Spartan

Spartan

Part 4 - generations

Drew's tale

"For crying out loud, please!" I yelled. The girls giggled. "Just one kiss, Drew" they begged. "No!" I shot back. "You're girls and even if you weren't I've already got my life partner! Leave me alone!" They came closer, a pack of giggling females. "Fuck, Joshua, what do I do?" I prayed under my breath.

"Kiss them" his completely unhelpful voice came back. "Fuck!" I yelled out loud, I hadn't expected him to be listening. "Where are you?" I spoke out loud, ignoring the strange looks from the girls around me. "We're walking down the beach now" he thought back. I scrambled to my feet and saw him and his groupies, sorry, followers, descending down the far slip road and onto the sands.

I have to admit, he is gorgeous even if he is a relative. He has the most amazing tan and long, white, gently curling hair and a sculpted chest to die for. Until I'd bonded I had many wet dreams about my divine cousin. Just as I was feasting on the eye candy, Elliot, my life partner called out to me. He'd just been to get some ice creams and the girls had mobbed me when his back was turned. "Hey, sweetie, is that Joshua?" he asked, looking over the beach. "Yeah" I smiled, turning to him and kissing him. As I sank into his arms the girls lost interest and wandered away and I took the offered ice cream as we sat down on the sand again.

I love kiddies' ice cream cornets even though I'm fifteen and probably should be enjoying more adult treats now and I tucked into the vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce with a grin. Talking of adult treats, seventeen year old Elliot, my life partner, was one of those rare humans who matched spartans in physique. He was a body builder and was the same height as me, six feet exactly. We both had similarly defined abs and a summer on the beach had given us both a golden tan though I had to admit neither of us attained the divine perfection that Joshua demonstrated. He also had a kiddies' ice cream and ate it with me, smiling all the while.

We'd come to St Ives for the summer. My granddads had lived here for a bit and my uncle Greg and uncle Gabe were both born here so it's kind of a second home. We had a lovely big holiday home that we stayed in and though it was cramped when we were all there we still loved it. Joshua, Tina and Ahmed had been on the island, the grassy hillock between beaches, offering prayers that morning, my brother, ten year old Peter and Josh's brothers, fourteen year olds Nat and Jon were having surf lessons. My dads Henry and Andy were wandering around the Tate gallery and I'd been given the job of sitting on the beach with Elliot and working on my tan. Ain't life hard?

We were all meeting for lunch and we'd reserved some tables in the beach front cafe for us all and evidently the prayers had finished which was why Joshua was coming our way. "Hey cous," he grinned as he came to sit down. As was proper I leaned over and returned his greeting by kissing him gently, putting all the love I had for him into my kiss. Ahmed and Tina were conferring in whispers and Joshua answered their unspoken thoughts, "I'll have a choc ice please." Ahmed went to buy the ice creams and Tina spread a towel out on the sand. "Drew, do you have any suntan lotion?" she asked.

I fished the bottle out of my bag and Joshua took it and covered her in cream, smiling gently. It was obvious just from his face that he was very much in love. "I am, Drew, thanks" he said to me in response to my silent observation.

"What's it like, Josh?" I asked him softly. "Being divine?" he replied to my question, "Drew, I don't know if I can explain it in a way you can understand. On the one hand it's like nothing's changed, I've still got my family and everything like that but on the other hand everything has changed, like I've got to be loved to live. I don't know what I'd do without Tina and Ahmed. And my family, of course, your kiss was nice, Drew" he smiled softly.

"But you've got the telepathy and stuff" I pointed out. Joshua nodded. "But I've always had that, remember? I was a demigod anyway."

"Where is he?" I asked. I still had difficulty in discussing my uncle Gabe's partner though I'd known about him virtually my whole life. The thought of saying, "uncle Apollo" still made me squirm a little.

"My parents have gone swimming" Joshua smiled. He looked distant for a moment. "They're going to walk up the beach in a few minutes" he said. One of his fans squealed as she heard that Apollo would soon be present and the piercing sound made me jump.

"Doesn't it bother you, having all these" he interrupted me, "yeah, they are a bit like groupies aren't they?" I knew he'd read my mind but it didn't upset me. "Drew, they all adore me, they're feeding me. The more energy I take from worshippers the less sex I need from people who ask me for healing. But they still get more excited when my dads are around."

Ahmed came back with some sweet treats and as they tucked into their ices I turned back to Elliot. "You okay?" I whispered to him -- he'd been quiet for the last few minutes. He shook his head. "Your cousin freaks me out a bit" he admitted. "I mean, falling for a spartan was hard enough but when I realised who your family was, it's like" he shuddered. "Elliot, he's quite ordinary, really" I smiled. "And knowing Joshua he already regards you as his cousin and all my uncles regard you as their nephew."

"Yeah, I know your uncle George and uncle Greg do, it was so cool when Greg asked me to do some modelling" he smiled.

"I wasn't talking about my uncle Greg" I said, nodding towards two people emerging from the waves a few metres down the beach.

The crowds parted and the chatter faded as they walked hand in hand towards us. "Oh god" Elliot muttered. Leaving Elliot to panic by himself for a few moments, I got up from where I'd been lounging, knelt and bowed my head respectfully, as did Tina and Ahmed and a good proportion of the assembled groupies. Elliot remained frozen in terror. Joshua alone stood up, approached and hugged his parents. "Dad Gabriel, dad Apollo, did you enjoy your swim?"

They sat down on the sand near to our group and Joshua's followers scrambled to their feet and retreated, afraid. I sat down again and squeezed Elliot's hand as uncle Gabriel said, "the fish down there are amazing and it was so good not needing an air tank, it was fantastic" he smiled. He too looked very young, not quite as perfect as his divine son or partner but he certainly didn't look like he was forty.

Apollo turned to Elliot. "I didn't think I was your god, nephew but I appreciate the sentiment" he smiled. "Dad Apollo, don't, you'll freak him out!" came a voice from down the beach and I saw Jon and Nattie running over in their wetsuits and with surf boards, followed by my own brother, Peter. They've grown up as twins even though they were gestated separately. They ignored the worshippers and groupies and gawkers and ran over, flopped onto the sand and hugged both of their dads soundly as my little brother knelt respectfully for a few seconds and bowed his head before going over to Joshua, kissing him, then finally sitting down near to Ahmed. "Enjoy your morning?" uncle Gabriel asked and he nodded. "Yeah but we're all dead hungry now!" Peter grinned.

"Well my dads shouldn't be too long" I interrupted, "and our table is reserved so we could go up to the cafe now if you want." I was awe-struck by my uncle, that was true but I tried to act relatively normally for Elliot's sake.

Everyone got up and began to troop up to the cafe. A pair of unobtrusive security guards stopped the groupies from following. Elliot and I followed a few seconds behind, stuffing towels back into beach bags and dusting sand from our trunks. "Look, I know they freak you out but they're family, please? They don't expect worship or anything, just try and relax a little" I said softly. Elliot smiled. "I know, honey" he whispered before pulling me into a kiss that lasted a second or two longer than perhaps it should have. I grinned and tied my towel around my waist to hide my ranging hard on before following everyone else up to the cafe.

Lunch went smoothly and after the divinities left us alone, Elliot and I returned to our patch of sand and sunbathed happily for the rest of the day. That evening we sat on the harbour wall drinking cola and kissing softly.

I awoke the following morning with a fire in my belly. Elliot's arm was draped across my torso and the pain that shot through my stomach was unbelievable. "Oh fuck, get off me" I gasped, pushing him away. He woke up, surprised. In the eight months we'd been together I'd never pushed him away before. "Drew, sweetie, what's wrong?" he asked groggily, moving his arm away from me.

I leaned down and looked at my stomach with a combination of hope and fear and sure enough, small white filaments curled from my belly button. "Oh fuck" Elliot whispered, then grinned. "We're going to be daddies?" he asked me. He leaned down and gently kissed me. "I'm still at school, my dads would kill me if I gestated at fifteen fucking years old. But yeah, we could be daddies if you wanted" I grinned back.

He kissed me more fiercely and in his passion his hand caught the edge of one of my filaments. "Fuck!" I gasped, "fuck that hurts, be careful, please."

We made careful love and then I headed down to breakfast wearing the briefest pair of swimming trunks I owned, glad that it was summer and we were on a beach holiday. "Hey, you're emergent!" Peter crowed as soon as he saw me. Elliot shooed him away, led me to the table and held the chair as I sat down. "I'm emergent, not ill" I grinned, leaning up and kissing him. "Mmm, I know" he murmured between kisses.

"Put him down, Elliot, you don't know where he's been" my dad Henry spoke. I gave him the finger behind Elliot's back as we kissed. "Dad Henry, Drew's emergent!" Peter giggled as we kissed and I finally managed to break Elliot's kiss and look up. Dad Henry smiled at me. "I ought to ground you for that hand gesture" he said, continuing to smile, "but just this once I'll let you off. Now, do you want breakfast or are you content just eating Elliot?"

"I've got everything I need here" I smiled, pulling Elliot in for another kiss. "Maybe your cousin can live off kisses but you need food" dad Andy said, coming into the kitchen. "And I hope you think things through" he said more seriously. "Yeah, I heard Peter" he told me, "and I hope you're not going to gestate a son before you leave school."

"Dad, I'm fifteen" I said, "I know a baby would change our lives completely, I'd only gestate if I was sure it was the right thing to do" I told him carefully. He sighed. "I know you think you're clever, young man but I noticed you didn't give me any assurance. You're too young, Drew, please promise me you're not going to try and persuade Elliot to fertilise you? You're too young for this. Please?"

Elliot spoke. "Andrew, Henry" he began, then took a deep breath, "dads" he smiled. "Will you let Drew and me figure this out? There's nothing wrong with starting young, not really."

"You can't, what about school, what about your career?" dad Henry said. "Dad, you know we're going to have kids. And we've got our savings. We can do this" I replied.

"What savings? You're only fifteen, Elliot's only seventeen, you've probably got barely hundreds of pounds between you, that's not enough for anything."

Elliot chuckled. "Erm, Drew knows this but I don't make it common knowledge" he said, "but my mum won the lottery two years ago, I've got about four million quid in the bank." He grinned bashfully. "I was about to buy a yacht and go trolling around the Mediterranean when I met Drew and he changed my life forever. And a son would make it complete."

"You serious?" dad Andrew asked, "you're not just making this up?"

"I'll take you to the Nat West this morning and show you the balance if you want" he replied.

"Dads" I said, "please, let me and Elliot sort this out?"

"Okay" they agreed, "but you're not giving up school young man, you're going to attend as long as you can whether you're gestating or not!"

After hugs and breakfast Elliot and I went back to the beach. It was kind of sore, feeling the breeze on the filaments but I didn't want to stay inside, I wanted to show off, to shout to the whole world how happy I was. A few people noticed but generally people ignored it. I mean, they were still quite small and almost invisible. We sunbathed and ate ice cream and kissed and my filaments wafted in the warm breeze.

"I thought we weren't going to tell my dads about your money?" I asked him shortly. He shrugged. "I wanted money to be one less things your dads would worry about" he said, "after all, any parent would worry if they thought their children would be living off state benefits. Your dad and your uncles did that for long enough after the imprisonments ended, I've read in history books how bad it was. I just wanted to reassure them, I hope you don't mind?"

I kissed him. "No, I don't mind" I whispered. "I love you so much, you know that don't you?" I asked gently. He nodded and to my surprise a couple of unshed tears stood in his eyes. "Drew, you're my life and my love forever, I hope you know that?"

I couldn't speak. I cried and kissed him passionately.

"Are you okay?" I heard a voice. I looked up and saw the girl from the kiosk looking at us. I had been sobbing huge blubbering tears and it was kind of obvious. I tried to speak but couldn't get the words out so Elliot came to my rescue. "He's just become emergent, he's all hormonal" he said, half seriously, half in jest. She smiled. "With you?" she asked Elliot and he nodded.

"Aww, that's just so cute!" she smiled.

I sat on Elliot's knee on the sand and let him hug me, carefully of course, I didn't want my filaments to hurt anymore.

"Do you really want a baby now?" Elliot asked me after I'd cried some more. "It'll mean no college, no career until he's at school, you know that, don't you? You'll have five years at least of house-husband."

I chuckled. "My dad Henry made the same joke when we registered, about me being too young to be someone's husband. But love doesn't watch a calendar, El, you know that. I've never really thought about what I want to do when I leave school, about the only thing I've ever wanted is to be a dad."

"Okay" he smiled simply and kissed me again.

It took the filaments five days to stretch and grow into a circle and on the last day they were so sore it was unbelievable. But I managed to get my trunks on and we went to the beach as normal, only by this time loads of people had noticed because they were so stretched. That evening we went back to our holiday home early, to see my uncle Greg carrying a bag up the steps. "Hi Drew" he grinned, "Andy asked me to bring some gear for you" he smirked, "and it seems like you might need it!"

I knew what he meant -- Greg specialised in clothing for emergent, gestating and breastfeeding spartans and it would be his designs that I would almost certainly be wearing for the next nine months at least. I blushed as I realised he'd said my dad Andy had asked for the clothes. "He's okay with all this?" I stuttered.

"He's fine" uncle Greg assured me, "anyway, come inside, I've got some comfortable stuff for you to wear and you can say hello to your uncle George, we're having the attic room for two weeks."

"What about my cousins?" I asked as we went inside. Greg smiled. "They are all far too cool to come on holiday to Cornwall" he chuckled. "Seriously, though, they're all visiting our house in Milan over the summer, except for Stuart and Tim and their boys, they're staying in Manchester `cos James is in lurve" he snickered, talking about his second grandson, who was fifteen, the same as me. "And they've all got life partners and children now, of course, Drew, though Paul only met his partner a month ago, he was pig sick that his oldest nephews were both bonded before he was."

I laughed. George and Greg had five sons, seven grandsons and one tiny great-grandson already -- it was easy to forget the huge head start they'd had on my dad when it came to starting their family `cos they both looked so much younger than their actual age of fifty-something.

"Right" uncle Greg grinned, "I've got you some jeans and teeshirts" he began, "and some shorts, `cos it's summer and I'm going to alter you a couple of school uniforms and some shirts ready for September. That's if you're really going to go through with this?" I hugged Elliot and pulled him in for a kiss. "Uncle Greg, ask me in the morning if we're going through with it" I said, smirking.

"You're going to do it tonight?" he said, eyebrows raised. I gestured to the fan of filaments. "If they stretch anymore I might end up infertile, it's going to have to be tonight."

Elliot gulped when I said that, I don't think he'd realised the timing was so close either. "Only if you want to, baby" I whispered, turning back to him and sharing another gentle kiss. He returned my kiss passionately. "I love you forever, `course I want to" he whispered softly.

Dad Andy walked into the room at that point and saw uncle Greg with the bag on the sofa. "Hi guys, I was just helping George with the cases" he explained. He looked at me. "I hope you don't mind me getting in touch with Greg for you?" he asked, "only I reckoned you wouldn't have thought of it yourself and you're gonna need something comfortable to wear."

"Thanks dad Andy" I said with heartfelt gratitude, "it means so much that you're supportive."

"It's my grandson you two are going to be making, of course I'm supportive" he smiled, then got a little tearful. "Honey, don't you realise, until Joshua healed me I never thought I'd see grandchildren. I didn't even think I'd live to see you grow up, Drew and now you're ready to gestate your own son. Have you ever thought about that? I had full blown AIDS and the drugs were failing, the doctors had only given me twelve months to live at most. But Joshua" he stuttered and wiped his eyes. "Honey, I can't begin to explain how amazed I am that you're going to be a dad, that I actually have a chance to have a grandson. How could I not be supportive of that?"

It all got a little emotional then, I cried floods of tears again and even Elliot allowed a brief tear to leak out. Dad Henry came and cuddled dad Andy and then Peter came in to see what all the fuss was about. We cried for a few minutes then a disembodied voice floated through the room. "Thank you" we all heard Joshua say softly. "It means a lot to feel so much gratitude from you all."

"Where are you Josh?" dad Andy asked out loud. "Upstairs having sex with Tina and Ahmed" he replied with an earthy giggle, "but I couldn't help but feel you all, the waves of gratitude were most welcome" he explained.

"Don't you think you need to concentrate on the job at hand?" dad Andy continued with a smirk and Joshua explained, "I've got divine concentration, I can do at least half a dozen things at once. I'm not yet omnipresent like my dad Apollo but he reckons I'll manage it in a few years. Don't worry, I'm not neglecting my lovers, uncle Andy."

His sense of consciousness left the room and Elliot shuddered. "I still freak out a little even though I know I shouldn't" he whispered to me. "I know honey" I replied, kissing him once more before we turned to the clothes uncle Greg had begun to unpack.

The jeans were very low cut at the front, barely high enough to cover my genitals, though the elastic rib was sufficiently tight to keep me confined. The back made up for the front, rising higher than normal and tapering into a pair of elastic braces that clipped onto tailored hooks on at the sides. The underwear he provided were loose pants that weren't elasticated at all but instead fastened into all his trouser designs with small hooks. The teeshirt was cut away in a U-shape, covering my chest, nipples, arms and shoulders and curving around my sides to cover all of my back. The clothes were actually really comfortable, not confining as I'd expected and my filaments were proudly and nakedly displayed on my bare stomach.

"You comfortable in that get up?" Elliot asked me. I nodded. "It actually feels fine" I admitted. "The braces will take a bit of getting used to but they're not actually uncomfortable or anything, just a little strange." I turned to uncle Greg. "Thanks for these" I said, "they feel great."

"And you're dressed enough to come out for a meal with us" I heard my uncle George's voice from the staircase, "our treat" he smiled.

"But people will see" I protested, suddenly uncomfortable. Dad Andy came and hugged me. "You're going to go to school in September and if you're gestating it'll be obvious to the whole world. So yeah, people will see and no, that doesn't give you licence to hide inside. Your granddads fought long and hard for our freedom Drew and Greg's dads died to try and protect our family, remember? I'm not going to let your misplaced discomfort insult their sacrifice and their memories. Yes, you're an emergent spartan but honey, you should never be embarrassed of who and what you are!"

Elliot held my shoulders. "Stand up and be counted Drew" he said softly. "You know, until I met you I didn't even think I was gay but when I felt our bond I wanted to tell the whole world that I loved you. Why do you think I pushed you into registering just a fortnight after we met? You're my life, now stand tall and live that life! Yeah, you're fifteen and yeah, you're going to gestate at school but for pity's sake, just think how many girls fall pregnant at school! Besides which" his voice fell into a soft whisper, "loads of teenage spartans become emergent, that's not really new, you just wait for tomorrow when you've got a bubble instead of a fan on your belly."

I giggled and kissed him. "I know" I replied, "and I didn't really mean I was embarrassed or anything, it's just so obvious, wearing these clothes, that's all. I fancy pizza" I finished, changing the subject, "can we go to the pizzeria again?"

"Give us half an hour to get changed ourselves then yes, we'll go to the pizzeria" dad Andy grinned.

The food was good and though I felt eyes on me all evening they didn't really bother me that much. After all, the spartan population was increasing now we had access to proper healthcare and fewer spartans miscarried than they used to, so seeing emergent or gestating spartans in the street wasn't that unusual. But I was only fifteen and I think that turned a few heads. Of course, they could have been watching my uncle Greg too, he's kind of famous anyway, being a designer and all. At least we were spared my cousin's groupies as Joshua, Tina and Ahmed had opted to eat in before leading some prayers on the beach.

Later that evening, Elliot and I undressed carefully before relaxing back onto our bed and kissing some more. "Last chance to back out" he said to me. I grinned. "No chance" I replied and he knelt above me, stroking an orgasm out of his beautiful organ. "I'm gonna cum" he gasped before a few globs shot out onto my filaments. I lost count because after the second splattered right on my belly button the pain overwhelmed me and I heard myself screaming like a baby before beginning to pant as I tried not to lose consciousness.

Elliot massaged my shoulders and kissed my forehead as I struggled with the pain. "Deep breaths," he whispered through his kisses. "Come on, focus on your breathing, in for two, hold it, out for two" he continued, "shh, calm, calm" he held me as I whimpered.

It took approximately forever for the pain to subside. Elliot later told me it had only been an hour but it was an hour of the greatest torture I'd ever felt. "You okay?" he asked gently after I'd opened my eyes and begun to breathe normally. I nodded. "I am now" I whispered, then grinned, "daddy Elliot."

"Oh god, we're daddies" he whimpered as he fell into helpless tears in my arms, half laughing, half crying. "Yeah" I said to him, "we're daddies."

If I'd thought the stares were bad before they were nothing to what I endured after I'd been fertilised but somehow it didn't matter anymore. Our little boy was growing in the silver bubble on my stomach and I didn't care what anyone said to us. Elliot was fantastic, overprotective and cautious but fantastic nevertheless, never leaving my side for more than a few moments. When we returned to the beach, for the first time that summer we hired a sun umbrella to protect the sensitive bubble, setting up near the kiosk so that Elliot didn't have to leave me for too long if we wanted food or drink. As for me, I found myself holding my hands carefully near it, hovering them gently over the spot where my son grew.

"What's that?" a little human boy of perhaps seven or eight asked us one day. His family had sat on the beach not far from us and his mum watched carefully as he spoke to us. "It's my womb" I told him a little self consciously, "I'm gestating a baby."

"It looks like a jellyfish" he said before laughing and running off. His mum looked over. "That's rude" she shouted, "apologise please."

"Sorry" he muttered before heading down to the sea. "Don't worry" I told her, "he's just curious."

"How far are you?" she asked me. "Ten days" I replied, "so it's still kind of new for us too. And don't worry about your boy, calling spartan's wombs jellyfish isn't anything new, it's kind of a family tradition that we all call them jellyfish too. I mean, they're not exactly attractive things, are they?"

She laughed. "I'm sorry anyway, he shouldn't have said anything like that, it's still rude" she said before turning back to her book. Elliot smiled at me. "See? People are curious and curiosity wins out over nastiness any day."

"I know, honey, thanks" I whispered back to him.

"We're going home next week" he said, "and you're back at school the week after. You ready for it?"

