Fic: Doubtless There Are Other Roads 4a/6
The Temple was closed to outsiders that night in celebration of Gannicus’ six hundredth birthday. How either realm managed to survive six hundred years of Gannicus was anyone’s guess but it was clear Melitta and Oenomaus helped. Theirs was a partnership full of balance; of death, life, and rebirth. It was truly fascinating to watch.
Not that anyone at Agron’s table particularly cared. Oh no, all concerns were towards his dinner tomorrow night with Nasir.
“Agron, let’s talk about this date,” Mira ordered. She pointed at him with her beer bottle. “Do you have a plan?”
He desperately looked around the table for someone to change the subject, but even Hamilcar looked interested. He turned to his left to Dagan who was throwing back shots.
“Dagan, help a wolf out,” he pleaded.
“I am not here for your problems,” Dagan said. “I am here for drink.”
Agron scoffed. “After all I have done for you?”
“Such as losing my eye?”
Agron pushed an unopened bottle of scotch at him. “Drink up, my friend, on me.”
“So, plan?” Hamilcar asked.
“Aren’t you the one who told me to use caution and take it slow?”
“Yeah, but I didn’t tell you to be a fucking saint.”
Agron growled in frustration. He could really use his pack right now to explain shit. They were too busy teaching Nasir how to cheat at pool. That couldn’t possibly end in blood.
“I don’t see how this is anyone’s business,” Agron muttered before he grabbed the scotch back and poured more into his own glass. “I’m the one that gets to deal with the consequences.”
“And we get to deal with the aftermath of your consequences,” Duro said, pushing Agron to share half his seat.
“You didn’t let Saxa eat Nasir, did you?”
“Nah, Oenomaus wanted to talk to him. Last I saw Saxa was arm wrestling Gannicus with Donar refereeing. Melitta’s taking bets if you want to lay one down.”
Dagan and Hamilcar both ran towards the game room. Agron wanted to join them, especially with the look Sura was shooting his way. He slid into Dagan’s empty seat instead.
Duro glanced around the table, hair swinging wildly with his movements. “Even a human could taste the tension here. Who died?”
“Besides Sura and myself?” Auctus asked.
Sura ignored the laughter from their group and got right in Agron’s face.
“You will not fuck this up,” she ordered. “We like Nasir and we want him to stay.”
“Why does everyone assume I’ll fuck it up?” For fucking serious, he’d heard the same thing ad nauseam for the past three days.
The table went silent. Everyone looked at each other; no one met his eyes.
“Well, fearless leader?” he asked Spartacus.
Spartacus took a breath and paused. Another breath and another pause. Finally he gathered his words. “Agron, you’re…” he trailed off. “You have a tendency towards disaster.”
“Understatement of the fucking century,” Crixus mumbled.
“We heard that, you fucking demon,” Duro shot back.
“He only speaks truth,” Mira said. “We know what to expect with your whole pack. Success comes, yet often brings chaos with it.”
“I’m taking that to mean we get results and are always entertaining,” he informed Duro, who nodded in agreement.
Naevia smiled at him. “Agron, you must admit Sura raises some valid concerns.”
“Have you ever been on a date?” Sura asked.
He stared at her.
“What?”
He exchanged a look with Duro who waved at him to go ahead. He turned back to Sura and consciously made an effort to not sound like a condescending shit. He assumed she knew this already because of Spartacus; apparently husband and wife still had a few secrets even in death.
“I’m a wolf, Sura. We have pretty standard courting techniques. We don’t date so much as try to win over a mate. One mate for the entirety of our existence. We do things to show we’re valuable partners. We don’t date.”
“You’ve lived how long in the modern human world?”
How a ghost could sound that pissed off amazed him. Agron forced his voice to remain friendly, even as Duro protectively leaned into his side.
