Flipping the collar of his ratty jean jacket up, Justin closed in on the heavyset man with a weird goatee, the one he’d watched not 20 minutes ago exit ‘Tuck’s Tux’, stuffing his wallet into the left pocket of his pea coat. He settled in next to the man, walking almost at the same pace, Justin just a step behind, when he executed his plan. Nudging the man’s shoulder roughly, he placed his left hand on the man’s waist to steady him, and snatched the wallet with his right; he mumbled an apology and hurried ahead, before the man could catch even a glimpse of his face. He power-walked to the corner of the street just about ready to run when a male voice yelled.
“Thief!!”
He took off and cursed when he heard the unmistakable sound of footfalls and heavy breathing following. Justin turned to see who was behind him, knowing he shouldn’t, looking back only slowed you down, but he had to see if it were the man he’d just robbed or not. If it was, he’d have no problem losing him. There was no way that fat ass would be able to...but no it wasn’t Mr. Goatee, damn. It was an equally heavy police officer, already sweating after only a block, piece of cake. Grinning Justin faced forward again, taking a short cut through an alley. He believed it was all smooth sailing, he knew the city like the back of his hand, but there was no warning of the patch of ice, so slip he did, and down he went.
*
Groaning, Justin lifted a hand to the back of his head, rubbing tenderly. Ow. How the hell...oh right slipped, he had to get a more respectable job.
“Justin? Are you alright?” Justin’s brow furrowed. How did this cop know his name already? The only wallet he carried was Mr. Goatee’s. Pouting his lips just right, Justin readied himself for the performance of a life time.
“Look officer, I’m real sorry, but a kid’s gotta eat...” Blinking his eyes open, Justin finally focused on one thing and found his voice had caught in his throat. Blue eyes. That’s all he could think, enchanted sapphire eyes. And if all New York’s finest looked this good he wouldn’t mind getting brought in.
“Justin can you speak? Should I go fetch the physician?” Justin took the man kneeling above him in. His wavy chocolate hair cascading down and around his face, sharp cheekbones his tongue watered to taste, a slender sloping neck, and broad shoulders covered in armor...armor? What the hell? Sitting up too quickly Justin cradled his head in both hands, hissing an assortment of colorful words. Placing a warm hand on the small of Justin’s back, the beautiful mystery man began rubbing gentle circles.
“I really think I should call for the...”“No, I just...what the hell is going on?” Now sitting up Justin took in his surroundings. They were in a grassy field...two horses...horses? (Justin had never seen a horse outside of the Bonanza re-runs his step-father liked to watch) grazing a little ways away. Looking down at his own chest his eyes widened at his own suit of armor, and jumped at the sight of a really huge sword thing...a lance? Laying at his feet, he couldn’t quite remember, and didn’t much care. Scooting away from the weapon he just about screamed, for in the distance right behind the beautiful brunettes head was a castle...a holy hell castle! Where the hell was he, this wasn’t the alley he ducked into on Main.
“Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.” He whispered still staring in amazement at the magnificent piece of history.
“Nay, you’re in the Kingdom of Chasez.” The stranger informed, only he said it more like an announcement. Justin looked to the man as if he’d lost his mind.
“You said what now?”
“Oh dear, I have broken you, you’re talking crazy. I must go and fetch someone.” He went to stand but Justin quickly grabbed his wrist to keep him kneeling.
“What...what happened? How do you know me?”
“Justin, I’m greatly sorry. I guess I got a little carried away in our joust, even though I knew you were not on as high a level as I...and when you moved to dodge my lance you fell off your horse. It was quite comical.”
“A barrel, I bet.”
“You must forgive me, I thought you were playing possum, but you were really hurt and you wouldn’t answer when I called to you.” Justin’s eyebrows knitted, this guy obviously thought he was someone else, but how the hell did he get here?
“Who are you? Who am I for that matter?”
“Oh nay, you don’t remember? I must’ve given you the memory disease!”
“Now wait, just calm down, I’m ok...a little shookin’ up but ok...just I don’t know. Refresh my memory?” Biting his lip, the gorgeous man nodded.
“Well alright, you’re in the royal courtyard of the castle.” Justin laughed; he couldn’t help it if this guy was a real loony. “I am Prince Joshua of the Chasezes and you are my squire Justin of the Timberlakes.”
“Hold on a damn minute…a squire? Ah ha, you just said you were a prince and if my memory is correct squire’s accompanied knights not princes.” Justin beamed with pride having caught on to the man’s act. He’d heard of cruel and unusual punishment but this took the cake, and for pick pocketing no less.
“That is true Justin, but I being the second born son of the king will not be inheriting the throne for many years to come and only then if my brother does not have a heir of his own. So to not make a nuisance of myself, I have decided to train for the tournament circuit. My wish is to bring honor and success to the banner of my family.” Justin rubbed a hand over his face in an attempt to wake up from this nightmare.
