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All Systems Go

Hands clammy with sweat slicked over the dark brass knob. His breaths seemed like the harsh winds of a hurricane in the calm air of the house. He breathed in deeply, his hand releasing the now closed door. He knew from memory that it was a deep dark color, rich with the lines created from false wood. Despite his fear he put his hand to the door, his forehead following a moment later. Not a sound left his lips as the tears that he'd been suppressing slipped down his cheeks. They weren't visible in the dark space of the hallway. The hallway that he had walked through with smiles and laughs. He couldn't do this. White canines slipped into the fragile flesh of a pink lip and he barely stopped the sob of despair from escaping. Please-God-He couldn't do this. He had to do this. He was only going to hurt him.

The man's fingers curled into a fist on the faux wood. The duffle bag on his shoulder felt heavier now. It felt as if it was filled with heavy metals, the substance being pulled toward the earths surface via gravity. He needed to leave before he was found. The brunette clenched his eyes shut before pushing his trembling lips to the door. "Keep him safe," the words weren't audible, were said more in his mind than anything else. He had to slip out before he was found missing. Before his lover's hands clenched the empty space that was now inhabiting the spot he slept in.

The young broken man had sometimes left their bed before, had tested how long it would take before his lover noticed-he had it down to an art. The brunette knew without a doubt that it would take exactly 13.2 minutes before those dark eyes would open and blink sleepily; before their owner's body would abandon the slightly colder sheets to look for his missing bed partner. He was down to six minutes, he'd wasted 4 standing there. He needed to say goodbye. "I-I love you, I'm so sorry," pushing away from the door his hair sweeping as he went, the downcast man crept from their home. The home that they had shared for so many years. He couldn't stay any longer though.

He opened the back door slipping out of it before closing and locking the white door so stark against his tanned skin. He had to leave for his lover's own good. He was holding the other man back, was holding him close to his heard while stifling his heart. Hell he knew that he wasn't perfect, he laughed too loud, he made jokes that were considered inappropriate, dressed in clothes that were sometimes questionable. His lover put up with it though, and for a while he'd thought that his lover didn't even care. Blue eyes darkened with more tears as he remembered the conversation he'd heard earlier that month.

"He's getting to be too much." A pause, the listener's hands shaking as he pushed closer to the corner of the wall blocking him from the speaker. "No, it's just hard." His hands shook as he bent his head pushing tears back. "Of course, yes I know. I know. Look I told you that night-Yes I remember your offer. No I told you he needs me." He had turned away at that point starting his plans to leave, plans that were now currently in effect.

He darted across the grass to the small garage adjacent to their home opening the door he reached inside and pushed his bike up before starting to push it across the packed dirt road leading toward their home. He had three minutes left. Moving a bit faster he hurried down the drive way, the brown dirt caking his dark black socks. He couldn't put on the boots in the house they would have made too much noise, instead his trademark boots were stuffed in his bag that was slung across his back. In his right hand was a pair of dark tennis shoes, already tied, merely waiting for him to slip them on. One minute.

The blue eyed escapee slipped his motorbike around the corner of their yard before stopping and dropping his shoes not stopping to fix the soles before starting to run as best as he could while leading his bike.

30 Seconds. He slipped the key into the engine the kickstand already up as he revved the engine, happy with the small purr as he slipped onto her.

20 seconds, he pushed forward the momentum starting the bikes movement.

10 seconds, he was at the end of their street turning the corner.

5 Seconds, tears were slipping down his face.

2 seconds, he was holding back sobs as he pushed the engine faster quickly hitting 60.

1 second, the bike revved up and he was down 2 more streets.

0 Heero woke up his hand searching empty sheets, in the distance a motorbike raced across streets. He didn't hear it though. Looking to the clock he noted that it was 4 am and wondered briefly why he heard the shower then remembered that Duo was supposed to be at work at 5 to pick up a new case. Letting his eyes slip closed he didn't even notice what had happened, he wouldn't notice until 10 am when he asked Trowa what he was doing at work when he was supposed to be working on the case with Duo. When he would call Une and ask her about the case only to find out that Duo had taken all of his sick leave and pay.

Written: 5/8/10

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