It was pitch black in Antonio's heart, hopeless, broken. It was like drowning in water of that colour, all senses taken away by the drowning sensation. He had loved his family, even if they had treated him horribly, he always would. They were his parents, his only known family. No amount of comfort from the authorities could soothe his broken soul, no amount of mental help was enough, nothing could get through to him save for the gentle hand holding his that very moment; Lovino's.

It wasn't enough to make all the pain go away like it was in those cheesy romance novels they both liked to pretend they didn't read, but it was enough to hold him together at the seams. Neither of them spoke a word as they rode to the courtroom where Antonio's fate would be decided. Little did they know that the principal himself was waiting there to offer to care for the young boy.

Fortunately for Antonio, he did indeed end up with Romulus, who was more than happy to let him keep his boyfriend. And for two years they lived happily, kissing beneath flowering blossoms in the Springtime, splashing in the pond out back during the Summer, laying in the colourful leaves in Fall, and having only the most epic of snowfights during the Winter. It was peaceful, it was perfect, but with everything that was such, it would come crashing to an end one Summer's day.

Lovino had stayed in this timeframe too long, he had to return to his time, go back to the Antonio he was meant to be with, return to the world where he belonged. And there was only one way to do that. Lovino left no note, just walked into the forest one day.

Of course, it was Antonio who heard the shot ring out into the azure sky, and it was Antonio who, sobbing, found where the shot gun lay next to a beautiful red rose. There was no trace of Lovino aside from the shotgun, but Antonio knew.

It would be many, many years before he found his sunshine again.

EDIT! A PRE-SEQUEL HAS BEEN RELEASED! s/12065529/1/