January 8th had arrived faster than Ronnie predicted.

The morning of Ace's departure, Ronnie told himself that Ace would finally admit that he was romantically attracted to him. He didn't even expect Ace to stay and promise many things as if their life was some kind of romantic comedy, and in the last scene, the heroine would admit that she truly loved him all along.

Ronnie knew that wasn't how life worked but he wished it did. He tried to make Ace late throughout the morning, but he woke up several hours early to make sure he didn't miss his ship.

Ronnie, however, still had a few tricks up his sleeve.

When Ace woke up Ronnie made sure to keep him distracted in bed as long as possible. This was his most effective course of action, as Ace was preoccupied for two and a half hours, and then laid in bed for another half hour worried that he dislocated his hips.

During breakfast, Ronnie made sure to bring up all the topics that would make Ace refuse to shut up. Ace was eating his second favorite food, pancakes, and Ronnie knew exactly how to rile him up. “What do you think about the Championship Bowl of ‘15,” Ronnie asked.

He already knew what Ace thought, and this question just set him off. Ace went into deep detail about how he believed his favorite racer only lost because of a plot set up by sports betting websites, the racer’s enemies, and the media.

Ace believed this only because he believed whatever he saw on the internet.

Ace said the words, the media, over and over again, feeling smug and smart that he knew something that others didn’t. Ronnie tried to contain his smile behind his coffee mug and listened to his conspiracy theories. After he was done Ronnie then prodded him about other things the media did.

This entire one-sided conversation took up about an hour, and Ace didn’t even eat his food as he was too worked up. Ronnie made a mental note to put up a website blocker. His conspiracy theories were entertaining but worrying.

By now Ace couldn't make it on time to his ship, and Ronnie decided that he could try to pry a confession out of him. Ace seemed to not worry that his ship would be leaving in about an hour, and simply went around the house, trying to finish up last-minute things before he left for the planet of Paradis.

Ronnie said nothing and became even more anxious as the time approached.

Has he forgotten? Did he change his mind and just say nothing?

Ace and Ronnie went upstairs and Ace put on his favorite pair of red shoes, ready to go.

“Get your shoes Ron,” Ace groaned.

Ronnie put on his shoes and wondered where they were going. Ace grabbed his carry-on luggage, took Ronnie's hand, and blinked. They were at the docking port and Ronnie felt quite ridiculous.

“You thought I didn’t realize what you were trying to do,” Ace chuckled.

Ronnie turned red and denied it.

“I’ve been doing nothing."

You did the same thing before I left for training,” Ace grinned. “It’s cute.”

Ronnie pouted, upset that for once he was the one that was easy to see through.

“I’ll call you,” Ace promised.

“You said that last time,” Ronnie whispered. Ace embraced him and told him what he wanted to hear.

“I think I love you but the timing’s just not right,” Ace said quietly.

Ronnie started to think that he was now the main love interest in their romantic comedy and that this was when the lead would finally admit that they were ready to love again.

Ace kissed him, and Ronnie’s ears turned red. He was surprised that Ace was now so open after pretending that he was never interested in him when others were around.

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“Why’d you do that,” Ronnie asked.

“I don’t know anyone here,” Ace replied. “Fuck it.”

They kissed over and over, and Ace held his hand while they did, interlocking with his. Ace didn’t care because he planned to never return. Many of the people from the Defense Program were leaving for Paradis, and he decided to go as well, to make a new start, far, far away.

Away from the random strangers that would recognize him from the news, and reports, away from the hot glares and the random hate mail, he would get. Away from everyone who had hurt him. His mind believed that if he ran away no one could hurt him again.

He was still a child.

“You don’t have to go,” Ronnie said.

“I don’t, but I can’t stay here,” Ace told him. “I never belonged here anyway.”

“That’s not true!”

Ace hung his head and sighed, saying, “I don’t know what I want anymore. I thought I wanted that job, that I wanted her, but all of it was wrong.”

Ronnie had to put his feelings aside because it was never about them. It was about Ace trying to move on and be someone new. Anybody else? He couldn’t understand why he couldn’t stay and find himself, at home. It wasn’t what Ronnie wanted.

He just wanted Ace to stay.

“You can find yourself here, on Earth with me,” Ronnie said.

“ I can’t. I hate it here now. I’m sorry.”

“....Don’t be…”

"I love you, Ronnie….Please don’t think I was leading you on.”

Ronnie sniffled and Ace squeezed his hand.

"I might come to visit. You'll find someone nice."

Ronnie was aware that both statements were true, but he did not like the last one.

“You’re someone nice,” Ronnie said.

Ace grinned and now he found it hard to leave as Ronnie’s face was red, and he looked like he was about to cry.

Ace hugged him tight for one last time.

“Goodbye Ronnie,” Ace mumbled. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Ronnie sighed.

Ronnie watched Ace board with the other passengers. He hoped that Ace would leave the ship as all the leads do in romantic films. He would run out and into Ronnie's arms. They would kiss and then the credits would roll. He waited patiently outside for his movie ending but it never came.

The ship went off, a little dot in the sky, and then it disappeared. Ronnie went back to his apartment which now felt too small and he lay in his bed, wondering why he was never enough for Ace. He cried a little, got tired of that, drank all the beer in his fridge, watched bad television, searched up red-headed men, did some things he liked, felt guilty, showered, and fell asleep early.

Ronnie waited an entire ten days, the amount of time it would take Ace to arrive at Paradis.

Ace did not call on the tenth day, and Ronnie started to panic.

Ronnie couldn’t focus at work. He was angry and distracted, made numerous mistakes, and eventually was sent home. When he awoke the next morning, he had several text messages from Ace. Ronnie immediately called him and tried to hide his excitement. Ace and Ronnie talked for an hour, and Ronnie’s chest hurt knowing that he might not see him again any time soon.

“I feel lonely again,” Ace said.

“Get a pet,” Ronnie suggested. “I think it would be good for you to take care of someone else, so you could remember to take care of yourself.”

The thought never occurred to Ace that he could get a pet. Ronnie suggested many things for Ace to do, and it dawned on Ace that he was truly an adult. That he could do whatever he wanted, within reason, money is his only limit.

“I have to go now,” Ace told him. “I have to do some stuff.”

Ronnie didn’t like this and thought that Ace was lying to him, but knew that even if he was Ace had a right to privacy. He swallowed his pride and all he could think about was the next phone call he would get from Ace. Ronnie didn’t want to hold him back, making Ace the person he didn’t want to be.

Ace and Ronnie stayed in touch for the rest of their lives.

‎

End.