The water was nice and cool. A reprieve from the day's heat, and an indulgence Autolycus felt he truly deserved.

Once again, the King of Thieves had proved himself deserving of the title. Slipping into the museum undetected, grabbing the crown jewels of some dead king, and escaping long before Hercules could show up and ruin it all. It'd been perfectly planned and executed.

"Damn, I'm good!" he said to himself, lazily backstroking around the pond.

After these last couple weeks there'd be no denying that he was number one again. He'd pulled off plenty of small jobs, and a couple big ones like this last one. He'd made a small fortune and eluded the usual heroes that tried to put a crimp in his living style. His reputation was safe and life was good.

Thoroughly relaxed now, he swam to shore and climbed out of the water. He'd washed his clothes before diving into the pond himself, and now they were hanging on nearby tree branches. He hoped the warm wind that was occasionally blowing would dry them -- and himself -- out soon. Being naked was comfortable for the moment, but the sun would be down before long and it would get cold.

When he got to the next city, he'd be able to fence the jewels. The money from that, combined with what he'd made on the previous jobs, would be enough to last for a long time. A good week, at least.

He'd buy all the luxury he could. Gourmet food, fancy hotel rooms, even fancier women...it was going to be wonderful! Too bad he had to stop for the night. He couldn't wait to get into a big, soft bed, but for now he'd have to make do with sleeping on the ground. It wasn't going to be all that comfortable, but he'd live with it.

He needed to get a campfire going before sunset. There was some dried beef he'd brought with him and that would do for dinner, but he'd need the fire for warmth. Hopefully there was some suitable deadwood lying about. He didn't really feel like wandering around the forest naked.

"Auto!"

He barely had time to register the voice before he was tackled. His mouth was taken in a passionate kiss as he fell backwards, the weight of the body slamming into his causing him to literally tumble head over heels. When he finally came to a stop, he was on his back, locked in a tight embrace. The kiss went on for a few more moments, and when it ended, Autolycus could only lie there gasping.

"Air!" he managed in a strangled voice, seeing stars from the combined lack of oxygen and the fall.

The bright, amused giggle gave him something to focus on. He glared up at the black leather-clad figure straddling him.

"Nice to know I leave you breathless," Nysus said with a grin. Then his expression changed, becoming a pout that bordered on comical. "Aww, don't be like that, Auto. I'm just real happy to see you. Don't you think that's cool?"

Autolycus couldn't help smiling. Nysus really was funny. And sexy. Definitely that. "Yeah. I guess it is." He rested his hands on firm, toned thighs, liking the feel of the leather covering that smooth skin.

"Good. 'Cause I only got a couple minutes." Nysus grinned again, this time the expression was feral.

Before Autolycus could react to that, he was being kissed again. Nysus wasn't wasting any time. As his tongue worked its way into Autolycus' mouth, his hand was moving lower. Autoylcus groaned as that hand closed around his cock. The touch was light at first, but as he stiffened in that grasp, it became tighter, quicker, until he was hard and leaking, trying to thrust up into it. Then it stopped.

"I wanna do something different," Nysus said against Autolycus' lips.

"Uh-huh." Autolycus really didn't care what they did, just as long as they did it now! He reached behind Nysus' neck, searching for the laces that held that dreadful outfit closed.

"Don't got the time," Nysus said, knocking his hands away. "Besides, I don't need to get naked to do this." He kissed the side of Autolycus' neck, sucking at the skin before nipping sharply, making him gasp. Then he was moving down. Lips trailing over Autolycus' throat, then his chest. Pausing to lick at a nipple, letting his teeth scrape over it before moving lower.

"Oh, fuck...," Autolycus moaned as he realized where Nysus was headed.

"Don't do this much." Nysus' tone was conversational as he nudged Autolycus' legs apart. "Actually, don't think I've ever done it for anyone except Ares. Never felt like it."

