I originally wrote this around 2 years ago and published it on FFnet. Obviously my writing style has developed a lot since then. I love Marcus/Esca as a pairing, so rather than start from scratch with a totally new fic involving them, I decided to re-write it, since I liked the framework of this story and wanted to keep it. The adventure is essentially the same, just told in much better words. I hope you enjoy reading it just as much as I enjoyed writing it!

The late summer sun burnt down on the pair standing in Uncle Aquila's courtyard. Marcus lifted his hand to shield his eyes and his shadow on the ground did the same. The shadow behind that stood quietly, waiting for whatever it was Marcus wanted to articulate.

"I'm glad you came back with me," He said finally. "Even though you're a free man now." The words made something ache in Marcus' chest even as they left his lips, and Esca couldn't help but pick up on it in the tone of his voice. Was it regret, or something else entirely?

Marcus avoided his eyes and began to tread wearily across the yard. Esca scowled at his retreating back, barely fighting the urge to go and shake Marcus.

"I came back for you!" He shouted, not caring who could hear and what unwanted attention it might bring upon them. Marcus flinched as if Esca had landed a physical blow rather than a verbal one, but he stubbornly refused to stop walking, not wanting the other man to see the struggle of emotions that were crossing his usually unreadable face.

Esca shrugged and made his way to the stables where he intended to make himself useful in the hope that he'd be allowed to stay. Since he was no longer Marcus' slave, it was unlikely that he'd be kept for nothing, and he wasn't shy of a bit of work. The saddlebags from their journey home to Uncle Aquila's villa were still in the stable, needing to be sorted and put away.

"Home," Esca whispered to himself, tasting the unfamiliar word as he licked his lips. The only proper home he'd ever had was with his former tribe, but they were gone, his old life was gone, and now Esca desperately hoped he'd find a home somewhere else. It was in his heart that any home would be close to his former master, though he never let these thoughts dominate his waking mind.

Marcus had wanted to return the Eagle as soon as possible, and so Esca, loyal as a dog, had followed him to make sure they finished the journey they'd both started. The reaction of the Romans hadn't been what he expected, and he thought that Marcus had been as surprised as they were when they rode up together, a discharged centurion and his former slave, with the lost eagle standard under his arm.

Esca spat on the ground as he remembered how the Romans had looked at him. It was true, he hated Rome, and he'd hated Marcus too at first. He could have slit his throat without a moment's hesitation, but it was impossible to have such hate in his heart now, after all they'd been through together.

Esca emptied the saddlebags and found Marcus' ring at the bottom of one, wrapped carefully in a woollen cloth. Esca studied it carefully, not having had the chance to see it up close before. It was rather beautiful, with a flawless green stone set into the metal. He decided he'd return it to his friend and slipped it into his pocket.

"Friend." Esca whispered to himself again. Was he Marcus' friend? They'd fought alongside each other, travelled many miles, Marcus leaning on Esca when the strain on his leg had been too much, they'd shared warmth at night when it seemed like the darkness of winter would last forever, and Esca had returned to fetch Marcus from the brink of death even after he'd been given his freedom. Yes, Esca mused, he'd quite like to be Marcus' friend.

OOO

Marcus had shut himself away in his dusty room, and was laying on his narrow cot facing the wall. He was lost in memories, reliving every raindrop like a knife-edge on his skin to sharply contrast with the dull ache in his leg, the muddy waters eddying around his feet, the cold metal of the Eagle clamped in his arms. He wanted to die, but then there was Esca, and he'd promised to return, and Marcus couldn't die until he knew for sure...

He felt a hand on his shoulder and rolled over, mumbling his friend's name.

"Are you coming to the evening meal?" Uncle Aquila asked.

"Uncle?" Marcus struggled upright. "Evening already? I must have fallen asleep." He tried to hide his face in his hands. He'd been a soldier, and soldiers didn't fall to pieces over their friends.

"Perhaps we ought to get you a new body-slave," Uncle Aquila murmured kindly, reading his expression correctly. "You don't seem to be doing so well without your other."

"Esca deserved his freedom," Marcus replied automatically. "I don't need another slave. I may not stay long anyway, it's clear I don't belong anymore." He couldn't help the bitterness creep into his tone. Uncle Aquila patted his shoulder awkwardly, hardly knowing what to say.

"Come along if you're up to it, then." He left quickly.

OOO

Esca watched from the shadows as Uncle Aquila left Marcus' room. He was very good at hiding himself away, a talent from his tribal days where he'd learned a great many secrets by hiding in places he shouldn't and listening to his fathers' conversations. He felt for the ring in his pocket and headed for the door. He called Marcus' name as he knocked.

