div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"Jack took a deep breath, soon letting it out and watching it mist and disappear before him. He looked back up that the looming door, feeling as small as ever. He removed a trembling hand from his coat and curled it into a fist, knocking lightly on the door three times. Jack continued to take deep breaths, trying to calm his jumping nerves and bass drum of a heart./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"When the door opened, and he saw the face he loved so much, the memories flooded back./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"-/div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""… you can't be serious, Mark," the green haired man put his coffee mug on the table, looking at his lover in complete disbelief./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""I'm not," the taller man couldn't even face his partner./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""You're basically breaking up with me, you know that, right?" Jack leaned back in his chair, feeling white hot rage pool in his stomach./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""Yes, I know. But, I've done a lot of thinking, and… I think it would be for the best…" Mark replied, clasping his hands together./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""I don't understand… why?"/div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"-/div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""Don't cry, Sean."/div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"Jack moved a hand up to wipe the tears about to waterfall out of his eyes, making it obvious he was angry. "That's the first thing you say to me? After a year?"/div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"Mark inwardly sighed. "Come in, please," he stepped aside and spread his arm out, gesturing for the younger man to come in./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""Okay," Jack made his way inside, shrugging off his coat and hanging it on the nearby coat rack./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""I have a pot of coffee going. Make yourself at home," Mark gestured into the living room, making his way into the kitchen./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"Jack walked into the all too familiar living room and sat in a chair. As soon as he had sat down, Chica bounded to him, laying herself down at his feet. He smiled and bent down to scratch the dogs head. Not too long after, Mark returned with two cups of coffee in hand./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"After handing one to Jack, the red haired man sat in the seat across from him. "So… happy birthday," Mark tried to ease some of the tension away./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""Thanks," Jack looked at him with the ghost of a smile and took a sip, nearly spitting it back out again. After swallowing, he added, "You remember my birthday emand /emmy coffee habits."/div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"Mark let a small smirk play on his lips. "Yeah, sometimes I instinctively make two cups, then remember…"/div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""Yeah, I get it."/div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"-/div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""I don't get it," Jack looked at Mark with pure rage. "You want to break up with me to work on yourself? What's there to work on?"/div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""A lot of things- look, if I told you now, you wouldn't understand, okay? Please, just take my word for it, Sean," Mark was practically begging now./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""No, no no, Mark. I at least need to know something," he glared at him, accusation written in bold letters in his expression./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"-/div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""Don't look at me like that, Sean."/div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""How could I not? You left me for a year," Jack set his mug on the nearby table and moved to sit on the edge of the chair. "You left me for selfish reasons," he finished, sounding more accusing than before./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"Mark hung his head, feeling tears sting the back of his eyes. "I know, and I feel horrible. I just want you to know how sorry I am, and if you don't-" he had to pause due to his voice cracking. "If you don't want to be with me anymore, then I understand," he sat back up and took his glasses off, wiping tears from his eyes only for them to flood back./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""Mark, no," Jack got up and crouched down by Mark's head. "I've been waiting to see you again for a year. I'm not going to let our relationship be ruined by some… petty fight about fixing yoursef," he wrapped his small arms around his neck. "Of course I still want to be with you. I think I love you even more that I did a year ago."/div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"Mark gave a small smile, rubbing more tears out of his eyes. "Thank you, Sean. Thank you so much," he closed the space between them, trying to make up a years worth of tension in one tender kiss./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"When the kiss finally broke, Jack looked into Mark's eyes, the hurt and betrayal replaced by unconditional love./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"-/div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"The betrayed feeling wouldn't leave him. "Okay. This is goodbye."/div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""Not for good. I hope you understand," Mark looked at Jack with hurt clear in his eyes./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""You don't know that. I don't know that. See you when I see you, Mark," Jack then turned, walking to Matt's car that was parked near the driveway./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""See you," Mark whispered to no one, watching the love of his life go, not sure how long it would be until they were reunited./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"-/div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""Guess this is goodbye?" Jack turned to his boyfriend with a smile./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""Not for long. When will you be completely moved back in?" Mark asked, his arms still around his love./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""It won't take too long. I promise," he took his hand and leaned on his chest./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""It better not. I miss you already," Mark held him close, rocking back and forth. Jack smiled like he never smiled before./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;""Okay. Matt's waiting. I'll be back soon. I love you," he looked up at his partner and kissed him lovingly./div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" /div
div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"When the kiss broke, Mark reluctantly let the love of his life go, looking forward to their next meeting./div