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When he awoke in the morning Nasir could see his breath and for a moment he thought he was back on the mountain pass freezing to death with the Romans bearing down on their necks. Thankfully as the sleep cleared from his mind he remembered that he was safe. They made it beyond the Alps and out of the clutches of Rome. The coldness is from the beginning of fall.
Agron had warned him that winters east of the Rhine were very cold and he had not been wrong. Even settled in the village of Agron’s ancestors for now their second winter Nasir was still not used to the intense cold, but Agron had helped him to remember that sharing warmth with the one that held your heart kept any chill away.
Rising from his bed he looked back to see Agron still sound asleep. It had been a good night, no nightmares plagued either of their sleep. Just because they had been away from Rome for two annuals didn’t mean they didn’t still wake in the middle of the night with a scream clawing at their throats.
Agron was getting stronger and stronger as the days went on. He was now able to help with the tilling and planting, but his hands still ached if he did too much. The once proud gladiator now had to rely on others, but with Nasir’s careful hands and quick mind they had found ways to give Agron back his confidence. The biggest confidence given was in the past year Agron had been able to fully curl his hand without searing pain.
Pulling the fur that covered the window back, Nasir looked out of their small hut. It was barely morning, the sun still below the horizon but the world was starting to fill with light. Agron was to go hunting that morning with someone his kinsmen and Nasir was staying behind to help out for the harvest celebration in a day's time.
“You will catch cold if you stand there much longer.” Nasir let the fur drop and turned back to Agron who had risen to a setting position upon their bed. “Not that I don’t love the outline of your form.” A sly smile crossed Agron’s face, illuminated by the dying embers from the fire in the middle of the hut.
“Then I will need to be warmed again.” Nasir said, walking over and keeling down by the fire to stoke the remaining embers. He still had on a loincloth but it was cold in the hut.
“Then return to bed and I shall warm you.” Agron opened the furs he was under to reveal his own body bare.
“The cock with crow soon and we are needed to help with the last of the harvest.” Agron groaned and let the furs drop.
“That is not the only cock to crow and why must you deny us?” But Nasir just smiled as Agron acted like a child.
“The festival is only a day away. We can spend all of winter in bed.” Nasir said standing up as the fire had probably started up again.
“Very well.” But Agon made no move as his lover started to get food ready for them.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Nasir knew something was wrong when he saw Agron’s face. The man had gone out to hunt with his kinsmen to supplement food for the next while. Nasir loved that Agron was strong enough to finally “be of use” as the German called it. Nasir had to remind Agron that he was always of use. However, something had gone wrong. The man was stomping off to their hut without even coming over to greet Nasir.
Nasir had stayed behind to help with the last of the harvest. Then the grain had to be sorted and vegetables had to be cut and dried. Once they were done Nasir helped with preparing the evening's meal. The hunters had come back sooner than they should have and with only two young bucks. They were not expected back until near sun down. Nasir excused himself and went after Agron.
When reached the hut he heard the distinct sound of pottery being broken. Agron only ever broke pottery when he was beyond upset. Looking back to the center of the village he saw some of Agron’s kinsmen talking with their own wives and handing the bucks over. Nasir opened the door to their hut. The fading light from outside lit Agron’s silhouette.
“Agron?” Nasir asked as he closed the door. The fire was low now and it was hard to make out what was wrong. As he walked over Agron threw more wood on the fire. “My love?”
“I’m a fucking idiot.” His voice was shaky as if Agron was trying not to cry. This made Nasir’s feet move quicker. As he rounded on the German he saw the problem. Agron was holding his left wrist with his right hand. In his left hand was a small gash. It was nowhere near as horrible as the marks of the nails had been, but the fact that a mark had been made was worse than the actual mark.
“Agron.” Nasir gently took the wounded hand in his own. After looking at it better he realized it was a little longer than he had initially thought but still shallow.
“We brought down the second buck with two spears to the animals’ abdomen. I was tasked with slitting the throat for a quick kill so the beast would not suffer long. As I went to take out my knife, my hand…” Agron looked at his right hand as if it had insulted his very own mother. Nasir could barely hear the words, fuck the gods under Agron’s breath before he continued. “A pain shot through it. It felt like the nail was being driven into my hand again.” Nasir reached up to cup Agron’s face. He knew that look. The faroff look Agron got when he was remembering the pain of being crucified.
“Agron, it is behind us. This requires our attention.” The dark haired man said, still holding the left hand. “Did the knife slip and cause injury?” Agron only nodded. “Come.” He motioned Agron over to a chair and then got some fresh water and a cloth.
He set about cleaning the small cut. It would heal, but the wound on Agron’s confidence would take longer. He had been so proud that he could help and now things had stopped.
“I wanted to continue, but my kinsmen thought we should return and have this looked at.” That only added to his sense of worthlessness. Agron’s kinsmen loved him and didn’t want to see him hurt, but the pain to his pride was far worse.
“They can go out tomorrow and this cut will heal. They all do.” He found some clean cloth and wrapped it around Agron’s hand. The new cut went across the top of the scar left by the nail. The sense of doing this before hit Nasir. He remembered tending to Agron’s wounds almost the second that he came back to him. The favors and items he had barter with to get the clean cloth they needed to heal his hands.
