Disclaimer: I do not own the Pathfinder franchise, which I will borrowing from heavily during this story, any coincedence from a character to a person in real life is not intentional, etc, etc...

Claimer: But I do own sexy!Nathan/Leo and these stories, so you can't have them. ;D

Warning: This'll be good 'ol boy on boy fiction, so if you don't like that kind of stuff, plz leave kthxbai. Also there'll be much slaughtering of fat guys, wererats, and bad drow ladies so if violence/death isn't your cup of tea, again, plz leave kthxbai. And heed the fic rating as well. No slashy-type stuff yet, but we'll get to that later. :D

Holy Rewards

Chapter 3

Nathan was sitting on one of the game tables, watching as Leo dragged the bodies into a pile. He was slightly surprised that the law-upholding gendarmes hadn't arrived yet to see what all the commotion was about, but then again, they were in the city of Riddleport. Nathan grimaced when Leo swore loudly; an arm had fallen off one of the more gooey looking thugs. One that Nathan had killed. Killed. Melted actually, to be precise. He knew that he had to have fought back, unless he was to be killed instead. But it didn't mean that Nathan had to be okay with it.

With a final sounding thump, Leo heaved Angvar onto the top of the pile, turning to Nathan and brushing his hands off of each other in satisfaction. "That should do it."

Nathan was about to speak up when his vision unexpectedly began to swim, a wave of dizziness sweeping over him. Confused and unable to keep his bearings, he fell off the game table and onto the wooden floor. Pain rocketed through his head as it hit the ground, and all the hurts and injuries he had sustained during the battle slowly drifted back to him. Nathan's vision cleared a bit, and he saw Leo kneeling over him with a worried look on his face. "What happened?!"

Closing his eyes, Nathan fought back another surge of vertigo and shrugged, only to have his shoulder scream out in response. Turning his head to look downwards at it, Nathan's eyes widened in surprise at the amount of blood that was flowing out of the wound. Perhaps it wasn't as much of a graze as I thought...

"I think- I think it's my shoulder. That woman shot at me... I guess I didn't realize… the wound, I thought it was just a glancing hit."

Leo bent over to look at the gash and shook his head in affirmation. "It was a light blow, but she hit a large vein close to the surface of your skin. The adrenaline probably masked most of the pain, but it's wearing off now. You should have told me earlier, I could have easily fixed this before you lost this much blood."

"Sorry, it, uh, didn't hurt as much before. Though... how could I have missed," Nathan gestured his uninjured arm at the liquid pooling around him, "all this?"

"I have no idea. Maybe the thing that gave you that bump on your head knocked a few things loose." Nathan scowled at the man, but Leo just laughed.

As the other knelt down to get closer to the wound, Nathan realized something he hadn't before. "How are you going to mend it? I don't see any bandages on you."

Leo grinned in response. "Oh? You haven't noticed yet?" He gave a deep, throaty laugh. "I'm just gonna have to show you then."

Placing his hands just above the freely bleeding wound, Leo bowed his head and began muttering quietly, in an almost musical tone. When the he leaned forward, a golden hued medallion fell from underneath the other man's shirt, the chain jingling softly. The symbol was in the shape of a mug, the kind seen in taverns, and it was obviously very elegantly crafted. Something clicked within Nathan's brain, and his apprehension disappeared. Of course.

The hands hovering over his wound began to glow with a soft, auburn hued light. The light was faint at first, but it grew more intense as Leo continued to speak quickly and quietly. Nathan's shoulder gave a slight spasm, and he gritted his teeth together as the torn sinew and tissue knit themselves back together. He could feel a warm presence pulsing throughout his body, calming him, relaxing his taught muscles. The blood flow stopped early on, but a minute or two was needed until his flesh was as good as new. Leo stopped talking, the ginger colored luminescence fading away as well, and looked towards Nathan with a satisfactory look in his eyes.

Sitting up slowly, Nathan worked his previously wounded shoulder around and around, and was surprised to notice that along with his largest injury; most of the small bruises and scrapes that had covered his body were absent as well. He looked up at Leo, thankfulness clearly written across his stunned features. "I... you... you're a cleric?"

Leo chuckled and put his hands up in the air with a sheepish smile. "Guilty as charged. You seem surprised." A playful glint flashed through his eyes, "And you're welcome by the way."

Nathan fought back an embarrassed flush; he had forgotten to thank him, both for healing his wound and his help during the struggle. "Oh, I'm sorry! I- uh- thank you Leo …I think this is the second time you've saved my life."

Leo watched as Nathan warily stood up, and with a raised eyebrow and a poorly hid grin, he replied. "No worries, I was just joking around. Really, I'm just glad I could help."

"Still… I think-" A groan and a loud shout interrupted Nathan's reply and the pair twirled around to face the source of the noise. Vancaskerkin popped up from behind the game table, which Nathan could now see had half a dozen crude axes embedded deep into the velvety exterior. Looking around with wide eyes, realization of what had transpired most likely dawning upon the middle-aged man; Vancaskerkin finally seemed to notice Nathan and Leo. And the pile of bodies not too far from them.

