Chapter Word Count: 2,856
Chapter Warnings: Mild to sometimes strong language, Violence and Blood, Talk of Death. Fight Scene.
Chapter 10: Beginning to Trust
Nasir narrowed his eyes as he watched Spartacus, who was now conversing with Mira and Agron. He focused on Agron, who was standing back to, his muscles tensed. Nasir wasn't quite sure why Agron seemed so tense when he was around said friends; maybe someday he would figure it out. He bit off a small piece of cheese and was about to take a drink when he felt people sit down around him he let out a sigh and tore his eyes away from Agron and the others. Nasir straightened his back against the pillar and slowly put the food back into his leather bag and then looked at the people that had joined him. It was two girls he did not yet know. One of the girls smiled at him, while the other looked sad and would not meet Nasir's eyes. "Greetings…" Nasir said to them, not really sure why they had chosen him to sit with.
"Greetings, I am Cipriana and this is Irati." Cipriana said to him with a larger smile that she wore previously.
Nasir gave a small smile in return but quickly looked away when he sensed someone coming towards them. He looked up at Agron as he came towards them, a scowl firmly set on his face. Nasir glanced back at Cipriana and Irati and found Irati staring up at Agron, her lips parted slightly and her eyes roaming over his body. Nasir felt like hissing at the girl. He turned his attention back to Agron when he stopped in front of him and bent down, picking up the cup he had given Nasir earlier. Nasir heard the growl pass Agron's lips at the girl, Irati and then watched Agron stand and walk away with cup in hand. He had heard the girl let out a little squeak and turned his attention to her. Her face was beet red and her eyes were watery.
"She has strong feelings towards Agron!" Cipriana offered in explanation when she saw Nasir looking at her friend.
"Just for how he looks…" Nasir hissed out, he didn't need to ask it as a question he knew it was the truth. It was true Nasir found Agron very pleasing to look at but he also wanted to know the man, if said man would allow it so. He didn't know why but he felt like he could trust Agron. He shook his head slightly, he was sure that the girl and the short German man, he still did not know his name, wanted nothing but to be bedded by Agron.
"Blame cannot be laid in her that she finds him pleasing to look at. For you find him pleasing to do you not?" Ciprana said narrowing her eyes slightly at the Syrian that sat before her, he was now frowning and he seemed tense.
Nasir let out a hiss at her words and then got to his feet. He slowly made his way towards Agron. He was standing by the water barrel alone. "Apologies for earlier words, they were not meant to wound." He said quietly as he stopped beside the barrel too. He looked up at Agron when the man did not respond to his words. He was staring down into the water. "It would seem you are a much desired man."
At the little man's words Agron looked up at him, he still did not want to believe the little man's name was Tiberius, the thought made Agron raise an eyebrow at him. Glancing past the little man to the two girls that had been seated by him, Agron let out a sigh. "She has been like that since we freed her…" Agron looked back down at the water, his and the little mans images were distorted as the water rippled slightly. "She looks at Auctus in the same manner."
Nasir watched Agron for a few minutes before he spoke. "And you do not care for it?" Nasir asked curiously. He still wasn't sure what there was between Agron and Auctus but he didn't want to be too forward with asking.
Agron shook his head. "And what is it you seek from me, little man?"
Nasir felt himself blush silently cursing himself as Agron's eyebrow rose at him waiting for an answer. "All I seek is…" Nasir paused as Agron's brilliant, beautiful green eyes met his own once again. "…is for my cup to be returned to me full!" Nasir looked down at the cup in Agron's hand. He couldn't help the smirk that he flashed at Agron.
Agron let out a chuckle. "That was my intent but you no longer sat alone." He filled the cup and then handed it to the little man.
"You know name yet you refuse to use it. You still place the name little man upon me." Nasir wondered why Agron would not call him Tiberius.
"I have doubts on name revealed." Agron told him truthfully.
"It is what I have known since it was placed upon me ten years past." Nasir admitted.
"Have you always been here?" Agron inquired looking back at the villa that stood behind them.
"I have…" Nasir said. Here Agron was again caring about him. Nasir let out a small sigh as he watched the man look at the building that Nasir called home.
"One Master?" Agron said surprised, most weren't so lucky.
Nasir nodded. "I have been body slave to my Dominus since my thirteenth year."
"Dominus no more." Agron reminded.
Nasir hissed at his words and then took a drink.
"Bitterness does not suit you." Agron mumbled.