"Uncle Greg's dropping some altered uniforms off at home" I said, "and with a book bag on wheels instead of one I have to carry on my shoulder it shouldn't be too hard."

"I didn't mean the practical side, I meant, are you ready emotionally?"

"I don't know hon" I replied, "but I can't change my mind now, can I?" He laughed. "No, not really" he replied. "Anyway, I should be with you most of the time, I'm doing A-Levels, remember?"

"Yeah" I replied, "I'm glad I'll have you there. But will you be okay? You're going to be as much of a daddy as I am, after all." He laughed and hugged and kissed me again. "I love you" he gushed. "And I love you too" I said as I returned his kisses.

The last week of our holiday was restful and enjoyable. Joshua, Tina, Ahmed, Nat and Jon had left a few days before us with my uncles Gabriel and Apollo but uncle George and Uncle Greg were staying a week longer than us. We trooped to the car park where dad Henry had left our vehicle with all our bags though Elliot didn't let me carry anything. We drove home to Glossop at a steady pace, stopping plenty of times so that I could stretch my legs and get comfortable.

Once at home we had a few curious comments from friends and neighbours and people seemed surprised both that I was gestating and that I was planning to go back to school. My dad arranged a meeting with the head teacher a week before school began, to make sure that I was welcome. The head teacher, Mrs Smith, was actually really nice. "We've had dozens of girls come through school pregnant and we've had quite a few spartan kids who've been emergent before. There's no reason to discriminate against you but of course, you're going to have to leave very early to prevent miscarriage, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I'll make it to Christmas, I think but no longer than that" I told her. She nodded. "Now, Drew, I'm going to say to you what I say to all the girls who've come to me pregnant. You won't get any special treatment apart from getting the support you need to prevent injury or miscarriage. You will be expected to work hard and continue to work at home once you're excused from classes whether or not you actually manage to take any of your exams. And finally, to prepare you for the responsibilities you are taking on by having a child I'd like you to consider having some sessions with the school counsellor to make sure you're fully prepared for life as a parent."

"Thank you Mrs Smith" I said, "I will take the counselling if that's okay, though I'm pretty sure I'm ready and Elliot is too. But I think Elliot might benefit from counselling too, it's not like I'm going to be a single parent, is it?"

"No" she laughed, "most of the girls end up single mums `cos their boyfriends have no sense of responsibility but since you're a bonded spartan you won't have that problem at least."

The first day of term arrived more quickly than I'd expected. Elliot helped me to dress in my altered uniform of cut-back polo shirt in the school colours, a similarly cut back sweater and black trousers with matching braces and took my arm as I got to my feet carefully. I was almost a month already and the filaments had already grown to spread over most of my abdomen, ready to support the bubble when it began to grow. The bubble itself was still quite small, about the size of my fist and if you looked closely in bright light you could see a tiny pink spot in the middle of it.

Elliot had packed my bag and insisted on pulling it all the way to school and accompanying me to my classroom before he went to his own. As we got closer to school we both saw some of our friends. Most just gazed curiously, some laughed and a couple of girls played twenty questions. We'd gotten almost to the gates when I heard heavy footfalls behind us. "Hey, wait up!" a voice yelled. It was Dave, Elliot's best friend. He'd been so good when Elliot and I got together and hadn't dumped his best friend as you'd expect most straight guys to do when they discover one of their mates is gay. "Hi Dave" I said as he got to us.

"Hi Dre . . . holy shit" he gasped, seeing the womb for the first time. "Nice to see you too" I giggled, holding my hands over the womb, unconsciously shielding it. Elliot put his arm protectively around my shoulders. "Hi Dave, had a good summer?" he asked calmly.

Dave was speechless, looking at the womb with a curious expression on his face. "Holy shit" he breathed again, "you're gestating" he said softly.

"Really?" I teased him, "you know I never noticed!"

"Holy shit" he said a third time. "Hey, Dave" Elliot said, "you knew we were bonded, hell, you came to our registration. Why does Drew gestating surprise you so much?"

"Shit, you're fifteen, man, I've heard of teenage mums but shit!" he said. He seemed genuinely shocked.

"Being a dad is all I've wanted" I explained, "I've never really thought about what I wanted to do as a job or career or anything, all I've wanted to do was have children. So when I became emergent over the summer I checked if we'd have my dads' support and when they said we did, we decided that I'd get fertilised. Elliot lives with us anyway but his mum and dad are okay about it too and my brother's dead excited about being an uncle. There was nothing holding us back, nothing at all that made us want to wait."

We'd got into the school building at this point and Dave shook his head as if to clear the fluff then said, "sixth form classrooms are up there" indicating one of the corridors, "are you coming El?"

"I'm going to accompany Drew to his classroom first" he said, "I'll be there in a few minutes."

We were serenaded by surprised whispers and giggles as we walked through the school. Most of the girls thought it funny and most of the boys were surprised. Some even seemed a little shocked but no one was actually nasty.

Elliot came into my classroom and ignoring the comments from my classmates he walked me right to my desk and held my arm as I carefully sat down before parking my wheeled bag next to my chair, giving me a brief kiss and walking out, promising to meet me at break time.

Then for the first time all morning I was alone. I looked around the classroom to see most of my classmates staring at me, silently, open-mouthed. "Erm, hi guys" I said quietly, "had a good summer?"

"Not as good as you evidently did!" Julie and Sarah giggled and then the ice was broken. "When are you due?" Katy asked curiously. "The middle of May" I replied, "but I'm going to have to leave school in December `cos it'll be too dangerous to move around much after then."

"Why are you showing it off?" a young bully called Ryan frowned. "'Cos it's too sore to touch, even with cloth" I explained, "I can't even shower, I have to use the bath and get someone to give me a hand `cos the water hitting it hurts too much. And if it gets too sore I'll miscarry."

"And the baby will die?" Julie gasped. I nodded and looked back at Ryan as I said, "and if there's any proof, any at all, that someone's actions may have triggered the miscarriage then they can be tried for murder."

"Hey, back off, man, I didn't mean nothing" he grumbled, "it's just gross to look at, that's all, I'm not going to touch it, god!"

"Yeah, it looks like a dead jellyfish or something doesn't it?" I giggled and the girls and surprisingly Ryan laughed along with me. "You don't mind admitting what it looks like?" another boy, Alex, asked me and I shook my head. "Come on, it's not attractive, not by any stretch of the imagination, it's like someone's tied a jellyfish to my stomach with nylon ribbon. Unfortunately it hurts all the time and that's not going to improve any time soon. That's why Elliot's so protective" I explained.

"Shit, of course, it's his kid isn't it?" Sarah asked me. I nodded and grinned stupidly and was going to say something else but then Miss Hill, our form tutor, walked in. "Good morning class" she smiled, "silence now, please, while I do the register."

She read the names out one by one. I was near the beginning, with a surname Andrewson I'm kind of always near the top of the list. She frowned when I answered, "yes Miss Hill" and looked at me. "Yes, Mr Andrewson, well, you certainly make an impression" she said and it seemed that she was a little cold or disapproving towards me. She shook off the disapproval and continued the register before giving out some first day of term notices and our timetables, then it was the first lesson, geography.

I stood up carefully and then realised I should have pulled the handle on my bag up whilst I was sitting. I took my seat again and leaned over to my bag and Miss Hill said, "Drew, stop dawdling, you don't want detention on your first morning, do you?"

"No Miss Hill, I'm just struggling to sort my bag out" I explained. I freed the handle and stood up carefully before pulling it behind me and making my way to the door. Everyone else had left already. Miss Hill looked at my womb and obviously and pointedly winced. "That looks really disgusting, do you have to show it off?" she said to me in a low voice.

"Erm, Miss Hill, everyone knows how sore spartans wombs are" I replied, surprised. "I can ask my uncle Greg to make me an apron to wear if you like but I wouldn't be able to leave it on all day, it hurts too much."

She shook her head with barely veiled irritation. "Get out of my sight" she muttered and I headed to my first lesson.

When I got to geography I encountered another problem. The geography classroom has seats with flip side desks and as I sat down I suddenly realised there was no way I could flip the desk flat -- it would press on my womb and hurt too much. Mr Bowden, the teacher, realised immediately by the panicked expression on my face that I was having problems and he smiled. "Do you want to sit at my desk, Drew?" he asked. "I'll use your chair at the front of the classroom and you can use my desk to work at."

"Thanks" I breathed, relieved. I went to his desk and sat in the comfortable chair. I turned to my bag, which I'd dragged over to the side of my chair and realised that I was unable either to pick it up -- since it would bang into my womb -- neither could I bend down to reach into it.

"You're having some considerable problems aren't you?" Mr Bowden asked as he picked my bag up for me and sat it on the edge of the desk. "But I still expect you to work, Mr Andrewson" he finished before beginning the lesson.

I couldn't wait for break time, Miss Hill's animosity together with the problems with my bag and the desks made me feel insecure and tearful and as soon as I saw Elliot, waiting at the top of the corridor as we'd agreed, I burst into tears.

"Shh, what's up?" he asked, cradling me carefully.

"Miss Hill's disgusted by my appearance and wants me to cover up and I can't get my books out of my bag without someone's help `cos I can't reach into it" I sobbed.

"No one's bullied you or anything?" he asked and I shook my head. "Everyone seems fine except for Miss Hill" I explained.

"Drew, honey, you knew it was going to be difficult" he said. "Do you want me to come into your classes with you and sort your books out before I go to my lessons?" he asked softly. "I can if you want."

I didn't want to admit how upset I was, I didn't want to inconvenience Elliot like that but instead of reassuring him I just cried. In the end I managed to say, "just for a few days, till I get used to stuff, okay?"

"Okay" he whispered, pulling me closer and letting me cry on his shoulder.

My next lesson was chemistry and Elliot, being a sixth former, had a free period so it wasn't a hardship for him to come with me. He pulled my bag and helped me into the lab and then lifted my bag and put it on the desk next to where I sat. "You okay now?" he asked me, ignoring my giggling classmates.

"You shouldn't be here Mr Hughes" Mrs Lawrence's voice echoed from the front of the classroom.

"I'm just helping Drew, he's having a few difficulties Mrs Lawrence" he said politely. He leaned down and pecked me on the cheek before exiting the room quietly.

"You're really struggling aren't you?" she asked softly. She was actually a really nice teacher and I liked her a lot. "Yeah" I admitted, "I can't pick stuff up hardly at all and I can't bend over either, it hurts like you never would believe."

She smiled. "I teach biology as well as chemistry Mr Andrewson, I think I can believe it" she told me. "But Elliot can't help you in every class, he'll miss too much of his own lessons, you really need an assistant in your own form." She looked up at my classmates. "Is anyone willing to give Drew a hand with" she paused, "what is it, picking things up and helping you sort your bag out?"

I nodded sheepishly, embarrassed and Mrs Lawrence turned back to my friends. "Can anyone give Drew some assistance please?"

Katy raised her hand. "If that's okay, Drew" she smiled. I nodded. "Thanks" I said, feeling my eyes begin to fill with tears once more. I sniffled and reached for a handkerchief. "Sorry, I'm just really hormonal, it's messing with my head a bit" I apologised.

"Nothing to apologise for" Mrs Lawrence said, "now, let's get on with the matter at hand, chemistry" she announced and began the lesson.

Elliot was waiting for me outside the classroom and after saying a brief thank you to Katy I allowed him to take my schoolbag and my arm and escort me to the canteen. "Why you thanking Katy?" he asked me.

"She's volunteered to help me with my bag and stuff" I explained, "you know, when you're not on a free period. Mrs Lawrence said it wouldn't be fair to make you miss your own lessons."

"I don't mind, honey" Elliot whispered to me. "Yeah, well I do, one of us needs to complete our education" I smiled, then giggled, "and it ain't gonna be me."

We got to the canteen and Dave beckoned us over. "You on packed lunches or cooked dinners?" he asked. "Dinners" we both answered. "I'm on packed lunches, I'll save you a table" he offered, bounding away.

"Erm, honey, could you?" I began, not really wanting to admit that I didn't feel I could manage a lunch tray. Elliot just grinned. "Go get a seat with Dave, I'll bring you something over."

I followed Dave and took a seat at one of the long trestle tables. "Lover boy getting your dinner, then?" he grinned at me and I grinned back and nodded. Just then Katy, Julie, Sarah and surprisingly, Ryan, joined the table. "Can we sit with you guys?" they asked and I nodded.

A few minutes later Elliot came back with a full lunch tray. He'd gotten me a portion of cheesy pasta and some salad and he put the plate in front of me carefully before handing me cutlery and a napkin.

"You gonna feed him too?" Dave smirked. Elliot blushed. "Am I that obvious?" he mumbled and I nodded. "Mm-hm" I whispered, pulling him in for a kiss. "Shit, put him down, man, some of us are trying to eat over here" Ryan laughed at our antics.

I tucked into the pasta and for school food it was surprisingly good. Elliot tidied both of our plates away after we'd eaten and helped me to my feet. "You wanna go sit in the yard while we play ball or something?" he asked me.

"Actually I need a pee" I replied. "You need a hand with that?" he asked in a seductively low whisper. "You can help me hold it if you would" I whispered back even quieter. We giggled as we ran to the toilets and even though we were flirting with each other I really didn't think I could manage at a urinal, I didn't want to have to lean over and at home I'd already started to pee sitting down. It also involved unhooking my braces and dressing was difficult so I would definitely need Elliot's help to fasten myself back up again.

The toilets at our school, like most public toilets nowadays, were not separated into male and female but instead had two dozen separate units so that anyone could use any. We waited in the queue and headed into the first free unit, locking the door behind us. "Help me out of these pants, El, I'm gonna pee myself" I said as I fumbled with the braces. He did as I asked without question, taking hold of my penis as soon as it was free and pointing it at the urinal. I let my pee flow, relieved.

Quite naturally, since it was my lover who had hold of me so gently, as soon as the desire to pee had passed I started getting hard. "Now, now, if it's too hard I won't be able to get it back in your trousers" he whispered to me.

"I don't suppose you could help with that could you?" I replied, smirking.

"I might just be able to provide a little relief" he smirked back before falling to his knees and sucking me in, deep-throating me like a pro as he gave me blessed relief. "Oh shit!" I gasped as I came and my orgasm trembled through my limbs. He climbed to his feet and his lips met mine, sharing my cum with me in a very sloppy kiss. "Mm, milk shake" I giggled when we parted, "my favourite desert."

"I'm still hard as iron" he told me, "I wonder how" he paused, a thoughtful look on his face. "Why don't you sit the throne, Drew?" he asked, indicating the loo. I took up position and he pulled his organ out and guided it to my face. I sucked it in and licked around his foreskin as I fondled his beautiful big balls. "You be careful with those baby makers" he gasped as I began blowing him in earnest and in less than a minute he came, shooting his thick cream down my throat. I too managed to save a bit and we shared his load in another cummy kiss before making ourselves presentable, dressing, tidying our hair and washing our hands, exiting the bathroom with faint blushes flowering over our cheeks and a faint odour of cum on our lips.

That afternoon I had maths and Elliot walked with me to the classroom a few minutes early, helping me to get my bag onto my desk and get settled. The chairs were wider and the desks quite large so I could sit quite comfortably. Mrs Martin was the maths teacher and she arrived just as Elliot was leaving. "Oh, hi, Drew, Elliot" she smiled kindly. "You coping, Drew?" she asked me and I shrugged eloquently. "It's harder than I thought it'd be Mrs Martin" I confessed, "I'm struggling with all sorts of things."

"Hopefully you won't struggle with the maths today, I'm starting you on some revision from last year since it's the first day of term" she smiled, then my classmates arrived and we began to learn. Katy helped me with my bag between maths and the last lesson of the day, RE. It bugged me a bit since people expected me to know loads about Apolline or Joshusite worship and I quite simply didn't. Them both being relatives was hard enough but accepting that faith in and worship of them was studied as a subject at school just messed with my head. But today wasn't too difficult as we were studying Islam for the next few weeks, a faith that thankfully didn't cause too many awkward questions to be pointed in my direction.

At the end of the day I waited outside the RE classroom for Elliot and he came to find me just five minutes after the last bell. "You survived your first day, then?" he smiled, kissing me. "Yeah, it's going to be hard but I don't think it'll be impossible."

We began walking home in a slow stroll. We only lived twenty minutes away, with my parents, though we were looking for a flat nearby ready for when the baby was born -- there just wasn't enough room at home for him to have his own room. As we walked we passed a new development of flats that announced they still had some for sale. "What do you reckon?" Elliot asked me, nodding towards the building.

I looked. They were nice -- very nice. "You serious?" I asked him. He nodded. "I've got plenty of money, sweetheart, it's close to school and only five minutes away from your dads house."

"Why don't you look into it then?" I smiled. "See what they're like and talk about money and stuff?" Elliot grinned and pulled out a fat brochure from his school bag. "I've arranged a viewing this afternoon" he told me, "I just knew you were interested from last week when we saw the ad in the paper, I hope that's okay?"

"Yeah!" I squealed enthusiastically, "this means we can move before the baby's born" I said. He nodded. "Yeah and if we get the papers and stuff sorted you can finish your gestation here too. I'm sure your dads wouldn't mind."

The flat the agent escorted us to -- the flat Elliot had already put a provisional deposit on, I learned later -- was the penthouse. It had a large living space, four bedrooms and a huge picture window with a view of the whole area, with tasteful decoration and a private lift. "Wow! You serious?" I breathed to Elliot as I looked around the place. He nodded. "Is it a suitable family home, d'you think?" he asked me. I couldn't help it, I began to cry. "It's perfect" I whimpered, falling into his arms.

We got to my dads house -- our current home -- just before tea. "Nice of you guys to stop by" dad Andy teased when we walked through the door.

"We've been looking at a flat" Elliot replied, "you know, that new development down the road? We think we may have found a perfect place."

Dad Andy smiled but a treacherous tear leaked down his face, betraying his emotions. "What's up?" I asked him, hugging him with one arm around his shoulder. He patted my hand before kissing me on my cheek gently. "You're my little boy Drew and you're growing up" he smiled. "A dad's allowed to be a bit emotional when his sons fly the nest."

"I'm not that far away dad" I grinned, "it's only five minutes walk, close enough to come back with our laundry at any rate."

"Cheeky sod" he giggled, his eyes filling with tears as he smiled. "I love you little `un" he mumbled, his childish nickname for me making me feel a little tearful too. "I love you too, dad Andy" I replied as I cried on his shoulder.

"Hon, you don't have to move out you know, if you don't want" Elliot interrupted my sobbing. "We can stay here, I don't mind."

"I'm not crying about that you daft git" I giggled between my tears, "it's just, right to cry sometimes, that's all. I can't wait to show everyone the flat, dad Andy it's the penthouse and the picture window is amazing!"

We ate tea and I talked to my dads about school and then Elliot helped me to pack my bag for the following day. We fell into bed quite early, I was exhausted emotionally as well as physically and my back ached. Elliot massaged my shoulders and kissed me gently as I fell into a deep sleep.

The following morning started similarly to Monday. We walked to school and Elliot took me up to my classroom and I endured Miss Hill's snide comments through registration. Unfortunately I knew I had to endure another hour and a half of her that day -- she was my English tutor and her lesson was immediately after lunch that afternoon.

The morning went well -- Katy didn't interfere but instead quietly lifted my bag up onto my desk for me at the start of the classes. Apart from the geography classroom all the desks were normal and I had plenty of room and I began to feel like I could actually do the `school thing' relatively easily. Elliot met me at lunchtime and got my dinner as he had the day before and we joked and giggled as he once again accompanied me to the toilets to help me relieve myself. Then it was time for the lesson I'd been dreading, Miss Hill's English class.

"Come in, come in, don't dawdle" she snapped when the crowd of us walked to her door. She was a bit off saying that from the outset as lunchtime wasn't quite over yet. She saw Elliot with my bag and frowned. "You shouldn't be here" she snapped.

"I'm just helping Drew with his bag Miss Hill" he said politely.

"If he can't cope with his own schoolbag he shouldn't be in school" she said pointedly. "Give the bag to him and leave, now, Mr Hughes."

I reached out for the handle but to my surprise Alex took it. "I said Drew should take it" Miss Hill said with narrowed eyes.

"Drew is emergent Miss Hill, he can't" Alex said before I'd even had the chance to open my mouth. "I know it looks like a dead jellyfish but there's a baby growing there" he said, pointing to my abdomen, "stop being so cruel to him."

"Detention" Miss Hill said in a dangerously quiet voice. "And anyone who presumes to defend this" she paused, "abomination will also get detention. Do I make myself clear? Now" she finished, "give Drew his bag and let him do this alone, or else get the hell out of my classroom."

"Don't take it Drew" Ryan said.

Sarah came and stood between me and Alex. "You kick Drew out and the rest of us are leaving too" she said calmly. "You can't discriminate. Yeah, he's spartan. Yeah, he's gestating. That doesn't give you licence to be a bitch to him."

I was shocked that my classmates were defending me like this. So far I hadn't been able to get a single word out. Miss Hill looked to be almost apoplectic at being called a bitch by Sarah and was purple in the face and speechless. I took the opportunity to speak out. "Guys, please, don't ruin this for yourselves. I'm not going to be here for the exams, you are. I made the choice to gestate my first son so young, I should be the one to deal with the consequences of my decision."

"Nice words Drew but it doesn't change the fact that Miss Hill is out of order" Sarah replied. "If she can't accept all of us for who we are then perhaps she shouldn't be teaching. I mean, if she's like this to you, let's just say me or Julie or Katy or any of the girls end up bonding with an amazon or if Ryan or Alex or one of the other boys bond with a spartan, will she be the same to us and our kids? She can't get away with it Drew, it's not right and it's not fair, not on you or your son."

"Get out!" Miss Hill then shouted, regaining her voice. "Out, out, out! All of you, I'm not teaching Drew and I'm not teaching anyone who thinks that this disgusting spectacle is in anyway permissible. Out!" She lunged for me, pushing us all out of the room and I fell backwards, panic-stricken. As I did I felt Alex's elbow brush against the end of one of my filaments and I couldn't help it, I howled in pain. "Argh!" I screamed, probably loud enough for the whole school to hear.

