"Love of my life,
I know that this separation will not be easy for either of us. Every single minute spent away from your side already feels like an absolute eternity to my heart. Without you in my world, my life would still be a living hell. I know that it is not easy for you either, especially having to return to a place where your soul does not want to be. It pains me deeply to know that you are feeling alone right now, and because of that, my heart hurts even more.I know that none of this can truly make you forget the ache of being away from me, but I want you to be as comfortable as possible until I return. Don't worry about a single thing, love; your husband has already taken care of everything. While I am away, please open the boxes and put on my clothes. I must confess, I also stole a few of your favorite T-shirts and jackets to keep with me. I promise I will do everything in my power to come back to you soon, and we will not be away from each other for long. If you ever need anything at all, you know exactly who to tell though I don't think you will need a thing, because your wonderful husband has already planned every detail. I love you very much, and my soul misses you already. Please take care of yourself, eat well, and get enough sleep. Don't worry about my safety; I am surrounded by people I trust completely, and I know that if anything happens, they will protect me. I am far more worried that you are sitting alone with no one by your side. If you ever feel like you cannot bear to stay in that house for another second, just call me, and I will come back to you right away. Remember always that you are the most precious thing to me, more important than anything else in this universe.
With all my love,The person who loves you the most in this and any other world."
Willy couldn't hold back his tears any longer. Even though Tim was miles away, hidden somewhere across the border, his beautiful mind was still completely focused on him, caring for his every need. After reading each handwritten word, the aching desire to see his husband grew even more intense. How could he not cry? The person he loved with all his soul was no longer there to hold him, and he was left trapped in a cold house, surrounded only by family members who didn't care about his feelings at all. If Tim were only standing beside him right now, none of this painful loneliness would have touched him.
Willy wiped his wet cheeks, taking a shaky breath. "No... I need to calm down. Tim is enduring all of this dangerous work just so that we can finally live in beautiful, unbroken peace. If his team finds out what kind of lonely situation I am in right now, he will definitely drop everything and come running back. I can't let that happen. I want him to be able to live freely and peacefully after all those long years of running. I have to find the strength to deal with all of this on my own."
He immediately stood up and began opening the large delivery boxes scattered across the floor. He searched frantically through the layers until his fingers found Tim's packed clothes. Right now, only that familiar, comforting scent of cedar and warmth could calm his racing heart. He pulled out a large, soft sweater belonging to his husband and wrapped it tightly around his narrow frame, breathing in deeply.
Willy whispered into the empty room. "You are so far away from me, Tim... but your warmth still manages to calm my soul. Please come back soon. I don't know how much longer my heart can last like this."
Wrapped in his husband's scent, Willy soon fell fast asleep from sheer emotional exhaustion. When his eyes finally opened again, the sky outside his window was dark; it was already very late in the evening. Only then did his stomach remind him that he hadn't swallowed a single bite of food all day.
Willy sighed, staring at the ceiling. "If Tim were here right now, he would never have let me go hungry all day."
He had absolutely no idea what to eat, nor did he have the desire to cook. He walked quietly down the stairs, finding the living room completely empty. Everyone else in the house was already asleep, which at least meant he could walk around in quiet peace. He entered the dim kitchen and was just about to pull open the refrigerator door when a soft, polite knock echoed from the back entrance. Willy blinked, not expecting a soul at this hour. He walked over carefully and opened the door. Standing on the porch was the familiar head of security, holding a neatly packed insulated bag in his hand.
The head of security offered a warm nod. "Good evening, sir. This is for you."
Willy's heart skipped a beat. It had to be from Tim, because absolutely no one else in his life would ever show such sweet care.
Willy smiled softly. "Thank you so much."
He took the bag gently from his hands and closed the door, walking back to the kitchen counter. He couldn't help but marvel at his husband; Tim had already sent a mountain of boxes today, and yet he still found a way to send more. He unzipped the bag and found a container filled with fresh, delicious food and his favorite snacks. Resting right at the very bottom of the bag was a small, folded piece of paper with a message written in that familiar handwriting.
"I am not physically by your side tonight and I cannot cook for you, love, but that does not mean my husband is allowed to go hungry. This meal won't be nearly as delicious as my own cooking, but that is okay for now. The main thing is that your body gets some strength. The very second I get back home, I promise I will cook you a mountain of delicious dishes."
When Tim had written that he had already taken care of everything, he truly meant every single word. After eating the warm meal, Willy returned to his bedroom. He carefully placed the small note inside the wooden memory box right alongside the long letter. Even though they were separated by borders and silent distance, Willy could feel Tim's presence hovering close to him. The only agonizing difference was that he couldn't physically reach out to touch his skin or cuddle against his chest.