“How many relationships with non-Wayfarers do you think I’ve had? Sura, this shit is serious to me. It’s not some cute little thing for you to fawn over. It’s a decision that required approval of my whole pack. If my sisters were here, they’d be busy preparing a friggin’ gauntlet for Nasir to run. It’s a damn bit more than a fucking date.”
“Well, here and now you’re starting with a date. You’re going to dress proper, act proper, and show Nasir you have a whole hell of a lot more to offer than lumbering intimidation, Lurch.”
Naevia gasped and Duro growled. Sura was using the forbidden nickname. No one got away with it. Not even Saxa.
“Spartacus,” he yelled.
“Sura, love, please refrain from using that nickname. Agron finds it most offensive. Agron, please open yourself up to the possibility that Sura has some good advice for you. You’ve claimed Nasir has little knowledge of wolf customs. He is probably more familiar with the Sidhe way. Their courting techniques, outside of betrothals, are more similar to dating than bringing someone a dead deer carcass.”
“Fuck you, I only did that once,” Saxa yelled from the bar, holding up her victory shot.
“He was a vegetarian, Saxa,” Mira said.
Saxa snorted as she sauntered over. “Good thing it ended then.” She curled an arm around Mira’s shoulders and pulled her close. “Come, let us have a dance.”
Mira nodded, knowing it was hopeless to resist, and sat up. “Join us, Naevia.” She shot a sly look at the end of the table. “Crixus, you too, if you’re able to pry yourself from the liquor.”
Agron didn’t need his superior senses to smell the set up. Duro was already refilling their glasses in preparation for a lecture. Sura looked eager, Spartacus resigned, and Auctus honestly fucking entertained for once.
He sighed in resignation and dropped his head into his hands.
“What are your thoughts?”
**********************
Agron, like he told Sura, didn’t date, at least according to her and Mira’s standards. Personally, Agron thought walking down Boston’s old streets and sharing some fried dough was a hell of a lot more enjoyable than sitting in this stuffy restaurant trying really hard not to fuck anything up.
It wasn’t going well. In fact, it was already shot to shit and they’d just sat down. Nasir was quiet, almost sad, and Agron was twitchy. It didn’t feel right, it didn’t feel like them, and having fucking Lydon as their waiter added about twenty levels to Agron’s personal hell.
The Grove was a pretty damn common name for a bistro, He just never thought this grove would be Lydon’s grove. Agron never wanted to suddenly disappear more in his life. He wanted to grab Nasir, get some take out, and run like hell out of town.
This was worse than that time Naevia dragged him to a French restaurant and he had to figure out how to eat a hotdog on a toasted baguette. It was the first, and last time, he went for some fancy ass food.
“How did you find this place?” Agron asked, desperate for conversation.
“Pietros suggested it,” Nasir said without looking up from his menu.
Agron was going to kill the little Sprite the second he saw him. It would be worth Barca ripping his head off.
“He said you liked outdoor dining,” Nasir elaborated.
To be fair, Agron did but his version of outdoor dining meant food from street vendors. He shifted in his seat, trying not to growl as he got stuck. He hated trying to fit in these tiny chairs and every time he moved, his knees bumped the table. It was like being at the worst little kid’s tea party ever. He couldn’t even haunch his shoulders because Sura would know if he wasn’t practicing proper posture. She’d subjected him to a twenty minute lesson before this whole date thing.
He put his menu down, stomach churning too badly to even consider food right now. This, none of it, was working out right. It felt off and it made Agron’s skin crawl. The urge to change form was right there, the wolf ready to get away from all the wrongness. Fighting off his instincts was making his body temperature rise in a bad way. It felt stuffy inside the restaurant and they were sitting on the friggin’ patio.
He took a sip of water, proud at his steady hands, and cleared his throat.
“You look nice,” he told Nasir.
Compliments, those were supposed to be good. Nasir looked gorgeous, really, but Mira told him to curb anything he’d naturally say if he didn’t want to get slapped, disemboweled, or castrated.
“Gratitude.” He finally put down his menu and looked at Agron. “You look different. Very polished.”