"Drew, Drew, shit! Drew, say something?" Elliot wailed. He'd been in the corridor just behind us, unable to leave and I knew from the tone of his voice alone that he would defend me and his unborn son with every breath he had.

"God, I'm so sorry" Alex said to both of us, tears in his eyes. Behind us Miss Hill stood with a rabid glare in her eyes. "Out!" she screeched.

"I'm going for the head teacher" Sarah said, running off. I just leant on the corridor wall with Elliot embracing me, gasping for breath and praying with every second that no permanent damage had been done.

Julie was looking at me closely. "Nothing's moved, not that I can tell" she offered softly.

Miss Hill was stood in the classroom door mumbling incoherently. All of the class ignored her and clustered around me, sickened at what had happened. "You're cool, man, I hope you're okay" Hashim offered. Ryan, Mo and Stu all nodded in agreement. "You won't lose the baby will you?" Pattie asked me and I shrugged, unable yet to speak around the agony.

Mrs Smith, the head teacher, appeared at that moment with Sarah at her side. "What's going on?" she asked no one in particular. "Miss Hill's gone insane or something" Elliot answered her, "she kicked Drew out of her classroom and when his classmates tried to defend him he fell and his womb was knocked."

"Miss Hill? Barbara?" she turned to our English teacher, who ignored Mrs Smith and kept mumbling. "Okay" Mrs Smith said, "Mohammed, go and get the school secretary please, the rest of you please go into the classroom, pick one of your textbooks and read quietly. Drew and Elliot, please stay there, I'm going to call an ambulance for you. Barbara, will you come with me?" she finished, taking Miss Hill gently by the hand and leading her away from the door.

"Drew, darling, talk to me. Say something" Elliot whispered as he held me and I could feel his tears dripping down his face and onto my cheek.

"I'm in so much pain El" I said, breaking down in tears. He cradled me tighter and let me cry. Around me I was aware that people were talking, explaining but I couldn't really hear them. Then after a few more minutes a pair of paramedics rounded the corner with a stretcher.

"Okay lad, let's get you laid down" one said with a soft smile. "You his bonded partner?" he asked Elliot and he nodded. "I've got my papers here" he said, reaching for his bag and the paramedic shook his head. "Nah, your word's good enough for me, mate. Okay" he said to me, "let's get you checked out. What happened?"

"Someone touched my filaments" I explained through my tears. "Only on the right hand side but the pain is unbelievable."

"Let's get you to hospital and scanned, lad" he said kindly, "and get you laid down flat and off this cold floor so you can relax. That's what you need right now."

They laid a flat board right near me on the floor and Elliot helped me to shuffle around and lie back onto it. When I was still they lowered the stretcher and lifted me onto the padded bed. It felt so good to be laid flat and the pain started to retreat as soon as I was comfortable. "See?" the paramedic smiled. "You need to be comfortable and warm, the pain will soon calm down" he told me.

With Elliot holding my hand I was wheeled through school, lifted into the ambulance and driven to hospital. Someone must have contacted my dads `cos they were waiting at the Parent and Baby unit with panic on their faces. "What happened, Drew?" Dad Andy asked with worried eyes.

"My filaments were touched" I said briefly, "but I'm feeling much better now" I offered a small smile. I was wheeled into a lovely warm room and lifted onto a soft bed so I could get comfortable. Elliot helped me with my sweater, shoes and trousers and dad Andy handed him a pair of loose shorts I could slip on to cover my dick since my other undies were uncle Greg's design and were fastened into my trousers. Once I was ready a nurse came with a plastic arch designed to hold the blankets off my abdomen. The covers were pulled over me and finally I was warm, relaxed and perfectly comfortable.

"Drew, honey, is it still sore?" dad Andy asked me. I smiled and shook my head. "Not really, it's just throbbing a bit" I said.

"We're going to take you for a scan in half an hour" the nurse said, "just give you time to properly relax and then we'll scan your baby and your womb make sure you're both okay. And you won't even have to move out of bed, okay?" I nodded, relieved that they were taking the precautions and praying to Apollo and Joshua with every breath that my baby was okay.

Presently I was wheeled to the scanner with Elliot still at my side. The big white half-donut of a machine was suspended from the ceiling and my bed was wheeled under it. The covers and plastic arch were removed and the nurse said, "now just take a deep breath and hold it, stay as still as you can, five, four, three, two, one, perfect, now relax. And one more, hold your breath, five, four, three, two, one. There" he smiled, "all done. Let's get you covered up and warm again" he smiled, lifting the arch back and carefully rearranging the blankets and sheets for me.

It was a little before six o'clock when the doctor came to see me. "Your son's are fine" she said immediately, heading off my worries. "They're absolutely fine and your womb and filaments are still intact but you've got one strand that's a little bruised. I'm going to prescribe full bed rest so that you don't stress the bruised strand. We'll scan you on Friday to see if the bruising has healed and if it has we can take it from there. You can sit up to forty five degrees but no further and I'm afraid it's bedpans and sponge baths for the rest of the week. No unnecessary movement, none at all, okay young man?"

"Yes doctor" I replied, though inside I was crushed. But I knew a bruised filament could easily snap and cause a chain reaction and eventually a miscarriage. Staying in bed was the only possible cure but I didn't want to be confined so early in my gestation. I knew that bruised filaments sometimes forced spartans to spend virtually the whole of their gestation in bed and I prayed that mine would heal quickly. But then what the doctor actually said dawned on me. "You said sons, plural" I mumbled.

She nodded. "It's twins" she smiled. "So I hope you understand why we're taking these precautions, twins actually occur in spartans at the same rate as humans but they almost always miscarry. We're hoping with the right treatment we'll be able to get you to thirty weeks or thereabouts, if we can do that then your children will most probably only need a few weeks in a ventilator and they should be healthy. So follow doctors orders, okay?"

"Okay" I squeaked, suddenly terrified. Elliot squeezed my hand. "Twins?" he repeated. He looked as shocked as I felt. At that point, Dad Andy came in with some sandwiches and cans of pop and dad Henry with mugs of hot chocolate he'd made in the ward kitchen and they saw our shocked faces. "What's happened?" they asked, worried. "It's twins dad Andy" I replied softly. "I'm having twins."

Elliot spoke to one of the nurses while my dads made some phone calls and presently an orderly came in with a camp bed and extra bedding. I looked and saw Elliot sorting out the bed and then he said, "Henry, we'll both need toothbrushes and toiletries, of course and my pyjamas are in the third drawer of the dresser. Oh yeah, bring Drew a couple more teeshirts and some more undies, please?"

"You staying here?" I asked him stupidly. He grinned and nodded. "Of course. Where else would I go? I love you honey, I'm staying right here until you're healed."

"Thank you" I sobbed. I tried to roll to hug him but he held me still. "Hey, none of that. Stay still, remember? No unnecessary movements."

"What about going to the loo?"

"That's what these are for" a nurse piped up, bringing in a metal bedpan with a cardboard liner and a funny-shaped cardboard bottle. "The bottle for urine and the pan for faeces and there are gloves and wipes so someone can clean you."

"No!" I exclaimed, embarrassed. "I can't ask someone to wipe my arse!" I yelped.

Elliot just kissed me. "You, Drew, are outvoted" he said gently. "You try and play hero and you'll miscarry and we'll never get the chance to meet either of our sons" he said sternly. "Just swallow your pride, honey and let us do this. You know you have to, you know in your heart you have no choice, don't you?"

"Yeah" I mumbled as I burst into tears once more.

Once I'd finished this fresh bout of tears my bed was raised to a gentle incline and Elliot lowered the now cooled hot chocolate to me and I drank it through a straw. I was going to try and hold the cup myself but laid down as I was I could have spilled it so Elliot kept tight hold and manoeuvred the straw to my lips. "I feel so helpless" I admitted softly.

"You are" he said, "or at least our babies are. And the only way you can protect them is to stay still. Don't be a hero, please?"

"Okay" I mumbled, feeling slightly humiliated but knowing in my heart that he was right. "Would you like something to eat?" Elliot asked me, "the sandwiches are good."

"Yes please" I replied and he took one and cut it into small chunks before handing a piece to me. "Thanks honey" I smiled before lifting it to my mouth and beginning to carefully chew it so I wouldn't choke.

I ate and we repeated the drink-through-a-straw trick with some water and by then I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open. I think the stress and anxiety of the day had gotten to me. I fell asleep between one breath and the next and slept peacefully until morning.

I woke early with a full bladder, initially unsure where I was. "Good morning" I heard Elliot say and I opened bleary eyes to see him sitting by my side. "It was too warm, I couldn't sleep properly" he said and I remembered I was in hospital.

"Morning honey" I smiled and tried to sit up. "Hey, no movements" he held me still.

I blushed and felt like crying. "I need a pee, El" I mumbled and he simply got hold of the bottle in one hand and took hold of my pathetically shrivelled up organ in the other. "Go on" he told me once he'd poked it down the neck of the bottle.

"But El" I protested weakly. "But Drew" he replied in the same tone of voice, "you can't move out of bed so you've got two choices, you either pee in the bottle or let them insert a catheter."

"No way are they sticking anything up my dick" I smiled weakly. "I'm sorry honey" I continued, blushing all the harder. "Just pee already" he smirked and I let go and blessed relief filled me as my bladder emptied. When I was done he took a wet wipe and cleaned the drips off tenderly before tucking me back into my pants and pulling the covers back around me. "Better?" he asked and I nodded sheepishly. "Thanks" I whispered, still embarrassed.

"So we're having twins, eh?" he smiled.

"As long as I don't miscarry, yeah" I replied.

"What's the chances of that?" he asked with concerned curiosity. "I dunno but I bet the doctor comes to talk to us about it later on" I tried to assure him though to be honest I wasn't feeling very confident myself.

My dads had been at the hospital with us the previous night and must have left after I'd nodded off. Dad Andy arrived a little after eight in the morning with Elliot's school bag. "But I can't leave Drew" he protested.

"Elliot" I said, "one of us needs to complete our education and like I said before, it ain't going to be me" I lectured him. "Now get ready and go, I'll see you a little after four."

"You sure?" he asked and I nodded. He dressed and kissed me warmly before leaving the ward just as I was brought some breakfast. My bed was raised a little and dad Andy cut up the toast into bits so I could feed myself. I had to admit that after some tea and toast I felt better but still a little humiliated, especially when my bowels were telling me in no uncertain terms that I needed to empty them.

"Erm, dad Andy, I need the loo" I whispered. He looked at me. "Which end?" he asked. I couldn't answer, I wanted to cry again. "Can't I just go to the toilet?" I pleaded.

"Ah, number twos then" he said and got the bedpan. He looked at me. "Do you want your children to die, Drew?"

"No!" I cried.

"Then swallow your pride and lift your bum up." I couldn't move. Tears flowed.

Seeing my grief he put the pan down and carefully hugged me. "The first time I had to let Henry help me I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me" he whispered. "I had diarrhoea and the smell was awful and Henry kept gagging but he did it, Drew. If he hadn't then you would have died inside me and neither of us could let that happen. And you, son, have got two lives in your womb, two beautiful boys who, if they could speak, would beg you to do everything in your power to help them survive. So what's it gonna be? Toilet or bedpan?"

When he put it like that, what choice did I have? I lifted my bum up, he yanked my shorts down and slid the pan under. He raised the back of the bed a little more and then my over-full bowels let rip. Dad Andy sniggered. "Damn, Drew, what did you eat last night?" he mumbled, holding his nose. "Trying to gas me or something?"

I laughed through my humiliation as dad pulled gloves on and carefully, caringly, cleaned me and moved the pan. An orderly was on hand to take it to be disposed of and dad lowered the bed flat, helped me back into my shorts, put the plastic arch back and covered me up again. "Better?" he asked softly.

"Much" I nodded.

The doctor arrived just after eleven with a couple of her colleagues. "We've had some tele-consultations to get advice on how to help you" she began, "and all sources are saying complete bed rest as early as possible so that the absolute minimum stress is put on your filaments. It's the only way they'll stay intact and you'll probably deliver between twenty eight and thirty two weeks anyway, it's anatomically impossible for you to go beyond that so your sons will probably need a month or two on ventilators after they're born." She smiled sympathetically. "Better get used to that bed, Drew, you not getting out of it for quite a while."

"What about school?" I protested.

"If your teachers and friends can bring work in you can do it here and you'll probably be able to go back for the summer term, as long as you've got babysitters, of course."

"It's my GCSE year" I explained, "the summer term is just exams."

"Then you'll be just in time, won't you?" dad Andy interrupted me.

"I'm gonna be in bed till what, March?" I confirmed.

"'Fraid so son" one of the other doctors, an older man, told me, "unless you want to miscarry. We're just hoping your bruised filament will hold out long enough. We're recommending weekly scans to monitor the babies' progress as well as the state of your womb. Son, if we can possibly get you to a point where your babies are viable we will do but it'll be unfair not to warn you, if your womb or filaments give way before twenty four weeks there's no chance your babies will survive and there's no guarantee that even complete bed rest will do it but it's the least you can do. You must stay as still as you can. Even the slightest stress, even now whilst your womb is small, may create a weakness that gives way too early. Do you understand?"

I nodded, still reeling. "I move, they die" I whispered.

The first doctor, the lady, smiled with sympathy. "I wouldn't have put it quite so bluntly but yeah, the more you move, the greater chance that your sons will be stillborn."

"Well, that's that then" I mumbled, feeling fresh tears burn my eyes. Dad Andy just hugged me and let me cry.

That afternoon when dad Henry and Elliot arrived, dad Andy made sure they knew of the doctor's recommendations as I couldn't bring myself to explain it. Elliot just smiled. "Looks like we've got a new home for the next six months then" was all he said before kissing me tenderly. "And damn it, no sex" he whispered in my ear, making me giggle.

"We'll sort out a rota" dad Henry said, "me and Andy and Elliot and I'm sure some of your uncles and cousins would help too. And Elliot, I know you want to but you can't stay here every night, once or twice a week at least you need to get some proper sleep. We'll get you through this Drew, we promise."

"Thanks dad Henry" I said, crying again.

"Katy from your form sent your homework" Elliot said, "I think your friends want to visit and they'll probably help you study too." I nodded, stunned that everyone would help me like they were. I felt quite overwhelmed by all their care but knew I had no real choice but to accept it.

As the week passed I began to get used to my predicament and stopped complaining so much, at least out loud. On Friday a whole gang of my school friends came. Julie seemed to be the spokesperson and she explained, "we've got a rota, people who are in your classes on each day will come and help you that afternoon. Virtually the whole form's signed up, everyone who saw what Miss Hill did, anyway. We'll make sure you pass your exams Drew, we promise."

She showed me the rota and as well as herself, Sarah and Katy, Ryan and Alex had signed up and even Hashim, Mo, Stu, Pattie, Suki, Chad, everyone or so it seemed. "They all want to help me?" I wondered. She nodded. "It seems even those who were nervous or mistrustful of you thought Miss Hill was way out of order. No one wants to see you miscarry, Drew, so we'll be here, we promise."

Alex hung around after the others left. He seemed distraught and I tried to reassure him. "Alex, it wasn't your fault. Anyone could have touched me, don't beat yourself up about it, please?"

He nodded and a tear leaked from his eye. It was kind of sweet, seeing a totally straight human guy cry over me but I tried not to make him anymore uncomfortable than he was already by pointing out that I'd noticed. He went to his schoolbag and lifted a box of chocolates out. "My mum said I should get you flowers but there's no way in hell I'm gonna buy flowers for another guy so you're stuck with Cadburys." He smiled crookedly. "Can you forgive me Drew?" he asked.

"I already did, dude, I already did" I assured him.

We settled into a routine as I got used to being in hospital. Early evenings, from about four in the afternoon until supper was served at six, was study time and two or three friends would come and help me out, bringing notes and homework and stuff and taking my previous' days work for marking. Elliot would come at supper time to feed me, then he'd help me get washed and ready for bed and would stay with me five nights out of seven. Two nights a week dad Andy came at ten thirty to take over so that Elliot could get some proper sleep. During the school day either one of my dads or else granddad Mike or granddad James would come and sit with me and at weekends I always had a room full of uncles and cousins. And all the time I grew and grew, experiencing more and more pain as my sons pushed on my womb.

One Thursday in late February, getting on towards the time the doctors had predicted I'd go into labour, my weekly scan revealed that my filaments were beginning to unravel at the microscopic level. "You've got less than a week" the doctor said, "but your sons' lungs are very weak so it's gonna be touch and go."

Granddad James was with me at the time and he looked at me with his calm, wise eyes. "I think it's time we got your cousin here" he said softly. "I think your boys are going to need Joshua."

The hospital was informed and that Saturday anyone would have thought there was a royal visit or something. Anyone who could be moved was moved and the staff sent to other wards with them. Only one nurse, one doctor and of course me and my family were present when a car with blacked-out windows pulled up at the nearest door. Security was tight as my cousin crept inside with his priests, brothers and parents.

"Hi Drew" Joshua said softly when they got to my room. "Hi Josh" I replied, equally softly.

"I've cancelled my clients" he said, "Tina and Ahmed and my family will feed me and I'm gonna stay right here with you for as long as I'm needed, I promise" he said. He was stood quite close to me and I got hold of his hand, lifted it to my lips and kissed his knuckles. "Thank you Joshua" I whispered, offering him my love.

Granddad James turned to the doctor. "Can my grandson have the empty room across the corridor? If he needs to feed he'll need some privacy."

"Why, what does he eat?" the doctor said, confused. Granddad James blushed but Joshua met the woman's eyes. I knew he was speaking to her telepathically when she turned crimson and stuttered, "of course, I'm sorry, I forgot" and bowing low she left the room.

"I swear you like embarrassing people" uncle Gabe accused him. Joshua laughed. "Yeah, I guess I do but dad Gabe, it's not like she didn't know, not really!"

"Erm, Joshua?" Elliot spoke. As far as I knew it was the first time he'd ever addressed my divine cousin directly. Joshua smiled. "Yes, Elliot?"

"You're here to heal our sons," he said, "and I don't mean to be disrespectful but I need to know how you're going to do that? Everyone knows how you heal the visitors to your" he paused, stalling, not sure what to call my cousin's work place. Joshua came to his rescue. "Your first choice of name was fine, Elliot, it is a brothel" he said calmly.

Elliot jumped, gulped and shook. "Joshua, our boys will be newborn babies, what are you intending to do with them?" he said with a note of steely disapproval in his voice.

"As I heal any child who comes to me, I will use the love of my priests and my family" Joshua said softly. "I will touch your sons as they lie in your arms. They'll appear to tremble a little as the healing runs through them but that's all that'll happen." Elliot nodded and relaxed slightly at Joshua's reassurance.

"Are they inducing you?" granddad Mike asked me and I nodded. "The doctor said they're going to do it tomorrow. I've asked if I can stay conscious, though, as far as I can anyway."

"You're a wuss, Drew, you'll pass out as soon as they cut the first filament" my little brother, Peter, giggled. I grinned. "You just wait `till I'm out of this bed and I'll show you wuss" I mocked him and he giggled some more.

I wanted the day to drag as I was dreading my delivery the following day but as with anything, the more you dread something the faster it seems to arrive. I did agree with the doctor, that waiting any longer would be foolish and I was glad that Joshua was there to heal my boys but I just didn't want the pain that I knew was coming.

The morning arrived, as mornings do and with it two doctors and a midwife came into my room with smiles and good humour, in contrast to my own anxiety. Dad Andy had brought some clothes and nappies in premature sizes and there were two incubators on the corridor, all ready and waiting. To one side, trying to stay as out of the way as they could, were Joshua, Tina, Ahmed, Nat, Jon and my uncle Gabe and I guessed that an invisible spot nearby could have been where Apollo also stood, all ready to help Joshua as much as they could. Dad Andy, dad Henry, Peter, granddad Mike and granddad James were in the corridor, anxiously waiting and all ready to help Joshua too, should he need it.

"Okay, are we ready?" the doctor asked and I nodded. Joshua spoke, "as soon as the babies are out, before you cut the umbilical, put them straight into Elliot's arms and I'll heal them. Then cut the cord and do as you had planned."

"Of course, lord" the doctor said, "I'm not used to having a deity in the delivery room but thank you for doing this, it should make things easier on all of us."

"They are family, doctor, no thanks are necessary" he smiled gently before nodding to her, indicating that she should begin.

I was given a rubber bit so that I wouldn't crack my teeth as the pain overwhelmed me. Elliot had a gown on and was directed to sit close to me, up against the womb. The doctor had a scalpel in her hand and was inspecting the filaments. "I'm going to run this from top to bottom" she said, "very lightly, only a millimetre of pressure but that'll be enough to split the filaments and they'll pull the womb open as they contract. I want you to take a deep breath, bite down and close your eyes in three, two, one."

I did as she asked and fucking hell, the pain was unbelievable! An agonised scream rose up from the pit of my soul, then a weight was lifted from my stomach and then I felt, more than heard, Joshua's presence. "Be well" I heard him say and then a sensation I couldn't describe ran through me, through my navel and I realised I was feeling my sons being healed.

The healing energy flooded me also and the terrible pain faded, replaced by an erotic charge that seemed to run from my navel and fill my penis and I orgasmed with a gasp, for the first time in months. I opened my eyes and as I did, two healthy pairs of newborn lungs began to scream in tandem. Elliot was crying openly and my family were all clustered behind Joshua, touching him as he held his hands over my son's foreheads. "They are well, Drew" he smiled before backing away.

Joshua and his family quietly left the room as I took in the scene. "Our boys?" I asked. Elliot nodded. "We never even thought of names" he said, "we were too concerned with them surviving. I wondered." He paused.

"What?"

"Well I was thinking first of Alexander, `cos you've got a great-uncle Alexander, my dad's name is Alex and of course there's Alex at school who's been so good with both of us" he began, "and then second, I wondered if you'd mind the name Joshua?"

"Alex and Josh" I whispered, crying with happiness. I looked at them. "Hello" I whispered.

