I finished another chapter, so I'm putting it out there! More smut - but plot will follow soon. The trial referred to here is the last of the Oscar Wilde trials, and the Marquis' son is Lord Alfred Douglas. The date is 1895. Vaseline was around by then - I did the research. I've tried to keep the language as authentic as possible, but Victorian slang sometimes sounds a bit odd now, so my characters still say fuck in contexts where they might actually have said 'tup' or 'grind' and so on. I haven't yet been able to find out what Victorian prostitutes would have called their clients. I'm using 'trick' but it sounds a bit modern to me. No one will be referring to his tackle as his Nebuchadnezzar. Probably.

Chapter warning: m/m again.

Chapter Two - Shame

Dawn light made its way through the grimy windowpanes in a desultory fashion – grey, and cold, and flat. Rufus opened his eyes, wondering where he was, and found that his face was pressed against warm skin. As he pulled back a little, not wanting to lose the warmth, he focussed on a milk-pale, thin shoulder, ornamented with a sparse smattering of barely-visible freckles, and a glowing cascade of red hair spilling over his own arm, over the pillow. Rufus pressed his lips against the smooth flesh of this boy – this whore – who had become his first lover. Reaching for the shame he had felt almost all his life, Rufus discovered that it had melted away with Reno's first kiss, and now he experienced nothing but certainty and relief. He was not unique – in fact, so many men felt as he did that houses such as The Hive actively catered for this kind of desire. Then he remembered Reno's words on the previous evening – "I see men most nights want it enough to pay well."

Not anymore, Rufus thought, jealousy suddenly sharp in him. I don't want you seeing other men - only me.

Rufus caressed Reno's frail-looking shoulder and ran his hand along the prominent vertebrae of his spine. It was astonishing how Reno, in his female form, managed to give the impression of being so small, when, in fact, he was much the same height as Rufus. It was the thinness that did it, Rufus supposed – the fine bones – the grace.

Rufus' hand moved lower, stroking the curve of Reno's buttocks, the hollow below his hipbone. This was what he had always yearned for – the male body – the form that matched his own: long thighs, narrow hips, muscles hard beneath the skin, the taut, tight buds of nipples, the weight of a well-shaped cock and balls. Rufus was fully hard again, nuzzling Reno's neck, his hand sliding over Reno's hips and down for a feel of Reno's own impressive erection.

"You know I should really charge double if you want to go again?" Reno asked sleepily.

"Charge what you like!" Rufus replied, reckless and needy. "I want you just as much as I did last night. No – I want you more, now I know what it's like. I want to stay here all day and fuck you, and kiss you, and feel your skin on mine –"

Reno turned to face Rufus and smiled. Rufus was surprised by the whiteness of his even teeth. Most people of Reno's class that he'd seen had terrible teeth – blackened, or full of gaps. Even in this cool, stark daylight, Reno was beautiful.

"Must say, I don't mind another tumble with you," Reno said, gazing at Rufus thoughtfully.

"More green," Rufus murmured.

"What?"

"Your eyes. I couldn't tell last night, but they're more green than blue."

"Yeah – red hair, green eyes. Got 'em from my mam. Irish."

"You don't sound Irish."

"Ah – I was all of six when we come to London. Now I sound a regular Bow-bells Cockney, don't I?"

"Almost. There's still something – at times."

"Is there?" Reno sounded pleased. "Not everything goes then…" A fleeting, wistful expression crossed his face – there and gone, replaced by a seductive smile. "But you ain't here to talk about me." He ran his long fingers through Rufus' short blond hair. "Ain't never been with nobody as 'andsome as you, an' that's a fact."

"And I've never seen anybody like you before," Rufus said fervently. "You're like – I don't know – some kind of angel!"

Reno laughed, and his laughter was low, and male. "Ain't no one's never called me that before!" he exclaimed, drawing Rufus into a close embrace, his thigh moving over Rufus', their cocks touching at last.

"Have me," Rufus said suddenly.

Reno went very still. "Ah – Rufus, that's… I mean - that ain't what men pay me for."

"You mean you don't like it?"

"I – I've hardly ever… I mean, no one's ever really asked."

Rufus pulled back a little, frowning. "So – you don't really like this? Is that what you're saying? You do it to make money, but really you like girls?"

"No! No, I've always been this way. There are plenty of boys who only do it for the readies, but I ain't one of them. It's just… I ain't never…"

"Don't you want to?"

