Author's Note: Not too much to say this time around. I've tried to proof this carefully but I apologize for any mistakes. I do not own these characters.

Also, coming soon (within the next week or so if I get time), there will be a link in my profile to a short, side-fic for the Bonded series. This fic will not be posted here due to the fact that it is a very graphic story about Jade and Saphir's first time. When I say graphic I mean graphic; my POV is that if I'm going to write about men having sex, then they're going to be men having sex. *shrugs* Thanks as always to those who are still reading. You guys rock.

Chapter 36

Shortly after Virgil's 14th birthday, Jade became aware that something serious was troubling his son.

Not that that was unusual in and of itself. Sometimes it seemed to Jade that from his birth Virgil had actively been seeking out things to trouble himself over, inventing them if none could readily be found. The boy's tendency to whine tried Jade's patience at least once a day, but the difference between then and now was that Virgil wasn't whining about whatever it was. Just the opposite; he wasn't talking about it at all and that was what was causing Jade concern at the moment. Virgil usually had no qualms about laying his problems out for all to see (usually with the hope that his parents would find some way to correct the situation.)

It was a cold, rainy day when Jade finally decided to confront the situation head-on. Saphir had been of the mind that Virgil would talk about whatever it was when he was good and ready, but Jade decided he couldn't wait for that point. If someone had hurt his son, or was currently hurting him, Jade wanted names and he wanted them immediately.

He found Virgil in the library, curled up in his favorite window seat with a heavy book on his lap. The boy wasn't reading, however. He was simply staring out the window at the rain pelting the lush gardens outside.

Jade approached him slowly and put a hand on his shoulder. Virgil gave him a quick half-smile and then returned to his brooding.

"Do you want to talk about it, Wart?"

Virgil glanced at him again. "When you say it like that, it usually means I don't have a choice."

"Guilty as charged. You've been moping around for weeks and neither of us are leaving this room until I know the reason why." Jade sat down on the padded bench next to his son. "So you might as well get on with it."

Virgil sighed and closed the book. "Before you ended up with Dad, you liked girls, right? I mean, you liked girls too."

"Virgil, I believe the only way to sum up my previous activities is 'any port in a storm', as crude as that might sound. When I felt the need to...entertain myself...I chose the nearest, most attractive option. Those options usually tended to be female, but not always."

"But Dad...he's only ever liked guys. I mean, as far as I know."

"That is correct."

"Why?" Virgil bit his lip. "What makes people like what they like, I mean, guys or girls?"

"Saphir once asked me the same thing, more or less. Some argue that it's built into our fonons; others will tell you it's how we're raised. I only know those who deny such a basic aspect of themselves usually wind up regretting it."

"Vilo only likes women."

Jade was starting to have an inkling about where this conversation was going. Don't push him, he told himself firmly. Let it come naturally.

"I've never tried to influence Vilo on that one way or another. He's attracted to women only, as far as I know. The majority of men are; it's not unusual.

"All of the guys at my school like girls. It's all they ever talk about." Virgil almost whispered. "A lot of them have girlfriends already."

"There aren't any girls you like, are there?" Jade asked softly.

Virgil shook his head, not meeting Jade's eyes.

"And boys? There's an attraction there?"

"Sometimes. More than sometimes."

Jade sat back. "Well, then I'm not sure I understand the reason for all this gloom. It's not as if you're unfamiliar with the concept. For a boy who never had any idea such things were possible, he'd probably view himself as a freak of nature. However, you've seen for yourself that a happy relationship is based on more than gender. What's the problem?"

Virgil was quiet again and then finally blurted out, his voice cracking, "I'm already different enough."

"Ah, so that's it." Jade reached out and gently ruffled Virgil's pale hair. "Well, you are different, and there's simply no getting around that. I really don't see that this is going to make much of a difference one way or another. Either they'll accept you in time or they won't, but either way it certainly won't be based on what bed partners you choose."

"I guess not." Virgil seemed to relax marginally. "I just thought...I'd been waiting to like girls. I thought I'd finally have something I could talk about with them, that they'd understand, but...I couldn't. I tried and tried, but I couldn't, even the pretty ones."

