Title: Amor vincit omnia
Summary: AU. When Gregorius, a Servant for an influential Senator, is thrown into the life of Nikolai, the greatest gladiator in Rome, their lives and the Roman society around them are cast into turmoil. Nick/Greg slash.
Warnings: Suggestions of non-con
Disclaimer: CSI is not mine, neither are the chapter titles
Chapter 3/10
Chapter III: I am Required to Kill
Greg walked into his mother's kitchen to find her and Archie already chatting away. He loved his mother, he really did, he'd be lost without her. She had brought him up, educated him, taught him the finer things in life, and, more importantly, gave him the belief in himself that he could be somebody, do something important with his life. In Greg's opinion, everybody should have their own version of his mother in their lives, maybe not as nosy, or worrisome, or open as her…
"Gregorius!" His mother shouted upon seeing her son's approach.
She gripped him in a vice tight hug. "Where have you been all morning?"
"I had clients, Mother." Greg said cheerily, hoping that his mother would be pleased about his business.
She let him out of the hug and gripped his face between her palms.
"Mother." Greg protested as her eyes pierced into his.
"Archie told me you were taken to the Gladiators cells last night."
Greg's heart sank, he'd been hoping his mother wouldn't find out about that, she didn't need the unnecessary worry; she was too good at it.
"I was, but I'm fine."
Greg sighed when his reassurance didn't alleviate the frown on her face.
"I promise you. He didn't touch me, and he said he would tell the Senator that I pleased him. So no flogging for me." Greg fixed a big smile on his face, hoping she'd let this go.
She loosened her grip and hugged him again, gently this time. Greg hugged her back.
"Love you too." He whispered.
She let go and went back to her cooking, a content smile on her face.
"Which gladiator was it?" Archie, who had remained seated by the table, asked.
"Nikolai." Greg replied as he hopped onto the chair next to his friend.
"You met Nikolai?" Achie asked, dropping the bread in his hand.
"Yes, and you will too. I asked him to join us for lunch." Greg smiled, his heart beating faster as he saw Nik approach from behind his mother.
His mother turned to follow her son's gaze. She grabbed Nik into the same hug she had laid on her son previously. Greg laughed as Nik's eyes nearly popped out of his head at the tightness of her grip. He knew how overbearing his mother could be, but she always had his best interests at heart, and anybody who helped in her mission to keep Greg out of harm was a friend to her, no matter how well she knew them. She whispered something in Nik's ear and his features relaxed.
"Greg." Nik greeted him once Greg's mother had released him.
"Mother, this is Nik. Nik, my mother, Mari." Greg introduced them.
"It is lovely to meet you, Mari." Nik said. Greg chuckled as he flashed back to the conversation they'd had the night before, he was right that Nik had a talent for charming mothers'.
"The pleasure is all mine, Nikolai." Mari said as she squeezed Nik's bicep with a twinkle in her eye.
"Put him down Mother." Greg rolled his eyes.
She let go and Nik scooted around to Greg's side of the table, taking the seat beside him.
"Don't worry," Mari said, "he is much too young for me. Besides…" She quirked her lips into a devilish smile.
"Besides… what?" Greg asked suspiciously.
"Oh, nothing dear." Mari turned her attention back to the mixing bowl in front of her.
Greg decided to let it go, she'd probably only embarrass him anyway. More to the point, he was far too distracted by his rapidly beating heart rate and rising temperature. He knew the cause of it was Nik, and he revelled in it, nobody had ever had this effect on him so soon.
Greg remembered Archie's presence.
"Archie," he said, his friend was starring wide-eyed and opened mouthed at Nik. Greg chuckled, trust Archie to meet one of his hero's and lose his cool outer façade.
"Nik, this is Archie. He usually has the ability to form words and move more than a flinch."
Nik laughed and stretched out his hand at Archie, reaching across Greg. Greg gulped at the proximity of the arm to his chest.
"Um." Archie's mouth closed and he embraced Nik's wrist in his hand. He grunted to clear his throat. "Good to meet you." He said in a slightly higher pitch than normal.
"I'm sorry you had to put up with him last night," Archie continued, back to his regularly pitched voice, "I'm sure it wasn't intended as a punishment."
Greg laughed, taking the insult on the chin. He knew Archie didn't mean it; he was just getting his own back, Greg would have been disappointed if he hadn't.
"No, if they'd wanted to punish him they'd have sent Davido." Greg countered.
"I think I've met him." Nik cringed, "that would have been a punishment."
"Hey!" Greg squealed. "You didn't disagree with him that I was a punishment." Greg pouted.
"Well…" Nik dragged his answer out playfully.
Greg softly hit Nik on the arm as he saw Archie's smug smile.
