||Norway, Oslo - 10 Years Ago||

//Paul's Point of View//

I was cooking dinner when I heard the door slam. I looked up at the clock seeing that it was 5:00, the same time Tord would be home. "Tord, kid, you here?" My voice was scratchy and rough, I was losing my voice from this damn cold. Tord trudged through, shoving his bag on the floor.

"Yeah, I'm here."

"What's wrong kiddo?"

"Nothing pa, I'm fine."

Tord sighed, sitting on the table. "I, um, I'm heading over to Grey's house. Is that okay?"

I frowned, looking at Tord. I didn't exactly like his new friends, Grey, and his brothers. They were the wrong type of kids. Skipping class, drugs, the whole thing. Pat and I have been trying months to stop him from hanging out with them but they manage to weasel their way back to Tord.

I let out a heavy sigh, shaking my head. "No Tord, I don't like those boys." Tord frowned, biting his lower lip. "Tom is coming." I jerked my head back up in surprise. I never expected Tom to hang out with those boys. Sure he was an emo punk, but surely he had morals. "He'll be watching over me, making sure I don't do anything stupid..." I paused thinking for a moment. Maybe Tom could really save him...

"No, you can't go to Grey's house but... You can go to Tom's." Tord took a deep breath, before nodding. "Yeah, sure Dad." Tord smiled grimly, nodding softly.

------

It was 11:59 at night when I finally heard the door opening. I groaned, rubbing my forehead. I could hear Pat scolding Tord downstairs. The scolding turned into an argument as I stormed downstairs.

"BOY I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR DAMN ATTITUDE LATELY. YOU AND YOUR DAMN FRIENDS- I AM DAMN TIRED OF YOUR CRAP. SO YOU BETTER STOP ARGUING WITH YOUR FATHER RIGHT NOW OR I WILL GET THE BELT. NOW YOU BETTER MARCH YOUR ASS UPSTAIRS AND GO TO BED!" It was the first time I yelled at Tord in years, and now I doubted it would be the last.

--------

Tord trudged into the kitchen, giving Pat and I a better look at him. He had a shiner under his eyes, his body covered in bruises and cuts. "What the hell did you do Tord?!" Pat screamed, his eyes widened in horror. I jerked my head back, surprised.

"I.... Did something bad..." He mumbled, hanging his head in shame. Boy did this boy have a lot to explain.

||Present Time||

//Tord's Point of View//

I paced back and forth in my office, massaging my forehead. I took a deep breath, taking a seat. I had received a letter a few weeks ago from my father...

'I'm coming for you. - The Black Leader.'

That was it. Nothing more, nothing less. Just those 7 words. Taking the note, I crumpled it up and threw it in the garbage bin. I was a sitting duck, I couldn't do anything. The black leader was very cautious and secretive of what he did. There was no information on him, the only information we had was what he wanted us to know.

I had agents and scouts scour the damn country, hell I'd have them scour the entire world if necessary. My King and children were missing and I'd be damned if I just sat by and watch. The next thing I knew, the glass behind me was shattering as I snapped my head back. My father.

His laugh was cold and icy, his eyes twinkling with pure evil. "Ah, son..." The word son dripped off his tongue like venom. "What the fuck do you want you bastard?!" I growled. I felt my face snap as my father punched me in the jaw. Enraged, I kicked him in the gut. He let out a growl, grabbing my collar and throwing me into the wall.

I let out a cough, before lunging towards my father. Tackling him to the ground, we began throwing punches at each other. I slammed his head onto the tile, receiving a kick to the gut. I was sent flying back, slamming into my desk. I grabbed my chair, slamming it against his head.

I could feel my breathing get harsher as I coughed blood onto his face. I received a blow to my jaw, causing it to crack. Grabbing a piece of broken wood, I drove it through his chest.

My father looked at me, wide eyed. Blood dripped from his mouth onto my face. His body jerked, before collapsing on top of me. Pushing him off, I took in deep breaths.

Getting up, I limped downstairs to the courtyard...

And that was a whole different level of destruction.

There was a large monster causing havoc - Tom. He hovered over something, I couldn't get a glimpse of what. He began to rip through tanks, snapping at anyone or anything that dared to come near him. Paul and Pat were trying to get the soldiers to stop their line of fire, screaming at the head of the armory. Pushing my way through the crowds, I screamed at them to stop. Luckily, they did.

Taking a deep breath, I looked up at Tom. I got a better view of what he was guarding now... There were two smaller monsters under him - Tove and Teddy... Our children.

I took a deep breath, looking up at Tom with pleading eyes.

"TOM! THOMAS!"

"God... THOMAS! IT'S ME! YOUR HUSBAND...!"

Tom stopped, growling at me. I took a deep breath, gripping my fist.

"It's me... Tord.... Remember me? Your husband. We were childhood friends, we fought as teens but fell back in love... Now here we are... We got married and had two beautiful babies.... Don't you remember that? Don't you...?"

My voice was hushed as I looked up into Tom's eyes. He nodded softly, whimpering. One by one, they transformed back into humans. I rushed over to Tom's side, hugging my husband and children tightly.

"Tord..?"

"Yes, my elskede?..."

"I love you."

"I love you too Tom."

Everything was perfect....

----

....Then Tord woke up.

It was all just a bittersweet dream. A what if. Truth was, Tord never married Tom, oh no. Tom died before Tord could even reach to him. Tom died of cancer, minutes before Tord arrived. Tord remembered it now, the pain that pounded in his chest seeing his one true love on the bed dead.

He held onto Tom tightly, screaming and crying as he whispered and begged for Tom to come back - but Tom was gone now. There was no way to bring him back. The Red Leader spiraled into depression, using war as his escape.

He conquered the world but he still felt empty.

Tom.

Tom was gone.

Tord never got the chance to confess to Tom, to make amends. God, if he knew this would be the price he would've never drifted so far away from Tom. Maybe, just maybe, if he made different choices, Tom would be with him right now.

He'd been having dreams lately. Of him and Tom. Married, children, The whole thing... And it hurt like hell. It was like salt to his wound, reminded Tord of what could've been but never will be.

Tonight was the last straw. This would be the last dream he'd ever have... Shuffling through his bed drawers, he grabbed a small firearm. Storming out of his room, he left to London where he first fell in love with Tom - The park.

There was one apple tree, that was already blooming in Spring. Tord stared up at the flowers, tearing up as he let the memories wash over him

-----

"Come on Tom, the tree is already blooming!"

"I-I'm coming, Tord!"

Tom panted, holding onto his Tomee bear. Tord chuckled, as he yanked Tom forward. They finally made it to the apple tree, panting softly as they stared up. The first apple was already forming, it was still a glistening bright green, not fully formed yet. Tord smiled lopsidedly, looking at Tom. "When it's ready, you can have the apple."

Tom frowned a bit, sticking out his tongue. "I think you mean us."

"Huh?"

"Us. We can share the apple."

Tom smiled, a cute innocent blush covering his cheeks. The way the sun hit Tom just right - it made him look innocently angelic. Tord's heart fluttered as his stomach became queasy.

He was falling in love with his best friend.

-------

Tears rolled down Tord's cheek, as he sat under the apple tree. He looked down at the ground, gripping the dirt before raising his gun to his head.

A small smile grew, as the last tear fell.

"Hello, old friend."

THE END