“But can I look them in the face?” Agron’s voice broke Nasir out of his thoughts. Looking up at Agron he saw the man’s face had completely fallen. He was not broken like he had been after being crucified, but he was neither the carfree man that had left their hut that morning.
“You will. You have come back from worse.” Nasir tied the cloth and leaned up to cup the strong German’s face. “They think no less of you and I am with them.” He kissed Agron’s lips.
That night nightmares returned. While Nasir was more vocal in his fits Agron was prone to small jerking movements, and that was what woke Nasir up, a small quick jab to his side. Rolling over he gently spooned up to Agron and kissed the back of his neck. Shaking awake an ex-gladiator was not a smart move. He had only done that once and found himself flat on his back with a knife at his throat before Agron knew what he had done. Just the closeness of his body made the small, jerking movements lessen and allowed Agron to get some rest.
The morning was not much better. Agron was still sullen, but he did at least let Nasir pull him out of the hut for food. Agron’s kinsmen tried to pull him into conversations, but after a word or two Agron stopped talking.
Nasir set Agron to work with a simple task, feeding the goats and chickens the village kept. The basket Agron could hold on his left arm and throw the feed to the chicken with the right. While it was not the manliest of tasks it did prove to brighten Agron’s mood. He was of use and that was a start.
-=-=-=-=-=-
The harvest festival started the next night. It was a time of joy and celebration. A good harvest that would keep them well fed for the coming months. Ale and wine flowed freely as the night sky crept upon them. The heat from the bonfire kept the chill of the night away. Agron seemed to have recovered enough to join in the jokes and stories of his own people.
German was not an easy language to learn, but with his love’s help Nasir could understand it fairly well, speaking it was a different story. His tongue was not make fore the harsh sounds of the German language. He barely remembered losing his native tongue for that of Latin. It was all he had ever really known. Another laugh came from the men as they toasted cups. Nasir turned his head to look at Agron with his kinsmen.
Agron seemed happy. He was making great gestures as he told some story, but only time would tell if he did really feel better. As if he knew he was being watched, the German turned his head to catch Nasir’s eyes. Leaving the other men and he came over to Nasir who was closer than most people to the fire. He missed the heat more than the thought.
“You shall be roasted if you stay near.” Agron said, leaning down to kiss Nasir. His left hand still had a bandage over it but it had not bled today. In another day they would take the wrapping off and let the air help it heal.
“I must take heat where I can. The night is cold.” He smiled back.
“Is the heat of our bed not enough?” It was a challenge, one that Nasir rose to.
They should have been enjoying the festivities. Others sang and danced or drank wine as they feasted on the food that would not last long. But they had learned that life was short. They had to make every moment count. Nasir picked up a stick from the bonfire and carried it back to their hut. They took with them food and wine, but they would not touch it until much later.. Once the fire was lit they could turn to more carnal activities.
Soon their naked body was tangled up in each other as he kissed, trying to chase the lust and wine upon their tongues. Nasir cried out as Agron used his good hand to wrap around his cock.
“Fuck, yes.” He begged as Agron stroked him faster. His grip was still loose but just the skin to skin contact was enough to make Nasir soar.
“I love hearing your cries.” Agron mumbled as he kissed and bit along his lover’s neck.
“You shall hear more once you are inside.” Reaching down below their bed he pulled up the oil they kept there. It was cold on his warm hands, but he paid no mind. Nasir started to prepare himself, fumbling as he chased kisses and moans. Agron dipped his fingers in the oil to coat his own cock as he waited for Nasir to be ready.
It had been two or three nights after they had left Rome’s clutches that they felt safe enough to enjoy each other’s bodies once more. Agron’s hands did little more than caress soft skin. Nasir did much of the preparation and the act itself. Over time Agron had been able to curl his fingers and pull Nasir to him. Now he could hold on to Nasir’s hips and guide him into place and even pull him back onto his cock.
Nasir rolled over onto his knees as Agron moved in close. Nasir let out a gasp as his head fell to the bed and the German started to move. Sex with Agron, no matter the position, was like paradise.
“Faster.” Nasir begged and he leaned back to grab the other’s head and pull him in for a kiss. Doing as he was told Agron thrust his hips faster and faster. He widened his legs and pushed Nasir back into the bed so he could get just the right angle. The first breathy cry let him know that he had hit that wonderful spot deep inside Nasir. The one that made him lose all thought and control.
“I love you.” Agron spoke in his native German.
“I love you.” Nasir answered back between cries to the heavens and begging Agron for more and more. All too soon Agron pulled out and rolled the Syrian over on his back. Nasir opened his legs and pulled the other down upon him. Agron slipped back in as they kissed, but it was more like a pressing of lips than actual kissing as they both were near their end.
Agron came first, causing Nasir to follow him soon after. As they panted and came down from their high Nasir ran his fingers through Agron’s growing hair. It was nowhere as long as Nasir’s but it was no longer short. His beard was also growing longer and Nasir briefly wondered if his face would be red the next day.
“You said something about fucking all winter?” Agron grinned as he rolled over to the side.
“I did.” Nasir answered, turning to face Agron. They could clean up later, it might be unpleasant, but he didn’t feel like getting up to wash.
“So I can hold you to that promise?”
“Yes.”