Nik rubbed his arm in protest, but his laugh let Greg know he wasn't serious. "You know you weren't, Greggo." He said quietly.
"Archie, will you help me with this?" Mari asked.
"Sure." Archie said, he stood up and walked with Mari to the large stone oven.
Greg leaned in and whispered in Nik's ear; "What did my Mother say to you?"
"She said," Nik whispered back, "Thank you."
Greg shivered at the breath on his ear.
…
Nik walked through the newly constructed Hypogeum, beneath the floor of the Flavian Amphitheatre. The smell of blood and sweat had already infected the walls and left a damp stench in the air.
He entered the weaponry chamber.
"Roberto." He greeted the man with a slap on the back.
"Nik, are you after your usual weapon of choice?" Roberto asked.
Nik nodded and Roberto reached behind his table to pull out two short handled swords that had been hidden from sight. He handed one to Nik and held the other to gleam in the light of a candle.
Roberto pointed to a spot on the sharp blade. "I fixed that notch for you, good as new."
"Thanks Roberto, you're too good to me." Nik said as he took the offered sword and swirled it in his palm.
"Nikolai." A booming voice shouted from behind Nik.
He knew the voice and greeted him with a manly embrace.
"Wricardo." Nik smiled at his friend. He'd refrained from making friends of fellow gladiators for a long time; he didn't want to face the death of his friends every which way he turned. He'd known Wricardo since he'd first moved to Rome, and eventually, let himself admit that the big, black man was his best friend.
Wricardo was a talented fighter, he wouldn't have survived so long if he wasn't, but because of his origins and the colour of his skin, he'd never get the chance of freedom. Nik rarely considered himself lucky in the life he lived, in this instance he was though, and he could honour Wricardo by offering his friendship for as long as he could.
"Are you fighting today?" Nik asked.
"Yeah, I'm up after you. Just came by to get a change of weapon from Roberto here."
"Did you get good odds for me?" Nik asked, his friend's face lit up at the mention of betting. If anyone wanted to place a bet, Rick was the man to go to.
"Any odds are good on you, my friend." Wricardo laughed.
"Nikolai!" A guard shouted from above to him, it was time for his fight.
"Got to go." Nik said.
"Good luck, man." Wricardo shouted after him as Nik made his way up the narrow corridor of stairs to the arena floor.
Nik turned back to his friend, "If I needed luck, I wouldn't bet on myself."
The gates opened and Nik felt the familiar rush of adrenaline as he stepped out into the arena.
The crowd cheered and chanted his name as the announcer made his arrival known.
He ran to the centre of the oval shaped arena and awaited his opponent. The announcer introduced his rival, Kellenus, a new gladiator, just purchased by Senator Keplarus from the shores of Ostia Antica.
The gladiator stood next to Nik as Nik threw one sword, point first, into the ground and kneeled in front of the Emperor.
"Those who are about to die, salute you." The gladiators shouted in unison. Nik was ready for the fight, his blood was pumping and his mind was alert. Whenever he got out into the arena he wanted to get it over with as soon as possible, he would entertain but he wouldn't drag the fight out for longer than necessary, it was unfair on his conscience and his opponent, nobody wanted to prolong their own death. If the day came that he were to die in the arena, Nik hoped he would be offered the same courtesy.
Nik tightly gripped the handle of his sword and yanked it out of the ground; he swung it through the air with grace and speed. The sharp blade pierced through Kellenus' chest armour. He quickly swept around his other sword to strike again but the axe of his challenger blocked the sword. The two gladiators retreated and circled each other. Nik felt confident that he could win the battle of wills and hold out until Kellenus gave his next more away. Nik noticed the change in footing and tilt of Kellenus' shoulder. He moved one sword into a low block that took the impact of his opponent's low swinging sword. With quick feet he whirled around and thrust the hilt of his other sword into Kellenus' head. Kellenus fell to the ground with a thud.
Nik pinned him to the ground with a foot to his chest. Kellenus hitched his leg up into Nik's backside. Nik stumbled, off balance, giving Kellenus the time to regain his footing. The two encircled each other again, trading blows to the rapturous applause of the crowd.
Nik was impressed, Kellenus had skill, he was tricky and light on his feet, if a little rough around the edges.
There was one thing the crowd was waiting for and Nik decided it was time to give it to them; the move was unique to him and had won him many fights throughout his career. His first fighting trainer had named it the 'lai' combining Nik's name and the faint in his move that never failed to catch his opponent off guard.
