"Well, it's been amazing, I guess I'll… See you around."
Kevin Price stared as Connor McKinley headed to board the bus back to the airport, his mind racing. That was all he had to say? It was more than Kevin managed to get out, at least. There was so much he would have said if the words didn't keep dying in his throat. So much had happened the twenty-one months they had been together in Uganda that would fill a library if written down. Though it had only been a relatively short time for the young adults, he couldn't remember life before his mission and frankly, didn't want to. Elder Price had grown so fond of the country and its people and his fellow Elders and him, that he couldn't help but feel like a piece of his life was being taken away.
He knew it would come to this; Elder McKinley had been in Uganda four months before Kevin even boarded the plane. He would be leaving after two years, just as every other young Mormon boy did, even if Kevin's own mission still had months to go. He knew this, but he still let himself get attached.
It's not like they would never see each other again. Kevin was from Provo, Connor from Stratton, Colorado. Not impossibly far from one another, but with both men going to college after his mission, Kevin wouldn't have the time to see the other man nearly as much as he'd like.
His thoughts seemed to pause on their sort-of kiss a few months ago. Kevin experienced what was only the third Hell dream he had ever had, and being an expert on the topic, Elder McKinley talked him down from it. He couldn't explain why he had the dream – as far as he knew, he hadn't done anything to disappoint Heavenly Father in the time leading up to the dream. Connor simply said he knew the feeling, and at that moment, Kevin wanted nothing more than to lean forward and kiss the other missionary. So he did.
It was a strange sensation. He never really wanted to kiss anyone before, male or female. He didn't exactly know how to, either. He never really grew out of his "shield your eyes and say ew!" phase whenever his parents were affectionate towards one another. So it was awkward, and so quick that it was practically over before it began.
Kevin definitely remembered feeling the tiniest bit of pressure, of reciprocation from Connor, before he pulled back. His face remained professional but his eyes shone brighter than they had before, as he cleared his throat and suggested they get back to bed.
They didn't speak a single word of it after it happened, but that didn't keep Kevin from replaying the event in his mind on an endless loop. From the impulse grew curiosity, which bloomed into quiet affection, which kept growing until Kevin realized, 'Oh my gosh, I'm in love with him.'
He talked about it with Nabulungi a lot. She was a rather good listener, and didn't judge him at all. Though she seemed innocent and naive on the outside, she knew a lot more about love than Kevin and was always willing to offer him advice. She never told him, but she often had nearly identical conversations with the district leader himself about Kevin. She always assured the both of them that if Heavenly Father was as loving as they made him out to be in their sermons, then there was no way he could disapprove of something so pure and beautiful. Still unsure, Kevin took solace in the idea that since he would likely never get to act upon his feelings, he would be alright.
But there he stood, months later, running out of time to say anything and without another foreseeable chance to do so. This kind of decision was one he would normally think about for a good amount of time. Connor began to board the bus, and Kevin knew that if he said nothing, he would probably never have another chance. And he refused to let that happen.
"Elder McKinley, wait!" he called out, letting his heart take control of his actions. Connor's head whipped around, as if he had been waiting for him to say something, and their eyes locked. And Kevin began to run towards the bus, which really wasn't that far away and really just made him look like the hero of a romantic comedy film. Connor stepped down from the stairs leading up to the door, much to the annoyance of the impatient driver.
Kevin caught him in a rib-cracking hug, feeling tears sting at the corners of his eyes. There was so much he could say, his thoughts filled with an endless amount of words. But he kept it simple. "I love you," he whispered shakily, directly into Connor's ear.
Then, in full view of the other Elders of the District 9 Ugandan Mission, Connor pressed his lips to Kevin's for their first real kiss. It too was brief, longer than the first one but brief, as both of them now had much to say.
"I'll write to you."
"You're only allowed two letters a year, Kevin."
"I'll find a way to get them to you."
"Elder Church has my contact information; you can ask him for it."
"I don't know how if I can handle these next few months."
"You can. I know you can. I love you."
The two were broken only by the driver practically leaning on the horn, urging Connor to get on so the bus could leave. He wiped away the sole tear that ran down Kevin's cheek with a smile, before boarding the bus and leaving the other man alone.
Filled with a new sense of confidence, Kevin turned back to the other missionaries, still a bit shocked by their friends' actions. "Come on, guys. We've got a mission to run."