"Esca, is that you?!" A worried voice asked from inside. Esca chose to take this as an invitation across the threshold and opened the door. Marcus was hastily shoving clothing into a bag, looking up guiltily as his friend entered the room.

"Where are you going, Marcus?" Esca's voice was drained of warmth as an uncomfortable lump rose in his throat. Marcus didn't answer the question, instead posing one of his own.

"What do you want?"

"I found your ring." He crossed the room in three strides and took Marcus' arm in a surprisingly strong grip. Marcus froze, and Esca kept up eye contact as he dropped the ring into Marcus' hand.

"If you're running away, I'm coming with you." He told Marcus firmly.

"I told you, you're a free man now," Marcus replied weakly, quivering under Esca's intense stare.

"Can't a free man travel with his friend?" A hint of amusement crossed Esca's face before he finally, reluctantly, let go of Marcus' arm. "Please don't leave me," he murmured.

Marcus couldn't tear his gaze away. "I leave at dawn," he said finally. Get whatever you need ready. I'm not coming back."

OOO

Esca had two horses and a week's supply of food ready by the time Marcus dragged himself to the stable the next morning. He'd been up all night, and it wasn't because of the packing. His mind hadn't allowed him to rest.

"Don't you have a cloak?" He murmured as he adjusted his horse's saddlebags. Esca's travel bag was very small. He shook his head.

"My other was beyond repair."

"You'll freeze at night!" Marcus exclaimed, immediately rummaging around in his own bag. He brought out a thick grey cloak of his own and draped it around Esca's skinny shoulders.

"We travel as equals." He said firmly, pausing as his fingers skimmed the toggles. He rested his hands there a moment and closed his eyes. "I can't wait until we are on the road again."

"Thankyou, Marcus." Esca motioned to the cloak as Marcus reluctantly finished buttoning it and stepped away, but they both knew that the former slave was thanking him for a whole lot more than just a cloak.

OOO

As they headed out into the countryside, Esca rode alongside Marcus and asked, "Where are we going?"

"You decide." A smile spread across his lips for the first time since they'd returned to Uncle Aquila's villa. "It was courageous of you to come with me without knowing where I was headed," he turned his smile upon Esca, and something pulled in his chest at the sight of his friend draped in his cloak. It was slightly too big for him as Marcus was bulkier, but it would keep him warm, and that was all that mattered.

"So, you didn't know where you were going to go? Did you know I'd offer to come with you?"

"Well, I had hoped..." Marcus smirked, sitting straighter in the saddle and rolling his hips slightly more than necessary as he rode. Esca shook his head, but Marcus caught his grin out of the corner of his eye.

"Where would you live, Esca?"

"Somewhere not far from a forest," Esca replied, "the hunting will be good. A stream to catch fish in, or to swim." His eyes took on a faraway gaze, and Marcus could tell he was building up the house in his mind. "Somewhere to call home," he finished wistfully.

"Is there room in his home for me?" Marcus joked, but he was knocked back a little when Esca replied, with all seriousness,

"I'd like that."

OOO

They slowed their horses as they passed through a village, which had started to come alive as dawn rolled into day. Esca shrugged out of the cloak as the sun warmed them, and if it hadn't been for his tattoos, he could have almost passed for Roman. No-one paid them much attention either way beyond a quick glance- they were just two men on the road, with horses that obviously knew their hand, so there was nothing for them to interfere for.

Still, Esca carried himself in the saddle proudly, almost as if he'd taken off the cloak to flaunt himself, and Marcus couldn't miss the small looks out of the corner of his eye he gave, almost as if he were daring Marcus to berate him for it, which of course Marcus did no such thing. He held his own head up and rode alongside his friend, and secretly enjoyed Esca's pride.

They walked the horses in the afternoon, partly to give them a rest and partly as they were passing through a forest, making it awkward to ride as there were no defined paths. It was evening by the time Marcus' leg let him down, twisting and cramping painfully.

"Curse it, I can't walk anymore," he complained bitterly, pride wounded as Esca rushed immediately to his side to help.

"We'll stop and make camp then," Esca replied easily, taking some of the shame out of Marcus' condition. "Find us a clear area and I'll fetch some firewood."

He loped off into the trees, leaving Marcus to settle in a small copse. He tied the horses and spread out blankets as best he could without moving too far. Esca soon returned with the wood and started preparing them a meal.

