"We should really stick to the group" Martin's words went ignored as Lando continued to explore the side pocket of caves. There was something....something inside him driving him. It was the same thing that had made him agree to this cross-country adventure without his phone. There was just this feeling in his chest. One that he needed to get away from that was pushing him to keep going even as he cut his palm on a sharp rock, leaving behind a smear of blood to prove he was real. "Jesus, Lando", Martin cursed behind him, "You're bleeding" Lando just laughed. He had to laugh because he had been bleeding long before the cut. His inside were a mess of hurt and emotions that were slowly seeping into every atom of his being and Lando had to find something to stop it. He needed to stop the way he kept replaying everything over and over in his brain. He needed to stop the way he was hurting. As they reached the end of the passage, Lando felt himself freeze at the beauty of it. There was hole in the ceiling that made him question if it even was a cave, but sunlight filtered in. He could see the little dust particles in the air. The little pond sparkled in the light; a shade of blue Lando wasn't sure he had ever seen before as he felt Martin take his injured hand to inspect it. Something about the gentle touch and the way Martin's face scrunched with concern finally made Lando break. He pulled his hand away and turned away from Martin. He walked a little away, cupped his hands around his mouth and Lando screamed. It was something twisted. Something broken and primal. It left his lungs aching and his throat dry. His eyes were wet with tears. His cheek smeared with blood but he was smiling when he turned back to Martin. His friend was watching him. He still looked concerned but he was grinning too as if he knew that this was what Lando had needed all along. "Fuck him", Martin said pointedly as he pulled out a wipe from his bag and carefully wiped the blood from his face. Lando laughed because he agreed. Fuck Max. Fuck his inability to communicate and pin all their problems on Lando. Fuck the way he wanted Lando to change and be someone he wasn't. Fuck all the times Lando was left crying because he had tried to save them and Max had stabbed him in the back. Fuck the man who said I love you in one breath and fucked someone else with the other because Lando always forgave him. "Fuck him", Lando smiled through the tears, finally feeling free as Martin rested a hand on his cheek and watched him proudly "There you are", Martin laughed before pulling Lando into a hug that Lando melted into, "I was wondering when you'd come back to me" Lando hid his smile in Martin's shoulder as the other rubbed his back soothingly. "I got a little lost", Lando admitted, closing his eyes as he let himself have this, "But I think I'm going to be okay now"