Nasir picked his head up and looked at Agron again, his hands were on the edge of the water barrel and he was staring into the water again. His words did ring true; Nasir had never been a bitter person and did not know why he still held ill feelings. "Newness is not easily accepted." Nasir told him.
Agron looked up from the water when he saw the little man's reflection in the water again too. "It will become easier." Agron offered. He stood up straight, stretching the sore muscles of his back. Agron glanced to his left and noticed some of the Gauls watching them. He let out a groan.
Nasir followed Agron's gaze. "If they follow Crixus, why do they hate me so, at attempt on Spartacus?" Nasir asked quietly.
"They are fucking Gauls and Crixus is their leader, he hates, so they hate." Agron glared at Acer, who smirked at him as he pulled his long hair into a tied state. Agron growled and looked back at the water.
"Does he cast looks like that, often?" Nasir asked when he saw the smirk on the Gaul's face.
Agron nodded. "We are of the same Brotherhood…" Agron revealed his brand on his arm. "But they do not care for me because I stand a German and the feeling is returned!"
Nasir looked at Agron's brand, it was a large B, and it would have been painful to receive. "You were a gladiator?" Nasir knew Agron was but he wanted to ask. He had been to one match with his Dominus before ages ago but he remembered little of the games because he had been serving his Master the whole time. Agron just nodded at him in response though. Nasir turned his head and noticed Rhaskos and Acer, two of the loudest Gauls coming towards them.
"Crixus would have words with you pup." Acer said stepping closer to Agron.
Nasir looked up at the man; he stood yet but at few inches shorter than Agron. He wondered who Acer was talking about. Nasir let out a hiss at how close Acer was now standing to Agron's back. These men had no respect for personal space. He noticed Agron's whole body tense at the closeness of the Gaul and he watched Agron closely.
"Do you mind if I take this one to bed? I am sure I would be in for a wide ride!" Acer whispered against Agron's ear and then let out a chuckle.
Nasir felt the blush creep into his checks again at the Gaul's words. He knew he was meant to hear him. He watched as Agron's hands gripped the side of the barrel his fingers turning white. Nasir had already seen Agron ready to get into a fight with the Gauls on his behalf and wasn't sure what was about to happen.
Agron stepped away from Acer, putting distance between them. His hands turned into fists but he kept them at his sides. He knew they wanted a reaction out of him and he wasn't going to give in. "I shall be with him presently…" He said through gritted teeth. Agron was not going to leave little man with them. Acer looked Agron up and down and then let out a chuckle. He then left with Rhaskos following him. "Fucking Gauls!" Agron looked back at the little man. "Apologies you had to hear that. You should stay clear of them." He advised and then turned to go find Crixus.
Nasir nodded, he had planned on staying far away from them. He spotted Chadara and made his way towards her. "What troubles you so, to cause frown as such?" He knew his friend and something was bothering her.
"I chose to lay with a Gaul and Mira intervened."
"She stopped you?" Nasir asked surprised.
"Yes with dagger to his cock!"
Nasir chuckled, but bit his bottom lip when Chadara glared at him. "Which Gaul was it?"
"Rhaskos…" Chadara looked up at him, concern in her eyes. "Do you now hate me?"
"Chadara, I could never hate you. I think you sell yourself short." Nasir didn't like the idea of her being with the Gaul but he would not hold it against her.
"He was the only choice." Chadara tried to defend herself.
"I am sure that is false." Nasir watched her closely.
"Spartacus lies with Mira, Crixus is in search of his woman and Agron…" Chadara paused a moment. "…he growls at any woman that approaches him."
Nasir chuckled. "I think he knows it scares them off."
"He seems to only allow you near him." Chadara had seen them together. "Does he know name now and are you beginning to trust him?"
"He does, yet decides to call me little man." Nasir usually did not care for such at name, but he allowed it to past Agron's lips. "I think so…"
"Why?" Chadara asked. "And was it not you that said they are not to be trusted?"
"He believes name to be false." Nasir let out a sigh. "I may have been wrong."
"Well, it is, is it not?" Chadara knew the name Tiberius was not belonging to him, but did not know real name. She just smiled at him admitting he might have been wrong.
Nasir nodded.
"Then maybe you should say real name and hear it fall from his lips." Chadara suggested.
It was then that Agron joined them looking frustrated. Crixus and a few of the Gauls walked past them and Agron growled. Chadara looked at Nasir a grin on her face, until Agron spoke, addressing them both. "Do you remember Crixus' woman?"
"She was with us but a few days." Chadara offered.
