Chapter Text
The sun began to set, its orange descending into red hues painting the sky. Footprints lay on the dirt, two pairs covering the Earth's layer. Robin Arellano and Vance Hopper roamed through the warmth, traveling down train tracks that seemed never-ending. The boys wandered side by side. Nevertheless, the blonde noticed the sluggish behavior of the brunette next to him. Robin seemed absent, dissociated from his surroundings. His eyes were insipid, with bags sinking under them. His movement seemed lagging, and lazier. Dressed in loose clothes, the opposite of what he usually wears. Smoke trailed from his mouth as he exhaled.
“You okay Robin?” The brunette shifted his head towards the other. The boy was noticeably lethargic; he merely nodded handing the joint toward the blonde. The hot star descended farther down in the sky. A gust of wind trekked within the sky, blending with the evening warmth. Vance shook the chill off, inhaling the cigarette as each step continued. Time felt jagged as he felt the hum precede within. Dusk encompassed Denver. To his right, Robin stepped closer onto the tracks impetuously. Perplexity overtook Vance, his feet trailed towards the Robin till he felt his body quake. Swiftly, he turned his head noticing the low glares ricocheting around the corner.
“Robin, a train’s coming.” Vance spoke as he ushered off the tracks. Unbeknownst to him, Robin remained on the tracks as he inhaled the smoke. His taciturn demeanor remained unchanged, even after the warning. He stood in place, with the rays of the train soaking him in dawn yellow as it crept closer. The ground shuddered under the weight of the train. Vance surged towards Robin, colliding with him—knocking him off the tracks while the cigarette landed farther away. As they hit the ground, their skin scraped against the sediments—harsh current thrusts against the sky, blowing Vance and Robins' hair. The former face held a vexed expression. Once the train had fully passed, Vance diverted his focus to Robin.
“Dude . . . what the fuck?!” His body trembled as adrenaline trudged across his nervous system. Signals are firing within his brain. Dirt grazed his hands as he rose to his feet. Irritation and puzzlement clouded Vance's mind.
“Wh—why the fuck would you just . . . stand there like a fucking idiot ?!” The words left his mouth—breathy yet intense. Each inhale felt shallow as a feeling of lightheadedness overtook with each breath. A new gust caressed his skin as the sun's light descended farther casting an opaque blue overhead. Robin remained seated within the dirt, his head hung low—repressing his countenance. Vance noticed something was off with Robin—his despondent and sluggish behavior, lack of words, and this reckless abandon. He felt a sense of trepidation—worry over his friend. Vance felt his legs shake, feeling unsteady under his weight as his adrenaline waned. He sat next to Robin, who hadn't said anything. The boy felt lost—he hadn't conceded that the gloaming sky was taking hold. His body felt heavy. A fog that traveled a distance within him, his surroundings indefinite. Quiet settled inside. Its soft hum tuned in his ears.
He wondered about the consequences of dwelling on the tracks. Feeling his body collide with the front of the train, what would it be like under the soil? Life felt grim lately, pushing his body to move but every step was demanding. He felt damned as the days bled into the following. Now he didn't know what day it was, let alone how he got here. In the grass, the tears flooded his eyes washing away the visions, blurring his system. Vance noticed the nominal quivering from the boy. Glancing at the side of his face, he noticed a trail that led down. Vance saw him fidgeting with his hands. His fingernails showed bitten, and the skin surrounding them streamed beads of luminous red. Nonetheless, he continued to pick at the already scarred skin. Vance erred in understanding why Robin stood on the tracks, pushing his serendipity. It scared the shit out of him. Minutes pivoted into hours as they stayed aside the tracks in the night. Robin was still quiet. His face was stained and his eyes red but his face carried a stoic expression. Even after nearly being run over, he was relaxed. Content hugged his face as if he found solace in the incident. Fuck it worried Vance, it scared him with how quiet and placid his friend was. Vance was apprehensive about what else he would do.