"Good morning." Nino mumbles leaning into the chair and resting his head on Jay's.

Even though he knew Nino had no bad intentions towards him he felt constricted. He'd grown to almost despise this place. It was beginning to feel far too similar to his childhood home. He knew Nino felt it too as his arms gradually tightened practically pining him to the chair. He abruptly stood, making Nino gasp in surprise.

"You should get started on your chores, I'll do mine." He hurriedly walked away feeling the shame of wanting to leave someone who loved him so much claw at him.

Nino gazed after, his face softening into a small smile full of sadness. It hurt, Jay's rejection was becoming more and more apparent day by day. He was so selfish for wanting him to stay but he had been alone for far too long before. He wanted to do anything possible to stop Jay. He slipped on his coat hanging on the hooks next to the door. He picked up the wooden bucket sitting by the door before walking out to the nearby stream.

When he came back Jay was at the sink washing the few dishes they had from yesterday. Jay glanced over at Nino not even bothering to feign a smile before turning back to the sink, a solemn look upon his face. Nino smiled. Jay had never understood why Nino bothered to walk to the stream to get water for the plants rather than using the pump they had both worked to fix multiple times. They worked around each other the rest of the day, Jay avoiding him as much as possible. They ate lunch in silence. 

Then at dinner time Nino finally spoke up, "What's been up with you all day?" He moved the food around his plate. 

Jay and him had made the misshapen plates together out of clay. 

He picked at it before he continued, "I'm worried, you've been avoiding me all day." Nino gave Jay a tight lipped smile, his uncovered eye demanding an answer.

"It's nothing." Jay mumbled, wings flexing and pulling inwards, eyeing Nino as he took a bite of mashed potatoes.

Nino looked away sighing, "Yeah," his eyes flickered by to Jay's face finger twitching aw he whispered, "Okay then." 

He abruptly stood slamming his hand on the table before scraping the rest of his food onto Jay's plate and throwing the dish in the sink where it promptly shattered. Jay's wings flared out in surprise. He stormed away leaving Jay sitting there gaping. 

"You had better clean that up!! Quit throwing a fit Nino!" Jay shouted at him after a moment settling his wings back into a comfortable position.

He got no reply so he sunk down in his chair and finished the food before cleaning up the broken clay. He wandered around the house gathering a few jars of food and other knickknacks he thought he might need before stashing them in an unused cupboard in the kitchen. He sat on the hardwood floor leaning up against the cupboards and looking up as the light faded away from the sky casting heavy shadows within the house. He fiddled with his wings picking out a few feathers and leaving them on the floor as he left to their bedroom.

"Nino?" Jay called softly in case he was sleeping.

He got no reply so he climbed into bed soundlessly resting a wing on Nino carefully as he always did.

Nino turned to face him, his lonely eye glowing in the quickly fading light, "You don't love me anymore do you? You just want to leave right?" His voice was hoarse and Jay could track the tears still running down his cheek.

Jay was silent only bringing a hand forward and wiping Nino's tears away. He was shoved away.

Nino awoke alone. He debated laying in bed for the rest of the day but slowly got up once realizing the silence that coated the house. If it was a normal day Jay would've certainly knocked something over with his wings in the time Nino had laid in bed. Once he had gotten to the kitchen he spotted Jay standing over the sink.

"I'm going to go get water…" Nino muttered before grabbing the pail by the door and walking out to the stream.

Once certain Nino was gone Jay hurriedly dropped down and started stuffing his pack full of supplies from the cupboard. He was ashamed but he needed this escape. This life didn't suit him in the slightest, Nino deserved better. Jay slid the satchel over his head and let it settle on his opposite shoulder.

He didn't notice the door open behind him, "Jay? What are you doing?" Nino's voice wavered.

Jay simply stood and faced him, guilty face giving him away completely. The wooden bucket held in Nino's hands fell to the floor, water splashing over the rug. One he had watched Nino make with his own hands, small images of things they shared and their interests embroidered into the fabric.

"You can't! Don't joke around! Don't do this! Please Jay! I knew there was something wrong! You can just talk to me. Just talk to me, don't leave." He shouted, voice wavering as he quieted.

He slowly walked over to Jay, he slipped his arms around his waist resting his head on Jay's chest, "Please, I'll do anything. Don't leave please." His arms tightened around Jay as a hand wound its way into Jay's feather's and began pulling at them.

Jay winced, "Nino let me go. You're hurting me."

"You can't leave! I can't be alone again Jay. I really can't!" Nino sobbed, only holding on tighter.

"Let go!" Jay screamed, shoving Nino back and slamming his lower back into the counter.

Nino pulled himself back onto his feet, Jay sprang forward as he spotted Nino inching for his component pouch. Jay grabbed in the leather cord slipping out of Nino's belt loop leaving it in Jay's hands. Jay slowly set the pouch down before coming back up to face Nino. Gently and slowly he wrapped his arms around Nino bringing him in for a hug. He could feel the anger in Nino's rigid body. Nino didn't move to hug back instead he slammed his body weight into Jay leaving both of them to crash to the floor. Jay's hand caught on the table cloth. A glass vase filled with purple hyacinths, those were Nino's favorite, shattered over his head. Nino slumped forward while Jay laid breathing heavily. He slid Nino off his legs carefully, lying him away from the broken glass. He stumbled to his feet and adjusted his bag.

He sat on the floor with Nino pulling his head into his lap and gently stroking his hair. He brushed his white hair aside and pressed a kiss to the gash in his forehead then ran a finger over the large scar covering the other half of his face, "I'm sorry, I just need some time. I'll be back I promise."

He got up and turned away, stopping as his pant leg was tugged on. Nino wept as he laid on the floor. Blood dripped from his face. A similar cut left on Jay's cheek.

"I hate you." He sobbed, the three words carved into Jay's heart.

Pain tinted his voice, "I love you too." Jay quickly covered his face as he rushed out.

Nino laid there a while longer, "It's not fair." He looked up counting the rafters of his home. There was no Jay here anymore, he didn't love this place as much anymore. He grasped the purple flowers bringing them to his chest and pulling up his legs. As he laid there he crushed them. Eventually he stood flower petals left on his chest and the house dark. He made his way to his bedroom, stumbling around in the dark. The house was cold and hollow without Jay's sunshine. The last thing he had said to Jay was that he hated him and Jay only said that he loved him too. He fell to his knees, catching himself on the bed. Something soft laid on the bed near his hand. He quickly grabbed it realizing it was one of Jay's white feather's that constantly plagued their bed. Holding back a sob, he climbed into the bed pulling the blanket that was usually only used for cold nights when Jay's wings weren't enough, over himself. He had sewed it together from old pieces of winter clothing and some fabric Jay had brought back from a small visit to town. Nino realized with a smile that Jay had been wearing the green coat that he had sewn together for him. Drifting off to sleep his mind was full of memories and tears peeked out from behind his closed eyelids.