Fic: Doubtless There Are Other Roads 3/6
Crixus had him in a headlock at 10:30 AM on a Friday morning when Duro bounded down the stairs waving a piece of paper in his hand.
“Do you ever worry the pup’s gone rabid?” Crixus asked.
“All the fucking time,” Agron said. He pushed Crixus off him, laughing when he fell on his ass.
“That was a gimme.”
“Whatever you say, fire brat. I suggest you go clean up if you want to meet Naevia for lunch.”
“We had no plans to do such.”
“No, but I did and clearly Duro needs to be watched since he already smells of baklava.”
“I was hungry,” Duro yelled. He plopped down on one of the mats and cracked open a sport’s drink. “The bakery was just putting out the first plate. Anyone would be tempted.”
“I leave you to sort him out,” Crixus said. He didn’t need to thank Agron, the small smile without a punch as he left was enough.
Agron turned to his brother, with traces of honey and filo dough on his shirt, and couldn’t help his smile. There was no changing Duro, and gods forbid, there never would be.
“What mysteries did the bakery reveal to you so early in the day?”
“I stumbled across an old friend of Auctus. An Oracle, right? He said that all our answers could be found with Hamilcar.”
Agron tried not to choke his brother. “Hamilcar? Really, the great Realm Jumper Archivist and your best friend outside of the pack. Why the fuck did I not think of that first? Oh, wait, that’s because he’s so fucking busy I can’t even get ahold of him.”
Duro slapped him with a force of will. “Don’t be an asshole. I finally got him today. He said he’ll look into it as long as we man the store on Monday. Varro had to skip out and Dagan’s busy doing inventory.”
“He does remember what happened the last time you were in charge of a register, yeah?”
“Right, you have to run the desk and I have to try not to either eat people or curse
them out.”
He sat down next to Duro and swiped his drink. He needed to think about the offer. He’d spent hours analyzing his last conversation with Nasir. His attentions clearly weren’t unwanted and Nasir seemed more concerned about Agron than himself. He kept going back and forth over whether he actually wanted to know. It all came back to the safety of his pack and no matter how much he felt Nasir was perfectly harmless, he couldn’t take the risk.
Hamilcar was a former Realm Jumper who decided to settle down in New England. He ran the bank for the Wanderers, Wayfarers, and Realm Jumpers along with monitoring any legal mention of their kind. He was the closest lore-master to their pack and rarely had the time for a drink, much less a long chat. Over the years he’d grown fond of Duro, ever determined to liberate Hamilcar from stacks of books and parchment, and counted them as friends. If anyone could find the answer with any certainty, it would be him.
“Call Hamilcar back, tell him we’ll do it.”
Duro nodded. “Now what will you do with the rest of your day, having ruined your own lunch plans for the greater good.”
“Mira has a whole list of things to do around the building.” He grabbed Duro by his hair before he could run away. “You will be helping. I’ve taken pity on you. You’ll stay by Sura’s side as she cleans out her closet and haul whatever she wants to the charity dump.”
“You call that pity?”
“It’s either that or getting up on the roof and checking for leaks.”
“I quite enjoy the stroll to the charity bin.”
“I figured.”
Duro’s intense fear of heights was legendary. He’d once jumped on Barca and turned wolf mid-air to get away from a stairwell ledge. It took a whole month to convince Barca that despite the fact Duro scratched him in both human and animal form, he would not be turning wolf on the full moon. Some myths really needed to die.
Duro patted his brother’s back as he stood. “I’ll send Auctus to check up on you. At the very least he’ll get the pigeons to leave you alone.”
“So charitable of him, since he’s the reason we have a coop up there anyway.”
**************
Agron smiled from his seat on the roof ledge as he watched Sura and Duro walk past the post office and towards the charity drop. A stranger passing by on the street would sense something was off about the two of them; Sura just a little too pale to be healthy and Duro just a little too feral to be normal. Spartacus had them all laden down with enchantments that kept the mundanes from looking too long or asking too many questions. They’d learned to avoid making contact with people like the mail carriers and delivery personnel who would wonder why their clients hadn’t aged a day in over thirty years. They mostly stuck to businesses run by other Wayfarers and former Wanderers and Realm Jumpers but it would still be time for a move soon. Agron wasn’t overly happy about that. He’d worked damn hard on getting that gym downstairs up to Crixus’ demanding standards.