Nasir didn’t sound too happy about that. To be honest, neither did Agron. The long-sleeved shirt barely fit him and Spartacus made him tuck it in to the godforsaken itchy wool dress pants. Wolves ate sheep, they didn’t wear them; it led to far too many puns that made Agron’s lips twitch in a completely inappropriate manner. He never wore such heavy clothing in the summer. Hell, he was hard pressed to wear shit like this in the dead of winter.
Lydon’s arrival stopped his retort. He dropped off their drinks and a plate of appetizers.
“Lydon, man, we didn’t order this.”
“I know,” Lydon said, sad eyes pleading as he looked at Agron. “Consider it a gift. It’s been too long since I’ve seen you or any of the wolves.” He pulled out his order pad. “I assume you’ll be having the lamb tonight? That was always your favorite dish at Via and their chef is here now.”
“Ah, yeah, thanks.”
Lydon smiled before he turned to Nasir. “And you, sir?”
“The same please,” Nasir said. He smiled politely, but his grip on the butter knife was less than friendly.
“A wonderful choice,” Lydon said. He patted Agron on the shoulder as he walked off. An action Nasir didn’t miss if his flaring nostrils were any indication.
“Lydon is an old friend,” he quickly explained.
“Like Barca?”
Agron never thought it possibly to be even more attracted to Nasir, but his quiet rage even made the wolf settle down. He took another sip of water, praying to any gods that were listening that his voice would not crack.
“Not exactly. Duro was closer to him once; before everything went to shit. Lydon anticipated a lover’s return and received a cold shoulder instead. He thinks I can lead them back together and I don’t know how to tell him Duro is all but claimed. My brother needs to do the right thing and take care of his own mistakes.”
Nasir nodded, some, not all, of the tension leaving his face. “Do you consider it a mistake?”
“His handling of it, yes. Duro was unintentionally cruel and he still has apologies to make. He meant it as fun, not something serious. He had no intention of making Lydon his…” Agron stopped. It probably wasn’t a good thing to bring up that discussion before the main dish. “They were just friends. Duro didn’t realize Lydon was well-versed in our traditions. Lydon thought he was being set up for something more significant than pack friendship.”
“Why does Lydon still wish to pursue the relationship?”
Agron wasn’t comfortable sharing Lydon’s whole history. He only knew it secondhand from Duro to begin with and he was never a fan of airing other peoples’ secrets. Everyone had a right to their privacy. It’s why even though he needed to know what Nasir was from the start, he was fine with discovering the who on his own.
“Lydon comes from a past similar to Pietros. He had partners who considered him something to be owned rather than loved. He knows how wolves are about their mates. He has his heart set on becoming one.” Agron scratched the back of his head. “To be perfectly fucking honest, he has the fortitude and temper for it, just not for Duro.” He took a sip of his beer this time, hoping against that look in Nasir’s eyes, that the topic was over.
Nasir drummed his fingers on the table top. “Are you certain Lydon hasn’t fixed his gaze on you?”
Agron choked. “Not a chance in hell,” he sputtered out. “Not my type.”
“Young, earnest, and gorgeous isn’t your type?”
“No, I prefer sarcastic, cranky, and infuriating.” Somewhere Sura was burning him in effigy.
“Good to know,” Nasir said before taking a sip of his own beer.
Agron shifted in his seat, cursing the tiny chair once again, and tried to calm his racing heartbeat. It was going to be a long-ass night.
*******************
Despite the brief moments during dinner where everything felt normal, it still went to shit. Agron felt stuck on the longest emotional rollercoaster of his life and his nerves were shot. Lydon writing his new number and address on the receipt really didn’t help. Nasir opted for the long walk back to Barca’s as opposed to train hopping. Agron decided to take it as a good sign rather than Nasir planning to murder him and dump his body in the Charles.
Nasir suddenly came to a stop when they finished crossing the bridge. He turned to Agron, looking angry and beatufiul in the yellow streetlight. “You said Lydon thought he was being set up as a wolf’s mate. How would he come to that conclusion?”
