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June 17th, 2017, Away, Arizona. Outside of Karen's trailer.
Sean has got a letter from Finn that day, it made him glad to know how Finn's doing, he put it on the shelf above his bed. He goes to sit at the table, Karen looking through a shoe box of photos and other memories before she left Seattle behind. she lays a photo of Sean, from when he was about five years old, he remembers that day at the park. He'd met another little boy who had freckles, long curly red brown hair, and a gap between his front teeth, he was about seven years old and was loud and chaotic. Karen smiles at the photo, the writing on the back 6/17/2006 "eleven years ago today" Karen hands it over to Sean
Sean takes it from her hand, smiling at the photo "I remember that day, I remember how loud he was and how he had so many toys." Turns the photo around, reading the date and the names "Sean & Finnegan" he doesn't remember that kids' name, never asked. "Finnegan?" He looks up at Karen, titling his head "oh, yeah, I talked to his mom, they were visiting family in Seattle. She told me they were from Dillion, Montana," Karen looks through the box more.
Sean remembers talking to Finn one night, about where they were from, Finn talks about being from Dillion, and how he has an aunt from Seattle and he'd visit when he was younger. He nods at Karen's explanation, still looking at the photo, it starts to look so much like that photo he sawin Finn's tent. The photo with Finn and his older brother's, Finn was the one in the blue. Looking at the boy in the photo with him, he notices how the nose looks like Finn's, the way he stood, and how he smiles is just like Finn's. "You seem to like that photo, a lot." Sean's cheeks flush slightly. "It just looks like someone familiar, Karen."
"I met someone named Finn, the same Finn who sent that letter today, and this kid in the photo look so much like him." Sean finds himself smiling at the photo, thinking about how he could've met Finn before, not during a horrible time, but them meeting as little kids, playing on the park, and playing pretend. They hadn't had their first meeting during such a scary time, it was a very happy time. "Well, maybe one day you'll get to ask him about it." Karen puts the box down on the table, "You should look through this more, i took more photos of that day."
Sean does just that, he finds more photos of that day, more of him and this kid who could be Finn. He find the last one where they're hugging, their faces touching, and smiling at the camera. It looks just like Finn, the nose, the blue eyes, and the way he hugs looks just like that. He grabs all the photos, going back into the tailor, putting the photos next to the letter.
June 19, 2018, Sonora, Mexico, Puerto Lobos
Sean and Daniel made it past the border, found Esteban's childhood home, and it took more than a year to get settled in. But after, Sean starts to put up photos around the house, some photos of the three of them, photos of Daniel, and one of him and Finn from when they were five and seven. During that year, Finn finally made it to Puerto Lobos, the house finally felt complete with Finn.
The two sit on the balcony of Sean's room, sitting on the random sofa that had been there for years. Sean has a show box of photos Karen gave him before he and Daniel left Away, they're both grabbing photo, laughing at Daniel's baby photos. Then got to those photos from that day at the park. Finn grabs the one where they're hugging and smiling at the camera. "This was from Seattle, in like 2006," Finn turns the photo around, seeing the 'Sean & Finnegan'. He looks to Sean, seeing him smiling.
"My mom took those," Sean grabs another photo, them holding hands, while running to the swings. "You were so short." Sean laughs at the height difference from the photo. "So we met before..." Finn looks at the photo, seeing a seven year old Finn, looking so happy to be holding hands with Sean. "Guess, we were all meant to meet." Sean kisses Finn's cheek "i remember how loud you were, and you had so many toys. I probably stole a few." Sean puts the photos back down into the box. Finn lays his head on Sean's shoulder, watching the sunset, hands intertwining.
"We can say we've known each other since 2006 then." Finn likes to brag, but especially to brag about Sean, the person who showed him real genuine love, the person who made the dark thoughts have less power, and the person he can imagine having a life with. Sean just laughs, putting an arm around Finn's shoulder, messing with Finn's curly hair that lays falling in the back of the sofa. "You'll brag no matter what." Sean lays his cheek on Finn's head. watching the sunset, with the person he loves as much as the stars.