He turned back to the chimney flues making sure none of Auctus’ pets decided to nest down again.
“Have you figured it out yet?” Auctus asked.
Agron almost fell on his ass in surprise. The flue helped keep him steady. Fucking Auctus and his tendency to appear as if he could hear people thinking about him.
“I assume you’re going to throw me a subject for that inquiry,” he said.
“Nasir, you fucking twat. And get away from the the flue. My birds aren’t using it as a home and it’s only August. Boston gets cold but not that quickly.”
“So says the ghost who feels neither heart nor cold.”
“I still have to live with your pissing and moaning.”
Agron felt his lips twitch in amusement.
Auctus rolled his eyes. “It’ a figure of speech, you godsforsaken wolf.” He sent a force of will at Agron, actually knocking him on his ass this time. “Stop being a jackass and answer the question. You very well know the subject since you’ve done nothing but pine after him for near on two months.”
“You are going to talk to me about pining?”
“Agron, I will use every last ounce of will I have to throw you off this roof.”
Normally Agron would continue his taunting but Auctus clearly wasn’t in the mood. He didn’t doubt Auctus’ threat and he really wasn’t looking forward to visiting a Healer to get his bones reset. Better to give in this time than let his mouth get him into trouble again.
“No, though some new theories have popped up. You’re not going to tell me, are you?”
Auctus shook his head. “I don’t know, Agron. I never spent much time with the Sidhe or the Sirens in life. I doubt their kind will talk to me in death. You did ask Nasir, yes?”
“Do you think me a fucking idiot?” He held up a hand. “It’s rhetorical, Auctus. He wants me to guess.”
“I didn’t think you liked games.”
“I don’t,” he admitted. “Yet I think he can’t tell me. I must name him.”
Auctus whistled. “That’s some ancient magic and courting techniques, Wolf. Do you think yourself capable of it?”
“I suppose if a ghost can love a wolf then I must at least try.”
Auctus didn’t deny his words. He almost looked relieved, if a ghost could. “Your brother,” he said.
“Yes?”
“He makes me feel alive. Even like this. There is so much life burning in him. I do not wish to offend either of you by warming myself at his flame.”
“You do not.” He stood up and met Auctus’ gaze. It was all he could do, unable to give a comforting touch. “Do know that if you toy with him, if you use him as a replacement for what you no longer have, I will make you take that final journey.”
“I would expect nothing less of you. Or the rest of your pack.”
“Our pack,” he corrected.
“Our pack,” Auctus agreed.
Nothing more was said; Agron went back to checking the roof for possible leaks while Auctus cooed with his pigeons. It was a friendly silence and one of their own secrets. To everyone else the two bickered constantly but Agron and Auctus had an understanding borne out of love and concern for Duro. They didn’t share their worries, their histories, or their secrets, but they did share their peace.
He held little doubt over Auctus’ feelings for Duro. No one willingly sacrificed their lives for another without reason. He didn’t know what changed between when Auctus left as a man and returned as a ghost. He didn’t pretend to understand the mysteries and cares of those who pierced all Veils. His only concern was Duro, who could love too fully, too eagerly, and find himself easily hurt and frustrated. There was honor in Auctus though and he’d already made the ultimate sacrifice for Duro’s sake.
He paused at the top of the ladder before leaving Auctus to his thoughts.
“Not that you need it, but you have my blessing. Whenever you decide to pursue him, I’ll hold back Donar and Saxa.”
“Gratitude,” Auctus said.
When Agron looked up, he was already gone.
