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This here is the last chapter. It contains SMUT. But please do not read the smut if you are not of age. And I'm just creepy enough to read the profiles of my reviewers, so I know who you are. You can skim it...or something.

Naughty children.

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18: To End with Love

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Oren was leaning over his desk when Joshua entered the room. The prince took a long moment to observe his pretty mage, thinking of everything his parents told him, and everything he had told them back.

No matter what they said, Joshua knew he'd never love anyone as much as he loved Oren, even if the mage was too focused on his letter to notice him right now.

Unobserved, Joshua studied Oren, frowning at how sadly drab his hair looked without the colorful braids, though it was still butter-colored, and, he assumed, butter-soft. Although- Joshua stepped a bit closer for a better look, smirking at what he saw.

Joshua waited until Oren's pen was returning to the ink well to say something, but the moment it was off the paper, Joshua chuckled. "Your red braid has fallen out, pretty mage," he said.

Oren started and dropped his pen, which is why Joshua had waited. The mage spun around. "Joshua!" he cried, flinging himself across the room.

"Hey, hey," Joshua said. "It's only been a few hours, what is this?"

"It's been more than a few hours," Oren said, shoving Joshua towards the bed.

"Close the door at least," Joshua said.

One of Oren's Colors slammed into the door, shoving it closed as Oren pushed a non-resisting Joshua onto his back on the bed.

"What did your parents say?" Oren asked, crawling over Joshua to kiss him without waiting for an answer.

"That I would have to give you up and marry the princess anyway." Joshua had to pull away to get the words out.

"Oh really?" Oren asked, backing off completely. "Then I shouldn't be-"

"Oren!" Joshua said, following. "I was kidding!" It was his turn to push Oren down. "I wouldn't give you up even if they told me to," he said showering Oren's face with kisses.

"Then what did your parents tell you?" Oren asked again.

"That I shouldn't let you lick me in public," Joshua said, licking Oren's cheek, now that he had the idea.

Oren slid a leg between Joshua's thighs, rubbing lightly. "He shouldn't have told me to," Oren muttered, letting the conversation go.

Joshua groaned at the feeling of cloth on cloth on skin. "Closer," he gasped, pushing himself away enough that he could reach the clasps on the mage's clothing. He fumbled a few of them open, cursing at the remaining ones. Those clothes were so easy to open when he was wearing them.

Oren chuckled and took pity on the prince, gently pushing Joshua's hands away to remove the clothes himself. Naked, Oren gave Joshua a sultry look as he ran his hands over his own soft skin.

Joshua licked his lips, remembering the taste of that skin, the texture of it under his hands. But when he reached for Oren, the mage squirmed away, pointedly looking at the prince's clothing, rumpled but still present.

Watching Oren's face for his reactions, Joshua slid his clothes off, inch by tormenting inch. Or rather, he tried to. His planned torture only lasted through the first layer before Oren got involved, tugging and pulling and licking as skin was revealed.

Oren's hands, soft and cool, slid along Joshua's skin, smoothing and raising goose bumps where they passed, pressing Joshua into the sheets below. Joshua sighed, his hands falling from his clothing as Oren gently pushed back the final layer of silk, placing kisses on each inch of skin revealed.

"Missed you," Oren said quietly, pulling the garment the rest of the way off and leaning down to kiss Joshua on the lips.

Joshua grabbed Oren's waist and pulled him closer, arching upwards to touch as much of that creamy skin as he could. "Missed you, too," he muttered. "Didn't even realize it."

Oren's lips and his soft warm tongue had moved onto Joshua's neck, licking and nibbling softly. He stopped now, pulling back enough to give Joshua a look that was part annoyed and part aroused. "The princess-" he started.

Joshua slid one hand down to massage Oren's rear, cutting him off with a hiss of pleasure. "She never got this close," Joshua whispered, gently rubbing smooth skin. "Only you."

"Better be," Oren said, the annoyance fading from his face as he brought his Blue to slide over Joshua's hand, making it slippery and oily. He thrust his hips down, making the prince moan as their erections slid along each other. Wiggling, Oren shifted his hips until Joshua's slick hand was in place.

"Impatient," Joshua chuckled, when he realized what the mage had done. He pressed his fingers forwards and inwards, Oren tensing for only a moment. Joshua rubbed his fingers slowly in and out of Oren's body, the mage's skin softening with each pass of the prince's oiled hand.

