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"Aren't you coming Fang?" The hero asks his boyfriend. His face was solemn. His thoughts were everywhere.
The shadow user looks at his lover with an unreadable expression. "I'm not."
Boboiboy went down to his boyfriend, patting his back, whispering him a, "Are you sick? Do you need me to do something for you?"
Fang shakes his head. Mumbling to himself, "Today is her death anniversary."
Oh. Her again. A pained smile enters the boy's face, good thing he hide his pain well. Fang's pained at the thought of the death anniversary of his old lover.
He understood all too well the grief of losing a loved one. Yet, all Fang looks at was his old dead lover. Ignoring the person that was standing next to him.
It was fine to feel pain of losing a loved one. Truly, it was a valid feeling but... all the shadow user talks and pays attention is the memories and happiness he had with the woman he once loved. Fang forgot the person he is with right now.
The hero hated to admit it but he hated her. Someone who was long dead managed to make him feel as if he wasn't enough in a relationship.
That he wasn't kind enough. Fang silently admitted that she was the kindest of them all. No one can compare to the kindest she had.
That he wasn't pretty enough. The shadow user always compares something he deems beautiful to his old lover.
Boboiboy felt inferior. Yet like the good person and lover he was, he comforted his boyfriend, who never payed attention to him.
He hesitates. Before patting his boyfriend's back. Telling in a soft voice, "Alright. I'll inform the higher bosses, also — I made you some red carrot muffins. Just look for them."
He wanted to take his boyfriend in an mission date with them eating the hero's baked goods. Too bad, Fang choose her over him.
The elemental user sighs to himself. Before closing the door. Fang never bid him goodbye.
♧
"I swear to god," Gopal began. "When you had a relationship with that gloomy emo kid — you weren't the same."
Ying then throws a punch in Gopal's direction. "You insensitive bitch!"
Yaya angrily scolds the other girl, "Language!"
The pink hijab girl went her way to the hero. Her face soft. "Are you alright?"
The hero averts their gazes. Holding his breath before replying, "I'm not."
Ying then made her way to pat the boy's head. Being there for her friend when he needs her. "It's okay not to be okay."
Gopal inserts himself, "Yeah! Thanks for telling us how you feel idiot. Will definitely use that on you later."
Now it was Yaya who punches Gopal. The two women stopped their glare when the hero laughs heartily.
"Guys.... thanks so much."
They all said at the same time. "Of course!"
"But... I've been thinking about this a lot." He added. His friend's attention on him. They all encouraged him to share.
He told them his thoughts. The three of them had different reactions. Ying's face was stoic. Yaya understanding and Gopal.... serious.
No one opposes to his decision.
Gopal was the first to react. "Man. I totally understand where your point is. Don't worry bro, we'll support you whatever shit you do."
Then Ying, "I swear I'll give that purple haired alien a piece of my mind. Fuck him."
Yaya agrees with the other girl. Her voice evident on anger "He's a jerk. How could he do all those to you?"
Boboiboy laughs heartily, adding, "Well. I should act quickly before my mind changes again."
He has loved his boyfriend long enough at the expense of his own boundaries and his own heart. He needed to stand up for himself.
He still loves Fang.
Just that, he couldn't love the person when he's treated like a replacement for his old lover.
His worth to his boyfriend is only a replacement. And being hurt is an understatement.
When the shadow user asked him to be boyfriend, Fang's eyes were disinterested. It was only Boboiboy whose eyes sparkled when asked of such thing.
Reality hits him. Literally.
Tears were inevitably falling from his eyes. He was fooled! He was an idiot.
The three looked at the crying boy.
"Wow. Boboiboy?" Ying asked, worry in her eyes. As Yaya and Gopal made their way to the boy.
The boy wipes his tears and replaces it with a smile. He said, "I'll be fine."
♧
Returning at the room of his lover. The hero opens the door silently. The first thing he sees is the cold muffins.
He bit his lip. Fang left his muffins cold.
He then places himself next to the man. Fang glanced at the boy. There was no greeting.
Fang found it weird. His boyfriend didn't greet him.
"Hey, can I ask you a question?" The hero's voice was vulnerable. Wanting this to be fast.
Fang doesn't respond.
"Fang," he asks this forcefully. The shadow user cast him a glance. Trying to hold the hands of his lover.
Boboiboy avoids his touch. His eyes looking directly at his lover. "You have to answer me honestly."
The shadow user shrugs.
"I'm only a replacement for her, aren't I, Fang?" The elemental hero asks gently. His voice hiding all the pain he felt.
The shadow user widens his eyes, seeming as if every word that he heard was.... true. He was silent.
The hero wanted to give his lover a chance of answer but silence wins. He bent his head, holding back his tears. Not wanting to believe anything.
He relented. Placing a neutral expression in his pain striken face.
Boboiboy then smiles. "If you think that I'm an alternative, a replacement.... then I want this, I want us, to end."
"Boboiboy...." Fang mumbled to himself.
"Fang. I'm asking for a breakup."
Fang realizes what happened. In a blink of an eye, he grabs the elbow of his boyfriend, replying in a pained voice, "do you not love me anymore?"
His lover looked back. A more pained expression reflected in his face.
"Fang. I've loved you will all I can."
"So...." Fang felt reassured. Thinking that this was one of his boyfriend's pranks.
Too bad. The elemental user really desired to break up with his boyfriend. "But how about you? Did you love me at all?"
Fang now forcefully grabs his boyfriend. His glare obvious. Attempting to cuddle the other boy. "I do! I do love you! I may not show it but I do! You're everything to me."
The elemental hero had now a smile on his face. A reassuring one. Fang thought that this will be all a joke. Nothing more than a small misunderstanding.
"Fang," the boy calls softly, before adding. "Those were the same words you said to her before she died."
Fang stood at the scene as Boboiboy left.
♧
A week has passed. And Boboiboy avoided his ex-boyfriend's presence. He seems to be living his life.
Fang was never given a chance to interact with his boyfriend.
Now was different. The hero was now in front of him. Forced by the situation of the mission.
The shadow user immediately came to the scene. Wanting to at least talk it out again with his lover.
"Boboiboy... I—"
The hero looks at him, a cold face with an even impassive voice, "Good Morning, Lance Corporal. What might you need of this Cadet to do?"
His ex-lover called him of his title and not his name. Boboiboy would call him his title jokingly but this time it was.... different.
Clearly, the boy made things clear. He made boundaries to keep their relationship apart.
Then Fang knew at that moment that they were never ever going back. They never will be the same as before.
All because of the way he treated the boy.