Gabriel couldn't help it. He couldn't help that constant feeling of annoyance at himself, or the feeling that Sam deserved better.

Sam deserved someone that he could communicate with, not just through typing things out or fandom quotes, as great as that was. Communication is key in relationships, yet Sam and Gabe didn't really have it.

Gabe was lying on his couch in his apartment, staring up at the ceiling. He sighed.

He was probably overthinking this. If Sam wanted anyone else he would say something, or leave Gabe. Which he hadn't done either of. But maybe Sam didn't care what he deserved...

Gabe should do something. He should try to learn sign language. Except that he literally couldn't, he'd tried and he just didn't have the mental capacity to do it.

It wasn't so much the fact that Sam couldn't communicate with speech. It was the fact that there was a way he could talk to people, but Gabe couldn't understand it. But other people could. Better people. Who Sam deserved more than the short idiot who couldn't even learn sign language.

"Okay," Charlie said. "I can hear your brain working from across town. What's up?"

"When the hell did you get here?" Gabe asked, sitting up.

"I heard you thinking," Charlie said. "So came over."

"Riight," Gabe muttered. "It's nothing."

"The hell it's nothing," Charlie snapped. "This entire time you've been with Sam you're getting gradually sadder and disturbed, so what the hell is wrong? You're happy aren't you?"

"Of course I am," Gabe said. "It's just...he deserves better."

"People always say that," Charlie said. "Like that is the most cliché relationship thing I've heard. So what if that's what you think he deserves? You don't see him complaining do you?"

"You don't get it," Gabe said, exasperated. "He doesn't mind but eventually he's going to get sick of not being able to talk properly to me. And then what happens?"

"Then you figure out some way to get through it," Charlie said. "You always do."

"How do we get through that?" Gabe asked. "How do we get through that without everything just falling apart and hurting both of us..."

"Then what do you think you should do?" Charlie asked, slightly annoyed.

"I could...I could end it now...it'll stop Sammy from being hurt and he'll move on from me and find someone better."

"Gabe did it ever occur to you that Sam might start talking to you?" Charlie asked.

Gabe was silent for a moment. "No. He shouldn't have to. He should never have to feel pressured into talking to me."

"And that right there is why you should stay together," Charlie muttered. "Look just..." She sighed. "You've already made up your mind, haven't you?"

Gabe winced but nodded.

"Don't do it. Please. For you sake and Sam's. This won't end well Gabe."

"You don't know that," Gabe muttered. "It's for the best."

"No, it isn't," Charlie said. "It really isn't."

"You just want your damn ship together," Gabe snapped. "You don't care if it's for good or bad. Stop thinking like a fangirl for a minute and realize that this isn't going to work."

Charlie made an exasperated sound. "I'm not thinking like a fangirl, I'm thinking like your friend."

"Sure you are," Gabe muttered.

"Okay fine, be like that. You know, if you knew there was a communication problem, why did you start it in the first place? Why did you let it go on this long?"

Gabe looked down sadly. "I was stupid. It was never my intention to hurt him..."

"Then don't!" Charlie near yelled.

"I'm just saving him from more hurt later on," Gabe said. "I can't just...no Charlie, I have to end this."

"No you don't!" Charlie said, exasperated. "You're being an idiot Gabriel."

"I was an idiot not to see how this wasn't working," Gabe said. "Just..." Gabe just sighed and shook his head, standing up and moving to the door.

"Where the hell are you going?" Charlie said.

"To see Sam," Gabe said quietly.

"I swear if you even think—"

"Sorry Charlie."

"I will physically stop you from doing this."

"Good luck with that." Gabe shut the door to his apartment and locked it. And Charlie didn't have a key. He heard her realize what he just did and yelling through the door at him before walking out of the apartment block and off towards the university.

He got there and stood in front of Sam's dorm room door for a few minutes. He had to remind himself that this was the best thing to do for both of them...

He tried to make himself knock on the door, but he couldn't. Maybe he subconsciously knew this was the wrong thing to do.

Then Sam opened the door and walked out with Kevin behind him, and stopped when he saw Gabriel.

"Hey Gabriel," Kevin said. Gabe just nodded in reply. Sam, who had previously being smiling, frowned a bit at Gabe's obvious unhappiness.

He signed something and Kevin translated it. "He said are you okay?" Kevin said, and that just made this all so much worse in Gabe's mind.

"Fine," Gabe muttered. "Sam I need to talk to you." Sam gave him a confused look before nodding. Kevin looked between them.

"Well I've got classes now anyway," he said. "Bye guys." He walked off, leaving Sam and Gabe. Sam gestured towards the dorm room and Gabe just nodded, walking inside.

Sam sat down on his bed while Gabe kind of just awkwardly stood around. Sam gave him the confused look again.

"I uh..." Gabe said. He didn't know how to say this.

Sam saw that something was seriously wrong and stood up, moving over to Gabe. But Gabe shied away from him, and hurt flicked across Sam's eyes. Gabe just avoided eye contact.

"Sam," Gabe said slowly. "I think...we...need..." He closed his eyes for a second. "This isn't working Sam, I think we should end it."

Shock spread across Sam's face, before hurt confusion.

Why? he mouthed.

"Because it just isn't working okay?" Gabe said. "I can't...I just can't..."

Sam gritted his teeth and pulled out his phone to type something. This just made it worse again for Gabe.

What did I do? Gabriel what happened that's making you say this suddenly?

"This here is the exact reason," Gabe said, gesturing to the phone. Sam flinched. "You...I..." He didn't know how to explain this. So he chose the absolute worse way he could've said it, without even realizing what it sounded like. "You're mute Sam. How was this going to work?"

Sam stared at him, shocked again before anger and hurt started showing. And a sudden jump to Sam's perspective.

He's actually just said that...Gabriel had actually just said that. He was breaking up with Sam. Because Sam was mute. He wasn't any different from anyone else Sam had ever tried to date.

Sam didn't say anything more. He didn't even try to. He didn't try to type anything, or imply anything. Because what did Gabe care if he couldn't talk?

Sam grabbed Gabe's arm roughly and shoved him in the direction of the door. Gabe gave him a little look of surprise and hurt.

"Sam wait, look I'm sorry okay?" He still didn't know what he'd just said... "I never wanted to hurt you..."

Sam scoffed. "Better a broken heart than no heart at all," he said angrily, except putting emphasis on the last part, implying that Gabe had no heart.

Gabe flinched. "What...Sam I..."

Sam didn't wait to hear him out. He just pushed Gabe the rest of the way out of the dorm room and shut the door in his face.

~~

I'm sorry...

I'm really just doing great with writing sad chapters this week, wow. I won't do that on the other fics though, one is only just getting happy again, I can't make it sad now xD

Really though, I am sorry...it hurts me just as much as it hurts you guys...

Oh so Pokemon Go has taken over my life. I was walking around for two hours today. I was getting exercise. That's not right...and the amount of other people I saw also playing it is just amazing xD

So...please, accept this sandwich as a gesture of solidarity *gives sandwiches*