Spartans: When a Boy Loves a Man (Part II)

Note: Again, I am in NO WAY going for historical accuracy. Got that? THIS IS NOT HISTORICALLY ACCURATE. I know, you know. We all know, and accept it. If you don’t like that, well then I suggest you find something else to read. Italics are “foreign”. Oh, and there is more set-up then sex here. Just trying to give this some direction/plot.

Spartans: When a Boy Loves a Man

Part Two

“Where have you been, Cole?”

“Nowhere,” Cole was still recovering from his first tryst with Sirius. After they had finished in the class room, they had gone back to the bathhouse to clean up again. Sirius had invited him to help rub the oils into his skin that helped keep him so sleek and supple. He had been rewarded by being given similar treatment afterwards for a job well done. Cole could still feel Sirius’s expert hands running across every crevice of his body. He turned over onto his stomach on his meager pallet to hide his excitement from his bed-mates.

“You were gone for a long time –did you get into trouble?”

“Trouble for what, Markus? If you really must know, I was in the bath-house.”

“For two hours?” His best friend looked bemused.

“I…I ran into Sirius.”

“Oh?” He sounded interested.

“If I tell you something, will it just stay between us?” Cole sat up, scooting closer to his friend. His voice was quiet, barely audible in the noisy din of chatter and snoring.

“Of course,” Markus nodded.

“Sirius was flirting with me. I asked him to be my mentor. He agreed.”

“He what?!” Markus’s reaction was greeted with a peal of annoyed out-cries. He repeated himself, more softly.

“He’s my mentor.”

“But I thought you were just going to pay the fine.”

“I was, but…well, I really look up to him, and he accepted the offer.”

“So, when you were at the bathhouse, you were really being…mentored?”

“I guess you could say that.”

“Ever the late-bloomer, aren’t you, Cole?” Markus clapped a hand on his shoulder.

Cole blushed red, “Shut up.”

“So, how did you like it?”

“It was odd… I mean, I liked it, but it’s just, well, we’re always taught to be dominate and not let people take advantage of us. We’re taught to be fighters. But I felt like water in his hands.”

“With our mentors is the one place we can let our guard down. We should trust them with our lives,” Markus shrugged.

Cole nodded, “I guess so.”

“Is something wrong?”

“No, I just… I wanted something else.”

“More? Like what?”

Cole leaned over to whisper in Markus’s ear, “I really wanted him inside of me.” He backed away to see Markus’s expression. “Is that sick?”

Markus shrugged, “It’s forbidden, it can’t happen.”

“Well, what’s the worst that may happen?”

“Exile…Death.”

“It may be worth it.”

“No, no… Sirius would be exiled. YOU would be killed.”

“It may be worth it.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Oh, can’t I?” Cole raised a belligerent eyebrow.

“You shouldn’t say that kind of thing. Get to know him better before you go willing to toss your life away.”

“I’m not stupid, you know.”

“The pretty ones are always stupid,” Markus turned away from him, pulling his scratchy blanket up over his shoulders.

“If that’s true then you must be the dumbest one of all!”

And with that, the two friends went to sleep with their backs to each other.

“Sleep well?” Sirius’s voice as warm against Cole’s ear at the breakfast table the next morning.

“Well enough,” Cole nodded.

“I spoke with the ephors this morning. They are quite pleased with the match. –You have free time this afternoon, right?”

Cole nodded.

“Meet me out side of the dormitory. We’ll start your training,” Sirius’s strong hands tilted Cole’s face upwards to press a chaste kiss to his lips. He looked up, grinning over the din of people. “I think you’ve gotten yourself some enemies.” Cole shivered slightly, feeling dozens of eyes boring into his back.

“It would figure. You’re rather popular.”

“Be careful,” Sirius patted his head before moving along to sit back at his table.

“So, what you said last night was true?” Markus looked up at him over his bowl, across the table.

“Oh, so you are still speaking to me?”