********************
The main branch of Byway Books was hidden in a back alley of Beacon Hill. From the outside it looked like a typical wealthy and historic home. Its only patrons were Wanderers and Wayfarers. If rumor was true, a dragon lived in the basement guarding all sorts of treasures. It was an Archive, first and foremost, but also a bank. Not everyone could pay in cash money, so Hamilcar and his crew took payment in everything from apple pies to intellectual spirits. The nice, IRS approved storefront was in Kenmore Square, perfect to grab the Boston University and Berklee crowds, but Agron needed to see the real thing before heading over to the pale imitation.
Hamilcar maintained a schedule that made Agron want to revert to wolf form and stay there. The retired Realm Jumper was constantly traveling to maintain connections with other settled groups of Wayfarers. He’d even surpassed Oenomaus in general knowledge and contacts. Considering the wizard was the one who introduced Hamilcar to the Realm Jumpers six hundred years ago, it showed just how far he’d come. Agron rarely took advantage of the gift of friendship but he was desperate.
The old wooden door creaked open on its own accord when he approached. Agron tried to ignore it as an ominous sign. He walked into the empty foyer, the warning flames glowing a dull blue to alert a guest present.
“Have you lost your damn fool mind?” Hamilcar’s voice boomed from above.
“Always good to see you again, Hamilcar. I suspect you’ve managed to find an answer to my issue.”
Hamilcar shoved him with a playful push to his shoulder as he bounded down the stairs. “Don’t come in here talking like a Sidhe and trying to match wits. You’re already suicidal enough with what you’re going after.”
He looked good, if a bit tired and in need of a shave. The Captain America t-shirt was new but the jeans were older than Pietros. He pulled Hamilcar into a quick hug and patted his back as they separated. Duro saw Hamilcar as an adopted brother and Agron always honored that claim.
“And what exactly am I chasing after?”
“A Puck, Agron. Your little Bard? All the things you’ve mentioned, he could only be a Puck.”
Agron tried not to groan. He’d met Goodfellows back in Chauci and Nasir didn’t smell like any of them. If this was the best Hamilcar could do, than he truly was fucked.
“He does not smell like a Goodfellow, I checked,” he said.
Hamilcar shook his head. “They are lesser cousins. Goodfellows look like bumbling children compared to Pucks. It’s only centuries and that godforsaken Shakespeare who have made them seem like mischievous spirits. If the Pucks and Goodfellows put mind to it, they could bring down the world. Their powers are not bound like those of the wizards. They are closer to the Sirens than to any others and even those fierce creatures use caution towards Pucks.” He cuffed Agron around the head. “You truly have a taste for the dangerous, my friend.”
“Nasir is not dangerous.” He didn’t know if that was particularly true but it felt right.
Hamilcar snorted. “To you, perhaps. From what I know of the Pucks, I would not seek to incur his wrath.”
A warning Agron would’ve taken to heart anyway. Even without knowing his background, Nasir showed hints of a temper. He knew little of Goodfellows, even less of Pucks obviously; all the legends made it clear they were not creatures to piss off.
“Is there anything else you can give me?”
“You’ll have to ask Varro; he knows more of them.”
Agron cursed. More time, more wasted opportunities. “This keeps dragging on.”
“Hey, fuck you. I had to consult three Oracles, one Reaper, and fucking Batiatus to get a confirmation.”
Hamilcar looked more annoyed than truly angry. Agron was grateful. He did have an answer, just not one he was counting on. It wasn’t Hamilcar’s fault that Agron needed more than he could give. He’d already gone beyond what was required of him. He deserved an act of equal devotion.
“Apologies, brother.” He ran a hand over his face. “What’s your payment?”
Hamilcar rolled his eyes. “I did it as a favor.”
He counted back slowly from one hundred in his head. He didn’t like lowering himself, even for a friend, and the wolf was pretty pissed off about it all.
“Of which I am sure you are now in debt to many people. Name your price.”
Hamilcar’s eyes went soft. “Agron.”
“Name it,” he insisted.
He sighed. “I could use some wolf’s blood for the stores.”
Thank the fucking gods, an answer. “Then you shall have it. Freely given with cut by silver knife.”
“Agron.” Hamilcar gripped his arm, no more words spoken.