"I'd hoped my leg would have healed better by now," Marcus grumbled as the flames started licking around the firewood.

"We did a lot of walking today to spare the horses," Esca reminded him.

"I feel so weak." He sighed, but managed to conjure up a small smile for Esca. "What would I have done without you?"

"You are not weak, Marcus." Esca told him firmly. "You've got a fighting spirit. I admire that in anyone."

"So do you," Marcus argued. "It's why I saved you."

"I wouldn't fight."

"Then I fought on your behalf, though I bet you wished I hadn't."

"At first, yes." Esca admitted. "I'd have killed you for my freedom given half the chance, but north of the wall... things changed." He set some meat over the fire and fell quiet, clearly not wishing to talk about it anymore.

Night fell, and with the darkness a chill descended from the clear skies. Marcus and Esca had eaten well, and their full tummies and the warmth of the flames made them drowsy. Marcus was stretched out on one of the blankets, watching Esca carefully. Eventually he patted the space next to him.

"Come here Esca," he mumbled, "you'll be closer to the fire."

"Closer to you, you mean?" He replied, but he crawled over anyway and lay there, back to Marcus. Soon he felt the familiar creep of Marcus' hand slide over his side and settle on his chest. They'd often slept like this north of the wall, when the cold had made it impossible to survive any other way but to share heat. Marcus had always seemed hesitant when doing it, and Esca wondered why.

Marcus could swear Esca could hear the pounding of his heart as he took care not to absent-mindedly stroke his fingers across Esca's chest. It was deafening to his own ears, if he weren't careful, Esca would surely hear it. He silently took a deep breath in and out. There was a chill on the night air, but there was really no need to be huddled together as they had done before out of necessity. No, a voice in Marcus' head said. He was doing it because he'd wanted to, and because Esca could always throw the arm off if he wanted to.

They both lay there seemingly paralysed for a moment, until Marcus got his breathing under control and relaxed a little, and Esca made no move to throw the arm off. Marcus was having a great many thoughts, as he often did when lying prone in this position. He'd often let his imagination run away with him and wondered what it would be like if Esca turned around, if he'd allowed himself to be pulled closer, yield to Marcus' touch... and then one small thought beyond that was enough to metaphorically throw a cold bucket of water over Marcus' desires; and this is why he'd seemed reluctant. In the north, beyond the wall, if he'd wanted these things, Esca wouldn't have been able to say no.

Esca had travelled down a similar train of thought himself, and now, with his friend's arm draped over him, he grinned into the fire, then brought his own arm up and casually caressed Marcus' hand where it rested on his chest. The touch was gentle but it was enough to make Marcus freeze and Esca grin even wider. He felt cruel, testing his Roman's sensibilities like this, but really he'd had it coming.

When he'd wrestled his smirk under control, he shifted his body around to face Marcus, all the while keeping his hand pressed to his chest.

"Is this what you wanted?" Esca asked lightly, guiding his hand over his chest, allowing Marcus to feel his own heart, which seemed to be matching pace. Keeping eye contact, Esca brought Marcus' hand to his lips and kissed it. His lips lingered there, Esca's warm breath tickling Marcus' fingers, and it left Marcus gasping and craving more in an instant.

Esca saw the look in his eyes, the desperate, wild look of a man confronted with his heart's desire who was afraid it would be snatched away. Suddenly he was on top of Marcus, straddling his body and claiming his mouth in a fierce, crushing kiss. Marcus leaned into it eagerly, his hands in a bruising grip on Esca's hips as their tongues danced a determined power play over each other. There was nothing gentle or romantic about this kiss; it was the kiss of a pair who had held back their desires for each other long enough and could wait no longer. Marcus was receiving a confirmation of sorts through Esca's determined lips- only a man who was truly a free man in his heart could kiss like that.

When their battle was done and they came up for air, Marcus stared at Esca in amazement even as he greedily sucked in fresh air to calm his heaving chest. "Esca," he gasped, "do you know how lon-"

Esca put a finger to his lips to silence him. "Another night," he promised, eyes blazing, "I will taste every inch of you before the dawn light wakes."

A little shiver ran through Marcus. "I can't wait."

OOO

They packed away quickly the next morning and left without eating anything, last night's kiss just a distant memory, the bright sun making it difficult to think about. Marcus' hand lingered on Esca's for a moment as they adjusted the horses' saddles, but nothing else passed between the pair.

