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. Slashy-stuff starting! :D

An Offer You Can't Refuse

Chapter 4

The sharp scent of aged wine drifted up to Nathan's nose as he took a sip of an exceptionally good brand of the substance. He wasn't surprised; Vancaskerkin had seemed to be a wealthy man.

They were led up to a dining room, the hall long and impressive with an equally long and impressive mahogany dining table placed in the middle of the room. Wondrously crafted chairs were placed around the table, and the setting sun seen through a set of gaping windows set an orangish cast to everything the light touched. Nathan was seated beside Leo on one side of the table, while Vancaskerkin was seated on the other.

They had been very graciously served a small dinner, where Vancaskerkin had apologized for being a hindrance in the battle, to which Nathan had quietly but vehemently protested, and questioned the pair on what exactly had happened while he was passed out. Soon after, the sound of steel clanking against steel could faintly be heard, along with a series of bumps from below. Apparently the gendarmes had arrived to cart off the bodies. Just thinking about Thuvalia and her lackeys caused a small pang of guilt to blossom within Nathan's chest.

Vancaskerkin didn't seem to have any qualms about the robbery; he even acted as if it was a normal occurrence. Though, considering the former crimelord's past, it wasn't hard to believe. The man was now relaxed, contently sipping his wine every few moments. I suppose I really didn't have anything to worry about coming up here.

After a just minute more of comfortable silence, Vancaskerkin began. "Well. I guess we best get down to business, eh?" As if on command, two commonly dressed workers stepped in, and walked over to the fireplace, placing a few logs of wood inside the small alcove and lighting the pieces of fuel. They walked out, eerily silent. Nathan had the feeling Vancaskerkin was trying to impress his new guests. Leo looked over at the fire, an amused smirk on his face.

"Hearing you speak about how you stopped those undesirables in their tracks, and how you drove them off as quick as any gendarme warms my old heart. I had thought that heroic acts were long gone in Riddleport, and I can't say how overjoyed I am to be proven wrong."

Leo nodded. "I agree with you. Riddleport definitely isn't recognized for its shining examples of gallantry and prose."

"I suppose it's not," said Vancaskerkin with a chuckle. "Which makes it exceptionally rare to see two young people with such high moral standards and a willingness to do what's right."

Nathan felt a bit uneasy at this comment. He had only jumped Thuvalia on a chance thought, and yes, the urge had steered his fate in the right direction. But he still didn't intentially mean to do such a brave act.

"Valentia, Larur? Bring in the goods." Seconds after he spoke, a woman with long red hair and a short-statured dwarf strode in, each holding a burlap sack bulging with items. When the pair reached the table, they each dumped out the contents of the bag in turn, pausing only to scoop the objects into a pile, and then left the room.

Laid out in front of Nathan and Leo were an range of myriad objects. There was a piece of twisted wood that looked much like a wand, an assortment of golden coins, and two familiar long, curvular steel bracers. It took just a second to look over the money and count how many coins were present; there were approximately fifty of them. The wand looked interesting, but Nathan really didn't know much about magic himself; he had no clue what it was for. The bracers were sturdy looking and shone with a bright sheen, still tugging at some part of Nathan's memory.

He didn't have to wonder long, as Leo pointed to the wrist armor and said slowly, "Those are Angvar's, aren't they? He was wearing them when I fought him." Nathan nodded as he remembered, Yeah, the spellcaster was wearing these. But that means...

"You took these?" The words were out of his mouth before he had even meant to speak.

Vancaskerkin looked at him in an odd way, as if he was a child who had failed to grasp the obvious. "Yes, I took them. Though the owners were common criminals and as you already know, dead. If you look at the big picture of things, it really doesn't matter at all that you have them now." Nathan nodded, as he did understand the other's reasoning, but it still didn't stamp out the small feeling of weightiness lodged in his gut.

The three of them didn't move for a time, and after a few more moments, Vancaskerkin shouted indignantly, "For god's sake, just take them already!"

He hadn't wanted to take one of the items first; Leo deserved them much more than he did. But it seemed the cleric was able to be polite as well. Hesitantly, Leo leaned forward. "I'll take the bracers; I doubt you'd use them as much as I would." The apprentice alchemist nodded, that was reasonable enough.

"And I'll take half the gold?" Leo looked to Nathan questioningly.

"Go ahead. I'll take this... wand? And the other half of the gold." He reached out his arms and scooped his share of the loot to his side, Leo doing the same.

Vancaskerkin looked at the two with a grin plastered across his face. "Good, good. Now, I want to divulge to you the real reason why I brought you two up here. Before we came upstairs, I took another look at those cronies, and discovered something quite... surprising." He paused for a moment, perhaps a failed attempt at creating suspense.

"I recognized those two, since I've seen them hanging around with a bunch of street toughs that have been loitering around the casino before." Nathan was still, waiting for the importance of this revelation. There are plenty of street gangs in the city, always have been, always will.

"But. That group I've been noticing has been contracting out to most of the other crimelords in the city, as I've seen henchmen from a whole host of... business owners I used to know mingling with them." This gave Nathan a start, and Leo as well judging from the surprised expression on the cleric's face. "I've been considering throwing myself at the mercy of the crimelord I used to be close with, who's known as," he hesitated, "Clegg Zincher, for protection. But I truly am loathe to re-enter that shady world."

Nathan sat back in his chair, finally understanding the man's unease. Leo placed a hand on the table and leaned forward slightly. "So, you think that those guys that are being carted away downstairs; that they were sent here... on purpose by one of the crimelords running this city?"

