Chapter Text
Abolish had known that deciding to travel with Nikos, a warrior from the conquered country of Thrace, would bring him lots of trouble. But the other man had an unfortunate charisma and reckless spirit that dragged the retired gladiator along.
Usually, Nikos whims were somewhat controllable. Amusing, even.
(Except for the times Nikos would, against all logic, get them stuck in walls.)
(It happened with an alarming frequency.)
If Abolish was being honest, some of the messes they got into were quite entertaining – justifying his decision to follow Nikos even beyond owing the man his life. Before this, being a blacksmith, while far more interesting than being a gladiator, had also began to become dull.
More than that, it had become dangerous.
Abolish hadn't just left the arena because it was getting boring, but because of the envy he had earned with his victories. His many years as a champion had earned him quite a few resentful gazes. A desire to see the mighty fighter finally fall.
Unfortunately, even after Abolish had won his freedom, the envy hadn't stopped. In fact, it even increased in some ways. There were many who were angry at Abolish for retiring as a gladiator – as if he was just some ungrateful beast or dancing pet who had dared to run away and ruin their entertainment.
As if these audience members were owed both his life and death just because of a bit of applause.
Many nobles, in particular, had personally come to try and convince Abolish to return to the ring or become their personal warrior – only to leave very unsatisfied.
(Yeah, well, that made two of them.)
There were also the sore losers. Other gladiators who had lost against him in combat or lost someone they cared about to his blade. Unlike Abolish who believed that everything in the arena should remain in the arena, they wanted him cut down through any means possible.
As a result of these many offended parties, Abolish had gotten very used to being attacked and sabotaged the moment since beginning his new life as a blacksmith.
It was aggravating and cowardly, but there wasn't much Abolish could do but just continue working. After all, he had grown up in the arena. Since before he could remember, since he was a child, he'd had to train and fight and fight just to live one more day.
It was just how it was, and he'd been good at it.
Very good at it.
But as a result... Abolish didn't know any other kind of life to live. Even though he had learned how to forge and create weapons, it had mostly been to improve his abilities as a fighter. And boredom.
But now that he had retired from fighting... what was he supposed to do now?
All he could do is just keep working.
(Keep hoping that something came along and gave all of this meaning.)
Hephaestus or some god must have heard his unsaid prayer, because it wasn't long after that Abolish met Nikos.
Or, more accurately, Nikos had prevented Abolish's meaningless life from ending very abruptly.
The loud warrior had come seeking Abolish's services as a blacksmith, only to find the retired gladiator getting stabbed in the back by a different 'customer'.
At the time, Abolish had been focused on repairing the customer's blade with both hands. He'd never seen it coming, having grown too lax – too apathetic – in his time out of the arena. It was also a repeat customer, one who had been a very vocal fan of Abolish in the arena, so he'd let his guard down.
Nikos had taken one look at the situation, and then immediately drove his own broken weapon through the chest of the assassin.
The other body hadn't even dropped before Nikos was falling to his knees, pressing his heavy hands against Abolish's bleeding wounds. It allowed the blacksmith to survive long enough to grab a healing potion from a nearby shelf – for instances like this – and drink it down.
Later, Abolish would ask why Nikos had instantly chosen him over the assassin. After all, the assassin had played dirty, but for all Nikos knew, Abolish had deserved it.
Nikos had laughed and said, "It would be pain to find another blacksmith! Especially one as pretty as you, Fiery One!"
(For the first time, Abolish had been genuinely grateful for picking up this skill.)
After the wound had repaired and the blood was cleaned, Nikos had shared his story. He spoke of his homeland, Thrace, and how it had been brutally conquered by this country. Nikos's ultimate dream was to free his people, but more than that, he sought vengeance against the treacherous worm who had dishonorably killed his wife on the battlefield.
"The worm was a coward," Nikos spat. "He used hostage, a child of our land, but even when my wife and brethren put our weapons down, his men still slaughtered us." He paused, looking subdued. "I... I do not know why I survived, but she did not. Perhaps I survived in order to ensure recompense for her death. There is no fairness in love or war... but that kind of spineless cowardice demands blood. I swear upon my gods, that worm will not get away with what he did to my Katisa and brethren."
Unfortunately, all Nikos knew about the killer was the man's general appearance and that he was from Greece. He'd been searching for years, but hadn't had any luck.