Always so proper and suddenly so serious. Agron grasped his hand. “Hamilcar, take it. It’s not like I can give you Duro, you’ve already had him.”
He laughed. “And your cousin, with the scars to prove it. Tell me, is biting a family trait?”
“You should consider yourself so blessed to bear the mark of a wolf.”
“I consider myself damaged actually. Try explaining that bite mark to a date.”
“Don’t you know chicks digs scar?”
“I know you know nothing about chicks.”
He walked through the foyer, motioning for Agron to follow. They were to go to the back room where all the pure silver items were kept locked up. For all his shit talking, Hamilcar went to great lengths to ensure no wolf came to harm in his presence. He was a kindred spirit to them all.
Agron wanted to make a flippant reply to his earlier comment but he needed to steel his body for what was coming. Pure silver could kill them if strategically used; in most cases it just burned really badly. For a wolf to willingly give part of their essence under the use of a silver knife created extremely potent blood magic. There were only three other people Agron would trust to take such a thing and he shared an apartment building with them.
“Ready?” Hamilcar asked with knife in hand.
Agron took a moment to center himself and forced the wolf back. The urge to fight, to protect, and to kill always hovered just below the surface. He could switch forms with an ease that wolves much older than him admired. Now, like all times he felt threatened, he had to fight that instinct.
He held out his left arm, fist already clenched to fight off the pain. “Do it,” he grunted, finding speech hard with the growl spilling up from inside.
Hamilcar held a glass vial midway up Agron’s forearm. The cut of the knife was quick but the burn from the silver lasted as his blood drained out.
“It amazes me, you know,” Hamilcar said in a soothing voice, “how much you control the wolf. Your impulse control is for shit, but the amount of restraint you can put on your natural form is truly remarkable. I don’t think I’ve ever quite seen another like you, Agron. Even Donar becomes half-man and half-wolf when angered. You, though, you are fully pissed off and dangerous in both forms.”
“Great, I’m special,” he spat out.
Hamilcar pressed a cloth over Agron’s wound. It was freezing cold; a gift from a Reaper then. Nothing was left but a small, blistered scar.
“Sorry about the mark.”
Agron got his breathing under control before he tried to speak again. He’d need to visit the woods soon, to appease the wolf for this act. There was a price to be paid even to himself. He looked up to find Hamilcar locking the vial away in a safe that pulsed green once closed. It was enchanted with a spell from Spartacus himself. Agron could smell his trace in the magic.
“I expected worse,” he finally said.
“I guess you’ll just have to see if Pucks digs scars too.”
“Fuck you,” he said taking the whiskey Hamilcar held out to him. “When does Varro return?”
He shrugged. “Anytime between tomorrow and the Equinox.”
“Awesome.” He took a hefty swig and passed the bottle back.
Hamilcar fiddled with the cap. “Agron, just don’t be, you know, you.”
“What does that mean?” He wasn’t offended, really, but he did want clarification.
He ticked off various traits. “Stubborn. Bull headed. Breaking bones before asking questions. Burning down buildings on a whim.”
“Hey, that one was Donar.”
“Just be careful, Agron.”
He wasn’t pleading, he was asking and Agron could, at the very least, do that.
*****************************
After one long ass shift selling used textbooks to college students and keeping Duro supplied with fried dough, Agron was ready to crawl into bed and never leave. Mira had other thoughts.
“I’ve invited Nasir over for dinner. It’s time he was properly welcomed.”
Agron stumbled on the stairs, nearly dropping Mira’s laundry basket. “Tonight’s dinner?”
“Of course.”
Sometimes she was the most evil fucking thing he’d ever come across. She knew damn well what he was doing today and how bad the apartment looked. It was Agron and Duro’s turn to host as well.
“Fuck, Mira, you know how my apartment looks.”
“Like a typical wolves’ den. I’ve told you to pick your shit up enough times. Maybe now the lesson will sink inside that thick skull.”
“I want to rip your throat out right now.”
“Oh, jackass, trust me when I say the feeling is mutual. I already have four friends being stupidly oblivious to each other I will not tolerate two more.”