“What am I trippin’ on man? I haven’t done any hard stuff since last week with Chris; fucker laced my weed with something crazy and told me after my eyeballs rolled back and out my ears.”
“Chris, you were conversing with Prince Christopher?” Justin noticing the gruff manner, in which the prince had spoken, nodded.
“Well, yeah maybe once a week, he’s not much for conversation, though he makes up for it with his other oral skills, if you know what I’m saying? He said with a wiggling of eyebrows. He winced and rubbed his head again. No more eyebrow wiggling.
“Nay, I don’t know.” Justin stared at Joshua’s earnest confusion.
“He’s good at ...you know, stuff with his mouth.” He gestured toward Joshua’s crotch. Joshua’s eyes squinted, as all mirth left his face, replaced with a glare. Noticing the brunettes frown, Justin was quick to correct himself.
“Wait, unless that’s a bad thing then no.” Joshua raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Looking the blonde over. Justin met his acquisitive stare with one of his own. Joshua smiled at that.
“You are looking like you’ve recovered.” Standing, he grabbed his lance up from the ground. “Care to go again?” Justin looked back and forth between the smiling man and the lance and shook his head.
“I don’t think so.”
“I suppose you’re right...it would suit us much more to go for a swim.” Swim. As in you and me half naked? Justin thought, I am so there.
*
“Last one in is a peasant’s wife!” Joshua called, already naked from the waist up. Justin shook his head and clumsily unfastened the buttons of his shirt. Reaching for the waist band of his pants, he pulled the thin fabric away from his skin to see what kind of underwear these people wore, only to gasp. There was none, he’d been walking about commando this whole time and hadn’t known it. Opting to keep his pants on he looked up at the swoosh-swoosh of water as Joshua slowly walked into it from the bank. Naked. Completely peach-skinned nude. Justin’s jaw went slack as he watched the perfectly round cheeks of Joshua’s ass as he walked into the water. Joshua totally oblivious to this craned his neck over his shoulder.
“Justin?” Joshua called. Justin blinked and regretfully took his eyes off the older man’s ass. “You going in your breeches, won’t they get wet?” Justin blushed at the amusement evident in Joshua’s voice. And all but tore the pants from his body. Climbing the boulder by the bend, he whistled for Joshua’s attention. “Hey, JC, look out below!” With that he jumped, tucking his knees to his chest for a perfect cannonball. Resurfacing, he wiped the water from his eyes just in time to be splashed in the face. Wiping his eyes once more, he peek one open to meet Joshua’s gorgeous grinning face.
“Show off...what is JC?”
“It’s you, you’re JC.”
“I am?”
“Joshua Chasez. They’re your initials; a nickname...hasn’t anyone ever given you a nickname before, your close friend’s maybe?” Frowning Joshua shook his head.
“You’re my only friend Justin, you know that.” Justin’s heart just about broke at the despair in Joshua’s voice.
“Well, then I hereby pronounce you...JC...prince of the kingdom of Chasez.” Justin mimed touching a sword to each of Joshua’s shoulders, making the brunette giggle. They swam in a comfortable silence after that; occasionally getting into splashing fits and lazily floating on their backs.
“I can’t figure out what happened.”
“What?” Justin asked, after executing a handstand.
“To you. What has changed, you use to be so boring, so serious about becoming a knight. You never made me laugh like this; actually you wouldn’t even have thought of swimming with me. You would’ve stayed in the courtyard and practiced your jousting.”
“Maybe I finally noticed what was right in front of me, and that I’d been wasting precious time alone that I could’ve been spending with you...my friend.” Joshua frowned, and about faced...striding out of the water as fast as he could. Justin blinked. And wondered what had just happened as he followed suit, distracted only slightly by the sight of Joshua’s ass once again.
“JC, wait, what’d I say?” Whirling around Justin noticed the tears in the brunette’s eyes, jaw clenched.
“Why do you have to be so...” Without finishing he grabbed the back of Justin’s neck, pulling him in for a chaste kiss. Ending the kiss before it could really get started; Joshua’s eyes widened and he covered his mouth ashamed.
“I beg your forgiveness Justin, I know it’s forbidden for men to lay together, but after what you said about you and prince Christopher earlier...I’ve always felt I was different from my brother. Never getting that feeling with any of the princesses my mother and father would have me court. Not like I have with...” Meeting Justin’s eyes, he licked his lips. “…With you.”
“JC, I...”
“I don’t know what I was thinking just now, but please forgive me, it’ll never happen again and my father never has to know...” Justin hushed the anxious prince, pressing his finger to his lips. Then thought better and replaced his finger with his own mouth, giving Joshua a kiss nothing like the one of moments before.
“We can’t, we mustn’t...please.” Joshua panted, gripping Justin’s shoulders, dragging him down to lie on the soft grass of the river bank.