"Hell, yes! But – it ain't all that easy, the first time. I'm used to it. I know how to… take it."

"Try," Rufus said. "Show me. Teach me."

"All right. If you're sure?"

"Yes. It was so good, being inside you. I want you inside me."

"Fuck, Rufus – you're makin' me ache! Never thought… But, we need to get it really… Hold on a minute..." Rolling over, Reno reached under the bed and emerged holding a small glass jar. Vaseline, Rufus realised with a little shock of recognition – like the jars in the nursery at home.

"My nurse used to put that on cuts, or if I grazed my knee," Rufus said.

"It has a lot of uses," Reno told him, smiling. He smeared the gel liberally over his own cock, and Rufus watched, feeling suddenly breathless. "Let me help," he said, seizing Reno's erection and rubbing firmly. Reno gasped. "Uh – Ru – Rufus! Not so much! I'll come before I can touch you!"

Embarrassed, Rufus released Reno's cock instantly. "Sorry!"

"No – it's good. Just – a bit too good, yeah? Now – are you sure you want me to do this?"

"Yes."

Reno rubbed more of the gel onto his fingers, and lay beside Rufus, running his hand down over Rufus' cock, stroking his balls lightly, before touching gentle fingertips to Rufus' hole. Rufus tensed a little, but relaxed as Reno kissed his mouth slowly, pushing one finger a little way into his ass as he did so.

"All right?" Reno asked.

"Yes," Rufus replied, his breath catching slightly at the unfamiliar feeling of Reno's finger inside him. The sensation was an odd mixture of pleasure and discomfort – a slight ache and, as Reno pushed deeper, a stinging sensation – but the pleasure was greater than the pain. Then Reno did something – curved his finger somehow – and Rufus cried out with shocked ecstasy, "Oh Christ! What – what was that?"

"Feels good, don't it?" Reno smiled.

"Yes – oh – God – yes!" Rufus managed, as Reno, with a wicked grin, did it again.

Reno played with Rufus for quite a while, eventually adding another finger, until Rufus was pushing back against his hand panting, and a look of desperation crossed his face. "Please, Reno - do it! I want to feel you inside me."

"Sure you're ready?"

"Yes! For God's sake Reno –"

Reno laughed softly. "Reckon you are, then… C'mon."

"What are you doing?" Rufus asked, confused, as Reno turned onto his back and lay smiling across at Rufus. "Aren't you going to –?"

"You're goin' to," Reno explained, patting the mattress on the other side of him. "You on top."

"But I want you in me."

"I know. Trust me, Rufus – I know what I'm doin'."

"Yes, all right." Rufus got to his knees and straddled Reno, flushing suddenly as he realised how exposed the position made him. Reno was looking at him with frank lust, his eyes exploring every inch of Rufus' naked body and coming to rest, unabashed, on his impressively hard cock. Reno took hold of Rufus' hips, encouraging him to move forwards slightly, then said, "All right. Take your time, yeah? If it hurts, jus' stop. You don't have to do nothing if you don't want."

"I do want," Rufus replied. "I want to know how it feels."

His eyes fixed on Reno's, Rufus positioned himself so that the head of Reno's hard cock was nudging at his ass. Carefully, he pushed himself down onto Reno, gasping as he felt the slick organ start to enter him. It was almost too much for a second, and he tensed, his breath catching.

"It's all right," Reno murmured, reaching up to stroke the side of Rufus' face. "We don't have to –"

"No – it's… I can. I want to. It's just so – "

"I know. Just – relax."

"Yes." Rufus held still, his breathing slowly becoming more even. Reno did his best to keep motionless beneath him, but he was more aroused than he ever remembered being before, and the urge to thrust up into that tight heat was almost overwhelming. When Rufus started moving again with no warning, Reno couldn't help moaning with the intensity of the new sensation, and Rufus heard himself making an answering sound he'd never made before – a sharp, involuntary cry that shocked him with its unrestrained rawness. Reno lost his battle to keep still, the desire for friction too powerful to resist. Reno's fingers tightened on Rufus' hips as they began to build a rhythm together that brought them both a searing pleasure. Rufus' hands were on Reno's shoulders, pushing him down onto the bed. He threw his head back and cried out again as Reno's cock hit the place he'd touched with his fingers before. Reno reached for Rufus' cock, but as he did so a shudder ran through Rufus' whole body and he came violently, moaning, "Oh –Reno!"

