“Yeah, maybe in the nineties,” Ben countered, “but kids are coming out younger and younger these days.”
“All right, all right. What about that time at the Greek restaurant where the waiter disappeared for half an hour and you marched into the kitchen--”
“Only to find him smoking a joint with the chef,” Ben finished wryly.
“At least you got us our food. How about that guy you punched in the chest after we saw him kick his dog?”
“Fat lot of good it did. His dog turned on me like I was the jerk.”
“It was still brave,” Jace insisted.
“Look, I’m not trying to go overboard with humility,” Ben said, “but I think you misunderstand. Sometimes I get angry and do crazy things without thinking. I don’t think that counts as bravery. Recklessness would be a better description.”
“Call it whatever you like, but there’s something there.” Jace shook a breadstick at him. “Usually you’re adorably sweet and sympathetic, but I’ve seen glimpses of something else. There’s something stronger than titanium inside of you.”
“Like the Terminator?”
“Exactly like that.” Jace laughed. “That bravery, recklessness, whatever you want to call it, is one of the many things I love about you.”
They both became silent at the mention of the “L” word. Funny that they could dive headlong into sex, a relationship, even a trip across the ocean, but saying those three little words was something they still balked at.
“So what’s next?” Ben asked, leaving the question open for interpretation.
“Well, it’s our final day here and I’ve saved the best for last.”
Ben didn’t have to wait long to find out what this meant. A few blocks from the restaurant, in the midst of clothing stores and newspaper kiosks, was another set of ruins. Archeologists had dug down so that an entire city block was below street level. Jace led Ben by the hand down the cracked and ancient stairs and into the excavated ruins where a familiar smell greeted their nose.
“Cats?” Ben asked, but an answer wasn’t necessary as there were already half a dozen in sight.
“They’re using this area as a sanctuary,” Jace said, stooping down to pet a three-legged cat that was rubbing against his leg. “We have to hurry. I think the tour is about to start.”
As it turned out, direct access to the ruins, known as the Torre Argentina, was only possible via one of these guided tours. Otherwise, the land that had once belonged to Roman gods and their temples was now the exclusive home of felines who behaved as if they were equally divine. Every site their guide led them to was occupied by a cat, sunbathing on ancient steps or stalking through broken columns in search of mice.
“And it was here, in 44 B.C., that Julius Caesar was stabbed to death by his fellow senators,” their tour guide informed them, causing a frenzy of picture taking.
“Et tu, Kitty?” Ben joked. When Jace didn’t respond, he looked back to find his boyfriend some yards behind the tour group. He was sitting in the dirt, two cats on his lap, another on his shoulders.
Ben had a great respect for animals. So much so that he usually left them alone, figuring that they didn’t care for people constantly trying to pet them. His experiences backed this up, and so he usually kept his distance. Jace was different. He loved cats so much that it flowed out of him and somehow changed the world. Even the most troubled cat willingly gave into his affections. He was like a gay version of Snow White with all the forest creatures flocking around him.
“I love you,” Ben said. He’d meant only to say it to himself, but it felt good to finally say it aloud. Jace didn’t react, too far away to hear, so he said it again, this time yelling it. “I love you!”
Jace looked up, surprised, before a wild grin broke out on his face. He stood, sending the poor cats flying and strode over to Ben. “About time you admitted it,” he said before picking Ben up and kissing him. Behind them came a few shocked gasps, a couple of titters, and at least one burst of applause. “I love you, too,” Jace murmured into his ear.
The rest of the tour was embarrassing; most of the group kept an eye on them, waiting for a repeat performance. Ben was relieved when the tour was over, craving private time with Jace so they could explore this new confession.
“Hotel?” Ben asked as he stuffed money into the donation box.
“No time,” Jace responded. “I said I saved the best for last.”
“This wasn’t it?”
“No. Well, for me it was. Especially now.” They grinned at each other before remembering they were in the midst of a conversation. “No, I had something special in mind for you.”
The exterior of the Teatro dell’Opera couldn’t compete with the rest of the city’s architecture, but the interior didn’t disappoint. Opera had never been an interest of Ben’s, but he understood why Jace might think he would enjoy it. Ben felt severely underdressed as they entered the theater, but he had felt that way almost the entire trip due to the fashion-conscious Romans. He felt thankful when he spotted a few other couples in T-shirts and shorts, no doubt his fellow countrymen.
Once the performance started, Ben found himself enthralled by the vocal talents of the singers. Each voice had so much raw power that he found it difficult to believe they weren’t boosted electronically. He sat in rapt fascination for the first hour, soaking in as much as he could. The second hour he began to squirm, eager to leave the theater so he could attempt to imitate what he was hearing.
While the music had won him over completely, the plot left much to be desired. From what he could understand it was simply a string of rocky relationships, passionate betrayals, and untimely deaths. Perhaps that’s all real life was, he mused. He’d had his share of dysfunctional love, but he hoped to avoid betraying anyone he cared for. Death was inevitable, but he expected it to be a long time coming.
He looked over at Jace, who was lost in his own thoughts. Ben wondered if they would be together on that final day. If so, would they go at the same time, or would one of them be left behind to struggle with grief? These thoughts were too abstract to be frightening and were quickly forgotten by Ben, who chose instead to dwell on the warm feelings of love and desire that always came from being near his boyfriend. The future was always uncertain, but at least now it wouldn’t be lonely.
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Chapter 20
Time became a blur that swept Ben along, often leaving him breathless and disorientated. Not all of his academic credits had transferred seamlessly, meaning he had extra work to catch up on. His classes were much more demanding than those of his old school. Often he would spend his every waking hour trying to balance all his projects and studies, barely finishing one before more work was added to the pile. Then Jace would manifest like the eye of a storm, pulling Ben free from his frenzy and forcing him to slow down and relax, if only for one night. Ben began to appreciate rather than resent the demanding schedule of Jace’s job, since he had so little time of his own to give.
Finals battered Ben like a vicious storm, testing his determination and will. Just when he thought he couldn’t take anymore, the clouds pulled away to reveal the empty bliss of summer. Ben flew home, intending only to stay a week, but ended up staying the entire summer break. After the first few days, he moved his luggage from his parent’s house to Jace’s loft apartment.
Ben took a job as a waiter at a vegetarian restaurant downtown. He didn’t enjoy the work, but it helped keep him occupied on the frequent nights that Jace was away. He also felt proud being able to take his boyfriend out instead of expecting Jace to pay for everything.