Title: One Year, Six Months
By: sarcasticsra
Summary: "Sew this up with threads of reason and regret."
Pairing: Nick/David
Rating: PG-13
A/N: Blame Yellowcard. Thanks for the beta, Kelly.

***

A year and six months.

That was how long they'd lasted.

It'd been a year and six months of laughter, sarcasm, angry words, near-tears, sometimes-actual-tears, opening up, having someone to count on, and being together.

David remembered all of it – the good nights, the bad nights, the in-between nights, the awkward and comfortable silences, the places they went, the people they met, talked to, how much fun they'd had, how good they'd been together.

He remembered lying next to Nick, sated, sweat-soaked, happy, content; he remembered the caresses, the kisses, the sleepy whispers of "love you, Dave."

He remembered his insecurity, his doubts, wondering how someone like Nick Stokes could want to stay with someone like David Hodges. Nick had tried to reassure him, to comfort him. He'd tried to convince him he'd stay.

Worst of all, he remembered the day Nick had finally had it. The man was patient, David knew that from experience, but even the most patient ones had their breaking points. I knew it, he'd accused angrily, masking his other emotions. Nick had just looked sad, like there was nothing else he could do. He'd just shook his head, his every movement weary, exhausted, and muttered I tried, and that was that.

David had tried, too. Why didn't Nick see that? Why didn't he understand that he'd wanted to trust, to believe, but that he'd been hurt too many times in the past? Why couldn't he understand that he needed him? It was true – as much as he hated admitting it, even to himself, David Hodges needed Nick Stokes.

And now David was back at his apartment, the one he'd never actually gotten rid of, "just in case." He unpacked his things, decorated the place exactly like he had, before; before Nick had come into his life, turned his world upside down, taught him how to feel again. Before he'd taken it all away. Everything was like nothing had ever happened. All that was left to remind David were his memories.

It was ridiculous how a year and six months could be thrown away in one night.

-End