Taken by surprise, Reno found himself in the unusual position of not knowing what he was supposed to do. He didn't want it to end yet – the compulsion to keep moving was almost desperate – but he wasn't the client, and Rufus was quite obviously done.

"What's wrong?" Rufus asked, and Reno cursed himself, angry that he'd been so unprofessional as to let his uncertainty show. "Did you –"

"No," Reno replied, "But it's all right. I don't have to –"

Rufus reached down a trembling hand, to touch Reno's lips. "I want you to," he said. "I don't want you to stop."

Reno tried to say something – to check that Rufus was sure – but all that came out was a groan as Rufus began to move again, trying to push himself down onto Reno. Rufus' skin was shiny with sweat and his breath came in short, hard gasps. As Reno thrust up into him, Rufus convulsed helplessly, falling forwards. Reno cried, "Ow – fuck!" as his cock bent painfully, before Rufus pulled away from him and curled into a ball on the bed beside him, sobbing with – laughter?

Oh.

Reno smiled. "Ticklish?" he asked.

"Not – not - normally," Rufus gasped, his laughter subsiding. He sat up, wiping tears from his eyes. "God – I'm sorry. Are you all right?"

"Yeah. That happens sometimes, when you come. Like any touch is just too much?"

Rufus nodded. "I'm sorry," he said again, "Did I hurt you?"

"It's all right – I'm fine. One time –" But Reno found that he didn't want to think about other clients. "It happens, quite often," he said, instead.

"But - I wanted it to be good for you," Rufus sighed, "Like it was for me."

Reno reached for him, pulling him close, kissing him. "It is good," he said. "Being with you is good."

Tentatively Rufus reached for Reno's cock – gave it a little stroke. "Is it – all right?"

"Yeah. Yeah – it's – ah – " Reno gasped, as Rufus gripped him more firmly. Rufus was new to being with another man, but he knew his own body, and he touched Reno in the ways he liked to touch himself, hoping that would be enough. Reno had never once been with a man who had shown the slightest concern for his pleasure, and Rufus' inexpert caresses moved him more than anything he'd ever experienced before. He closed his eyes as he came, whispering Rufus' name, and afterwards, as he held Rufus close against him, he tried to tell himself that he was being stupid – that Rufus was just another trick – that he wasn't already dreading the moment Rufus left him alone.

"You don't believe me," Rufus said, as Reno got out of bed and poured water from the ewer into the bowl on the washstand. "But I will find a way to get you out of here." Reno passed Rufus a washcloth to clean himself up, with a little smile.

"Sorry – water's freezin'," Reno said, handing Rufus a threadbare towel. When Rufus had finished, Reno rinsed the cloth and washed himself quickly. Rufus watched him, and desire stirred again, but he refused to be distracted by it. How could he make Reno understand that he was serious? He tried again, as Reno got back into bed, pulling the thin blankets over them both, shivering in the cold air.

"I'm sixteen now," Rufus said. "I'll have access to some of my mother's fortune by way of an entailment – I could rent rooms somewhere –"

Reno felt something he thought he'd schooled himself never to feel – a faint stirring of hope. "Shh," he said, lying down beside Rufus, closing his eyes. "We can talk about all that next time."

"Yes – next time." Rufus smiled. "You know, I've never met anyone else who feels like this – like we do."

"Most likely have," Reno said. "Not as if they'd talk about it."

"I didn't even know what it was, for a long time," Rufus told him. "My father sometimes spoke about 'the sin of the cities of the plain' – but until this case in the papers, I didn't really know what he meant."

"Yeah – well Wilde's a fool – and the Marquis' son, too," Reno said. "Anyone who's not soft in the 'ead knows you do anythin' to keep a case like that outta court. Wilde's goin' to prison, if I know anythin' about anythin'."

"You read the papers?" Rufus asked, trying hard not to sound surprised.

"I know what's goin' on," Reno replied. "'Ave to, in this game. Some of them boys the defence wanted to testify the first time, they worked not more'n three streets from this house. The law's tight – an' this is against the law."

"Well I'm not giving you up!" Rufus declared ardently. "I used to be so ashamed, when I first realised that I didn't like girls. But not any more. This isn't wrong. I know it isn't."

Reno opened his eyes and looked at Rufus. "You really mean that?"

"Yes. It can't be wrong, can it? Who is harmed by it?"

