"What is wrong with you? I thought that sending you away would teach you the proper way to behave in front of company. Now you come into my home and parade yourself about like this..." He was waving his arm as he spoke in behind his massive desk and Lord Hart had to stifle a yawn.

"Please father. We both know it was not my conduct you had issue with. Perhaps if you hadn't spoiled the boy then he would know how to behave at a party. If there is any talk you can be sure it was not my fault." He drawled lazily to the man.

"Shut up you damned sodomite. You think I don't know about your disgusting habits? I had hope Saint Benjamin's would have beaten the sin out of you, but I guess you were too far gone already." He spat at me with venom. I smiled at him.

"You are a bastard; you know that? I was seven and we shared a bed to comfort each other from a storm. I didn't learn my 'habits' as you call them until after I went to school. I didn't even know it was possible. Don't worry though. They gave me a thorough education there." He sneered as he rose from his seat to leave.

"I am not done with you!" He shouted at his son. The man slammed his hands down on the sturdy desk with so much force the candelabra fell from it and his father jumped in surprise.

"Yes. You are." He said so quietly and with so much spite that the old man's eyes widened. It was not until the door slammed behind him that the duke was jolted from the sinister spell that his son had leveled on him. The servants hid into doorways and moved quickly out of sight of the angry man who prowled the halls.

No one took notice of the devastated boy who cowered behind a curtain, furiously holding in his sobs of desolation. What had his father done? Was his brother leaving this house his fault? The excuses that had been passed to him when he turned seven and was not also sent away to school felt weak now that he thought back on them.

He was a second son, so he need not study so hard. His tutors had seen that he had studied hard anyways. He wouldn't have so much responsibility at court, so he didn't need the connections made at school. Yet he had been introduced early around their circle and attended many events with his father. It was to develop a good character... lies. All of it was lies.

His father hated his brother on naught but a misunderstanding. His dearest brother was sent to be beaten? Low's once cheery face was marred by the sorrow of what he now knew his brother had known at school. Not that he understood all of it though, for there was a good part of the conversation that he could not comprehend at all.

He decided to do what any precocious, spoiled and forward child would do. He would ask his brother about it. So he set out to find the fuming form of his sibling within the vast halls of his father's house. It was probably not the brightest idea he could have, but his intentions were the best. When he had been up one side of the house and down the next, he finally asked a footman and was sent on his way.

His brother, Darian Hart, had left the main house and was currently pacing the garden with a bottle of alcohol and a temper. If his little brother Lowell had realised this, he might have waited for another time. But he did not. So he found his sibling ranting to himself and taking swigs of their father's best port at two o'clock in the afternoon.

"Derry! There you are. I simply must ask. Is it my fault you were sent away? What is a Sodomite?" He stood blocking his path with a determined expression as his elder brother spluttered in incredulity.

"Good lord, don't shout that out here in the garden." He retorted before taking a bracing draw of the bottle.

"Why not? Just about everyone already heard father shouting at you in the office." The boy replied in frank confusion. Darian laughed at that and put a hand to his forehead.

"Of course they did. Why not. I must say I am surprised they didn't teach you to hate that word with a passion. I suppose they kept you beyond innocent, hmm?" He was looking at his brother in a strange way, assessing him the boy supposed.

"Why would I hate it? You haven't told me what it means." The child declared quietly, matching the softer tones of his brother and trying to sidle in closer for confidence.

"Have you ever kissed a girl?" He replied instead. Low was getting frustrated now and snorted in derision.

"Of course I have. I snuck a few kisses with the maids in the back of the kitchen." He said without self-assurance in his boast.

"And how did you like it, young master?" The man sat on the garden bench with his arm splayed wide and watched the blush on the boy's cheek.

"It was alright I suppose." He admitted shyly.

"Have you done anything else?" He asked suggestively. The boy shook his head no. The man nodded slowly. He took a sip of the drink and passed it to the boy. A silence weighed on them as they stood looking at one another. "Take a sip."

"Um, okay." He tipped his head back and took a small sip of the liquid, coughing a little from the strong taste. His brother grinned and tipped his head back, staring at the clouds that built up overhead.

"Have you ever kissed a boy?" He finally asked. His sharp eyes watched closely as the child shook his head no in confusion.

"Why would I do that? Boys are supposed to kiss girls." He said with puzzlement evident in his voice. His elder brother nodded with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"They may be, but did you know that some boys prefer to kiss other boys instead? People like our father call them that name, sodomite. The amusing thing is... hmm, maybe you are too young to hear all this." He stopped when he saw the awe and fascination on the boy's face as he leaned forward to hear what he had to say.

