“Jean, are you really immortal?”
“As far as I am aware.” Jean said, as he brewed his morning coffee. There are many things in the world that Jean stays away from: People, unnecessary labor, and wasting time. Though ironically, they waste the most time worrying about these things. “I’ve not aged physically for a while as you could probably tell. Why so suddenly Jared?”
Jared looked to the floor before responding jokingly: “I can tell you stopped growing, shorty.” His eyes wandered the room before going back to Jean, expecting some sort of reaction.
“You didn’t answer my question.” Jean responded firmly before taking a sip of their coffee. Jean and Jared both knew what this was about. Jean has had this conversation before, while Jared also knows this mustn't be the first time for them. “I knew your father, and his father as well.”  Jean finally said after a short but awkward silence in an attempt to carry on the conversation. Just as they finished, however, they realized that that conversation wouldn’t go anywhere. They changed the subject yet again. “You’re usually more talkative, what’s wrong?”
“Will you remember me?” Jared responded, his eyes still not locked with theirs. Jared scratched the back of his neck, half heartedly expecting an answer. Though in his mind he was already preparing a joke to laugh it off if the situation calls for it. Of course you will dumb dumb, I am the worse nusance you’ve ever known, he humored to himself.
“I will.” Jean said. Their voice: solid and unwavering. “I will remember you.”
“Seriously? In a thousand years, you’ll still remember this face?”
“I will.”
“How?”
Jared finally looked up in anticipation of an answer, yet Jean was also avoiding his eye contact. Jean pondered a while. Their face was not struck with the wrinkles of deep thought, but rather it was veiled with an uneasy mask of calmness. Jean already knew the answer.
“So I’m that good of a roommate huh?” He couldn’t help himself.
“No.”
“Wow, okay, so the other end of the roommate spectrum?” Jared continued.
Jean was still indecisive.
Jared was about to reassure them that he would not judge them for whatever the reason was, but just as he was about to open his mouth, he acknowledged that Jean already knew this. This wasn’t about him, this was about Jean.
“I try not to think about these things.” Jean started. Their voice still shaking from indecision. They paused for a moment to think before they carried on, pushing themself forward.
“I don’t like being personal, or talking about my feelings.” Jean continued, shooting a look at Jared trying to stop the rhetorical comment they both knew was coming. The sharp look slowly faded into a lighthearted smile, as Jean realized that they had already been defeated by giving themself the comment. Jared laughed, for he too knew he won.
Just as mild as Jean’s smile was, it was brittle and short lived. The comment Jared had planted in Jean’s head was almost motivating. “You will live on in my head as one of my biggest regrets.”
Jared put on a confused smile. “Why’s that? Am I really that bad at vacuuming?”
“Partially.” Jean couldn’t help themself, they were even now.
“Wow, you sunk to my low just to get me back?”
“However,” Jean went on, ignoring Jared’s new lead, “it’s not because of anything you did. It’s about everything I did.” Jared’s confusion was now sincere. “Or rather, lack thereof.” They finally finished.
“I would regret everything I wasn’t able to do for you. I would regret not being able to use my time to the fullest while you were still here.” They sighed. “I made the mistake of taking a liking to your dumb but enjoyable company,” They admitted, “but there is a reason why I don’t do this very often.” Jean looked for Jared’s eyes, now finally in lock.
Jared was listening intently, no longer arming himself with comedy. Damn they’re good, he thought. Every time Jean becomes serious. Jared could never bring himself to ruin the mood with his humor, however much he wanted to. He waited patiently.
When the answer finally came, there was a single droplet of tear running down Jean’s face. It was not sad, nor was it happy. “I shouldn’t bring myself to care about people so much. After all, when you know they’ll be gone in a snap-” Their voice trembled before finishing the sentence.
“What I’m trying to say is-”
“I’m-”
Jean tried holding back more tears from dropping down, they were only partially successful. They tried to calm themselves down, took another sip, and looked at Jared again. This time, putting all of their attention on him. They wanted to say it so badly, but wouldn’t have had the courage had time not been such a menace to all that they cared for. The silence was deafening.
“It’s hard to bring myself to care for anything, but when I do, the inevitability of it being gone haunts me with every living moment that passes.”
“What are you saying Jean?”
“I’m saying, Jared, I miss you already.”