Oren hissed and bit his lip, his head falling forward as Joshua pressed just so. Wanting to see his face, Joshua moved his free hand into Oren's soft hair, gently tugging his head back. Oren's eyes were slit in pleasure and concentration, his mouth carelessly open as his breath caught every time Joshua's fingers thrust into him.

Taking it as an invitation, Joshua leaned forward and slid his tongue past the soft lips. Focused so much on the pleasure below, Oren didn't react until Joshua removed his hand and traced it up Oren's spine, leaving behind a slick trail of oil. Shivering at the sensation, Oren kissed the prince as though his life depended on it, sliding his warm tongue along Joshua's cooler one over and over again.

Shifting his weight onto one arm, Oren slid a hand between their bodies, dripping with cool magical oil. The hand moved along Joshua's erection as though it were butter, up and down again several times, and the prince whimpered into their kiss. "Love-" he gasped when Oren finally pulled back enough for words. He didn't know what the end of the sentence was, but it didn't seem to matter.

Oren, his eyes still half-closed, smiled at Joshua as he pulled away to position himself. Unable to look away from the intensity of emotion in Oren's eyes, Joshua shivered at the loss of body heat, hands slipping down to Oren's waist, sliding over his hips. Joshua ran his thumbs softly along Oren's erection, eliciting his own shiver from the mage.

"Beautiful," Joshua whispered, one hand running up Oren's side to brush over his nipple. Oren grinned and blew his hair out of his eyes before lowering himself slowly onto Joshua's length, another hiss of pleasure escaping through his teeth.

Joshua didn't hear it, his hands stilling as the world faded in comparison to the pleasure he felt from the slide of skin on sensitive skin.

Oren rocked his hips to settle himself properly; his grin wicked when Joshua focused enough to see it. "Don't-" Joshua gasped, not wanting to come so soon; a few more of those tiny, teasing thrusts and he wouldn't have had a choice.

Oren leaned forward again, bracing himself over Joshua as he rocked his hips back and forth. Joshua thrust back, and they quickly found a rhythm, gasps and moans filling the air around them.

Oren's head slowly dropped until their foreheads touched, his arms weakened by pleasure and distraction. For a long moment they simply shared their breath, both gasping at the air shallowly. Then Oren raised his head, the sexiest half-smile Joshua had ever seen on his lips. Joshua mumbled a question, one more tone than words, and Oren's head dipped enough to indicate assent, his smile growing that much sexier.

Tightening his hold on Oren's erection just that little bit, Joshua slid his hand along it just so, watching as Oren's face went slack and his eyes unfocused as he climaxed.

Wondering how he had ever forgotten that image, Joshua thrust a few more times until the frantic thrusting of Oren's hips brought him over the edge as well.

"Amazing, pretty mage," Joshua gasped as Oren collapsed on top of him, trying to catch his breath.

"…too han's prince," Oren mumbled, sliding over enough to curl against Joshua's side and nuzzling into his chest.

--

"What were you writing?" Joshua asked later as they lay across the bed, sheets rumpled and clothes scattered.

"The letter to the mage-school," Oren answered, his voice still heavy and relaxed.

"Are you going to tell them that you have a Rainbow?"

Oren sighed, shifting so his head was on Joshua's chest once more. "I don't think so. I plan to just send the bare bones of what happened. I'll tell whoever they send to investigate."

"What if it's not a big deal?" Joshua asked. "What if they don't care if you have a Rainbow?"

"I don't know," Oren said softly. "I'd like to visit, I suppose, but only if you want to come. Have you been to Cheilria before?"

"Aye," Joshua said. "I met the high king, remember?"

Oren yawned. "He could have come here," he mumbled.

Joshua raised a hand to stroke though Oren's hair. "No, he can't leave Cheil for that long," he said with his own yawn.

"What did your parents tell you?" Oren asked.

Joshua sighed. "That I should love you forever."

"Good," Oren muttered, curling tighter around his prince and drifting off to sleep.

Joshua was not long in following.

--

"…Hey! Give that back!" Joshua shouted, chasing his brother around the courtyard, the younger prince just the slightest bit faster than his brother.

Oren sighed and let his bag drop to the ground, leaning against the castle wall. Watching the princes and their antics brought a smile to his face, despite the delay it put on Joshua and Oren's departure.

Allen would miss his brother, but the time without his hero would probably be good for him, allow him to grow into himself.

"Sometimes I wonder who is really younger," the king sighed, coming to stand next to Oren.

