The Death of Our Innocence (Dead Plate Swap AU)

Slipping Through My Fingers

Thirteen years ago.

After graduating from high school, Vincent and Rody hadn't talked in two months, and it was at that point the latter had began getting somewhat worried.

With Vincent moving away for university and Rody staying in their hometown to work, it was a given that contact between them would be scarce. Thankfully, however, they could still call each other on the telephone and inform each other about the new happenings in their life.

Rody wasn't concerned, not in the beginning.

He and Vincent had already gone through something similar, back when Vincent attended a different school during the first year of high school, before returning the following school year.

They didn't see each other as much but they were always on the telephone together, making sure not to miss any opportunities to go out in each other's company.

Rody had expected that's what would happen this time as well. Their friendship ran far too deep for it to be simply broken off so easily. Even though the rest of his friend group abandoned him the second they all graduated, Rody was not too down in the slums about it because he knew he still had Vincent by his side.

Vincent would never leave him.

Even when the letters and phone calls became nonexistent, Rody was still a firm believer Vincent would never leave him. They lived through too much together to just part with no explanation.

"This is just a rough patch, that's all. He's busy with studying.." Rody would tell his mother when she questioned him as to why he wasn't going out anymore. Why Vincent was no longer anywhere to be found. Though now that he thinks about it with more clarity, it was just him trying to comfort himself.

But his mind couldn't even comprehend the possibility of Vincent abandoning him too. He'd already lost everyone else. There was no way life could be this cruel to him.

The last time they ever talked was when Rody had attempted to reach out again, wanting to wish Vincent a happy winter break shortly before Christmas; just like he would do every other year.

But instead of the joyous, enthusiastic response Vincent gave every year, there was nothing but indifference in his tone when he said a mere 'you too', followed by radio silence.

It was then Rody realized it. He was losing the only person he ever thought would stay and there was nothing be could do to stop it.

No, there's no way. There's no way this is happening. Yeah, maybe he met new people where he went, but I'm still.. I'm still his favorite, aren't I? I'm his best friend. It's supposed to me. He's supposed to love me, not them. I'm supposed to come first. I'm supposed to be remembered. I'm supposed to be the first choice here. There's no way he can just replace me.

He can't leave me. He has to stay. We're still friends, right? I gave everything. It has to last, it has to. He can't leave me. I can't do it alone. All the things he did for me, they all meant something. They HAD to have meant something.

I'm not being abandoned. I'm not being left behind. Not again.

It was December, he recalls. Some time after Chrstimas.

Rody was heading outside to grab a bite to eat. He remembers the cold caressing his freckled cheeks, offering a momentary comfort to the distress clamoring inside his head. His relationship with his first girlfriend had grown rocky, he had lost all his friends and Vincent was nowhere to be found.