"Let's get the umbilical separated and you cleaned up, then you can feed them" the doctor said. She lowered the scalpel and with a swift cut my sons and I were separated. I felt the burning pain overwhelm me and the room went black. I must have only been out for seconds, though, as I opened my eyes to see that the babies hadn't even been dressed yet but were still being cleaned and weighed. They both screamed lustily and the doctor smiled. "It's safe to say their lungs are fine" she told me. "Let's get them latched on and you can feed them" she offered once they'd been dressed and with Elliot's help I soon had one cradled on my left hand side and the other on my right, tucked under my arms on pillows, suckling noisily.

"Which one's which?" the nurse asked us, coming in with ankle bands. I looked at them. "This one's Joshua" I said softly, nodding to the right, "and the other is Alexander."

"Do you want to sit up Drew?" Elliot asked me shortly. "Yeah!" I smiled. "And you'll be able to go back to school tomorrow" he teased me. "You ready for that?"

"Shit, school!" I exclaimed and he laughed.

My family came to join us, two at a time, kissing my children and congratulating us. Joshua came in alone. "This is Alexander and this is Joshua" I said softly and as I watched, his beautiful, fire-laced eyes filled with tears. "Thank you, cousin" he smiled, kissing first his namesake, then Alexander, then me, then embracing Elliot tightly. "Thank you for your faith in me, thank you to you both" he said. Elliot took a breath as Joshua hugged him then for the first time ever he turned his face and offered Joshua a chaste kiss, offering him worship and love and I knew within that offer was an acceptance of my cousin as both a god and a relative.

Joshua met Elliot's eyes. "Thank you, cousin, that means a lot" he said to my lover, before looking distant and nodding. "My dads would like to come in" he said. "Should I stay or go?"

"Dads, plural?" Elliot checked and Joshua nodded. "Stay, please" I asked.

The door opened and I saw uncle Gabriel walking in slowly. The door stayed open a little longer than it should have done and I knew that an invisible character followed him.

"Uncle Gabe" I greeted him, then took a deep breath, "forgive me, I would kneel, lord but I can't get out of bed yet" I addressed Apollo, inclining my head.

"Do not worry, nephew" came his ethereal voice. He slowly became visible and continued, "I am not offended. I am here for no other reason than to greet my two newest great-nephews, if I may."

"Of course uncle" I choked. He smiled and reached out his hands and laid a glowing benediction on each of my son's heads. "Congratulations" he said, "I remember how painful my labour was with Jonathan" he continued and I remembered that he had gestated Jonathan himself. "You have my sincerest sympathies" he smiled to me.

He turned to a trembling Elliot. "May I?" he asked, extending his hand. After an age Elliot nodded. "For accepting my nephew, for accepting my son, for accepting me, I thank you Elliot Hughes" he said, laying his hand on Elliot's head. Elliot fell to his knees as the firey benediction shot through him, then Joshua joined his hand with his father. "To heal your fear and in thanks for the love you showed me this day" was all he said before a second wave of light shot through my lover, making him tremble.

"Be well" both deities said before vanishing into invisibility and Elliot, uncle Gabe, the twins and I were ostensibly alone.

"You guys okay?" he asked us, helping Elliot to his feet. "Shit, I came in my undies" Elliot confessed, blushing. Uncle Gabe just laughed. "Joshua has that effect on people" he said. "That's why Drew orgasmed as your sons were healed, that's why he asked that the umbilical remain connected. He directed the after-effects of his healing to Drew rather than let newborn babies feel such erotic sensations."

"Why did he vanish?" I asked. "He knows he unnerves people, it's the one thing that he regrets. He prefers to be just Joshua but he's used his divinity too often for too many people to be just Joshua anymore." Uncle Gabriel looked wistful, a little regretful, perhaps even a little unhappy but not for himself, for his eldest son.

He caught us noticing his emotions. "Be well and look after your sons and don't worry about me. I made peace with my son's choices a long time ago" he said enigmatically as he left the room.

Dad Andy and dad Henry came in with my little brother, Peter. By this time Alexander had nodded off and little Joshua was almost asleep too. I gently disengaged them both and smiled at dad Andy. "You want a cuddle of your grandsons?" I asked him and he burst into tears. "That'd be lovely" he smiled and sat down as Elliot handed the twins to him. "They're so tiny" he smiled as he cradled them.

"Yeah but they're perfectly healthy" I replied, "Joshua's seen to that."

He looked at the pair and looked at me and smiled. "So how does it feel to be a granddad?" I asked him and he smiled. "It feels fantastic, Drew" he told me, "fantastic."

I wasn't fit enough to go back to school the following week but by Wednesday I was able to return home. Though Elliot had purchased the penthouse flat that we'd seen, initially we went to my dads house so that they could help us. My school friends left us alone for the week, to give us some time to acclimatise and I was planning on returning to lessons the following week anyway.

On Friday I pushed a newly-purchased pram up to school, leaning heavily on Elliot's arm -- he'd simply bunked off the whole week and nothing anyone could say would make him change his mind except that Friday we were planning on going into school at lunchtime to introduce our sons to our friends. We stopped at the head teacher's office and the secretary and then Mrs Smith, the head teacher, both smiled huge grins as they saw us. "Drew? Is that you?" Mrs Smith gushed.

"Yeah and we've brought a couple of new faces for you to meet" I smiled. She looked at Elliot and frowned. "I hope you've got a good reason to have been off this last week?" she asked. "Paternity leave" he answered cheekily and she chuckled. "Honestly!" she laughed. "Anyway, come on, let's see them!"

I pushed the blanket down to show two tiny, sleeping forms. They were cuddled close together, as they seemed to prefer. "This is Joshua and this is Alexander" I introduced her. "Are they identical?" she asked and I nodded. "Completely" I replied. "We've got a ribbon with an A' on it around Alexander's wrist and a similar one with a letter J' around Joshua's" I explained, "but it's getting a little easier, Alex sleeps better than Josh does and Josh feeds better. We wondered, Mrs Smith" I continued, "could we perhaps go into the canteen at lunchtime and introduce our boys to our friends?"

"It's unorthodox but I can't see why not" she smiled, "especially since they've all done so much for you. But only if" she grinned and her fingers twitched. "Would you like a cuddle Mrs Smith?" I asked and she chuckled. "Would I ever?" she exclaimed.

She held both boys for a few minutes before handing them back to me. I tucked them back into the pram and since it was only five minutes to lunch we walked over to the canteen and took a seat in the corner. Alex was still asleep but Joshua was awake and rooting for food -- how Alexander could sleep with his twin sucking on his ear was beyond me and with a giggle at their antics I gently unlatched Joshua's little pink lips from his brother's soft skin and lifted him out of the pram. With Elliot sat in front of me to shield me I unbuttoned the special pocket on my shirt, exposed my right nipple and helped the little boy to latch on. He gurgled and began to suckle noisily. Just then our friends came in and the noise disturbed Alex a little. Joshua unlatched, distracted by the conversation so I handed him to Elliot and picked up his brother and offered him some milk too. Neither boy was properly hungry, just a little fretful -- I'd found that a mouthful or two or milk was more than enough to quiet them down most of the time.

"Drew? My god, Drew!" I heard a voice. Julie bounded over to us with a gaggle of friends in tow. "Drew, Drew's back" the chorus went up and then the cooing began. "Oh my god look at them, they're so tiny!" Katy giggled. "Can I hold one?" Sarah begged.

"We're not playing pass the parcel with them but we'll be here all lunchtime" I replied. "Go and get some dinner and we'll still be here when you've eaten and you can say hello."

"What you doing, holding that one up there?" Alex asked. I grinned. "His name is Alexander, not `that one' and I'm feeding him" I smiled, seeing his eyes widen in amazement at the baby's name. "Alexander?" he asked. I nodded.

"What d'you mean, you're feeding him?" Dave frowned.

"They're breastfed, Dave" I told him. Alexander at that point decided to let go and I calmly buttoned my pocket back over my nipple as Dave stared at me, bug-eyed.

"Stop staring at my fella, you're making me jealous" Elliot chuckled.

"I'm not, I'm just, erm, oh, hell" Dave mumbled and Elliot and I both laughed. "Go get some lunch" I told him. "We'll still be here when you've eaten."

After a few minutes Joshua began to cry in earnest and I had no choice but to feed him properly. Elliot handed him to me and I cradled him as the midwife had taught me before unbuttoning the pocket on the shirt uncle Greg had made. I held him up and helped him latch on and he suckled greedily. Alexander also began to cry for food and I laughed. "I'm not just some walking milk factory" I complained to Elliot. "The boys think you are" he laughed, lifting Alex into my other arm and latching him on for me, since I now had both hands full of baby.

Their heads weren't touching as my chest was quite wide but there wasn't much space between the wispy strands of blonde hair that they'd been born with. They drank happily as Elliot sat in front of me, shielding the feeding babies from nosey students. In the end, to stop people staring, he simply got the boy's blanket out of their pram and tied it around my neck so that it covered the pair of them and my chest too. "Thanks honey" I smiled, feeling less exposed even though I looked a bit ridiculous.

"What's with the bib dude?" Ryan asked. He'd obviously rushed his lunch and was anxious to talk to us. "They're feeding and I don't want to be stared at" I told him. "Oh yeah, spartans can breastfeed like girls do, can't you?" He seemed really good and calm about it. I nodded. "It's convenient if nothing else, no sterilising bottles at any rate. But we do give them a bottle or two when we're home, they're going to have to get used to it if I'm coming back to school."

"Yeah, you back next week?" he asked. "Yeah" I told him, "just in time for exams."

Now normally Ryan was a bit of a bully but he'd helped me with my lessons when I was in hospital and he seemed anxious to talk. "What's up Ryan?" I asked eventually. "You're bouncing around like someone's put itching powder in your pants."

"Shit, you can tell?" he asked.

"What, you really have got itching powder?" I giggled. He tutted and shook his head. "Dude, I've met someone and I just really need to tell you first and kind of ask Elliot's advice if that's okay" he whispered to us eventually.

"What's his name?" Elliot asked calmly. Ryan looked shocked. He stuttered some meaningless sounds and Elliot just laughed. "You're asking a couple joined by a spartan partner bond for relationship advice. You've fallen for a guy haven't you?"

"Dude, you really don't know?" he breathed. "He really didn't say anything to you? He said he'd wait for me to come out but I honestly thought he'd have said something to you at least."

"Who?" I asked.

"I met him at the hospital when I was doing your homework with you, dude" he smiled dreamily. "Drew, I'm in love with your little brother. Peter's bonded to me."

I just stared at him, as a huge grin split my face. "Man, that's wonderful!" I gushed. "Do our dads know?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Peter's told them he's bonded with one of your friends, a sixteen year old human but he told me he wanted me to come out to you first before he outed me to the rest of your family and I guess mine too and the school. But he said he wants us to register this summer and go on holiday to St Ives together." He smiled softly. "I'm just bursting, keeping it a secret, I didn't want to hide any longer so I knew as soon as I saw you that I'd tell you today."

At that point I was interrupted by wriggling. "El, Alex has done, will you lift him off and burp him for me?" I asked. He untied the blanket and moved the wriggler -- greedy guts Joshua was still drinking merrily. "El, do my button up, I'm all thumbs" I asked and even with an armful of baby he leaned over and fastened my pocket-flap closed. "So you wanna hold one of your nephews then?" I asked Ryan and his eyes filled up. "Shit, we're related aren't we?" he breathed.

Elliot motioned for him to sit down and he handed Alex over together with a soft cloth. "Hold him under his chin and rub his back softly. If you're lucky he'll only throw up on the cloth and not on your trousers" he grinned and with nervous hands Ryan did as instructed, though I noticed that Elliot's own hands were hovering protectively close, ready to grab the baby back if he began to get upset.

Alex burped and a little sour milk flowed over Ryan's hand. He just grinned and wiped it with the cloth. The baby, now winded and fed, began to nod off so Elliot took him back and laid him in the pram where he fell to sleep peacefully. Joshua just kept feeding. I leaned down and kissed his ear. "Greedy boy, you not done yet?" I whispered softly. As newborn babies do, he ignored me and kept drinking.

Our other friends bounded over in twos and threes, all keen to meet the boys and see us all. Joshua finally stopped feeding and nodded off in my arms and Elliot burped him and laid him next to his brother, giving me a chance to wipe the stray drops of milk from my nipples with a tissue and straighten my shirt. I looked to see Katy watching me closely. "What?" I asked.

"You know, Drew" she began softly, "I always wondered but you really are just like a human mother to them, aren't you?" I didn't know what to say to that so I waited for her to finish. "I never really understood what it meant that you're hermaphroditic but you really are as much female as male aren't you?" I nodded. "Thanks Drew" she grinned.

"What for?" I asked.

"I dunno. Being you, I guess. Anyway, I've got to run, I've got some books to take back to the library before afternoon classes. See ya!"

"She's an odd one" Elliot grinned. I nodded. "Cool, though" I replied.

Ryan had been outside on his mobile and came back in to see us just before the end of lunch. "I've just spoken to Peter and told him I've come out to you" he explained, smiling sheepishly. "And I'm gonna come around to your house tonight and meet your dads" he said.

"Cool, see you later!" I grinned and he nodded and ran off.

The bell went and as we made ready to leave Mrs Lawrence, the science teacher, came in and saw us. "I'm glad you're still here" she said, "I'm teaching year eight about spartan reproduction this afternoon and I wondered if you'd be willing to come and answer some daft questions from a bunch of twelve year olds?"

I laughed. "We" I emphasised, "would be glad to."

The kids had been learning about reproduction for the last few weeks and had already covered humans and amazons and Mrs Lawrence was just beginning to explain spartan reproduction that afternoon. "Quiet now, people" she called over the giggling twelve and thirteen year olds. "Now you all know that we're going to begin on spartan reproduction this afternoon and we're lucky enough to have two of your fellow students here to speak to you. Drew's spartan and he's just given birth to twins, Alexander and Joshua" she explained. She turned to me. "Drew, can you introduce your boys to us?" she smiled.

Elliot took Joshua and I cradled Alexander as I said, "this are our sons, Joshua and Alexander. They're not yet a week old, they were eighteen hundred grams when born, they were premature, that's why they're very small."

"Okay, people, please open your books to page seventy three" she said, "Drew, could you possibly explain each picture as we go?" she asked, "and if you could, tell us a bit about what it's like to experience?"

"Um, yeah, okay" I said. The first picture was of newly emerged filaments. "Your filaments usually start growing when you're asleep" I began, "and this is what you wake up to one morning. It feels like someone's stuck a fire in your bellybutton."

A couple of girls giggled. A boy put his hand up gingerly. "Yes, Tom?" Mrs Lawrence asked.

"What makes them come out?" he asked.

Elliot blushed scarlet and I started giggling. I so didn't know how to answer that question. Mrs Lawrence looked at us. "You have an answer?" she asked. "You can be as earthy and blunt as you like, this is a sex education lesson after all."

The class giggled and I took a deep breath. "They start to grow after you've had sex with your life partner for a while" I said. The class giggled again. "Silence or Drew won't continue" Mrs Lawrence called out and the giggling subsided. "When a spartan gets his life partner's erm, most boys call it cum but I bet Mrs Lawrence has told you it's called semen or ejaculate" I grinned at her, "on our skin over and over again it makes our female reproductive organs mature and the filaments begin to develop. You don't notice it happening for weeks but one morning the filaments have reached the open air and they hurt like crazy" I finished. A few of the class seemed to be bursting with the need to giggle but most had calmed down somewhat.

"Any other questions?" Mrs Lawrence asked. A few boys squirmed but no one spoke. "Okay, next picture, Drew?" she turned to me. It was someone fully emergent with a fan of filaments.

"This is what your filaments grow into" I explained, "and when they're fully fanned out like this it means that your egg is right near the surface and ready to be fertilised."

Mrs Lawrence nodded. There were no comments so she said, "okay, turn the page and the next picture. It was of a tiny silvery ball, someone very newly fertilised. I giggled again and blushed. "This is someone whose egg has just been fertilised, probably only within the previous twelve hours or so" I said. The class was still silent.

"Drew, since they've all clammed up with embarrassment, I'll ask you what I know they're all thinking" Mrs Lawrence said. "How do the filaments go from being all stretched out over your stomach to being rolled into a tight ball?"

"Oh god, you don't want me to explain that do you?" I groaned. The class found their voices and giggled again. "You don't have to but if you don't I will and I'm sure I can't describe it as accurately as you can" she smiled.

I blushed again. "I bet Elliot could describe this more accurately than me" I said, "I was kind of writhing in agony through most of it." This time Mrs Lawrence blushed. Elliot mock-growled at me. "I'll get you for this" he said. "Go for it honey" I smiled sweetly.

"Okay, I'm gonna say this really fast so don't interrupt" Elliot said. "I'll describe what happened with, um, Drew and I" he began and he blushed. "Um, okay, Drew's filaments were all stretched out and he told me that he was at his most fertile and that if we wanted a baby we had to erm, do it that evening. We'd already agreed that we wanted to be parents so um, Drew laid down flat and I knelt above him and kind of oh god this is embarrassing, wanked off and came all over the filaments and as soon as the cum touched them Drew screamed over and over `cos I guess it really hurt. I held his hand as the filaments curled up around the cum and pulled it all into a bubble."

"Thank you Elliot for being so frank with us" Mrs Lawrence smiled. "Now class" she said, "stop giggling and let me explain a couple of things. The term Elliot used, wanked, means masturbating, or in other words when a boy or a man stimulates his penis with his hand until he ejaculates. And when he said he came, he meant that he ejaculated semen on top of Drew's filaments. Okay, any questions?"

"Drew, why did it hurt?" a little girl asked. I smiled. "The filaments are open nerve fibres, anything just touching them hurts like crazy. And then they start to curl up and lift the erm, cum or semen or whatever you want to call it up and it feels like it weighs a ton but it's only a gram or two. It takes an hour or so for every filament to curl around the liquid but once they're all still the pain subsides a bit."

A voice came from the back of the classroom though I was unable to identify the source. "Does that mean it's normal to rub your willy?" a little boy asked. The classroom erupted in laughter. Mrs Lawrence smiled. "Okay class, calm down. Yes, you're normal if you stimulate or touch yourself but you're also normal if you don't and that goes for boys and girls. Okay, next picture."

This was a fist-sized bubble and a web of filaments across someone's stomach. "This is someone who's gestating and I'd guess he's between four and eight weeks" I said. "You might remember me at the beginning of this school year, I came back looking like that. The whole thing hurts and stings and aches the whole time and it looks gross, like a jelly fish or something." Everyone laughed again.

"How do you get dressed?" a boy asked. "You don't, or at least you don't cover the filaments. It hurts too much, having something touch them" I explained.

"Okay last picture" Mrs Lawrence said. It was of a huge womb, obviously ready to burst. "This is of a guy who's probably ready to go into labour" I said.

"Can you tell us what it's like when a spartan gives birth?" Mrs Lawrence asked me. I shuddered involuntarily. "Painful. Pain like you've never felt pain before, pain worse even than when you get fertilised. I was induced, which in spartans means the doctor rips your womb for you instead of waiting for it to tear naturally. Yeah" I said, seeing them all wincing, "before you ask, the womb is temporary and is meant to be ripped open. Anyway, the womb gets ripped open and all those open nerve fibres are shredded and it's like hell on earth. But then," I smiled and kissed a sleepy Alexander who was still snuggled in my arms, "you open your eyes and force yourself to stop screaming and you see this amazing little life in your partners arms. Well, in my case two amazing little lives. And you know that nothing will ever be the same again."

I kissed Alex again, leaned over and kissed Joshua, then I couldn't help myself, I sat up and kissed Elliot. The class giggled again.

"Okay, okay, settle down" Mrs Lawrence said. "Now, being a parent is the same whether you're human, amazon or spartan" she began, "once the new baby arrives, Drew's right, nothing will ever be the same again. Drew" she smiled at me, "out of curiosity, would you describe, say, the last eighteen hours or so, starting yesterday evening?"

"Okay, well both boys were fed by eight pm and I changed them and put them down to sleep" I began. "They woke at midnight for another feed and Alex had pooed so Elliot changed his nappy and both boys were asleep again by half past one. Joshua woke at four am and I fed and changed him, then Alex woke at five, needing another feed and a change. At seven they both woke up but I stayed in bed whilst Elliot bathed them and then he gave them both a bottle feed. I was up and awake by half eight, I put the dirty nappies in to wash and changed the milky sheets on their cot then had a shower when they were both down for their mid morning nap. They both needed feeding again at ten and I did that whilst Elliot hung the nappies up to dry and packed a bag so we could come here for twelve."

"And how much sleep have you both had?" she asked. "Erm, I've had probably about five hours, I think Elliot managed about six and a half" I answered. "I might have had more except I was leaking milk down my front and had to change my teeshirt three times."

"So you see, class. Being a parent is hard work" Mrs Lawrence said, "and just because you know how its done doesn't mean you should experiment. Now, are there any more questions before Drew and Elliot take their sons home?"

"What do you mean, you were leaking milk?" a boy asked, the same one who'd asked how you get dressed with a womb and filaments. I smiled. "I'm breastfeeding. Spartans are hermaphrodites, which means we're equally male and female, despite what we look like."

"You mean, like, they drink from your" he blushed and giggled and wasn't able to finish his sentence. "My nipples?" I asked. "Yeah. They're not boobs like girls but not all of the padding is muscle, a lot of it is breast tissue" I answered. The class giggled again. Mrs Lawrence looked at me. "You were feeding in the canteen earlier, weren't you?" she asked and I nodded. "They're drinking every two to three hours during the day."

"I think you've both given your school friends a real insight into parenthood" Mrs Lawrence smiled, standing up and bringing the questions to a finish. "And I hope you've all learned that despite differences in fertilisation and child bearing, becoming a parent has far more similarities than differences and whatever species, being a parent is hard work. But I guess, Drew, Elliot, you're both happy, aren't you?"

"You would never believe" I smiled. "And now I think I'm going to get this lot to write up what they've learned in an essay before the end of the lesson." The class groaned and it was my and Elliot's turn to be amused at their discomfort. We put the babies in their pram and made our way out of school and home.

