Epilogue


Once again, he was watching Rome from a window. As with the first time, so many years ago, the sights, sounds, and smells of Rome were intoxicating. The life of Rome could be felt, pulsed with energy. Joshua felt it even standing five stories above the ground.

Twenty years had passed since his first trip to Rome. Twenty years since his adventures in this city. Twenty years since he’d first been with Justin.

But not, as he had thought then, the last time.

It was five years before they met again. Joshua was in Rome to attend the investiture of the new Pope; Justin had been sent to cover it for his paper. Their reunion was like something out of a movie. Their eyes met, held. Joshua had nodded. Justin had smiled. And later that night, in Joshua’s hotel room, they had come together in a clash of mouths and bodies and shared ecstasy.

Nothing had changed between them.

From then on, they met once a year in Rome. For a week, Joshua left his responsibilities and obligations behind and became JC once again, seeing and sharing Rome with his handsome lover. Over the next fifteen years, they’d only missed twice. Once, Justin hadn’t shown up, causing Joshua concern. After returning home, Joshua had made discreet inquiries, discovering from Justin’s paper that the younger man had been injured, covering the growing conflict in Vietnam. The next year, Joshua had kissed each of Justin’s scars, thanking God he’d survived. Five years ago, it had been Joshua’s turn to miss their reunion, when his mother had died unexpectedly. Justin, recently named an editor for his paper in New York, had sent a note of condolence, a note that had meant more to Joshua than anything else.

It was after his mother’s death that Joshua began to think of the future, his future, and when the idea first came to him. He was 40 years old and still considered the world’s most eligible bachelor. His aides were pressing him to get married and produce an heir. But Joshua realized he couldn’t. And he wouldn’t. But neither would Joshua capriciously choose his successor without first gaining that person’s approval. He would not make another suffer what he did by not having a choice.

He gathered his remaining family to his apartments one evening. They all sat before him: His sister, Emilie. Her husband, Raul. Their son 20-year-old son, André, and André’s young fiancée, Vivian. Waiting. Wondering. Gathering his courage, Joshua outlined his proposal…

“I want André to succeed me to the throne,” Joshua said bluntly.

They all exchanged shocked glances. Emilie was the first to find her voice. “Joshua…is there something wrong? Something medical?” she asked.

Joshua smiled. “No, not that I know of, Em,” he said simply.

“Then why?” Raul asked. “You’re still young, Josh. Why not get married? Have a family?”

Joshua took a deep breath. “Because I will not be party too, nor perpetuate, a lie,” he said. “And marrying a woman would be a lie. A lie to her. A lie to me. A lie to the country.”

Understanding dawned in their eyes, and they all shared another glance. “Uncle Joshua,” André said. “This is rather a surprise.”

“I’m sure it is,” Joshua said with a slight laugh. “But believe me, André. Unless you want it, and are willing to accept the responsibilities, I will not force this on you.” Joshua rubbed his hands together nervously. “It has to be your decision.”

“And if he decides against it, Josh?” Emilie asked.

“Then the monarchy ends with me,” he said simply.

André and Vivian, who had been in whispered discussions, rose together and walked to Joshua. “I would be honored to be your heir,” Andre said, holding out his hand.

Joshua ignored the hand and gathered both of them to him, locking eyes with his sister over André’s shoulder. Joshua was glad that he and Emilie were still so close they could communicate without speaking. He could see the concern in her eyes, and knew there would be more discussion with her on this subject. But that would be for later, and between brother and sister.

So, for the past five years, Joshua had groomed André to follow him to the throne. Some wondered why the André was always at Joshua’s side, but as time went on, his subjects grew to love the young prince. He was everything they wanted, everything they needed in a monarch. And André really loved the job. More so than Joshua had ever enjoyed it. To André, royal duties and obligations were easily and quickly dispatched. To Joshua, they had always been, and remained to this day, a responsibility he did but never enjoyed. Maybe André was just better suited for the royal life. Maybe it was because he already had found his love in Vivian. They had been married, two years after Joshua’s and André’s decision, in a celebratory ceremony that locked the young couple deep in the country’s heart. But whatever the reason, Joshua was just glad that André was willing to fill a role that he himself never could.

However, no one really knew of Joshua’s plans. It was a closely guarded secret. No one knew except his family and his closest, most trusted aides.

The public didn’t know.

The press didn’t know.

Justin didn’t know.

Joshua glanced at the clock. Almost time for Justin to arrive. He wondered what Justin’s reaction to his announcement would be. Before leaving for Rome, Joshua had called a press conference.

Where he announced his plans to abdicate, next year, on André’s 25th birthday.

The press was having a field day trying to find out why, after leading his country through twenty years of growth and prosperity, why he would step down. Joshua had simply smiled and had said, “All things must come to an end. It is now time to end this chapter of my life and begin another.” With that, he’d left the press room had immediately left for Rome.

Still standing at the window, Joshua felt a tingle on his neck. He smiled, realizing that Justin had arrived. The tingle was soon replaced by Justin’s warm mouth as he kissed Joshua’s neck, moving slowly to his ear. “Hello, my lover,” Justin said, his whispered words making Joshua shiver.

Joshua wrapped Justin’s arms around him and leaned back into Justin’s embrace. “Hello,” he returned.

“Bit of a bombshell you dropped on the world today,” he said, nipping Joshua’s earlobe.

Joshua chucked. “Oh, you heard?”

“Oh, I heard, all right,” Justin said. “But you left it kind of vague as to your future plans, you know.” Justin lifted a hand, smoothing back Joshua’s curls and resting his cheek against the older man’s. “Would you mind, Prince Joshua, if I asked what are your future plans, now that you’re stepping down from the throne?”

“I thought I’d try my luck in New York,” Joshua said, turning in Justin’s arms and sitting on the windowsill. He pulled the other man to stand between his legs. “I hear there are lots of positions for ex-princes in America.”

Justin barked a laugh. “Yeah, I can think of quite a few.”

Joshua laughed as well. “So, can you put me up for a while?” His hands slipped up Justin’s chest, removing Justin’s tie. “You know, until I land on my feet and all,” he continued, slipping open the buttons of Justin’s shirt. His hands roamed over Justin’s hard flesh, making the younger man groan.

“Might be a problem,” Justin said, moving closer to Joshua and pressing his thigh up against Joshua’s growing hardness. “My place is kind of small. Could get, uh, crowded.”

“I’ll make it worth your while.” Joshua’s hands lowered to Justin’s pants.

Justin cocked his head. “Gee, I don’t know,” he said. “After all, I thought we were friends. But now I wonder.”

Joshua’s hands stilled. “Wonder what?”

“Remember all those years ago? When I didn’t write that story about you?”

Joshua smiled, his hands resuming their task of removing Justin’s pants. “Yes, I remember,” he said, slipping down Justin’s pants and underwear in one movement.

“Well, uh…oh god,” Justin said, his hands reaching up to hold onto the window casement as Joshua’s fingers blazed a heated trail over his engorged cock. “I…ugh…I thought…oh, yesss…I thought with an announcement as big…uh…don’t…stop,” Justin groaned as Joshua fisted Justin’s hardness. “That you’d give me…

Joshua dipped his head, licking delicately at the head of Justin’s cock. “I’d give you…what?” he asked.

“And exclusive…ah fuck…about your abdication.”

Joshua’s hand and mouth stilled on Justin’s cock. He glanced up at his lover, a mischievous smile on his face. “How about I just give you a blow job instead?”

Justin looked at Joshua, falling in love with the prince all over again. “You got yourself a deal.”

The End



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