stared at her for a long moment before putting his head back down, “Yeah ok you two have fun with that…”

“Aww come on Montanha! Monnnttyyyy!” Rosie said, trying to egg him on a little with his least favorite nickname, “Nope. I’m sleeping. You two can hunt…” he said waving her off. Rosie puffed her cheeks annoyed but decided to let him be.

Asher and Rosie then quietly get ready, pack up their gear and soon the two of them slipped out of the camp, the early morning air cool and crisp against their faces. The forest was still, the only sounds being the soft rustling of leaves and the distant call of a bird.

When they reached the blind, Rosie and Asher settled in, their movements slow and deliberate to avoid making any noise. The blind provided excellent cover, allowing them to remain hidden while having a clear view of the clearing and the deer trail.

Rosie scanned the area, her eyes sharp and focused. “This is perfect,” she whispered. “Now we just have to be patient.”

Asher nodded, positioning himself to get a good shot if a deer appeared. They sat in silence, the forest gradually coming to life around them. As the two of them sat back in the shelter, they let the quiet of the woods take over for a moment. The soft cool breeze of the early fall air making Rosie shiver a bit as her breath came out in small white puffs.

Rosie breathed in the chilly air and after a moment her expression morphed into a melancholic one as she gazed out into the forest, “I missed doing this. Last time I did something like this, it was with my dad.” Asher, blowing warm air into his hands, looked at her, “Oh yeah? You and your dad hunted?”

“yeah, ever since I was ten. He showed me how to use a gun and a bow and arrow. Hunting season was our season you know?”

“Yeah, I do... What kind of hunting did you guys do?”

“Mostly deer and pheasant. My dad said for my eighteenth birthday he was gonna get me a license to hunt elk and we were gonna go hunt one as a late birthday gift... We would've gone this year.” Rosie said, voice trailing off and her eyes looking down sadly. Asher looked down a bit, recalling his own memories, “I'm sorry Rosie...”

“I saw them one last time, or at least I saw their doppelgangers, the day it all went down.” Rosie mumbled, Asher quietly lifted his head, face unreadable as she spoke, Rosie had never shared this part of the story with him before.

“Montanha had been walking me to my home, then they called us and asked us to meet them on some desolate road. From the moment I saw them I knew something was wrong... But I didn't want to believe it was. Honestly, if it wasn’t for Montanha stepping in, I wouldn't be here.’ tears filled her eyes as she continued, voice becoming thick, ‘I try really hard, not to think about it. The fact that my last memory of them will forever be of them turning into those- those things. It fucks me up so much.”

“I know what you mean... I went through the same thing with my brother.”

“I'm sorry’ she whispered, ‘that sucks...”

“It does... But my dad always had a saying for things like this.’ Rosie glanced at him, curious, ‘You can't focus on what's behind you, you won't know where you're going if you do." Asher said with a small smile.

Rosie eyes drifted down once more, face contemplative, “... but where do I put her memory? When it haunts me night and day? I can't hide it in the closet. And Lord, I can't throw it away....” she said flatly. After a moment of silence, she glanced up at him and looked a bit embarrassed, “sorry that's a quote from a song.”

Asher, however, gives a light chuckle, “Nah, it's alright. When I first heard him say that, I was just as confused. But I know now that what happens to someone can't be changed... But it's not the only thing we can focus on... Besides, look at that view.” As he said that, he gestured out to the trees, as the sun began to rise.

Rosie looked out and watched as the sky turned that orangey-pink, washing the forest in a warm glow and even coloring the early morning fog on the ground, it was like a hazy watercolor dream. A small smile graced her lips as she gazed out. Rosie hesitated a moment, before resting her head on Asher's shoulder, “Thanks for coming out here with me. Montanha is my best friend. Hell, he's kinda like a brother, but there are just some things he doesn't understand. But I'm glad you do.”

“Well, I try. That's all we can do.”

They sat like that for a long time, before Rosie’s keen eyes caught movement at the edge of the clearing. She tapped Asher lightly, pointing to where a young buck had emerged, cautiously stepping into the open space. Asher sat up and slowly drew his bow, careful to remain silent and steady.

Rosie watched intently, her own breath held as she kept her eyes on the deer, as Asher released the arrow. It zipped through the air, striking the buck cleanly. The deer staggered briefly before collapsing to the ground. Asher and Rosie exchanged a quick look, “We did it,” Rosie whispered, her eyes shining with excitement, “Yeah, we did.” Asher replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulder in a side hug, smiling warmly.

Short 3: Celebrity Crushes

It was a warm enough evening, with summer being just around the corner, so the three of them decided to stay up late around the fire. Sitting there they watched as the fireflies glowed throughout the expansive grassy fields and listened to the crackle of the fire and the chirping of the crickets. As the three sat there, Rosie was the first to pipe up, “So, celebrity crushes. What’s everyone’s top three?”

