Devil's Drop

The First Sunday

Chester checked his watch. He didn't have too much longer and he'd really need to get his ass out the door. He swiveled on his heels, scanning the bedroom one last time. Got all my clothes, and my journal, and my paperwork. He let out a sigh, his eyes softening as he looked at the freshly made bed, and how the pillows on Mike's side were fluffed and positioned a little differently from the ones on his side. I'm going to miss him.

He pursed his lips and told himself to suck it up. It was time to go to work, and everything here in his own private paradise would just have to wait until he could come back to it. He clicked off the light, and trotted down the stairs.

"Mike," he called, checking the time again as he headed for the kitchen, where his boyfriend was planted at the table, swallowing down his breakfast, "I gotta get going. Are you sure you won't change your mind and stay here while I'm gone?" Chester asked as he brushed off his black t-shirt, and fanned a hand over his red-tipped mohawk. Leaving for the weekend to go to YRS always left him anxious about his appearance. More so than usual.

Mike looked up from his bowl of Lucky Charms and he felt the corners of his mouth turn down in a frown. The past several days had been perfect, the two of them holed up together in the loft as soon as Mike came home from work. There had been dinner every night, coffee every morning, and different intimacies every time they could squeeze them in. He didn't want Chester to leave, because the minute he walked out the door, it meant he was no longer only Mike's... and he was someone else, someone he didn't even know, and Mike couldn't bear to imagine the things he'd be doing. It had been easy to ignore it, to not talk about Chester's job during their evenings together, but the fact that he was leaving this morning and Mike was going back to his place meant the whole situation was indeed real.

He tried to keep his voice steady as he answered, "I promised Anna some girl time this weekend. You know, catching up and hair dye and all that. I haven't been home in almost a week." There was a spoonful of marshmallows waiting to be scooped up and Mike was ready for the sugary goodness as he lifted his spoon again. "I'll be here Sunday when you get back... if you want me to be." He popped the marshmallows in his mouth and tried to let the sweetness improve his mood.

Chester smiled as he walked around to the back of Mike's chair. He leaned forward, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend's neck and kissing the side of his head. "I always want you here," he whispered. "But do as you must. Girl time and hair dye. Sounds like fun. Tell her I said hi," he stated before a large sigh escaped him. He let his head rest against Mike's. "I'm gonna miss you, Sexy Boy."

There was just heartbeat's pause before Mike said, "I'll miss you too, Ches. Promise you'll call?" He hated the desperation that had crept into his voice.

"You couldn't stop me if you tried. Every night, okay?" Chester asked as he kissed Mike's ear one more time before he stood himself up straight. "I think I'm going to take some coffee with me," he mumbled before he walked into the kitchen, opening cabinet doors to find the silver and black travel thermos he knew was hiding somewhere.

"Okay." Mike pushed his chair back and took his empty bowl to the sink, rinsing it out before he moved to put it in the dishwasher. "Are you looking for your travel mug? I think I put it in the cabinet over there," he said, nodding his head to the left. "Sorry, I wasn't sure where it went."

Chester followed Mike's nod, and sure enough, he found what he was looking for. He spun around, grabbing the half-empty coffee pot. He filled his thermos, and clipped the cap on before he looked back at Mike, who looked like he was suddenly the saddest person on the face of the earth.

"Hey," Chester said softly, leaving his coffee on the counter as he walked over and took his boyfriend gently by the waist. "You okay? I mean, this is nothing new. You know I have to go work."