One Shots (Feat. Shakespeare's Characters)

Let Me Down Slowly

*Horatio's PoV*

"Hamlet, what are you saying?" I asked, arms flung up in desperation.

"I just don't know who I am anymore. It's always been 'Hamlet and Horatio,' together. I don't know who I am away from you," he said. Hamlet was looking down, seemingly unable to meet my eyes.

"I-I get it." And it was true. I understood that he needed space. I wasn't angry about it, just confused.

Five years. It felt so short.

Maybe we weren't meant to be. I mean, getting together at seventeen never really seems to work out, right?

I guess I was delusional, thinking we'd be different.

"I'm sorry, 'Tio. It's not your fault," Hamlet said. I leaned against a wall to catch my breath.

"Sure. It's not my fault that you want to leave me. Not my fault that you don't know who the fuck you are as a person, Ham!" I shouted. It was unfair of me to be angry with him, he had every right to leave me.

"'Tio, please. I didn't think you'd be like this! Can you just try to understand?" Hamlet said. He hadn't met my eyes once throughout the conversation.

"Just leave. Go out, find yourself. Have sex, move away, I don't care! Just get out, please," I told the love of my life.

"I'll see you around," Hamlet said. I heard his footsteps retreat, and there was a metallic clang behind me. He must have thrown his key into the bowl.

The door shut behind him.

I waited for him to come back, and he didn't.

At some point I stopped waiting. I think it was the pain that shook me out of my stupor.

I needed something to take the edge off, to just stop the feelings that barraged endlessly inside me and tore me apart.

There was a bottle of wine in the cupboard under the sink. I twisted the foil from the top.

Maybe I shouldn't do this.

I left the cap on. I wasn't that stupid. Instead, I threw it into the trash can, where it shattered.

Alcohol wasn't my thing, it was his. As were scary movies, old books, and making me feel special.

All of those were gone now. I felt nothing anymore; just an empty, clogged feeling where my heart should be.

The air wasn't silent like I'd expected. Instead, it was pierced by the sounds of sobs and uneven breaths.

Get it together, Horatio. Now's not the time for a panic attack!

I, however, did not get it together. The stress practically pulled me apart at the seams. Somehow in that moment everything became too much. The warm air wafting through the apartment prickled against my skin, the texture of the ugly cream carpet was revolting.

I had no clue what was happening, or how to stop it. My breaths were coming in short and unfulfilling gasps. There was not a clear thought inside my head. Part of me wished I had drank the wine, even if it would have sucked. It felt like I was going to die on the ugly tan carpeting in my living room. 

After what felt like an eternity, there was a series of pounds on the door.

"Open the door 'Tio, c'mon! We had dinner reservations ten minutes ago, your hair cannot possibly take this long to style!" Ophelia hollered, jiggling the handle.

Every fiber of my being was telling me to make he go away, but I couldn't seem to be able to control myself.

"I'll kick your damned door down if you're not out here right now!"