“Well, there she is: the Blue River,” Ryan remarked as he stretched his arms out in front of him, gazing at the wide watery expanse in front of the wagon. Brendon laughed.

“We’ll conquer it yet.” He halted the oxen, hopped off the wagon, and strode to the bank. Holding his hand over his eyes to block the sun, he surveyed the water. “I’d guess…3 feet deep?” Ryan agreed, and looked behind himself; Jon and Spencer were grazing the horses behind the wagon.

“I’d say float it; we don’t want the oxen too overwhelmed. They’re new,” Jon added. Brendon nodded absentmindedly and climbed back up into the wagon.

“Gonna caulk the edges then. Wanna help?” he offered. Ryan eagerly nodded and climbed up into the wagon bed. Soon they had sealed off the cracks in the wagon bed, and the horses’ saddles were tied down with everything else. Jon was sitting atop Dorado, her bareback and him shirtless.

“I’m gonna take ‘em across. You can sit in the wagon if you want…” he said to Spencer.

“Sure,” he shrugged and climbed up onto the wagon bench. Brendon was pulling his shirt off his shoulders and unbuckling his jeans. He stopped.

“Ryan, you gonna join?” Ryan grinned easily.

“What?” Brendon laughed loudly.

“We’ve gotta take the oxen across!” Ryan nodded and began pulling his own shirt off. “The more you take off, the less you have to sop around in.” Brendon was down to his shorts by now. He waded out in the cold river, taking a hold of the rope around two oxen’s necks. Ryan followed, stripped to his shorts as well. He took the next pair of oxen, wincing at the icy-feeling water.

“Brendon, this water is freezing!”

“It feels great to me,” Brendon grinned, waist deep. Ryan’s jaw dropped lightly at how he could stand the temperature, and he set his jaw, following him into the Blue. The oxen sloshed around behind him, and he was careful enough to avoid their hooves on his toes, but his eyes were locked on Brendon’s shoulders. He watched his back as the muscles twisted, the boy pulling his legs through the rushing water around him. The dark-haired boy looked back at him, eyes intense, and licked his bottom lip quickly. Ryan smiled lightly and pushed on to the other bank.

“You wanna take the next two?” Brendon stretched his toned arms out either way from his body and shook the gravelly sand off of his feet.

“No, that’s okay. You can.” Ryan grinned. “I’ll come across with you, though.” Brendon smiled cryptically, and Ryan followed him into the river again. It wasn’t quite so cold against his skin this time, though. As he reached the middle of the river, his foot caught a smooth rock and he slipped, almost completely submerging himself in the cool water. “Shit!” he spluttered, catching his footing on the floor again, and standing up. Brendon paused, an amused smirk on his face, and reached out to push Ryan down again.

“Goin’ swimming?” Brendon laughed, and pointed his hands above his head, diving into the dark water. He surfaced, shook his shaggy dark hair, and grinned at Ryan, who laughed back.

“I wasn’t planning on it…” The two boys made it to the other side of the river and grabbed the rope around the last two oxen. They could hear Spencer and Jon hooking the other four oxen to the wagon they had rafted over.

“So,” Brendon started as he yoked the last two oxen, “what’s bringing you to Sacramento?” Ryan sighed, twisting a bit of his chocolate hair in an attempt to keep it out of his eyes.

“You know… Adventure.” Spencer had ridden up next to the two of them, and cleared his throat loudly.

“That’s a lie, Ryan Ross.” He raised his eyebrows smartly at his friend, and continued, “You know you’re a terrible liar.” Ryan groaned.

“I might have gotten away with it, though.” Brendon smiled and hung an arm around Ryan’s shoulders.

“C’mon, what are you really going for?” Ryan put a lopsided smile on.

“To get away from my father.” Brendon laughed.

“Oh, really? Same here.”

“He doesn’t really accept me for what I am.” Brendon made a face.

“What, a doctor? That’s respectable enough.” Ryan shook his head.

“No, he doesn’t like the idea that, even though women want to marry a doctor, I don’t want to…marry any of them.” He avoided Brendon’s gaze. Suddenly, his companion burst out laughing. Ryan scooted away, slightly hurt.