“Please what, please what JC?” Justin whispered, laying half on half next to Joshua.
“Take me...lie with me; I want you to be my first. I...love you, always have.” Justin nipped Joshua’s bottom lip. He couldn’t, he wasn’t that Justin. He glances at the needy, pliant, beautiful body below him. But then again...he felt his dick twitch at the moans JC supplied freely. Who could turn this down? Certainly not him.
“Joshua if you are sure, I...” JC smiled at the use of his full name in such an intimate setting and held Justin’s hand in his before placing it on his erection.
“I have never been surer of anything in all my 22 years of life. “ And that was all the convincing Justin needed. The Justin after him would return to have this for however long he wished. But he, he only had tonight. This one glorious chance to have this man, to make him good and thoroughly his, which Justin intended to do all night long or until his dick fell off...which ever came first.
*
Lying under a willow tree, with Joshua snuggled to his chest, the chirping of the grasshoppers and the calming flow of the river were the only thing for miles. The two men watched the sun go down.
“Joshua.” Justin whispered into his lover’s hair.
“Hmm?” Joshua answered hardly able to keep his eyes open any longer.
“Promise me this won’t end come day break, promise you’ll never forget me.” Sitting up enough to look Justin in the eye, Joshua cupped the blonde’s cheek and leant forward for a soft kiss.
“Oh Justin my love, I could never. My heart belongs to you now.” Satisfied for the moment Justin watched Joshua resume his earlier position, his eyelids fluttering close, until a soft snore filled his ears. Then he too drifted off to sleep.
*
Feeling the first beam of sun across his face, Joshua stretched his arms up over his head, eyebrows furrowing when his hand connected with skin. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he opened them and smiled at the sight of his lover as all of last night came rushing back to him.
“My lord?” Joshua blinked and gasped covering himself and Justin as best as he could, spying the guard wearing the royal purple and gold of his kingdom. The guard eyed the two naked men, a sneer across his lips.
“Please soldier, this is not what it looks like. We weren’t...we aren’t...” Joshua tried to explain, but his words were in vain as the guard shook his head, backing away from the two.
“I must address this to the king.” He said, and took off in a run.
“Justin, Justin wake up, you must…” Shaking the younger man from his sleep.
“Oh come on mom, half an hour more?” Justin mumbled.
“Nay, Justin, please get up now!” Joshua shouted, shoving his shoulder into Justin’s side.
“Ow, shit...” Opening his eyes, he glared at the cause of his pain; his eyes softening immediately at the sight of a still morning soft Joshua.
“Joshua, it was real, all of it. I didn’t dream you up?”
“Nay my love, I am very much real but we’re in trouble.”
“What, what do you mean trouble, what kind of trouble?” Justin asked, holding on to Joshua's hand protectively.
“I told you last night that men aren’t to lie together, and now my father will learn of what we did last night and...”
“Wait, slow down. How is he going to find out?” Standing, Joshua paced in front of Justin, picking up Justin’s discarded pants as he did, and threw them at him.
“A guard…he saw us just a few minutes ago and he ran off toward the castle to tell my father. You must go, run, get dressed and leave from here Justin...for good.” Justin pulled on his pants with shaking hands.
“Where will I go, will you...come with me Joshua?”
“I can not, you know I can not. Do not tempt me with such pleas. For it would be hard to say nay. My kingdom needs me; I shall not abandon them for my own gain.”
“What about for me, JC, you said yourself you won’t be inheriting the thrown after your father’s death.” Biting his lips, Joshua ceased eye contact as he shook his head.
“I can not.”
“Then you don’t really love me.” JC slapped him.
“How dare you, how could you after last night when I gave myself to you, all that we shared. I am trying to save your life by sending you away, as much as it pains me. It took two of us to lie, but only one of us will be be-headed. You’re not of royal blood.” Rushing forward, he wrapped Joshua in his arms, showering his face with desperate kisses.
“I’ll love you in all my lifetimes Joshua.” Justin promised, tears falling unashamed.
“Aye.” JC choked out, tightening his hold on Justin and almost suffocating them both with a searing kiss.
*
Justin ran as fast as he could through the forest, mindful of fallen trees and sunken ground not wanting to trip, not wanting to slow down. Too bad the real danger didn’t lie beneath his feet. He looked up just in time to come face to face with a low branch. Well, hello to you to.
*
"Alright kid, nap time's over." Justin heard faintly as something poked him in the rib. Slowly, he blinked his eyes open to see him? Wavy brown locks, twinkling eyes of silver, even the adorably crooked nose. But how? Squinting, he read the officer’s nameplate. 'Chasez'.
"What's your first name?" Justin asked almost desperately.
"Joshua." The officer cautioned in confusion as he helped the boy sit up.
"But your friends call you JC?"
The officer stared down at him incredulously as he nodded slowly.
Justin smiled.