Agron rubbed the back of his neck. He didn’t think this was the best place for this discussion but Nasir was the stubborn type.
“There’s sort of a set standard of courting techniques.”
“Such as?” he asked while he paced.
“When interest is known, and I mean more than just an hour long hard fuck, when souls and scents call to each other, first steps are made towards courting. Introduction to the pack being the most important. If the pack doesn’t approve it would be very difficult for the new mate. It’s not forbidden for a non-approved mate to be taken, but it’s really fucking uncomfortable around the dinner table. The only time that requires full and actual approval is the mate of a pack-head. The pack-head is not always a true alpha, but is a chief member recognized as such.”
“And then what?”
“Uh, then there’s little things. Small gifts, bringing of food or shelter, spending enough time together for the potential mate to be infused with the wolf’s and the pack’s scent.”
“It was an easy mistake to make then,” Nasir said.
“No,” Agron said, instinctually reaching for Nasir but stopping himself at the last moment. “No, it’s not an easy one to make at all.”
Nasir halted, an annoyed hiss leaving his lips as he stared at Agron.
“You know I will leave in weeks,” he said.
Agron nodded.
“And yet you still pursue this?”
Agron nodded again and bit back the words threatening to spill forth. It was really fucking hard, fighting who he was in that moment. Nasir wasn’t just angry; he was clearly upset, tension running through his shoulders. Agron knew this was a bad fucking idea. Wolves didn’t do shit like dating for a reason. Too much damn conversation and not enough physical contact.
“Apologies, Nasir, I did not mean to offend.”
“How can I not be offended when you come to me with such claims and in such a disingenuous manner? Where is the wolf I first met who’s been hiding all night? I would like to see him instead.”
Agron blanched. Out of all the things he expected to piss Nasir off that didn’t even register.
“I thought to approach you in a proper manner.”
“Fuck proper,” Nasir cursed, he whirled around and backed Agron up against a brick wall. “I have spent my whole existence dealing with facades and masks. You are a bumbling oaf, Agron, but I would not have you any other way.”
“I am competent.”
“You are, but when it comes to your true feelings you stumble over them. It’s charming.” Nasir reached up to pull Agron’s head down and their foreheads touched. “If I wanted pretty words to lure me into bed, I’d find a Sidhe. Just give me who you are, Wolf, and leave all suggestions from others behind you.”
He nodded, hands coming up to cup Nasir’s face and just hold him. They were both silent while they gathered their thoughts, breath matching breath and exchanging soothing pulses of energy. It was an inherently intimate gesture, leaving them both vulnerable.
Agron broke the silence first. “Just to clarify, since Mira tells me I have the thickest skull on record, you are not offended by the courting?”
Nasir laughed. “I was beginning to wonder if I misread things. At the start of our dinner I believed myself to join Lydon.”
“I thought you knew little of wolf traditions.”
“I did; your friend Hamilcar was full of warnings and threats though. Dagan as well. They are good friends.”
“You could’ve let me know.”
“I thought to let you stew for a bit, much how you’ve done with me. Besides, actions clearly speak better than words for you.”
“Forgive my baser animal side then, who mistrusts words even more than the most suspicious human.”
Nasir rolled his eyes. “Wolf, Truth herself could come down to chat with you and you’d still demand to know her history and ask for references.”
Nasir hands slid down and deftly undid Agron’s shirt cuffs, pushing them up to reveal his forearms. He untucked his shirt too and then rumpled up Agron’s clothes. He stood back with an approving nod before he resumed his place at Agron’s side.
“You look more yourself now,” he murmured into Agron’s chest.
“I should consider it a blessing you prefer me stained and wrinkled.”