Yet.
"It's like, as you say, finding a needle in a haystack!" Nikos had laughed, but the bitterness in his eyes showed that he was truly resentful of it.
Abolish could've just nodded.
He could've thanked the warrior for saving his life, gave him some money and weaponry or armor to repay him, and sent Nikos on his way.
Instead, in a fit of irrationality that Abolish still couldn't explain – and yet was still very grateful for to this day – the blacksmith offered to help Nikos track down his wife's killer.
Even if Abolish had spent his life trapped in the arena, he still knew the layout, customs, and politics of this country infinitely better than a foreigner. Not to mention, other citizens of the country would be far more likely to give information to Abolish than Nikos (and not just because Nikos was a foreigner).
Abolish said that it was the least he could do to repay the man who saved his life, but secretly, the blacksmith knew that it was more than that.
In truth, his actions were... rather selfish. It felt like this was what he'd been waiting for. A chance to leave the very limited area he'd spent his life. To do something more interesting than just waste away wondering when the next entitled blade would kill him for good.
Had Abolish been in Nikos's position, he absolutely wouldn't have agreed to let Abolish come along. Who would let some stranger, especially one from the country that had conquered yours, follow you on such a personal journey?
And yet, Nikos had happily agreed. The large, loud man had flashed a bright grin.
"I'd be happy to! This long journey will be infinitely more enjoyable with such a Pretty One by my side."
Abolish had ignored the comment and remained outwardly neutral, but the surprise and heat in his cheeks had lingered for some time.
And so, the two set off on their travels.
Unsurprisingly, Nikos got in a lot of trouble.
Like, a lot of trouble.
Abolish spent the majority of his time bailing them out of avoidable disaster and repairing their battered gear, all while Nikos simply laughed off the danger and remarked how good it was to have such a competent and handsome guide.
It was... infuriatingly endearing.
Well, you complain about being bored before, Abolish told himself wryly. Life with Nikos definitely isn't boring.
As their travels continued, the two grew closer. Very close. Then one night, one shared drink led to another and well... the rest was history.
Abolish had casual lovers in his past, though he had always avoided getting too close to anyone, but he could say for certain that Nikos was unlike anyone he had ever known.
For one, Nikos was fiercely affectionate. He was also quite perceptive, refusing to let Abolish retreat into his usual emotional isolation. It should have been aggravating, and it often was, but remarkably, the warrior also seemed to know how to balance it. Nikos seemed to instinctively know when Abolish genuinely needed a quiet moment alone and when Abolish was just pushing Nikos away due to the demons in his own head.
The warrior was... surprisingly considerate. It wasn't something Abolish would have expected, but over time, he found that kindness and patience suited Nikos just as well as his every other emotion.
Of course, that empathy made perfect sense whenever Abolish witnessed Nikos's own dark days. The warrior carried various triggers that would suddenly transform the usually exuberant, laughing man into someone entirely closed-off and volatile.
Strangely, seeing each other's darker moments didn't push them apart. If anything, it made them closer. As if they had found the eye of the storm together, content to let the untamable winds whip around them as they quietly learned to understand each other's invisible wounds and heavy scars.
So, for all the trouble and danger that came with Nikos... Abolish didn't regret his decision to leave his forge behind. Not even for a single moment.
(It was... different, having someone watch his back.)
(In the arena, Abolish had always been alone. Safety was an illusion and isolation was a survival tactic. Getting close to others was just asking to be betrayed. More than that, every match was a brutal equation of his life measured against his enemy's, and he would always choose himself. Compassion was just a quick way to end up bleeding out in the sand.)
(But with Nikos... the tension that came being around other people slowly faded away.)
(For the first time, Abolish could turn his back and trust that he wouldn't regret it.)
But with this situation now... it may be more than even Abolish could deal with.
All of this was, of course, entirely Nikos's fault yet again.
They were supposed to be staying low profile, keeping their heads down and ears open for any whispers of the Cowardly Worm. Just business as usual. Just another city to travel through. Though, in a place as bustling and noble-filled as this, they had to be particularly careful not to ruffle any unneeded feathers.
But then Nikos had spotted a colorful painted poster outside a grand forum. It displayed a man that even Abolish had to admit was very attractive – a lithe, nymph-like being with light green eyes and white, cloud-like hair.