“Oh that’s a great question. Hmmm… Gonna have to say Harrison Ford is one for sure.” Asher said after some thought. “Not a bad choice, he’s pretty handsome. Joel Miller is a ten for me, shame they’ll never get to finish that “Last Of Us” tv show…” Montanha said with a sigh.

“Of course you got a crush on a man from a zombie apocalypse show.” Rosie said with a small eyeroll. Montanha just shrugged, “I will not deny he only came into my radar because of zombie apocalypse media. But he was pretty good in the Mandalorian too.”

“What about you Rosie?” Asher asked, Rosie didn’t even hesitate in her answer, “Oh, Johnny Cash for sure.”

“Pfft, of course you got a crush on a country singer.” Montanha said, parroting back her previous statement. “Shut up! He wasn’t just a country singer! He did movies too!!” Rosie whined. Montanha tittered, “Ok, ok! Sorry.”

Rosie however was still pouty as she sat there crossed armed, “Why don’t we here another one from you then, since your tastes are so much better than mine?” she asked huffingly. “Hm, ok, I think Kurt Russel for sure. Specifically in “The Thing.” When he’s got that big beard.”

“Shit that’s actually one of mines too!!” Asher suddenly shouted, looking pleasantly surprised. Montanha’s eyes lit up, “Wait really?!?”

“Oh my god yes! Like normally he isn’t my favorite.”

“But something about that long hair, and that tired look…”

“and that attitude?”

“ugh yes! It’s just so...”

“Sexy…”

As they spoke, they had leaned in closer and closer together, having a little moment. Rosie then stuck her face between the two of them, “Hello? We still talking about crushes or do you two need a minute alone?” Both sat back up again sharply, a dusting of pink on both of their cheeks, “Haha sorry I think we got a bit carried away!” Asher apologized.

Rosie raised a brow, but then shrugged, “Anyways, I just wanna say that Sam Elliot is also another celebrity crush for me.”

“Oh really? He certainly is a handsome fellow.” Montanha says with an approving nod, “Yeah no arguments there… But you sure do like older celebrities, do you not like any of the modern ones?” Asher asked curiously. Rosie’s face turned a bit red as she looked away, “I… I may have watched a lot of MeTV…’ she mumbled, ‘O-Only cause my dad liked it!!”

“Oh yeah..? What’s that last celebrity crush then hmm?” Montanha asked, with a bit of a smirk on his lips. Rosie started pouting again as she turned her head, still blushing, “Well now I’m not telling you. If you’re just gonna tease me.”

“Aw come on.”

“No.”

“Would it make you feel better to know I got an oldies celebrity crush too?” Montanha offered up, Rosie glanced over for a moment, “Tell me yours first.”

“Duane Jones.”

Rosie’s eyebrows go up as recognition crossed her face, “From Night of the Living Dead?” Montanha smiled wide, “Oh hey, so you have seen a zombie movie!” Montanha joked. This brought back Rosie’s smile as she giggled for a moment, “Only cause it was on MeTV that one time…”

“Fair enough. But yeah, I think he’s real classy.”

Rosie giggled again, “Yeah… James Stewart or Jimmy Stewart as some people called him, is my last one. I would say my number one crush actually, I always thought he was charming and he always played real sweet but sassy guys, he was and still kinda is, like, the templet, for the kinda guy I wanna fall in love with…” she admitted as she tucked back her hair and blushed again. “That’s not a bad model to go off of… I liked him in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’”

“Oh hey, so you have seen movies other than zombie films.” Rosie joked, which made Montanha chuckle. There’s a bit of a comfortable silence as the fire popped and the crickets chirped.

“Scarlet Johanson is my third celebrity crush.” Asher piped up after a moment. Both Rosie and Montanha start nodding in approval.

“Oh that’s a good choice, she’s very pretty.”

“Oh yeah, I’m gay and I still can appreciate her aesthetically.”

“Like her best when she’s got red hair, like mines.”

“Oh yeah red hair is the best look for her, I love red hair.”

Asher shrugs, “I personally prefer her blonde.”

“Eh, blonde is fine.”

“Blonde’s not my favorite.”

Asher exhaled sharply threw his nose, before bursting into a loud laugh at them and their almost simultaneous response. Both Montanha and Rosie blinked for a moment before they also started to laugh. The three of them laughed together as the little speckles of ember drifted up into the night sky.

Short 4: The Biggest Little Spoon

It had been a cool late summer night, the perfect night to lay out and sleep under the stars. After spreading out a large tarp, Asher, Rosie, and Montanha piled on a bunch of blankets and pillows to make it comfortable. Once everything was set out, Rosie was the first to flop down into the cushions with a smile, “Ohhh yeaaahhh, this is gonna be awesome.”

“Hey, make sure you save room for us, okay? We have to share that thing,” Montanha pointed out. Rosie waved him off, “Yeah, yeah, I will.”

“So, are we actually going to cuddle then?” Asher asked hesitantly.