“You made mad last night, but of course I’m still talking to you,” Markus kicked him under the table. Cole resisted the urge to rub the pain out of the spot.

“Anyway, yeah, of course it’s true. When have I ever lied to you?”

Markus shrugged, “Why did he say yes to you and no to all of the others who asked?”

Cole shrugged, “I don’t know. I asked him that myself, he just said that he’s noticed me. That he’s been watching me.”

“That’s kind of…strange, isn’t it?”

“I don’t know,” Cole shrugged. “I’m confused. I don’t understand what is happening.”

“What are you confused about? He’s going to teach you how to be a warrior.” Markus shrugged.

Cole lowered his head over his plate, and glanced around the table. For the most part, they were final stragglers. There were a few men on the ends of the table, but he didn’t know them well. He looked back up at Markus, “But what does that mean?”

“He’ll train you, personally. Battle procedure, weaponry, armor, behavior. He’ll refine you. He’ll make you as great as he is –and Sirius is a great warrior.”

“I know that he is, which is why I am all the more confused at that he wanted to be my mentor!” Cole sighed.

“Relax,” Markus sighed, shaking his head. “You’ll be fine. He’ll take care of you.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of…”

The wrestling ring had never been one of Cole’s favorite places. He didn’t mind watching matches between skilled hand-to-hand combat warriors. But hand-to-hand wasn’t exactly his area of expertise. He felt best with a sword in his hand, and a shield over his shoulder. And how Sirius was trying to coax him into the ring with him.

“You’re going to slaughter me,” Cole furrowed his eyebrows.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Sirius laughed. He was already naked and sleek with oils. “Take off your clothes and get in here with me.”

“Why?”

“Don’t be belligerent,” Sirius warned.

Cole sighed, shedding his scraps of clothing, setting them aside, he stepped into the ring, and crossed his arms over his chest. “Alright, fine. Now what?”

“Now we oil you up,” Sirius motioned for a servant to approach, holding a large clay jar. The servant was careful about being wasteful as he poured cold, amber colored oil from the pot down Cole’s back and front. The servant set the jar aside, rubbing his hands down Cole’s back. Sirius stepped forward, his rough hands slicking the oil down across Cole’s front.

“Now, aren’t you glad I made you come out here?” Sirius’s hands coaxed down lower over Cole’s hips. He was teasing him now.

“You shouldn’t do that here,” Cole whispered. He felt awkward between the two men, and he couldn’t help but grow excited as Sirius’s palms stroked oil between his thighs.

“Don’t worry…he doesn’t speak our language. He won’t tell anyone.” Sirius knelt down as his hands stroked up Cole’s thighs and down his calves. “I trust him, you should too.”

“I trust no one,” I shook my head. “Isn’t that something you drill into our heads everyday?”

“Cole, I’m the one person you can trust,” Sirius assured him, standing back up. He said something discernable to the servant, who nodded at him, and picked up his oil pot to go sit on the sideline until he was needed again. “Now…how much do you know about wrestling?”

“Just what I’ve seen from others doing it,” Cole shrugged.

“Well, okay…basic rules of wrestling: no hitting or kicking, no eye gouging, no pulling of the genitalia. Points are scored when someone’s back hits the ground, someone stops the match out of pain or fear, or someone is forcibly removed from the ring. Understand?”

“I think so.”

“Then shall we begin?” Sirius gave another foreign bark to the servant who nodded. A moment later, Sirius pushed Cole into a stance and a bell tinkled.

“Oof!” Sirius’s shoulder introduced itself to Cole’s stomach. Cole was easily overtaken, despite his best efforts to conquer the older man. He found himself shoved onto his back less then a minute after the bout had started, and he started up into Sirius’s sparkling eyes.

“You aren’t trying very hard,” Sirius countered.

“You’re bigger then I am,” Cole argued.

“I’m bigger, but you’re younger. You’re spryer. Use my weight against me,” He suggested. “Get up, start again.”

