This is a new story I've been working on. It's supposed to be pretty sad, so I apologize in advance. It's mild UsUk. Rated T for language and (unspecified and unexplicit) drug use.

"I miss you."

"I miss you too."

"When can I see you again?"

"…"

"Hello?"

"I don't know."

"But… it should be soon, right? I mean you've been drafted for a while now. So it has to be soon."

"I don't know. I hope so, but *static* I can't be sure. We're on a mission right now, actually. I should probably be getting off – "

"W-Wait a second. You just got on, you can't just leave. Not yet. Please."

"I know. I'm so sorry. I have to go."

"…Okay. I understand."

"Hey, hey. It'll be okay, alright? I'll come back safe and sou- *A loud boom. Static.*"

"Hello? Hello?"

"*static*"

"Hello? Alfred? Hello? Al?!"

"*static*"

"Hello?!"

"*static*"

" …"

Arthur Kirkland lay in his bed, turmoil running through his mind. His trembling slowly subsided, and he let out a small whimper. Tomorrow was his birthday. He could do it. Of course he could.

The alarm clock flashed 9:38. Relatively early for most, but Arthur hadn't slept in three days. His body was abuzz, needing desperately to sleep, but his mind refused to rest. Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow. The raw agony of it all was burned into his very soul. Each breath he took was like a knife stabbing his chest. The previous two birthdays, it hadn't felt this bad. But now it felt real. It was unavoidable; a searing sort of pain that he couldn't run from. Lately, he didn't want to run.

Up. His mind told him. You gotta get up. C'mon. Sleep felt like it was going to overcome him, and he refused to allow it. Slowly, Arthur rolled off the bed and stood up. He walked into the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet. He pulled out a bottle. Arthur's hands fumbled to open the tightly sealed cap. They shook so much he dropped the bottle, and had to bend over to retrieve it.

Open! He thought with just a bit of hysteria. Open, damn it! His hands slipped and struggled to open the cap. He felt weaker than ever. How long has it been since I…? The thought slid away from him once he finally managed to open the bottle. A few large black pills slide out. He counted out four, and then gulped them down with a small cupped handful of water. They ached wonderfully against his throat. He felt a huge sense of relief. That done, he staggered back into the bedroom. Arthur hadn't taken five steps when the phone rang.

The sound was like a tazer to his heart, lightning straight in his brain. Arthur froze, unmoving. His frail chest heaved desperately. After an eternity of rings, he inched his way over to the phone and picked it up. "H-Hello?" He stammered, trying with all his might to make it sound normal. In the corner of his eye, Arthur saw a shadow move.

"Hey Arthur. Sorry. It's not too late?" It took a long moment for Arthur to register that voice. It was Francis.

'Nah, nah. It's okay." Arthur tried to keep the tremor out of his voice. Any minute now and the pills would kick in.

"Good. I- I was just calling to see if you were all right. Because of…well..." Francis sounded unsure.

"Uh-huh. Yeah, I'm good. I know." Arthur shrugged, though Francis couldn't see him. His brain was still trying to process the words that were coming out of his mouth. "It's cool."

"You sure you're okay? Tomorrow is his birthday. And I know that lately you haven't been feeling well…"

"Fine. Totally cool." Arthur replied sluggishly. The pills were starting to work. His brain moved a little faster, and everything seemed brighter.

Francis was quiet for a moment. "Yeah." He was silent again. Then when he spoke his voice was hesitant. "So…tomorrow…how long would you have been…?"

"Ten years." Ten, ten, ten, ten. Ten flowers on the wall, ten children would all fall. Ten colors in the rainbow. Ten fires in the bush, ten pills to pop, ten people to drop. Ten colors in the crayon box. Ten sheep in the herd. Ten flies buzzing all around, ten decaying bodies on the ground. Ten. His mind finally came back. They would have been together for ten years.

"Oh." Francis said.

"Yeah." Arthur replied. His mind felt energized. The tiredness was gone mostly now, though he could still feel it in his joints.

"I'm sorry." Francis said softly.

"'S fine. Fine. Whatever." Arthur said, smiling slightly. Ahh, the pills were working now.

Francis was quiet again. "Tomorrow…um…tomorrow we were thinking about going to see Alfred's grave. Y'know, just grab everybody and go? Would…would you want to do that?"

"Sure. Why not?" The colors on the wall were so pretty. Focus. He chided himself. F-O-C-U-S. He mouthed it silently. "F-O-C-U-S."

"What?" Francis asked.

"Sure, I said. Sure." Arthur replied.

"Are you sure you're okay? I mean it. Have you been eating and sleeping lately?"

Arthur didn't respond. He stared at the shadows and the colors and wished he could dissolve.