“I mean, yeah, if you still want to. You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“I mean, I got no problem with it. I guess I’ve never, like, cuddled with a friend before?” Asher admitted, his shyness making itself known alongside a slight blush.

“It’s not such a big deal. I mean, me and Rosie just like the company.” Montanha said. “And the warmth!” Rosie added. “Montanha is like a damn heater, great on a cold night.”

Asher smiled a bit, “Alright, wouldn’t hurt to try, right?”

Montanha nodded. “So, uh, did you want to be held? Because I guess I could hold you, and then you can hold Rosie, and we can go in that order. Or maybe you would rather have Rosie hold you? You two are closer in size, so that could be a good option, and then I can just hold Rosie.”

“Uh, well... If it's all the same, I'd actually be more comfortable just holding onto you.” Asher said, another small flush gracing his cheeks. Montanha blinked, eyes widening like saucers. “Wait. Me?” he asked stupidly as he pointed to himself. “Yeah. I mean, if you're chill with that. You don’t gotta if you don’t want too.”

“Oh. I mean, sure! I’d just, uh, never had anyone offer to spoon me, so I just wasn’t expecting that...” The blush on Montanha’s cheeks surpassed the red-headed man’s as he said this. Popping her head out of the cushions like a little prairie dog, Rosie gave Montanha a look, “Hey! I offered once!”

“Yeah, and it was literally the worst we’ve ever slept. You kept kneeing me in the back...”

“And you're a literal mountain, and I couldn’t even wrap my arms around you! But it was the thought that counted!” Rosie argued. “Okay, fair enough,” Montanha said. He then looked at Asher, “But uh, yeah, if you wanna give it a shot, I don’t mind it…”

“Okay, cool.” Asher said with a smile.

Montanha and Asher then joined Rosie in the pile of pillows and blankets, and the three of them lay on their backs for a while, just watching the stars. They then decided to have a bit of fun pointing out the constellations.

“Haha, hey look, the stars in Sagittarius look like a little teapot,” Rosie pointed out with a small laugh. Asher laughed a little as well, “Heh, yeah, I think I see what you mean.”

“I see the Little Dipper.” Montanha added.

“I see the Summer Triangle.” Asher pointed out, tracing the shape with his finger. “Oh, and I see Hercules!” Rosie piped up.

“… I see the Little Dipper…” Montanha said again. Asher turned his head to look at him and laughed a bit through his nose, “Do you not know any of the constellations?” he asked, the tone of his voice sounding amused.

“I know the Big and Little Dipper….” Montanha mumbled.

“Oh my god, Montanha, really?” Rosie asked, laughing. Montanha pressed his lips together in a pout, “What? I didn’t really go outside much before the apocalypse!” Asher laughed softly, “Well, hey, why don’t we make up our own constellations then?”

“Oh! Yeah! Okay, let me see… That star there, there, and there? I’m calling that ‘The Mountain.’” Rosie said, pointing out the stars and tracing them with her finger. “Oh, I think I see that. Hmmm, I think those stars right there make a little squirrel.” Montanha added.

“I think those ones there look like a little bowl.”

“Those ones right there are totally an acoustic guitar!”

“And those ones definitely make a little rose.”

The three of them continued to make up little constellations together for a while longer. But soon enough, sleep started to weigh their bodies down. The three then positioned themselves to sleep. Rosie rested curled up in a little ball, her back against Montanha’s chest as she enjoyed the warmth. Montanha draped one arm over her but tucked the other hand to his chest. Asher lay with his face resting against Montanha’s back and one arm draped over Montanha’s side.

That night, as they lay under the stars, Montanha was the last to fall asleep. But unlike most nights where he lay somewhat fitfully, he found himself relaxing rather quickly. His biggest fear had been that Asher would be a snorer and would snore right into his ear, but to his pleasant surprise, Asher slept silently. The steady rise and fall of Asher's chest against his back was actually quite calming.

Asher's arm, draped over him, felt comfortable and reassuring, like a warm blanket. Montanha also realized that while Asher was shorter than himself, he was just the right height; his knees didn't hit his back, and his head fit perfectly in the curve of Montanha's upper back. It was almost as if they were two pieces of a puzzle finally clicking into place. That realization made him blush a little as he lay there.

As he drifted closer to sleep, Montanha was surprised at how natural it felt to be held by Asher, and he found himself overwhelmed with an odd sense of appreciation. It wasn't just the physical comfort; it was the sense of security and trust that Asher's presence brought. He had always been the protector, the one who looked out for others, but tonight, in Asher's arms, he allowed himself to be cared for. For the first time in a long while, Montanha felt truly at peace. A small smile curved on his lips as he finally succumbed to sleep, wrapped in the warmth of Asher's embrace.

As the crickets played their quiet melodies and under the wide, starry skies, the three amigos rested together in peace.

#my writing #writing #nonpreg writing #my ocs #montanha #rosie #asher #shorts #collection of stories #alien apocalypse #apocalypse

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