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Scott tried his best to ignore Jimmy’s lingering gaze as he packed his bag. The room was silent aside from the occasional sniffle and the sound of tissues being taken from the box.
Scott hated seeing Jimmy cry. He hated even more that he was the reason. Normally, he would turn around and embrace him and whisper sweet nothings into his ear until he felt better. Unfortunately, these weren’t normal circumstances.
They had been at war for nearly 5 years now. He had been assigned to lead the mission that would win them the war. Unfortunately, it was a suicide mission. He’d have to beg for the mercy of every God out there to even have a fraction of a chance at making it out of there alive.
As he carefully folded his uniform and placed it in the bag, he couldn't help but feel a heavy weight on his shoulders. He knew that this mission was crucial for Rivendell, and his skills as a soldier were needed more than ever. The fate of their kingdom rested on his shoulders, and he couldn't afford to let his emotions get in the way.
But he was a weak man when it came to the Prince. He had known that from the beginning.
When he had first been hired to guard Prince Jimmy, it was earlier on in the war. It had reached its one year mark and one of the other countries– one that had long surrendered and he couldn’t be bothered to remember the name of– was already out of resources. They were desperate for something, anything , to happen that could weaken Rivendell and turn the war in their favor.
So they sent an assassin after the Prince. When the first one failed, they sent another. And another. And another.
Thankfully, Jimmy had not been where they thought he was going to be during most of those assassination attempts but the queen knew that one day, he wouldn’t be so lucky. So she searched through their reserves, looked long and hard at the resume of every soldier who had made their way into her ranks and for some reason, she chose him.
When he had been pulled out of his training and told that instead of going to the front lines, he would be guarding the Prince, he was both honored and a little skeptical. From what he had heard of the illusive Prince, he had never been outside the castle and had only been around his mother, the nobles, and his tutors. He was nervous that the man would be so detached from reality that this job would be more insufferable than it needed to be.
Scott's first meeting with Prince Jimmy quickly snuffed that expectation as it was far from the grandiose affair he had imagined. It was a humble introduction, as the young prince wandered into the training grounds, unassuming and wearing a mischievous grin. Scott had been training alone early in the day when their paths crossed, and in that moment, he knew their lives were about to change forever.
Jimmy, bored from being trapped in the same area due to his new safety concerns and wanting nothing more than to have a change of pace, had wandered into the training area with all of the guards. Scott, recognizing that he was the prince only because of the crown on his head, approached him cautiously, ready to fulfill his duty as a guardian. But to his surprise, Jimmy greeted him not with haughty disdain, but with genuine interest.
When the general came in and noticed Scott had already become acquainted with Jimmy, he dismissed him immediately with orders to follow the Prince everywhere he could and keep him safe. At first, he tried to stay professional. Despite their first meeting, he knew that this was the prince and he had no hopes of being anything more than a guard to him.
But that all changed when Scott was given a cot in Jimmy’s room and told he was to stay in there with him to best be able to keep him safe. He quickly found out that they were both insomniacs. It was hard to keep a relationship strictly personal when they were both laid awake in their pajamas whispering back and forth every so often to see if the other was awake and they quickly got into the habit of having late night conversations.
Late-night talks turned into stolen moments under moonlit skies, where they would share their dreams, fears, and ambitions. Scott found out that if Jimmy wasn’t a prince, he wanted to be a florist. He had always loved watching the gardener work and took more joy in his nature studies than any of the others. Jimmy in turn learned that after the war, Scott wanted to settle down somewhere nice in one of the nearby towns and hopefully find someone special to spend his life with.
Scott's role as the prince's protector started to blend with an affection that bloomed within his chest and their bond grew quickly beyond duty. It became a silent agreement, an unspoken understanding that defied the boundaries set by their positions. They cherished stolen glances and secret smiles, always aware of the invisible thread that connected their hearts. And as the war raged on and their time together grew longer, that thread grew stronger, binding them together in ways neither of them could have foreseen.
But they were acutely aware of the risks, of the forbidden nature of their growing affection. The queen would never allow Jimmy to marry a guard. It was unheard of and as much as she cared about her son, she cared about their family image more.
Thankfully, she didn’t have to think too hard about ways to split them up. It wasn’t long after that her generals presented the plan, a mission to end the five-year war once and for all. But with the realization that it could potentially lead to the demise of everyone involved, they asked her assistance in creating a list of individuals who would partake in it as they all cared deeply for their soldiers and refused to be the ones responsible for deciding whose names would be on that list.
She told them took little pleasure in sending any of her subjects to their demise. She wasn’t lying, not completely. She didn’t want to send just any of her soldiers into a suicide mission. It wasn’t in her nature. However, her son's boyfriend was not just any soldier.
Scott Smajor was the first name she wrote down.
Which led them here, to Scott packing up all of his belongings and doing his best to erase any trace of him from Jimmy’s room.