"I once heard insanity defined as doing the same thing over and over, and expecting the results to be different. I dislike sweets; I always have, even as a child. I can force myself to eat them, but to what purpose? Eating them isn't going to give me a taste for them; all it's going to do is make me feel ill. Why force interest that simply doesn't exist? You'll find when you get older you won't lack for companionship, if that's what concerns you. There are numerous establishments in town that cater to special interests, and I will bet good gald that a time or two you'll see some of those self-same boys who are now proclaiming themselves to be Heaven's gift to young ladies everywhere."

"Do I have to pay for it?" Virgil asked suspiciously, and Jade burst out laughing. "Only if you want to. I seriously doubt you'll find the need; women tend to need a bit of motivation before they'll part with their virtue. Either monetary or a promise of matrimony. Or at the very least that you'll remember their name afterward. Men are far easier to bed. However, good value can be found for the right price. Sometimes it's well worth it." He paused. "I'll assume you understand the basic mechanics?"

Virgil blushed and nodded.

"Good. We can skip over that bit. However, I will share with you a bit of advice guaranteed to save you a lot of future time and trouble. Always keep plenty of apple gels on hand."

"You mean...for afterward?"

"No, I mean during. It's thick enough to be used as lubricant, plus it heals any damage along the way. Don't ever use lemon gels; they're far too acidic. Of course, you won't have to worry about that for a long while yet, but it's good to know."

If the boy turned any more red, Jade thought he was going to explode. He didn't need to be a mind-reader to realize Virgil was thinking back on the fact that as long as he'd known his parents their bedchamber had always smelled of apples. "If you're old enough to have these feelings you're old enough to have this conversation." Jade cupped his son's chin so that Virgil was looking into his eyes. "I never had the opportunity with Vilo; by the time he arrived he knew more on the subject than I did." He stood up and stretched. "Just make sure of one thing; if you are looking for nothing more than a little warmth in the night make sure your partner is fully aware of this. There's no need to break anyone's heart for a little pleasure."

"Like you did?"

"Yes, like I did." Jade wasn't sure how the boy knew about that, but supposed it didn't matter. "Also, on this subject Saphir and I will never agree so you'll hear different advice from both of us. I spent my youth looking for pleasure; I never had any dalliance that lasted for longer than one night. On the other hand, he went into every relationship with the hopes of finding something permanent. I had far better luck finding what I wanted than he did, at least in those days, but he still feels his motivations were superior. He'll throttle me for telling you this, but if you're not ready for love, don't deny yourself a good time in the interim. It's excellent stress relief. Besides, it's fun."

"Sometimes..." Virgil stood up himself and gave Jade a look that was both awed and a bit amused. "You are a really weird father."

"Well, I do try my best. Is that a complaint?"

"No...I'm glad." Virgil grinned. "It helps that you're different too. You can understand what it's like."

"Feel better?"

"Yeah, I guess so. I mean, it's not something I can change, right? Might as well just go with it."

*************************

Jade now reflected on that long-ago conversation as he watched Saphir storm around the living room, fuming.

"You're over-reacting, as usual. It's perfectly harmless; he's simply sowing a few wild oats."

"A few wild oats? He's plowing every field from here to Kaitzur!"

"I am not!" Virgil folded his arms across his chest, trying hard not to laugh. "I'll have you know there are at least a few dozen fields I haven't gotten to yet. I'm only one man, Dad. I do have to sleep now and then."

Jaded snickered, which was a mistake because of course Saphir turned on him. "You shut up! This is entirely your fault. You've encouraged this...debauchery.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I have. You know me better than anyone else and you can't possibly have expected I'd have issues with this. Besides that fact, Virgil is a grown man. What he does is his own business." Jade pointed out calmly.

"Well, his business is now all over town. What about how hard we've worked getting him accepted into society? Do you want people gossiping behind his back that he's some kind of...alley cat?"