“Always the bridesmaid-”
“-I will cut you where you stand.”
He would’ve held his hands up in surrender if it wasn’t for the basket. There was that thing they never talked about. Such as when Mira first met Spartacus before she knew of Sura. It was a low-blow to even skirt around the issue and if Agron wasn’t so fucking tired he liked to think he’d have left it alone.
“We should find you a nice lawyer,” he said, forever unable to help himself.
“I don’t want a lawyer, Agron. Or a cop. Or your favorite coffee guy at Dunkie’s. Or the pizza delivery kid. I don’t want Dagan or Hamilcar or Lydon or fucking Gannicus. I just want to be left to my own devices and my own time.”
“What about Saxa?”
“AGRON.”
“What, it’s an honest question? Or Donar? Donar would be a great mate. You know, once you got used to the fact he spends most of his alone time in his furry form. He’ll play fetch like a pro though.”
He smiled wide when she turned to stare at him in disbelief.
“You’re so fucked up.”
“Thank you, Lady Wizard. Since you were so kind to help yourself to my love life I only wished to do the same.” He waited for her to open the door before dumping her laundry. “I expect you downstairs in the next hour to help with the cleaning effort. Remember, you’ve only brought this on yourself.”
She glared at him and snatched the now empty basket from his hands. “Remember this, Wolf. When you’re so embarrassed tonight you’re trying to claw your way to hell through your kitchen floor, remember this moment when you ask why.”
He ducked in quick to press a kiss to her cheek and ran out before she could slap him. He loved Mira, he really did, but they’d always antagonize each other. They both had strong opinions about how shit needed to get done and clashed when they didn’t’ agree. Spartacus usually found himself in the middle. Since it took the combined force of Agron, Mira, Sura, and Crixus to pull him back from all his stupid ideas, it was decent payback.
In the apartment Duro was on hands and knees with the dustpan chasing after the broom Auctus directed with his will.
“I’m not sure this is what Walt Disney had in mind, a wolf chasing after a ghost-guided broom,” he said.
“He would not play fetch any other way,” Auctus said. He gestured around the now spotless kitchen. “We’ve done our work here. I will need to rest after this if I don’t want to become a pale shade. I leave the bathroom in your capable hands. Donar’s gone to fetch the vacuum to take care of the dining room.”
“Auctus wants to get rid of the carpet,” Duro said.
Agron gasped. “Not the carpet.”
“It depicts wolves howling at the moon. Unless you want Nasir to know just how much taste you lack, I suggest you banish it to the basement.”
“To love us is to love our tackiness,” Duro said. He stood up, shaking his head to dislodge some of the dust and grime. “And our dirt. I must bathe, brother. I smell worse than Rhaskos.”
“Go,” Agron said. “I will finish the rest. See yourself to contemplation, Auctus. I would not have you fading out in the middle of dinner.”
“A dinner I cannot eat.”
“Yet Sura will require your companionship. Both of you, go.”
Agron walked into the dining room and stared at the stacks of newspapers, boxes, empty liquor bottles, and piles of clothing that accumulated over the past month. Fuck, he was going to smell like Pledge after this was done. He grimaced when he heard the shower start. The bathroom was its own sorry state. Pine-Sol, Pledge, and bleach were far from the scents he considered seductive. Hopefully Nasir wouldn’t notice. He didn’t know if Pucks had highly developed senses, if they could taste emotion the way wolves could, but if the gods were kind, his guest would ignore the Eau de Cleaning Products tonight.
************************
Agron was going to commit homicide, fratricide, and Saxacide.
Dinner started off well. Nasir appeared comfortable among all of them. Crixus debuted a new dish he got off a cooking show. He and Agron refrained from beating the shit out of each other over appetizers. It was going perfectly until Spartacus, the treacherous fuck, brought out the alcohol. The good stuff, brought over by the Realm Jumpers and guaranteed to to affect even wolves and giants. Halfway through the first course it quickly became story time. All tales were almost exclusively about Agron and by dessert he was contemplating shifting to animal form for the rest of his godsforsaken life.