The moment Nikos had stared at it with that familiar, intrigued look in his eyes, Abolish had quietly sighed. Then he had figured out a way to sneak the two of them into the back of the theater to watch the show.
Admittedly, it was a very impressive show. Largely due to the Pretty Actor – whose true name that Abolish didn't quite catch because it sounded very long and difficult to remember in one go – who completely owned the stage. The actor seemed to be born for the spotlight, delivering his lines and actions like he was truly living out the scenes he had rehearsed.
Even though he'd been playing the villain, the Pretty Actor easily outshone the other characters, including the so-called 'hero' – much to that actor's visible annoyance.
There are sore losers everywhere, Abolish thought with a rolling of his eyes. Which makes me even more impressed with how composed and adaptive the villain actor is despite his co-actor's lacking ability. I can tell he knows how to put on a good show regardless of who's watching.
It was a good thing that they had been in the back because Nikos had been particularly loud with his clapping and praising remarks, earning many glares in their direction.
Then came for the finale for the villain.
It was disappointing that this would be the Pretty Actor's last scene, but the way he had delivered his final monologue had been incredible even for one as indifferent as Abolish.
Any actor would have been jealous.
But Abolish hadn't expected the hero to actually cut the Pretty Actor's throat.
The second the blade swiped across that pale throat, Abolish had known it wasn't pretend.
The way the blood splattered... it was too accurate. A perfect, grim replica of the deadly injuries that Abolish had seen – and inflicted – countless times in the sands of the arena.
And yet... Abolish had hesitated.
For a moment, the blacksmith had wondered if it really was just a terrifyingly convincing performance. After all, even if Abolish had been a bit of performer as well back in his gladiator days, he had never been to a high-society theater play like this before. Perhaps they really were that skilled?
However, even if it wasn't fake – it wasn't, he knew it wasn't – it wasn't Abolish's job to interfere. After all, there were dozens of armed guards stationed around the packed theater for a reason. Though, as the Pretty Actor laid there drowning in his own blood, it quickly became apparently that none of them were going to move a single inch.
But Nikos...
As usual, Nikos hadn't hesitated.
The moment the Pretty Actor had hit the wooden floorboards, Nikos had already been moving. While Abolish had been rapidly calculating the local laws, societal repercussions, and the sheer mathematically impossibility of fighting their way out of a crowded theater without killing anyone, the Thracian hadn't given a single damn.
Instead, Nikos had once again seen a horrific injustice happening before his eyes – a life wasting away with the so-called 'adoring fans' only clapping in response – and had jumped straight into the first without a second thought.
"I had to," Nikos had said later, grinning as they were taken away. "A man who commands the stage like that deserves to live to see his next standing ovation."
And, of course, Abolish had no choice but to follow after.
Predictably, their actions had caused the theater to erupt into a very literal riot.
Everyone had already been quite upset when Nikos had 'randomly' jumped on stage and 'interrupted' the grand finale of the show, but they had been screaming for their murder the moment Nikos had put his hands on the Pretty Actor.
It had been to save the actor's life, but no one understood – or cared – at the sight of a foreign barbarian daring to touch such a beloved icon.
(What fools. Abolish could excuse the civilians from not knowing the difference between real and fake blood, but the guards absolutely should have noticed the actor's very real wound by the time Nikos had gotten on stage... unless they were in on it. Quite possible given how calmly the killer had slit the Pretty Actor's throat before walking away without a care.)
Abolish had done his best to keep the guards away from Nikos and the fallen actor, especially since even the crowd had started to try and get on stage after Nikos had put his lips on the Pretty Actor, but even all of Abolish's undefeated years in the gladiator ring could do so much.
(It was far more difficult to protect something than to just protect yourself.)
(Especially when you couldn't kill.)
Unfortunately, Nikos had full confidence and trust in Abolish's abilities, so the retired gladiator had no choice but to deliver. Only pausing to remind Nikos to flirt later and pushing Nikos to run after the potion had been fed.
(The crowd had really not liked that last action in particular. It had just been mouth-to-mouth, but Abolish could see how some may be... upset at the method Nikos had used to heal the Pretty Actor. A method that Abolish knew very well that Nikos could have found an alternative for.)
However, this Pretty Actor must have been especially popular because it was only a few minutes later that the local guard had begun to swarm the stage like a hornet’s nest.
