"You have 0 new messages." The automatic voice on Kevin's answering machine broke his heart. It had been almost a whole month since the "incident", as he liked to call it, happened. It was another late night at the office. He was trying, honestly
he was, but it just wasn't enough. That night he came home to an empty apartment. Sure, he's come home to it empty before, but this time was different. There was this feel deep down in his belly that screamed "something's wrong!" He only listened
when he walked into his bedroom. On the bed there was a ring and a note.

"My dearest Kevin,
Relationships are tough. There's a sort of give and take two parties must equally participate in. I know that past year has been tough, lots of late nights at work and practically no time for "us" because of that. Promotions are great and I'm so proud
of the man you've become, the man you let me help you become. But I feel as though what was once here is gone. I hate leaving like this. I hate myself. Sometimes I hate you. But it's so hard on me. Coming home from the lab to a cold and empty bed,
putting on a face that says I'm alright. When deep down I'm not. I love you, and this pains me, but it's what I have to do for ME. And when I work on ME and you work on YOU maybe, just maybe we can be an US again. But right now, I can't.
I'm sorry, and goodbye,
Eddward Vincent."
It stabbed at Kevin's heart as he reread the letter for the millionth time with a glass of brandy in his hand. What got him every time was that Edd didn't sign with his last name. It meant this was real, that he was gone. And it killed him.
Two hours north of that tiny one bedroom apartment, Eddward Vincent refreshed his text message app for the twentieth time. And he got the same results he always gets. One hello text from his mother and father, a meme from his group text with Ed and Eddy.
But nothing from the one person he desperately missed. Now, Edd is a smart guy, the smartest researcher on his team, but he was a goddamn fool. He loved Kevin. Still does but there was just no time for them. They fought a lot, mostly about work, sometimes
even big fights about small things like Kevin leaving his socks everywhere. It was just problem after problem after Kevin got that promotion. He promised Edd it meant more money for bills and even saving up for a new house and ever adopting a baby,
but then fights about finances started. Edd thought they should have a joint account. Hell people get married and have joint accounts right away, why did they have to wait five years to get one. He's good with math, balancing a checkbook is child's
play to him so it just made sense. But Kevin was against it. Only god knows why the man was so stubborn about keeping his finances separate from "the love of his life" but he just wasn't having any of it. That's why Edd left. He couldn't take the
secrets, what was Kevin hiding? He wanted to get out before he got hurt, but he just ended up hurting himself. His heart ache for his red headed Adonis. Oh how he yearned for his touch, even if it was just the tips of his fingers. Edd missed Kevin.
And he was a goddamn fool for leaving. But did he even consider calling said redhead? No. Not even once. But the same can be said about Kevin. He never texted. Not even an "are you safe" text. He had no idea where Edd had gone, yet he never tried
to reach out to him. And that's why Edd found himself on the subway at 1 o'clock in the morning, traveling to his and Kevin's old shared apartment.
Walking up to the door Edd heard the sound a glass breaking, as if something was thrown. Kicking himself for leaving his key that terrible night he slowly raised his arm to knock on the door.
"Knock. Knock. Knock."
Kevin jumped up at the sound. Who on earth would be visiting this late at night. Slowly opening the door, his heart lurched up his throat and his jaw dropped.
"E-Edd." He all but whispered.
"I'm so sorry!" Edd cried out and jumped into Kevin's arms. "I'm a fool! You're my everything. I'm sorry I love you."
"Oh god Edd." And Kevin cried too.
They sat in the doorway of their once shared apartment holding each other and crying all of their sorrow and pain away.
Now that they had each other again, there would no longer be such a thing as no contact between the two.