#2swag

---

there's something strangely intimate about sharing one flashlight.

it's never intentional.

one flashlight dies halfway through the exploration, the other has just enough battery left to make it through the building if they stay close.

Ashton: seriously?" ashton laughs, shaking the dead flashlight. "you charged everything except this?"

2swag:"i thought you had one."

Ashton:"i did."

2swag:"...past tense?"

Ashton:"...don't ask."

they stare at each other for a second before both laughing.

2swag: “come on," 2swag turning on his flashlight. "guess you're stuck with me."

---

old hospitals always felt colder than they should.

every hallway echoed.

every door creaked.

every tiny sound made them stop talking for a second.

they'd been doing this for years.

they knew abandoned buildings.

they knew which noises meant the wind.

which ones meant raccoons.

which ones meant the building was settling.

and yet...

ashton still managed to accidentally scare himself every single time.

a loud bang echoed from somewhere upstairs.

Ashton:"...nope."

2swag looked over.

2swag:"what?"

Ashton:"absolutely not."

2swag:"you literally came here willingly."

Ashton:"i've changed my mind."

2swag:"five minutes ago?"

Ashton:"people grow."

---

they kept walking anyway.

their shoulders bumped every few steps without either of them noticing.

or maybe...

they did notice.

they just never moved away.

---

Ashton:"hold up."

2swag stopped.

2swag:"what?"

Ashton:"your mask."

2swag:"huh?"

Ashton:"it's crooked."

before he could fix it himself, ashton reached over and straightened it.

just a simple adjustment.

two seconds.

maybe less.

but somehow...

everything got quiet.

2swag:"...thanks."

Ashton:"yeah."

2swag:"..."

Ashton:"..."

2swag:"that was weird."

Ashton:"really weird."

they immediately started walking again like absolutely nothing had happened.

---

later that night they climbed onto the roof.

the city lights stretched for miles.

the silence wasn't awkward.

it never was.

they'd spent enough time together that silence just... fit.

Ashton:"you ever think we'll stop doing this someday?" ashton asked.

2swag shrugged.

2swag:"probably."

Ashton:"really?"

2swag:"our knees are gonna give out eventually."

ashton snorted.

Ashton:"that's the deep answer you came up with?"

2swag: "what? i'm being realistic."

---

after another minute, 2swag spoke again.

2swag:"...i think i'd miss this."

Ashton:"the exploring?"

2swag:"...you."

ashton looked over so fast he nearly dropped the camera.

Ashton: “….what?"

2swag:"i mean..."

2swag rubbed the back of his neck.

2swag:"the buildings are cool and everything."

2swag:"but if i was doing this alone..."

2swag:"...it wouldn't really feel the same."

the wind carried the silence between them.

not uncomfortable.

just...

full.

ashton smiled before looking back at the skyline.

Ashton:"good."

Ashton:"because i'd miss you too."

---

they didn't kiss.

not then.

that wasn't really them.

instead...

they sat shoulder to shoulder until sunrise.

sharing the last bit of flashlight battery.

sharing comfortable silence.

sharing a view neither of them would remember as clearly as the feeling of knowing, finally, that neither of them had been exploring alone all this time.