Sleep completely evaded him for the rest of the night. He tossed and turned in the quiet room, only managing to drift off toward dawn when the first light began to break. But his rest lasted for a mere couple of hours, leaving his body feeling incredibly tired and heavy when he woke. He had to physically force himself out from under the blankets and step into a warm shower. He had to go to university today. It had been an exceptionally long time since he felt this drained of energy. He got dressed in a comfortable outfit and gathered all his remaining strength to walk down the stairs. The head of security was already waiting patiently by the banister.
The guard smiled warmly, holding up a fresh paper bag. "Good morning, sir. This is for you."
Willy smiled, a wave of comfort washing over him. "Good morning... and thank you."
It was a freshly prepared breakfast. And just like the night before, a tiny note was tucked into the corner of the bag.
"Good morning, my love. I knew your mind wouldn't be able to sleep well last night, so I personally asked the chef to prepare your absolute favorite breakfast today. Please don't drink too much coffee at the university. Cheer up for me, sweetheart. I love you."
Reading those sweet words, Willy instantly felt his energy return, a bright, genuine smile gracing his lips. He felt incredibly happy. Despite the physical miles between them, Tim was right there, holding his hand through these little notes.
Willy whispered to himself. "I have absolutely no idea how you manage to know my every thought from so far away, Tim... but I am just so grateful that your soul is a part of my life and that I can always count on you. I know that you will always take care of me and love me through the darkness."
But then, a sudden thought hit him, and a small pang of guilt touched his chest. He realized that he hadn't done a single sweet thing for Tim in return. He didn't even possess the knowledge of what country his husband was currently hiding in.
Willy turned to the guard, his eyes eager. "How exactly is he managing to send these messages to me? I want to send something back to him too."
The head of security chuckled softly. "Just write down whatever your heart wants to say on a note, sir, and my hands will ensure it reaches his secure line immediately."
Willy's eyes lit up. "Thank you! I'll go write it down right now and bring it straight to you."
The guard nodded. "Take your time, sir. Whenever you're fully ready, just let us know, and the team will escort you safely to the university campus."
Under normal circumstances, it would be completely impossible for a student to attend university classes accompanied by a private security detail, but for someone with Timmy's immense influence, rules were easily bent. Tim had made a significant donation and helped the university administration with various corporate matters in the past, so they gladly made a special exception for his family. Neither Willy nor Tim wanted the other students to know that Willy was attending classes under heavy guard, as it would only draw unwanted attention and gossip, so the security team took exceptionally careful, subtle measures to remain completely unnoticed.
Throughout the morning, Willy was completely distracted. His ears weren't processing a single word of the professor's lecture; his mind was entirely occupied, spinning thoughts about what exactly he should write in his message to Tim. The singular, overwhelming thought that kept flooding his heart was how desperately he wanted to be wrapped in his arms, and how he couldn't stand this lonely ache for another second but he knew he couldn't write something so worrying to his husband.
After much careful thought during the quiet lecture, he finally decided on the perfect words. He pulled out a clean sheet of paper and began to write:
"My only one,
Thank you for taking such beautiful care of me, even though your body is so far away from my side. I honestly don't know what words to write to you, because right now, all my mind can think about is how desperately I want to be with you. I know it must be so incredibly hard for your heart to be away from me too. It frustrates me that I cannot look after your needs the way you look after mine, simply because my soul has no idea where your boots are traveling.All I want in this world is for you to be entirely safe and well, so please, take care of yourself for me. You must be sleeping horribly too, because I know your body cannot rest peacefully without me resting against your chest. Please do not push yourself to the brink of exhaustion, Tim. I do not want you ending up in a hospital room like you did in your past. If my clothes aren't enough to comfort you over there, just tell me, and I will cross any border to come and hug you wherever you are hidden. I don't care if it's dangerous or not, because my mind cannot even bear the thought of you getting hurt or sick.I love you and miss you with every single breath. Remember that even though we are far apart right now, I am standing right here, holding our home together and waiting for you. No matter how many months it takes, I will always be right here, waiting for you to come back to my arms. Thank you for everything you are, Tim, and I am just so happy and proud that you are my wedded husband. My life could never have met a better person than you. You are the absolute best.
P.S. The dinner last night really wasn't even half as delicious as your cooking, master. So when you finally come back home, you absolutely have to keep your promise and make me a mountain of delicious food. And know this once your boots cross our threshold again, I am never letting you leave my side ever again, because you belong entirely to me. Since the morning you left, my heart has become incredibly selfish and messy. That is exactly why I won't let you travel anywhere without me again. You won't be allowed to leave my side even for a single brief moment. You will spend the rest of your days locked right next to me, so don't even think you can be away from my eyes for a single second.
With all my love and devotion,The person who is entirely yours."
The exact moment the final class concluded, Willy hurried out of the building and handed the sealed letter directly into the hands of the head of security. His heart was already pounding with a sweet, restless excitement, eagerly awaiting Tim's future response to his words. He didn't care at all that he had to go back to that cold childhood house and face his distant parents later this evening, because right now, his entire universe was occupied by the beautiful thought of Tim.