“I only want you, not some pleasing artifice.” He pinched Agron’s side, laughing when he jumped. “Besides, I know better than to trust a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
Agron snorted, burying his head in Nasir’s hair as they walked, taking in his familiar scent. He closed his eyes and thanked the gods that the night didn’t completely deteriorate to shit. Dinner was an unmitigated disaster and that was the absolute last time he didn’t trust his instincts when it came to Nasir.
The rest of the walk to The Temple returned to their familiar interaction, if a little closer, a little warmer now with feeling and intention open. They made plans for the week, acknowledging that there were many long conversations in their future. This was a serious concern for Agron, no matter how much he joked about it, but it seemed equally as serious to Nasir.
Varro really needed to get his ass back to Boston.
They came to a halt at the back entrance of the tavern. Before Agron made himself look like even more of an ass, Nasir took control of their farewell. He pressed his fingers to Agron’s lips, halting words and actions.
“What was it that Pietros told me to say at the end? Oh yes. I’m not that kind of Bard.” He removed his hand and quickly pressed a kiss to Agron’s lips, sending a pulse of energy through him that rooted Agron in place. He ducked inside before Agron could react.
Agron’s laughter filled the dark back alley. He shook his head and ignored the strangers wondering about the crazy man cackling in the streets.
*****************
Agron already had the godforsaken shirt off when he entered his apartment. The pack was there, regarding him with worried and curious expressions.
“You are home too early for a newly mated wolf,” Auctus said.
Saxa sniffed the air. “He is not mated, yet. Not even laid.”
“Thank you, Saxa, as always,” he said. He quickly shed the slacks as well and collapsed on the couch next to Duro.
His brother patted his arm. “You are home early. Did you fuck it up badly?”
Agron scratched Duro’s hair, smiling at the surprised yip. “Pietros just happened to suggest the bistro Lydon now works at.”
The wolves hissed and one of the light bulbs in the room shattered. Agron raised an eyebrow at Auctus who ducked his head and used his will to clean up the pieces of broken glass.
“Fucked from the start then,” Donar said. “My sympathies, Agron.”
Agron smiled at him. “No worries, brother. It ended well. Nasir hasn’t run off to the nearest portal. He wants to know us all beteter; for us to know him as well. Current goal is to get him to stay past the Equinox. Then we’ll see about the mating rites.”
“Did you warn him that it’ll always end in your favor? Does he have any idea how fucking stubborn you are?” Donar asked.
“I think he’s worse.”
“At least he didn’t kill you over dinner,” Saxa said.
“It was a close thing. Nasir doesn’t like deceit and saw me dressing up in those fucking clothes as an act of it. What does it say about a man who distrusts those dressed up in finery?”
“That his life has known many falsehoods,” Auctus said. “He prefers you as is, Agron. That is an amazing gift.”
“Clearly mad enough to fit right in,” Donar said.
Duro didn’t share the others mirth. His brow was wrinkled, eyes checking for injury both real and imagined.
Agron clasped the back of his neck and shook him. “Everything is well, pup.”
Duro rolled his eyes at first but turned serious again. “It could’ve gone to shit though. I should speak with Lydon.”
“It’s waited thirty years; it can wait a bit longer. Turn mind towards other matters.” He raised his gaze to meet Auctus. “And other hearts.”
“I never wanted any hearts to get involved, only companionship.”
Agron laughed as he pulled Duro into a close hug. “You are easy to love, Duro, and hard to forget.”
“And impossible to get rid of,” Saxa said. She hugged Duro from the other side while Donar reached over to pat his head.
They’d get through all of this together, like always.
Agron glanced up in time to see the want on Auctus face. So much of comforting Duro involved touch and Auctus couldn’t, not until the equinox at least.
Soon Agron mouthed.
Auctus nodded and drifted into the kitchen, muttering something about dog piles.
***********************
Contrary to what Crixus claimed, the pack did work. As wolves they were the best at finding people, objects, spells, or portal holes. Wolves ran all the “detective agencies” for the Wayfarers and were often employed by the Watch Keepers back home. Working on the earthly side of the divide was more difficult. Spells, advanced magic, and scents were easily mutated by the influence of a different world. All their jobs paid so well that the wolves could limit themselves to four or five a year and live extremely comfortable.