With a thin layer of dirt across his back, Cole stood back up. A moment later, the little bell tinkled again, and he was on his back once more.

“You’re not even trying now,” Sirius teased. His lips brushed Cole’s in a neat little kiss. “How are you going to be a great warrior if you can’t even defeat a foe twice your size?”

“I’ll use my wiles and charm?”

Sirius laughed, “I hardly think that would get you out of a war, my darling boy.” He stood up, holding his hand out. Cole took it, letting him pull him to his feet. “Now…when I come at you this time, remember. Use my weight against me.”

Cole nodded, repeating it to himself. The bell tinkled, and Cole tried to focus more as Sirius stepped towards him. He took the initiative this time, slipping underneath Sirius’s arms, pulling them behind his back. Their legs intertwined, and Cole was tugging Sirius out of balance. The two were on their knees a moment later, the dirt and rocks digging into their knees. Sirius’s skin was slippery and hard to hold onto. He found himself losing his grip, so he moved quickly to grasp Sirius around the waist.

“Pinning me on my stomach isn’t going to help you, Cole,” Sirius reminded him. “It has to be the back.”

Cole sighed, backing away from him. He let Sirius get up and recompose himself for he started his attack again. This time he went for Sirius’s waist right away, plowing him over. Sirius pushed back. Cole felt like he was in a pool, feeling the way Sirius’s hands moved down across his back.

He wasn’t sure how it happened. Sirius’s hands found their way under his thighs, and he he just lifted him up totally effortlessly, flipping him upside down. He landed on his shoulder, suppressing his groan as he rolled onto his stomach. Unlike him however, Sirius used it as an advantage, kneeling over him. His knees locked to Cole’s sides, and his hands starting trying to pry at his shoulders, pulling him onto his side. Cole bit his lip, trying to reach around looking for a way to reverse their position. Sirius wasn’t having any of it though –he was playing to win. Finally Cole couldn’t hold back anymore, so just let him turn him over.

“That was pathetic,” Sirius was grinning. His chest was rising and falling in heated pants, as he caught his breath. “You’re a horrible wrestler, Cole.”

“I thought that was point –you’re supposed to be teaching me,” Cole tried to ignore the sharp pebble that was biting into his back. “I’m better with swords.”

“We’ll get there,” Sirius nodded. “You can’t be a truly great warrior until you’ve skill in the ring.”

“What if I don’t want to be a great warrior?”

“Then you were born in the wrong society of people,” Sirius stroked his thumbs across Cole’s cheeks. His hips adjusted, sitting squarely on Cole’s stomach. “You’re right in a way. You’re too pretty to be a Spartan.”

Cole flushed red, “I’m only half Spartan. You know that.” He pushed on Sirius’s stomach, trying to push him away.

Sirius captured his hands, holding them down against his chest. He looked up at the servant who was still sitting there, watching with only a mild interest. Cole’s face contorted in confusion as Sirius spoke to him. The servant stood up, gave them both a low nod, and disappeared. He closed the gates behind him, and disappeared.

“What did you say to him?”

“I told him to go keep watch,” Sirius forced Cole’s chin up to kiss him squarely. “I wanted some privacy with you. While I don’t mind if Arwan watches, you seem rather chaste.”

“Does he watch you often?” Cole’s knuckles were turning white as he tried to forcibly wrench Sirius’s hands from his face.

“Sometimes,” Sirius nodded.

“Where did you find him?”

“He was a prisoner of war when we fought Persia. I liked him, so I kept him.”

“You learned his language for him?”

Sirius laughed, “I picked it up. He’s not a quick learner.” He lifted his hands from Cole’s face, letting them trail down his chest. “Does he bother you? He’s just a servant.”

“But you do things with him, don’t you?”

“He’s a servant,” Sirius repeated.

Cole shook his head, “That’s not answering the question.”

