Vaughan wasn't sure at what point of the 'well known classic' playing softly on the television in front of the two that his attention had pulled fully to watching Myles, but that was where he currently found his mind and eyes.

Myles had relaxed into the couch with him after they had gathered their supper and he had insisted Vaughan watch the film of choice, appalled that the other hadn't even heard of the film.

 Watching the movie, which was rather slow going but good, and eating their food, Vaughan continued to find his eyes wondering to the darker man, watching as he relaxed, his eyes softened, and a gentleness touched his lips in not quite a smile.

He found himself thinking ' Myles looks far the different man when relaxing' and then found himself comparing the Myles he knew of day to day, to the one he chanced here, watching films with for the second time. 

'I think I rather like him this way,' he pondered this thought, realizing that he had yearned for a night just such as this ever since the last. That he had worried over their friendship possibly being ruined and had taken the leap to invite this relaxing time with the other. 

'When was the last I ever spent leisure time with a friend,' his eyes roamed the smoothed face of the man, to the film in front where the couple were dancing at a ball,' In fact. Aside from Morrowe, and Reko, and Gregory. . . when was the last I spent with anyone in leisure at all?'

Guilt blossomed at the thought, memories that seemed a lifetime ago where the few friends he did have were slowly and quietly shut out of his life, as he navigated his new role as head of house, and Xaviers sole guardian. 

The boy did add a level of life to the house, he mused as he found himself thinking all times such as these at his own home now were only orchestrated for the boy. 

And not for the first time the thought punctured him again and again.

'Am I doing right by the boy? Am I enough?'

Vaughan pursed his lips, hand pulling a little more at his sleeve. There never seemed to be a clear answer.

"You seem to be lost in thought."

The voice, normally deep, held an extra low octave and Vaughan jerked his distant gaze to the coal colored eyes now looking at him with a gentle fire lit in them.

Vaughan flushed, dipping his gaze to just past Myles' shoulder and licked his lips," Oh. I just- yes I had a lot on my mind."

"About what we told you of your family?" 

Blinking, Vaughan was shocked to find that his thoughts in fact had not wandered to such pressing matters, but now presented they spilled into the current ponderings and melded together to seemingly link memories with gaps to them and gave a hint of explanation.

The many meetings Dawson and his mother attended, the murmured phone calls, Morrowes comings and goings being far too frequent and businesslike for either a friendly visit, or for Biblios workings- which his mother often managed deftly on her own. 

Of Dawsons growing anger to him and distance that he had tried so hard to mend, and was always left to wonder as to why. 

"No," he trailed off before amending," well and yes a bit. But- well I fear I am caught up in many things. I apologize I am not being a sufficient film partner." 

A pull at his shirt sleeve and he continued, flitting his gaze up to Myles who watched him with no anger or frustration in his gaze, only that constant soft look that he didn't know how to describe. It gave him the courage to continue on with the thought.

"I worry for Xavier. Actually was just thinking ever since my brother-" it was too hard to say the word that had been attached to his family for the past few years, and instead he shrugged his shoulders dropping his gaze with a sigh," well. By any rate. I just hope that I give the boy a proper life, and worry that with this- this business about how I am to protect him from that?"

Xaviers frightened gaze up to him earlier that day was forever burned in his minds eyes, and guilt welled up in him.

He had promised the boy he would be there. He had promised the boy a family and good life. 

He had promised, that never again would he experience that uneasy fear of loneliness and abandon.

What was the point of such promises if he didn't even know of the men in red and grey suits or the extent of the dangers they  held.

Dawson, as always, was the better option in all things and Vaughan felt himself scrambling to be a meager substitute. 

Vaughan was gazing to the threads of the sleeve he was pulling at, becoming worn under constant fiddling and one thread stuck out so he fingered it, watching as it moved under the menstruations. But then a large hand engulfed his own, warm, strong and heavy and the thread was forgotten. 

He sucked in a breath, tensing a bit as the hand rested atop of his, and he found his gaze once again to those burning coals, Myles closer than he had been a moment before. 

"I see you with Xavier, and I can say without a doubt that you do well by him. And for as long as I can, I am going to do all I can to protect you both," a squeeze of the hand," so allow me to alleviate some of that fear even if I cannot completely rid of it. I wish you to be happy here."

Vaughan found himself unable and not fully sure if he wanted to pull his gaze away from Myles as his chest squeezed. A part of him wanted to dash about panicking, while the other wished to settle and relish in the strange calm Myles allowed him.

"I-I don't. . .thank you," he blinked swallowing hard.

Myles gave a small grin and Vaughan's heart began to race at the look he had never seen the man give before- another rare expression to stow away into his mental list he had began to gather," Well I do hope that I do not make you cry either. And if so I hope it is with happy or relived tears."

Vaughan gave a breathy laugh, rolling his eyes finally able to relax fully and break eye contact," I'm not going to cry!" he gave a gentle swat to his arm still not letting go of the hand he had discovered his own squeezing. 

Sobering he paused, staring to their joined hands before taking a breath looking up," But. Myles. I appreciate all that you have said. It-it means a lot. Though. I must ask now- I want to know well, everything I suppose."

"Everything," Myles leaned to the couch cushion more still looking down at him," Is quite a lot . But. I shall do my best."

