After only two rings, Agron answered his phone.

"Hi. You called!" Agron sounded surprised. He was half expecting that Nasir wasn't going to call him.

"Hello. I told you I would." Nasir always fulfills his promises. "So, what do you need to talk about?" Nasir was just making time, he knew what this was about.

"I think you know. Yesterday we didn't finish our conservation and you avoided me the rest of the day. You even left early." Agron wasn't mad, he was just stating a fact.

"I know. I didn't want to talk to you, I wasn't expecting that you knew something was happening."

"I knew. I have to admit that I care about you." Agron wanted Nasir to know that he cared about him, a lot, but he couldn't be too intense, or else, Nasir could get too overwhelmed. "Nasir… I want to help you, but for me to able to do that, you have to tell me what's happening. All of it."

"It's hard to talk about it. You are the first person that I talk to about it." Nasir was deeply ashamed about the entire situation.

"But you need to talk to someone. I'm here to listen to you. You have to trust me." Agron was almost pleading him.

"I know." Somehow, Nasir knew he could trust Agron. He knew that Agron wasn't going to hurt him or make him feel bad about the situation.

"I'm happy to hear it. So... How long?" Now that he was really talking to Nasir, it was hard to approach the subject.

"Agron, could we meet? I don't want to talk about it over the phone." Nasir hated to have important conversations over the phone. It was too impersonal. He couldn't catch the other person reactions and couldn't look into the other person eyes.

"What? Of course we can. I can go and meet you. Where is your dorm room? Or we could meet somewhere else, of course…" Agron wasn't expecting that, but he also prefer to talk to Nasir on person. That way he could sense when he was hiding something or wasn't telling the whole story.

Nasir had to laugh at Agron's enthusiasm. "I didn't meant today. Maybe tomorrow, if it's ok with you."

"Perfect. If you want, you could come to my house and I'll make you dinner." Agron was happy with the prospect.

"Ok. What time?" Nasir thought it was save to talk to Agron in a place that he was sure Dave's wouldn't appear by surprise.

"Is seven ok to you?" Agron could believe that Nasir was coming.

"It is. Text me your address."

"Ok. So, see you tomorrow?"

"Yes, see you tomorrow. Bye."

"Bye Nasir."

That went better that Agron expected it would be. Now he just had to think about dinner and had to clean up his house. He was a messy person. He was better since he been living alone, since all the work at to be done by him, but things were still out of place sometimes. He wanted to make a good impression on Nasir and since he leave at 5 from the gym, it give him just enough time to clean his place up, make dinner and take a shower.

-X-

The next day Nasir was nervous, he didn't know what to expect about dinner at Agron's.

At six o'clock Nasir toke a shower, get dressed and combed his hair, tying half of it on the back of his head. He dressed in a simple blue t-shirt, jeans and a jacket. Agron didn't live too far away, just a 20 minutes bus ride.

At 6h50 Nasir was knocking on Agron's door. He was greeted at the door by an almost naked Agron. He clearly just got out of the shower since the only thing he had on was a towel wrapped around his hips. If Nasir hadn't already thought that Agron was hot, he sure did now. Agron's skin was glistening, drops of water were draining down his body, disappearing beneath his towel. All those muscles beneath more evident than ever, more tempting than in Sunday outfit. Nasir felt an urge to just lick all the drops of water from Agron's fabulous body. His train of thoughts were interrupted by a very amused Agron.

"Hello."

"Hi. Sorry, I'm early." Nasir finally looked at Agron's face, which exhibited a smug and pleased grin.

"It's ok. Please come in." Agron loved to make Nasir blush.

"Thank you." Nasir was embarrassed, he wasn't suppose to look at Agron in that way, more, he wasn't suppose to want to lick Agron's skin. What was he thinking? He was with Dave. The only reason for Nasir to even be in Agron's house was to talk about Dave.

"Please, make yourself at home. I'll just put some clothes on." Agron was still smiling. Damn, he had noticed Nasir's eyes on him.

Agron's house had a large living-room only separated from the kitchen with a counter. The living-room had a large TV on a stand with DVD's and games on shelves. It had two three-seated couches making an L, facing the TV. On the other wall was a bookcase with books, photos, some papers and a bunch of other stuff. Nasir seated on one of the couches and looked around. It seem a nice house.

Nasir didn't had much time to observe. In an instant, Agron was walking back in just an old pair of jeans that hang low on his hips, still putting a t-shirt. Nasir didn't resist on looking at Agron's abs for the brief moments they were still in sight.

