Can't this be 'happily ever after'?

3

The next two days go quickly, and Patton and I get start to walk over to the army. There's only around 200 of us because we live in a small kingdom.

The Dark Kingdom is also tiny.

Our last war went like this: every day there would be two fights, two men from each side would go into the arena and fight to the death. At night we camp in tents. After about three weeks there would only be twenty men on each side left. Then we would all fight to the death, neither side one, people just died. It was stupid.

I grab Patton's hand and we walk with the 200 other men from our town out. We walk in one long line. We walk and walk and walk.
"Are we nearly there?" Patton asks. I squeeze his hand.
"Just another hour."
"This is so stupid." He looks like he's going to cry. I give him a quick hug before walking again.

Once we reach the place, we set up our tents. I can see the Darksides from here. I stand in the hot sun for a while, watching them set up.

Dreading the deaths. Father said we're going back into war because they want the land. Why? We have enough land! And after this there isn't going to be enough people to cover this much land! I know it's unlikely that I'm going to die, being the best swordsman in the country, but I'm worried about Patton and Logan and V-Virgil... He's going to be there. What if I have to fight him?

I chuck my stuff and myself into the small tent.

The Darksides have set up on the other side of the valley, the arena is in the middle. Patton gets in beside me, we've been walking all day and we're tired. It's around 5 o'clock.

"Can we go find Logan, Ro?"
"Wh- you can... I'm too tired." I lie. I want to see if I can get across too the Darksides base and find Virgil. I know it's a bad idea, but this is the closest I've been to him for two years, why waste it. We're going to die anyway. Patton thanks me and leaves. I decide to go over 8. Everyone will be asleep by then, wanting to get a good rest for tomorrow. I lie down and let my mind drift to the memories.

I hear a knock on my window, I look out, intrigued. Who would be here at midnight? Virgil? The kid I kissed a couple of weeks ago? What the Hell? I've seen him a couple of times since then, around the town. I always look away. Why is he here? I let him in. He lands agilely on the floor. "Hey Roman." He smiles. I run a hand through my hair, trying to look good for him. Then I realise what I'm doing and stop.
"What are you doing here?" I demand.
"You've been avoiding me in the streets, I just wanted to say hi."
"What, why?"
"You kissed me, Roman. I'm not letting that go." He rubs the back of his neck, almost awkwardly.
"I- I'm really sorry about that. It was weird and stupid. I'm not even gay. You're just really attract-" I slap a hand over my mouth. He chuckles.
"Sounds pretty gay to me."
"Sh-shut up. I-"
"Roman, shh. I don't care if you're gay or not. I like you..." his face goes red, "I mean, ugh. Can we get to know each other? I don't know... I don't even know if I'm allowed to be friends with you."
"Sounds awfully like you're asking me out on a date, Virgil." I smirk.
"Heh, maybe I am."
"I- I don't think I'm allowed too... but I want to know what these feelings are so... lets go somewhere, what do you say?"
"Yes! I mean, uh yeah, cool." He snorts, I laugh along with him.
"Wow, Virgil. You sound pretty keen."
"Shut up."

I walk through the darkness, around tents, trying not to make any sound. I walk down the valley and up it again. Once I reach their side I freeze. What am I doing? I turn to go back; this was a bad idea.

"Roman?" I hear someone whisper. "Is that really you, Roman?" I turn around, scared out of my mind.
"Who's there?" I can't see them, there's no one there, I'm dreaming.
"You don't recognise my voice? That's upsetting." The person who says that sounds genuinely upset. I frown.

"Wh-where are you? I can't see you?"
"Have you come here to fight?"
"N-no... I was here to see- uh, someone and then realised it was a bad idea?" I don't know why it comes out as a question.
"Who?"
"Why would I tell you?"
"I don't know, Princey." I fall over at the name. Holy shit. Virgil. He laughs and comes over to help me up.

"You know who I am now?"
"Yep, sure do. Hah." I breathe. "God, your beautiful."
"No thanks. Wow, you grew." He looks up at me. I smirk.
"You're short, wow."
"Oh, shut it, loser."
"Make me."
"I- okay." He leans up and presses a gentle kiss on my lips. I sigh, his warm, soft lips, finally on mine again. He pulls away too fast, too quickly. I pout.
"Why so short?"
"Roman... we can't do this again. We hardly know each other anymore. Our Kingdoms are at war. Please just leave me alone." He pushes me back and runs off, tears sprout to my eyes.
"V-virge?"

Trudging back to camp I furiously swipe at the tears running down my cheeks. How could he just say that? To me? Maybe he never liked me? Maybe he doesn't like me anymore. Maybe he hates me because it was my parents that banished him. This is so stupid. I want to go back and find him and just hold him but... I can't. He's right, we can't do this. I- I wish we could.
Why can't we just be?