A/N: they're in America because I don't know smack about what was going on in England at the time. Tw: suicide mention.

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"Anthony, I'm moving soon." Az sighed. He looked up at the ginger boy, who was sitting in an apple tree.

"Moving? Where?" Anthony asked.

"I don't know... Somewhere where there's money. The farm is going under."

Anthony climbed down and said, "Az, you can't leave... You just can't."

Az hugged Anthony and cried, "I don't want to leave you."

Anthony rubbed Az's back. He started to tear up too.

"I'm going to miss you, angel... You know, maybe we could run away together... Me and you."

Golden eyes met blue.

"Anthony, I can't. That wouldn't be right... No."

Anthony grabbed Az's hand and asked, "Who cares about what's right? What do you want Az?"

"Me... I want to do what's right. I want to be with my family. I want to be good. Goodbye, Anthony."

He pulled his hand away from Anthony and started to walk away.

"Az! Az come back!"

Az pulled his jacket closer to him and continued to walk away.

"Az! Please! You can't leave! I'll do anything to make you stay!"

Az turned around and looked at him, which was a huge mistake. Never look back. "Anthony, a wise man once told a story about a boy and a bird. The bird was kept in a cage. It grew restless. The boy could see it. His beloved pet was aching to fly. So, because the boy loved the bird, he let him fly out his window into the world to live and prosper. You are the boy, I am the bird. If you love me, let me go."

Anthony stared back at him and said, "If you love me, give me something to remember you by, and I can promise my heart will forever be yours."

Az walked back to Anthony and sighed, "I leave you with this..."

He then kissed Anthony. Their lips sang a lover's sweet symphony when they collided. Just as quick as it began, it ended.

Az ran off crying. The boy hardly ever runs, but he couldn't tolerate a second more with Anthony. He hoped he had reached his peace.

The next morning Az left with his family, leaving Anthony behind in the dust.

Anthony tried to continue on as normal. He spent that day waiting for customers at his family's diner. Not many came in.

He thought back to the days he'd spend here with Az. It didn't seem all that long ago. They were fourteen. Summers were hot. Bottles of Coke-a-Cola were cold.

"Aren't you supposed to be working?" Anthony asked.

Az said, "I probably should be. I don't feel like it though."

"What do you feel like?" Anthony asked. His face read a blank expression.

Az laughed, "Here, with you of course."

"Ngh-"

"I mean I probably should go though."

Az sipped his bottle of Coke-a-Cola.

Anthony said, "Before you go... There's something... Well I need to tell you something."

"Bad news?"

Anthony said, "Something that will make you like me a whole lot less, but I need to get it off my chest. We are alone, right?"

"We are."

"I'm queer."

"You're what?"

"You know. I'm a pansy."

"Homosexual?"

"Yes."

It felt as if Az's world stopped turning.

"Anthony-"

"We don't have to be friends anymore if you don't want to be. I don't know if I'm deserving of friends anymore."

Az sighed, "You know it's a dangerous life? You could be arrested. Someone could want to kill you."

Anthony said, "But I'm sure of it. I know I'm sure. I'm sorry, Az. I'm so sorry."

Tears began to roll down Anthony's cheeks.

"Don't cry now, Anthony... I suppose it's about just as good of a time to tell you I... Well I've been having these thoughts..."

"Thoughts? And?"

"Sometimes they're about you..."

"Okay. Go on."

Az blushed and said, "In those thoughts you sometimes kiss me. It's very romantic... And very passionate... And occasionally intimate."

"I see."

"Well obviously I can't with you."

Anthony asked, "Why not?"

"Because I don't have a death wish!" Az responded.

"We could keep it a secret... Forbidden friendship?"

Az bit his lip and looked down at his hands.

"You've been my friend for a very long time, Anthony... I'm not a risk taker and I should play hard to get... But you. I'll... I'll do it."

Anthony asked, "Really?"

"I say if we keep it a tight secret, I might not end up dead."

Anthony smiled brightly. "Want to go further discuss elsewhere?"

"Apple tree?"

"Yup."

They did more kissing than talking in that apple tree.