Agron’s pack excelled beyond all others. Hamilcar claimed they were the wealthiest of all Wayfarer packs despite what everyone believed of them. Agron preferred if all outsiders thought them classless, baseless, penniless barbarians. It kept the stragglers away.
Their current job was winding down. Donar did most of the work since it required a subtle touch and Agron had spent the last week officially courting Nasir. Today though Agron was stuck in their apartment typing up the final report. He missed having intellectual spirits who could take all the facts out of his head and rearrange them into perfect prose but a hard day of typing wouldn’t kill him.
“Agron,” Auctus said, causing him to jump and delete half his paragraph.
“How many fucking times have I told you not to do that while I’m working?”
“Let a ghost have his amusements,” Auctus chided.
“Fine,” he grumbled. He turned back to the screen and tried to recreate his previous thought. “Did you need something?”
“Oh, I’m fine.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because you have a guest upstairs. I can ask him to wait while your simple brain tries to string together two cohesive thoughts but I figured you’d like to see Nasir now.”
Agron glared at Auctus as he ran towards the stairs. “You’re a jackass,” he yelled, not sure if Auctus was still in the basement office or already up in the apartment.
“I try,” Auctus replied.
He took the steep basement stairs three at a time and dashed through the open apartment door. His breath caught at the sight of Nasir, sunlight reflecting off his dark hair, fingers gliding over the strings of Duro’s abandoned 6-string guitar.
“Nasir,” he greeted, not even trying to hide the joy in his voice.
Nasir raised his head and grinned, gladly accepting Agron’s embrace. “Auctus let me in. He said you wouldn’t mind.”
Agron let his arms rest on Nasir’s waist as he pulled back. “You are always welcome here.”
Nasir laughed as he pointed to a bag on the coffee table. “I didn’t come empty handed at least. I brought Duro some of his favorite cannoli.”
“Trying to win me over through my brother’s stomach? Nasir, I approve of these underhanded tactics.”
“There are lemon bars in there too.”
“You’ve been talking to Naevia, very devious.”
“My master plan discovered, condition you with sweets.”
“It won’t take long for you to succeed,” Agron said. He decided to try his luck and pressed a chaste kiss to Nasir’s lips. “Thank you,” he whispered as he pulled back, holding Nasir’s gaze.
Nasir rolled his eyes. “I know you’re only half here with me now. The rest of your mind is on those lemon bars.”
“There’s no lying to you.”
“No, there really isn’t,” Nasir said. There was a hint of something deeper there, though Nasir didn’t look open for an interrogation.
“Sit,” Agron ordered, pressing Nasir down on the couch. “I’ll go get plates. Naevia will kill me if I ‘deface’ the couch with food crumbs again. It’s not like she has to sit on it. We have chairs.”
“Perhaps she just wishes for less roaches?”
“Then what will Duro chase when he takes wolf form.”
Nasir’s eyes widened. “I sincerely hope you’re joking.”
“Am I?” he asked, backing into the kitchen.
Auctus was there, plates and napkins already floating in midair and waiting.
“Stop eavesdropping,” he barked.
Auctus smirked. “I only wish to keep Nasir’s virtue intact.”
“What about mine?”
“Duro assures me you never had any.”
“I count the fucking days until you’re corporeal again so I can punch you in the face.”
“You’d have to catch me first, wolf.”
“Can you please go haunt Mira instead?”
“Oh, no, I think I’ll just stay here and listen.”
“You’re a sick fuck.”
“I learned everything from your pack. Now, go, don’t leave Nasir waiting.”
Back in the living room, Nasir was mindlessly strumming on Duro’s guitar. Agron stood back for a moment and listened to the tune. Huh, Springsteen. He didn’t think Nasir was a fan.
“Atlantic City, really?”