“Yes, I do things with him. But it doesn’t mean anything. He knows his position.” Sirius covered his body again, forcing Cole’s mouth open to accept his tongue. Cole’s fingers flexed against the bigger man’s chest, torn between pushing him away and welcoming the attack.

“What’s wrong?” Sirius finally asked, backing off. “You’re not as receptive as you were last night…did something happen?” His hands stroked the oil that beaded with sweat and slipped down Cole’s chest. His hands felt firm and hard against

“You’re hurting me,” Cole admitted.

“Spartan’s feel no pain. Let that be your first lesson,” Sirius gripped Cole’s arms, pulling him up against him. “Do you understand?”

“It’s not that you’re hurting me,” Cole corrected himself. “I’m just uncomfortable what with all of the dirt and rocks against my back.”

“You’re so dainty…perhaps we should throw you to the women and bring you up as a girl,” Sirius teased. His lips found Cole’s again, his hands more gentle when tipping up his chin then they had been before.

“Now…are you ready to try again?” Sirius asked.

Cole looked confused, “I thought we were..”

Sirius laughed, “We will. But right now, I’m teaching. We’ll do that afterwards.”

“Why send your servant away, if we weren’t—“

“His name is Arwan,” Sirius corrected. “I sent him away because I thought you might do better without an audience. Are you ready to try again?”

Cole nodded, “I think so.”

Sirius leaned in closely, “I’ll give you a reward when you pin me.

“What kind of reward?” Cole asked.

“That will have to be a surprise,” Sirius teased. “Now c’mon. You’ve’ seen how this is done. Think about how the younger boys over take the larger ones.”

Cole nodded and a moment later they were grappling again. Three more times, Cole found himself pinned onto his back. Over an hour had passed, and the oil on their skin had long ago coated them with dirt and sweat instead.

“One more time,” Sirius urged.

Cole was panting, but he nodded, “Just once more…anymore then that and you’ll kill me.” He brushed a streak of blood off of his cheek from where he had gotten a small cut some time before. “Okay…I’m ready.”

Sirius stepped towards him, but Cole was quicker. He closed the space between them, and pressed his lips to Sirius’s. His arms wrapped around his neck, and he pushed up closer to him. Sirius groaned against his mouth. His fingers dug into Cole’s hips, and a few moments later he found himself kneeling on the ground. Cole’s mouth urged against his harder, and he used his full weight to push him onto his back.

“Dirty cheat,” Sirius shook his head.

“Hey, I followed the rules,” Cole shrugged. “And I told you I’d use my wiles to win. I never dreamed it would work so well though.”

“You’re incorrigible.”

“I won the way I saw fit,” Cole shrugged.

“That’s not going to work for you in the field, I’m sorry to say.”

“I still won…what’s my reward?”

“I’ll give you your reward once we’re cleaned off –Arwan!”

The servant appeared at the gate again, and Sirius said something Cole didn’t understand. Arwan nodded, giving him a short reply. He disappeared again a minute later, and Sirius pushed on Cole’s stomach.

“C’mon, let’s go.”

“Where are we going?”

“The bathhouse. You need a good scrub down,” Sirius picked up his clothes from the ground outside of the ring, tying it around his waist for the trek outside. Cole followed suit, following closely behind him as Sirius pulled him by the wrist out of the enclosure.

Cole bowed his head as they passed by groups of other boys and soldiers. He felt like a puppy being pulled along by its master, but he didn’t have the courage to pull away from Sirius’s grip. He refrained from rubbing away the soreness as Sirius dropped his hand to usher him into the bathhouse.

“Where are you going?” Sirius grabbed his wrist again as he started to head towards the main pool. “That’s not where Arwan is waiting for us.”

“Where are we going?”

“To my private bath,” Sirius pushed him through a door he hadn’t really noticed before. Arwan was already there, laying out towels, oil, soaps, and fresh clothes. He kept his eyes averted, saying something to Sirius before he bowed out, closing the doors behind him.

