It was early in the day when Mark got up to get coffee. Letting Chica out, he slipped out of the house to scamper his way down to the mailbox at the end of his driveway in his PJs. He expected bills and maybe his gamer magazine subscription. Opening the mailbox though, his heart leapt at the large brown envelop. For a long moment he stood staring at the postage stamp in the corner. This was everything he had wanted... and it had come far too soon. Closing the mailbox, his neighbor greeted him as he took his trash to the curb. Mark waved to the man without a word, until the man asked him cheerily. "Good news?" Mark huffed to himself, then replied heavy hearted. "Yes and no." Venturing back inside, Mark set the envelope on his counter and poured himself some coffee. Taking a sip, he kept glancing at it. It wasn't a secret that everyone expected him to go since the recruiter stations opened. He had always said that if there was a chance then he'd take it. He had gone to the recruiter as a joke... at first. However, after talking to the recruiter for a few minutes, his passion had ignited.

He had not expected them to be so eager to fill slots. Even with his little experience. They were willing to train him with the little experience that he did have. His dad had been military. So, he knew the risks and what to generally expect from joining. He had never imagined that something like this would happen in his lifetime. He was beyond excited... but there was just one thing holding him back. Taking one last sip of his coffee, he set it down and ventured down the hallway. Quietly opening his bedroom door, he smiled to himself. Creeping across the room, he crawled up onto the bed and pulled the covers slowly down the sleeping form in his bed. Bracing himself over the form, he kissed the slender man's exposed pale back. Beneath him, Sean groaned out into the pillow sleepily. "Mark... Don't. It's too early..." Mark kissed a loving trail up Sean's spine. Reaching a spot between his shoulder blades, Sean moaned pleasantly. A deep purr left Mark as he savored this moment. He had been seeing Sean for the last year and a half.

It was a difficult relationship because Sean refused to move in with him. Which meant they could only see each other at odd times during the year. This year, Sean had taken time off for his mental health. Something he seemed to be doing more and more over the last few years. Mark kissed Sean's shoulder sweetly. He knew how he felt. Letting go of YouTube was a weight he couldn't hold onto anymore, but he didn't want to give it up. Sadly, while they grew older... their viewers were growing out of them. Leaving them with younger viewers that didn't understand their generation. He had known the loss in views was a long time coming. So, when it happened. He had been ready. Sean wasn't. For Sean, the loss had been hard on him. He still felt like he had a lot to give... but it appeared that their time was over. Sean still clung to his channel though. While Mark had been slowly distancing himself from it. He hadn't posted anything in a few days. That used to be bad. Now it just felt like it had in the beginning. Mark kissed Sean's neck, purring out reluctantly against his ear. "Sean? I have to tell you something."

Sean stirred a little, mumbling out groggily. "What is it...?" Mark swallowed hard. He had told everyone about his trip to see the recruiter two weeks ago... but he hadn't told Sean. He felt sick trying to break it to him now, but he had to tell him. Taking a deep breath in through his nose, he whispered against his ear. "Sean... I'm quitting YouTube." Sean's eyes shot open. Mark lifted his head as Sean looked over his shoulder with wide eyes. In an almost fearful voice, Sean asked him. "Are you sure you wanna do that? Mark, if you quit... You won't be able to recover what you have. Have you thought this through?" Mark opened his mouth, trying to force himself to say it. He took too long though and Sean turned over beneath him. Placing his hands on his shoulders, Sean chuckled out lightly. "What do you even plan to do without YouTube? Do you have another job waiting?" Mark sat on Sean's thighs, nodding slightly as he mumbled out. "I do actually. It's why I've been distancing myself from YouTube..."

Sean sat up on his elbows, giving him a little shrug as he asked tentatively. "Ok... So, what are you going to do?" Mark stared into Sean's bright blue eyes, his own heart breaking at how cruel this was going to be. Taking another deep breath, he leaned back and uttered out in a low tone of voice. "Sean... I've joined the Space Force." Sean slowly sat up until his back was pressed against the headboard. For a few minutes, a deafening silence fell between them. Sean looked away from him, taking a deep breath of his own as he said softly. "But... Aren't you too old...?" Mark shook his head, answering honestly. "I'm between the age of seventeen and thirty-nine. And with the Space Force merging with NASA... This could be my one shot." Sean scrambled out of the bed to pace as he stated out anxiously. "Wait. Let's go back a bit. Mark, how do you even know they'll accept you? To do anything with NASA you have to have degrees in things that the average person can't even pronounce! I don't wanna dash your hopes, but-" Mark couldn't hold it back anymore and blurted out. "It's already official. I got my orders today."