The sun didn't last, and by the end of the day they were soaked through from a wild summer thunderstorm that set the tone for the rest of the week. Each day was spent riding glumly through the rain, and since they were off the beaten track, the mud as well. Esca's thirst for adventure had been washed away by the rain, and more than once he caught himself thinking he wouldn't care what kind of home he had, as long as it had four walls and a roof, which would be more than he had right now. He might have been born a tribesman, but he'd grown used to his creature comforts.

If Esca was struggling with the weather, then Marcus definitely was. He became withdrawn and snapped at anything, so the pair didn't talk much, concentrating on riding straight and finding shelter wherever they could. Nothing further had happened between the pair- being soaked to the skin and covered in mud was unsurprisingly a mood killer.

OOO

By the end of the week, they'd finished traversing a large forest, coming to the edge of it as evening was falling. There was a stream nearby, so they followed it, horses picking their way carefully through the long grasses. Marcus was slumped forward in his saddle, barely remembering the start of the week when he'd sat high and proud as the sun warmed them. He shifted his position so he could look ahead more and abruptly pulled the reins of his horse in, hearing Esca grumbling behind at his sudden stop.

"Esca," he gasped, "it's your house!"

Before them stood what was quite clearly an abandoned house, almost exactly like the one Esca had described. Weeds trailed up the walls and over the roof, though the place looked structurally sound. Behind the main building stood a stable, obviously added after the original house had been built, and there was a rocky pathway down to the stream behind. Fields that had once been cultivated were now covered in the same grasses that were wrapping around the horses hooves. Marcus craned around to raise one eyebrow at Esca, and an unspoken agreement passed between the pair. They'd spend the night here.

They slipped off their horses and led them around to the stable. There were three stalls, but only two of them still had any doors. The third housed a mountain of hay. It was the perfect place to give the horses shelter and rest.

Esca threw the bags to Marcus. "There's bound to be some sort of fireplace in that house. See if you can find one and some wood. I'll sort the horses." For a minute he looked nervous, almost as if he didn't think he should have been giving orders to someone who had once been his master, but Marcus nodded good naturedly, his mood lifting enormously at the prospect of shelter.

He trotted off to the house whistling a tune. The back door opened with a swift kick of his good leg, and he was relieved to see that the roof was intact, with no leaks. Dirt and dust had accumulated on every surface, but it didn't matter- it was dry and warmer than outside. He made his way through the house until he came to a separate room at the back, separated by a heavy wooden door. He opened it and almost laughed when he saw a perfect bedroom, with a big fireplace clear of debris and a huge wooden bed frame.

He went back out to the kitchen area where he'd seen some wood and fetched it to the bedroom, where he lit a fire that immediately lifted the chill from the room. He took out the blankets and threw them over the bed before picking at the wet clothes that stuck to his warm skin.

Out of the window he saw Esca strutting determinedly across the overgrown courtyard, his hair drenched and plastered to his face, his arms bare and blue with ink, and an ache almost consumed him. Marcus started slowly stripping off his wet tunic as he heard the back door slam finally. He knew when Esca had entered the room as he heard a sharp intake of breath.

Marcus took his time with the tunic, stroking his fingers across his chest rather more than was necessary, making the simple act of removing wet clothing into an almost erotic display. He couldn't help but feel his cheeks redden as he did so- he'd never done anything of the sort before, and he couldn't quite believe he was doing it now, but something about it being Esca watching him made him crave the attention.

He dropped the tunic on the floor and stretched, one hand going back and coming through his wet hair as he made eye contact with Esca, who was leaning on the door frame with a curious look on his face. Esca held his stare and took off his own tunic, a lot faster than Marcus had and more violently. He threw it down and it had barely brushed the floor before he'd crossed the room and all but leapt into Marcus' arms, claiming his lips in another fierce kiss.

Marcus kissed back with just as much enthusiasm, clutching Esca to him as if he'd never let go, dropping his head down in prime position to let his tongue slip over Esca's and tease a moan out of the depths of his throat. Keen to show his fervour this time instead of just letting Esca dominate him, his hands roamed all over the Briton as they gasped into each other's mouths. Esca all but fell into him at the touch and they stumbled up against the wall, where Esca confidently gripped Marcus' hips and rolled his thumbs into the crease of his groin.

Marcus went from half-mast to rock hard in a heartbeat, and he moaned as he felt his cock strain against his wet braes, which made it obvious exactly what was going on down there. The look in Esca's eyes told Marcus he loved it, loved what effect he could have upon Marcus, and he murmured as much, pulling at his belt before stepping back to attend to his own.