Abolish and Nikos had tried to escape, but they were brutally beaten and restrained with heavy iron chains. Again, it was far more difficult to fight when you couldn't kill your opponents.
They were marched out of the theater, away from the Pretty Actor who now had quite a few wealthy-looking nobles and important-acting individuals hovering around him. The crowd had been screaming for their murder, looking furious enough to tear them limb from limb like wild animals. It was like being in the arena again alongside a criminal slotted for execution.
The guards had also seemed furious on a personal level, taking jabs and causing bruises during their transport to the prison that weren't necessary at all.
Honestly, Abolish was surprised none of the guards had tried to kill them on the way. It's not like anyone would have cared about a 'barbarian' and a former gladiator being put down – especially after 'attacking' what appeared to be quite the popular actor.
The two men had been locked away, the guards sneering that their 'fate' would be decided shortly. Usually, there was a public trial for these sorts of things, but given the low-class status of Abolish and Nikos... he wouldn't be surprised if they were fast-tracked for an execution.
Especially if the real killer-to-be has connections, Abolish thought as the door of the prison slammed behind them. They probably wouldn't want to risk us speaking, even if no one would probably believe a word that a barbarian and gladiator dog has to say.
The air in the stone depths of the prison stank of damp earth, rust, and the metallic tang of their own blood. Ironically, it was a bit nostalgic, reminding Abolish quite a bit of the waiting areas for the gladiator pits.
Abolish sat heavily against the rough wall, his breath rattling in his chest. His ribs throbbed where a guard's spear had slammed into his side, and his hands were clamped tightly in heavy iron manacles. Many of his tools had been taken away too, which was particularly aggravating.
Across the dark cell, Nikos languidly stretched his arms as far as his own heavy chains would allow. Despite the brutal arrest, the Thracian wasn't looking at the stone walls with fear at all. In fact, he was humming, running a bruised hand through his unruly hair and looking entirely unbothered by the flecks of blood still covering his skin.
He was, however, continuously glancing towards the cell door – as if expecting someone to arrive at any time.
Abolish let out a low sigh.
Unfortunately, he knew exactly what his lover was thinking.
"Nikos, it's not going to happen," Abolish muttered, his tone flatly resigned. "Your Pretty Actor isn't going to suddenly show up."
"You have little faith!" Nikos said with a bold laugh that did not fit their surroundings. "You did not see his face as I held him, Fiery One. The way the Pretty One looked at us before the crowd swallowed him? He will come for us."
"He's a pampered, high-society actor," Abolish countered coldly, leaning his head back against the damp stone and closing his eyes. "Even if he was clear-headed enough to remember what really happened, his manager, the guards, the wealthy elite, and probably the true killer are already rewriting his script. At the very least, they'll tell him to say that we're the villains to protect the theater's reputation. He'll either believe them, or go along with it because it's not worth pursuing. He's not going to come to save us – especially after finding out who we are."
Nikos huffed. "There is nothing wrong with who we are."
"To them, there is," Abolish reminded. "I know the laws far better than you do, Nikos. I may be a retired gladiator who won my wooden sword of freedom, but I'm still just a dog who could be thrown into the pit again at any time with one wrong move. You're a Thracian outsider from a conquered province. We have zero legal standing. More than that, everyone thinks we tried to assassinate a state treasure."
"You worry too much, my friend," Nikos rumbled, a sharp grin cutting through the shadows of the cell. "Even if they do not believe we saved him, what is the worst they can do? Throw us to the beasts? I have been quite curious about those gladiator pits you grew up in. It sounds like quite a bit of fun."
"It won't be a fight we can win," Abolish snapped, though there was more exhaustion in his voice than actual anger. He was quite used to his traveling partner's love of combat by now. "Because of who the theater boy is, and who we are, the governor is going to make an example of us. If we are sentenced to the arena, they'll keep throwing beasts at us until we are torn apart. If not, we'll be crucified outside the city walls as foreign insurgents until we bleed out and die."
"Bah, such things couldn't take us down," Nikos said with a shrug. "Champions like us have faced far worse, no? Even if Pretty One doesn't come for us, which he will, we can fight our way out. Like we always do."
Abolish sighed.
Why had he decided to travel with this man again?
"Whatever you say, Nikos."