We got home a little before three and I fed the boys again and changed soggy nappies before laying them on their play mat in the living room. They were fractious so I turned them on their sides and they seemed to instinctively calm down when they were facing and touching each other. "That's how they lay in your womb, Drew" dad Andy said, "almost exactly. You can tell they like it" he said, nodding to the way they seemed to lie there so still, so contented, just looking into each other's eyes.

Peter arrived just after half three, all giggles and excitement. "Hey, come here, squirt" I yelled and he entered the living room sheepishly. I reached out and hugged him. "So you're bonded, hey?" I grinned. He nodded, wide-eyed. "Yeah, I can't wait to tell our dads, it'll be so cool, being able to be open about it!"

I nodded to Elliot who got a small plastic bag out of his rucksack. We'd been to the chemist on the way home and picked up a couple of items. "Just in case you're planning on being open in other ways" I sniggered, handing it to him. He looked inside and blushed crimson when he saw the condoms and KY. "Shit, Drew, we've not even kissed properly yet and you think" he stuttered.

"Just making sure you're prepared, little bro" I told him, "now get that stuff upstairs and in your bedside drawer" I sniggered, raising my eyebrows. "Just in case, you understand?" He laughed and ran off.

"Where's Peter?" dad Andy asked, coming in from the kitchen. "I thought I heard his voice a minute ago."

"He's upstairs" I replied. Peter then proved me wrong by bounding down again, three steps at a time. "My partner's coming round, he told Drew today so you can finally meet him!" he gushed in an excited voice.

"Finally!" dad Andy chuckled. "I was beginning to think you'd made him up!"

Just then the doorbell rang and Peter began to tremble. "Do you want me to get it, bro?" I asked and he nodded wordlessly.

Ryan stood on the doorstep. He was still in his school uniform but he'd obviously made an effort to tidy himself up. His hair was combed and his jumper was straight and he grinned nervously. "Come on in, he's in the living room with dad Andy" I said. Ryan followed me inside, Peter saw him, gasped and ran into his arms and by the hugs, kisses and tears that followed in quick succession, it was obvious to both our dads and probably anyone else in the vicinity who Peter's life partner was.

"You lads want a snack or are you happy eating each other?" dad Henry called, interrupting them. "Oh, hell, I'm sorry" Ryan mumbled, cowering nervously away.

"What's up?" dad Henry laughed. "Apart from Peter's penis, that is?"

"Dad!" Peter yelled, mortified, blushing scarlet.

"Don't wear baggy trousers if you want to hide a hard on" was all dad Henry said before steering the pair to the settee.

Ryan was still cowering and was obviously very nervous. "Ryan, why are you so scared?" I asked him softly.

"'Cos your dads saw us kissing" he mumbled after an age. Dad Henry opened his mouth to say something but Elliot stopped him with a hand motion. "Why does that scare you?" he asked. "You've felt the partner bond, all of us here have. Henry and Andy would probably be more surprised if you didn't kiss Peter. The bond makes us all family, Ryan. Come on, why are you so scared?"

"'Cos he's only just eleven and I'm sixteen and" he began and gulped, "my dad has always said" he stopped talking and began to cry and Peter drew him into a hug. "Come on, Ryan, you've never let me meet your dad, what is it that he says, why are you so scared, honey?" he whispered.

"My dad's a bigot. He and Miss Hill go to the same meetings, I've been made to go a few times too and it's awful, especially since I met Peter, I've felt crippled inside" he confessed, crying.

"What about your mum?" dad Andy asked.

"She's a drunk, she buggered off years ago and went on the game. Last time I saw her I was twelve and I was taken to visit her in Styal prison" he said glumly.

"Oh Ryan" dad Henry said softly, pulling the boy and my brother into a tight hug. "Don't worry about loving Peter. A partner bond is really, honestly, totally normal" he began. "And don't worry about him being eleven, there's a reason that people joined by a partner bond are exempt from the age of consent laws, love doesn't watch a calendar, Ryan. And we'll help you with your dad, we promise. Is he built like a normal human?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Ryan frowned.

"You know, spindly legs and a beer gut, like me?" dad Henry continued and Ryan giggled. "Yeah" he smiled. Dad Andy showed off his muscles and bade me and Peter stand up. Dad Andy topped six foot two, I was six foot and Peter was already five seven. All of us had washboard stomachs and broad, muscled shoulders. "I'll get my brother David to join us too and we'll go with you when you tell him" dad Andy offered. "If your dad starts anything we're all strong enough to hold him back individually so he's not going to attack four of us and we'll make sure we have plenty of witnesses around. I know he's your dad, Ryan but he can't get away with being so evil. So if he can't accept you for who you are, then since you're sixteen you can choose to live wherever you want."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"It's illegal to forcibly separate bonded spartans from their partners, he can't stop you from being with Peter. He'll have no choice but to let you collect your belongings and move in here" dad Andy said. "And if nothing else, living here will give you two the excuse to do something about Peter's erection."

Dad!" Peter exclaimed again, blushing from the top of his head to the tip of his toes as we all started to laugh. Ryan ignored us all and pulled the blushing boy into a tight embrace, kissing him soundly. "God, I love you Peter" he said. "I love you too Ryan" my little brother answered softly.

The following week saw Ryan move in to my dads' house permanently. His father was arrested for attempting to assault my uncle David as well as for hate crimes against his son. The house was crowded for a few months until June, when I finally finished my GCSE exams and Elliot, the twins and I moved into our penthouse flat.

That night, our first in our own home, just us in our room for the first time in what felt like forever, we kissed passionately. "El" I whispered softly, "it's been so long I've almost forgotten what it feels like. I need you in me El" I begged. He smiled and kissed me again and as our sons slept we began the beautiful dance.

I screamed my orgasm to the sky as I came just from the sensation of him rubbing over my prostate, cumming in a fountain that showered us both. Elliot came inside me, filling me with his hot seed and we kissed and rolled together, sticky with cum and sweat as we demonstrated our love in an undeniably physical way. As I lay there, coming down from the high, a piercing wail filled the air. "Damn" I giggled.

"That'll teach you to scream so loud when you cum" Elliot smiled as I wiped myself down hastily with a towel and pulled some shorts and my gown on so I could go and comfort the twins. Elliot followed me a few minutes later as I was putting the pair back in the cot they shared -- they cried inconsolably if we tried to get them to sleep apart. I kissed our sleeping children soundly and crept out of the nursery before meeting my lover's amused eyes and falling apart in helpless giggles.

"Okay, okay, no screaming orgasms in future" Elliot teased.

"Fuck that, just no screaming out loud, I'll stuff my face into the pillow" I replied, mock-punching him. He looked curious. "Would a pillow work, do you think?" he asked. I cuddled him and leaned up to his ear. "Only one way to find out" I whispered, leading him back to bed.

Peter's tale

My brother, Drew, my brother-in-law, Elliot and my baby nephews had finally moved out. My dads had gone down to London to the temple for the weekend and for the first time ever Ryan and I were going to have complete, total privacy. For all he's sixteen years old he's surprisingly innocent and apart from a couple of times in the shower he's never even been naked in front of me. I'm only eleven and I'm supposed to be the kid but I probably know more about sex than Ryan and I'd planned for a long time for our special weekend.

I didn't want to embarrass Ryan or make him uncomfortable but I wanted to make him aware that I was growing up and was firmly in the middle of puberty. I also wanted him to be more comfortable in his own skin, especially since he still had a sex is dirty' mentality that had been drummed into him by his father. I'm sure that dad Andy knew what I was intending because instead of his usual, "be good, call us if you need us" instructions as they left, all he said was, "don't terrify him too much, will you?" I almost didn't understand what he meant until their car was off the drive and away. But I didn't let his warning deter me, I had the gifts' that Drew had bought me as a joke still safely in my bedside cupboard and I was planning on seducing my partner and making him my true lover that night. We had both had dad Andy's obligatory testing at the STD clinic weeks before and we were both clean, so I didn't need the condoms but I hoped the lube would come in handy.

Ryan had football practise that Friday night so I got home from school well before him, before my dads had left, even. Dad Henry had prepared us some supper, chicken casserole and it just needed heating up. "You know what you're doing, Peter?" he asked for the dozenth time as they prepared to leave. "Two minutes in the microwave for each plateful, okay? And you'll only be alone for two and a half hours and Drew's only five minutes away if you need him."

"I know dad Henry" I assured him and finally they were out of my hair and I still had two whole hours before Ryan got back.

I had a very quick shower to remove the day's grime and changed into my best clothes before heading down to the kitchen, finding an apron and checking out the fridge and freezer. I was planning on making a special desert that I'd seen dad Andy make and hoped that the strawberries, soft cheese and cream were still there. "Yes!" I exclaimed, seeing they were still there. This was going to be fun.

I crushed the strawberries with a fork and then got the electric whisk and frothed up the cream and the cheese until they were really thick, then I mixed it all together with just a bit of sugar and scooped it all into two bowls before getting a bit of mint from the pot on the windowsill, putting a leaf on the top of each one and putting them into the fridge. I ladled the casserole out ready onto two plates so that it could be heated up easily and then set the table with a posh cloth and the shiniest knives and forks, then got two wine glasses out of the cupboard and a candle holder and a candle off the mantel piece in the living room. When I'd finished setting the table it looked lovely but I had a momentary worry about the drinks and decided to telephone my brother.

"Hi Drew" I began. "Hi Pete, how's things?" he asked.

"Fine" I answered, "listen, Drew, I've got to ask you something but you've got to promise not to laugh."

"Oh, this should be fun" he chuckled, "go on, little bro, I promise."

I decided just to say it really fast and get it out of the way. "Drew is it okay to drink coca cola out of wine glasses?"

He couldn't keep his promise and burst out laughing. "Drew! You promised not to laugh!" I exclaimed, embarrassed.

"You playing romantic meals for two over there?" he asked me after recovering his composure. "Drew, please!" I whined. "Yeah, little bro, it's fine. You two are both too young for wine and you both like cola, don't you?" he asked softly. "Yeah" I admitted.

"Then yeah, it's fine to drink cola out of wine glasses" he assured me. "Listen, Peter, Ryan's still scared, you know? Don't push him too fast, okay bro?" he asked me, concerned.

"I won't Drew" I promised, "I'd better go" I said, hanging up and feeling a lot more confident about the whole evening.

I got some crusty bread rolls out of the bread bin and cut them into slices as the casserole had a lot of gravy and I put them on a nice plate in the centre of the table. Then I had one final thought. Dad Andy had a load of rose bushes in the garden and since it was summer they were in bloom, so I went and cut a single one, a beautiful pink colour with a red centre and put it in a glass of water in the centre of the table. Then with everything ready I went into the living room to wait.

I didn't have to hang around for long -- within only about fifteen minutes Ryan came in. "Hiya!" I greeted him. I was going to give him a hug but he was all muddy and I was in my best gear so I said, "hop in the shower and come into the kitchen in ten minutes."

"No hugs tonight?" he asked, pouting. "Ryan, I'm in my best gear" I said, twirling around. "Go and clean all the mud off and put something nice on and be down in ten minutes, okay?"

He looked at me nervously, wide-eyed. "Relax, Ryan, go and put something nice on, I've got a surprise" I grinned. "You'll like it, I promise" I assured him, "now go!"

"Yes sir!" he giggled before leaning towards me for a very careful peck on my lips. He dumped his school bag and football boots near the door and scampered up the stairs, suddenly seeming really excited.

I went back into the kitchen and poured the cola into our glasses, lit the candle and put the casserole into the microwave, first my plate then Ryan's. Neither of us liked our food too hot so it was fine to heat it a little early. I sat down on the seat that gave me a view of the door and settled in to wait for Ryan.

He came down in just seven minutes -- I timed him. He'd been in the shower `cos I'd heard it go. His hair was still wet and he'd put clean jeans on and a smart shirt. When he saw what I'd done he gasped and I saw tears forming in his eyes. As he stood, frozen in the doorway I decided to do something I'd seen in the old fashioned romantic films that dad Andy loved watching. I got up from my seat, picked the rose out of the glass and walked over to him. "You okay, Ryan?" I whispered gently as I handed the flower to him.

"Peter, you've done all this?" he mumbled. I nodded. "I wanted it to be special `cos we've not been alone together before. You don't mind, do you?" I asked, suddenly worried and a little self conscious. He shook his head numbly so I decided to take the lead and grasping hold of his free hand, the one that didn't contain the rose, I gently pulled him to the table. "Let's eat, I'm hungry" I said, grinning.

He allowed me to pull him and as he sat down he let out an explosive breath and grinned. "Peter, this is amazing!" he gushed. "I don't really know what to say, you've really surprised me, I've thought of you as a little kid I guess, I didn't think you" he blushed and I didn't really need him to finish his thought. I gently took the rose and put it back in the glass. "You didn't think I could be romantic?" I asked, blushing slightly myself. "Ryan, I love you. That's what a partner bond means, love and romance and wanting to do silly stuff to show you what I feel inside. I love you so much, Ryan. And I know you're still finding certain things difficult so I thought rather than just acting like a kid about it I'd try and be more grown up. You don't mind, do you?" I asked again.

"No! Of course I don't mind, why would I mind?" he smiled, taking my hand across the table. "But you didn't make the casserole too, did you?" he asked. I shook my head and giggled. "Nah, dad Henry left it for us" I explained, "but he didn't know what I was planning, I guess he thought we'd eat on our knees in front of the telly or something."

Ryan blushed scarlet and gulped a breath. "This is far more entertaining than sitting in front of the telly, Pete" he admitted softly, his face breaking into a nervous but wholly genuine smile.

We ate the casserole and had a giggle about drinking cola from wine glasses, though Ryan didn't seem to mind, as Drew had assured me he wouldn't. I got the desert out and he loved it, giving me huge complements when he realised I'd made it all myself. We sat and lingered at the table, talking and laughing about silly things for ages and I realised it was getting late. "You getting tired, Ryan?" I asked in the end.

"Yeah" he admitted. "Come on then" I smiled gently. I blew the candle out, we both checked that the front and back doors were locked and turned all the downstairs lights off before walking hand in hand upstairs.

Since Ryan moved in we've slept in the same bed. Dad Andy replaced my old single bed with a double the same day and we always shared right from the start but always in pyjamas, only having a kiss and a hug before we slept. I knew how scared Ryan was of doing anything more and because I didn't want to hurt him I'd done things his way. But this night was going to be different, I'd already established that by preparing the meal so instead of getting my pyjamas and heading for the bathroom to change like I normally did, I simply closed the door tightly and began to undress. I didn't watch him or do a striptease or anything, just calmly took my clothes off and went and sat on the edge of the bed. Ryan had frozen, watching, unable to move. "You getting undressed, Ryan?" I asked in my gentlest voice.

He shook his head. "I don't know" he muttered.

"Ryan, if you want me to put some pyjamas on I will but if you would let me I'd like to feel your skin on mine" I told him. "Just for touching, that's all. Please Ryan?" I asked.

"No sex?" he checked nervously.

"I won't do anything you don't want to, I promise" I said. I didn't promise no sex, though, just nothing he didn't want. "This evening is for you as well as me" I said, standing up and walking over to him. "You're bonded to me but you don't let yourself just see me. We've had, what, three showers when you've been close to me when we've been naked and even then we didn't touch. Come on, please. Just let yourself touch me?"

He still didn't move so I lifted my hands, very slowly and touched the front of his shirt. With fumbling fingers I began to undo the buttons until it hung loose around his shoulders. I scooted around and pulled it first off one arm then the other until he stood there with his naked torso on show.

Since it was summertime it was warm outside. Our bedroom window was open and a gentle breeze blew in, coincidently rippling the curtain at the same time as I reached out and laid a slightly sweaty palm against Ryan's chest. He shivered, though whether that was from my touch or the breeze I couldn't tell.

I fell to my knees and prompted him to pick one foot up before taking his sandal and sock off, then did the same on the other foot. Rising back to standing the only thing left were Ryan's jeans. My hands shook as I reached for the button and Ryan's hand stopped me, holding my hands still before I had the chance to flip the button open. "No" he whispered hoarsely.

"Don't be afraid Ryan, please?" I replied, my own voice a whisper, my own speech made hoarse with a need to see, a need to touch.

"You're only eleven" he objected, trembling.

"I'm a bonded spartan" I replied, "and you're my life partner. Please Ryan, I just want to see you. I want to see the body of the man I love. Please? It hurts, not seeing you, Ryan, I just need to touch you" I explained and I could feel tears in my eyes. I extricated my sweaty hands from his, equally sweaty digits, wiped the tears away and then slowly, carefully went back for the button on his jeans. This time he let me undo it. I flipped the button open and undid the zip on his fly slowly, carefully. I pulled his jeans free and with a sudden nervous smile he stepped out of them. "You feeling better now?" I asked with a matching smile of my own.

"It's really important to you isn't it?" he asked and I nodded. "I'm sorry, Ryan but it is, I don't know if I can explain why but I need," it was my turn to feel nervous and I couldn't finish my sentence. "I didn't realise I'd hurt you by denying you this" he said. "I'm sorry Peter, I'm so scared, I didn't think about you." He stopped talking and pulled me into a hug, bare skin against almost-bare skin and I felt suddenly whole in his arms. Then after a few minutes he pushed me back and stood before me in just his white briefs, old-fashioned pants that hugged his frame. "You want to take these off or should I?" he whispered.

I giggled, I couldn't help it. "I take those off and my willy will probably get hard" I explained. Ryan giggled too. "You take these off and mine'll probably do the same thing" he replied.

Our eyes met for the longest moment and then, with a pounding heart I slowly reached forwards. I ran my hands around Ryan's waist before slipping gentle fingers under the waistband of his undies. I moved to his back so all I had was a view of his backside as I pushed the pants down and left them in a puddle around his ankles. He stepped out of them and said, "why did you stand behind me?"

"I didn't want to embarrass you too much" I explained, "you've resisted this for so long, I didn't want to make seeing your willy an issue. Tonight's about feeling your skin not about watching you get hard."

He pulled me back around to his front and embraced me tightly. Our bodies aligned themselves perfectly and we kissed as we both pressed our suddenly burning skin closely into each other. That kiss! What a kiss, deep, long and strong, our tongues swirling around each other's mouth, licking each other's teeth. My heart pounded as if it was going to jump out of my chest and I could feel Ryan's heart pounding through every pore.

We finally broke for air, breathless and grinning. "Shit, I love you so much!" Ryan giggled as he squeezed me even tighter. I laughed and stepped backwards, pulling him onto our bed. "I love you too Ryan" I said softly.

We lay there, just kissing and hugging each other's naked bodies for the longest time. Gradually I became aware of a sensation, a tingling in my groin and knew that my own penis, that so far I'd fairly successfully ignored, was pulsing with the need for attention. But then, what was that? I wriggled back and looked and realised that Ryan was running a gentle fingertip up and down my shaft. "That feel nice?" he asked.

"Mmm" I groaned, "but I thought you didn't want sex?" I asked. I wanted to be certain that he knew where this might lead, I didn't want him accusing me of anything if guilt hit him afterwards.

"Peter, I'm not sure what I want" he admitted, "but I could feel you throbbing and I couldn't resist feeling you. You're not mad are you?"

"No, I'm not mad" I smiled then gasped as his fingers began to move more rhythmically. "Erm, you keep that up and I'll cum" I hissed breathily. He kept his hand moving in the same rhythm as he leaned in to kiss me once more. "Go on and cum then" he whispered into my ear. I lost it at that point and screamed my orgasm into his mouth as he kissed me again. Half a dozen thick white squirts of cum hit his hand and my stomach as I convulsed on the bed. I don't think Ryan expected so much and it startled him. "Oh, er, shit" he mumbled, trying to keep it from dripping on the sheets. I just giggled. "We'll change the bed in the morning, don't worry" I whispered.

He giggled back. "I didn't expect that" he admitted, "I was thirteen before" he stopped and blushed. "Ryan, I'm spartan, puberty happens earlier than in humans" I reminded him, "so anyway" I continued with a grin, "tell me about being thirteen and cumming? Were you with someone else or was it self-inflicted?"

"Self-inflicted" he admitted through his giggles. "I've never really had a relationship with anyone properly before you" he told me. "Yeah, I've had a few girlfriends" he continued, "but all we did was kiss and hold hands a bit, I couldn't bring myself to do anything else."

I looked at him, wide-eyed. This revelation startled me. "You're a virgin" I said softly. He went maroon with such a deep blush I thought his whole skin would explode. "Don't be embarrassed, Ryan, please" I kissed him, "it just surprised me, that's all. Most people don't last till they're sixteen."

"It's not my fault, my dad used to say" he blurted. "Ryan, I'm not saying I don't like it" I assured him, cutting off his torrent of defensive words. "I like it a lot. Honey, don't you see? It's like you waited for me. Our first times can be with each other."

His embarrassment dissolved in gentle tears. "You're not just saying that?" he sniffled.

"I want all my first times to be special, Ryan" I told him, "and from what you've just said it seems that you do too. We're going to be together forever, Ryan and we can share all our first times together too. That was the first time someone else made me cum" I smiled. "Has anyone ever done that for you?" He shook his head, mutely. "Then let me share that first time with you?" I asked, my hand reaching down.

He didn't actually agree out loud but neither did he stop me when my slender fingers made a small loop around his organ. It was a bit bigger than mine and felt hot and hard and soft and wonderful all at the same time. I began a gentle up and down movement and his eyes rolled into the back of his head as he fell back on the bed, shuddering. "Is that nice?" I asked. "Oh god yes" he managed to mumble before groaning with incoherent pleasure.

He came as quickly as I had and the thick white cream landed on his stomach. He let out an explosive breath and started to chuckle. "God, that was good" he breathed.

"I'm glad you liked it" I smiled, sitting up. I dipped a finger in his offering and smeared it over his chest, drawing lazy circles with it all over his skin. He laughed. "You enjoying playing with it?" he asked me. I nodded and lifted my sticky finger up to my lips and tasted it. "Mmm" I grinned at his surprised expression, "salty."

"That's gross!" he laughed.

"No it's not" I objected, "it's something you made so it can't be gross."

"You don't say that when I have a shit and stink out the bathroom every morning" he laughed all the harder.

