Trophy Eyes.

It’s more than obvious how nervous Alex is about his Spanish exam on Thursday. Considering he has a few hours left before he’s up, Jack’s hand is already halfway broken.

“Alex, seriously, that’s kind of starting to hurt now.” Jack says, trying to wriggle his hand free from Alex’s. Alex looks at him sheepishly and apologizes quietly.

“Sorry. I’m just nervous, that’s all.”

Jack’s about to reply when a camera flash blinds him momentarily. He blinks a few times and is met with Aled’s guilty grin.

“Sorry! I have to take millions of photos over the next two and a bit days. So act all cute, would you?”

Jack purses his lips before pulling Alex closer.

“That’s what I’m talking about!”

Aled takes a few more photos before disappearing off to accost Hayley and Andrew.

Jack cups Alex’s face and forces the elder to look at him.

“It’ll be okay. You’ll do great. I promise.”

As if it’s proof, Jack kisses Alex gently. The elder smiles weakly and kisses him back.

*

Alex and Joe come bouncing out of Spanish a few hours later. They passed. With flying colors, actually.

Jack hugs them both in congratulations, but Aled doesn’t notice. He’s in the process of half-emptying his locker. All that’s left in there is stuff he needs today and tomorrow. He has to somehow cram everything else into his suitcase -that’s already way too full.

He closes his backpack -with great difficulty- and is just about to throw it onto his back when Daniel shows and takes it from him.

“I’m not letting you carry this monster. It probably weighs more than you do.” Daniel says with a lopsided smile.

“Hey! Are you calling me fat?” Aled yells, pouting and pretending to be upset.

“No!” Daniel laughs, “You know what I mean.”

He kisses Aled gently and pulls away with a smirk.

“And quit pouting. I cannot be held responsible for my actions if you carry on.”

*

Friday is… difficult.

It’s Aled’s last full day in Virginia and his last day all together at this school.

“Dan?” He asks quietly, “Could you come over tonight to help me pack and stuff? I have to be out of the room by ten thirty tomorrow.”

Daniel nods, and swallows a little nervously, wrapping his arms around Aled’s waist.

It’s almost the end of the day, and Jack, Andrew and Alex come wandering over.

Jack’s about to ask Aled when he leaves, but Aled knows it’s coming and speaks first.

“I have to leave the hotel by ten thirty, and the plane leaves at one.” He says weakly.

Jack looks over at Alex, and then at Andrew, before finally back at Aled.

“We’re coming to the airport with you.”

Aled’s mouth hangs open for a second before he speaks.

“You don’t have to.”

“Yes we do.” Alex butts in, “We’re not going to leave you on your own.”

Aled flashes a weak smile and Daniel pulls him closer.

*

Saturday’s even worse than Friday.

Aled’s phone alarm bleeps furiously at nine am, and when Aled tries to roll over, he almost throws Daniel off the bed. Which is when he remembers that Daniel stayed over last night.

Aled kisses him lightly to wake him up, and he flashes a small smile when the American’s eyes flicker open.

“Come on, we have to get ready.”

They’re changed and cleaned up within an hour, and Aled’s dragging his huge -and stupidly heavy- suitcase down to the lobby, Daniel following behind. He has his passport and tickets stowed safely in his carry-on bag.

He hands in his key card at the desk, and the receptionist smiles and thanks him for his stay.

It’s when they meet Jack, Alex, Andrew, Hayley, Rian and Victoria that it really hits him that he’s going.

They’re a short train ride away from the airport and Aled has to keep blinking to stop himself from crying.

“It’s half past eleven.” Alex says, looking up from his phone screen.

“Check in opens in five minutes.” Aled says sadly, gripping the handle of his suitcase firmly and starting to drag it to the train that waits on the tracks.

They made it to the airport just as check in opens, and Aled’s scanning the many elevated screens for one that says Cardiff.

“Is that it?” Jack asks, pointing at the screen on the far left. Aled follows his finger and his gaze falls on a screen that says CARDIFF CU-845.

“That’s the one. I’ll be right back.” Aled sighs, walking off and dragging his suitcase behind him.

He returns a few minutes later, without a suitcase.

“Done.” He says quietly, slipping into Daniel’s arms.

Jack silently motions to everyone to move away; let them have their moment.

“I don’t want to go.” Aled says quietly into Daniel’s chest. He’s starting to cry.

“I know, baby boy. I don’t want you to go either.” Daniel says, blinking back tears and burying his face in Aled’s hair.

Aled grips Daniel’s waist tight and he starts to cry harder.

“Please don’t cry.” Daniel pleads, “I hate it when you cry.”

“Sorry.” Aled says meekly into Daniel’s neck.

“Don’t apologize.” Daniel says with a little, weak laugh, “I promise I’ll call you, and email you and everything as often as I can.”

“I’ll do the same. I promise.”

The loudspeaker cuts through their conversation suddenly.

“The time is twelve fifteen and flights CU-845 to Cardiff and LA-207 to LAX are now boarding.”

“I can wait a while longer.”

Aled pulls away from Daniel and walks back to everyone else, where Jack and Alex immediately engulf him in a hug.

“I’m gonna miss you, Welshie.” Jack says with a smirk. Aled lets out a watery laugh.

“Thanks for making sure I wasn’t an asshole.” Alex says, smiling a little.

“You’re welcome.” Aled says, a smile playing on his lips.

Andrew pushes past Alex and embraces Aled in a quick hug.

“Couldn’t have asked for a better exchange kid, could I?” He says, grinning. Aled laughs, and hugs him back.

“I’m just that awesome.”

Rian, Victoria and Hayley shoot him a ‘look after yourself’ look, and Rian waves a little.

He goes back to Daniel and fits neatly in the American’s arms.

Daniel kisses him lightly, and Aled can feel the tears start to fall down his cheeks again. Daniel smiles weakly at him and kisses the tears away.

“D-Dan?” Aled says through his tears as Daniel pulls away.

“Yeah?”

“I love you.” Aled says, determination in his voice as he fixes his eyes with Daniel’s.

Daniel smiles and kisses Aled harder.

“I love you too. I know how hard it must be for you to say that.”

“Last call for flight CU-845 to Cardiff Airport!”

Aled hugs Daniel tighter than he ever has before and kisses him hard.

“I love you, and I’ll miss you so much.” Aled says, and he’s nearly sobbing now.

Jack, Alex and Andrew walk over and embrace the two of them in one massive group hug.

“I’ll miss you all!” Aled yells, walking backwards towards the departures lounge with his carry-on bag on his shoulders. He waves wildly and then disappears around a corner.

Andrew watches Daniel intently and it’s about two minutes before he breaks.

Aled runs straight to the gate that has ‘CARDIFF’ written above it on a screen and forces his ticket and passport into the hands of one of the guards.

“Cut it close, kid.”

Aled apologizes and runs through the corridor and across the runway to the stairs that lead to the plane.

He flops down in his seat -the rest of his row is empty, and it’s only a small plane anyway.

The flight attendants go through all the instructions for if there’s a crash, or fault, or anything of the sort.

Just as Aled’s about to switch his phone off, he sees he’s got one new text. It’s from Daniel.

I love you more. :P