Reno sighed, thinking of one of his clients – a youngish doctor called Guy Sanderson – who was forever going on about sin and redemption and the need for a pure soul. "No one, I don't think. But there's plenty of people think it's a harm in itself. I can't see that society's goin' to collapse just come some folks prefer arse to cunt, but there's a lot of people think otherwise. You do 'ave to be careful, Rufus."

"I will be. But I won't stop seeing you. I don't care what anyone else thinks – not 'society', not my father, not anyone!"

Reno tried not to let his cynicism show in his smile. He was about to say something else when there was a soft knock on the door, and Madame Abeille's voice called, "Mr. Shinra, Sir? Your father's downstairs."

"Christ!" Rufus leapt from the bed and snatched up his scattered clothes, trying desperately to struggle into his trousers. Reno watched him for a moment, half smiling, then got out of bed, still completely naked, and helped Rufus into his shirt, waistcoat and jacket, fastening buttons and tying the cravat with expert fingers.

"There, Sir," Reno said, unflustered. "All done."

"I can't let him know I've been with you!" Rufus whispered.

"'Course not, Sir," Reno agreed. "I know how it is. She won't say anything – most likely tell 'im you've been with Lucy."

"But – won't Lucy say anything?"

"No – she'll play along. Won't be the first time. You might give her a tip, as you leave."

"Oh – yes. Of course." Rufus found himself blushing. "And you, Reno – how much -?"

"I thought you sorted all that with her downstairs last night? When she gives me the nod like that, that's what it usually means."

"Oh – yes. My father probably did. But – this morning –"

Reno shook his head. "Let's keep that between us, all right? That was – my pleasure. And I ain't never said that before an' meant it."

"I'll come back – as soon as I can."

"Then I'll see you, Rufus." Something in Reno's expression betrayed his doubt. Rufus said, "No – I will! I wasn't lying – I want to be with you."

"I know. I know you do. I wish – I wish it was easier."

Rufus caught Reno's hand, and pulled him into an abrupt embrace, kissing him hard and rather inaccurately on the side of his mouth. Reno only smiled, and kissed him in return, once, softly. "Go on," he said, reaching past Rufus to open the door.

Madame Abeille stood in the corridor. She hardly glanced at Reno, who was still naked, but smiled at Rufus. "Good morning, Sir," she said with exaggerated cheer. "I hope everything was satisfactory?"

"Uh – yes. Thank you."

"I've told your father you were with Lucy. I hope that was the right thing to do?"

"Yes."

"Lucy's ready to say goodbye. She'll make a show of it, never fear. I hope we'll be seeing you again in the future, Sir?"

"Yes," said Rufus. "Yes, certainly."

"We'll look forward to it. If you'll follow me?"

Rufus looked back over his shoulder at Reno, who gave him a smile that looked somehow fragile.

Madame Abeille escorted Rufus down the two flights of stairs to the parlour, where Rose, neatly dressed and looking almost respectable, was pouring tea for Frederick Shinra.

As Rufus entered the room Lucy appeared behind him, in a charming state of semi-deshabille that somehow managed to make her look both provocative and innocent.

Frederick looked up at his son and the pretty girl behind him, and nodded his approval. "Happy Birthday, Rufus! I trust you enjoyed yourself?"

"Yes, thank you."

Lucy giggled and said, "Oh, Sir, I am glad."

Rufus turned to her and pressed a half sovereign into her hand without meeting her eyes. "You're a good girl, Lucy," he said. "Thank you."

Lucy simpered convincingly, her smile never wavering even when Frederick Shinra said loudly, "Oh yes – little Lucy's a good girl! Like father, like son, eh, Rufus?"

Rufus felt suddenly sick – at the thought of his father and this girl, who was his own age at most – at the idea that, if he had agreed to go with one of these women it might well have been someone his father had slept with before him – but mainly at the realisation that Reno probably entertained men like this – men his father's age. He couldn't bear the idea of their lecherous fingers touching that pale skin. For one horrible moment Rufus thought he was actually going to vomit. He looked away from his father, trying to breathe deeply, feeling suffocated.

Frederick noticed nothing amiss. He finished his tea and stood, smiling benevolently at the three women in the room, before turning to Rufus with the satisfied air of a parent who had done the best for his child.

"Well, well. Good. Come along, son. I have an important meeting at ten."

Rufus followed his father, without another word. As the door of The Hive closed behind him, he discovered that the shame he'd thought he'd lost in Reno's arms had only retreated after all, and was waiting for him in the harsh daylight of the London streets.