It had been a few months since Laurance had told Garroth about teaming up with the Phoenix Brothers for a new place. Since then, he'd found a livable apartment and was feeling pretty good about it.

Today Laurance was moving out of Garroth's apartment, a couple boxes in the room he was staying in.

The blonde walked into Laurance's room, "We had a good run, Laur." Garroth said, leaning on the doorway.

Laurance looked up from his box, he and Garroth making eye contact, "It has." He smiled slightly, "Promise me we'll still be friends after this? After I'm gone?"

Garroth nodded, licking his lips, "Yeah." His voice wavered. There was an obvious struggle in it.

Laurance noticed, his expression softening. A sympathetic look washed over his face as he got off the bed and walked over to his friend.

"It'll be okay, alright?" He started, "Don't think of this as a goodbye. Think of it as a 'see you later'. Our friendship isn't going to end just because I'm moving away, I assure you that."

Garroth smiled slightly, "Okay. . ."

"I promise." Laurance concluded, assurance in his voice. The brunette smiled at his friend, "This is not the end of us."

Us. Garroth thought, Us?

Garroth shook his head quickly, swatting those thoughts out of his head. He was overthinking what Laurance said, and he'd barely thought about it! It wasn't a big deal, it was just something Laurance said to assure Garroth and help him feel better about the situation.

It wasn't a big deal, Garroth concluded.

Laurance patted Garroth's shoulder, then picked the last box up, shoved it under his arm and slithered past him. Garroth's eyes followed Laurance as he walked off, the blonde almost entranced in a certain way. Garroth couldn't get his mind off the inevitable; his friend was leaving and he couldn't do anything about it. Well, Laurance wasn't supposed to live with him in the first place, but it just happened. Whatever! Laurance was leaving, and he wasn't happy about it, end of story.

Garroth sighed, pushing himself off the doorway. He made his way to Laurance.

"Can I help you in any way?" Garroth offered.

"Yeah, uh," Laurance's eyes searched the place, looking for something for Garroth to do, "here," he handed Garroth three small boxes, "help me get these to my car. Easy, right?"

"Completely. No sweat." He told the brunette in response.

The two walked down the stairs of Garroth's condo building (he lived on the big third floor, woah), making their way to Laurance's dark green Jeep.

"Again," Laurance started as he unlocked his car, "thanks for your help. With everything. Not just today." Laurance popped open the trunk, "Letting me live with you, helping me pick myself up," he glanced at his friend, "you helped get me to the place I am right now, and for that, I'm grateful." He smiled, "Thank you, Garroth, really."

Garroth's heart buzzed as he started to feel a bit more giddy than normal, "Do you really mean that?"

"Totally." Laurance responded, "You helped me out big time, man."

The blonde smiled brightly, "I-I'm glad I could help."

"I owe you one, Gar."

They put the last of the boxes in, the two making eye contact.

"I-I guess this is where I leave and start a new chapter for myself." Laurance paused, "For both of us, actually."

Garroth nodded, his lips pursing, "Yeah. . ." He sighed briefly.

"How 'bout this?" Laurance proposed, "You and I on Thursday morning at 8, Kaylee's Coffee off of Burns street."

Garroth smiled brightly, "I-I'd like that."

Laurance gave Garroth a bro hug, then got into his car and drove off.

****

It was Thursday at 8am. Garroth was walking into Kaylee's Coffee, sporting Laurance in line and waiting for his coffee.

Garroth let out a sigh, seeing his breath in the cold and crispy air before he opened the door and walked in.

"Laurance?"

The brunette turned around and smiled widely, "Garroth! How are you, my man?"

The blonde approached him, "I've been good! It's weird not having you around though."

Laurance turned his body so that he didn't have to turn his neck nearly as much when trying to talk to Garroth, "It's weird not having you around too." Laurance admitted, "I was so used to you being there, and now you're just. . . Not." He shrugged, "It's probably for the better though."

Garroth nodded, licking his lips as he stuffed his hands in his pockets, "Guess you're right." He said.

Laurance turned back to the cashier, "So what do you want, Garroth? Coffee's on me." He asked.

Garroth was caught up in Laurance. His fluffy brown hair, pale blue eyes, smile even brighter than the moon and stars combined, and sunkissed skin.

"Uhh. . . Garroth?" Laurance questioned, snapping the blonde back into reality.

"Oh," Garroth shook his head, "Black Coffee, straight."

The cashier nodded, "Your order will be ready soon."

"Thanks!" Laurance smiled after swiping his credit card through the paying machine.

The two males sat down, "I'm glad you could make it here." Laurance said, "I-I was a bit nervous you wouldn't show."

"Why'd you think that?" Garroth asked.

"Well. . ." Laurance paused, "I don't know. For some reason I just had a feeling you wouldn't show, b-but here you are, so I guess I was wrong — obviously."

Garroth smiled at him reassuringly, "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

After that, Garroth and Laurance got lost in conversation, the two friends clicking like they used to. The good old days.

Guess that connection wasn't lost after all.

The End.