“Did you send him away again?” Cole asked.

“No, he left on his own this time,” Sirius pushed him towards the small pool of cool water. “He doesn’t like to watch most of the time.” He stripped Cole of his clothes, before picking up a clean cloth from nearby. “Go on, get in.”

Cole took his time, slipping into the shallow pool, “Aren’t you getting in?”

“I will,” Sirius nodded, sitting on the ledge just under the waterline of the pool. “Come here. You’re filthy.” He dipped the cloth into the water before wringing it out. “Close your eyes.”

Cole squeezed his eyes shut, and Sirius rubbed the rough cloth over his face, scrubbing the dirt roughly away from his skin. Once he was pleased, he rinsed it off, and started to make long strokes across Cole’s chest, getting rid of the dirt from the ring.

“Are you alright? You’re not bleeding anymore, are you?” Sirius’s hand dipped under the water, his cloth moving across Cole’s hip. He looked at the clotted cut that decorated Cole’s cheek. “It’s not exactly a battle scar; it’ll heal.”

“Is that what these are?” Cole reached up to touch Sirius’s shoulder. A large white star-like mark adorned his skin.

“That’s what happens when a spear runs through your shoulder,” Sirius reached up, touching Cole’s hands. “But you’re too pretty to worry about that just now.”

“Does being pretty mean I’m not suitable to be a warrior?”

“Of course not,” Sirius shook his head. “I was pretty once…my mentor decided it would be best to beat it out of me. I won’t do that to you.”

Cole’s face flushed red, “You’re very beautiful, Sirius. No one could ever take that away from you. It would be impossible.”

Sirius hummed, slipping off of the ledge to stand over him. “Are you ready for your reward?”

Cole was hesitant but he nodded. Sirius lifted him easily under the butt, and set him on the edge of the pool. He brought their lips together, and Sirius’s hands found their way into Cole’s lap. He jerked forward as Sirius’s hands wrapped around him.

“What are you doing?”

Sirius smiled against his lips, “Giving you your reward for a job well done. What did you think I was doing?”

“Is this…is this going to be like last time?” Cole asked.

“Do you want it to be?”

Cole shrugged, “I don’t know. I…I’ve never done this before.”

Sirius shrank back, looking at him, “Never? Nothing?”

Cole’s face turned redder, and he shook his head, “No…is that bad?”

“Of course not,” Sirius shook his head. “I’m just surprised. You’d think that the boys would be all over you.”

“The other boys avoid me…except for Markus.” Cole’s chin sank down to his chest.

“Why?” Sirius turned serious, tilting Cole’s face towards his own. His eyes didn’t hold their usual soft-playful sparkle. They were hard, and dominate. Angry.

Cole shrugged, “I don’t know. I don’t fit in with the rest of them. Because my mother isn’t Spartan. They don’t think I’m cut out to be a warrior.”

“Do you love this city?” Sirius coaxed.

“Of course I do, I was born here.”

“Then you are strong enough to be a Spartan.” Sirius kissed him soundly. “I’ll help you prove it.”

“Why did you want to be my mentor so badly?” Cole put his hand on Sirius’s chest, holding him back as he tried to move closer. “Why are you so interested in me?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Stop answering me in riddles! I want a straight answer from you!”

“I wanted to be your mentor because we’re similar; you and me.”

“Similar?”

“My mother fell in love with a traveler from Athens. While he was killed in a fight, my mother was allowed to live and I was raised as a Spartan.”

“So…you really are kind of like me.”

“In a way,” Sirius nodded. His fingers brushed Cole’s hair back behind his ear. “I knew your father. He was very proud of his woman. And of you.”

Cole cast his glance away. And Sirius was quiet, letting his hands stroke up his thighs. He pressed his lips to Cole’s stomach, and looked up at him expectantly, “Do you still want your reward?”

Cole took a moment, looking down at him before nodding, “Yes.”

