Peter walked through the forest, eyes focused on the ground as evening fell over Narnia. Even when the creatures disappeared into their homes, and the sun set below the trees as it would back in England, there was something magical about the place, something so different from home, and a large part of Peter wished he could stay. Wished that he didn't have to go back to the endless days of trains and uniforms, wished that he and his siblings could stay in the castle with Caspian and live out the rest of their lives there. He knew it was hopeless to wish, however. It would not change the reality that this would be the last night he spent in this world.

As he sat himself down on a rock, he looked around him, at the trees, the orange light of the sunset setting over the landscape. It was nearing the time he should return to the castle, he was well aware, but he could not bring himself to go back. For going back would mean he would have no choice but to sleep, and he simply refused to miss a second of the last night he spent in Narnia. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath in, feeling the cool air wrap around him, the cold, hard rock below him, and listening to the breeze shake the leaves of the surrounding trees ever so slightly. He kept his eyes closed and simply felt his surroundings, felt them for a time when, perhaps, he may question the existence of this place. Memorized the smell, the temperature and the feeling, to remember Narnia by years later.

He had become so engrossed in this, however, that he failed to notice the snapping of twigs on the ground as somebody approached him.

"Peter?" He heard a voice from behind, and felt a soft hand placed gently on his shoulder.

Looking up, he found, that to his surprise, it was the Prince Caspian. Well, King Caspian, now. The thought of Caspian as King still felt somewhat foreign to him. Perhaps it was his having spent many years as High King of Narnia, but perhaps it was that, in his time of knowing Caspian, he had known him to be the Prince.

"Caspian." He smiled softly, and stood up so that he was at eye level with the other man.

"What brings you here at this hour?" Caspian asked, and Peter paused for a moment, debating whether or not to spill all of his troubles to the man, before replying,

"I just wish it didn't have to end. My time in Narnia, I mean." There was that word again, wishing. Peter seemed to be doing an awful lot of that recently.

Caspian furrowed his brow, and seemed to be considering something for a moment.

"Well, who says it must? Why can you not stay?"

Peter sighed, and sat himself back down on his rock.

"That's the thing. It doesn't have to. I'm certain, if I wished to stay, Aslan would allow it. However, there is simply no more need of Susan or I in this world anymore. Edmund and Lucy, perhaps. But... My family needs me and Susan in our world. For me to stay would simply be selfish."

Caspian chuckled softly, and looked down at Peter,

"We must all be a little selfish sometimes, Peter. Or else, we would never be happy."

Peter knew he was right, he did. But knowing and understanding is one thing, and bringing himself to actually be selfish would be an entirely different one.

Caspian sat himself down on the rock next to Peter, and a moment of silence passed, both of them content to say nothing for the time being.

"I know you won't, though. You're too good a man for that, Peter. No matter whether it would make you happy or not."

Peter ducked his head and smiled, he did so wish he could manage to be selfish, to stay in Narnia and grow old there. But Caspian was right, he wouldn't.

"I suppose, then, that this is the last we will see of each other." Caspian said, making no effort to hide the disappointment in his vocie. Peter's chest ached at the thought of never seeing Caspian again, although he wasn't sure why. Actually, he was, however, his feelings wouldn't matter when he left, and he preferred not to dwell too long on them, as he didn't want to make leaving more difficult than it was already going to be.

"I suppose it is." Peter replies, voice full of sorrow and regret.

I wish it wasn't. You're what I'll miss the most. He thought, but for all his bravery, all of the courage he was known for throughout all of Narnia, he couldn't quite bring himself to say it.

It appeared that no more needed to be said, as Caspian was leaning in, closer and closer with every breath, until there was but a centimeter between their lips.

"Forgive me, for, as you won't, I must be... Just a little selfish." Caspian whispered, and Peter could almost feel his lips moving around the words, before he closed the ever so small space between them, pressing his lips to Peter's softly.

Finally, Peter understood what it was that people spoke about in songs and poetry, the feeling written about in romance novels. He began to move his lips gently against Caspian's, the other man responding instantly. It would be so easy, for Peter to let himself fall in love right then, to give Caspian his heart. If he wasn't careful, it would happen without his choosing.

Caspian pulled away after a short moment, and Peter had no clue when he'd moved his hand to cup the Caspian's face, but he made no move to put it down, instead choosing to stroke the other man's jawbone slowly.

"I wish-" Peter began, but was cut off.

"I know."

Neither boy said anything more that night, choosing instead to sit on that rock and kiss and watch the sun fall and the moon rise until it was time to leave once and for all.

And, when Aslan asked who would like to return to the Other world, instead of saying 'stay', Caspian whispered, 'I'll miss you'.

And instead of saying 'I will', Peter smiled sadly as his heart sank into his feet, and walked away.