"No way! I am old enough. I am already ten and seven, so that makes me a man. And... and I kissed someone!" He protested. The elder brother laughed at the serious look and could not help thinking about how cute the boy looked as he crossed his arms and stamped his booted foot.

"Alright, alright. I was just worried that you might be uncomfortable with talk of sexual intercourse." He teased the boy to blushing with his insinuating voice.

"No I won't. Tell me." He said with more bluster than belief. The elder crooked his finger to bring him in close, like he was sharing a secret with him.

"Are you aware of how to make love to a woman?" He waited for the nod. "Well, imagine doing that... somewhere else. You see, in Paris the women will let you put your manly parts in... other places." He was grinning at the look on the boy's face.

"You mean... like their mouths?" He asked. Darian nodded.

"Annnddd?" He looked at him expectantly, glancing about to see if any gardener was prying. The boy had his head tilted to the side like a spaniel. When the coast was clear he patted the bench next to him. Just as he was about to sit down, Derry put his hand under his arse and gave it a brief squeeze.

"OH!" Low's eyes widened and he jerked back to his feet with a cherry red blush. It finally dawned on him what his brother was telling him. "You mean they..."

"Yes." He said firmly.

"They put their..." He tried again but couldn't outright say it.

"Yes." Darian said again.

"In other people's... women and men..." His voice trailed off again, looking about him in wonder.

"Now you know." His elder brother said, taking the bottle back and downing a large sip.

"So... I mean... Do... do you?" The question came out before either had a moment to process the situation fully. He swallowed the port carefully and stared at his brother, who was looking at him with such a vacantly artless expression. He sucked his teeth and hesitated to answer.

"Father wanted me to be a man of the world, Low. He got more than he bargained for." The silence stretched between them for a long moment. Innocent eyes that were still processing all the information were staring into eyes that were far too knowledgeable for their age. The boy's cheeks were still stained pink with the conversation.

"I'm ...I'm sorry." Low murmured to his brother. Derry looked away from those kind eyes, almost stung by the purity.

"So am I. I wanted to hate you, you know. The second I saw you again I knew I couldn't though." He admitted softly. Low sat next to him, albeit cautiously.

"I love you Derry. I really missed you. Finley smuggled some of your letters to me. Mostly my birthday ones." He told him, picking at his fingers awkwardly.

"I missed you too." Derry said with a small smile.

"Was it bad?" The tiny question hit the elder brother heavily. He knew better than to tell the boy everything.

"Not all bad. There were some boys like me, tossed in there for all the wrong reasons. We stuck together and held our own against the boys who were like father. I did manage to get an education after all is said and done. I made friends too." He told the boy instead. This seemed to relieve the child as he relaxed back against the bench.

"That's something I suppose." The boy mumbled.

"Besides, father's plan rather backfired." He told him with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Hmm? How so?" The puppy cocked his head to the side in that adorable manner of his and Derry laughed.

"He sent me there to cure me of being a sodomite, and instead made me a pederast, of course." He leaned in to whisper into the young man's ear. He saw the slight shiver with amusement and decided to tease him further.

"W-what is that?" Low whispered back, glancing around as though he was enjoying this secret sharing.

"It means I like other boys. Romantically." He licked his lips at the wondering expression on his younger brother's face.

"Is there someone in particular you like? Someone from school perhaps?" The child's searching gaze was transparent in a way, and in another sense it was unreadable. Derry couldn't meet his eyes and a faint blush touched his cheek now. Low's eyes widened.

"No... just a bit of attraction is all." He replied self-consciously. Low grumbled under his breath and grabbed onto his jacket sleeve instinctively.

"Great. I just got you back and you are planning on going away again. Will you go chasing after some boy?" He moaned. Derry laughed at that.

"Awww. Don't worry brother. You are the only man I love." He growled into his ear teasingly. This time his brother shuddered and tightened his grip. The cherry bloom that touched his cheeks was charming as he blinked in confused pleasure. His lush pink lips were gnawed on before allowing a hesitant smile. Those innocent blue eyes barely met his with humour dancing in their depths.

"You are teasing me." He replied timidly. Derry kissed his brow and wrapped a strong arm around his shoulders, pressing him close against his warm body.

"Perhaps." He allowed. "Do you hate it?"

"No. Oddly enough." He leaned in to his bigger, stronger, older brother with a sort of contentment.

2014