First, though, he was going to kill Saxa with a napkin ring.
“Has he made the all the better to eat you with joke yet?”
“Saxa,” Naevia scolded while Agron buried his head in his hands.
“What? It’s practically his trademark.” She took a bite of chocolate cake with impunity. “And I know it’s gotten him laid 9 times out of 10.”
Nasir’s breath tickled Agron’s neck when he leaned into him. “You raised her to act human, yes?”
“Yup,” Agron muttered. He could already feel the tension headache forming.
“You might want to start a remedial course. For all of you.”
“I don’t disagree.”
A pulse of soothing heat ran through his body when Nasir touched his arm. Agron turned quickly to meet Nasir’s mischievous smile.
“You could use the calm,” he softly said.
Agron wanted to tell just how not calm the magic made him, but Duro was waving a fork at the both of them.
“No secrets at the dinner table,” he demanded.
“Duro, put that down before you hurt yourself,” Auctus ordered.
“Or someone else, you fucking wolf,” Crixus said, rubbing the scar on his face from the last time Duro got fancy with cutlery.
Mira intervened before it got any worse. “Everyone away from the table. Donar, Saxa, dishes.”
“Still eating,” Saxa growled.
“Take it into the kitchen,” Mira ordered.
Nasir tapped the back of Agron’s neck, forcing him to raise his head.
“I promise our behavior isn’t catching,” he said.
“I somehow doubt that,” Nasir said. He pointed to where Donar and Duro were fighting over the last slice of pie. “What is it with you wolves and your sweets?”
“There are a few things wolves find more pleasing in human form. Sugar is one of them. It’s associated with childhood, you know. A bit of candy for successfully holding human form for an hour or two. It creates some pretty sad learned food behaviors, but if you get a pack of wolves together in human form, you better have a bakery nearby.”
“A thing to remember.” A look came over Nasir’s face and suddenly, Agron found it very easy to believe he was, in fact, a Puck. “What other delights does your kind prefer in human form?”
The rest of the table grew silent, a massive feat on in its own. Agron forced himself to swallow very deliberately and not blurt out his first answer.
“Conversation is more enlightening for one,” he said.
“Conversation and sweets,” Nasir teased.
“And fu-” Agron started, unable to resist the silent taunt.
“Not at the dinner table,” Spartacus said.
“Which you all are supposed to be away from,” Mira said. She shooed them all away except for Saxa and Donar who were, by rotation schedule, on dish duty.
Agron followed Saxa into the kitchen. “What the fuck, pup?” he asked as soon as the door closed.
“You’re annoying me,” she warned. She was near the steak knives. Agron took a step back. “Good boy,” she said.
Saxa proceeded to scrape excess food off the plates before loading them in the dishwasher, just like Barca taught them years ago. She was letting Agron stew. Knowing that it was already late and that Nasir would have to leave soon if he didn’t want to get stranded or take a cab; Agron really wasn’t in the mood for this bullshit. They’d all be taunting him at dinner. Not in the way anyone other than a wolf would recognize, but still, it was there. They’d all, even Donar, casually thrown their arms around Nasir and found excuses to touch him, effectively erasing any trace of scent Agron left.
“I’ve never seen you take so long to bed a man,” Saxa said.
“Caution is needed. Nasir is no mere man. Or a plaything. He is a friend.”
“That you’ve already begun a courting ritual with without the fellow approval of your packmates. Does Nasir even know what it means to have a wolf bring a meal to him multiple times?”
“He knows little of our traditions. Besides, I am only extending courtesy to a fellow Wayfarer.”
“Did Spartacus enchant you to get the bullshit to roll of your tongue so easily or is it natural?”
His reply was stopped by Saxa growling as Auctus appeared through the floor.
“You know she hates when you do that,” he said.
“I know she’s saving all the rage up for when I go corporeal,” he answered.
Saxa huffed in agreement.
“Whenever you are done in here, you’ll find Crixus is giving Nasir a tour of the building.”
Agron’s surprised himself at the ferocity of his growl. Saxa instinctively dropped her head and whimpered in response and he could hear Duro and Donar’s concerned howls through the door.