"Why me?" Autolycus managed the coherent sentence just before he felt the warm, wet tongue on his inner thigh; then he couldn't think at all.

"Guess you're special," was the reply, but Autolycus wasn't able to focus on it. All of his attention was on the way that tongue was moving up, getting so close....

The first lick around the head of his cock almost made him come, but then long fingers closed around the base, tightening, and suddenly he was yanked back from that edge.

"Too soon," he heard Nysus whisper, then the tongue was back, working its way around his cock in long, drawn out licks.

He wanted to close his eyes, give himself over to the sensations, but he was transfixed by the sight of Nysus lying between his legs, licking him like a favorite treat. The expression on that pale face was one of such sensual delight that he couldn't look away.

The tongue was swirling around the head of his cock again. Lapping up the drops of pre-come that leaked steadily now, probing into the thin slit at the tip, making Autolycus groan loudly.

He wanted to feel Nysus' mouth completely around him, wanted to thrust up and bury himself deep inside his throat, but a surprisingly strong hand held his hips down when he tried.

Nysus looked up. "Be good," he ordered.

Autolycus nodded without hesitation. Anything so long as Nysus didn't stop. He moaned in a mixture of relief and torture as Nysus returned to licking him. Gods, he wanted to come! But he couldn't, not with those fingers still tight around the base of his cock.

Nysus' other hand moved from Autolycus' hip, down between his legs to lightly caress his balls, making him whimper. "Please...," he pleaded. Then, "Don't!" he protested when Nysus suddenly stopped again.

Nysus looked up at him from beneath long eyelashes. Smiling teasingly, he made a show of licking two fingers, getting them good and wet. "You want it?" he whispered, dropping his hand back down.

Autolycus gasped as he felt the fingers brushing over the entrance to his body. But no one had ever--"Yes," he answered before the uncertainties could take over. Then Nysus' mouth was on his cock, taking him deep. He cried out, head falling back as Nysus sucked hard, setting a quick, steady rhythm. It felt incredible, that hot, tight mouth sliding up and down his aching cock and...oh gods, the fingers pushing into him, the feeling unfamiliar but so good.

It was overwhelming, Nysus sucking him harder and better than he'd ever had it before, and those fingers sliding in and out of him...he heard himself begging for release. Nysus just increased the suction, making Autolycus nearly sob. It was too much!

Then the pressure around the base of his cock was gone, and at the same instant, the fingers inside him pushed deep, touching something that sent pleasure racing through every nerve in his body. He held back the scream that rose in his throat as he came harder than he'd imagined possible. So hard, he momentarily saw blackness at the edge of his vision.

When sanity returned, he felt Nysus' tongue lazily licking the last drops of come from his softening cock. Then Nysus withdrew his fingers and Autolycus almost moaned in disappointment.

"Ares never lets me do that," he heard Nysus mutter. Then a few seconds later, "Fuck, you taste good."

"Thanks," Autolycus managed the slurred reply. "But what about you?" He'd been satisfied beyond anything he'd ever hoped for, but when -- or if -- he could move again, he wanted to do the same for Nysus.

Nysus was chuckling, his breath warm against Autolycus' cock, making him shiver. "C'mon, Auto. D'you really think I could do that and not come, just from watching you? But I am kinda frustrated."

"Why?"

"'Cause I did all that, made sure it was better than you'd ever had it, and you didn't say my name when you came. I wanted to hear it."

Autolycus smiled. "You will. When you tell me what it is."

One last long, lick up the length of his cock, making him moan, and Nysus moved up over him. Leaning in close, he smiled with a sensuality that made Autolycus' pulse start to race again.

"You'll say it, Auto," Nysus said quietly. "You're gonna scream it. When you do, I'm gonna be inside you, so deep you're not gonna know where I start and you end, and you're gonna love it. You'll beg me to ride you hard, and when you feel me coming in you, then you're gonna scream my name."

