Chapter Text
Marcus finds himself staring at Esca with stealthy glances whenever he can. He cannot even begin to fathom his own mind, the images that flicker unwillingly into it, hot and intimate. He cannot pinpoint when his feelings had begun to change, but everyday Esca is becoming more and more attractive to Marcus. At first he had believed it to be a simple fascination with him; for he is so different, not just from Marcus but from anyone he has ever met. But then his eyes had begun to linger on Esca when they bathed together or when he worked topless in the field and he realised his feelings were something far deeper.
It is everything about Esca; the way he has to keep brushing his tousled light brown hair from his eyes as he works. His striking grey-blue eyes which seem to reflect a raging storm of emotion that his face always refuses to display. A strong jaw and shapely lips, that Marcus felt a strange urge to touch. To map them with his own; claiming and being claimed. They always look so soft... He shakes his head and goes back to carving his figurine under the shade of the large tree he rests against.
However his mind clearly has other plans than carving a figure and yet again begun to wander back to Esca. Despite that, in Rome two men together was nothing new by any imagination, Esca was neither a Roman nor a slave. He was a freeman, Marcus' equal and his treasured friend. Marcus refuses to do anything that would damage that. He would not bring shame to the honour of his friend by thinking such wanton thoughts. He allows himself one last look. Esca's back is facing him now and even beneath the wool of the tunic Marcus can see the sinewy muscles flexing under it. He watches the strong muscles of his shoulders ripple as he lifts the wood he is chopping from the pile. But then as if Esca senses a presence watching him, in that unearthly way of his, he turns his head towards Marcus. Marcus's breath catches in his throat as he meets with those wild eyes. Beautiful and fierce, just as they were when Marcus had first seen him in the arena. He curses himself for being caught and looks down continuing with his work, chipping at the wood furiously with a refreshed determination, earning him a raised eyebrow from Esca.
He nicks his finger with the blade, his attention elsewhere, and although it is not a deep wound it began bleeding profusely. He hisses a little at the sting in his finger and inspects the cut. Esca notices this and walks briskly over and grabs his hand to inspect it. Normally Marcus would have dismissed his friend and said it was nothing but having Esca hold his hand in his, even though it was whilst peering at the wound, is a rare opportunity.
"It isn't deep, just my own carelessness. No need to trouble yourself".
Marcus says with a steely determination to keep his voice calm and not convey the flow of emotions just beneath the surface. Esca observes it a little more and then slowly draws his tongue across the wound. The action of Esca's wet, warm tongue on his finger causes Marcus to stop breathing; he can feel his heart leap to his throat and his skin begin to warm. Esca looks at him after he is satisfied that it would not need stitching.
"Would you like me to fetch you something to wrap it?" He asks.
Marcus who has now forgotten how to talk merely shakes his head, perhaps a little too violently, causing himself to feel dizzy. He gets up keeping his eyes away from Esca.
"My leg is causing me some discomfort I am afraid. I'm going to go and lie down for a while. Please do not disturb me".
He says quietly and strides off. His finger tingles and burns, not from the pain of the cut, but from the intimate contact of Esca's tongue on his skin. Marcus imagines other things that Esca could lick and an immediate throbbing begins to make him ache. He lays himself on the bed desperate to contain himself and his wild thoughts.
Thinking of anything, desperately, to try and distract himself. He knows he should try to ignore it, he does not want to shame his friend but he can no longer control his desires. He withdraws himself from his tunic, almost ripping it off, and looks down to see himself so fully erect it is almost painful. Palming his member, he begins to work his shaft slowly at first but soon the tension is too much for him to bear. He looks at the finger Esca had licked and slowly draws his tongue across it, shuddering in the knowledge that Esca's tongue had been there. He begins to suck his finger more, adding another, lapping at them hungrily let his imagination take him to Esca and all the desire he held for his friend. He strokes himself harder and faster and with a low moan, finishes all over his chest and abdomen and a wordless 'Esca'. The only thing on his mind. He lets out a pleasurable sigh after finding release but his pleasure is soon replaced with shame. He covers his eyes with a thick arm and thinks about how he has just dishonoured his friend, unwanted tears sting his eyes.
Esca paces around the courtyard where Marcus had just left him. He cannot shake the feeling that it is very bizarre that Marcus' leg is hurting him despite it being early afternoon where he is often at his nimblest. He sets his mind and decides to make sure Marcus is well, despite the Roman's request to be left alone. If he is in pain he could be very stubborn and is never willing to burden others if he can help it. He walks into the house and makes his way to Marcus's room letting his mind wander to his current life. Esca has grown to enjoy life here and he believes that whilst Rome has taken everything away that he has loved it has also given him somewhere to belong to, beside Marcus. He smiles a little at the thought of his friend, the burly Roman with a soft smile and infectious laugh.
However his smile soon fades to a worried frown as he comes to the door hearing groans and panting. He listens closer only to become more confused as Marcus did not sound in pain. Unsure whether to simply walk in the room or leave him be. He settles for peeking through the keyhole and is almost bowled over by the sight before him. Marcus is lying naked on the bed; his muscular body gleaming with sweat as he frantically strokes his member. Esca's body suddenly becomes hotter and his breathing very rapid, it confuses him as he knows that men hold no arousal for him. Yet this is Marcus, his dear friend, who at this moment looks so very beautiful …He pulls his eyes away feeling shame for the thoughts he is having.
He is about to leave when Marcus does something that catches his attention. He raises the finger that he had cut earlier and began to suck on it slowly at first, letting his tongue caress his finger before putting it fully into his mouth following with others. His back arches and beads of sweat trickle down his body dipping into the contours of his muscles as they contract in pleasure. His moaning has become more impatient now and with a few strong jerks he releases himself, leaving a sticky mess on his stomach. Esca's heart feels like it is in his mouth, he is hard and uncomfortable against the wool of his tunic, the throbbing almost unbearable. He watches as Marcus looks at the finger again with a pained expression and then covers his eyes with his arm, his breathing beginning to steady. Esca gets up not wanting to be found in his state and shuts himself in his quarters. Was it a Roman thing to enjoy sucking fingers or cuts? He groans through clenched teeth as he remembers Marcus' beautiful tanned body, a stark contrast on the pale fabric beneath him and the sounds that the Roman was making...
Esca growls in frustration and grips himself firmly, leaning against the door and thinks of Marcus. He begins to stroke himself and imagines Marcus finger's being replaced by something else, something belonging intimately to Esca. It does not take him long before he comes. His teeth bite into his bottom lip suppressing his moan and bangs his head against the door with a shudder. It is enough but it is not as nearly satisfying as it would have been if it was Marcus touching him. He wipes himself off with a nearby rag; a single thought running through his mind. He wants to see Marcus like that again, he wants to make Marcus cry out like that, and he knows he wants to do it very soon.