After four days of playing tourist and establishing a close friendship based on the strong foundations established in 2001, all boys were laid in Paul's room watching Alex, who had fallen asleep while they took turns playing Prince of Persia on the latest of Paul's gaming consoles. Paul looked at his bedside clock, "Pizzas are arriving in five minutes so you better wake your bro up, J."

Joe knew all the responsible adults were out at the theatre tonight, with the two bodyguards on duty acting as minders. He did not want to wake Alex up, but his meds were due. In the past four nights the invalid had stayed awake with the round robin of sleepovers, which had resulted in lots of talk, games, stories and confessions. They were all a bit jaded after accumulating a severe lack of sleep. "Hey, baby boy time for your meds."

"Fuck off, J. I woke me up when pizza was mentioned. I'm ravenous." Alex rolled onto his side and gave his brother a death glare for the baby boy comment, like he was only five months younger than Joe and only six weeks younger than Jamie.

"OK, but Mom said you had to have salad as well, but if we shove it down the waste disposal no-one here will grass you up." Joe might be vegetarian but with the choice of pizza or health food, pizza won every time.

"I need the roughage, better that than constipation anyway." Alex grinned as he got the poo reference in first. Deflecting attention away as he knew full well he was a weird teenager, preferring salad to sugar. Pizza was better than the type of meals Paul's grandmother preferred, as Alex tended to lose interest in eating after the starter. He guessed both Dieter and Mimi had suggested a grownups night out for Alex to actually eat more than few mouthfuls. He suddenly missed Connie and felt homesick for the farm; with biscuits for breakfast, homemade simple dishes all perfect for a boy with an iffy appetite. Bill had definitely married Fran for her skill in the kitchen. Restaurants here all seemed to serve portions for giants and he'd been ridiculed for ordering kid's meals.

With his first slice finished, Alex started on his salad knowing Paul and Joe were tying at five pieces each already and Jamie had started slice number four. Cassian put his fork into the mixed salad and savoured the mouthful like a connoisseur. "Not bad, but I prefer Romaine salad myself. Love love love vinaigrette dressing and shaved parmesan.

Alex shrugged "I ate shit in Russia. I thought food served during training Brecon was bad, not a patch on truly awful stuff served in Siberia. The kasha resembled and tasted like over salted glue. I asked for fresh fruit for my birthday. I got a completely black banana. Traded it for three joints 'cause there was no way I was eating it. I went shopping with Connie and I bought figs, nectarines and white peaches. God I had the worst stomach ache after gorging on them. White peaches, fuck I'd love one now."

Paul stopped eating and went into the kitchen and came back with a perfect peach and put it on Alex's plate. Once again, their host had listened to everything Alex said but did not directly interact with him. The puzzled sixteen year old guest of honour was in two minds whether to discuss their hosts shyness or strange aversion to direct interaction with his brother; as Joe and Paul were close to BFFs. Was it the fact Alex had been open about his sexuality or that he was ill? Either way it was bugging him. Then again, Paul had been a bit standoffish in Grenoble, but that was understandable he'd found out his mom was happily bonding with the evil twin and his father was dead. Alex needed to clear the air. He just expected to get the cold hard truth that he was a freak thrown at him.

The team consensus had been to actually get some rest. All the boys had been in bed before the culture vultures got back. The apartment was quiet at midnight. Joe was snoring, wrapped in his comforter like a chrysalis. Alex got up and moved silently down the hall past the guest rooms for Cassian and Jamie, Mimi and then Dieter and he knocked softly on Paul's door. There was a pause before the tall blond with startling blue eyes opened his door. He blushed seeing Alex wearing nothing but a pair of shorts; then mumbled "Come in." Politeness drilled into the American by his grandmother, as manners and etiquette were the mark of a gentleman.

Alex stood and took in the tall blonds body language and pondered the silence; then smiled at his sudden revelation, he had not factored in the Paul had developed a crush on him. "I… I get I make you nervous. I just wanted to clear the air between us. So, you like me?"

"Yeah, you're a great friend, better than anyone at school here. You are super cool, Lex. I guess I've not been a brilliant host. Hell, you're standing here and I haven't offered you a seat." Paul had stepped back and was still inspecting the carpet rather than look at the boy visiting his room.