Looking up into those ice-blue eyes, Autolycus realized he wasn't breathing. So caught up in the picture the words were drawing in his mind that there was no room for anything else. "Oh, gods...," he whispered, half afraid of what Nysus was promising but a part of him wanting it just the same. Lips touched his lightly, barely brushing, leaving him wanting more. He moved to take it, wanting to feel Nysus' tongue half-way down his throat again.

"Well, I gotta go," Nysus said cheerfully, pulling away and standing up.

Autolycus just watched him in stunned silence. All that and then...nothing?!

"I'll be back whenever I can get away. Okay? See you!" Nysus waved at him, then turned and walked off into the forest. He was out of sight before Autolycus found his voice.

"You fucking tease!" He shouted after Nysus. There was no reply, but somehow he just knew Nysus was out there somewhere, laughing his ass off.
 
 

Part 5

Things really could've been turning out a lot better.

Oh well. Another day, another dungeon. Nothing new to the King of Thieves.

"I'm telling you, you're making a mistake," Autolycus insisted as the shackles were locked around his ankles.

"Where are they?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." he replied evenly.

"Fine. Then you can stay here until your memory returns," said the Captain of the guards. A large, intimidating man that delighted in other people's misery, as Autolycus had already discovered. "Make sure that's secure," the man ordered one of the guards.

The shackles were double checked and the ones around his wrists tightened, making Autolycus wince. "Hey! Careful there!" he snapped at the man adjusting the restraints. "These hands are delicate instruments!"

"If you don't confess soon, maybe I'll have them broken," the Captain threatened, smiling unpleasantly.

"You've really got a one-track mind. You know that?" Autolycus shook his head in exasperation.

The blow connected with the side of his face. It hurt, of course, but it didn't exactly come as a surprise. This sadistic bastard had already tried beating the information out of him, without success.

"So we're back to that, huh?" Autolycus affected an attitude of indifference. That earned him a punch to the stomach.

The Captain chuckled cruelly at the gasp of pain that escaped Autolycus. "Just remember, if you don't confess, I can do this all day."

"That's okay. Really." Autolycus managed a sarcastic smile. That got him another right hook to the side of his face.

"It's gonna be fun, seeing how long you last." The Captain laughed as he left the dungeon, followed by the two guards that had chained Autolycus.

Once the door had been closed and locked, Autolycus sighed in relief.

"Thought they'd never get out of here," he muttered as he went to work.

In a few seconds he'd produced a lockpick from his sleeve, and in less than a minute he'd freed himself of the restraints. As he rubbed the circulation back into his wrists and ankles, he decided he'd been fortunate to be mistaken for a common thief. If they'd known his real identity, they would've undoubtedly done a better job of searching him.

Now he had to get out of here, pick up what he'd come for, and put as much distance between himself and this city as he could. Of course it might not be a bad idea to find a healer somewhere along the way.

Autolycus felt like he'd been run over by a herd of stampeding horses, and he knew he probably looked like it too. For the most part it felt superficial, just minor cuts and bruises. However, there were a couple wounds he'd probably need stitches for.

Still, it might've been worse. The Captain could've made good on that threat to break his hands. Autolycus didn't know what he'd do if he lost his second most important asset like that. He needed to get going before that bastard returned and he had to find out.

The door turned out to be surprisingly simple. A lock instead of a bolt on the outside. It made his work so much easier. It was almost insulting actually. Chaining up the King of Thieves in a dungeon even an amateur could get out of. He supposed he should've been consoled by the fact that they didn't realize who they had, but his ego still didn't care for it.

The easy part here lay in picking locks. The guards between him and where he needed to go would be the problem. Given a choice of fighting or running, he always chose to run. He wasn't a coward, just practical. He could hold his own in a fight, but why go to all that effort when there was another way out? So as he pushed open the door and slipped out into the dimly lit corridor beyond, he was careful to do nothing to attract the guards' attention.

