Love Me Like You Do (Ianthony AU)

Chapter 35: Love (FINAL CHAPTER)

A.N.: HERE IT IS. THE FINAL CHAPTER. Read the note at the bottom to see details on a sequel and, of course, my thank-you to everyone!

*No one's POV*

Ian and Anthony had been together since February, it was now June. Time had flown by in a whirlwind of romance and enjoying each other's company. 

But right now, Ian was having a life crisis. It had occurred to him that he was twenty-four..and he worked in a coffee shop. Not that he hated his job or anything, he just wanted to do something more with his life. 

He brought it up to Anthony one evening, when they were cooking a vegan dinner together in Anthony's apartment. Ian was just cutting up some carrots when he mentioned it, trying to keep it casual. "You know, I was thinking about going back to college."

Anthony paused while stirring noodles, keeping his back to Ian as his breath caught in his throat. "Oh?"

Ian nodded, chopping up a few more slices from the carrot. "Yeah, I'm really interested in video editing and all that. I did a year of it after high school, before I obviously dropped out."

"Oh," Anthony breathed out again, "that sounds interesting. How would you pay for it?"

"My parents made a college fund for me while I was growing up," Ian murmured, hearing distress making an appearance in Anthony's voice. 

"Oh," Anthony said, yet again.

Ian nodded, setting the knife down gently on the counter-top. "I was- uh- thinking of going to a college that's pretty close to Los Angeles."

Anthony blinked slowly, feeling the tears welling up behind his eyes. "Oh." The one word seemed to dominate his current vocabulary. 

"Yeah. Applications are over though..so it's a good thing I applied in January." 

Anthony was frozen to the spot now, his world stopping around him. "Did you..get accepted to anywhere?" 

"Yep, several places actually. I just have to choose one." Ian sounded so final in his decision, and he was stubborn. Anthony couldn't stop him. And he wouldn't even if he could, it seemed to be what Ian really wanted.

Anthony didn't really know what came over him when he turned to face Ian, fire blazing in his brown eyes. "Why wouldn't you have told me this?!" 

Ian's blue eyes widened as he took a step back from his clearly agitated boyfriend. "I didn't even really know if I was going to go through with it !" 

Anthony ground his teeth together, storming towards the door without any retaliation to Ian. He shoved his feet clumsily into his sneakers, swinging the door open so harshly that it hit the wall with a resounding 'bang'. "Anthony? Where are you going?" Ian's voice was meek, having lost the fire in him. 

Anthony didn't give him an answer, just continued to walk down the hall towards the elevator. Ian walked slowly, shutting the apartment door as Anthony disappeared from sight. He rubbed a hand over his eyes, going over to shut off the element that was still boiling a pot of noodles from when Anthony left it. 

Ian put away the knives, so that Pip wouldn't hurt himself, and curled up in Anthony's bed; surrounded by his scent that was imprinted on the sheets. He couldn't help but cry really, Anthony had walked out after their first major fight. 

Yes, Ian should have told him sooner. But, Anthony should have tried to understand better.

Ian falls asleep alone that night, Anthony's apartment feeling cold and unwelcoming without him there. 

He wakes up that way too.

~

Anthony hadn't come back to his apartment during the night, much to Ian's dismay. He checked his phone, noticing he had a missed call from Kalel that had been received at around three in the morning.