PruAus.

Prompt: "There's no place you can hide, because I'm running after you."

As soon as Roderick saw Gilbert, he knew, down in his very soul, that this was a mistake.

He never should have agreed to meeting with him again, after he had already-obviously poorly-burned the bridge between them with an explosive breakup. He should have maintained his own distance, at the expense of anything they could have. Yet he can't help but ask himself if there was even anything left salvaging from their broken relationship.

But as Roderick takes him in, his eyes lingering on his face, the familiar rush of excitement, longing, and affection for this man and all his flaws, rushes through him and as much as he tries to stifle the feelings… He can't force himself to hate him, nor can he truly fault him. Not completely.

If it was anyone's fault, it was his own. For being weak enough to let him in. For starting this whole damned relationship in the first place, inexplicably drawn in by Gilbert's crudeness, how untamed he was. It only took one afternoon, spent late in their university lecture room long after everyone else had abandoned it, spending too much time talking, and he was already his, like some besotted fool. Roderick was impressed with him, from the start, and just as irritated. Gilbert always showed up late to the lectures, then wrote the most beautiful poems. Yet he showed up shoddily dressed and wearing yesterday's clothes, rarely participated, and he was impossibly rude; not cruel, just unafraid of speaking his mind.

When compared, he knew that they didn't quite fit together, but if opposites attract, they were like lightning.

Yet lightning always strikes, and when Roderick was forced to realize that Gilbert was already with someone else…

It hurt beyond words. Because Roderick never would have taken Gilbert for being capable of doing that; it was at odds with the rest of his knowledge of him. And he didn't understand how he could do it to him, when Gilbert claimed he had a special place in his heart, a notion that he now strongly doubted.

Regrettably, Roderick hadn't been able to bring himself to block Gilbert's number, feeling an unbearable attachment to their old texts, and unable to ignore the desperation in the new ones he sent; which led him here, to a little coffee shop, thankfully quiet and none too close to either of their homes. He didn't think that he would be capable of it, but he didn't quite trust himself.

And now, all of his conflicting emotions are keeping him rooted in place, until Gilbert's pulled out the chair and sat across from him, his trademark grin barely concealing his nervousness as he accepts the coffee he had already ordered.

Like it had always been, Gilbert takes the first step, when it was obvious that Roderick wasn't going to speak first.

"Thank you, for giving me the chance to explain." Gilbert began, immediately getting cut off by Roderick's irritated voice.

"Stop it. Just… Stop. I'm already regretting agreeing to this."

Gilbert sighed, remaining silent for a moment before he finally lashed out. "Can we please, please just talk without your passive aggressive comments?"

"I'm sorry." He murmured, then retracting his words. Why should he be? "Actually, I'm not. I have every right to be pissed."

"You do. And you've let me know that at every fucking turn. I know, okay?" Gilbert slumps to the table, running his hands through his hair. "Fuck, I'm not good at this."

"Neither am I. I don't know how I feel. Or how I should feel, about your betrayal."

"Look, I know I'm a fuck-up, and a liar, and God knows what else I am. But if there's one thing I've ever been good at, it's falling in love with you."

When he remains silent, refusing to dignify his words with a response, Gilbert's tone becomes desperate, pleading./p

"Please, you can't hide, because if there's anyone who will run after you, its me."

Roderick doesn't know if it is his words, or how simply brokenhearted Gilbert looks, after all he's done, yet it sets him off.

"Were you that good at it? Really? You cheated on me, and you have the audacity to pretend to be the heartbroken romantic? And when have I ever asked you to chase after me?"

"No, you haven't, but-"

"Gilbert."

"I… I'm so fucking sorry, okay? I never, not once, wanted it to end like this. I never meant to hurt you like… Like I did."

"Maybe that is the difference, between us. I would never do that to you. I would never do it to anyone, actually."

"I know you wouldn't. You've always been better than me. Right?"

"Guilt-tripping me isn't going to work, Gilbert."

"Look, I have to go, this was obviously a mistake." Roderick grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair as he stood up, planning on leaving before Gilbert said another word. Yet something breaks inside him when he feels an insistent tugging on his sleeve, pulling him in tight and crushing him against his chest.

The familiar feel of Gilbert's chest beneath his fingers as he clenches the fabric is too good, too sturdy. Too bittersweet.

"I… I can't do this." Roderick mutters, unable to look up, knowing that if he does, he will be his.

"Roddy, wait-"

Abruptly, Roderich pushes Gilbert away, already turning away and walking faster, and faster, ignoring the pathetic way he called out after him. As the tears fill his eyes, threatening to spill over.

He doesn't look back.

It just isn't worth it.