"Would you like dinner first?"

"Yes." They went to the kitchen. The table in the middle, it was already set. The pans were in the stove.

"Please, sit. I'll bring the food. Dinner is very simple." Agron played save. "I forgot to ask you what you liked, so…" He was getting nervous. What if Nasir didn't like his dinner?

"Don't worry, I'm not very picky." Nasir smiled, trying to ease Agron.

Agron wished that Nasir smiled more often. It soften his usual compose expression. Agron put the food on the table. He had done some steaks with mashed potatoes and some vegetables.

"Give me your plate, I will serve you."

"Thank you." Nasir wasn't accustomed to see Agron so nervous, he usually was very sure of himself. Agron finished to serve them and sit across Nasir.

"Agron, are those peas?"

"Yeah, why? Don't you like them?" Agron was even more nervous.

"Not really." Nasir shook his head no.

"It's ok. I can take them off." Agron was already getting up to take the peas when Nasir laughed. Agron was confused.

"I'm kidding. I love peas."

"What?" Agron seated again.

"Sorry, but you seemed so nervous that I had to do it. Sorry." Nasir laughed some more.

"Idiot!" But Agron laughed as well, Nasir's laugh was contagious.

"It worked. You don't seem nervous anymore." Nasir was just smiling then.

"I guess it did. But really, you do like peas, right?"

"Yes, I do like them. Don't worry. Let's eat."

They were eating in silence when Nasir spoke.

"I had to admit I wasn't expecting this to be so good."

"Thank you. But why?" Did Nasir thought he couldn't cook.

"I don't know, you just didn't seem the type to cook too much."

"I have to. Oemonaus would kill us if we don't eat right."

"He's yours MMA trainer, right?"

"Yes, you have to meet him someday. He's strict but he is a good guy and a good friend."

"Yeah, maybe."

After that they finished their meal in silence.

"Sorry, but I don't have desert."

"It's ok. Do you want help to do the dishes?"

"No, I can do them later. Let's go to the living-room." Agron didn't want to stall anymore. He wanted to know everything.

"Ok." Nasir knew that there was no point in waiting anymore. Agron had invited him here to talk about Dave and not to just have dinner.

They sat on the same couch, but on opposite seats. Agron was seated facing Nasir, with one leg bent over the couch. Nasir was seated straight, he didn't want to looked at Agron who was looking attentively right at him.

"I met Dave when I first come here to college. He helped me with some issues I had at the time. We started dating a short time after and at first everything was fine. He is my first serious boyfriend. At that time he was nice to me, he was sweet and fun and I was happy. Then he started to change. He started to control where I was, who I was with, what I was doing."

Agron decided to let Nasir tell him everything without interruptions.

Once Nasir started, it kind of came all out. The verbal abuse, Dave's controlling issues, the physical abuse, he even told Agron about the sexual part. The only thing he left out was the condom issue, Nasir didn't think it was essential to the conversation and he was ashamed enough without having to add another factor.

Agron blood was boiling in his veins. With each word that came out of Nasir's mouth Agron wanted to punch that fucker harder and harder.

"Nasir look at me." Nasir refused to do so. Agron got close to him, put his fingers on Nasir's chin and gently turned Nasir's face to him. Nasir eyes were shining with unleash tears.

"Fuck, Nasir. Come here." Agron pulled Nasir into his arms and hold him. Nasir was reluctant at first but gave in eventually and returned Agron's embrace. Nasir felt save in Agron's warm arms. He felt save in a way he didn't felt in years, probably since his childhood. Nasir finally let some tears fall and Agron felt some wetness on his neck. Nasir felt like an huge weight fell off his shoulders.

"It's alright. Everything is going to be fine. I'll make sure of it." Agron heart was breaking for Nasir, he would do everything in his power to make Nasir happy and smiling again.

"Nasir could you show me where he hit you on Saturday?"

"Why do you want to see it?"

"Because I want to know how badly he hurt you." Agron wanted to see the extension of the damages.

"It almost doesn't hurt and it's barely visible." Nasir was trying to persuade Agron.

"Let me see it." It was a request, not an order. Agron had a sad look and some kind of puppy eyes and Nasir gave in.

Nasir move away from Agron and lift his t-shirt. On right side was a brownish-yellow bruise, barely visible with his skin tone. "I told you it's almost gone."

