A/N I finished writing this act, there are 32 chapters, plus a little side mini story that I'll add when the time is right :P
Over the last few months there was always at least three people in the mansion, with everyone gone Nero felt entirely alone. Which he figured was probably not a bad thing, since Esperance had died he hadn't had the time to think about it.
He was a bit angry that he hadn't been the one to kill her, but at the same time he didn't really care. At least she was dead and he couldn't blame Varric for killing her. Although it would have been nice to see her die at the hands of that which she created, but things don't always work out that way.
Nero sat in a chair in the main hall with a glass of wine in his hand and stared at the wall. Why was it that Fenris was mourning the loss of Denarius, but he wasn't? He didn't feel any different now that she was dead...maybe there was a little relief that she wouldn't be able to put her evil hands on him again but other than that he couldn't care less.
Perhaps it was because he had never really thought too highly of her, not like Fenris did Denarius. Before he had met the Archon he had liked her the least of his three creators, but he didn't think too much of any of them, he wasn't going to be with them forever anyway, he was going to live in Minrathous with the Archon of Tevinter and he was going to serve him. In a way he might have grown to admire the Archon, but that wasn't based on meeting him or knowing anything about him personally. He had heard great things about the man from his creator's, and he was destined to serve him, so he had turned his feelings towards him.
Then the Archon shot him down and he was sent back with his creators, but even then he did not particularly like them. Macarius couldn't care less about him, he was always doing his other experiments, of which Nero did not wish to know. Krispen used him as a bodyguard occasionally, but otherwise they did not interact. And Esperance...she had been the one to start selling him to others for an hour or two, and the last three years that he had been her slave she had tortured and abused him in such a way that he grew to despise her.
He didn't think he was capable of even feeling the slightest tinge of guilt over that bitch's death.
He sighed and took a long drink from his glass. At least Fenris was finally free, even if he was deeply troubled right now, he would soon realize how far he had come. He wouldn't have to hide, nor would he have to worry about somebody breaking into his home to take him back to Tevinter, and he didn't have to worry at all about Denarius capturing him again.
But then...Nero still had to worry about those things, and if Fenris was going to stay with him then he would have to worry about those things still as well. Nero frowned, who was he to risk Fenris' new found freedom because he wanted to be with the elf?It might hurt them both, but it would be better for them to go their separate ways. Fenris risked being killed or captured with him, surely if Nero brought this to his attention he would agree.
But could he do it? Could he look at the man he loved and tell him that they couldn't be together? Could he go back into true hiding and never speak to any of his friends again? He put them all at risk, every time they were with him. How could he be so selfish as to not realize this for all these years? Could he really do it? It had only been a few days but he already felt so lonely and bored that he could hardly stand it.
A terrifying idea suddenly occurred to him. What about bandits and random slavers? Fenris could be fighting those out there, alone.He was suddenly extremely nervous and frightened, what if Fenris never came back? Should he go out and look for him? What if he got caught by slavers or bandits...should he get the others?
Fenris is more than capable of taking care of slavers and bandits on his own, he told himself, I'll just have to wait...
He was taken from his thoughts by a knock at the door, grumbling he stood to answer it and found Hawke on the other side.
"Is Fenris around?" Hawke asked.
Nero shook his head, "he needed some time alone, so he went camping."
Hawke raised an eyebrow, "isn't that dangerous? Even for him?"
"Possibly, I'm sure that Fenris is capable of handling anybody wishing him harm on his own."
Hawke nodded, "I was just wondering how both of you were doing, ever since..."
Nero put on a small smile, "yes well, I'm fine, its nice that Esperance is dead, but I'm just as enslaved as I used to be. The Archon is my real master, she was just annoying. Fenris however...he's been better."
Hawke frowned, "shouldn't he be excited that he's finally free?"
"I don't think it's quite hit him yet. He said he was having a hard time feeling free in this mansion, so he went camping to think and in hopes of realizing his freedom."
"I see."
"I..."Nero hesitated, but pushed himself to continue, "I don't think I should hang around any longer. I am a threat to Fenris, you, and everyone else. Your lives are at stake, if any slavers come across me, and you defend me, they could cut you down. I'm sure that once word of Esperance's death reaches Tevinter they will send somebody after me."
"Your going to leave Fenris? Do you not realize what that would do to him?" Hawke gaped.
"Well, I was hoping to be able to make him understand..."
"Even if he does...what good is freedom if he can't enjoy it? You make him happy Nero, leaving, whether he agrees or not, would destroy him. And as for the rest of us, we're here for each other. Maker I put you all at risk more often than you do but do you think I should separate myself from everyone?"
Nero frowned, "No, but that's-"
"It's not different, don't even pretend that it is. I would caution against going through with this, but I can't really stop you. Just...I'm going to be mighty pissed off if you damage my friend for something this stupid."