It all seemed much better than things were now. A two year long relationship seemed quite long. Anthony hoped it would have lasted longer.

The world changed around Anthony in the blink of an eye.

The stock market crashed and banks fell.

Customers in the diner were fewer and fewer as the weeks went on. Anthony became lonely and sad. It was worse when money became tight. It only took eight weeks and things were starting to fall apart.

Because of that, Anthony left. He felt like a burden.

It was a horrible feeling.

The world was an ugly place. Anthony didn't have much of anywhere to go. He tried traveling by train, going anywhere where work was. It was awful.

Not everything was completely awful though. Sometimes Anthony would look up at the moon, and know it was the same moon that was smiling down at Az. His love was out there somewhere.

Az also often stared up at the moon. He'd try reading books in the moonlight, but that never worked out well. He couldn't see much in the dark.

During the day he didn't have much time to read. He was preforming little tasks, hoping to get paid a little bit of money.

He wanted to buy a new pair of shoes. He was doing his best to save up. The ones on his feet now had holes in them. Sometimes he could hardly walk due to the blisters on his feet. Pain was something always nipping at him. If it wasn't his bloodied and blistered feet hurting, it was his sunburned shoulders and cheeks were frying.

He just wanted to go back home to Anthony. Some part of him believed he'd never see Anthony again.

Every day Az felt that hope inside start to die. The days felt endless.

Anthony's days also felt endless. He, as so many other people, could bring an end to himself. The world was a bad, loveless place. All the love he had went to Az, but Az was gone, and he believed they'd never find each other again.

He sat with a rope tied in a noose. It wouldn't take much to let go. It was so tempting.

He threw the rope over a tree branch and put the noose around his neck.

"Goodbye... Az... I loved you."

Az was pushing on for Anthony.

He didn't buy a new pair of shoes. If he were to run into Anthony again, he wanted to take him to dinner and apologize for their rough goodbye.

He kept traveling around until the era ended. Az was seventeen, almost eighteen when things picked up again. He was able to go home.

His family got the farm back. Things had changed, and he worked hard to restore things. Dusting and sweeping were normal activities for him. After the cleaning, he went outside. The apple tree still stood. He climbed back up into it, and waited. He was waiting for Anthony.

At night he'd go home, but most days when he could, he'd go sit and wait for Anthony.

He started to believe Anthony wasn't coming back after a while. He believed the worst. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he realized the possibilities.

Anthony's dead or not coming back for me.

He didn't notice the ginger sprinting down the road.

"Az! Angel!"

He wiped his eyes and looked up.

"Anthony?"

Anthony laughed as he reached the base of the tree. Az practically jumped out of it into his arms.

"Anthony! I thought you weren't coming back!"

Anthony buried his face into Az's white curls. "I was scared I wouldn't find you."

Az cried against Anthony's chest. "I- I missed you!"

Tears rolled from Anthony's eyes. "I missed you too, Az."

The two stood there in each other's arms for a while. With hesitation, he pulled away to get a good look at Anthony.

"You're so handsome now. Your face... Wonderful."

Anthony caressed Az's cheek. "You're also handsome, as always."

He then kissed Az..

"There's your memory back."

Az blushed. "Oh... Anthony," he sighed with joy, "I love you so much."

"I love you too."

Az said, "You were the only thing that kept me going."

Anthony sniffled, "I almost gave up. I had a rope and everything. I was ready... But knowing you were still out there. It kept me going."

The two then kissed again.

"Hey- uhm... Did my parents come back?" Anthony asked after the kiss.

"They did. The diner is back open."

"Aces... All aces..."

Az grabbed his hand and said, "Don't leave me again."

Anthony sighed, "I think war's coming... I may have to go again. We'll both leave."

Az said, "I know. I'm going to sign up for the Air Force if war comes. I hope it doesn't. I hope we can stay together."

Anthony said, "I hope so too... Imagine it."

"I can imagine. It got me through," Az said, "And if it will have to get me through again, it will."

Anthony said, "I just want to make it through to tomorrow. That's all I'm asking."

Az said, "Well I have something else to ask of you. Feel like getting a Coke?"

Anthony smiled and said, "You bet I do. Come on, Az, let's go."