AN: My first Nagron fic! Just a short thing but yay, so happy to have something for this pairing. I have many more ideas in the works for this collection. I hope you guys enjoy.

Chapter Summary: After revealing Naevia's location to Crixus, and the resulting fight, Nasir worries that Agron will not forgive him for betraying his trust. (set in s02e03)

Gradations of Warmth
Chapter 1: Simmer

"Agron! Please…," Nasir gasped, as he ran through the villa quickly in an effort to catch Agron's greater stride. The man did not slow immediately, though his head turned just enough to catch sight of Nasir before he rounded a corner and disappeared into a private room. Nasir followed him through the doorway with hesitant steps, chest heaving as he caught his breath.

"I would have a word," Nasir spoke, and finally Agron turned to look at him, his face a mask of indifference. Still it was easy to tell how that the anger from his fight with Spartacus and Crixus had not left him. His jaw was clenched tight, his eyes narrowed slightly, and Nasir nearly recoiled as he felt the man's gaze settle on his form. Blood still ran from the wound upon his lip, and already the area around it looked bruised and sore. Spartacus had hit him hard, and though it was perhaps well deserved, Nasir could not help but feel much of the blame.

"I…," Nasir started, his eyebrows clenching together as he struggled to find the right words. What could he possible say? Agron had trusted him to keep Naevia's location a secret, and he had broken that trust and caused unrest among the men. What reason did Agron have to trust him anymore? "Apologies, I could not….," Nasir trailed off, and he swallowed nervously, looking towards his feet with shame.

"Why do you look so pained little man? Are you not satisfied with your choice?" Agron sneered, and Nasir flinched at the coldly spoken words. They hurt all the more because they were true. A part of him couldn't apologize for what he had done. He stood by his decision. Had it been Nasir in the same position, he would have wanted to know, he would have wanted to try and rescue his heart, no matter the cost. Crixus deserved to have that choice.

He felt his lip tremble and Agron shifted uneasily in response. The anger left Agron's form quickly, though he stayed silent, eyes firmly fixed on the stone wall ahead as he began to pace. Nasir breathed in shakily and crossed his arms, his fingers tightening in the fabric twisted about his elbows tightly. Agron was like a wild animal. Unpredictable…quick to lash out. One wrong step and Nasir knew he would face a beast in man's form. But instead of shouting or storming off Agron stepped closer to him, hands braced upon his hips.

"Speak your mind," Agron muttered lowly, and Nasir startled, not expecting him to want to listen. He clenched his teeth together tightly, searching for the right words. It was usually so easy for him. He had so much practise, and yet in front of Agron, his mind was often blank.

"I…I do not wish to lose a friend. There are few here who have treated me as you have. Not as a body slave, but as a free man. Worthy of fighting. I fear I have done irreparable damage," Nasir whispered. He dreaded receiving confirmation of those words.

There was something about Agron that drew him in, like a moth to a flame. He wanted to be at his side, he wanted the other man's respect, approval. Habits ingrained in him over so many years searching for similar things beneath another name. But had he still been a slave, he would not have spoken a single word to Crixus of Naevia. That action had belonged to Nasir alone, not Tiberius, and though the words had caused a rift, it had also been liberating to speak them. "I do not want you to hate me, and yet I find I cannot regret choice made."

There was a long pause between them as Agron studied his face and the ground in equal measure. A muscle in his jaw twitched and then he twisted his neck and pursed his lips before focusing somewhere just above Nasir's head.

"A mere friend?" he asked, and Nasir frowned as he struggled for a moment to understand. Agron looked somewhat tentative. He avoided eye contact, but his shoulders were not so tense as before, and…was his skin reddening slightly just over his cheekbones? It was! It came to Nasir suddenly, and his face flushed deeply as he realised that Agron held feelings for him of a more romantic nature. His mouth fell open and he took in a quick breath of air, caught by surprise at such a turn of events.

"If my interest is unwanted…," Agron began, shifting on his feet impatiently.

"It's not!" Nasir blurted. And he felt the flush deepen, spreading down his neck when piercing eyes met his gaze. "I-I did not wish to assume you felt anything more for me than friendship." No one the like of Agron had ever looked at him before as more than a piece of meat to be used for pleasure, and Nasir wondered briefly if there was little more to it than that. Perhaps his body was desired, but not his heart. He did not allow such thoughts to fester however, for Agron was not the sort to treat others as such. He may have been a hardened man, a beast on the sands, with a bloodlust unlike any other, but he was not cruel. If he had taken interest in Nasir then it was sincere. And Nasir wanted more than anything to let himself have that.

He blinked a few times, his eyes burning as he realised it was far too late for such things. Hadn't he already destroyed whatever possibility there was for love? How could he expect Agron to trust him with his heart if he could not trust him with his secrets? Nasir's thoughts strayed, and he turned away, biting down hard on his lower lip to stop it from shaking.

"It matters not. I have…ruined everything, betrayed your trust," Nasir whispered. He closed his eyes and furrowed his brow, resigned to the loss of such a happy future. He was not expecting Agron to approach him, or the gentle touch beneath his chin soon after. As he turned his gaze upwards to meet the taller man's Nasir was surprised to see a soft smile directed at him instead of the displeasure he was expecting. Agron's thumb shifted then to caress his lip, prying it gently from between his teeth, and Nasir felt a shiver run down his spine in response.

"Your eyes are lighter now that you no longer carry with you deceit. I should not have forced such a lie upon you. Apologies are mine," Agron spoke lowly, with a tenderness in his eyes that was surprising for such a war driven man. Agron brushed Nasir's hair back behind his ear, and then both hands were about his neck. It was barely a caress, as though he was unsure his touch was welcome at all, let alone in such a significant place. Nasir found himself leaning into his large hand curiously. It was the first time another man's touch upon his skin had not felt like a burn. Like a stain upon his soul. It was comforting, and he wanted more of it.

He had dreamed of such a thing, once upon a time. When he was just a boy, less resigned to playing the part of a loyal slave. It was still difficult to break away from that mindset. To remind himself he was free now. Free to seek any man he wished, should he desire it. And yet, none had captured his attention such as the giant of a man before him. Nasir couldn't help but let his gaze roam across Agron's form, over his broad shoulders and down his chest to where his subligaria resided. His thighs were muscular, his legs long, and Nasir wondered what it might be like to be astride them, or perhaps to be held up against a surface in such a strong man's embrace. He knew Agron's touch would feel just as thrilling across the rest of his body. His hands would be gentle, his actions eager, but with restraint. He would no doubt bring Nasir pleasure, and be the first Nasir would share himself with absent command. An experience long awaited.

Nasir looked back up with eager eyes, desire evident for all who looked to see. But there was only Agron, and his gaze heated as it met his, alight with a fire that promised to deliver all of those things and more. Agron's breathing quickened, and his gaze followed the line of Nasir's collar bone before rising back to meet dark irises. All too soon the caress was gone from his neck, and Agron had stepped away, attempting to compose himself with little success.

"When we reach Vesuvius, we shall have time to explore this further," Agron spoke, and that wide smile that Nasir was falling in love with spread across his face. So quickly his demeanour morphed, and there was no sign of the angry frustration that had been apparent just minutes prior. "Come, there is much work to be done," he added with a tilt of his head, and Nasir watched him go fondly. His lightened spirit lingered for only a moment before fading away, and Nasir felt his shoulders slump with yet another added weight. He would not be going to Vesuvius. Not yet. Nasir could only hope he would survive long enough to prove Agron's words held truth.