Esca's braes dropped as he whipped off his belt, and he stepped out of them and kicked them out of the way before putting his hands on his hips and posing for Marcus, stark naked and confident, a smug smile playing across his lips as his own erect member hung heavy between his legs. Marcus let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding; Esca had plenty to be confident about. A tattoo that he'd never seen before snaked from Esca's bellybutton down into the light downy tuft decorating his manhood.

"I've shown you mine, now you show me yours," Esca raised an eyebrow and licked his lips in anticipation.

Marcus' hands trembled, his legs trembled, everything trembled as he fumbled with his own braes, leaning on the wall for support as Esca's promise, I will taste every inch of you, played over and over in his mind.

Soon they were off and Esca wasted no time in pressing Marcus firmly against the wall with one hand, and dropping his hand to his cock with the other. He squeezed, not too hard, before rolling his closed fist up and down it with such expert movement that Marcus couldn't help but wonder, between gasps, if Esca had done this to another man before. His own cock kept pressing against Marcus' leg as he was being jerked off, and finally he couldn't stand the one-on-one attention anymore and took a hold of it himself. Esca moaned and rested his chest on Marcus, crushing their bodies together as he raised himself slightly on tiptoe and rutted up into Marcus' hand.

"Mithras!" Marcus exclaimed as his movement made the heads of their cocks rub together, slick with pre-come.

"You won't be screaming the names of your Gods when I'm through with you," Esca whispered into Marcus' ear, breath tickling it as he gently nipped at his earlobe. Marcus nearly fell to his knees. Nothing had ever sounded sexier than Esca's murmured promises.

He allowed Esca to manoeuvre them, holding their cocks together, over to the edge of the bed. As the backs of Marcus' knees hit the wood he collapsed down, mightily glad he'd thought to spread the blankets out beforehand. Esca showed no signs of slowing down, straddling Marcus' hips, capturing both their lengths with one hand and squeezing and stroking them together, coaxing a cry out of Marcus' throat that he matched with his own.

Esca rode them together vigorously, bringing Marcus to the crest of orgasm before dropping a kiss on his collarbone and breaking away. Marcus sat up indignantly as Esca stood, determined to finish what they'd started, but he'd barely got a word out before Esca had dropped to his knees at the side of the bed and lightly nudged Marcus' legs apart.

"I promised," Esca grinned wickedly, before opening his mouth and taking Marcus' cock inside of it. He was just as skilled with his mouth and tongue as he was with his hands, Marcus discovered, as waves of pleasure crashed over him. He leaned heavily back onto his hands, paralysed with pleasure and trusting Esca to take control, as he clearly knew what he was doing. The Briton had one hand on the base of Marcus' shaft and his mouth around the rest, and his other hand fell to his own cock, which he stroked with the same rhythm as his tongue moved on Marcus.

Esca clearly kept his promises, since Marcus was now gasping Esca's name and not the names of his Gods as he drew closer and closer to the finish line. If the sounds Esca was making as he took Marcus inside his mouth over and over were anything to go by, Esca was about to climax as well. Marcus had a fleeting second of panic as he realised what was about to happen, but Esca was enjoying himself and had shown no signs of wanting to pull away, so Marcus relaxed, sighing deeply as his body convulsed with orgasm, shooting his seed right down Esca's throat. Esca lapped it all up, letting out a cry of pleasure that was all primordial energy as his own hips trembled and he was spilling, warm and wet, over his hand and the ground.

He desisted with his mouth just as soon as he was sure there was no more to be milked from Marcus' cock, resting his head on his thigh a moment, boneless with pleasure. On trembling legs, he pushed up onto the bed and rolled next to Marcus. They both lay catching their breath for a moment, Marcus struggling to remember if he'd ever come so hard before in his life. Eventually he took Esca's face gently in his hands and kissed him, a slow and thorough procession that made it absolutely certain that what they'd just done wasn't going to be a one-time deal.

"I think we both needed that," he breathed, slipping his hand over Esca's side and pressing him close.

"I've wanted that since the first time I felt your arm around me," Esca revealed, snuggling closer, a satisfied smile upon his face. He put his own arm around Marcus and trailed a finger down his spine, shivering them closer. "Where shall we do it tomorrow?"

"I've been thinking," Marcus murmured, unable to stop himself grinning into the top of Esca's head. "My land agreement entitles me to a place just like this one..." He started easily, pulling back a little so he could see Esca's face, and his reaction. "I thought we could stay here, do the place up a bit, make it a proper home. Isn't that what you wanted, a place to call home?"

"Marcus," Esca replied, snuggling up closer and pecking a small kiss on his lips before answering, "I'm already home."