"No one was harmed. Given the circumstances, he's lucky to be alive and really, that should be our only focus right now. Do they have any idea yet how the fire started, Wart?"

"They think a lantern got kicked over. Most of the rooms had electricity but some of the guests liked the old-fashioned look." Virgil bit his fingernail. "No one is admitting to anything, of course. No one wants to be stuck with the bill for the damages. I want to have a few words with them myself; do you know how much I paid for those clothes? They were custom-made and now they're gone for good."

"Well, if you'd been wearing them when you ran out into the street you'd still have them!" Saphir was almost shouting.

"I told you; there wasn't time to get dressed. We smelled the smoke and ran for our lives. The guards were very understanding; I thought for certain we'd be arrested, but they just threw some blankets around us. If it eases your mind, I wasn't totally in the buff." The look on Saphir's face warned him not to continue, but Jade's influence over him was simply too powerful to resist. "I hope if they're going to gossip it's about the fact that I make excellent choices in underwear. They're silk, you know. I've gotten numerous compliments."

Saphir made a strangled, choking noise. "See, love? Nothing to worry about." Jade winked him. "Now everyone knows you raised your son to have expensive tastses."

"So did you!" Saphir hissed. "That's why he was at that...place...to begin with!"

The brothel had been a very old and much-loved establishment in Grand Chokmah, catering to just about every whim and taste the city had to offer. It was a right of passage in Jade's opinion; you frequented the place when you were young, and then after you had children you became incensed at the very mention of it and demanded it be shut down immediately before your own offspring could discover its charms. Not in Jade's case, of course. Although he hadn't been a patron in many decades, he still had extremely fond memories of the place and intended to donate lavishly to seeing it rebuilt, no matter what Saphir's opinion on the matter might happen to be.

The 'old guard' would of course agree with Saphir and work to stop the new construction; a street full of nude, somewhat smokey patrons milling around out front of it and chattering excitedly had done nothing to convince them it was vital to the life of Grand Chokmah. Of course, the fire could have turned tragic and Jade suspected that was what really had set Saphir off about the entire incident, and led him back to his old stand-by that his gently-raised Virgil had no business anywhere near houses of ill-repute.

"If you'd just...settle down, find someone." Saphir was pleading now. "There are some lovely young men in town, very well-bred and well-mannered. Don't you want that, son? A nice home? A family of your own? Like your brother has?"

"Not really, no." Virgil shrugged.

"What DO you want?" Saphir threw up his hands in despair.

"Right now, what I want is to end this conversation." Virgil walked over to Saphir and placed his hand on his angry father's shoulder. "I'm okay; I didn't get hurt. I'm not going anywhere, Dad. But this is my life and I have to do it my way. Maybe someday I'll want...what you want me to want. But not yet. Right now...sex is enough. It gives me what I need."

"I just want you to be happy." Saphir looked heart-broken. "That's all, and I just don't see how you can be happy like this."

"I am happy, I promise. Someday...look, someday maybe I'll meet him, that guy you want me to meet so badly, and you can go nuts planning my wedding, just like you did with Vilo. When that happens I'll settle down and be a really nice, safe, boring husband but not yet. It can't be yet."

"Just promise me you'll be careful. I can't take any more scares like this; I'm too old. When they told me you were in there when the fire started..." Saphir's voice had turned tearful. "All I could think of was losing you..."

Virgil hugged him tightly. "You're not old, and I promise I'll be careful. Come on, you know me. When have I ever been a risk-taker? I'm a proud coward. I can't imagine any circumstances where I'd knowingly put myself in danger."

"You promise me?"


"You have my word of honor."

******************************************

If Virgil had stopped to think about it for any length of time, he would have realized that of course the Kratos in this era would have to know the truth about "Riles". If he hadn't, then his future self couldn't have relayed the required information to Virgil. Still, it had been carelessness on his own part that he hadn't taken Kratos aside and explained things, and he was grateful that Vilo had managed to buy him a little time.

As soon as he got the opportunity he filled the man in, and not to his surprise Kratos accepted the facts calmly. Virgil supposed that after five thousand years it took a lot to shock him, but he was glad of his old friend's acceptance and support.

