It was a hot Ugandan afternoon. Like really hot. The kind of hot that made your clothes stick to your body, that made stepping outside feel like you just walked into an oven and you couldn't spend two minutes there without feeling like you couldn't breathe. Every single missionary was sweating to some degree, and most of them had opted to stay inside that morning and hydrate excessively before going out and attempting to convert the villagers. Kevin had just downed two large glasses of water, and was feeling a little sick from the overload of liquid in his stomach. He thought it would be a good idea to rest a little while before going to get his companion, and settled down on the couch in the common room.

About an hour later, Elder Pop Tarts and Elder Church were still playing small games such as rock, paper, scissors, and checkers that they had set up on the small table in front of them. Occasionally, there were murmurs and exclamations of "cheater" and "okay, that's just wrong", that were quieted immediately afterward because the two knew that Kevin was trying to rest his eyes. And Kevin thought, with a bit of a smirk, that Elder Pop Tarts sure did know how to beat the living crap out of you in either game. He would have to have Elder Pop Tarts on his team during game night.

As it was around ten thirty now, Kevin decided to check up on his companion, since he hadn't seen the smaller Mormon all morning.

Arnold was sitting on the bed, uncharacteristically quiet. Kevin knew something was up when Arnold hadn't come out to join in on the game of rock, paper, scissors. That was his favorite. Kevin scanned the room and his companion, looking for something that might be out of place that could've caused the unusual behavior of his pal. And that's when he saw it. An unopened letter sitting atop the nightstand. Kevin surmised that Arnold had put it there and hadn't opened it because it was from his family.

Kevin knew Arnold's family, since he had saw their reactions when they were about to get on the plane to Uganda. "Be more like Kevin," they had said. "I wish we had a son like him," they longed. "Instead of a disappointment like you." This statement was what really set Kevin off on the plane ride. To Arnold, it might of looked like your classic mission anxiety, but this was different. Kevin had spent the entire trip to Africa reflecting on his companion's reprimands. No wonder Arnold hadn't opened that letter yet.

Arnold turned to the nightstand and hesitantly picked up the letter. Kevin automatically moved out of Arnold's line of sight, since it would be kind of awkward if he just looked up and saw Kevin staring at his reaction to his letter.

Turning the letter over in his hands, Arnold set in down again, this time next to him on the bed. Kevin could see him taking in shaky breaths, and Kevin wondered if he should intervene. He eventually decided against it, thinking it should be something that Arnold had to do on his own. That didn't make it any less painful to sit there and watch his companion (and boyfriend) struggle with his emotions like this.

Arnold picked up the letter once again and started to open it. He pulled out the contents: a simple cream-colored piece of paper with cursive handwriting. Must be from his mother, she had written a cursive note and stuck it in Arnold's backpack before they left for Uganda. Kevin never asked about it, and Arnold never shared.

Kevin watched as his pal's expression changed from nervous, to apprehensive, to sad, to slightly angry. Arnold would never be angry at his parents, however. He was always angry with himself.

Arnold stood up, breathing even more forced, and walked to the small dresser that the two kept their missionary clothes in. There was a small picture of Kevin and his family beside the one of Arnold and his. Arnold's breath seemed to hitch at the thought of his family picture and, in a fit of anger, smacked it onto the ground. The frame shattered, and Arnold stepped back at his outburst. He didn't know how strong he was.

Kevin took the opportunity to step in before Arnold hurt himself with his underestimated strength.

"Arnold? Are you alright, pal?" Kevin said softly, slowly walking forward as if approaching a scared animal.

Arnold looked up, eyes widening and tears starting to stream down his face.

"K-Kevin?" Arnold stumbled. "Why are you here? You shouldn't be here, you shouldn't have to deal with this, I'm just a screw up, you shouldn't be stuck-" he tried.

Kevin shut him up with a kiss. Pulling away, he wiped the tears off of Arnold's face with his thumb.

"Arnold, of course I'm not stuck with you. I love you, and I'm gonna be here forever. So, what's going on? What was in that letter?" Kevin opened his arms to his companion. His face was a mixture of love and concern, and Arnold melted into his embrace.

"Oh, you know, j-just the usual 'disappointment', 'failure', 'stuck with you' kind of thing. It's really nothing I should be surprised about."

"Well, it's really nothing you deserve. You're the best, most caring person I know." Kevin held his boyfriend tighter, and felt Arnold's breathing finally calm down.

"S-sorry about the mess," Arnold said, looking over at the shattered picture.

"Listen to me. It's fine, I'll clean it up later. And don't, please don't, listen to anything your parents have to say about you. You are so much better than that," assured the taller elder, giving Arnold another small kiss. "Now, let's go get some pop tarts, I'm sure Elder Thomas always saves some for emergencies."

The two walked out of their room, greeted with smiles and small greetings from the other missionaries.

"Hey, Elder Pop Tarts?" Kevin asked, walking up to the elder who was still engaged with a game of patty cake with Elder Church.

"Yeah, what's up Kevin?" Elder Pop Tarts replied. Everyone at the hut had learned to call Elder Price by his first name ever since Kevin had told them that the old Elder Price had been gone for a very long time. He knew he was still arrogant and shallow sometimes, but the elders had come to know that he really had changed.

"You have any pop tarts left?"

Elder Pop Tarts took one look at Arnold's tear-stained face and raced off to his room. He returned with an entire box of cinnamon brown sugar pop tarts. After handing Arnold one, he sat down on the couch and gathered the other elders over to the common room.

The group spent the rest of the night complimenting and supporting Arnold until he was red in the face. Multiple times.