The mage smiled, though his eyes didn't move from where Joshua had pinned his brother in some grass and was tickling him mercilessly. "It's as though they are twins," he said, "born five years apart."

The king snorted. "You'll be back for the summer festival?" he asked.

Oren nodded, though they had already discussed their plans with the king. "Joshua would be devastated if he had to celebrate without his brother."

"My wife said you heard back from the mages," the king prompted.

"Aye," Oren said. "They'll send someone by boat as soon as they can. But it'll still be overland through Estveld in the spring, so they can't be sure when he'll arrive." Oren estimated in his head. "It shouldn't be more than two months."

The king nodded. "Aye."

They fell silent, watching as Allen finally escaped from his brother, darting across the open space and hiding behind a horse.

"Will you marry him?" the king asked after awhile.

Oren shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "Not for a few years at least. When I know it will last." He sighed. "Besides, marriage between two men is still a rare thing in the 'Velds."

"Rare," said the king, "but neither unheard of nor unaccepted." He clapped Oren on the shoulder. "I trust that you'll make an honest man of my son when the time comes."

"Of course, sir," Oren said, nodding.

"He's still my heir," the king said.

"That's what he told me." Oren glanced at the king. "I'm sure you'll understand when I wish you long life and good health," he said.

The king laughed. "Traditional separation of magic and state aside, I believe you two would make very good companion kings."

Oren watched Joshua grab a bucket of water and toss it at his brother. He missed when Allen dodged out of the way, but one of the castle maids got drenched. "Be that as it may," Oren said, "I still wish you health and long life. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go and rescue my prince from that maiden." He nodded to the king, who chuckled and waved him off.

Oren passed Prince Allen and ignored the maid blistering Joshua's ears to grab his hand. "Come on, handsome prince," he said. "We've got to get moving if we want to reach the village before dark."

"Yes, pretty mage." Joshua obediently followed after him as they gathered their bags and said their goodbyes.

--

"Are we there yet?" Joshua mock-whined.

Or at least Oren sincerely hoped that it was a mock-whine. "Almost," he said. "See that tree?" Oren pointed to a large oak, its branches twisted in the most curious of patterns. "When we reach it, there's the rock that looks like a chicken, then the slight rise my cabin is at the top of."

"Looks like a chicken?" Joshua asked.

Oren sighed and tugged on his green braid; it felt so nice to have them back to their normal colors. "I'll point it out to you when we get there," he said.

"You had better," Joshua said. "Because until then I don't believe you."

Oren glanced over his shoulder at the prince. "You're the one who tried to save me from the 'bear,'" he said.

Joshua folded his arms across his chest, looking surprisingly like his little brother when he did so. "It looked like a bear," he said.

"And this boulder looks like a chicken," Oren said. "See?" he pointed. "Chicken."

"That's not a chicken," Joshua said. "It looks more like a- a-"

"Bear?" Oren asked, smiling at the prince.

Joshua muttered something and turned slightly away.

Oren stepped off the path to point directly at the boulder. "This is the head, and here's the tail. That's the wing."

Joshua frowned. "I guess it does look a bit like a giant chicken," he conceded after a moment.

"Told you so," Oren said, returning to the trail.

"Aye, well, it only looks as much like a chicken as that other rock looked like a bear," Joshua grumbled.

Oren slid his arms around Joshua's waist. "And you're my brave and handsome prince, to save me from the rock bears," he said, leaning forward for a kiss.

"Careful," Joshua muttered, "the chicken is watching."

Oren laughed and pulled away. "Let's get home then, shall we?" he asked, gesturing down towards the cabin.

"I'd offer to race you," Joshua said as they started walking again, "but I don't want to break my other leg."

"You might rethink that when you learn what your share of the chores are," Oren said. "Spring is not leisurely like winter, you know."

"What?" Joshua said. "I'll have to do work? I'll have you know that I am a prince of the realm, and princes do not work."

"Oh, I think you'll find that they do," Oren said, starting on the last rise before the cabin. "Especially if they want to keep their mages happy. And a happy mage is an affectionate mage," he added, just to clarify.

"Then I had better do all that I can to keep you happy," Joshua said, catching Oren's hand as the cabin came into view. He tugged, and Oren allowed himself to be pulled back against the prince. "What can I do for you now?" he asked, tone deep and eyes filled with promises.

Oren smiled slowly. "To start, you can kiss me to welcome me home," he said.

And Joshua did just that.

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