One word.
One word that changed his life.
It was a night that happened so long, long ago. He was nothing but a child. Murderous, yes. But still a child. The way he leered on him, sharp eyes full with nothing but intent to kill. He was tasked to assassinate him. It was just another job.
And yet he couldn't.
"Why?"
The way the purple haired boy looked at him with those strange, golden eyes of his. The way those eyes seemed to stare right into his soul.
"You've been through so much pain, haven't you?"
Those words echoed through his head.
"Don't look at me. You don't know anything about me. You don't understand me!"
Yet the other boy said nothing. The young assassin clutched his daggers, shivering all so lightly. As he was just about to attack, he found himself intertwined to the boy's arms.
There were no words that could escape his mouth. A warm embrace… nothing more, nothing less.
This boy who knew nothing of him, felt as if he was everything to him.
Why?
Two words.
Two words that would bring him pain.
Many years have passed since then. The pale young boy had grown up. The miserable boy draped in red wires and red blood was of no more. Covered in his robes to hide the dark mementos of his past, he walks through the hallway, paperwork in hand.
As he tread along the empty corridor, he passes by the room of the purple-haired boy who had once saved him from desolation. This boy had thawed his cold, frozen heart. This boy is the one whom he swore to protect, until his very death. This boy… was now his everything.
But this boy grew up too. And he had grown up to be a great man.
This young and egocentric adventurer he knew of long before… had now become the King.
Without doubt, that brought the younger man great happiness, because he can stay by his side.
And that brought him great pain as well.
Because when people grow up, they change.
Feelings change.
"I'm sorry."
He would mutter these words before he'd sleep. When the world is covered in darkness as he is alone in his bedroom, his hand wandering beneath the sheets. When there is nobody else except Sinbad on his thoughts, minds and dreams.
He would say these words over and over again.
Because having these feelings towards his King, is nothing but an unforgivable crime.
I'm sorry, Sin.
Three words.
Three words he should have said.
His King smiled at him that day.
Caressing the pale man's cheek, his King gave a small, pained laugh.
"Don't look so stiff, Ja'far. You're spoiling your good looks."
"This is not the time to talk about that, Sin…! You're-!"
"Shh… Don't say another word."
His King laughed again, his laughter growing weaker and weaker as each minute passed by.
There he was, powerlessly lying on his chancellor's lap. Blood was seeping through his clothes. The pale man held his King's hand tightly. Tears welled up on the younger man's eyes.
"It was a worthwhile journey…Wouldn't have had it... any other way… "
His King's lips formed another weakening smile. The pale man wrapped the blood-stained King in his arms.
"No, no… Don't say that… Please, Sin…"
Ruhk of black and white started hovering around them, like tiny butterflies in the air.
Ja'far started sobbing and heavy tears ran treacherously from his eyes.
"No… Sin, no… Don't leave… Please…! There's still so much for us to finish… A-And there's still some p-paperwork left to do… and … a-and we still have to protect Sindria… and-!"
Sinbad hugged him tightly, a weak chuckle escaping his lips.
"Tell me, Sin… Tell me… Just like before… t-that… you won't die yet… right?"
"Ja'far…"
"Y-You can't die yet...! T-There's still a lot of things… I-I want… no—I-I need… to tell you—!"
The sobbing man was abruptly silenced when his trembling lips met with a soft pair on his own. A bloodied hand wiped the tears falling from his chancellor's eyes as time stood still for the both of them, in that moment.
"You don't have to tell me… because I know it, Ja'far."
A gust of warm light engulfed them, as his cherished and beloved King started gently dissipating in the air, as white and black ruhk flailed wildly into the blowing wind. Ja'far could feel the hand that was holding him close slowly disappear into tiny wings of light and darkness. He desperately tried reaching out for the familiar, strong and calloused hands that he dearly adored… but it was futile, because they both knew it. It was the end.
His King smiled at him on that day.
As he always did.
"I love you, my King."
"I know… I love you too, Ja'far."