because there is not enough Barca/Pietros fic out there.
Pietros, Barca thinks, is the Gods way of rewarding him for surviving this long.
His mother, father, his home, Cyprian and his freedom, Barca had lost them all.
Then Auctus died in the arena, taking with him the only shred of happiness Barca had managed to find within the Ludus' walls and his determination began to waver. After all, how much can a man suffer before he accepts that the gods have turned from him?
Only the desire to be a free man once more kept him moving through those dark days. Gannicus had achieved it, winning the primus at the opening of the new arena. Was he not a better gladiator than that drunken Celt? So he trained and fought and served the House of Batiatus faithfully.
Time passed. New recruits arrived and some few survived long enough to join the brotherhood. Dominus sent a new slave to assist Doctore and the Medicus, a curly haired youth on the cusp of manhood. Pietros was slender and agile, softly spoken yet not weak, cautious but not frightened of the gladiators amongst whom he now lived. The more Barca watched the new slave, the more fascinated he became and the more he desired the younger man.
The only question was how to win his affections? He did not want to diminish or crush Pietros' joyful spirit by having him feel obligated or forced to share Barca's bed. He wanted the boy for a lover, someone who desired to be with him in return. And so the Beast of Carthage watched and planned.
He began by introducing Pietros to his flock, asking that the youth feed and water them when he was absent on Dominus' business. In return he promised to ensure that the youth got good food, unsoiled by the Gladiators pranks and protected him from others in the ludus who were less picky about the willingness of their bed partners.
Barca treated Pietros like he would a new bird. Slow gentle movements, gradually decreasing the distance between them as Pietros' trust in him grew. He held himself in check, neither pressuring the younger man, nor hiding his desire for more from him and was rewarded with a love he could not have imagined.
Now, instead of being alone he holds his sweet boy in his arms at night and they whisper together dreams of the future and the freedom he will win for them.
Like it, hate it, couldn't care either way but spotted a mistake? Let me know via a review so that I can improve my writing. Any feedback is appreciated.
Thanks! *DDL
