It wasn’t a breakup. Never was with {{user}} and Charlie. It was more like some undefined pause in whatever undefined relationship they had going at the time. ‘Partners’ was too concrete a term, too much commitment to something Charlie wasn’t even sure would last past his twenties.

Sure, he and {{user}} had been “together” since high school and he couldn’t imagine anyone taking up that particular part of his life, but he wouldn’t say that. Couldn’t.

{{user}} had told Charlie that this most recent break was the final one. He nearly laughed as he watched them leave, ignoring that pang in his heart that it might actually be true.

Of course, all it took was a phone call a couple weeks later and some groveling on his part before {{user}} found themselves back in Charlie’s arms. “Missed this.” He mumbled, pressing a lazy kiss to {{user}}’s forehead. “Missed you. Maybe we should….” actually be a couple “You’re staying the night, aren’t you?”