Nik spun on his heel and swung his two swords low, forcing Kellenus to jump in order to avoid the blades. He quickly pulled his chest up and switched the direction of his right hand sword; he swiftly thrust his two swords across each other, the tips deeply lashing into Kellenus chest, leaving two trails of blood. Kellenus cried out in pain and stumbled back. Nik took the advantage and slammed his foot into Kellenus' knee, cleanly breaking the bone. Kellenus fell to the ground, one arm holding him up as he swung his sword defiantly in the other.
Nik kicked the sword from Kellenus' hand and pushed him back to the ground with his foot. He stood over his felled opponent, dropped one sword to the floor and raised the other. He waited for the Emperor's verdict on whether Kellenus should live or die.
Kellenus coughed up some blood and looked Nik in the eyes, "It will be an honour to die by your sword, Nikolai."
The Emperor gave his verdict.
"I will see you in Elysium." Nik said regretfully.
…
Nik sat up on his cot as his cell door opened. His heart skipped a beat with hope.
"Hi." Greg said, Nik relaxed at the sound of his voice, never before had Nik been grateful for anything the Senator had done.
Greg sat in the same position he'd been in the other night.
"I heard you fought today." Greg said as he got comfortable in his position.
"You're bleeding!" Greg shouted upon noticing the red trail on Nik's tunic, sitting up on alert.
"What?" Nik followed Greg's eye line to his shoulder. "Oh. No, Alberto took care of that." Nik lifted the crusty red sleeve of his tunic to reveal a crudely stitched wound underneath.
"See." Nik gestured for Greg to look. Greg shuffled closer and leaned on the edge of Nik's cot.
"Does it hurt?" Greg asked, he looked up at Nik with big, open eyes.
Nik wanted to freeze that moment in his mind, to save Greg's look of concern and etch it onto his memory forever. Greg cared, Greg genuinely cared that he was hurt.
"Um," Nik said, trying to distract himself, he didn't want to loose control in those beautiful eyes and do something he'd regret. "I've had worse."
Before Greg could pry more, Nik changed the subject. "Atwatus must really want me on his good side if he's sending you again so soon."
"I always said he was a smart one." Greg sat back; seemingly satisfied that Nik was all right. "Conniving and manipulative, but a smart one." Greg added.
"Yeah." Nik agreed, that's what made him so dangerous.
"It's good, though." Greg nodded, "I was getting worried that the assassin was meant for you, but if he's that concerned about your opinion of him then it can't be can it? I mean, he'd never…"
"Hold on." Nik cut him off. "Assassin? What are you talking about?"
"I don't know really." Greg shrugged, "Atwatus has some assassin headed for Rome. Whom it's meant for, I don't know."
"How do you know that?" Nik asked, thinking about the conversation he'd had with Grissomo the other day.
"Um…" Greg looked at the floor, shielding his eyes from Nik's view, "Atwatus talks in his sleep." Greg said matter of factly, staring a hole into the floor.
Nik gulped, he throat suddenly dry. He hoped this didn't mean what he thought it meant. "You said you hadn't done this before."
"No, I said I hadn't been to the gladiators cells before."
Nik froze. Was he disappointed or angry? Right now, he didn't know, he just felt numb.
"How long?" Nik asked simply.
Greg shrugged and looked up, but his attempt at nonchalance failed once he saw Nik's pleading eyes. "A couple of months." He admitted.
"Do you have a choice?"
"As much choice as I had about coming here."
Angry. He was definitely angry. "That…" Nik gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He needed Greg to say something, to tell him it wasn't true.
"Nik?" Greg tentatively asked.
Nik knew Greg must be able to see his anger, but there was nothing he could do, he'd never been good at hiding his emotions, and now he couldn't get the fury to switch off.
"I'm going to kill him!" Nik clenched his jaw and walked towards the door of his cell.
"No!" Greg called and grabbed his arm from behind. "You can't. His personal guards will protect him, you'd only get yourself hurt, or killed. Me too."
The red mist seeped from Nik's eyes. Greg was right, and Nik didn't want to be the cause of any more harm to him.
"Nik please!" Greg's voice was getting frantic.
"You're right." Nik sighed with defeat. He turned to Greg, his heart stung at the sight of pain in the young man's eyes. Without thinking, he pulled Greg into a hug. Greg gripped onto the back of Nik's tunic, returning the strong hold.
A new wave of calm washed over Nik, this was right, this was where he was meant to be.
"My Mother likes you, you know?" Greg said.
Nik knew he had changed the subject for fear of this getting awkward. He needn't fear, though, Nik was feeling anything but awkward right now.
"Yeah," Nik said as they released each other, "I like her too. She obviously has good taste."
Greg snorted with humourous derision, as they both sat on Nik's cot, their thighs regaining contact.
"You would say that."
Nik was pleased to know he really was capable of charming Mothers'.
TBC…