"She slept one night, I tended wounds." Nasir looked into Agron's eyes. "Dominus did not beat her that deed fell to previous hands." Nasir paused looking back at Chadara who was now roaming her eyes over Agron's body. He elbowed her in the ribs. She let out a squeak and Nasir looked back at Agron, before he continued. "She left well tended, other than being used." Nasir knew Agron knew how he meant.
Agron nodded. "You may gain favor with the Gaul, for caring for his woman." He placed a hand on Nasir's shoulder and then left them.
Nasir looked at his shoulder where Agron's hand had just been, the skin was tingling. He smiled as he watched Agron walk away. Chadara cleared her throat beside him. "What?"
"You watch his ass and cock rises!" She giggled.
Nasir blushed. He knew his light green cotton trousers were doing little to hide his arousal. He groaned and walked away from her as she giggled again. Nasir walked over to one of the fires that had been lit around the courtyard and squatted down, trying to get his body under control. He was soon joined by Kofi. Nasir greeted him with a nod as he crouched down by the fire beside him. Kofi smiled at him and Nasir hoped that the other man didn't know what he was trying to hide. Nasir sat there in silence for a while until he heard the gates being opened and Crixus and his men came in.
"Men on the road, heading this way, quickly grab swords. Prepare yourselves." Crixus ordered.
"Wait!" Spartacus said to Crixus. "They may be scouts from a larger force, if one was to get from grasp…"
"Then we shall grasp tightly!" Crixus yelled.
"There may be another option." Spartacus looked over to the boy as he stood. "Tiberius…"
Nasir frowned but walked towards the man. He listened as Spartacus explained the plan and then he nodded to let him know that he understood. He glanced past Spartacus and watched as Agron stood up from his postion leaned against the pillar. Nasir nodded once again as Spartacus clapped him on the shoulders.
"Agron, you and Auctus take everyone inside the villa, out of view. Make sure they keep tongues still." Spartacus said as he turned to the German.
Agron nodded and started ushering everyone inside. He placed a hand on Auctus' shoulder as he glanced back at the little man. He let out a sigh and then followed Auctus and the others into the building. "You all heard Spartacus, silence fucking tongues!" He snapped as some of the new members whispered anxiously with each other. He watched as Spartacus and the other men took position beside the archways, closing the curtains as the loud banging started on the gates and the little man left through the curtained archway. Agron growled and Auctus placed a hand on his shoulder. He couldn't really hear or see what was going on from his position.
Nasir slightly cursed the Gods when he heard Crixus roar and come rushing out from behind the curtains. He took a step backwards and soon found himself on his ass; he hissed at the pain and watched the scene unfold in front of him.
Agron came rushing out when he saw Spartacus leave the villa, Auctus was right on his heels. He found the little man on his ass; he must have been thrown to the ground by one of the men. Agron quickly unsheathed his sword it finding its mark to one of the Roman shit's stomach. Having his sword knocked out of his hand, when one of the other Roman soldiers tried to defend the already fallen one, he switched to his dagger, slitting the throat of one Roman and quickly launching himself onto another, stabbing him in the neck. Agron wanted to check on the little man to make sure he wasn't in danger but when he looked up he was struck hard in the face with the butt of one of the Roman's sword, blooding started to fill his mouth.
Nasir saw Agron get hit and blood fly from his mouth; he knew he had to do something. He got to his feet and grabbed the sword that lay on the ground in front on him, clenching it firmly he rushed forward. Nasir saw Agron look up towards him and then heard him yell Spartacus' name as he and a Roman rushed towards the man's back. Nasir stabbed the Roman in the back just as Spartacus turned around to face them. He let the sword fall to the ground with the Roman and him and Spartacus just stared at each other.
Nasir let out a yelp when he was grabbed by the throat and pushed into one of the pillars, his back making contact painfully and then the hand tightened to a painful state.
"Why did you invite them in?" Crixus growled harshly.
"He killed a man!" Spartacus yelled at Crixus.
"Only when he saw they would not win!" Crixus shouted back.
Nasir watched as Auctus and Agron both stepped closer to him and the Gaul. "Their eyes fell on the lack of collar, if I had let them leave, they would have returned with more men!" Nasir told them and felt Crixus's hand release his neck. He rubbed his throat and then looked at the men around him.
"You did good Tiberius!" Spartacus praised him.
"Nasir…" Nasir looked up at Agron, locking eyes with him. "My brother called me Nasir."
Agron nodded at him, he knew the little man was not called Tiberius. Nasir suited him. Agron gave him a small smile and then let out a hiss.
Auctus turned his gaze from Nasir to Agron. "It seems the little man is beginning to trust someone."