"I'm sorry, Ker," Phong murmurs. He is sitting beside where Ker lays sleeping in their hut. He holds one of Ker's hands with both of his. "I'm so, so sorry."

Phong doesn't want to do this, but he knows it must be done. He doesn't want to leave Ker alone. He hates that he has to do this, but there is no other choice.

Phong closes his eyes tight. Ever since they were reunited months ago, he has hurt Ker so many times. Most of the time it's verbal abuse, but, every so often it's physical. He hates that he has become this monster who hurts his lover. But, when he's angry, he cannot stop it or control it, and he takes his anger out on the closest person, which is almost always Ker.

Phong's eyes snap open when he hears Ker whimper in his sleep. Ker's beautiful face is twisted in pain and fear. Tears spill from his closed eyes. Gently and carefully, Phong reaches out a hand to rest on Ker's tear stained cheek. He caresses the soft, smoother skin there.

"Hush, Ker," he murmurs. "You're safe. You're alright. No one is going to hurt you. Not anymore."

Almost instantly, Ker relaxes. Phong smiles softly, and continues to caress his lover's cheek as he gives the hand he's holding a gentle, soothing squeeze.

"My Ker," Phong murmurs. He leans down to press a soft, chaste kiss to Ker's forehead. "My precious Ker. I love you so, so much."

Ker's lips twitch into a tiny smile, and Phong feels tears sting his eyes. He quickly dries them away. He cannot cry. He has to be strong. If he cries, he will want to stay with Ker, but he knows he cannot do that. If he wants to keep Ker safe, he knows he has to leave.

Phong leans down to press one last kiss to Ker's forehead before standing up. He goes to the doorway and picks up the bag full of his possessions. Then, he exits the hut with one last longing look at Ker.

"So that's it, Phong?" he hears Saki's voice growl. "You're leaving?"

"I'm sorry," Phong murmurs. He hangs his head. "I have to do this."

"No, you don't, Phong," Saki replies, narrowing her dark eyes. "What you need to do is control your anger. You can't just runaway from your problems, Phong. You're a man, so act like one. Men don't do this."

"I have to do this, Saki," Phong repeats, his voice a low growl. "I want to keep Ker safe. The only way I can keep him safe is by leaving. I'm the reason why he's so hurt all the time."

"No, you're not, Phong," Saki tells him. "You know you're not. Those soldiers made him how he is now. It's those soldiers' fault, not yours."

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Phong closes his eyes tight as he feels tears sting his eyes. He'll never forgive the soldiers who had hurt his Ker. Before the war, Ker was a brave, strong person, now he's a broken man. And, Phong is not helping him by lashing out at him when he's not angry.

Phong opens his eyes to glare at Saki. "I may not be the main cause, but I'm part of it," he tells her. "I hurt him, Saki! Lovers shouldn't hurt one another, yet I do! What kind of lover am I?"

"A horrible one, if you leave, Phong," Saki hisses. "What am I going to tell Ker, hm? He's going to be so distraught, so broken. You may not think so, but Ker needs you. He needs only you."

"I'm sorry," Phong says, his voice a pathetic sounding whimper. "Tell Ker I'm sorry, too. Tell him that I love him more than anything, and I will always love him."

"Why don't you tell him yourself?" Saki says, and Phong looks up.

"What?" he says. She motions for him to turn around, and he does. Standing in the doorway of the hut, is Ker. Dressed in one of Phong's too-large shirts, with his shoulder length hair all matted and standing on end, he looms almost like a child. "Ker? What are you doing up? You should be sleeping."

"Why are you leaving, Phong?" Ker questions in a broken voice. "Don't you know I need you here?"

Phong shakes his head. He takes a step close to Ker, dropping his bag as he does so. "You don't need me, sweetheart," he murmurs. "All I ever do is hurt you."

"Only when you're angry," Ker replies. "And, besides, I can handle it. I'm used to people hurting me."

"Ker, that's not something you should be used to," Phong says. He lifts up a hand to rest on Ker's cheek. Ker leans into the touch and closes his eyes. "No one should ever be used to being hurt."

"But I am," Ker tells Phong. He breathes out a heavy sigh. "A few hits every so often isn't going to hurt me, Phong."

"Yes, Ker, it will!" Phong snarls, removing his hand from Ker's cheek. Ker flinches at his risen tone, but that doesn't seem to phase Phong. "Ker, you're already broken enough! I don't want to be the cause of breaking you further!"

Ker's eyes fill with tears, and he looks away. This seems to cause Phong to snap out of his anger, and he lowers his hand. "Oh, Ker," he murmurs softly. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

But Ker doesn't look his way. He continues to stare off into space, tears spilling from his eyes and sliding down his cheeks. Phong watches as his shoulders tremble, and a sob escape past his lips.

"Ker," Phong breathes out. "Baby, look at me. Please, Ker. I'm soddy for raising my voice. It's just, I was angry, and -"

"It - It's alright," Ker replies shakily, turning to face Phong. Phong steps even closer to Ker, and moves to rest his forehead onto Ker's own. He watches as Ker closes his eyes, and leans into the touch when Phong places one hand onto his tear stained cheek.

"You're making this harder for me, Ker," Phong tells him. Ker opens his eyes, and stares into Phong's own. "I need to leave, but you're making me want to stay."

"Then stay," Ker says. "If you want to stay, then stay."

"You know I can't, my darling," Phong replies, and Ker's face falls. "I'm sorry."

Ker suddenly pulls away from Phong. "Leave, then!" he snarls. Tears sting his eyes and slide angrily down his cheeks. "Leave! What are you waiting for, Phong?"

"Ker -" Phong starts, but Ker cuts him off.

"Leave!" Ker says again. "Get out of here, and never come back! If you leave today, I never want to see you again!"

Phong hangs his head, and moves to pick up his bag. He looks over his shoulder at Ker, who stands there, his eyes narrowed, and his arms folded in front of his chest. He narrows his eyes even further when Phong looks his way.

"Leave!" he orders sharply. "Now!"

"I'm sorry, Ker," Phong murmurs, then walks down the path away from the hut, leaving Ker and Saki standing alone, staring at his retreating form.