Nathan glanced toward Vancaskerkin, a worried expression on his face. "If so, well… the implications are very serious. You are a former crimelord afterall." He didn't fail to notice the older man's flinch at his words.

Vancaskerkin nodded to Nathan and Leo, a knowing gleam in his eye. "Then you two obviously understand the predicament I'm in. And quite honestly, I'm impressed with your abilities. I think you are just the folks who can turn around my fortunes. I'd like to offer you a job."

Nathan's eyes widened; and he heard a surprised sound come from Leo beside him. A... job?

"Yes, I'd like to offer both of you a job as specialists and junior partners of the Gold Goblin staff. You'd work directly for me and assist me in the day-to-day running of this establishment, serving either as a dealer, a bouncer, a croupier, or a greeter depending your preferences. Of course, these roles would only be covers for the real work you'd be doing for me, such as serving as my bodyguards, messengers, and consultants."

"How much would we be paid?" Nathan looked over at Leo, who had spoken. He seemed to be animated enough, the excitement shining on the cleric's face.

"Oh, you'd receive a regular salary of ten gold pieces a week, as well as a cut of the Gold Goblin's weekly profits... so, what do you say? Up for the challenge?"

The cleric spoke immediately. "I'm in." His face was set and determined, very different from his constant cheerful demeanor.

Nathan's eyebrows furrowed to a point, torn between agreeing with Leo or slowly backing out. On one hand, he was apprenticed to an alchemist already, and he still wasn't quite sure about Vancaskerkin. Though... the pay is so high, and it would seem rude to refuse his offer after accepting those gifts. Not to mention Leo already went ahead and agreed to the deal.

His mind moved to focus on the fight that had happened only hours before. I was so terrified the entire time, but... it made me feel different. There was that rush of terror, but there was excitement mixed in, no matter how hard I try to ignore it...

Do I want to forget that feeling? Nathan took a deep breath, and steeled his downward gaze.

"I'll accept as well." Leo beamed at Nathan, working an amused grin out of the apprentice alchemist. This guy's kind of like an excited dog sometimes...

Vancaskerkin leaned forward, and clasped both of them on the shoulders. "Great! I'll have to show you around the gambling hall tomorrow, so you better be well rested for the grand tour! I'll show you to your rooms."

"Our rooms? I have a room back at the potion shop with all my things." Nathan wasn't expecting boarding when he had agreed to the deal.

"Well, of course you'll have to sleep in the Gold Goblin. What if some crook sneaks in during the middle of the night?" Vancaskerkin raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

Nathan felt somewhat stupid. "Oh. I suppose I hadn't thought of that."

The three of stood up and moved to the door, but not before Nathan and Leo gathered their things into some sacks. Nathan was careful not to put any of his newly gained 'loot' into the bag carrying the vials of acid; instead he placed the wand and gold into a small pouch on his belt.

Vancaskerkin walked through the doorway and out into the hall first, but Nathan moved towards the opening at the same time as Leo. The two bumped into each other, and the sudden contact against the cleric's side sent Nathan stumbling backwards.

"Oops, sorry about that. You can go first." Leo made a hand gesture out to the hallway. Nathan walked out into the corridor, closely followed by the cleric who moved to shut the door behind them.

For some unfathomable reason, his stomach felt a bit weird, like something was wrenching it from the inside out. Under normal circumstances, Nathan would have worried something was wrong with him, but as he watched Leo close the door, he thought he almost… liked the feeling. Just forget about it.

Vancaskerkin led them through a maze of hallways, and eventually stopped short in front of two doors, side by side. "These rooms will be your living quarters. Nathan, your room is on the left and Leo, your room is on the right. Get some sleep, and report back to me by midday tomorrow."

They both nodded. "Good, I'll be seeing you two in the morning." The short man padded away, turned a corner, and was gone.

"Crazy day, huh?" Nathan turned to see Leo looking expectantly at him with a smirk playing across his face.

"Yes, it really was… when I woke up this morning, I didn't think of finding myself here at the end of the day."

The cleric chuckled. "Me neither. But, aren't you glad you're here now?"

Nathan frowned; he was caught off guard by Leo's question. "Well... I guess I am."

The other man broke out into a wide grin. "Good, 'cause I feel the same. See you in the morning, Nathan." And with that, Leo headed into his room.

Slowly turning around to open his door, Nathan began to feel hints of emptiness creep over him, a certain faint loneliness after the cleric had left. He shook his head in exasperation; Nathan hadn't even known the guy for a day. He'd learned his lesson about befriending people before, Nathan wouldn't make the same mistakes again.

The apprentice alchemist opened the door and moved into the bedroom, placing the bag of vials gingerly down beside the door along with the sack full of recently gained valuables. In a quick scout of the room, he found a comfy looking bed, a small alcove near the far corner of the room used for personal hygiene, and a mahogany table with four elegant chairs situated around the circular surface. The floorboards were a polished maroon color, and the walls were a soft shade of goldenrod. An image of when Leo's hands were glowing approximately that color appeared in his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. It really wasn't even the same shade of orange anyways.

Running a tired hand through his hair and sighing, Nathan kicked off his boots and climbed into bed, pulling the covers over his head to immerse himself in the growing darkness creeping in from the windows. Nathan's life had changed so much in one day, and he was a bit afraid to find out whether it was for good or for worse. It took several minutes for his spinning mind to calm down, but once it did, sleep took him almost immediately and he fell into a peaceful slumber.