Fade to Black

John was a little tipsy.

Like a good American boy, he hadn't had any alcohol before his eighteenth birthday. Now he was out at the bar with Michael and Joseph, enjoying his first drinks of everything they could get their hands on. The other boys had both been eighteen for months. He was the last to turn eighteen, and they'd been sure to remind him as he waited the long nine months between Joe's birthday and his.

Mike slipped an arm around his shoulder and plopped a whiskey down in front of him. "Last one!" he said gleefully. John laughed in response. "Your mother would kill me if I brought you home drunk." John took the drink, raised it in cheer, then took a swig before erupting into a cough.

Joe laughed, bumping against his other side and sending a meaningful glance to Mike, who moved his arm away quickly. They clinked their glasses against John's and tipped their heads back, swallowing down their drinks. Mike gave a little cough, as if the drink had tickled his throat, and grinned at John, who had tipped back his drink in an attempt to imitate them. Joe slapped down some money as John finished and gestured for them to make their way out of the crowded bar.

John followed him, shoulder brushing against Mike's as they stepped out into the cool winter air. The frost bit at his face as they started down the street, Joe carrying the conversation as they turned down the alley to start for home.

"War's still going strong," Joe said finally. John glanced up at him and bit his lip, thinking about what little they'd been told about the war going on overseas. His thoughts turned to Japan, and he shared a look with Mike, whose lips were pursed in thought.

"Do you think it will end any time soon?" Mike asked, fingers tapping against his leg. Joe shook his head.

"Doubtful. Seems like it's just getting started."

"That Hitler's a pretty fellow, ain't he?" John said, putting his finger up to his lip to imitate the short mustache he'd seen in pictures. The other two men laughed. He felt Mike's hand brush against his and he smiled, letting his finger drop. Joe stopped at the door that led into his backyard and waved to them before slipping inside. "See you," John called, continuing down the alleyway with Mike.

"You think we'll have to fight?" Mike asked as they walked, their steps slowing. "My dad talks about the war sometimes. Sometimes he has nightmares."

"I hope not," John said after a few seconds. "Could you imagine me on a battlefield?" Mike chuckled and shook his head. "Seems like the government doesn't want to get involved, though. I wouldn't mind keeping it that way."

Mike's fingers tapped between his thigh and John's. "Can't believe Japan's gotten wrapped up in this, too." John nodded in agreement. "I'd hate to have to fight them." They reached the backyard of John's house and stopped. John leaned against the fence, studying Mike's expression.

"Well, I wouldn't want to either." His foot scuffed against the floor. "Did you see the way the Johnson's were looking at us the other day? Like we might break into a song about communism or something." Mike gave a short laugh. "Good ol' Billy made my sister cry, calling her a butterhead in school."

Mike's face fell and he scuffed his foot against the floor. "I'll take care of him." John pushed at his shoulder.

"No you won't." Mike started to protest and John shook his head. "He's a punk, but he's not worth getting in trouble over. We got enough problems, don't we?" Mike sighed and shrugged, slipping his hands into his pockets.

"Whatever," he said finally. "Not like we're personally killing anyone. Just trying to get through school and get a job, right?" John nodded in agreement. Mike leaned against the wall next to him, their arms brushing together as they stared up at the stars. "I'm thinking of moving away from here."

"Yeah?" John asked absently. Mike nodded.

"Thinking about moving to the west coast. Got nice schools there." John looked at him. "Good place to raise a family."

"You want that?" he asked. Mike shrugged again.

"Everyone wants that, right?" John looked away.

"I dunno," he said finally. "I don't think it really matters to me." Mike hummed thoughtfully. "I mean, my parents would love for me to do that. But I don't think that's my kind of style." Mike looked down at his shoes and John studied him. "Do you want a family?" he asked. "Or do your parents?" Mike's expression soured.

"I don't know," he said finally. "I want kids, maybe." They lapsed into silence and John looked back up at the stars. He'd grown up under those stars, knew them like they were family. He couldn't imagine living under different ones.

"Come with me."

It caught him off guard, and he looked at Mike, eyes wide. "Where are we going?" Mike shook his head, eyes closing as he gave a small smile.

"I meant, come with me to the west." He continued to stare at Mike, who ran his fingers through his hair and met his gaze straight on. "It's more open over there. We can share an apartment, find a good job..."

John glanced at the house standing behind him and pursed his lips, looking down. "Do you think that's a good idea?" he said. "Leaving our family behind? We'll be all on our own." Mike shrugged.

"Joe could come with us," he said. "It'd be the three of us. We could go to Seattle, or Los Angeles." His eyes sparkled and he took John's hand in his excitement. "We could go where no one knows us, and be ourselves." John's neck grew hot and he gave Mike a small smile.

"Let me think about it, okay?" he asked. "That's a big thing to ask on my birthday." Mike's smile grew wistful, and he didn't drop John's hand like he normally would have by then.

"I just think it'd be easier for us if we weren't constantly afraid of our families finding out." He ducked his head, gripping John's hand a little tighter. "But I won't pressure you. Think about it?" He looked back up and John nodded earnestly.

"I will, yeah," he said. Mike let go of his hand and smiled before pulling away from the fence and glancing over it toward John's home.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Johnny." John smiled.

"Yeah," he said with a nod, watching as Mike started down the alley toward his backyard. After a few seconds, John slipped inside his backyard and walked into his home. His father nodded to him, face wrinkled with time and worry. "Everything alright, Pa?" he asked.

His father glanced around him, checking for his mother and sister, before shaking his head and leaning against the wall. "The government is getting antsy," he said. "They'll take any excuse to display power over us, and my home country is giving them plenty." John gripped his father's shoulder briefly.

"It'll be okay, Pa," he told him with certainty. His father gave him a small smile.

"Get to bed," his father said. John nodded, pressed a kiss to the top of his father's head and made his way to his room. His mother smiled at him on her way to the kitchen, and no sound came from his sister's or the baby's room. He slipped into his own, kicked off his shoes and laid down in bed. Mike's proposition came back to him, and he smiled slightly as his consciousness ebbed toward sleep.