Agron was so focused on the bruise that he didn't look at Nasir's body. Nasir lowered his t-shirt.

"Why did he do it?" Agron wanted to know the reason that lead to the damage on Nasir's skin.

"Did he had to have a reason?" Nasir didn't want to tell him. He didn't know how Agron would react if he knew it had been his text that had caused Dave to lose his temper.

"Nasir, don't you hide anything from me. You can tell me." Agron could see he was hiding something from him.

"We were fine that night, but then I received your text. He hadn't liked you in Naevia's party. He thought that you and I had met before and that we had some kind of fling… I don't' know… He didn't believe in me when I told him I hadn't met your before. That's also why he slapped me after the party, he thought that you and I were together."

Nasir was expecting some reaction from Agron, but he was unusually quiet.

Agron couldn't believe that he had been responsible, not for one, but for two times that Nasir was hit. He should had been more careful. He should had been capable of controlling his desire for Nasir.

"I'm so sorry, Nasir."

"Agron, it wasn't your fault." Nasir could see where Agron's mind were. "If it hadn't been that, it had been something else. It started long before I met you."

"Yeah, but at least Saturday you could had have a quiet night." Agron wanted to punch himself. He had been so stupid. He knew that Nasir usually spent Saturday night's with the fuckhead.

"No, he would lose his temper sooner or later. He always does this days."

"Maybe it is time for you to go. I'll drive you to your dorm, it's late." Agron was trying to ditch Nasir, he just wanted to be alone right now.

"It's ok, I can take the bus. I don't want to bother you."

"It's no bother. It's late and I don't want you alone in the streets at this hour."

"Ok. Let's go then." Nasir realize that it was useless to argue.

Agron grabbed his car keys from a shelf on the bookcase and he and Nasir went to the elevator.

"How did you enter in the building? I haven't heard the doorbell." Agron had to open the building main door from inside the house.

"Some sweet old lady was entering and ask me if I didn't want to come since I was waiting. I was gathering courage to ring," said Nasir.

"Ok. It must have been Mrs. Wilkins. She's always nice."

They got to Agron's car and the ride was made in silence. The streets didn't have much traffic so the ride was fast.

"Thank you. It really wasn't necessary do drive me. I'm used to take the bus."

This only got Agron angrier. He shouldn't be surprise, if the fucker hit him, he certainly hasn't going to bother to get Nasir home.

"It's ok."

"Goodnight Agron and thank you for everything."

"Goodnight. We'll talk later."

"Sure. Bye." Nasir went in and Agron drove off. But he didn't went home. He went to a bar, he needed to drown his sorrows in liquor.

Agron drank nearly to oblivion that night. He wanted to forget about Nasir, about his share in the abuse. He wanted to forget the look of pain in Nasir's face, his tears on his neck, the flinch he saw Sunday caused by him and he wanted to forget that mark on Nasir's beautiful skin.

He drank and drank. Some guys, and girls, flirted with him. In the end of the night, his judgment was poor and he eventually went to some guys house and fucked him senseless. Luckily, the other guy was sober enough to remember the condom. Agron passed out after.

He woke up with a massive hang-over but he had to go to work. So he sneaked out that guy's house and grabbed a cab to the gym. His car had stayed near the bar.

When Agron arrived at the gym Spartacus immediately send him to his office.

"What the fuck happened to you Agron? You are in no conditions to work today. Furthermore, we have MMA training today and if Oemonaus sees you like that, you are dead."

"Nasir went to my place last night and told me everything." Agron then told Spartacus what Nasir had told him, even the part where he felt guilty about.

"Agron, it was not your fault. It was Dave that hit him, not you."

"I know, but…"

"But nothing. You have to focused now in helping Nasir. Mira is a lawyer, she can help us if he tries to get away with it." Spartacus was always thinking ahead. "I'll talk to her and Naevia, too."

"I know Mira will help him, she has to!" Agron was angry again.

"Go home for the today. I'll talk to Oemonaus."

"I can't go home just yet. If you won't let me work, at least let me throw some punches. I will go home when I'm done."

Spartacus understood Agron's need to let all that anger out. "Ok. Now go."

Agron went to the punch bag, imagining the fucker's face with every punch. Near lunch time he went to the bar, grabbed his car and went home. He went to clean the remaining of the dinner. He got his kitchen pristine clean. Then he went to bed, to cure the rest of his hangover.