Author's note – This story picks up from Chapter 15 in "Ties of Blood", so you may want to read that before starting this fic.

At first Jiraldan was too shocked to react, but as Giovanni's lips pressed roughly against his, he found himself returning his partner's kiss. Then without warning, Giovanni seized Jiraldan by the hair. The pain made Jiraldan cry out, forcing their lips apart.

Giovanni, eyes gleaming with amusement, smiled crookedly at the confused expression on the younger man's face. "So, Jiri, you want to be my partner in bed as well as business, do you?"

Jiraldan nodded.

"I figured as much," Giovanni slurred. "I knew you weren't the type who liked women. Smart man."

Even though Jiraldan had wanted Giovanni for a long time, he didn't think it would be right for him to take advantage of his partner's drunkenness – even if Giovanni had made the first move.

"Giovanni, maybe when you're not so drunk, we could talk…"

"I may be drunk, Jiri, but I know exactly what I'm doing." He pulled Jiraldan's mouth to his again and tried to force open his partner's lips with his tongue.

Jiraldan forced himself to resist. Yes, he wanted Giovanni, but not this way.

After a brief struggle, Giovanni yanked Jiraldan's head away once more. Fearing his partner's wrath at resistance to his overtures, Jiraldan braced himself. But to his surprise, instead of anger, Jiraldan saw his partner's eyes burning with desire.

"Yes, Jiri. That's it. Fight me. Resist me. It's much more challenging to bed a man than a woman. But far more satisfying."

Giovanni forced himself on Jiraldan once more, this time seizing his partner's head between his hands and mashing his lips on Jiraldan's so hard that he bruised them. Jiraldan grabbed his partner's wrists and attempted to pull Giovanni away.

"No, Giovanni," Jiraldan gasped. "Not like this."

But Giovanni didn't appear to have heard his partner's pleas. "Yes, it's much more satisfying this way. Women are too weak – no challenge at all. But another man…" He kissed the younger man roughly once more. "You're equals. Equals in power, strength. Partners in the truest sense of the word."

Jiraldan fought off another attempt by Giovanni to kiss him. "Giovanni, please…"

Giovanni's face contorted. "What's the matter, Jiri? I can't believe that this is your first time."

Jiraldan shook his head. "No. There was one girl in school, but that was before I knew…and then there were several men here and there."

"Well, what's the problem, then?"

"It…it's just that…how I feel about you…I don't want it to be like this…"

Giovanni's eyes flashed with amusement. "Why, Jiri. Are you saying that you're in love with me?"

Jiraldan nodded.

"I thought you said that you had never been in love, Jiri." Jiraldan flinched as Giovanni raised his hand to his face once more, but was surprised by how gentle his partner's touch had suddenly become.

"I…I didn't know how you would feel about…about me…" Jiraldan stammered.

"Ah, Jiri…it's so much better when love is involved."

And then Giovanni kissed Jiraldan again. But this time, his kiss was gentle. And this time, Jiraldan returned his kiss fully.

The next morning, Jiraldan awoke with a start, not expecting to see Giovanni lying asleep beside him.

What? How? How did we…?

And then he remembered.

Their kissing had rapidly become more and more passionate and the two had even briefly engaged in a wrestling match before ending up in bed.

"That's it, Jiri," Giovanni smiled triumphantly as the younger man pinned him to the floor. "Show me that you're in control."

And then Jiraldan understood why Giovanni preferred men.

Power. It was all about power. Giovanni was so used to getting everything he wanted without question that he had, quite simply, become bored. He craved a challenge.

Women, Giovanni had said, were too weak. No challenge whatsoever. But another man, especially one equally matched in strength such as Jiri, was much harder to control, and thus, more challenging. More exciting.

"We are so much alike, you and I," Giovanni had told him as they fell into bed. "Rich, handsome, powerful. And now we are truly partners in every sense of the word. You and I are equals, Jiri."

And Jiraldan had to admit that fighting with Giovanni for domination had been exciting, thrilling. Giovanni had intimidated him for so long that all the anger he had felt towards his partner came rushing out. And he swore that Giovanni seemed to enjoy being thrown to the floor.

Perhaps Giovanni didn't want to be in control for once. Maybe he wanted to have someone be in control of him for a change.

Their lovemaking had been powerful, passionate, thrilling. And afterwards, Jiraldan had been amazed to see Giovanni cry.

"The ring, Jiri. I wanted that ring more than anything. And now…it's gone."

Jiri held Giovanni while he sobbed uncontrollably and then fell into a deep sleep.

But now…

Giovanni started to stir.

"Oh…my head…what…?" Giovanni's eyes widened at the sight of his equally naked partner lying beside him. "Jiri?"

"Good morning, Giovanni," Jiraldan said cautiously, wondering if perhaps Giovanni now regretted their drunken encounter.

"So how much did I have to drink last night?" Giovanni asked as he slid out of bed.

"A few drinks. But you said that you knew exactly what you were doing."

Giovanni raised an eyebrow. "Did I? What else did I say last night, Jiri?"

"That you and I were now partners in every sense of the word."

Giovanni was silent for a moment, trying to recall the previous night's events. "Yes, Jiri. I suppose we are."

"Then you don't regret what happened?"

"I regret many things, Jiri. I regret being drunk last night. I regret losing the ring of Maldiavolo. I regret sleeping with Delia Ketchum and her giving me an ungrateful bastard son. But I don't regret last night."

"Thank you, Gio. I don't regret what happened between us, either."

"However," Giovanni said with a threatening glance in his companion's direction, "No one else is to know about this, understood?"

"I would never tell anyone about us, Gio. But…"

"But what?"

"Will we…will you and I ever…?"

Giovanni leaned over and silenced him with a kiss. "Yes, Jiri. I prefer men who will not let me dominate them easily – if at all. We are indeed equals."