Sean stopped pacing to stare at him with fragile eyes. Mark adjusted to sit on the edge of the bed, calmly informing Sean openly. "I wanted to tell you... but it was just never a good time. I honestly went expecting to be rejected for all the reasons you said... but when they heard that my dad was army and I had basic knowledge of engineering and computers... They wanted me. The recruiter said that if I train in engineering... I could be on the next shuttle to Space after boot camp." Sean slumped back against the wall, weakly mumbling out. "What about us? I thought... Mark, going to Space...? I'll... never see you." Mark shuffled his bare feet on the carpet, telling him gently. "They send people up to live in the space stations for two years and five months. After that, I'd come home for a year or two before they'd send me back. If I'm lucky. The recruiter said I may get four years on earth." Sean exhaled all the air from his lungs, asking him bewildered. "And... You want that? What about your family? What about me? I barely see you as it is!"

Mark folded his hands in his lap, informing him in a calm tone. "They have ways that I can video chat with you. My moms are excited. They will miss me... but they know this is... everything that I've dreamed about. And if I turn this opportunity down, I'll never get this chance again." Sean bit his lower lip, grumbling out as he struggled not to cry. "As if the distance between us wasn't enough... Now you had to throw in the vastness of space. You could die up there..." Mark reached out to take Sean's cold wrists into his warm hands, pulling him closer. Slowly standing up, he whispered to him lovingly. "I can just as easily die down here. I love you, Sean. I never wanted to hurt you..." Mark slid his hands up Sean's arms to cup his neck, pressing his forehead to his. Sean closed his eyes, tears running down his cheeks now. Sean's hands clawed at Mark's pajama t-shirt, while Mark whispered to him in a pained deep voice. "Say the word... and I won't go. Just tell me what you want me to do..."

Sean pulled Mark's hands off his face, mumbling out as he started to walk away from him toward the door. "No. Don't lay this on me. I won't be that guy, Mark. I won't let you blame me for the reset of your life!" Mark followed him out into the living room, stating aloud. "I wouldn't do that to you, Sean. I'm asking you what you want me to do." Sean whirled around, tossing his hands up as he said in a heartbroken voice. "You know what I'm going to say! And the sick part is that I don't want you to listen to me!" Sean turned away, leaning on the back of the couch as he sniffled out. "I know this is what you want... Otherwise, you wouldn't have signed up for it in the first place. Hell, if I was in your shoes... I'd go too. I won't let you pass this up... I won't be the person that told you to throw away your chance. I won't let you regret this." Mark moved up behind him, holding his shoulders. Sean sniffled, hanging his head as he told him in a confident voice. "Mark, I love you. And as long as this is what you want... Then I want you to go."

Mark stroked Sean's shoulders with his thumbs, telling him softly. "I can't do it without you. Sean. If I do this... Will you wait for me? I know it's not fair to ask you... and what I'm asking will only come with more pain... but I love you. And I wanna share this whole experience with you." Sean wiped his teary eyes with the heels of his hands, trying to keep his voice steady as he strained out. "You're asking me to live alone on earth... Left to wonder every day if you'll ever come back to me." Mark wrapped his arms around Sean's shoulders, whispering to him in a loving voice. "I know. I've seen what deployments did to my family... But it will be just as hard on me too. That is why I need you. I'm not patriotic. I can't do this for my country... I would love to see space... but not if it costs me you. I need to know that when I come home... That you'll be waiting for me." Sean wiped his eyes again, composing himself enough to tell him honestly. "Oh Mark... I waited four years for you to go out with me... You know I'll wait for you." Mark coaxed Sean into turning around. Once he did, Mark got down on one knee. Sliding his hands down to hold Sean's wrists, he told him seriously. "While I'm at it... Can you wait for one more thing?"

Sean stiffened, holding his breath as Mark told him with a hopeful smile. "Sean, when I get back from boot camp... Will you marry me?" Sean gawked at him, uttering out. "Are you serious?" Mark's grip on his hands flexed nervously, telling him honestly. "Yes." Sean didn't say anything for a minute before he squeezed Mark's hands with a smile and told him warmly. "Oh, you are the worst... but I can't say no." Mark blinked; his heart had been beating so loudly that he wasn't sure he had heard him right. Frozen to the spot, Mark tried to confirm shakily. "Was that a yes?" Sean rolled his eyes, dropping to his knees in front of him to answer with a chuckle. "Yes. I'll marry you." Mark released the breath that he didn't know he was holding and hugged Sean tightly. Sean hugged him back just as tightly. After pulling away, Mark grimly told him. "I thought you'd leave me before I got to this point... So, I don't have a ring but-" Sean cupped Mark's face to stop him with a kiss. After a passionate kiss, Sean pried his lips away and whispered to him. "I don't need a ring. I just need you."

