They had reached the ends of the forest, by the river. They could watch the sun set and could see steamboats pulling through the water, breaking and forming new lines of shining light on the surface. Huck kept walking until they were at the edge of the trees, almost to the shore, and he sat. Tom sat next to him.
The sun was golden against their skin-- Tom watched it glow against Huck's hair. Shine in his eyes like golden candles and fiery halos. It reminded Tom of a time so far away. So distant that it was hardly there, but then it was. It was right here, with the two of them. They're right here, together.
"Thank you, Huck." He said. The sun shifted its glow. The hues refracted on the water's edge. Tom looked to him-- Huck was looking back in that strange way he does. The way that reminds Tom of the swirl in his stomach. The new way Tom can't place.
"What d'you mean, thanks?" Huck asked.
"For coming here with me." Tom said. His words trailed off as Huck looked away and towards the shifting light of the sun. "This was fun. It... It's how things used to be, isn't it?" Tom said. Huck shook his head.
"It's different, Tom. It's the two of us, but... We're all different." Huck said, watching the sunset for a moment longer. Then he turned his head, smiling faintly. "Still fun, though."
Tom turned to him. "How are we different?" He asked. His voice was soft as he saw the sunset against Huck's skin. The glow of the air just surrounding him like he was the only thing the light could find. "You're always saying that but I just don't get it." Tom said.
"Well," Huck turned his head towards the river. He leaned back, letting his legs stretch and sprawl in front of him. "We're grown, now. I had me a whole adventure out there, and... Tom, haven't you noticed? I ain't the same wild boy I used to be all th' time. And you got a different aura about you, too."
"...I guess so." Tom said. They watched as the sunset spread and swelled and grew, and then as the sun submerged into the river, dulling into just yellows with a navy sky. It was almost night, now. "Well that's why I wanna hang out, even though it's just the two of us. I wanna see what's different in you." Tom smiled over at Huck.
"Did you find it, yet?" Huck asked. There was that look Tom couldn't place. Huck wrung his hands.
"Not all of it. Just the quietness you said. The parts I've seen from you in school. I'd of expected you to make a ruckus with the rest of us in class, but that's not what you do. You're different in that way, at least." Tom said. "And," Tom then stood up, looking at Huck, waiting for him to stand, too. He did, and Tom inspected him. Tom nodded to himself. Standing in front of each other, Tom had to look up to meet Huck's eyes. Tom smiled up at him. "You're a lot taller." He said. Huck laughed back, and Tom watched him happily. Huck stood up straight, too, and walked up to Tom to compare.
"Yeah, I am." Huck said, smiling, looking down at him. "You used to be taller than me." Huck leaned in, teasing. Tom nodded, remembering, smiling. A swirl was in his chest as being so close. Back then, Tom seemed so lanky compared to everyone else. Huck used to be a head shorter than Tom. Now, Huck was stocky and tall, and Tom was hardly as high as his eyes. "I like being taller." Huck said quietly. Tom felt the swing in his breaths. The warmth all around them. The quiet in the forest around their laughing voices.
"I liked being taller, too." Tom said. He stared up at Huck in the fading light.
"Well, hey, you got your turn." Huck smiled, nudged him. The conversation lulled, and Huck stepped away, and Tom wished the moment had lasted longer.
Tom looked to the river again. "You still living in these woods, right? Nothing different since yesterday, I bet." Tom asked. Huck nodded.
"Yeah. Ain't found myself a reason to go to the Widow Douglas yet." Huck said. The air was quickly darkening around them. Tom nodded, got up, and wiped off his clothes.
"Well I gotta go back now, so... If you want, you could come sleep over with me. As long as you want." Tom said.
Silence spread around their breaths. "A mighty nice offer, Tom. But... I think I'm good in these woods." Huck wrung his hands.
"Really?" Tom asked. "This ground is hard as rock, and it's just dirt! Huck, you gotta. Just for the night."
"Tom," Huck looked up at him. Smiled slightly. "You really want me to go?" He asked, and Tom nodded.
"Yeah, Huck! It's been ages since Aunt Polly's even seen you, right? She wouldn't mind at all, and you could chill with me. I still got homework to do, anyway. We could tell her you're helping." Tom said, and he could see that smile grow even as Huck shook his head, looking to the ground. "It wouldn't be no bother at all."
"Tom Sawyer..." Huck looked at him. The depth in his eyes made Tom wish he had asked this earlier. Huck closed his eyes in thought and smiled. He opened his eyes again and sighed out a breath. "You bargain like a salesman. Alright." Huck said. "For the night, I guess."
"Great! Wow, me and Huckleberry sleeping over again." Tom said, looking around the forest quickly, excitedly. A smile was on his face and in his eyes. "Let's get going. Too dark and Aunt Polly might think we're some sort of burglars." Tom said and Huck got up. "Gotta pay you back for all the times you helped me." Tom said.
That perplexing look was in Huck's eyes the next time Tom looked to him. And Tom couldn't know how he ever felt Huck had been ignoring him. Here, in these woods together, they felt so close.