Nasir laughed. “Melitta’s a fan. I visited them recently and she made me learn all her favorite songs.”
“How does that work?” Agron asked as he sat down. He carefully opened the box making sure not to break any of Duro’s treats. He passed a pastry to Nasir and sat back. “Come on, tell me. You promised a tale or two.”
“I,” Nasir paused and put his plate down. “I just know. Music is constantly in my head. Everything I hear, I see, it has its own song. I feel the notes in my soul and translate them through the instruments. I’ve always been able to recall the tone, words, and emotions of another’s song after first listen. If I only have the written music before me, I have an instinctual feel for how it must be performed. It changes with place, time, and audience. We notice the world around us, from the grand plan to the smallest details and it translates in how we tailor our performances.”
“No wonder you’re always so lost in your own mind. It must be a riot in there.”
“It is a gift to find someone who helps make it quiet. Not silent, I don’t think that’s possible, but helps muffle everything else.” He laughed, almost broken and sad. “I cannot clearly recall the last time I slept through the night. This whole city has thrown me out of sorts.” He glanced up at Agron. “In a good way, I promise.”
Agron put his empty plate down and slid over to Nasir’s side. “I’ll gladly be your focal point.”
Nasir shook his head. “You just can’t help yourself, can you?”
“All the better to charm you with.” He nuzzled Nasir’s face and smiled wide at the surprised gasp. “Is it getting quiet in there,” he asked, lips brushing the skin of Nasir’s neck.
“Gods, if this is how you reward a lemon bar what do you do for Naevia when she bakes you a whole cake?”
“Dust, clean, and rearrange all her top shelves.”
“Of course you do,” Nasir said. His hands came up and cradled Agron’s head, fingers tentatively gliding down to Agron’s neck and back up.
He couldn’t have known what such a gesture meant to a wolf in human form and it took all of Agron’s restraint to not surge forward and claim. It was an intimate gesture, reserved for mates and trusted members of the pack, to allow touch to such a vulnerable part of the body. The wolf was not happy and a growl escaped through Agron’s mouth.
“Should I stop?” Nasir asked.
“Never,” Agron ordered, burrowing further into Nasir’s side.
The moment was ruined by a familiar howl coming from the hallway. Duro, of course. Agron’s growl was much louder this time. Duro responded with a confused yip. Agron was tempted to growl again but Nasir just patted his head and perfectly imitated Duro’s howl from earlier.
Agron raised his head to stare at him. “I’m impressed.”
“You’re not as mysterious as you think you are. That conversation was pretty damn easy to follow.”
“Each pack has a slightly different howl.”
“And I’ve heard yours many times. I mimic sounds for my supper, Agron.”
Duro ducked his head in the room. “I’m not about to see anything soul crushing right? There wasn’t a sock on the door or anything.”
Agron didn’t bother to lift his head from Nasir’s chest. He waved his hand and sent a burst of will, laughing at the loud smack in the air and Duro’s curses.
Duro walked into the living room rubbing his head and glaring at them both.
“I’m about to remove my approval. Nasir’s ruining your productivity and making you extra grumpy.”
Agron pointed to the bag on the table. “He brought you cannoli.”
Duro sauntered over to the table and casually grabbed the bag, giving it a sniff and smiling. “He brought a variety too.” He winked at Nasir. “He can stay. I’ll leave you two alone then. I’ll be kicking Crixus’ ass at Call of Duty if you need me.”
“Yeah, that’s the only thing you can kick Crixus’ ass at,” Agron mumbled.
“What was that brother? You want me to stay here and share all the stories of your awkward years?”
“Good luck, pup. Beat that demon’s ass.”
Duro nodded. “That’s what I thought. Try to finish your report tonight. Varis stopped me in the street and I’d rather not be connected with that fucking Sidhe any longer. I feel like he’s trying to eat me and I’m the fucking wolf.”
