It was deceptively quiet in the forest as Scott and Jimmy sat hidden within the branches of a tall oak. They held each other like each moment could be their last, because in this war-torn world it just might be.

A thundering noise came from the north and both turned their heads to look for the source of the sound. It immediately became apparent. Joel was coming, and he had a horde of wolves.

"Scott?" Jimmy turned to him. Scott looked over at his husband, eyes wide with fear, and watched as the dogs dashed past.

"We need to get rid of them all," he told Jimmy.

Jimmy gasped. "Kill the dogs?"

Sweet, innocent Jimmy, too good for this world. "Yes, Jimmy," Scott replied. "It's the dogs or us."

Across the path, a voice called out, fearful but firm. "Joel!"

The man in question looked up and from the trees dropped a red figure, wings practically useless after weeks of abuse from all sources.

"Grian!" Joel grinned, showing off his newly pointed teeth. "How wonderful of you to offer yourself up!"

Grian glared at him and waited, letting the dogs circle around. "I wouldn't speak so fast."

Grian pulled out a redstone torch and dropped it on the ground, and everything went up in smoke. When the dust cleared, Grian lay coughing on the ground in the middle of a sea of dead wolf bodies. Joel growled angrily at him and advanced, but Jimmy lunged at him before Scott could stop him.

Scott screamed, reaching for Jimmy, but there was nothing he could do. Joel's claws tore open Jimmy's throat and he fell to the ground. Scott lunged over to him, grabbing him and shaking him. "Jimmy! JIMMY!"

"It's okay... It's okay," Jimmy whispered as Scott knelt over him.

"No," Scott cried, tears streaming down his face. "No, Jimmy..."

"It's too late- it's okay- let me go-" Jimmy tried to tell him. Scott refused to believe it. He couldn't lost Jimmy. Jimmy couldn't die. After everything-

"No-" Scott begged, pleading with someone, anyone.

"I love you, Scott" Jimmy choked out, his final words hugging Scott's heart.

Scott said nothing, silent tears carving their paths across his cheeks. All this time, he'd kept Jimmy safe, and now one moment was taking him away.

"I love you," Jimmy finished, then went still and lay cold, dead on the ground, all the life and warmth and color vanishing from his face and from the world. Colors were for happiness and life, joy and flowers. Colors were for Jimmy and Scott, the valley, the pond, their life together. Colors were for all the memories, all the time they had spent together in love and happiness.

And now they were gone, gone along with Jimmy, all of it washed away like it had never existed. Gone into the black-and-white-and-gray world Jimmy had left behind, taking all his life, his color away with him.

Scott never even noticed Joel creep up behind him. Not until he whirled around in anger and lunged straight onto Joel's outstretched sword.

He was joining Jimmy. He would see Jimmy again. Scott closed his eyes and joined his lover.

Grian gaped at Joel, sitting up where he lay on the path. Jimmy and Scott were the last source of love and hope and now they were gone, taking any trace of sanity with them.

Joel whirled on Grian and his fingers scrambled for a blade. Joel strode out onto the path and raised his sword above his head. The only thing Grian could find was a dagger, but that was enough.

As Joel swung the sword downwards, Grian flicked his wrist and threw, a smile touching his face at the last thing he saw; the hilt buried in Joel's chest, right over his heart, and his legs beginning to crumple.

Then the sword's momentum finished carrying it downwards and Grian felt agony before it all finally ended.