"Arthur? Have you?"

He was silent. He thought it would be nice to just dissolve into thin air, just vanish with the snap of a finger.

"Arthur, please answer me." Francis' voice turned pleading. "Please. Are you okay? Have you been eating?"

"Yeah, I've been eating 'n sleeping." Arthur replied finally. He lifted up his shirt curiously and stared at his stomach. Sharp bubbles of fat poked out right above his bellybutton, on both sides. He sniggered. He was fat, fat, fat.

"I don't know if I believe you. I'm coming over." Francis said.

"No way. I'm fine, wanker. I'm cool." Arthur said a bit hastily. He was still staring at his fat.

"You sure."

"Yeah. Jeeesus, it's almost 10:00. Can I go to bed now or are you gonna keep me up like the jerk you are?" He had no intention to go to bed any time in the near future, or even in the distant future. He would stay up forever. Arthur just wanted Francis to stop talking.

"Fine. I'll let you go." Francis replied. "I'm coming over in the morning, though. I'll be there at 9:30 so be ready."

Arthur hung up. He twirled over to the bed and sat on it, snickering a little. There were faint pangs of sadness that wanted to worm their way into his brain, but he wouldn't let them. He wanted to stay in this beautiful, beautiful world of color for as long as possible. Arthur flopped on the bed, lolling his head so that it faced his clock once more.

10:00. 10:01. 10:02. 10:47. Numbers floated around and he tried to catch them. Time slipped easily through his fingers. At exactly 11:02, his mind dulled and he grew bored with watching the numbers. Before he could stop it, he felt himself starting to drift into memory.

His bright, dazzling blue eyes stared at him playfully. They were 16. He had a huger grin on his face than usual.

"What are you thinking about?" Arthur inquired. He had his own teasing smile on his face.

"What're we gonna do when we hit the decade mark?" Alfred had asked.

"Huh?" Arthur said blankly. "Ten years?"

"Yup. So what are we going to do?"

"We've barely been together for two years. Why the hell are you thinking about ten already? At least focus on five." Arthur replied.

Alfred shook his head. "Five is such a boring number. It's stupid. We need to start planning our ten year anniversary."

"I dunno." Arthur said. "What do you have in mind?" They sat on a bench. Alfred licked his chocolate ice cream cone thoughtfully.

"Well…" He replied in a slow, contemplating tone that was so very unlike him. "I know I want to have some of this." He nodded at his ice cream.

Arthur groaned. "Really? Eat too much and you'll die. Then I'll be so depressed."

"No! I mean, I want some ice cream because it's good. Then after that I guess…I want to go out to Disney Land."

"Disney Land at 24?" Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Hell yeah! It's got Harry Potter for you, and Mickey Mouse for me." Alfred grinned. Arthur scowled at that unrealistic comment, and Alfred kissed him lightly on the forehead. Arthur's scowl vanished and he sighed warily.

"Okay. That sounds like a decent idea." He admitted.

"I'm not the only one picking. You gotta pick too."

"What do I want to do…?" Arthur repeated. "I think I'd like to go to the library and get Catcher in the Rye, just because I know you hate it. Then I'd spend all day reading it and ignoring you. I'd –"

"Read it in the car." Alfred finished with a grimace.

"– On the amusement rides –"

"– On the airplane –"

"– Next to some creepy old lady –"

"– who has a cat in her purse – "

"– And is reading Fifty Shades of Gray –"

"– While she's listening to 50 cent –"

"– And on the amusement ride –"

"– You'd drop the book –"

"– And it'd land on Donald's head –"

"– And give him a concussion –"

"– he'd become bloody mental –"

"– And go on a killing spree –"

"– the end." Arthur finished. They both started laughing. This was something they did often, creating scenarios that probably wouldn't happen just to amuse themselves.

"I want that…I totally want that to happen!" Alfred choked between fits of laughter.

Arthur smiled and shook his head. "Fat chance, love. Though the old woman reading Fifty Shades is probable enough."

"Yeah, okay." Alfred gasped, struggling to maintain a stern expression. "Seriously, though. What do you want to happen?"

Arthur's smile faded. He felt very cheesy for saying this, but it was honestly true. "I just want to be with you." He muttered, his face going a little red. "Sure, we can go to Disney Land, and maybe after that a museum or something to get all the sugar-coated happiness out of my system, but aside from that…" He trailed off and stared at his lap.

Alfred's face lit up. He was so bright Arthur couldn't look him in the eye. "Sure! We can hang out the entire day! I promise!"

"You don't have to promise anything. Idiot."

"No way! That's a promise, 'kay?" Alfred insisted.

Arthur smiled faintly, feeling Alfred's arm wrap around his shoulder. "Okay."