"No but that's different" I grinned, climbing on top of him, ignoring his sticky chest. I lay with my full body supported on top of his and kissed him some more. "Your spermies are sweet and salty and sticky all at the same time" I giggled, "and they'll end up making our sons one day. I'm kinda expected to like it, aren't I?"

He laughed some more and rolled over quickly so that he was laid on top of me. My pulse raced at his sudden movement, this sudden, erotic moment we'd found ourselves in. "God I love you" he told me again before leaning in to kiss me some more.

We broke from our kiss with excited eyes. "Peter, I want you" Ryan admitted as we rolled again, putting me on top once more. He ran his hands down my sides, coming to rest on my waist. He breathed deeply and met my eyes with a steady gaze before pushing his hands southwards, millimetre by millimetre, until they each cupped one of my bottom cheeks. "Why have I never noticed how good you feel before?" he whispered as he squeezed gently.

He explored the tops of my legs with gentle fingertips then, to my surprise, a single finger found its way into the crack of my bottom and probed the outer ring of my anus. I nearly shot off the bed with the sensation. "Aaahh!" I yelped and he pulled his hand back and hugged me. "Shit, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you" he apologised nervously. "It didn't hurt, Ryan, it was amazing!" I managed to say once I'd recovered my composure.

"You'd like me to do it again?" he asked. I nodded. "But Ryan," I said, "as long as you promise not to freak out I've got something that'll make it easier and make it feel a whole lot better."

"What?" he asked suspiciously. I rolled off him and reached into my bedside cupboard and pulled out the tube of KY that Drew and Elliot had bought me. I showed it to him and his eyes went wide and he gulped. "I don't want you to penetrate me, just use a bit to make your finger slide up and down easier" I suggested.

I opened the tube, squeezed a pea-sized blob of lube onto Ryan's trembling fingers then repositioned myself back on top of him. The only difference this time was that I'd spread my legs wider so he had full access to my crack. "Just rub it, please?" I begged, "it feels so good."

He nuzzled into my neck as he gave in to my pleading and lifted his lubed-up fingertip to my hole. I groaned and trembled as he began to massage and play with it, teasing me in ways I'd heard of but never experienced before. "Is that okay?" he asked me. I nodded since words failed me. "Mm-hm" I managed to whisper. He played a little more, a little rougher and then to my surprise I felt my outer ring give just a little and the barest tip of Ryan's finger entered it. "Oh" I gasped as I squeezed my muscles around the insertion.

He pulled his hand back and I calmed down and looked at him. "Peter, where is this heading?" he asked me. I looked at him. "We can stop now if you want?" I offered softly. He met my eyes, then lifted me off his body and sat up. I joined him, perched on the mattress cross legged as he met my eyes. "Did you want me to stop?" Biting my lip with reluctance I shook my head, no. "I wanted us to do this," I whispered, "but only if you were happy to. It had to be as much your choice as mine" I explained, "if it's gonna make you feel awkward or awful then we should stop, I've got what I wanted from tonight" I smiled, running my hands down his bare thighs that were stretched out in front of me. "You, naked and comfortable in your own skin and not afraid of either of our bodies anymore" I continued my explanation in answer to a sudden quizzical expression.

"Peter" he asked in a soft yet serious voice, "if I said, let's turn the light off and go to sleep now, would you mind?"

I shook my head. "No, I've touched you and you've touched me, as long as we can cuddle for a few more minutes I'll be happy, so if it's what you want we can go to sleep right now" I answered. I made to get off the bed to flick the light switch but Ryan held me still with a gentle but firm grip on my arm.

"And if I said let's continue playing all night long would you mind that?" he asked in an even softer voice.

I laughed. "Would we last a whole night?" I asked, continuing, "seriously, if it was what you wanted then I would happily take part. As long as it was your choice, as long as you didn't feel scared or forced into anything." This time I waited for Ryan to finish sharing whatever thoughts were on his mind, I could almost hear his churning emotions as he fought with himself to express them.

"Peter, what if I said, I'll do whatever you want? What would you do?" he asked, his voice barely audible now.

"I'd first ask if you were serious" I said after a brief pause.

"I'm serious" he replied earnestly. My heart started to pound.

"I'd then check you really meant whatever I wanted?" I asked, my voice calm in comparison to my pulse. He nodded and smiled his charming, cock-eyed grin.

"I'd then remind you that I'd admitted what it was that I wanted a few minutes ago" I breathed. He blushed. "Yeah, your, er," he stuttered. "Bottom" I supplied with a smile.

"You enjoyed me touching it didn't you?" he asked. I nodded. "But if you ever offered to do whatever I wanted and you were serious then I wouldn't want you to just touch it" I told him, feeling the blush burn my cheeks as I spoke.

He looked a little confused. "I don't understand" he admitted.

I met his eyes. "What do you know about sex with men?" I asked. Yeah, I continued blushing but I didn't want him to be hurting or embarrassed because I'd assumed he understood something and he didn't. He blushed back. "Nothing really" he said, "it was covered in sex ed but my dad always refused permission for me to do that lesson, he said it was okay to do the straight bit but that he didn't want me to know anything about gays."

I sighed and nodded. "I should have guessed something like that would have happened" I said. "Ryan, my dads gave me the talk ages ago. I was only a little kid but dad Andy and dad Henry sat me down and explained everything and answered all my questions. They wanted to explain everything so that I'd understand what my feelings were if I ended up bonding to someone when I was little. So I know a fair bit but only what they've told me, I've not tried anything. I guess what I want to know is, do you want me to explain what's involved or would you prefer to get Drew or Elliot or my dads to tell you, so you know it's all true and I've not just misunderstood?"

"You" he said without hesitation. "Shit, I'm sixteen, Peter and I'm bonded to a spartan, I'm supposed to know this stuff, I don't want to admit to anyone else that I don't." He squirmed with embarrassment. "Hey," I said, "there's no harm in saying you don't understand. So shall I tell you what I know?" I asked. He nodded.

"Most boys start off like we did" I began, "masturbating each other and you're pretty good at that" I grinned. "But there are other ways we can touch each other, like using our mouths and licking or sucking each other's willies, that's called a blow job only you suck, you don't blow." He blushed scarlet and giggled. "And if we lie top to tail and do it to each other at the same time it's called sixty-nining" I continued and he said, "oh god, I'd never even thought" and laughed some more.

"But the main event, for most guys at least, is penetrative sex" I continued, "where you stick your penis inside your lover's bottom. It can be gross if you're not clean or if your lover needs the loo but it's fun and apparently there's something called your prostate which is a squishy lump inside your bottom and if you rub it, it can make you cum even better than rubbing your willy. So, before you ask, what I want you to do is put your willy inside my bottom."

If I thought he'd blushed before it was nothing to how he blushed now. "Fuck" he gasped.

"Well, dad Henry said that some people call it fucking" I said seriously, "but he prefers to call it making love but it's the same thing" I replied. "If you do this you'll be taking my virginity, Ryan" I said. "That's what it means, the first time someone puts their penis inside you they take your virginity. And if they've not put their penis inside anyone before they give you theirs. Ryan, I want to feel your spermies shooting high inside me as you give me your virginity and take mine. If I thought you really meant it when you offered anything I wanted, that's what I'd ask for."

He turned his head away from my gaze and sat, apparently deep in thought for the longest while. I stayed frozen in place, sat on the bed, unwilling to move and break the moment. Finally he looked at me. "You'll tell me if I do it wrong?" he asked.

"You don't have to do this Ryan, not yet, you're not ready" I told him.

"I don't want you to just be pleasing me all the time" he replied, "not tonight, you've gone out of your way to accommodate me and my fears and hang ups ever since we've been together, Peter. Let me do something for you, please?"

I met his eyes and nodded and slowly knelt up on the bed. Part of me wanted to argue or check again that he was sure but my hormones were beginning to get the upper hand so I did neither. I got hold of the KY and put it in easy reach and then took Ryan's hands and got him to kneel up facing me. "We need to use plenty of lube" I said, "it can hurt if we don't. And my dads told me that my first time is likely to hurt anyway. We first put lube on my bottom and it needs to go right inside so we have to put two or three fingers inside me and make sure I'm stretched wide enough that your penis will fit in as well as making it all gooey and slippery. Then you put lube on your penis and push it in. You sure you want to do this?" I checked, wanting to be certain he knew what we were getting in to.

"As long as you are" Ryan replied breathily. His penis was rock solid and pulsing and I could tell that all our talk of sex had aroused him and that he was quite keen, physically at least, to do this for me.

I stayed kneeling as I opened the KY and covered my fingers in goo. I reached behind and began to probe my bottom, pushing the lube up inside it as well as rubbing the muscle all around to get it to loosen up. "Can I help with that?" Ryan asked after a few minutes, after he realised what I was doing. I nodded and he put some lube on his own fingers before coming to kneel beside me. His hand found mine, his fingers joined mine and together we massaged my sphincter and pulled it wide.

"Keep doing that" I whispered, aroused, as I moved my hand away, squeezed a bit more lube onto my sticky fingers and reached for his penis. He gasped a little as the KY was cold and he was very hot as I massaged the gel onto him in a thick layer. "Lie down on your back" I whispered finally, once I thought we were both prepared enough.

He did as I asked, his organ pointing proudly to the sky. I straddled him and he realised what I was doing. He opened his mouth to say something, then gasped wordlessly as I took hold of him in my left hand and guided him to my anus. I used the fingers of my right hand to work the muscle open and line him up with my opening. He continued to gasp and writhe, unable to talk, so I took the initiative and pushed.

It burned but the pain wasn't as bad as I'd expected it to be. I could feel my muscles protesting against the intrusion but it didn't actually hurt as much as I'd anticipated. I lowered myself gently, a centimetre, then resting, then pushing a bit deeper, then resting again. It took about fifteen minutes before I felt his pelvic bone against mine, felt his pubic hair against my skin and I just sat there, looking at his beautiful, breathless face as I let him get used to the sensations on his organ. "How's that?" I asked, a little breathy myself, once he'd recovered most of his composure.

"Peter, oh, Peter," he gasped, then started moaning incoherently as I raised myself up a little and sat down again, finding a gentle, slow rhythm of stimulation. I decided to lean down and kiss him and as I wriggled the angle of his penetration changed and suddenly my bouncing caused a lance of pure pleasure to rip through me. "Oh!" I gasped as I felt his organ rub against that spot which I realised must be my prostate.

"You okay Peter?" Ryan asked me on hearing my exclamation, worry obviously parting the clouds of his lust. I just wailed, "fuck me, Ryan, fuck me fuck me fuck me!" and bounced up and down harder and harder at that new angle.

He opened his eyes wide at my enthusiasm and sat up, embracing me. He kissed me deeply then with a sudden flip I was lying flat and he was lying over me, pushing my legs up, my knees almost level with my ears. "You okay like that?" he asked me and I just yelled, "fuck me!" He laughed. "Okay then" he chuckled before ramming his penis in and out in a fast, hard rhythm that got my prostate every time. I wailed and yelled as the sensations overwhelmed me, I felt my own orgasm overcome me and as my muscles clenched I felt Ryan shooting deep inside me, his hot liquid filling me.

We both collapsed, naked, sweaty, exhausted, neither of us able or even willing to move and I fell asleep between one breath and the next with Ryan collapsed on top of me, still buried deep inside me.

I awoke to the most peculiar sensation. My willy felt hot and wet and "oh!" I realised what was happening just seconds before I orgasmed into Ryan's mouth. "Wow, what a way to wake up!" I giggled once I'd gotten my breath. He crawled up my body and kissed me and his tongue tasted of my cum as it swirled in my mouth.

"Good morning" he grinned once we broke from the kiss. I leaned into a second kiss. "Good morning to you too, lover" I replied after another bout of tongue-lashing. Ryan giggled. "I guess we really are, now, aren't we?" he asked and I frowned, still sleepy.

"Lovers" he explained. "Peter, I can't begin to explain how amazing last night was" he told me, "every inch of your body is amazing" he gushed, "inside and out" he smirked, "I love all of it. And you're right, cum tastes quite nice, doesn't it?"

I giggled back. "Yours is nicer than mine" I said. He smiled. "Well since I've never tasted my own I wouldn't know" he drawled, kissing me again.

"I bet I could fix that right now" I said. I could feel his erection pressing against my stomach and I quickly scooted down and took it into my mouth. He groaned and came after just a couple of minutes and I took his sticky sweet cum into my mouth but didn't swallow. I made my way back up to the top of the bed with my mouth closed around the offering and lying back I opened my mouth to show Ryan the contents. I pulled him down into a kiss and shared it with him as we battled tongues once more, both of us swallowing about half of it each. Once we broke from the kiss Ryan pretended to be swirling it around his mouth. "It's okay, I guess but yours is still nicer" he said in a stupid voice, making me giggle again.

We probably would have continued to have sex play if it hadn't been for our stomachs, which both started growling loudly at approximately the same moment. "I need breakfast" I grinned, "I'm starving!" Ryan enthusiastically nodded in agreement.

We had showers first, dressed in shorts and teeshirts since it was warm out even though it had started raining overnight and pulled the sheets off our bed before heading downstairs. Ryan put the sheets in the washing machine whilst I stacked our dirty pots from the previous night in the dishwasher. I put the almost used-up candle back on the mantelpiece and then we made breakfast together, cornflakes, orange juice and toast with honey on it. We were both very hungry but it didn't stop us giggling together. Ryan stuck his delicious pink tongue out and took a morsel of honey onto the tip before swirling it around his mouth like he had his own cum earlier. "That's nice too but I still think your cum is sweeter" he said.

"Idiot!" I laughed, still on a high and in a giggly, touchy-feely mood after our night. We ate a huge breakfast, filling our cereal bowls three times each before we were full. After stacking the pots in the machine we finished clearing up, downstairs and upstairs, then put the sheets in the dryer. "You got any plans for the rest of the day, Peter?" Ryan asked me.

"Nah, I thought we might visit Drew or go and play on the park if it stops raining but that's about it" I replied.

"Sounds good" he assured me, "but we could go to the pictures if you want?" I shook my head. "We're supposed to be saving our spends, remember? We're off to St Ives in three weeks time, we'll need it for then."

"Oh god" Ryan mumbled. "What honey?" I asked, suddenly worried.

"Peter, that means our registration is only a fortnight away, I'd forgotten it was so close" he said. "It just surprised me it had come around so fast."

"Damn, you're dozy today!" I laughed. "We've been sorting invites and the reception and stuff for weeks and you forgot how close we were?" He nodded sheepishly. "I know it's the eighteenth of July but I still forgot how close we are, I'm sorry."

"I know what we need to do today" I said. Ryan looked at me, surprised I was changing the subject. "Dad Henry reminded me yesterday and I totally forgot, we need to go for our final fitting." Ryan looked confused. "Our suits, dimwit, for our registration, remember? We need to go and get them fitted, dad Henry was talking about it on Thursday over tea, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember" he grinned sheepishly, "I'm sorry Peter, just with last night and everything my mind's kind of not working properly."

"That's kind of what I guessed" I giggled, "and I'm feeling the same way otherwise I would have mentioned the suits before. Oh well, come on, lets get our keys and mobile phones and we'll head off to the shops."

We headed to the shopping centre on the bus. It wasn't the closest one but it had the best selection of shops and it was there that dad Andy had approached the tailor's service in one of the department stores for our clothes. We'd chosen matching pale grey trousers, Ryan had gone for an adult-style jacket in the same material and I'd opted for a child's darker grey waistcoat with a swirling motif in silver thread. Ryan's tie was the same material as my waistcoat. Our shirts were silver satin, Ryan's with a traditional collar, mine with an oriental neck since I didn't want a tie on. Despite us only having nine centimetres height difference and weighing almost the same, I didn't want to pretend to be older than I was and besides which, Ryan thought it looked cute.

When we got to the shop it was busy. Three hettie weddings had filled the formal wear department with giggling bridesmaids and I almost ran when I realised that I knew two of the little girls from school. But Ryan placed a firm hand on my shoulder and marched me to the desk. "We've come for the final fitting for Jameson" he said confidently. My dad Andy had reserved the outfits in his name.

"Of course, we're a little busy at the moment but our gents changing is quiet" the clerk said, "mercifully" he rolled his eyes and grinned a small smile, which we returned. "Come this way" he offered and led us around to the gents changing area. He left us in a quiet part of the well appointed room and went to collect our outfits. He returned with the clothes and a tailor's box full of clips and pins and chalk and stuff and as we began to put our outfits on he made small talk. "So when's the big day?" he asked.

"Two weeks time" Ryan said. He smiled at me soppily and took hold of my hand. I couldn't resist those beautiful eyes and smiled back lovingly at him. "Oh, shit, it's your registration?" the clerk gasped, "I thought you were, like, pageboys or something." I giggled. "Nah, I'm making a man of him" I told the surprised clerk. Ryan snorted loudly as he tried to suppress his giggles, obviously remembering the previous night.

"Aren't you a little young?" he asked me with raised eyebrows, obviously noting that my voice was still stuck in the soprano range, which told louder than anything else I was a lot younger than Ryan. "I'm spartan" I shrugged, "my hormones didn't think I was too young. Besides which we met five months ago, it's about time we formalised it."

Ryan coughed and frowned and I looked at him. "five months, one week, two days and some change" he whispered, blushing slightly even as he smiled at me. The clerk smiled. "Got it bad, huh?" he asked. Ryan nodded dreamily.

"Right" the clerk became business-like as we finally finished putting our shirts and trousers on. He pulled and adjusted and pinned here and there, checking leg length and generally fussing over both of us. "Okay, now add the jackets gentlemen" he asked and we did and they got similar attention.

"Nothing major, just need to make a final adjustment on the length of legs and arms and one button needs moving in slightly and I think we're sorted" he smiled. "Now be careful taking those off, there are a few pins in them" he warned.

So advised we carefully undressed and put our shorts and teeshirts back on. Our outfits were hung up and Ryan arranged for my dads to collect them on the Thursday before the big day. Finally we were free to go and we exited the gents changing room with some relief. "I love you" Ryan whispered to me. I smiled. "I love you too, Ry" I replied.

We went out to the main department store to find that the flock of bridesmaids were still there. The staff looked harried and the littlest girls were fractious but the two who I knew were sat watching the gents changing room door like hawks. "See, I told you it was Peter!" one crowed as soon as we appeared.

"Hi, Dot" I smiled, "Rachel."

"What are you doing here? Are you a pageboy or something? Who do you know who's getting married?" they demanded, firing the questions in quick succession. I opened my mouth but nothing came out and seeing I'd been rendered speechless Ryan came to my rescue. "It's not a wedding, it's a registration" he told the girls, "and as for who's being registered, well, we are." He put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into him and I smiled, happy to be comforted by his strong arms.

The girls looked at me open mouthed. "You're eleven, Peter" Rachel said in the end. I just nodded. "You know there's no lower age limit for spartan registrations" I said, "I know you do `cos we covered it in school when we were talking about the law. And I told you that I'd bonded so why are you so shocked that we're registering?"

"'Cos your only eleven and a registration is like a wedding and your getting married and you're only eleven." Dot tended to repeat herself when she got flustered.

"A spartan bonds once and for life" I reminded her. "Don't you remember there was that case where a pair of four year olds bonded on their very first day of nursery school? Yeah, they waited almost four years but they were still only eight when they registered" I said. "And I'm eleven already and off to high school in September so it's not like I'm dead young."

"So if you guys are, like, virtually getting married and everything do you sleep together, like, have sex and everything?" Rachel asked before collapsing to the floor in a fit of giggles. I blushed scarlet, unsure how to answer. "Shit, you do!" Dot crowed, seeing my mortified expression, "you sleep together don't you? Did your first time hurt?"

"I am so not answering that" I answered, "leave us alone!" Ryan and I marched away from them and out of the store. As soon as we were a suitable distance from the bridesmaids from hell, Ryan and I looked at each other and burst out laughing. We both held our sides, in stitches, crying with laughter, holding each other up as we chuckled and chortled and giggled uncontrollably. "I can't believe she asked that!" Ryan hooted.

"I can't believe I blushed and like, completely answered her anyway" I managed to gasp in reply. Ryan just laughed all the harder. In fact, we were cackling that loudly that a few people gave us odd looks, wondering what was quite so funny on a rainy summer Saturday

We calmed down eventually and I checked my watch and realised it was nearly twelve. "Come on, let's go round to Drew's for lunch" I suggested. "Okay" Ryan smiled and we headed towards the bus depot. I called Drew from my mobile on the way. "You up for two more for lunch?" I asked him when he answered.

"Course, bro" he smiled, then said, "where are you?"

"On the bus, we've just been for our suit fitting" I explained. "Ooo, do you look good?" he giggled. "Yeah, they're great" I smiled, "but we're hungry now! We're about fifteen minutes away, okay?"

"Okay bro, see you soon" he smiled as he hung up.

We got to Drew and Elliot's apartment and buzzed the door. Drew let us up and we arrived to find the twins both crying. "They've both just this minute pooed" my brother grinned, "I was just going to change them but you can help if you want, get in practise" he chuckled, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

I went over to where they were lying on the rug being grouchy, knelt down and kissed both of them. "Stinky pair" I smiled. Joshua stopped crying and stared at me and seemed to be trying to grab my hair where the longer bangs fell down over my face. I giggled and let it tickle him, only to suddenly find Alexander had grabbed my hair from the other side. I turned my head to feel Joshua's little hands holding tight onto the lock nearest to him and I involuntarily let out an "Ow!" Drew laughed. "They tag-teaming you?" he asked, prising Alex's fingers apart as I did the same with Joshua. I laughed too. "I'll clean Alex, you do Josh" I offered.

Drew looked surprised. "You don't have to help, I was only joking" he said.

"Nah" I grinned, "get into practise." Drew raised his eyebrows then threw his head back and laughed. "You've finally managed to get into his pants then?" he chuckled. Ryan blushed scarlet and Drew saw how embarrassed he was. "Hey, nothing to be embarrassed about, dude," he grinned, "what did he end up cooking for you?"

"How did you know about the meal?" Ryan stuttered. Drew stopped laughing as he began to undress Joshua ready to clean him up. "He was worried about drinks and he called me to ask if it was okay to put cola in wine glasses" Drew said with a surprisingly straight face. "He really wanted to make you feel good" he smiled, "he just needed a bit of advice, that's all."