"You said my parents, my mother, that we're-" he was becoming flustered and the gentle squeeze of his still clasped hand grounded him.

Myles nodded slowly," Yes. You're mother hailed from a very powerful family- the Esposito," he paused thinking," I do not know the particulars. My father is far more informed having been friends with your mother, and Morrowe having worked for her family so long. But I know that you're mother held power of the family once held in full, and brought a fraction of it with her while the rest of her family remained abroad. Just as we here do, and several other families."

"So-," Vaughan thought aloud as he processed this," there are all these. . . families? Mafia? And they are everywhere-but some are here?"

Myles pursed his lips," Yes."

"And," Vaughans brows knitted, he was squeezing the hand his a bit harder than he should," the men we saw today. . .their related to my mother somehow?"

"Family is a term, just as clan. Not everyone in the same clan or family is related by blood. You become apart of it by-" Myles cut off shook his head," No matter. I believe that there is no blood relation. Least not closely. Doubtful, knowing -"

At seeing Myles search for an explanation Vaughan prodded with something he hoped easier to answer," So their. . .Mafia? Like in the films?"

Myles nodded his head, humming," well. We call them mafia-it is the word best known for in this country? But we - my family. The Aryas- we are a clan. But I used the word mafia both because I have grown up here unlike my father and grandfather, and it is one you would know best."

Vaughan bit his lip," what does.  . .what does this all entail? Is Biblio. .  ."

"Clan owned- yes," Myles jaw flexed before he pressed forward," along with. . . several of your families businesses."

Vaughan's eyebrows shot up," we deal with biological research- flower distribution. How is that. . ?"

"It had proven to be a good face for setting up trade routes, ensuring your mothers power," at Vaughan's shocked silence Myles wiped his face," I am not very well versed in explaining this. . . It should be my father, or Morrowe, or even Arjun."

Vaughan pressed forward anyway, frown fully etched into his face as he leaned to Myles gripping his arm,"But-those men today. Who were they?"

Myles gave a puff of air, and his brow wrinkled," Dragana's men. Dragana. . . he is.. DISTANTLY- from what Morrowe and my father told me- his great grandfather had been related to your family. . .But this ancestor of his had been cast out, leaving the full wealth to be inherited by his only remaining brother. After so many generations, that power has been given to your mother, the power your brother was leading. Dragana. . . his grandfather, his father, now he himself does whatever means necessary to take power. And he sees a major goal to obtain your families power. The network your mother and brother had established would be very helpful for his rise. He is not fully apart of the Esposito, but that is the name he carries-a distant family with only a small footing. He climbed his way in within recent years and sees it as an avenue to obtain his means," Myles gave a grunt.

"It is alright," Vaughan squeezed his hand, "I feel-well. thank you for telling me what you have. I feel. . .I feel there is a lot. But I just- one last thing."

Myles looked to him unwavering and solid as always," Anything, Vaughan."

He felt his stomach flip and he swallowed hard hearing his name in the deep gravely tone," I-" he swallowed again, trying to gather himself," I don't understand. . . why. .  why was I never. . ." he dropped his gaze, eyes suddenly burning as he thought of his family. His mother and father and brother. Of this they all knew, and he-

A memory sharply sliced through his question. 

Dawson had been angry again, Vaughan couldn't recall what he had done to raise his ire but rarely had it been much.

"You understand so little!" Dawson had been shouting. Their mother had came in and was trying to calm him standing between the two. Morrowe observing from where they had been in the foyer preparing to leave only moments before," All you do is write! all you ever can manage is writing those silly stories! You don't know- you don't know anything!"

"Then tell me," he had cried to his brother, looking desperate and his mothers voice had sliced between them.

"Dawson."

Dawson had wrenched away from him at their mothers warning tone, and gave a shaky breath. 

"It is no matter- and I won't argue with this. YOu are not to leave the house while we are away. The book signing is off- Marrowe has already arranged the particulars. Now. Stop arguing and go write something."

With that his brother had stalked away.

In the present day Vaughan took a shaky breath and said," Why didn't they tell me?"

He felt the closeness Dawson and he had when very young wouldn't have parted if so.

"That," Myles said," I could not say."

Myles squeezed his hand again, and it was as if Vaughan had promptly honed in on their linked fingers, suddenly very aware they had been holding hands the entire time.

Face suddenly very hot, heart racing again he tried to form words but only a squeak escaped his mouth as his eyes darted around the room, to Myles face, and back around the room several times watching every return to the other proving the darker haired man to be growing in amusement.

"Le-lets watch another film!" his voice finally came to him and he clutched his hand to his chest as Myles released it to stand, a large grin on his face as he did so.

"Yes," he said as he padded over to the television," a movie."

Vaughan was thankful for the distance as Myles silently ignored him in favor of looking to the shelf of films, and he realized that, the hand Myles had held the worn shirt sleeve had slid up. Quickly he pulled it down, the heat leaving his face and his heart that had been racing suddenly halted falling to his stomach. 

Looking over he noted Myles was unaware of his plight putting on the newest movie and he closed his eyes, taking a grounding breath.

The memory of Dawson came to him again and the words," You were never the strong one. It always had to be me-didn't it?" Echoed to him.

He feared his brother had been right, far more than he had ever realized before.