"I'm glad for that." Sebastian smiled, looking relieved. "Aedan's never done WELL with them, and were it not for, well, some factors we've not quite mentioned, it wouldn't be something I'd ordinarily considered."
"Da's political." Aedan explained. "And I was in a bit of a bad way when I was younger. People tried a few things and..." He shrugged. "It's better now. I've got ways to protect myself."
And that had him slowly nodding. "I...so I'm not overreacting or...At least it's not just something I've done." he looked relieved at the thought of that. "I did hope that...I'd started thinking I wanted to spend my life with him. Marriage...I've got another...there were three of us, but I met him when I was young...verra young, and still not making emotional ties or knowing that sex was more than a business transaction, so I never let myself attach to him the way I should. I did ask him to try that with me now...asked if we could take a step back toward properly dating first. But I've been...monstrously unfair to him. I want to make that better, even if it turns out we're better off as friends."
"I think..." Aedan glanced at both of them, then his hands, and absently played with the missing spot on his left hand. "I've realized I want more than mindless pleasures, and a life of ease. It seems there's got to be more meaning."