Agron sat up at the mention of Varis. They’d already had one talk about staying away from Duro. It seemed they needed another nice long one. He was bringing Saxa this time.
“It’ll be done, brother. I’ll deliver it too.”
“Agron, do not rip his throat out before we’re paid.”
“I won’t rip his throat out at all. That’d be bad for business.”
Nasir looked between the two of them until Duro left with a disgusted sigh.
“What was that about?”
“Work,” he muttered, resuming his position on top of Nasir.
“You work?”
“Wolf cannot live on intimidation alone. We’re like a Wayfarer branch of the Watch Keepers.”
“Still partly intimidation then.”
Agron laughed into Nasir’s skin. “Partly, I suppose.” He leaned up, lips finally brushing against Nasir’s.
“This is a bad idea,” Nasir said.
“I’ve never been known to follow good ones.”
Nasir moved first, hands tugging Agron closer, fingers curling around his neck again. The first touch of their lips was soft, uncertain, a soft growl escaping Agron while Nasir laughed. The second was with more purpose, still gentle. Then Agron moved, bringing more of his weight down on Nasir and suddenly it turned harsh, bruising, Nasir’s once gliding fingers digging into Agron’s skin. This was hunger, desire, and both of their wills and instinct fighting their better sense. Agron didn’t bother to pull away when he heard the zaps and pops of energy in the room. A few broken light bulbs were worth this.
“I’ve been sent by Sura to ask you two not to burn the apartment building down or knock the power out for the whole block,” Auctus interrupted them.
Agron pulled away from Nasir and glared at Auctus. For once, the ghost actually looked worried.
“Your ghosts are voyeurs,” Nasir said, squeezing Agron’s side before sliding out from under him. “Yet with valid concerns.”
“Don’t try and eat the messenger, Agron. You know what can happen when two Wayfarers lose their control. Save it for when you’re outside city limits and not within five miles of a power plant.”
Agron knew it was sound advice but he didn’t have to like it. There were risks to natural magic in the modern world and this was one of its drawbacks. He moved back to his side of the couch, but still kept his legs tangled with Nasir's. He couldn’t help his satisfied grin as Nasir tried to straighten his clothes and hair.
“You can go,” Agron told Auctus. “We’ll be good.”
“Just don’t make Sura come down here,” Auctus warned as he fucked off to wherever.
“Okay?” he asked Nasir.
He nodded. “Very. Though I would know you better before this goes even further.”
Ah, the perfect opening Agron was waiting for. “I welcome it. We seek the forest this weekend. You should come with us. Barca can easily find another act and you could use the rest.”
“I don’t think it wise to follow wolves into the woods,” he teased.
“Naevia will be supervising, as will Crixus. They won’t let us eat you. Well, Crixus might, but then Naevia would be very upset.”
“And he could never allow that,” Nasir said. He was silent for a minute while he tugged at a loose thread on his shirt. “I would like to join you then, if it won’t offend your pack.”
“Nasir, I either had to get you to agree or they would’ve kidnapped you. We want you there.”
“I should go and inform Barca.” He tried to stand up and pinched Agron when he wouldn’t let go. “Agron,” he warned.
He pulled Nasir in for one last kiss, and then another, and a third.
“Agron,” Sura’s voice echoed through the apartment.
Nasir pulled away quickly. “I must leave before she appears. Gannicus has many a tale about Sura’s wrath.”
Agron stood, pulling Nasir with him and walking him to the door. “Go, before the evil banshee descends. I will see you soon.”
“Only if Sura does not send you to the final death first.” He stood on his tip toes and kissed Agron’s chin. “Get your work done.”
“So soon and already ordering me about.” Agron kissed Nasir’s forehead. “I like that.”
“Melitta told me you would,” Nasir said.
Agron leaned down to kiss him again but there was a familiar whistling in the air which meant a slightly pissed-off Sura was on her way down. He grabbed Nasir’s hand and quickly pulled him to the doors, running out onto the sidewalk and laughing the whole way to the train station.
4b