Running towards the pair, seemingly unperturbed by the mound of corpses, Vancaskerkin grasped Nathan's hand and began shaking it wildly. "You! It appears as though fate has guided you to deliver me that package today, so you could protect my property and me! I can't thank you enough!" The former crimelord let out an exasperated laugh before he seemed to notice Leo for the first time. "And who is this?"

"Leo Haywold, cleric of Cayden Cailean, at your service, sir." He took an over extravagant bow that forced Nathan to stifle a chuckle, which was returned with an equally over exaggerated wink.

Nathan took a step forward, and gestured at Leo. "Mr. Vancaskerkin, sir, if it weren't for him, I'd… well… be dead on the floor. You probably would have died too." He hadn't meant to come off sounding somber, but he had to get his point across that Leo had been the pivotal force in the battle, not himself.

With new respect, Vancaskerkin turned to Leo and nodded, holding out a hand for him to shake. "I see. I think it's appropriate that you receive some thanks as well. Leo, …and?" Embarrassment flashed across the older man's features as he turned to the apprentice alchemist. "I don't believe I caught your name yet, boy."

Leo reached out and vigorously shook Vancaskerkin's hand, and afterwards Nathan shyly put his own hand out as well. "I'm Nathan Clifton, sir."

Vancaskerkin shook Nathan's hand and nodded, his face now set and serious looking. "Well then, Nathan, Leo. I'd say that I owe you big, and as you probably have heard, I'm not very keen on being in debt these days as much as I was in my younger years. I want to repay you, and I think I have the perfect idea."

A thoughtful expression crossed Vancaskerkin's features. "First, Nathan, I think you deserve a certain reward." Quickly, the former crimelord walked over to the sack of vials lying beside the overturned game table he had previously been using as a source of shelter. Vancaskerkin picked the bag up, and returned to Nathan, holding out the bag to him to take. "For you."

Nathan eyed the bag warily, not quite ready to accept such an expensive, and dangerous, gift. "But... this was the reason why I came here. To give this to you. You… well, you bought it."

"And now I'm giving it back. What? Won't you accept a token of my appreciation?"

Warily, he grasped the bag and slung it over his shoulder. The collection of flasks really wasn't that heavy, but he did feel a bit more formidable with it slung over his shoulder. Not to mention he had been feeling a bit inadequate with Leo and his pair of blades, alongside Vancaskerkin and the daggers that adorned his belt. Still... why would he have wanted a bag full of acid flasks? And why did he give them back so quickly after receiving them?

His thoughts were interrupted as Vancaskerkin moved to the chest on the middle of the room, obviously checking to see if it was still okay. "Yes... yes... oh, this is a relief. For a second I thought those brutes had spirited away some of the prize money." The former crimelord reached under the table and apparently pressed a hidden latch or switch, as the chains fell away and the ever-gaudy looking container was freed. Vancaskerkin picked it up and vanished into one of the back rooms.

Leo turned around. "You know, it surprises me how fast that guy can waddle around, considering his somewhat... short stature." A pause. "And whatever happened to our reward?"

"Oh, that's right… You haven't received one yet. Um, well, maybe he forgot about you?..." Nathan lightheartedly replied, snickering as Leo took a swipe at him and missed. Nathan surprised himself, he usually didn't joke very often, and especially not so much after such a macabre turn of events. He stared at the cleric, a bit mystified. Nathan had always been shy; he had been all his life. And he was especially shy in front of strangers. But these two people had him talking more in an hour more than he usually did in an entire day. Nathan liked it, it was a nice feeling.

Vancaskerkin came bustling out from the back room, arms open wide and a smile plastered on his aging face. "Now, with that taken care of, I ask of you to stay for awhile to discuss... the recent events over drinks."

Leo raised an eyebrow. "And the rewards."

Vancaskerkin gave a chuckle. "Yes, and the rewards."

The cleric shot a triumphant glance towards Nathan, and then turned back to the former crimelord. "Then yes, I'd be happy to join you for a drink or two."

Feeling two pairs of expectant eyes rest on him, Nathan resigned with a sigh. "Sure. I'm guessing Petunia won't want to call me back for today after he heard what happened. I might even get a few days off." Although he wasn't too keen on staying with Vancaskerkin, the man was friendly enough. Though… one couldn't bury their past and be done with it so easily. Especially if it was as dirty and soiled as Vancaskerkin's was. He'd be careful.

Vancaskerkin clapped his hands together loudly, and gestured to a wooden door on the far right of the room. "Fantastic! Through here then, and up the stairs." As the trio walked over to step through the wooden threshold and move to the upper floor, Nathan couldn't help but notice an odd feeling settling over him, one that seemed to say: things aren't going to end this simply.