EXTRA

12 YEARS AFTER

"Father, could you tell me a story?" A little boy asked, looking up at Vincent with innocent green eyes, the same shade of Vincent's.

"A story? I don't know how to tell stories. Your Dad would be much better at doing that. Why don't you ask him." Vincent suggested.

"No. You've never told me a story before. It's always Dad that does it. I want to hear one from you this time. How about how the story of how you met Dad?" The little boy suggested.

"You little fox. You definitely took after me even though you took your dad's looks. You should have just said you wanted to know how your dad and I met rather than using such a roundabout method, Jade. Why didn't you ask your dad about it?"

"I did. He said to ask you. But I didn't know if you'll want to tell me, that's why I asked that way." The boy, Jade pouted.

Vincent laughed, then patted the boy's black hair, running his hands through his soft locks.

"Alright. Next time just ask me directly. Ok, Jade?"

"Ok, Father. So can you tell me the story now." Jade asked.

"Alright. Well, once up a time, 996 lifetimes ago. There lived a king..."

"996 lifetimes ago? Why are you going so far back? You and dad aren't even half as old as that." Jade interrupted.

"You really think so?" Vincent asked with a smile.

"Why are you smiling, Father? It's the logical thing. You and Dad don't even look a 100 years, talk less if 900. You can't be that old." Jade explained.

"Really? Should I let you in on a secret?" Vincent whispered.

"Ok, Father." Jade replied curiously.

"Well, your Dad and I have lived through 996 lifetimes. This is our 997th lifetime." Vincent whispered again.

"How would you know that? I read once that no one remembers their past lives." Jade refuted.

"We do. We had a curse placed on us. Every lifetime, we'd die at the age of 30 and get reincarnated with all of our memories intact." Vincent explained, looking into space, as though reliving his memories. Jade's next words pulled him back to earth however.

"I don't believe you. You're just treating me like a kid again. I told you to stop. I'm 10 this year. I don't believe in those fairytales anymore." Jade scolded, nose upturned as though he was scoffing at Vincent's attempt to treat him as a child.

"I'm really not treating you like a child, Jade. You can ask your dad after I'm done with the story if I'm right or not. We can even show you all the pictures we have to prove it. How is that? Is that a deal?" Vincent asked.

Jade thought about it for a while before nodding in agreement.

"Ok, but then that means you're not allowed to interrupt the story." Vincent warned.

"Ok Father." He agreed.

"996 lifetimes ago, there lived a King. He was a very lonely king, because he had no real friend or family. Everyone either used, or hated him. No one ever really liked him mostly because of jealousy, envy or greed..."

***

"Dad, that sounded like a fairytale." Jade whined.

"It did, didn't it? But it's true. It all really happened." Vincent told him.

"Mn... I'll ask Dad if it's true. Then what about me? My biology teacher says it's not possible for men to have children without a woman getting involved, unless they adopt, so how did you have me? And I look like you and Dad so I know you didn't adopt me." Jade asked with a serious expression.

Vincent scrutinized him before sighing. 'How is this boy so grown already? He knows even things like this at his age.

"Your Dad and I wanted to have a child, so we decided to do In Vitro Fertilization, but I didn't want just any woman's egg. I was the one donating the sperm, so I only wanted someone who looked like your Dad to donate the egg. Sure enough you turned out to look just like your Dad. You definitely got your smarts from me though." He winked at him.

Jade laughed.

"What're you telling him, now?" Jasper asked as he walked in.

"Just telling him the story of how we ended up together. Isn't that right, Jade?" Vincent turned to Jade.

"Yup. Dad is all true? That you and Father were cursed and you've lived for 996 lifetimes?", Jade asked.

"Yes love, it's true." Jasper replied with a warm smile, petting his hair.

Jade grinned, then hugged Jasper suddenly.

Jasper stood still in shock as Jade tightened his hug, and his muffled voice rang out from where his head was buried in Jasper's stomach, "Dad, you're so cool, you helped Father a lot. I'd like to have a best friend like you when I grow up. Or even a boyfriend."

"Yeah, well no dating anyone at all, boy or girl till you're old enough." Jasper emphasised.

"But dad... I'll be 10 soon. I'll definitely be old enough when I turn 10, besides, all my classmates have girlfriends or boyfriends already, except me." Jade pouted.

"No. No way. You're not getting till you're at least 20 or 25." Jasper scolded.

"Father..." Jade whined, turning to Vincent for help.

Vincent chuckled watching them. Jasper gave him a stern glare, making it explicitly clear this conversation was not up for discussion, and so Vincent turned to Jade. "One step at a time, ok? Let's wait till you turn 18 first, is that ok, love?"

Jade pouted at the fact he didn't get his way, then decided to go sulk in his room.

"Remember to come down for dinner, Jade." Jasper called after him.

Jade didn't respond, he only crossed his arms as he marched to his room to continue his sulking, and shutting the door rather loudly behind him.

Jasper sighed and shook his head. "He always wants to have his way, I wonder who he got that from." He said before staring pointedly at Vincent.

Vincent didn't deny it, only chuckling up at Jasper, who still stood beside him.

He stood, drawing Jasper closer and giving him a kiss.

Jasper kissed him back for a while before pushing him back suddenly.

"Stop, Jade is upstairs. He'll see us." Jasper warned Vincent, whose hands were still wandering all over his body.

"His door is closed and he has the WiFi password, he's definitely not coming out of his room anytime soon." Vincent whispered beside Jasper's ear.

"You spoil that boy, way too much." Jasper complained.

"Maybe, but I spoil you more." Vincent whispered, then drew his earlobe in between his lips.

Jasper held his waist probably in an attempt to push him away, but ended up pulling him closer instead as Vincent began kissing the ear he was whispering in.

"I can swear, you-you do these things on purpose." Jasper stuttered out.

"Yes, and I won't even lie about it." Vincent smirked. "How is it? Have I tempted you enough?"

"Yes, fuck!", Jasper exclamed and didn't even bother protesting as Vincent dragged him away to their bedroom.