Darius has a bittersweet musing on his feelings for Jericho at a dark moment.

There isn't an Empire without you. It was my first thought when we met again after you dispatched Darkwill. It was your drive, your vision that would hold this all together. I mean it just as much today, but there's a different sentiment within it. For me, there may as well be no Empire without you. Is that what you'd want? No, I smirk to myself, you'd rather I consider it above you. I can't though and I haven't been able to for a long time.

Since that night specifically. What I'd felt for you had once been small, a longing, a wish, an unspoked hope. But it had grown so large, it began to consume me. No longer could I contain it. So there in your office, my eyes averted because I could not bear it if I found you displeased with me, I let it out. "Jericho, I have to say this." I held up a hand as you tried to interrupt. "I have feelings for you, I can't deny them. If you don't share them, I understand, but send me away so I can forget them. Let me serve the Empire far from here, far from you."

"Darius." To my unending relief, your voice was soft and held no rebuke. The touch of your hand against mine caused me to lift my eyes to meet yours at last, and the look you gave me was more than I could've hoped for. "There is no one I care for more than you." Your fingers thread through mine and clutched my hand with fierce strength and my breath caught in my throat. "But what kind of life could we really build together?"

Cautiously, conscious of myself and my size, I stepped closer. "Wouldn't any life together be better than one apart?"

There was a moment of devastation as I felt your hand leave mine. Before I could process it you were cupping my face, a tingling sensation following in the wake of the touch from your left hand. "Ever the bold one, charging headfirst into the fray."

I smiled, hesitant in the hope I now felt pounding in my chest. "Then let me be brash and carve this path for us." My hands gripped your waist and I prayed that you would not pull away. "We can take what we want. Denying ourselves without reason is senseless." We were so close, and I found myself unable to resist the impulse any longer. Leaning down, I brushed my lips against yours, aching to feel you return it, to be accepted as yours.

When you kissed back, the world fell silent, the sky cracked open, and the earth shook. Lips pressed together, all I could feel was that urgent need at its realization. It had burned inside so long, and now it was unleashed, an inferno to engulf us both.

We clung to each other as we finally released that kiss. "Darius." It was a ragged whisper as your head fell against my chest.

My cheek leaned on the top of your head as I pulled you even closer. "Don't fight this Jericho."

That shining epiphany was the start of the most glorious time my life has ever known, but it also led us here. And I hope you'll understand what I'm about to do. There is no Empire, and there is no me, without you.

We've been outflanked, possibly even betrayed from within. It doesn't matter right now. The Grand General has been wounded as he unleashed the demon and fought to keep our forces from suffering too many losses. As he reached his limit, a well-aimed arrow, or maybe just a lucky one, made it through a gap in his armor. Now, driven to his knees, a line of soldiers standing sentinel, he draws on what he can of that demon to survive. He'll recover, I'm sure of it he's as stubborn as he is smug, but it will take time. Time we don't have. The enemy has regrouped and assembled beneath their banners, shouts and horns echo through the night. Another charge was imminent.

Breaking through the guard around him, I drop to a crouch beside him. Reaching through the crackling power surrounding him that still brings me a little bit of terror, I take his face in my hands. "Hey, look at me." I can barely see the unfocused, dark irises swimming in pools of burning crimson. It takes a moment, but they focus on me and I see recognition there. "I love you, Jericho. Never forget that, and try to take care of yourself." We're running out of time, so I kiss him quickly before he can see what I'm doing through the pain he's in.

Then I rise, ignoring the stares wantonly thrown our way. "Trifarians hear me! Those at the Grand General's side remain there. The rest of you to me. We need to crush that front line." With a ferocious shout, they fall behind my charge. They know as well as I do there are too many for us alone. In the distance we can hear it though, the might of Noxus come to reinforce us. With axe raised high, I greet the enemy. As we fall upon them, I let my mind go, and think of him, one last time.