"Drew, just shut up or else you're doing Alex too" I interrupted. "I'm sorry bro" he grinned, "I didn't mean to embarrass either of you, honest" he said. He seemed surprisingly genuine.

"I swear" I said, "sometimes you are worse than our dads" I giggled as I began to undress Alex. "Phew!" I exclaimed when I got a whiff of what he'd done in his nappy. "What you been eating, kid?" I asked the baby. Alex just gurgled at me and tried to grab my hair again.

Drew had a bowl of warm water and a heap of cotton wool balls and both boys were cleaned in a surprisingly short space of time. "Lets leave them bare for a few minutes, get some air to that nappy rash" Drew suggested, taking the smelly nappies away. Both boys were earnestly trying to get their toes into their mouths and were gurgling happily.

Just then Elliot came in. He'd obviously been shopping and was loaded down with baby stuff and food in innumerable bags slung from his arms and shoulders. "Hi guys" he grinned, "give us a hand, will you?"

Ryan jumped up and took some of the bags and I took others and the three of us dragged everything into the kitchen. Drew followed, saying, "the boys are fine there for two minutes, let me take their stuff to the nursery for you." He got some baby shampoo and creams and wipes and stuff and walked away with it, leaving us to help Elliot put the food supplies away.

Elliot had put a chicken and barley soup on the cooker earlier on so we had that for lunch. "You are a really good cook" Ryan complemented him as he went to get a second bowlful.

"Thanks dude" Elliot smiled as he finished off his own soup, "but I'm not sure it's quite as good as I usually make it" he said.

"Man, if you make soup better than this you should be a chef or something!" I said, also getting a second bowlful. Drew laughed. "Pete, Elliot's intending to do just that, he's off to catering college in September" he smiled.

"What about you, bro, what are you doing?" I asked. "You being a full time dad?" He nodded. "Mostly" he said, "but I'm going to do some part time classes in childcare and possibly train to become a childminder or a nursery nurse or something" he said. "But not yet, of course, when the boys are older. But the training won't hurt, it'll help me look after them better too."

"And it'll give you some other people to talk to besides babies" Elliot grinned. My brother and Elliot leaned in and kissed each other tenderly. "I love you" Drew said. "I love you too" Elliot replied. I couldn't resist and said, "that's gross, get a room!" Ryan giggled at me. "You didn't think it was gross last night" he said in a mock whisper that I knew Drew and Elliot would have heard, before pulling me into his arms and smooching me just as Elliot had with Drew.

Drew laughed. "That's gross, get a room!" he copied my words exactly and suddenly all four of us were laughing so hard our sides hurt. "What did I do to deserve a brother like you?" I mock-frowned between laughter and Drew took a swipe at me. "Cheeky sod" he giggled. Just then the babies interrupted our laughter by yelling loudly. Obviously they'd decided they'd gone long enough being ignored and wanted to make their presence felt.

They screeches put an end to mine and Drew's mock argument and both dads each picked up one of their sons each. "Hey, Peter, if you two are having sex now, what are you going to do if you become emergent?" Drew asked. I knew what he wanted to know and was quick to reassure him. "I'm going to let the filaments drop out, I want to go to college, perhaps even go to uni and study something" I said. "I don't want to be a teenage parent, no offence, bro but it's just not for me" I finished quietly.

Drew smiled. "I hoped you'd say that. It was right for me but only `cos I knew Elliot had enough money to support us and being a dad was all I've ever wanted. But you, bro, you've spoken too many times about inventing something or going into space or travelling the world. I'd hoped you'd be sensible about it."

Ryan looked at me. "I've never been that good at school" he admitted, "I've never really known what I want to do. I've not even got a college place or anything lined up yet" he said, "I just don't know what I want to do."

"Why don't you start off by doing some A-Levels or something?" Drew suggested. "You know, something academic that doesn't really lead to a specific job. Or perhaps do one of them taster courses, where you get to try loads of stuff? That might be fun." Ryan didn't look convinced.

Elliot looked at him. "What was your favourite subject at school?" he asked. Ryan looked uncomfortable and didn't answer. "Come on, nothing can be that bad, what was your favourite subject?"

"R. E." Ryan finally admitted, "it was the best thing ever, especially leaning about the new gods. My dad thought I was insane and he refused to take me to visit the temple but I've always wanted to go" he said softly. Drew looked at me. "Peter, does Ryan know who we're related to?" he said softly. My heart was in my mouth. "Shit, bro, I never said, I assumed he did" I replied.

"What?" Ryan said. I could see his thoughts churning.

"You know how Joshua came and healed our boys?" Elliot asked and Ryan nodded. "You know why he came?" he asked. Ryan shrugged. "I assumed you'd asked the temple or something, you know, `cos twins are so rare for spartans."

I shook my head and took Ryan's hand and squeezed it tightly. "I'm sorry you didn't realise, Ry" I apologised, "but Ry, Joshua's our cousin. His dad Gabriel and our dad Andy are brothers." Ryan seemed to suddenly have trouble breathing, then as I watched, his eyes rolled into the back of his skull and he collapsed to the floor.

Drew and Elliot carried him over to the settee between them and laid him down. "Will he be okay, does he need a doctor or anything?" I said, flustered. Elliot shook his head. "I don't think so, he's just had a shock, that's all" he said.

"I feel awful, not realising he didn't know" I said, feeling incredibly guilty. Drew hugged me. "No need to feel like that, bro" he smiled, "you weren't to know he hadn't figured it out. Elliot figured it out by himself after all, you can't have known that Ryan didn't put two and two together."

Just then Ryan groaned and I knelt down at his side and took his hand. "Hey, you okay?" I asked softly. He opened his eyes and looked at me. "What happened?" he whispered.

"I told you Joshua was our cousin and you passed out" I replied with a small grin. "He really is your cousin?" he asked, his voice shaking. I nodded. "Yeah, he really is our cousin. And of course that means that Apollo's our uncle" I pointed out.

"And you've met them both?" he asked me. I laughed. "Met them? Ry, I've sat at the dinner table with them, I've even been on holiday with them. They like St Ives as much as we do, they might even come when we're there. Uncle Apollo makes me nervous sometimes when he's hungry but Joshua's great and I love his kisses" I giggled. Ryan looked terrified, Drew chortled and Elliot looked at me and my brother with faint disapproval. "You two treat it so normally, I don't think you realise how much your uncle and cousin freak people out" he chastised us both. "Try and be a bit more understanding, please?"

I met my lover's terrified eyes. "They're lovely people, Ryan" I said. "Yeah, they're gods but they're people too. They have hopes and dreams just like we do. Would you like to meet them?" I asked.

"M-m-m-meet them?" he stuttered. I nodded. "Our dads will be at my uncle Gabe's apartment now, I can call dad Andy and sort something out?" I offered and even though he was terrified Ryan's curiosity won over and he nodded with amazed eyes.

I got out my phone and called dad Andy. "Hey Pete, what's up?" he greeted me.

"Hey dad" I smiled, "listen, I didn't realise but Ryan didn't know we were related to Apollo and Joshua till today and I've asked him if he wants to come to London and meet them and he said yes. I wondered if we could sort something out?"

Dad Andy nodded. "I hope it wasn't too much of a shock for him?" he asked. I giggled. "He kinda passed out a bit but he's fine now" I explained, "but dad, could we come so Ryan can meet them?"

Dad Andy nodded. "Your granddads are driving up this evening, Peter" he told me, "if you call them now you might be able to get them to pick you up and bring you now. Ryan can meet everyone tonight and you can come home with us tomorrow. Is that okay?"

"Yeah!" I grinned, "I'll call granddad James now and ask. Thanks dad."

I hung up and called granddad James. "Hey, what you calling your old granddad for?" he chuckled when I got through to him. "I wondered if you could come and pick me and Ryan up and take us to London with you?" I asked, not beating about the bush. "Dad Andy said I could ask you, he and dad Henry are in London already."

"Let me call him and if he says it's okay we'll collect you in an hour. Are you at home?" he asked. "No, we're at Drew's" I explained.

"Well you two get home and get your toothbrushes and some clean undies in a bag and if you don't hear from me I'll see you in an hour" he promised. I thanked him and hung up and turned back to a stunned Ryan. "Let's get moving" I grinned.

My granddads James and Mike picked us up as promised and in a surprisingly short space of time we were pulling up in the reserved parking spaces at the temple proper. Ryan's fear had been palpable for the whole journey and he hadn't been able to speak, hardly, so apart from the odd mumbled "yeah" or "no" nothing much happened in the car. It was late when we got there as we didn't leave home till mid-afternoon but we weren't too late for supper. Ryan seemed more terrified than ever and his knees virtually knocked together as I helped him through the wide portico and into the main lobby. Dad Andy was waiting for us there and with a nod to the guard on the desk he led us upstairs.

"Your uncle is just finishing preparing supper" he said to us, "you're just in time." He gave my granddads a hug once we got to the top of the stairs. "Dad James, dad Mike, thanks for collecting them, I thought it best for Ryan if we get all the shocks over at once" he grinned.

We went into my uncle Gabe's apartment to see my uncle Gabe playing on the Xbox with my cousins Jonathan and Nathaniel. "Hey guys" he grinned, "let me just let the terrible twosome beat me again and I'll come and give you a hug" he offered. No sooner had he spoke than Jon and Nat won and began a victory dance around the room. Uncle Gabe threw his controller down and came over to us and hugged us soundly. "You're growing up Peter" he smiled, "so this is the famous Ryan? Nice to meet you" he said, holding his hand out for a shake. Ryan just stayed frozen in terror. "What's up son?" uncle Gabe asked.

"He's terrified of me being related to Joshua and uncle Apollo" I said, "I've brought him to meet them so he can see that they're not as scary as he imagines they are but so far he's struggling with the whole concept" I explained.

"Ryan" my uncle Gabe said softly, "did you want to come and meet my son and my partner?" he asked. Ryan nodded, though it was an effort. "But you've changed your mind now haven't you?" he asked.

"How did you know?" Ryan blurted.

"Apollo told me" uncle Gabe said simply. "You're broadcasting your fear so strongly that he couldn't help but hear it and he read your thoughts and told me telepathically why you're so afraid. You don't have to meet them, you know?" my uncle continued, "if it's too much then they'll both stay invisible, we won't force them onto you" he smiled, "promise."

Ryan managed a shaky smile. "It's not just that Peter's related to them" he explained in a soft voice, "it's that I've always wanted to worship them and my dad would never let me come here. I'm kind of freaking out mainly `cos I'm hoping they'll accept me" he explained. It was the most he'd said all day and I hugged him to show how proud I was that he'd managed to explain what was on his mind.

Just then my cousin Nat turned to the corner of the room and yelled, "Josh! Dad Apollo said he'll kick your arse into orbit if he catches you sneaking up on us again!" He looked irritated.

"I know bro" Nat continued in a softer voice after a few moments. "Is he really that scared of you?" he asked.

"Nathaniel, be quiet, talk telepathically if you must but stop this one sided conversation, it's not polite" dad Gabriel chided him. "Sorry dad" the fifteen year old apologised, bowing his head.

"And you're not much better, you're not too old for me to take you over my knee and spank you" uncle Gabriel grinned to the empty corner of the room. His threat was met by disembodied laughter that made Ryan tremble. "Okay, sorry dad" I heard Joshua say contritely. He gradually appeared, fading in slowly. "There's no need to be scared, Ryan" he said softly, smiling his dazzling grin.

My granddad James went and kissed him, as did granddad Mike, then dad Henry, then dad Andy. I followed next in what was partly Joshua's ritual greeting, partly an expression of true familial love for my cousin. I kissed him gently on his cheek and smiled as I felt the tickling sensation of my love being consumed.

"I've read about that!" Ryan whispered to me, excitedly, when I went back to his side. "A kiss is the way that close worshippers greet Joshua when they're in his pres" he paused and shook, nerves overtaking him again. I just grinned. "It's a bit different than the text book isn't it?" I asked. Joshua walked over so he was less than an arm's length away. "Ryan Gillespie" he smiled, "are you one of my worshippers?" he asked, talking so softly and with such a gentle smile that he almost invited my lover to nod.

"Since you're in my presence, will you greet me properly?" he whispered, extending his hand. Ryan began to tremble and shake and I hugged him tightly. "You don't have to, Ry" I said gently. He shook his head. "Yeah, I do" he forced himself to say, reaching out and grasping Joshua's hand, drawing it to his lips and kissing the back of my divine cousin's knuckles.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Joshua chuckled. He looked and sounded perfectly mortal and for that I was grateful. Ryan managed a shaky grin. "I've wanted to meet you for so long, I'm just" he stuttered.

"I know Ryan" Joshua said, leaning over and kissing my lover's forehead. "Calm now, calm" he whispered into Ryan's skin before kissing him.

We all finally made it to the sofas and settled down. "Dinner will be ten minutes" uncle Gabe reported shortly, "and then we'll go to worship." He looked at Ryan. "Apollo doesn't want to spoil your dinner with nerves so he'll meet you in the temple, if that's okay?" Ryan just nodded.

"Who's leading worship tonight, dad Gabe?" Joshua asked. "It was supposed to be Charles but it was his dad's funeral only two days ago, I don't think he's feeling up to it" uncle Gabriel replied.

"I'll speak with him, ask if he wants you or me to do it" Joshua offered and uncle Gabe nodded. Joshua looked distant for a couple of minutes. "He said he'd appreciate the help" he reported.

"Well you can lead the service if you want, son" uncle Gabriel offered. Joshua grinned. "I was thinking granddad could do it" he replied.

"You getting an old man to do your job for you?" granddad James chortled. "Okay, it's been ages since I did an ordinary evening prayer but if you want me to I will do" he offered.

"What's all that about?" Ryan whispered to me. "Granddad James, uncle Gabriel and Joshua are all Apolline priests" I explained, "so they can lead tonight's service. Actually granddad James was high priest but he retired a few years ago and uncle Gabe has that job now." Ryan just nodded, acknowledging that he understood.

Uncle Gabriel stood up then and said, "let me just check on dinner and I'll call you if it's done." He disappeared into the kitchen and I heard two distinct voices talking. "Who's in there?" Ryan asked me. My cousins, Jon and Nat, giggled. "Our dads" they replied. Ryan frowned. "Who do you think's cooking supper?" Jon asked. "Dad Gabe's played games and talked to us all evening, dad Apollo's been on kitchen duty today." Ryan gulped. "Then he's?" he stuttered.

Joshua came and took his hand. "You needn't be so scared of me or my father" he said softly. "Yes, we're divine but we're both people too. We love and we dream and talk and think and work just like other people. We can just do some different things and we have to eat some different things, that's all" he smiled.

Ryan still looked scared. "I can heal you of your fear if you want" Joshua offered but Ryan shook his head. "It's not that kind of fear" he explained, "it's more, I can't believe I'm actually talking to you and sitting so close to your father. I'm a bit awe struck, I guess" he smiled.

Just then the door to the apartment opened and a busty young woman with long red curly hair bounced excitedly into the room. Behind her walked a short, stout, dark-skinned human man. "We're not too late are we?" the woman asked. Joshua shook his head. "No, you're not too late but before we eat there are a few introductions. Tina, Ahmed, this is Ryan, Peter's partner and my newest cousin. Ryan, these are my priests, Tina and Ahmed."

Ryan shyly shook hands with the newcomers. "Nice to meet you" Ahmed smiled.

"My word, you are a nervous one" Tina observed when she shook Ryan's hand. "Hi Peter" she smiled to me, "how are you?"

"Hungry" I replied, making her laugh. "Boys of all species are exactly the same" she grinned.

"Dinner's ready" uncle Gabe called from the kitchen door and we trooped in and sat around the big kitchen table. There was a lovely-smelling steak and onion pie in the centre of the table with mashed potato and four different veggies and we all piled our plates high, including, I was surprised to see, Joshua. He caught me looking and smiled but didn't say anything out loud. I thought he wasn't going to speak at all but then I heard his voice in my mind. "I'm only eating to try and give Ryan some reassurance" he explained telepathically to me. "If I didn't eat he'd get really nervous again" he said.

For pudding there was a fantastic, home-made apple flavoured ice cream that just begged to be finished off and all of us had second and third helpings. "Wow, that was amazing" Ryan said, patting his stomach after polishing off even more food than I had. Uncle Gabe chuckled. "The amount you put away I guessed you were enjoying it" he grinned. Before Ryan could get embarrassed, though, my uncle continued, "anyway, come on, chop chop, time to go down to the temple."

We all trooped downstairs and I noticed that uncle Gabriel and Joshua both had big black cases with them and my uncle and Jon and Nat had dressing gowns draped over their arms. We went into the changing room and everyone stripped off, everyone except Joshua who seemed to disappear when we went in, though with the crowd of us there I don't think Ryan noticed he was missing.

Granddad James and uncle Gabriel both put on twin swords. Ryan was a bit self-conscious as he undressed but I calmly led him through to the desk to get a sword and once we were both armed we went into the temple proper, where I saw Joshua, waiting for us and we started walking over the plaza towards him.

I love it in the temple, the presence of Apollo almost burns but it's a lovely sensation, an amazing feeling of being almost inside him. Since Joshua had shown himself I knew that often Apollo appeared in the temple in solid form and I wondered idly if he was going to do that tonight. But most of my attention was diverted when I realised that Ryan's knees had gone weak and he was struggling to walk in a straight line.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked him, putting my arm around his waist to steady him. To my surprise he grinned. "It's amazing" he breathed, "I can feel him. I can feel Apollo right here" he smiled.

Presently the service began. Granddad James said the ritual words and drew his swords and we all followed, pulling our swords to the sides even as the few priests in the temple drew their twin blades into a sword cross above their heads. Ryan watched me closely and copied me. Then it was time to pray and I showed him how to kneel. "What do I say?" he asked.

"Normally the first time people just ask Apollo to touch them" I replied and knelt and prayed, aware that Ryan was copying me. As I knelt I found myself praying something new, something different from normal. "Uncle, please, if Ryan pleases you will you come in solid form and greet him?" I asked. A number of gasps and indrawn breaths made me look up and I realised to my shock that my uncle Apollo had done exactly as I'd asked. He met my shocked eyes with his flame-filled orbits and I swear he winked and smiled before walking over to where Ryan was still knelt. Then as everyone watched he laid his hands on Ryan's head. "Look and recognise your god, Ryan" he said in his beautiful voice. Ryan lifted his head and what flashed across his face wasn't fear but adoration. "My lord and my god" he whispered, tears running down his cheeks, overwhelmed by the meeting.

"Ryan, from this point forward I require you to wear two swords and next time you enter the temple you must bring with you a sacrifice" Apollo then said in his booming oratorical style. "You are to be priest before the next full moon and in the fullness of time will become high priest." He smiled gently at my stunned partner. "I've waited a long time for you to come, Ryan" he said, more softly this time, "I'm glad you finally made it."

A ripple of murmuring broke out as my granddad disappeared through the doorway into the priest's changing area and returned with a twin sword belt with shoulder straps and two long blades. "Ryan" he smiled, "come over here, let's swap your sword belt over" he said.

Ryan tried to stand up but his knees gave way and to his and my astonishment Apollo grabbed his arm. "Easy now, I don't want you to pass out again" he grinned.

Granddad pulled Ryan to the side of the room and quickly swapped the belts over, giving Ryan two swords that for the moment marked him as an acolyte, since he hadn't yet sacrificed. Ryan looked at Apollo and something silent passed between them, then I watched as my lover seemed to walk automatically to the altar, where my granddad had stood up until a few minutes previously and in a flourish I knew he couldn't have managed himself drew his swords into a cross. Then to one side, uncle Gabriel started clapping and cheering, then Joshua, then granddad James, then the rest of us joined in. Ryan lowered his swords, flush-faced, pure pleasure flashing across his features. I walked over to him once he'd sheathed the weapons and gave him a big hug and a kiss. "I'm so proud of you" I said.

Ryan swept me up and twirled me around. "Peter, I finally know who I am!" he gushed. "I don't know why I was so scared, Peter, I've found where I'm supposed to be!"

"The next high priest, eh?" I smiled. "I don't know why, I always thought it'd be Joshua for some reason" I said.

Joshua himself came over. "It wouldn't be right if I was high priest" he explained in response to my comment, "people would come to worship me and not my father. No, its better that Ryan takes the place, his belief is certainly strong enough."

We spent the rest of the evening celebrating with my family. Ryan was over the moon, thrilled and amazed at his elevation and he kept running his hand over the black case that held his swords and harness with something akin to shock in his eyes. Finally we were able to get some privacy, Ryan and I were sharing Joshua's old bedroom and my dads, my granddads and Joshua and his priests, of course, all were sleeping in Joshua's apartment. We undressed and I cuddled Ryan tightly as we slipped under the light sheet -- it was a warm night so we didn't need any other covering.

"You've had a busy day" I smiled as we hugged. Ryan grinned back. "You know we were talking about what I wanted to do with my life and I guess I always knew I wanted to do something with faith or religion but since I'd never come to the temple before I couldn't really say I wanted to be an Apolline priest but it's just perfect" he told me. "It's where I'm supposed to be. I guess I'll be spending a lot of time here in London, though" he said and a touch of sadness flashed through his eyes, "I hope you don't miss me too much."

"Well, come September, why don't I come to London with you?" I asked. "Let's see what my dads and uncles think but if they're okay why don't we ask if we can live here with uncle Gabriel and I'll go to the same high school as my cousins rather than school in Manchester so we can be together while you train."

Ryan looked pleased. "Do you think they'd let us?" he asked. I nodded. "I'm sure of it, especially if you offer to train for some of the mundane jobs too, like medic or secretary or cook or something. And I can help out here. And anyway, after our registration they won't be able to separate us anyway, where you go I'll follow."

"I love you Peter" Ryan grinned, nuzzling my neck and making me giggle. "I love you too" I gasped breathily before pulling my lover in for a long, deep kiss.