Sirius’s eyes regained their familiar sparkle as he grinned. His lips pressed against Cole’s stomach again, starting a little trail further down until his lips fell to the tip of his student’s member. Cole bit his tongue and watched with excited interest as Sirius’s lips descended over him. His eyes widened as Sirius’s hand wrapped around him and his tongue circled his very tip, probing underneath his foreskin. His mouth opened in a suppressed gasp, his fingers twisting in Sirius’s hair as he began stroking his shaft while suckling softly at the head.

“Have you done this often?” Cole finally managed to ask. He was fully erect and Sirius had removed his mouth, instead using his hands, looking intent on doing a good job.

“I enjoy doing this, if that’s what you’re really asking,” Sirius looked up at him. “It’s one of my favorite things to do with another man. Now, why don’t you just lay back,” he pushed himself up out of the water to kneel on the ledge, and pressed his palms against Cole’s stomach, “and just enjoy?”

The tile floor felt cold against his skin, but he didn’t let it bother him as Sirius’s warm mouth enveloped him again. His entire mind was focused on that mouth…the pleasant way he used his teeth and lips. The way his hands felt against his thighs.

“Sirius?” The voice caused Cole to jerk back up and Sirius laughed, pulling him close into his arms, shielding him from the servant’s eyes, even though they both knew that if there had been anything to see, he would have seen it already.

“What is it, Arwan?”

Arwan replied, and Sirius sighed. Cole looked confused, as he listened to their banter, frustrated that he couldn’t understand what they were saying.

“What’s wrong?” He asked after Arwan had disappeared again.

“Xenos from the ephors is outside, he wants to speak to me. I assume about my mentoring you… Why don’t you finish getting clean. I’ll send in Arwan for you if you like.”

“That’s okay, I can do it myself.”

Sirius leaned forward as he pulled himself out of the water. His breath felt warm against Cole’s ear, “Stay hard for me. I’ll be back to finish in a few minutes.” He ruffled Cole’s hair as he walked away, pausing only long enough to pull a towel around his waist.

Once he was alone, Cole went to work scrubbing himself clean. Dirt still clung to his skin from rolling around in the wrestling ring for such a long time. He dunked under the water and scrubbed his hair with his fingers to loosen the sand. He was scrubbing the wet cloth down his throat as Sirius slid back into the room, looking annoyed.

“Are you clean now?” Sirius asked, holding an arm out to him. Cole nodded, taking Sirius’s hand and letting him pull him up out of the bath. Sirius smiled, pulling him close. “Good, you know how to listen. …Now, about your reward,” His fingers slid down Cole’s sides as he knelt down in front of him again, starting exactly where he had left off. His arm snaked around Cole’s waist, and he used his free hand to stroke his length while he used his mouth and tongue to work the tip.

“Sirius…” Cole’s fingers pulled through Sirius’s hair, coaxing him on. “I think I’m going…” Sirius’s eyes raised with interest, but he didn’t remove his mouth. “Sirius, I’m almost, I’m going to…” Sirius didn’t say a word, but his mouth turned in a mischievous grin as his removed his mouth to lap his tongue along Cole’s length. “Sirius!” His mouth dropped open as Sirius’s mouth devoured him just as his body peaked. His muscles tightened, and his arms wrapped around Sirus’s head for stability as he rocked forward. His breathing came out in heavy pants, and he slowly regained his composure. Sirius lifted his head away, pressing his mouth against Cole’s stomach. He stood back up, and pulled Cole close to kiss him softly on the mouth. The younger boy could taste himself in his mentor’s mouth, and he wasn’t sure if he liked the taste or not. But what he was certain of was that he had liked the experience itself.

“Was that satisfactory?” Sirius brushed Cole’s hair off his face. He smiled as Cole nodded. “Good. Why don’t you get dressed and get off to your lessons?” He squeezed Cole’s backside, and spoke quietly in his ear. “We’ll get together for another lesson tomorrow.”