"It's not-"
"Think about it some more then, I'm leaving." Hawke said and walked out the door.
Nero furrowed his brow, "dammit, Hawke."
...
The next day Fenris came back. Nero had just entered the kitchen and was washing his hands after a morning of tending the garden when the elf walked in. Nero turned to find Fenris wasn't wearing his armor, his hair was wet, and he was only wearing pants. He quickly realized that Fenris must have had a bath when he got home; the mansion was big enough that he wasn't really all that surprised he didn't hear the elf moving around.
They looked at each other for several minutes before Fenris grabbed Nero and held him tight in his embrace.
"I"m so sorry, I never asked about how Esperance's death was affecting you before I left. I was too caught up in myself, and I promised not to be selfish. I'm sorry." Fenris whispered into Nero's ear.
"It's alright, you were upset, it happens." Nero told him.
"It shouldn't have, I'm sorry." Fenris repeated.
Nero shook his head but didn't reply and Fenris pulled back a bit with a worried expression on his face.
"Nero..."
Nero looked at the elf for half a second, his thoughts of the previous day completely vanishing, before pulling the elf's face towards his own to kiss him deeply. Fenris groaned at the sudden contact and kissed back ferociously, turning the kiss from passionate to needy. Nero couldn't explain why he suddenly felt in inexplicable need to have sex with Fenris. Maybe it was a mixture of not having been near him for several days and seeing the elf without his shirt on, and water dripping from his hair, that had made him need it, now.
The scars from the dragon only added to Fenris' dark sex appeal. Nero refused to admit out loud that they kind of...excited him, sometimes.
During his time away Fenris had come to terms with what had happened with Denarius, and had assured himself that he was finally free, he didn't have to worry about the magister coming after him anymore. He had grown excited and had come home with a great desire to celebrate his freedom in the most basic of ways. He had, of course, worried that Nero would be angry with him about not considering his feelings.
Evidently there is no anger taking place in this room, not right now at least.
Fenris pulled away from the kiss only long enough to take Nero's shirt off before resuming it. He sucked and nibbled on Nero's bottom lip which elicited a moan, which in turn only made him more excited. Nero's fingers were on his chest and it wasn't long before his nipples were being pinched and he gasped. He pulled away to find Nero had a cocky grin on his face, which he generally only wore when he was pleased with himself.
Fenris chuckled and backed Nero up so that he hit the counter, "up" he said with his own grin and Nero obliged.
Then Fenris focused his attentions on Nero's neck, biting and licking his way to the other man's chest. Nero moaned quietly and, growing frustrated, grabbed the elf by the face to kiss him again while he lifted up his legs to hook his toes in Fenris' pants and pushed them down.
Fenris laughed, "in a hurry?" he asked.
"Yes, I need it, asap." Nero told him, a devilish twinkle in his eyes.
Fenris chuckled, it was a rare occasion that Nero wanted it so badly, and he couldn't help himself, he always had to drag it out. So when Nero lifted himself up a bit to take his own pants of Fenris put his hands on the tops of his thighs and pressed down, a sly smirk on his face as he pressed his forehead against Nero's. Nero groaned in frustration and glared at the elf, who, without using his hands, pushed Nero's head back and kissed him again, this time slowly.
Nero whimpered, but knew he shouldn't be surprised, didn't Fenris always do this when he was in a rush? He hated it, but at the same time it drug out the pleasure, so he didn't like to complain...much. He usually retaliated in the simplest way possible, by trying to get Fenris' excitement as high as his own.
So while Fenris was kissing him painfully slow, Nero snaked his arms around the elf and placed his hands at the top of his shoulders. He smirked before dragging his nails down Fenris' back and squeezing his ass when he reached it. Fenris shivered and pulled away from the kiss, but kept his hand on Nero's thighs.
Fenris knew what Nero was doing, he expected it, but, as usual, he told himself that he could ignore it. And, as usual, he couldn't. Especially when Nero kept one hand on his butt, brought one up to squeeze his nipple, and bit down on his neck. He groaned loudly and pushed Nero back so that his shoulders were against the wall and pulled his pants off.
Nero chuckled triumphantly as Fenris grabbed him by the hips and pulled him closer, and began searching in a drawer next to them.
Fenris furrowed his brow, "what are you-"
Nero finally found what he was looking for and held it up, "olive oil."
"Ah, clever."
Nero carefully poured some of the oil into his hands and reached between them to grab Fenris' length. Fenris groaned just from the touch and had to place his hands on the counter either side of Nero to steady himself. Nero slowly stroked his member, covering it completely in the oil, before pulling away and wiping his hands on Fenris' chest. Fenris frowned.
"I just had a bath." he said.
Nero grinned "you'll just have to have another one then, wont-"
Nero cut off his sentence with a loud moan as Fenris entered him. When Fenris was in all the way they waited for a moment, looking at each other, before Nero nodded for Fenris to continue. And so he did.