Boy x Boy ❗️Oneshots❗️

Poetic

Cliche / AU: Childhood friends to Enemies to Lovers, Medieval/ Royalty,  Hero x Villain

Plot Summary: The war is over, and the villains have won. All of Zero's friends are gone, fallen to the King he once called his best friend. The King who he mutually betrayed. The one person who knows Zero best. There's nothing much left to live for. But, now that everything is done and dusted... are grudges really necessary?

❗️TW❗️Thoughts of suicide / depression

(Zero POV)

I stared down at the blackened buildings with a level gaze, slightly strained through the dissipating smoke. My legs dangled off the edge of the castle balcony as I straddled a post. Vague moving shapes made up the weeping families that picked their way through the rubble. They searched the church, schoolhouse, play yard, central market; all the structures of my childhood reduced to charcoal in one giant funeral pyre. It was my fault, really. I guess I should be down there with the townsfolk, rummaging through the ruin, salvaging what I can, apologizing to anyone within earshot. Too bad I'm too numb to care.

I could just stand up and throw myself over the railing. It would be so easy, to let myself fall, and hurtle towards the remains of my birthplace a hundred feet below. There's nothing keeping me here, all my goals are crushed and abandoned. There's nowhere to go, no more experiences I want to have on this godforsaken Earth. There's no one left to care...

But, I guess, there's still Noah. I know he's the king and all now, and I know that we're enemies, but I just could never tell my heart to fully stop caring about him. No matter how much I needed to just hate him, no matter how much he hurt me, it was all only surface level somehow. I see that now. I see how we are so similar, how we have always been so similar in the ways we think about this world. And, I suppose we are even now.

I stood up, and slowly sat atop the railing. I let my legs dangle once again, and truly contemplated my choices. I could end it all right now, right here. No consequences for me. Or, I could go up to him and plead my case. I could explain to him how we have both lost so much, how there's really no more use in fighting and keeping all of our lonely grudges. Maybe I'll even kiss him. That would be so good.

"Nice view, isn't it?" A clear, fruity voice interrupted my thoughts.

Speak of the devil. Well, not much time for a decision then.
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(Noah POV)

I watched Zero sit there for a few minutes, and wondered what was going on in his handsome head. Nothing good, I concluded. There would be nothing good in there for a while.

I leaned against the wall, arms over my chest, and let him take in the sights. It was my childhood, too, you know. Except, mine was more of a hands-off experience, simply gazing down at the village much like the brunet is now.

Zero stood, and I stared as he carefully sat himself upon the balustrade. His eyes never left the charred town, as he hunched his back and played with a small white feather between his hands. He was still for a moment, then began to shift slightly. My heart dropped. Fuck no, I thought, he can't be thinking of jumping-

"Nice view, isn't it?" The panic in my voice was barely concealed, and I watched Zero stiffen. "I've always wondered what would happen if you took a match to the place." I quickly made my way over to him, still with my best aura of calm.

I stopped within catching-distance if need be, and a silence fell over us both for a moment before he broke it.

"There's nothing standing between Us now, Noah." His silvery tone drew a minuscule, silent sigh from my lips. I raised an eyebrow in question.