Elliot's tale

"Honey, I'm home!" I yelled as the lift rolled open in our apartment. Drew's handsome face peaked around the kitchen door as I kicked my shoes off. He grinned. "We're all in here trying to out-do daddy Elliot at cookie baking" he grinned. He was covered in flour.

"Daddy El, daddy El!" the twins greeted me with enthusiasm, running out of the kitchen and coming over to cuddle me. "What's happened to you two?" I laughed, taking in the clouds of flour that seemed to drift from their every pore. "Alex dropped flour" Joshua said "it made big white clouds and daddy Drew sneezed" he explained in his serious, three-year-old voice.

"Me not drop, you did!" Alex pouted. "You did!" Joshua retorted. "That'll do" I interrupted their fledgling argument, "who had hold of the bag? Just one of you or did you both have it?"

"Both" they answered sheepishly.

"So you both dropped it then?" I asked and they nodded, then giggled. They loved each other so much that they couldn't be mad for long, not even in a toddler temper-tantrum.

Drew had emerged from the kitchen by this time, drying his hands on a cloth and coming to kiss me. "Good day at work?" he asked. I nodded. "Yeah but the breakfast crowd was rowdy, the hotel had a stag party staying last night. Lunchtime was better but I'm so glad someone else is doing dinner this evening" I grinned. I'd worked at the same hotel for eighteen months now, my first job since leaving catering college and it was going really well.

Drew had prepared supper as well as a tray of chocolate chip cookies which, despite the twin's accident with the flour had turned out really well. "Come on, bath time and bed time for you two" I smiled once we'd eaten. We had the usual pouts and "not sleepy" protests but we managed to get them cleaned and into pyjamas in fairly short order before shuffling them into their bedroom.

The apartment was big enough that they could have had separate bedrooms but they sobbed heartbrokenly when we suggested it. As it was we had an uphill struggle keeping them in separate beds -- even when we tucked them in separately, one brother would always find his way into his sibling's bed and arms.

"Daddy, want sleep with Alex!" Joshua complained in his standard bedroom routine.

"Want sleep with Josh" Alex stated emphatically, "daddies sleep gether, me and Josh sleep gether" he explained with typical toddler logic.

"But me and daddy Drew are partners, we're supposed to sleep together" I explained as patiently as I could, "you two are brothers, what happens when you fall in love with someone when you're older? You can't share you bed with your brother and your partner and his partner too, that's just silly."

"No partner" Alex affirmed, another familiar protest, "Just Josh." Joshua nodded in agreement and cuddled his brother tightly, so tight that Drew and I had a hard time prising them apart. "Just Alex" he told us.

We finally got them into separate beds, read a story and kissed them goodnight. It was only a few minutes later, sat on the sofa, that Drew and I heard the rustle of bedclothes as the brothers both got out of bed, giggled softly and climbed back into one bed together. "Should we separate them?" Drew asked me. I should my head. "I can't see the point, they'll only go back to one bed as soon as we close the door" I sighed. "Perhaps we should give up the argument and just buy them a double bed" I suggested, half in jest but half seriously, frustrated by our lack of progress with separating the pair.

Drew laughed and said, "you know, perhaps we should suggest it to them, see what they think?"

I just grinned. "Call their bluff?" I asked, "why not?"

I should have known it wouldn't work. We asked our boys if they wanted "a big bed like your daddies so that you can always share" and they positively bubbled over with excitement. "Really?" Josh asked with wide eyes. "Share?" Alex said.

"If you really want to" I said gently. "You always share anyway and we can put your single beds in one of the spare rooms in case you want them in the future."

"Me share with Josh forever" Alex grinned. Josh cuddled his brother and kissed him.

"Okay, we'll get you a big bed then" I sighed.

They slept a lot more comfortably and a lot more happily once the double bed was installed. They always cuddled each other and kissed each other sweetly before falling asleep. Even getting them out of nappies and dry at night was so much easier when we tried it a few months later as nighttimes had become calm, simple affairs.

"I don't begrudge them their affection but I wonder why they are so adamant at being together?" Andy, Drew's dad, said when we spoke to him about it. We were sat in the corner of a function room at the time, as the family were celebrating their granddad Mike's one hundredth birthday.

"Must be something to do with being twins, I guess" Drew sighed. "It just worries me, dad, is it normal for brothers to share a bed?"

"They're only four, Drew" Andy said, "at their age, yes, its normal. They'll grow out of it, I'm sure."

We let them share and inevitably whenever we went in to check they were entwined so tightly it was almost impossible to tell where one twin ended and the other began. As they grew, we'd hoped that the novelty would wear off but it didn't. Going to school didn't encourage separation as we'd hoped, if anything they were closer than ever and even when their little brother, Harry, was born and was given his own room, neither twin wanted to separate from the other.

The whole issue came to a head when Alex and Josh were eight years old, Harry was two and we'd gone to London for the February half-term to visit family and attend worship. We were at Peter and Ryan's house in Chelsea and the boys spent half their time the first evening we arrived watching cartoons and half cuddling four month old Matthew, Peter's first child and their cousin. They had two big spare bedrooms, the beautiful house paid for partly with Ryan's joint salaries as priest and solicitor and partly by Peter who'd recently begun work for a travel agency, along with a large contribution by the rest of their large, wealthy and rather famous family.

Anyway, we were staying with my brothers-in-law, a first since the house was a fairly new purchase and they were astonished when we tucked Josh and Alex into the double bed and took the room with the three singles for ourselves and Harry.

"You're not serious?" Peter asked as we sat back and talked over wine and nibbles. Drew nodded. "Bro, if we separate those two the tantrums and tears would echo over half of London" he said.

"But you two are life partners and you're happy to sleep apart, whilst you're here at least" he frowned. "Why can't the boys? They're brothers, not lovers."

"Because," Drew started, then stopped to think. He shrugged. "I guess they're just so close that it'd be cruel to make them stay apart" he finished lamely. "It just hurts them so much whenever we've tried" he explained.

"Bro, you know that's not right" Peter said softly. "It shouldn't hurt them so much to be apart. They should be capable of having their own space and different lives. Have they ever slept apart?" he asked. Drew shook his head and sighed. "No" he said simply.

"We tried, we've tried so many times but short of chaining them to separate walls we can't enforce it" I explained. "And anyway, why should we? They're happy, they work well on their homework, they hardly ever argue, even and they love giving each other hugs and kisses. And they always sleep in each other's arms, I don't know if they would sleep at all if they didn't have someone to cuddle, since they were in a cot they slept cuddled up together."

Peter shook his head. "What happens when they meet their life partners?" he asked. Drew nodded, worriedly. "I know, I can only pray that they meet them at the same time otherwise one of them'll be heartbroken."

Ryan, Peter's partner, had been listening to the conversation with obvious curiosity but hadn't yet spoken. "Erm, Elliot, Drew" he began and we turned to him. "I've just thought of something" he said, "you say they kiss and cuddle each other?" he asked and we nodded. "And they never argue?" he continued and I said, "hardly ever but no, not really."

"And it seems to hurt them so much to be apart that you feel cruel doing it?" he asked. I suddenly realised where he was going and I shook my head. "No, Ryan, no! My sons are not life partners, they are twin brothers, not lovers. They are not going to end up in an incestuous relationship, no, no!" I shuddered. "No" I said again.

"Who are you trying to convince?" he asked me softly. "Me or yourself?"

"No!" I exclaimed, "that's just wrong on so many levels!" I was angry with Ryan for his suggestions and with Peter and to an extent Drew for not backing me up. We ended up heading to bed early, Drew and I in single beds in the same room as our youngest boy. This didn't help, of course and I lay there, stewing over Ryan's observations for most of the night.

The next morning I decided to test the twins. They showered, together as usual, dressed in similar clothes and made their way to breakfast hand in hand. All this was normal for them and I'd never really noticed before how similar their relationship was to that of young lovers rather than brothers. It unnerved me to say the least. "Today, I thought that you could come with me and Harry to the Natural History museum, Alex. Josh, you can go with dad Drew to the British museum, then we'll swap tomorrow."

Anyone would have thought I'd suggested root canal surgery or something equally traumatic. Both boys went wide-eyed with horror. "No!" Joshua gasped. Alex grabbed his brother's hand. "We're not going anywhere apart, no dad El, no" Alex protested. Both boys had tears in their eyes at the very prospect of being separated.

"Why not?" I asked them gently. "Don't you want to see who can have the most fun day? Compare notes tonight and see who's seen the most stuff?"

"No!" they said in unison. "We don't care, we can even stay here and do extra homework or clean up or something," Josh said, "as long as we're together" Alex finished. I sighed. Shit, they were completing each other's sentences now. "I don't understand, can you explain why it's so bad to be apart?" I asked the traumatised pair, speaking even softer. "Can you explain to me and your dad Drew and your uncles why you've always got to be together?" I said.

They both started crying, identical, soft drippy tears rolling down identical, pained faces. "'Cos we're brothers and we don't want to be apart" Alex said, "not ever" Josh finished.

"Me and your dad Drew are brothers and we live hundreds of miles apart" Peter told the twins, again with a gentle voice, trying not to spook them. All the adults had figured out what I was doing and were supporting me and for that I was grateful. They looked at their uncle Peter and then their dad Drew and then met each other's eyes. "That's just" Josh said, "so sad" Alex finished. "Don't you, like, miss each other too much?" Alex said, "like, miss each other so much that part of you kind of wants to curl up and shake and cry?" Josh asked.

Peter shook his head. "I'd miss your uncle Ryan that way" he explained to the boys, "and I bet your dad Drew would miss your dad Elliot that way but we don't miss each other, not really." The boys stayed silent, taking this in.

"What's going to happen when you meet your life partners and fall in love?" Ryan asked them. "All spartans have a life partner" he stated, pointing out only what the boys had already learned in sex education classes.

"We've got each other" Josh mumbled after the silence stretched. He cuddled Alex close. "We're fairly sure we're not going to have anyone else" Alex explained softly, "neither of us would want to hurt" he paused, "the other" Josh finished his sentence.

"It wouldn't be" Josh said, "right" Alex finished, "to upset Josh," "Alex" Josh said, "like that."

Ryan just looked at me. I felt defeated. "Boys, you can't love each other like life partners, it's not right, you're brothers, if you two decided you were life partners that would make it" I couldn't finish my sentence.

Alex and Josh looked at each other. "We kind of looked stuff up when we first thought that we might be life partners" Alex began to explain. "And we found that if we were humans it'd be something called incest and it'd be illegal" Josh continued, "but cos we're spartan it's not cos the Spartan Registration Act doesn't actually make it illegal to register if you're related."

"You know what it means to be life partners?" Peter asked them. They nodded in unison. Peter and Ryan looked at Drew and me. Drew was stunned and shell-shocked and numbly sat next to me, so I spoke. "You really think you're each other's life partner?" I asked in a quiet whisper. With a combination of obvious relief and genuine reluctance my twin sons looked at each other, took a deep breath and in unison whispered, "yes."

"But that's impossible" Drew protested, the first thing he'd contributed to the discussion.

"Why dad Drew?" they asked, again speaking in unison.

"Because you're brothers!" Drew exploded.

"Whoa, bro, calm down" Peter said to my lover. "There's someone we can ask who'll be able to settle this and tell us for certain" he pointed out, "bro, why don't we call Joshua?"

"And ask him what? To heal them?" Drew replied. Peter shook his head. "No, ask him if it is a partner bond. He can detect them most of the time and if he can't tell then we'll pray to Apollo and ask him. If anyone can confirm if your sons are life partners it's Apollo, he created the partner bond after all."

"I don't want" I began then stuttered to a halt.

"Don't want what?" Ryan asked me. "Don't want to ask the question in case you get an answer you don't like?"

"I don't want my sons to be life partners" I said and I could feel my emotions welling up inside me. I quashed the desire to cry and took a deep breath. "It's not right" I whispered.

Drew pulled me into a hug. "Honey, I don't either but Peter and Ryan are right, if we can ask our gods and they say they're not life partners then we can separate the boys and do what we need to enforce the separation. If they are then it's illegal, not to mention immoral, to keep them apart and we're just going to have to live with it."

"But honey" I protested feebly. "I know" Drew replied. He cried tears for both of us as we hugged. "Dad Drew, why are you crying?" Joshua asked gently

"Come on, dad El, it's not so bad, is it, us being each other's life partner?" Alex said to me.

"Dads, we don't need healing and we don't need separating" Joshua said. He held his brother's hand so tightly his knuckles went white with the strain. "We love each other like brothers and like more than brothers" Alex said, smiling at us then turning to Josh.

"Please dad Drew, stop crying, I don't like seeing you upset for us" Josh asked. He led his brother to us and the pair embraced Drew and I even as we embraced each other.

"I'm sorry boys" Drew managed to say eventually. "I'm just feeling a bit sad about the whole thing, that's all" he explained.

"There's nothing to be sad about dad Drew" Alex smiled softly. "We aren't sorry" he explained. "Yeah, well, I'm still not convinced, let's see what our gods say" Drew replied.

Ryan was due in work that morning, mainly temple duties and helping people with individual prayers, but he was also due to deliver a lecture on reconciling Joshusite healing with other faiths. "I'm due to meet Joshua in a couple of hours to finish the lecture preparation" he said, "but I'm sure you could come and speak with him for a few minutes, especially since you're family" he offered. We agreed and Drew, the boys and I accompanied him to the temple.

"Hey Drew, how are you?" we were greeted by Drew's uncle when we arrived in the splendid, recently renovated and extended building. "Hi uncle Gabe" he replied, "we're fine" he said nonchalantly. Gabriel pursed his lips. "No you're not" he said. "What's up?"

"Can we take this somewhere private?" Drew asked, "the lobby isn't quite the right place for this discussion."

"Of course" Gabriel smiled and he led us all upstairs to his apartment.

Jonathan and Nathaniel, two of Drew's cousins, had moved out after university, surprisingly enough going to their grandfather's home city of Manchester but Joshua still lived at the temple with his father and his priests. When we walked in to the big apartment we saw Tina and Ahmed sat reading some papers. "Hi guys, where's Joshua?" Drew asked.

Ahmed looked distant as he thought about it. "Erm, he's in Greece with Apollo, he's at the Apolline temple in New York and he's with his granddads in Glossop" he answered. Joshua had gotten the hang of omnipresence a year or so before and since then made the most of it. "Can you get his attention?" Drew asked and Tina nodded. She closed her eyes and let a deep breath out through her nose. Then she started speaking. "Hey, lover, get your butt back here, you've got visitors" she said in a giggly voice. It surprised me that she was so familiar with her god but I realised that Joshua not only enjoyed familiarity but thrived on other people's closeness and affectionate attitudes.

A few moments after Tina spoke, a hazy figure materialised in the corner of the room. "You okay?" he asked Tina, then turned and saw us all. "Hey, cous!" he greeted Drew, "Hi, Elliot, and my word you three have grown" he greeted Alex, his namesake and Harry respectively.

Alex and Josh hugged their divine relative. "Uncle Josh" little Joshua said, "we, Alex and I, we think" he began. "That we're each other's life partner" Alex continued, "but our daddies are upset by the idea. Can you help us?"

I let out an explosive breath. "Well, nothing like coming to the point, is there?" I breathed.

"They claim they're life partners but you and Drew both can't stand the thought of an incestuous relationship?" Joshua turned and spoke to us. Drew shook his head. "They can't be in love like that, Joshua" he said, "it's not right" he finished and he looked like he wanted to cry again.

Joshua knelt down and said, "boys, will you give your uncle Josh his kisses?" With a grin and a giggle the two eight year olds did as asked and wrapped their arms around Joshua's neck and kissed him soundly on each cheek. As they did I could see Joshua's expression change to one first of concentration and then of surprise, touched by a little regret. "Thanks boys, that's lovely" he smiled to them and then continued, "now, why don't you go with your uncle Gabe and your little brother to get some pop and crisps whilst I talk with your daddies?"

"Okay uncle Joshua" Josh giggled and the pair ran off, dragging little Harry by both hands. I looked at Joshua, almost unconsciously taking Drew's hand and squeezing it. "I'm sorry" Joshua said softly, "but they're right. They are joined by one of the strongest partner bonds I've felt in a long time. If your sons aren't lovers already they will be before they're adults. Cousin," he finished, taking a now-sobbing Drew into his arms, "I'm sorry my news isn't what you wanted to hear but it's the truth. They are each other's life partners. If it's any consolation there's another pair of spartan twins in New York who I've been working with for six months, they actually didn't want to be each other's life partner and I've been helping them with their resentment issues towards their twin. They love each other dearly but they've struggled terribly because of the incest issue."

"How old are they?" Drew asked. "Eleven" Joshua answered, "but they came to the conclusion when they were six and were horrified. Their fathers are both okay with it but the revelation nearly killed the brothers, neither of them wanted it to be true. They're getting better, we've finally got them back into the same bed but it's been hard. I've healed most of their fear but unfortunately society isn't helping them to stay healed."

"So what do we do?" I asked numbly. Joshua shrugged. "Support them to be together as much as they can. Register them, this week if you're able to arrange it, familial registrations are legal in the UK. Let them be who they are at home `cos they're going to suffer when their relationship becomes common knowledge, they'll need a comforting and supportive home."

"But" Drew gasped, still crying. "I know" Joshua said simply.

I couldn't find words to express what I wanted to say. A quiet pain filled my heart. "Register them, Joshua, how could?" I stuttered.

"I could suggest it because they're life partners. Just like you and Drew, Elliot, just like my dad and Apollo, just like me and Tina and Ahmed. Come on, in this family, did you really think they'd just have an ordinary life partner? Come on, what's the chances of that?" I smiled, which was what Joshua had obviously intended, though it was a watery affair still marred by my tears.

Just then the twins came over with glasses of pop and a bag of crisps each. I could hear their little brother back in the kitchen with uncle Gabriel. "What's up dad Drew?" Josh asked. Alex came to me. "Are you okay?" he said, slipping his hand into mine.

I just nodded. "What is it?" he asked me perceptively.

"Josh, Alex, come sit down" I said softly. They looked at each other, took each other's hands and the five of us, Drew and I, our eight year old sons and our god settled on the sofas. "I've looked at you both" Joshua said and his voice was faintly choral. "And you were right, boys, you do have a partner bond."

Their eyes went wide and their faces showed a combination of relief and pain. "That's why our dads are upset, isn't it?" Alex asked and the god nodded. "It's not going to be easy, boys" he continued, "people aren't going to give you much understanding, that's why your dads are hurting. You'd have an easier life if you weren't each other's life partners. So you're going to have to be strong. Your daddies are going to support you as much as they can but they're upset `cos they both know how much you're going to struggle."

"But why will it be so hard?" Alex asked innocently.

"Because you're brothers and people might not like that you're partners, especially when you have children. In humans, if people have children with their brother or sister then strange and rather horrible things happen with genetics and most of the population will feel certain disgust towards you both for permitting your children to suffer like that. Of course, they won't suffer, that seems to be the thing with spartan twins, I know two isn't a pattern but I'm willing to bet that all twins are each other's life partners and that your children will be genetically identical to you. There's not going to be any birth defects in your sons, a partner bond prevents that."

"Children?" little Josh asked and his eyes went wide. Joshua nodded and smiled at his namesake. "Of course, that's what a partner bond indicates, the person you're fertile for. I thought you'd have figured that out by yourself."

Alex, too, went wide eyed then suddenly started to giggle. Josh followed suit and soon the two boys were howling with laughter, clutching each other as they fell about in tearful, joyful hysterics. As they calmed down they hugged each other closely and Alex leaned in to his twin and whispered something in Josh's ear. Josh nodded and the pair, blushing brightly, turned back to us. "Care to share what was so funny?" I drawled with a grin, having guessed by the blushes if nothing else what the giggles were for.

They blushed even more furiously, confirming my guess, then Josh spoke. "It was just, when you mentioned children we remembered how babies were made and we kind of both thought about doing it."

"Doing what?" I grinned with a twinkle in my eye. Alex caught my barely suppressed laughter. "Dad El!" he yelled, "you know" he told me, punching my shoulder. He opened his mouth to continue and suddenly no words would come out and he blushed again. Our god came to our son's rescue. "As is the right of all life partners, they want to consummate their relationship" he said softly, "but then, Elliot, you knew that already" he smiled sweetly. And as he spoke the brothers cuddled tightly, expressions of pure happiness on their sweet faces. "I love you" they each whispered.

Epilogue

And so with this, the tale draws to a close but life, of course, continued. Alex and Joshua became lovers and had two sons who were genetically identical to their fathers. Their little brother, Harry, found a human life partner and bore three boys, one singlet and a set of twins.

The patriarchs of the family, Mike Hill and James Phillipson died on the same night, peacefully in their sleep whilst cradled in each other's arms. James was one hundred and eleven years old and Mike one hundred and twenty four. The whole of London stopped for their funeral as over two million spartans from all over the world descended onto the capital to pay their respects and line the route of the funeral cortege. After a service at the temple they were buried in the cemetery in Glossop, near to the home they'd lived in for so long. The cottage itself was, after great public demand, turned into a memorial and museum of their life.

Gabriel died at the age of one hundred and seven and Nathaniel and Jonathan some years later at the same age. Apollo and his divine son supported each other through their grief and Nathaniel and Jonathan's children, grandchildren and eventually great-grandchildren all supported their divine forefather and uncle, someone always remaining resident in the temple apartment and welcoming the gods to their house and table as a matter of course.

Tina, Ahmed and Joshua never had children of their own but all three of their families produced a raft of nephews and nieces who were loved by the god and his priests. When they were in their eighties the two priests each interviewed and recruited a relative, Tina one of her nieces and Ahmed one of his nephews. The two children were introduced to a newly-youthful Joshua who'd taken the appearance of a twelve-year old for the meeting and in time they became Joshua's new priests.

The rest of the extended family, Winston and Carl, Tom and Clive, Alex and Daniel and all their children lived to a comfortable old age. Several of the younger generations became priests, lawyers or both, following in the family footsteps.

Within one hundred years of the formal freeing of the spartan race from prison the population had grown to a stable two point five percent of the UK population, due to improved healthcare and more emphasis on safety rather than secrecy. A significant proportion took some pride in having a link, however tenuous, with the family of James and Michael.