He could see them at the end of the corridor, sitting around a small table there playing cards. Perfect. If they were occupied then it would take them longer to notice his absence. He'd just find another way out other than going past them.

That other way turned out to be a barred window set up high in the stone wall. It looked inaccessible, but there hadn't been a dungeon built yet that could hold the King of Thieves.

Climbing the wall turned out to be simple. Holding on with one hand while he pried the bars out of the window was just a bit more challenging, but he managed with his usual speed and grace. Then he slipped through the window and out into the small courtyard beyond.

His first instinct was to get away as fast as he could, but he ignored it. He had something he needed to take care of.

He'd been caught sometime in the late afternoon. He couldn't quit mentally kicking himself over that either. If he'd just waited a few hours he could've gone in at night and probably wouldn't have been found then. Not that it'd been his fault. A guard had come back early from his rounds and sounded the alarm before Autolycus had had a chance to get too far. He'd been surrounded and captured in seconds. Good response time on the guards' parts. A lot better than what he usually dealt with and he still kept reprimanding himself for underestimating them.

He'd spent the next couple hours being introduced to the Captain's idea of "entertainment". The man really had a talent for inflicting pain. At the moment, Autolycus was doing his best to ignore the results of that as he crept around the edge of the courtyard, the darkness of the night shielding him from anyone who might've been watching. It really would've been more intelligent to just cut his losses and get out. But after what he'd endured, Autolycus was determined not to go away empty handed.

It took a couple minutes, but he eventually found the right place. A few seconds before he'd been caught, he'd run across this window. It'd been too small for him to escape through, but he'd been able to toss the bag of jewels outside. He had no doubt he'd escape and he'd been fairly certain one would think to look here. He'd been right.

He found the bag about where he'd thought it would be. Hidden in the grass outside the small window. He grabbed it and tucked it beneath his vest. Now he could leave.

He was half way across the courtyard when he heard shouting coming from the walls surrounding the castle. Torches were being lit and he could hear the clanking of weapons from too-close by. Either the castle was under attack or his escape had been discovered. He decided to assume the latter and get out of sight before the growing light revealed his presence.

He looked around for someplace close to hide. Preferably someplace he didn't have to pick a lock to get into. He really didn't think he had time for that.

"Hey, Auto! Get your ass over here!" the familiar voice hissed, drawing his attention.

Autolycus looked over to his right, to the door that now stood open. He grinned when he saw who was standing there. It looked like his luck had decide to take a turn for the better.

"I'm not even gonna ask how you knew where I was," he said with a touch of humor as he hurried over to the door.

"You know I keep track of you. Head up to the loft. You'll be okay there," Nysus instructed as he looked out around the courtyard for signs of anyone approaching.

Autolycus did as Nysus said, reflecting with resignation that he was once again obeying an order. He walked into what turned out to be a large stable. The few lamps hanging on the walls gave off just enough light to see by. He quickly found the ladder leading up to the loft and began climbing, trying to ignore the pain the movements caused. As he reached the top, he heard the door shutting and then the sound of someone else climbing the ladder.

He couldn't say that this was a shock, Nysus turning up like this. It wasn't the first time. Since the night they'd agreed on how things were going to go between them, Nysus had proved to be way too good at following Autolycus' movements. This was the second time he'd shown up during one of Autolycus' robberies. But despite being a little uncomfortable with the idea of someone finding him so easily, Autolycus had to admit he kind of liked the way Nysus just popped up like this.

"Thanks," he said as he sat down in the hay covering the loft. "If they'd caught me, they would've killed me this time."

"No prob," Nysus replied as he climbed onto the loft, pulling the ladder up behind him. "Give it a few hours. They'll convince themselves you made it outta town already. Then you can bail."

"They'll look up here."

"Nah, I got a feeling you'll be perfectly safe." Nysus grinned at him, but the grin disappeared almost instantly. "What the fuck happened?" he demanded.

Once again Autolycus found himself impressed by how fast Nysus could move. In less than a second Nysus was beside him, examining his face.