"So I'm still around then?" Kratos had asked finally. He sounded resigned. Virgil didn't know whether to change the subject or apologize sincerely to Kratos that he hadn't died in the last few decades.

"What about me?" Noah grinned. "Am I around too?"

"Of course. You're part of our family too. When I was small I begged for a dog. Kratos told me that you used to be one and that your visits would have to do."

Kratos raised an eyebrow at Noah in apology. Noah shrugged. "I promise I'll be a good one. I'll only pee on the rug on special occasions."

The four of them were holed up in Vilo's chambers, taking a temporary break from the chaos reigning below them. Every now and they could still faintly hear screaming, but it wasn't possible to tell who at this point was contributing.

Saphir was taking the news that Vilo would be accompanying them on the mission rather poorly. Kratos and Virgil had finally managed to convince Peony that the boy was safer with them then he would be anywhere else, and that if they failed in their mission then it was very likely he was as good as dead anyway. Since Peony had the final say in the matter, Saphir had been confident the Emperor would back him up completely. When His Majesty had swayed, Saphir had gone into the tantrum to end all tantrums.

While Vilo had seen Saphir explode before, it was his first real glimpse the man they'd called Dist the Reaper. He'd never understood how his gentle friend could have been capable of the chaos and violence Dist had left in his wake; after today he'd never doubt it again. When Saphir had taken to throwing heavy objects at Peony and Kratos, Peony had very reluctantly summoned the guards and had the man physically restrained until he could be made to see reason.

The Council had immediately convened and demanded Peony revoke Saphir's Bond and send him back to prison for assault on royalty. Peony had cheerfully told them to suck eggs, and then informed them that he too intended to go on the rescue mission. Jade wasn't simply his oldest friend; he was in Peony's mind his brother, and if his brother needed him then Peony wasn't about to sit at home waiting.

At that point, several of the council members had gone into tantrums of their own, horrified at the idea of their heirless ruler going off on a 'suicide mission'. In the new chaos, Saphir had wiggled out of his bonds and vanished. Vilo suspected he was somewhere in the ventilation system but was keeping that information to himself. He couldn't do much harm in there, and the guards had their hands full with the council members.

Vilo yawned and curled up in an overstuffed chair with his arms around his knees. "So how long does it take Saphir to surrender? Or get caught or knocked out or something?"

Virgil shrugged one shoulder. "I have no idea. All anyone ever told me about this part of the story was that he didn't want you to go along. No one ever mentioned a bunch of hysterical sobbing Councilmen on top of it all. I'm starting to become annoyed; it seems you all left out the good parts."

There was a crash from down below, and another yell.

"That sounded expensive." Kratos offered Vilo a plate of small sandwiches a maid had brought up to them. "I hope no one ends up hurt."

Vilo grabbed a sandwich and bit in, made a face when he tasted tomatoes, and chewed anyway. "I hope Saphir calms down soon. We have to leave early and he'll be cranky if he doesn't get enough sleep."

"Vilo, this is your choice, as I've said all along. It's going to be extremely dangerous. You don't have to come." Noah swallowed around his own sandwich. "We'll understand."

"Would you stay home, if it was your dad?" Vilo shot back.

Noah glanced over at Kratos. "No, I don't suppose I would."

"It'll be okay. Virgil knows it'll be okay. That's enough for me."

Virgil sighed. "Vilo, I don't know everything. Just this evening makes me realize there's a lot I wasn't told. There are gaps; I was a kid for most of these stories so maybe you guys edited them for my benefit."

"We're all alive in your future. That's all I need to know." Vilo grabbed another sandwich, and this time peeled off the offending tomatoes first, noticing Kratos had done the same. "Don't worry, Little Brother. I'm not worried."

"Saphir, if you'd just listen to reason..." Peony's pleading voice could be heard outside the door. "I can't allow you to take the kid and vanish, man. Come down out of there, I've got some more really good wine. Let's talk about this..."

There was another crash.

"Not too worried, anyway."