“Everything’s fine,” he yelled.
Auctus rolled his eyes. “What a lovely display of stupidity. Don’t growl, Wolf. If your thickheaded skull has forgotten such things, you’ve made no claim on our new friend other than companionship. Besides which, Crixus has only ever had eyes for Naevia. Still, you should act before someone else does. He is a thing of beauty, is he not?”
“I do not need advice from a ghost of all things,” he gritted out through clenched jaw.
“Yes, because a ghost knows nothing of regrets,” Auctus said. He shoved Agron towards the door with a force of will. “I suggest you go act like a gentleman and walk Nasir to the train station.”
“I don’t want to offend him. He can take care of himself.”
“It will be a nice gesture since you know him best and yet it was Sura who greeted him upon arrival.”
“I was moving the carpet like you told me to!”
“Romance is lost on the living,” Auctus said. The kitchen door swung open. “Go. Now.”
Donar gave him a hefty push out the apartment door which sent him stumbling in the hallway. As always, his timing was perfect as he tripped into the wall as Nasir, Crixus, and Duro emerged from the stairwell.
Crixus turned to Nasir. “That wolf always acts like a new born foal. How he manages to walk at all amazes the lot of us.”
“Fuck you,” Agron and Duro said at the same time.
Nasir ducked his head and smiled. Agron was completely fucking charmed, and from Duro’s rolled eyes and Crixus’ snort, it must’ve been obvious.
“I should leave before I miss my train,” Nasir said. “Thank you all for a lovely dinner. It’s good to share conversation outside of The Temple.”
“You should visit us whenever you like,” Duro offered before Agron could. “Someone is always lurking about during the day. You are a Wayfarer and friend. Our home is yours now.”
Agron almost fell over in shock. Duro had never extended an open invitation to anyone not of their pack before, save Hamilcar. Duro’s obvious wink that followed explained a hell of a lot or nothing. What were his pups up to?
“Duro speaks truth,” Crixus said. “Agron, walk the boy to the train.”
“You don’t have to,” Nasir protested.
“I enjoy our walks. And our talks,” Agron said. “It would be my pleasure.”
“Yeah, it would,” Duro muttered low enough that only another wolf could hear.
Agron glared at his brother as he held the lobby door open for Nasir. It swung close on Duro and Crixus’ combined laughter.
“I hope we haven’t left you permanently scarred,” Agron said as they started towards the train station.
Nasir laughed. “It was an educational evening, to say the least.”
“Remind me to lay down equal payback next time. Every single person around that table has it coming.”
“They love you, your family.” Nasir grasped Agron’s hand. “It’s something I feel privileged to witness.”
“I don’t know if privileged is the right word.”
“To see real, honest love and interaction between friends rather than stiff courtier talk? Yes, it really is.”
Nasir easily matched pace with Agron’s larger strides. He pulled Nasir a little closer as they entered the main street area. Their neighborhood was in the middle of a revival, but night time on the south shore was still rife with thieves and drug deals. He knew Nasir could easily defend himself, but Agron had no qualms about using his bulk to get any assholes to back the fuck off.
Nasir was beautiful here, even among the closed shop fronts and the neon lights of the nail salons. His presence soothed Agron, helped him ignore the overwhelming scent of Chinese and Italian food in the area, coupled with the noise spilling out of the bars.
The urge was there to tell Nasir he knew what he was, but the who still remained in question. He held his tongue, for now; he didn’t think he’d succeed much longer, not with Nasir’s warmth becoming so familiar at his side.
He followed Nasir onto the train platform, keeping company during the long wait for the night service. The cool concrete of the seat benches helped Agron keep his wits about him. Nasir was of another mind all together, sitting on top of his coat for an added layer of protection.
“I fear to see you in winter,” Agron said.
“I plan to be somewhere warmer then.”
“Oh no,” Agron said, tugging on Nasir’s loose hair. “I will keep you trapped here, if only to see you among the snow banks. They may well tower over you. Besides, you must see Duro devour a tank full of hot chocolate.”