“No, no, come back! It’s okay; I’m just laughing ‘cause… ‘Cause that’s the funniest coincidence I’ve ever heard!” Ryan smiled, a little more at ease, and watched as a town rolled up on their right. “This would be… Westport.”

“Did you forget anything, Urie?” Jon called from behind the wagon.

“No,” Brendon replied, annoyed, and pointed out another town on the horizon. “That’s New Santa Fe. And I won’t have forgotten anything there either, Jonathon, so you can just not even bother asking.”

.

“Wow. Four days in and we’re already getting cozy,” Ryan laughed. He was sandwiched between Brendon and Spencer, and it was absolutely pouring outside. Brendon sighed, nodding, glum with the turn of weather. He peeked outside again, noting how much the puddles had grown, and frowned.

“Jon, did you ever move Dorado from that tree you tied her to?”

“No,” Jon replied sleepily. “Move ‘er for me?” Brendon nodded and got up from the warm blankets. He slipped out of the wagon, landing in a giant mud puddle, and tried to dodge as many raindrops as he could on the way to the tree. Ducking under it, he petted Dorado’s nose.

“Good girl. Smells like thunder out here. We better move you before something happens to that tree,” he spoke soothingly, and turned around. He was met face to face with a drenched Ryan. “Jesus! You scared me,” he whispered. Ryan smiled apologetically.

“Yeah, sorry. I just…I needed this,” he spoke softly, before taking Brendon’s shoulders gently in his hands and meeting their lips. Lightening flashed across the sky, and-

Brendon blinked. He needed to stop daydreaming. He shook his head wildly for a moment, and untied Dorado from the tree. He led her back to the wagon, throwing a quick loop around her hitch, and climbed into the wagon. He kicked off his muddy shoes and crawled over the legs of his companions before settling back in next to Ryan.

“You asleep yet?” he whispered lightly. Ryan nodded, causing Brendon to chuckle. The boy opened his eyes, staring straight into Brendon’s.

“Did you need something?” Brendon bit his lip carefully.

“I need you.” Ryan’s brow furrowed quickly.

“What?” Brendon’s eyes darkened.

“You heard me,” he whispered, his gaze steady.

“Fuck,” Ryan breathed lightly, lips parting. Brendon’s gaze skipped over to Spencer, who was muttering things in his sleep and waking up ever so slightly. Brendon’s eyes returned to Ryan’s, lighter this time, almost nervous.

“Nevermind. Goodnight!” he sang cheerily, and slipped under the blanket with his back to the other. If that didn’t just make things even more interestingly awkward, Ryan didn’t know what would. He sighed heavily and shut his eyes, falling into a fast sleep.

.

“Jon?” Spencer’s small voice seemed cramped and short in the confined wagon space. The young man muttered in his sleep, and Spencer poked his shoulder again, more urgently. “Jon.” The requested boy’s eyelids fluttered open.

“What’s wrong, Spencer?” Spencer squeezed his eyes shut as another roll of thunder crashed outside. “Oh… Oh! I get it. C’mere.” Jon opened his arms, and Spencer scooted closer, cuddling into his chest.

“I’m sorry, I just-“

“No, it’s okay. I have a little brother back home who’s the same way…” he trailed off wistfully. “Besides, you’re snuggly.” Spencer smiled, curling even tighter into his friend’s arms, and shut his eyes. “Want some blanket?”

“Please.” They slipped off soon after, their breathing matching and evening out slowly.

.

“Well, fuck.” Brendon scratched his head, staring at the large puddle stretching as far as he could see. Ryan was sitting on the wagon bench, kicking his heels over the edge as he tried to help Brendon come to a decision.

“How many times can you say that? Look, just… Come over here. It’s fine. Just sit down for a while and think it over.” Brendon did as he was told, and put his chin in his hands.

“We could just try to ford through it,” he suggested. Ryan nodded.

“Let’s go for it. If it doesn’t work, we can always try to find another way.” Brendon sat up, brightened a little bit, and took up the reins. “Spencer? Jon! We’re heading out.” The two waved over, tightening their saddles, and trotted up to the now-moving wagon. “See? Told you it’d be fine.”

“I should listen to you more often, I suppose,” Brendon said softly, cracking a grin. Ryan stretched his legs out as patches of blue sky broke above.

"Guess so."