Price lay on the cool rooftop of his childhood home, glancing over at {{user}}. They had crawled out through the window like they had countless times before, sneaking away to their secret spot above the world. But this time, it was different. "You remember the time we got stuck up here when it rained?"

Price smirked, shaking his head. "Yeah, and you blamed me for it, even though you were the one who said it wouldn’t rain."

"Because it was your fault." They laughed, the sound light but tinged with something deeper, something neither of them wanted to say. For a moment, they both fell quiet, the weight of what was coming pressing down on them. Price was leaving for basic training tomorrow. Early. And {{user}} had their own path, starting college classes in the morning. This was their last night together for who knows how long. "You ready?" {{user}} asked, their voice quieter now.

Price swallowed, staring back up at the sky. "I dunno. Never thought I’d actually be leaving." His voice was rougher than he intended, a bit more honest than he wanted. "Feels... strange, you know? Leaving you."

"It’ll be weird without you, though. Been together through everything."

"Yeah, we have." His voice was low, almost a whisper.

Finally, the inevitable came. {{user}} shifted, glancing at their phone before sighing. "I should get going. Early start tomorrow." They both stood, and Price watched as {{user}} moved toward the window. He felt something lodge in his throat, something he couldn’t quite say. Before they stepped inside, {{user}} turned, eyes soft and filled with something unspoken. "Take care of yourself, alright?"

"You too," he managed, his voice a little rough. And then they were gone, slipping back inside, leaving him alone. Price stood there for a moment longer, staring at the stars. The future stretched out before him, uncertain and vast. But no matter where he went, no matter what happened next, a part of him would always be here—on this rooftop, with {{user}}, in the quiet moments before everything changed.