Disclaimer: Dragon Knights? Nope. I don't own any of it…

A.N.: Um, this is a re-write of my fiction 'Days of Wine and Roses'. I re-wrote it because…well…the first version sucked… This chapter takes place around the end, so most of this fiction (chapter 2 and on) will take place in the past as flashbacks, with intermittent thingies in the present. (I have such a brilliant vocabulary, ne?) If you don't understand this, don't worry. Things will become much clearer in the later chapters…

This story is also written for the 30 Kisses challenge on Livejournal. (Yes, I claimed Ruwalk and Alfeegi! Muahahaha.) The themes that fit this chapter are: Our distance and that person, Overflow, and Kiss. If you don't understand where these fit in this chapter, ask away in a review or something!

Roses: Chapter 1

"I'm leaving."

The words escaped past Ruwalk's lips in a slurred croak as he staggered drunkenly across Alfeegi's bedroom floor, face ashen, clothes hanging from his body in a haggard manner. Even though is words carried a heavy sense of finality, his expression remained cheerful, since the alcohol's effects had not begun to take their desired toll on him. Alfeegi's golden eyes remained untouched, obviously unaffected by the severity of the brunette's words. Yet, his thin lips were contorted into a transparent smile and Ruwalk noticed this, since it was not everyday that he saw his lover's expression show anything but anger.

"Fine." Ruwalk sought out a sense of uncertainty in Alfeegi's eyes, but only found a stern, emotionless, appearance that caused him to look away.

"You mean that?" the brunette asked coyly, backing up towards the bedroom door. When he saw the affirmative nod of his lover's head, he knew that all love was lost between them—he was not needed there anymore.

"I hate for you to leave, Ruwalk. It's just that…" Finally, the look of ambiguity that Ruwalk had been searching for was present on Alfeegi's face, and there was nothing that the aqua-haired man could do to change it. His emotionless mask had shattered and his true, lacerated being was revealed, divulging the naked truth that he had tried to hide for so long. "I can't stand what you have become."

A questioning expression manifested itself on Ruwalk's face as he stared at his lover, dumbfounded.

"…Why can't you? You're the one who made me this way." The alcohol had always caused the brunette to become blatantly truthful and Alfeegi despised that fact—he would much rather prefer that Ruwalk sugarcoated what he was verbally trying to convey, like when he was sober. The stinging authenticity of Ruwalk's words cased pools of tears to gather in the corners of his eyes and run freely down his cheeks, further washing away the façade of indifference.

"I know that it's my fault, Ruwalk! I was the first one to become dependent on it; but I've changed and I know that you can too! I know a place where-…"

"Do you think that I want to change!" Ruwalk screamed vociferously, his chipper expression distorted, finally revealing his drunken rage. "Do you think that I want help! This is the best thing that has ever happened to me!"

(A.N. He's talking very well to be drunk, ne?)

"…How can that be? Look at yourself, Ruwalk! You look a mess!"

Ruwalk's amber eyes cut over to a nearby bedside mirror and he stared dubiously at his reflection, shocked that his lover's words were true. Everything about him was out of place—his hair was pulled back into a sloppy, lopsided, ponytail with large clumps of hair falling from the band, giving him the appearance of one who had just gotten out of bed. To further enhance his disheveled look, his clothes were ill fitting, falling off of his overly slender frame. If that were not to convince anyone that he had a problem, the appearance of his face was enough to persuade even the most skeptical. His skin was turning a dark rather eerie looking yellow and baggy wrinkles were beginning to become noticeable around the corners of his moth and eyes, providing a mere glimpse at his true age. His lips were now nothing more that two thin slivers, colored a gruesome, dingy brown and covered with a thick coat of dry skin. However, the most appalling aspect of his facial features were his eyes—once vibrant and lively—had lost their glow, their appeal that made one always remember them, even when looking into his eyes only once. Even though he appeared appalled at his current appearance, that did not change his view on the toxic that caused him to morph into what he despised, nor did it deter him from being dependent on it. He was too far gone for that.

"So what?" the brunette said defensively, placing his hands on his hips. "That's something that comes with the territory, right?"

If anything, this caused Alfeegi's expression to only deteriorate in quality, obliterating the defensiveness that plagued him.

"How can you not care!" Alfeegi exclaimed, tears clouding his eyes and distorting his vision. "How can you not care about yourself? I knew that you were irresponsible, but not to this extent! You should be ashamed of yourself! All of the elements of your life have crumpled because of this!" He wiped away the tears from his eyes and grabbed a half-empty bottle of Bourbon that was sitting on the nightstand next to his bed. "This stupid alcohol!" The bottle left his hands and was sent hurtling in Ruwalk's general direction, but missed its intended target and smashed against the back wall, the bottle shattering into a million pieces and leaving a blood red trail of liquid on the peeling yellow wallpaper. The brunette stared in horror at his angered lover, then looked back at the wall momentarily before setting his sights back on Alfeegi.

"…Why…" The words left Ruwalk's lips in an animalistic growl as he rushed over to the wall and placed his hand on the spilled whiskey before shoving the hand into his mouth, sucking away the taste of the alcohol from his skin. "Wha wood you wast suck goo whistee?" (Translation: Why would you waste such good whiskey?)

"That's all you care about, isn't it?" Alfeegi questioned monotonously, eyes once again devoid of any sentiment, covered by their familiar mask. "You don't give a damn about me or how I feel. It's all about your new friends Jack Daniels and bourbon now. You've forgotten about all of what I have given to you, all the times we've shared together; they mean nothing to you now. Well, I'm sick and tired of it being this way! I'm sick of being nothing but your silly plaything! Yes, I was an alcoholic, but I'm recovering and I know that you, with a little willpower, can do the same! We can do it! We can get through this…together."

It was at that time he noticed that he wasn't getting through to Ruwalk; even though the brunette was all ears, he wasn't listening wholeheartedly and no matter what Alfeegi did or said would change him. There was a distance so vast between them that nothing would ever bring them back together like they were before, long before they were tyrannized by the destructive effects of a beverage.

"But," Alfeegi began once more, peering from behind his emotionless mask and allowing a single tear to make its escape from the prison of his eye. "If you won't even try to help yourself, I have to tell you that it is over between us. Lord knows that I have tried to help you, but I cannot take it anymore, Ruwalk! Give up the alcohol, or we're through!"

It seemed as if a jolt went through the Secretary of State, and his emotions began to show immediately, divulging his true nature. His amber eyes narrowed a millimeter and the fat tears that suddenly appeared in them caused them to appear glazed over, which, when paired with his protruding bottom lip, caused him to appear hurt by his lover's words. He quietly staggered up to the Chief Secretary and wrapped his arms around his lover, holding him closely to his body before he planted a sweet, solemn kiss on Alfeegi's forehead.

"Goodbye."

He then let go of the aqua-haired man and walked away, leaving his lover to crumple to the floor and drown in the misery of his own salty tears.

A.N.: Eh, I think that it's pretty good. It's MUCH better than the crappy prologue that I had up here before…I hate that this chapter is so short; but the other ones will be pretty long...I hope...