“I regret that I will miss it,” Nasir said. His gaze dropped to the ground. “I plan to leave at the Equinox.”
Agron went very still. That would be late September. He had a month. He swallowed past the lump in his throat.
“You are truly a wandering minstrel,” he croaked out. He coughed, clearing his throat. “We will have to make the rest of your time here memorable.”
Nasir looked surprised when he raised his head to meet Agron’s gaze. There was relief there too, as if he expected Agron to be angry. Agron wasn’t pleased and he certainly wouldn’t play fair. He’d do his damn best to convince Nasir to at least delay his departure until the Winter Solstice, but he’d keep those plans to himself for now.
The mechanical voice announcing the arrival of Nasir’s train made them both flinch.
“Duro meant his invitation. You should come see us whenever you want. The door is always open.”
“I would reciprocate the dinner invitation, at least. To you alone, so you do not contemplate murder of your pack via flatware again.”
Agron laughed. “Caught that, did you?”
“I’m surprised Saxa didn’t suddenly drop dead.”
The blare of the horn and the rush of the train came in the distance. He stood with Nasir, giving him a quick hug before either could question his actions. No words passed between then when they train arrived. Nasir softly smiled and squeezed the hand Agron still had around his waist before he boarded the train.
Agron started to outline his strategy during the quick walk home. He entered his apartment to see all his pups and Auctus sprawled out in the living room. Duro held a gavel. Fuck the gods, it was a meeting.
“Can this not wait for morning?”
“No,” Donar said. He patted the open spot next to him. “I saved this honored seat for you, Alpha.”
“Sit and come to order,” Saxa said.
Duro nodded in approval and stood, swinging the gavel in his hand. “Brother, you know I make it a matter not to comment on your sex life.”
Agron felt his eyebrows inch towards his hairline. “Do you? The past three hundred years must’ve been a fluke, then.”
“I think Nasir is good for you. Even Donar thinks so.”
Donar grunted in response.
“I say you should pursue him and I take a pack vote to agree,” Duro declared. He held his hand up like a school child. “All in agreement.”
“Aye,” Donar and Saxa said.
“Three against one,” Duro said, throwing down his gavel. “It’s settled. Current pack mission is to get our fearless leader a date.”
“I do not need your help,” he hissed.
Donar laughed before anyone else could. “You essentially called all his people cheaters and liars after your first meeting. I may not know how to court a Bard, but I doubt insults are a good start.”
“Fuck you, I’m charming.”
Saxa tilted her heard and studied him. “We could try to accentuate his physical attributes and hook Nasir in with lust. I’m sure Mira has a silencing spell to use on Agron.”
Duro snapped his fingers. “I like that. We should make a list.”
“Wait,” Agron said, standing and looking at them all. “If you’re just calling a meeting now what was tonight about?”
Auctus was the one who spoke up. “I’ve never seen you accept so easily a man you’ve wished to devour in more ways than one at first sight.”
“It must be true love then,” Duro said.
“Duro,” Donar said with a groan.
“What? Everyone else was thinking it. My brother, wolf lacking trust in all others, bends his neck in submission to Nasir. Whatever he may be, he certainly has Agron enchanted.”
“Have you not found out yet?” Auctus asked in surprise.
Agron waved off his concern. “I have a name for a thing but need more.”
“And when will you find it?
“Upon Varro’s return.”
Auctus nodded in approval. “Sura and I have both looked in the Beyond; we see no evil in him. The pack is not at an obvious risk. Other than your stupidity, of course.”
“Of course,” Agron mocked. “You still have not told me why you were all in such a form tonight.”
“We needed to decide if he was worthy of having you,” Donar explained.
“Is he?” Agron asked.
“I think he could do better, but so do you. His eyes were only for you this night, Agron. He’s conflicted over something, but you both turn to each other.”
“It’s almost heartwarming,” Auctus sniped.
Agron decided not share his revelation about Nasir’s plans, or his background this eve. He would listen to his pack. It made his breathing and plans easier to know he truly had their support, approval, and protection.
There were things to be done come the dawn.