Mark chuckled, pulling Sean into another kiss. After the kiss, Mark reluctantly got to his feet, avoiding Sean a little as he asked him slightly uneasy now. "Boot camp will last for two months. Do you wanna take care of Chica for me? If you can't. I can have my mother watch her." Sean followed him into the kitchen, firmly asking in a soft tone. "Mark? What else aren't you telling me?" Mark scoffed, clearing the dining table of their plates from last night as he retorted guiltily. "Why would you think there is more?" Sean waited for him to drop the plates in the sink, before pressing up against him to pin him to the counter. Gripping the edge of the sink tightly, he listened to Sean say coolly over his shoulder. "Mark, I know you. And while I'm thrilled that you proposed... I can see that you did it to cushion the second wave." Mark hung his head, muttering out under his breath reluctantly. "Sean... I had a spare key made for you. I was hoping that you'd stay awhile and take care of Chica because-" Sean turned Mark around a bit forcefully, cutting him off to say with a shaken voice. "Mark... Please tell me that you aren't going to say what I think you are..."

Mark closed his mouth for a minute, then admitted to him honestly. "I leave for boot camp tomorrow morning." Sean staggered backward into the island counter, stammering out. "I'm here for two months... and you're leaving for two months?" Mark gripped the edge of the sink harder, honestly telling him. "I really tried to tell you... but I knew you wouldn't come if I told you... and I really wanted to see you." Sean stood in silence, staring at the floor. Mark shuffled his feet, asking weakly. "Sean? Please say something..." Sean huffed sarcastically, looking anywhere but at him as he stated aloud. "I should have seen it. The diet... The military workout shit you've been doing... Distancing yourself from YouTube... You've been planning for this." Mark nodded, then sweetly interjected. "The only thing I didn't plan for was... Us getting together. It just kind of... happened. I've been trying to tell you, Sean. I honestly have... I just... My heart couldn't take the idea of breaking yours. I kept putting it off, thinking it would come up... but now it's all happening at once and I feel horrible."

Sean hopped up to sit on the counter, mumbling out under his breath. "You infuriate me. Fucking hell, Mark... Anything else you want to crush me with today?" Mark thought about it for a moment, then lightly added with a little shrug. "I forgot to buy coffee filters... So the coffee is a little grainy." A chuckle burst from Sean, before he leaned forward and began to laugh. Mark stayed still unsure if this was a good sign or a bad sign. When Sean composed himself, a bright grin spread across his face and he extended his arms out to beckon for him. Mark inched closer, waiting for Sean to snap and hit him or something. Instead, Sean wrapped his arms and legs around him in a loving hug. Against his neck, Sean sighed heavily and lovingly purred against his skin. "Mark... What am I going to do with you? You're so hopeless... but I can't help loving you." Mark didn't want to ruin the moment. Hugging Sean tighter, he simply kissed Sean's shoulder affectionately. He didn't deserve Sean... but he couldn't imagine his life without him. Sean kissed his ear, then said to him in a breathless voice. "Is that why you wouldn't stop snuggling with me last night?"

Mark kissed his shoulder again, answering in a breathless voice of his own. "Yes... I've been told that boot camp will make or break me. It was my hope to have one good memory of you to get me through it." Sean smiled against his neck, telling him lovingly. "I'll do you one better then... I'll give you two." Leaning back, Sean pressed his lips teasingly against Mark's. For as much pain as Sean's heart was in, he brushed it aside to savor what time he had left with Mark. Unable to wait, Mark stripped off his shirt and hopped up onto the counter with him. Laying back across the cold countertop, Sean giggled out. "What are you doing?!" Laying over Sean, Mark purred over his lips playfully. "Having breakfast right here." Sean squealed as Mark playfully nibbled at his exposed chest in ways that tickled him. Together, they tried to make the day one to remember. However, by dawn the next morning. Sean awoke to find that Mark was gone. On his bedside pillow was a note, but Sean couldn't bare to read it. Instead, he huddled up into his pillow and tried to take it all in.

He hoped he had made the right decision... but he loved Mark too much to walk away. He wanted to remember this as the day they started their new lives together. Not as the day that an unidentified transmission was discovered from space station one. A transmission that would soon change the course of human history forever. To Be Continued...