“What if you don’t go?” Jimmy asked tearfully for the hundredth time. “We can go down to the throne room and tell her that you won’t do it. That you want to stay with me.”
Scott gave him a sad smile. “That’s treason, love. I’d die either way.”
Jimmy shook his head rapidly. “I can pardon you. I’d keep you alive.”
Scott sighed. “Then she’d fire me and exile me and probably have me killed the second I was across the border to make sure I don’t come back.”
“But what if we–”
“Jimmy,” Scott said sternly, finally turning to meet his eyes. Jimmy took note of the way the candlelight reflected off of his blue eyes and the way they shimmered with unshed tears. "We've discussed this before. We knew from the beginning that this was a possibility. I can't let you risk everything for me."
Jimmy's lower lip quivered, and he reached out to grab Scott's hand, his grip tight and desperate. "I love you, Scott. I can't lose you."
Scott's voice softened as he caressed Jimmy's cheek. "And I love you too. But sometimes, love means making sacrifices. I need to do this for our kingdom, for our people. I need to give them a chance at a better future. Your mom has decided I’m one of the few people fit for this mission, and no matter her motivations, I owe it to everyone in this kingdom to try.”
Tears streamed down Jimmy's face, and he clung to Scott as if doing so would somehow make them stay. "I don't want to say goodbye. Not like this."
Scott's heart shattered, but he mustered all the strength he had left to be the support Jimmy needed. "We will find a way, my love. I promise you. If fate allows, I will come back to you."
They both knew fate wouldn’t allow it– that Scott wasn’t coming back. They held each other tightly, their love a lifeline in the face of impending separation. The weight of their emotions hung heavy in the room, mingling with the scent of unfinished dreams and unspoken words. They knew that their final embrace was just a precursor to the ultimate sacrifice that awaited Scott.
As they broke apart, Scott wiped away Jimmy's tears, his touch gentle and tender. "Remember me, my prince. Remember our love and the moments we shared. Carry that in your heart, and it will give you strength."
Jimmy nodded, his voice choked with emotion. "I will, Scott. Every sunset, every star in the night sky, I will think of you."
With a final kiss, Scott turned to leave, his heart heavy but content. Their love had defied expectations, transcended the boundaries of their roles, and in that brief moment, they had found a glimpse of eternity. He stepped out of the room, the door closing behind him, sealing their fate.
Scott walked away, his footsteps heavy with the weight of the impending farewell. He couldn't bear to look back, knowing that if he did, he would crumble under the knowledge that that was their last moment together.
Jimmy stood alone in the room, his heart shattered, as he watched the door close, separating them from the life they had built together. Tears cascaded down his face as he sank to the floor, overcome by the cruel reality that their time had come to an end.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. The war raged on, claiming lives and leaving devastation in its wake. And amidst the chaos and destruction, Jimmy clung to the memories of stolen moments, whispered promises, and the love they had shared. But the pain of Scott's absence cut deep, leaving an emptiness that could never be filled.
News of the mission’s success eventually reached the kingdom with white flags and a peace treaty, and with it came the grim news that all of the brave souls who completed that mission had died to free their kingdom from the constraints of war.
The realization hit Jimmy like a slap in the face. Scott was truly never coming back.
The weight of the loss settled upon Jimmy's shoulders, consuming him with grief and regret. He blamed himself for not finding a way to keep Scott by his side, for not defying his mother, consequences be damned, and forcing her to let Scott stay.
As the sun set on the horizon, casting a melancholic glow over the land, Jimmy found himself at their favorite spot—a hill overlooking the kingdom. He watched as the vibrant hues of the sky slowly faded, giving way to darkness, mirroring the desolation in his heart.
A breeze whispered through the grass, carrying fragments of their memories. Jimmy closed his eyes, allowing himself to be swept away by the bitter remains of their love. He saw Scott's laughter in the golden rays of the sun, felt his warmth in the gentle caress of the wind, and heard his voice in the rustling leaves.
With a heavy sigh, Jimmy whispered into the wind, his words carried away to a place where Scott's spirit might still roam. “I miss you, Scott. I don’t want you to just be in my heart, I want you here.”
As the last traces of daylight disappeared, leaving behind a tapestry of stars, Jimmy clung to the memory of Scott's love, finding solace in the connection that remained. In the midst of his grief, he vowed to honor Scott's sacrifice, to ensure that their love would not be in vain.
And so, under the watchful gaze of the night sky, Jimmy made a solemn promise to himself and to Scott. He would carry their love forward, no matter what happened, and find solace in the belief that one day, in another time and place, their souls would be reunited.
With tears streaming down his face, Jimmy whispered a final goodbye, knowing that his love for Scott would endure. His mother may have taken Scott away, but it could never extinguish the flame of their love that burned eternally in his heart.