Work Text:
A tattered old album sits in his hands, pages worn and colored as he flips through. Some pictures are blurry; some you wouldn't have a clue what made it special unless you had personal knowledge frozen in time. Others are bright and colorful, like technicolor marks branded, seared in memory. There's laughter and love on every page- platonic and friendly.
The man passes over these pages with a fond smile, remembering the uncomplicated ways of being young and innocent.
Photos of sleepovers, mothers snapping silently from doorways as bodies intertwine in boyish exhaustion from the day's explorations- curled in protective against each other. Proud and accomplished slides as bikes are ridden without training wheels for the first time, the tall one white knuckled as the other boy raises his arms in a frozen shout, forever capturing his joy. Even close up pictures taken with old Kodak film- two faces smooshed close together and slightly crooked. One faking a tough look for the camera- new strip of dark hair displayed; the other half smiling, nose scattered with faint freckles.They were just kids then, their lives ahead of them, minds filled with action figures and little league.
It goes on like this as the boys get older- fishing trips with smirks, Jam sessions in the basements of their homes- one banging drums as the other croons and strums his shiny new guitar. Pics of half batted away cameras, exasperated eye rolls as two mothers fawn over newly worn football gear. The boys slowly turn into teens, every picture showing the gawky way the sprout and grow.
His fingers tremble along the frames, watching with renewed eyes at the secret glances, the casual brushes of fingers along skin. The arms thrown over shoulders on autopilot; bodies angled towards each other as though they disagree with the (little) distance between them. If you look close you can see when things start to change. How these images capture the tension; the feelings crawling just under the surface. Candid reflections of bared souls.
With a soft reverence, the digits trace the photo taken in secret- a stark, plain, picture of two hands twined- pale and golden skin pressed tight.- Before moving on. A kiss after the championship game- still sweaty and full of elation at their win. Pieces of a faded Valentine's Day card, stuck next to the happy portrait as that card is read for the first time. Prom night, standing proud and tall in their tuxes with all of their friends. And Graduation, with caps and gowns and diplomas held in greedy hands, these boys turn into men, grinning at the camera straight on and ready to face their future.
Of course this isn't the end- oh no, in fact.. it's just the beginning. College and parties continue to litter the album, playing on stage and frazzled times of finals. Finding an apartment, small and barren as it may be. The years pass before his eyes- marking memories he's even forgotten after all this time.
He thinks about how this book shows everything- all the moments he wants to wrap up and keep for when he's grey- and reaches out to grab the newest picture as he comes to the last page.
The ring on Puck's finger shines as he pastes the picture of his shocked face looking down at a teary, kneeling Finn. Then, he closes the book, glancing over at Finn to meet his gaze ...and leaning in for a kiss.