It was like the world stopped, Alex was caught in the moment. The first and last person he's been attracted to had been Yassen Gregorovich. The embodiment of beautiful and dangerous, a link to his past both good and bad, but mostly bad. That killer was more a hero to him than anyone he had worked or been partnered with. Paul was in love with the ideal of Alex the hero, but he wasn't that. He was jaded, dirty and mindful of his promise to his brother, not to jump into sex. To consider his sexuality, attraction and love. Paul was tall, beautiful and fragile; still recovering as they all were from the events in France. It would be easier just to take advantage of this situation; as Paul would never make a move as the ultimate gawky, shy and awkward virgin. So easy to seduce with a kiss, an offer to blow him or more.

"Do you just want sex, because that's easy. I… I used to trade hand jobs, blow jobs for stuff. Never went all the way, so I'm a bit of a whore, a player, whatever. You can date someone nice at school. Someone not used, not bitter and not used to thinking sex is easy. I've never been on a date or played the game of love. Sex has nothing to do with love. Hell, families are a new ball game. So, if its just a tumble you want well I'm here and willing. Get this out of your system and try the goods."

…..

The alarm went off at 8, Alex woke and realised he was practically naked in Paul's bed. Paul was also just wearing his shorts, but had wrapped his arms around his boyfriend and morning wood pressed against Alex's thigh. Sleeping in sounded like a great idea, but he needed to get back into his own room. Rather than just leave, Alex kissed Paul's cheek, "Wake up, beautiful. I need to go back to my room."

Paul woke and kissed Alex chastely. "Nice idea, Lexie; but we are in the strange situation of actually dating." The taller boy stretched and sat up. "You and I agreed this was something more and not just about sexual gratification, no friends with benefits. I need to convince you that dating is more than sharing bodily fluids, no matter how tempting it would be just to take what you offered."

Alex sighed, he had agreed to a date, one day at a time for what was going to be a mostly long distance relationship. "I'm going to break the good news to Joe. I bet he thinks I've been up to no good, not talking most of the night with you trying to convince me that I'm your ideal boyfriend. You are going to be so sadly disappointed because, Mr. Roscoe, I am trouble."

Sitting up and seeing Alex leave, Paul laid back in his bed, completely exhausted but so happy he had a boyfriend. He then rolled over for another couple of hours of sleep on this sunny Saturday.

…

With a swift look along the hall, Alex bolted back to his own room to shower. As he silently closed the door, Joe sat up and twisted his face in disgust. "Please tell me you have not been fucking Jamie's dad."

Alex stood still for a moment pondering the fact he had been very friendly with Dieter all week, conversing in a language his brother barely knew how to say yes and no in. He had not been overtly friendly or flirted with anyone else. He smiled and then shrugged apologetically "I cleared the air with Paul. He's been holding a torch for me. I know I promised not to act on my impulses, to talk out being sexually active with my shrink. Well, what can I say, Paul's an Adonis and I offered. It took him about four hours to convince me he was not after sex but everything. A relationship. So, Paul and I are going on a date later."

Joe was half mad at Alex for offering himself to Paul, but more mad at the fact Paul had asked Alex out. "So, why are you coming back at 8 not 4, asshat?"

Alex smiled and blushed, "I don't get that he wants me, J. I'm used goods." Rather than get the usual pep talk on what a great person he was, when he wasn't; Alex went to have a shower.

The brown haired teenager then lay back down on the bed and knew he would have to get Alex to tell mom and Luke. In fact, he needed to have a chat with mom himself and he got up went to get breakfast.

…

Jamie was already sat with his dad, taking advantage of Paul's taste in food by eating a huge bowl of Froot Loops. Mimi was dressed ready for lunch with friends from her old law firm. She could see that the cogs were working overtime as Joe sat down and get himself his own bowl of cereal.

Two mouthfuls swallowed and Joe was getting more irate. "Mom, how do we get Al to have some self esteem. He's just told me he's used goods. By the way, Paul asked my baby brother out on a date and I want to smash his face in for doing it."

Mimi's considered reply was interrupted by Paul's grandmother. "That's wonderful news. I was afraid Paul would keep his feelings to himself. He finally got a chance to ask Alex out. Did he agree? I suppose I'll have to wait for the boys to organise themselves. Chez Henri has a wonderful tasting menu, perfect for a first date."

Joe sat open mouthed in shock. Paul's Grandmother was completely OK with a gay grandson and the prospect of him dating. It was Alex's choice to date, to explore relationships and put the horror of trading himself in the past. "Mom, Paul needs a bitch slapping from me and the worst shovel talk in the world from you."

Mimi poured herself another cup of coffee. "No shovel talks and no violence. I'll just have to give Paul a long chat about boundaries and safe sex. Possibly with a trip to the pharmacy to discuss practicalities."

Joe then decided not to ever try and play dirty with his mom. She was going to embarrass Paul worse than any petty threats from him.