Prince Moriarty was to be wed to Princess Hooper.
There was nothing he, or his secret lover, could do. Well, not so secret anymore. Jim had come out to his father in a moment of desperation, telling him all about his love for Sherlock, a middle class boy he'd met on a trip into town, in hopes that the King would call off the wedding with the Princess and let him live happily, with the boy he loved.
Now, Jim was hurrying after his father, desperate to get to his room before the King. He had to tell Sherlock to get out. An angry King Moriarty was not a pretty sight and boy did this news of his son having a secret boyfriend make him angry.
Pushing himself to go faster, Jim sprints down the hallways, ignoring all the odd looks that earned him.
When he finally rounded the corner onto the corridor that he room was on, he could see the door. The open door.
Gasping, both from fear and lack of breathe, Jim bursts into the room to see Sherlock sat on his bed, face wiped of emotion, and his father stood beside Sherlock looking at though he'd been waiting for Jim.
The King hums, glances between the two as Jim gulps down as much air as he can.
Sherlock was avoiding his eyes, the carpet suddenly seeming very interesting to him. Jim's heart hammered away in his chest, and not just because of the running.
"I'm sorry"
Surprisingly, it was the King who spoke.
"What?" Jim asks, more than confused. Two seconds ago he'd been very much convinced that his father was on his way to brutal murder the love of his son's life.
"I said, Jim, that I'm sorry" He looks at Sherlock this time, as if waiting for him to react. "You have until the end of this week, then Princess Hooper will be here. I'm sorry, son, but that's the way this works. This has been set up since you were five"
Jim simply nods, having argued enough with his father today and he really didn't feel up to risking Sherlock's safety again.
With a sigh, the King nods before he leaves, closing the door behind her. Jim's eyes follow his dad, not trusting this suddenly calm version of him. He'd seemed so angry before.
As he turned back to his boyfriend, everything sunk in.
A week. One week. Then Jim had to pretend he loved with Hooper girl and marry her.
Jim sits beside Sherlock, who was still looking down. He tries to take his hand but Sherlock just pulls away.
"Sher-"
"No. Jim, don't. Just.. Don't." He stands then, preparing to leave.
Jim could've sworn that everyone in the palace heard his heart break.
"Don't go, Sherlock" Jim stands too, taking holding of Sherlock's upper arms and forcing him to face him.
Any words he may have had before hand left him as he caught sight of Sherlock's eyes for the first time. The blue was showing through the most, looking almost crystal blue through the tears Sherlock wasn't allowing to fall. When their eyes met, however, a single tear rolls slowly down his cheek.
Jim had never seen Sherlock cry before and he'd never expected to see him cry. It just made it ten times worse to know that he was was the one making this usually unbreakable boy cry.
It truly killed him.
Without a second thought, Jim wraps his arms around Sherlock and pulls him close, pressing kisses to the side of his head.
No more tears fall onto his shoulder, nor does Sherlock's arms come up to hug Jim back. Jim feels Sherlock's jaw clench and his hands curl into tight fists. Before he knows what's happening, he's being pushed away.
"Don't" Sherlock's voice was deadly quiet
"Sherlock, we only have a week"
"Oh, and you expect me to stick around for a week and pretend that you're not engaged, that you're still mine when in reality you're hers" Sherlock's eyes had narrowed now, anger masking the despair.
Jim's head drops in shame because Sherlock was right. Of course he was.
But what could Jim do?
An idea pops into Jim's head and he quickly crosses the room to close the door. He then rushes to the end of his bed and drops to his knees, pulling out a ridiculously large and expensive suitcase.
Jim opens up his to draw and scoops up the tops and trousers there, dropping them all in the suitcase. He does the same with the next draw.
Sherlock seems to visibly relax, confusion taking over his features instead.
"Jim.. What are you doing?"
With a grin, Jim stops what he was doing and moves in front of Sherlock. He pulls the taller boy closer by the waist and places a quick kiss on his lips.
"I'm - Well, we are - running away" He smiles wider.
When Sherlock doesn't reply, just blinks at Jim, the smile drops as he worries that Sherlock might not want him.
"I mean, if... if you want me to still be yours?" Jim asks, his rare shy side showing.
Sherlock snorts a laugh. "Don't be silly. Of course, I do"
His arms wrap around Jim's own waist and he tugs him closer this time, as if proving his point.
"Good" Jim smiles.
"I just.." Sherlock trails off, unsure.
"What?" Jim demands, worried again now.
"I just can't believe you'd do that for me... I mean, think it through Jim. You have a life here, a family, and soon you'll have the thorn and no doubt a beautiful wife. I hardly see how I'm worth that"
Hang on. A minute ago Sherlock was snarling the word 'her' like Princess Hooper was a disease. Now he was calling her beautiful and trying to convince Jim to stay?
"Sherlock?"
"Mm?" Sherlock raises an eyebrow.
"Shut up"
Sherlock goes to protest but Jim stops him with a kiss. He'd planned for it to be a quick chaste peck but Sherlock's hand goes to the back of his neck, moving his skilled lips against Jim's own.
Jim doesn't even try to resist, kissing back with all he's got. Before long their tongues are working together, fighting and dancing at the same time. Jim wasn't even sure which of them had opened their mouth first but he didn't much care right now.
It shouldn't have been by now, but it was a shock when Sherlock's slides a hand down to squeeze Jim's arse as his other hand pulls him closer by his belt hoop.
As he's tugged forward, Jim's hands settle on Sherlock's shoulder and he pushes the boy back onto the bed before climbing on top of him.
He breaks their kiss with a small gasp and a smirk.
"Shut up." He repeats with a grin. Sherlock chuckles under him. "I don't want to marry this Princess, Sherlock. If I ever get married" he begins pressing kisses down Sherlock's neck, wanting to hide his face for this. "it won't be to any Princess or Prince. It'll be to the quiet and beautiful boy I met that day I ventured in town"
Sherlock pushes Jim's shoulder, giving him a very serious look.
"Did you just propose to me?"
"Yes..?" Jim answers, unsure.
Sherlock laughs before he pulls Jim close again, their lips close but not quiet touching. "Jim?"
"Mm?"
"Kiss me, then let's run away"
Jim laughs too before he obeys his boyfriend's orders.
