Title: Prologue

A/N: Stargazing. No special POV.

"Dude, this is dangerous."

"Oh, don't be such a wuss. Come on, it's safe. I'm out here all the time."

Anthony climbs through the window of Ian's room and joins his best friend on the small roof part right in front of it. Ian is already laying out a blanket for them and is getting comfortable.

"Woah… That is quite… high.", Anthony stutters, trying not to look down but looking down nevertheless.

"Didn't know you were scared of heights…", Ian remarks, a bit impatient now.

"I am most certainly not!", Anthony exclaims, his knees all wobbly and shaky as he makes his way toward Ian. Finally, he reaches him and slumps down next to him.

Ian stares at him and slow claps.

"Well done. Really.", he says, not sounding the least bit impressed.

"The sarcasm is strong in this one.", Anthony responds and punches him playfully in the arm.

Ian falls back dramatically, groaning in fake-pain and pretending to be dead.

"Why, Anthony, why? What have I done to deserve such abuse?"

Anthony just chuckles and leans back, propping himself up on his hands, staring up to the night sky.

"Wow. Not a single cloud. Look, Ian!"

Anthony grabs Ian's arm and pulls him into a sitting position again.

"This is amazing.", he says in awe, throwing his head back to get rid of some strains of hair disturbing his vision.

Ian gulps hard at that. He pulls his knees to his chest, wraps his arms around them and tries to focus on the stars.

"That's what I wanted you to see.", he says quietly, not sure if Anthony has heard him.

They both fall silent and keep on stargazing. This could be the last time they spend alone together.

"When's the big day?", Ian asks. He already knows the answer, but he still can't believe it. So, he has to ask it over and over again, making sure that this isn't just a nightmare he needs to wake up from.

"This weekend.", Anthony answers. He has answered Ian's questions a few times already, but he doesn't get angry or annoyed. It's not like Ian has forgotten. It's the fact that it is actually happening. And that is all kinds of wrong.

Ian sighs deeply. So a few days. A few days left to spend with Anthony. This is just sad, and depressing. He needs to change the topic quickly. Lighter mood. Go!

"So, do you know what you wanna do after high school?", he asks, in the end. This is such a cliche question, and they have talked about this so many times already. Neither of them knows what they are going to do after graduation. But school talk is better than his-best-friend-moving-away-to-another-state talk.

"I'm gonna go to college.", Anthony answers, making Ian jump slightly. He hasn't expected this answer.

"Really? And then?"

"Well, first I'm gonna join the swimming team of my college, train hard, become the best swimmer there is, take part in tournaments, and hopefully get scouted. And then I'm gonna be an Olympics swimmer."

It's like a long, withheld dream that just blurts out of him. A confession. This is his plan no one knows about. Even Ian doesn't know about this. Well, he does now. It seems like there is nothing holding Anthony back, like he has nothing to lose by telling Ian everything now. He is moving away. And he is on his way to fulfilling is dream.

"Wow. I didn't know. You never mentioned that you wanted to become a pro swimmer.", Ian answers, not knowing what else to say. "I just… I just thought you liked water."

"I do. It is the best feeling in the world, when I'm in the water, swimming. The water surrounding me, keeping me safe, but at the same time attacking me. I have to fight it, to tame it. To become one with it. And then I'm… Then I feel free."

Anthony looks over at Ian, who is staring at the sky but is not really here at all. His mind has drifted off, Anthony can tell.

"What about you?", he asks to divert the attention from himself to Ian. "Any plans for the future?"

"Well, let's see…", Ian begins and stays silent for a moment thinking. Should he be sarcastic? Or should he just lie? Or should he tell Anthony the truth? "I'm not sure. Maybe something with drawing. Maybe college, too. I don't know. My grades kinda suck, and I don't think my parents can afford paying for some high-class fancy arts college. Let alone let me apply to one." The truth it is.

"Oh… I see."

An awkward silence settles between them. Neither of them not knowing what to say or tell. This is a first. Usually, they talk and laugh for hours. Ian loves Anthony's voice and smiles. He could listen to him rambling all night long. But today is different.

"You wanna go back inside again?", Ian suddenly asks. "It's getting kinda cold. Don't want you to freeze to death. The world would be missing one hell of a swimmer."

Anthony snickers, then shakes his head.

"No, I'm fine."

Well, this is going great so far. The sarcasm is also strong in him right now. Actually, this is horrible. He knew Ian would be sad when he told him that he was leaving, moving away to go to a very expensive and popular boarding school. However, Ian is killing him right now with his sad puppy dog eyes and that sad, fake, forced smile of his. He needs to do something. He needs to lighten the mood quickly, before it starts falling apart. Which it kinda is already. This is not how he has imagined their last time together. Suddenly he remembers something, rummages around in his backpack he has brought along and pulls out his Gameboy.

"Ready for a Pokemon battle?"

Ian's face lights up instantly. There it is again. That cheeky smile, that fire in Anthony's eyes. Maybe this night won't be that different and depressing after all. Maybe this will be a night just like any other. A night to remember. A night they will look back at later and say "This is when it all started.", since Ian is certain they will see each other again.

Anthony will come to visit him, of course, more than once a year hopefully. Not just for Christmas, but for summer break. And Thanksgiving. And Halloween. And Easter. And for the fireworks on the 4th of July. And when Anthony will get into college, they will continue their meet-ups throughout the year, since there is also like winter break and spring break and Easter break and summer break, which stretches out over quite a few months. They will have the whole summer to themselves. Just the two of them. And Ian will pick him up at the airport after work (he is positive he will have some sort of job). And it will be like old times. He's not even sure right now why he is worrying so much about Anthony moving away.

After all, everything is going to be fine. Right?