"It's nothing." Autolycus turned away when Nysus tried to touch the cut on his cheek.

"Bullshit. Lemme see."

"I'll be fine in a few days. It's not important," he insisted.

"You gonna let me take a look or do I gotta sit on you to keep you still?"

"Fine." Autolycus gave up with a sigh. He let his annoyance show as Nysus closely examined each visible wound, down to the smallest scrape.

"Strip."

It was another order, but Autolycus had had enough. He was a grown man, not a child that needed fussing over. "No. I'm tired and sore and I just want to get out of here."

"You're stuck here for a while, so get out of those clothes. I wanna see what else you're hiding there." It was more than an order this time. It was a firm command.

"Forget it. I'm gonna try to get some sleep. Wake me up if anyone comes in here." He lay back on the hay and tried to get comfortable.

Then the black leather-clad body was straddling him, holding him down. "Don't bother struggling." The seriousness in that usually playful tone enough to convince Autolycus that putting up a struggle would indeed be useless. He lay there as his vest was quickly pulled off him, holding back the groan of pain that threatened to escape him as the movements jarred his wounds.

Yeah, it hurt. Big deal. As far as he was concerned, unless it gushed blood it wasn't a serious wound. The only other thing he'd consider important was a wound to his face, and right now he had nothing there that might scar. His looks were safe and that satisfied him. Nothing to be upset about. So he found Nysus' insistence on checking him over really annoying.

"Why're you so damn worried about this?" he asked in exasperation.

"Because you aren't!" Nysus snapped as he pulled Autolycus' shirt out of his pants. "Can't believe you just shrug this stuff off," he grumbled to himself.

Autolycus clenched his teeth against the pain as the shirt was pulled up over his head.

"Fuck!" Nysus hissed.

Autolycus just rolled his eyes. "It probably looks worse than it is." There were bruises covering his chest, and possibly one cracked, maybe broken rib, but he could deal with that easily. He'd just have to be careful with it for a while. The rest were simple bruises and shallow dagger wounds. Nothing worth bothering with. Except for the one on his upper arm Nysus was looking at, his touch surprisingly gentle.

"Who did all this?" Nysus' tone was even, devoid of the emotion that had colored it just a minute before.

"Just a guy that got off on hurting people," Autolycus responded, not seeing the point in discussing it.

"Uh-huh. So what's his name?" Nysus continued to examine the wounds without looking up.

"I didn't ask," Autolycus replied sarcastically. "All I know is he's the Captain of the guards. I guess he really likes the power or something. I don't care. I'm outta there and I'm not worried about it anymore."

"Thank you."

The uncharacteristic formality of the words as well as the tone itself finally alerted Autolycus to what was going on. "Nysus. Look at me."

Nysus turned his gaze from the deep wound to Autolycus' face and Autolycus repressed a shiver at the expression there. He'd never seen those eyes look so cold and hard before.

"Don't do it," he pleaded, knowing exactly what Nysus planned. "It's over, okay? I'm not the vindictive type."

When Nysus spoke, his tone was so chilling that the temperature seemed to drop around them. "I am."

"No! I don't like pointless killing!"

"It's not gonna be pointless. You're my lover."

This time Autolycus did shiver, in fear. "Lover" translated to "property" here. Nysus' voice and his manner showed it. They'd played around with the idea of possessiveness before, but Autolycus had thought they weren't serious. Apparently he'd made a big mistake. Someone had laid a hand on Nysus' property and now they were going to pay. That's what it all came down to. Autolycus' basic nature revolted against the concept.

"Hey! You don't own me! I'm not your prop--" The words were cut off by Nysus' mouth coming down on his. The kiss was hard, too hard. He tasted blood as his already-split lip began bleeding again from the pressure.

Suddenly Nysus pulled back, the look on his face drastically changed. He seemed almost...horrified now. "I -- I'm sorry," he whispered, wiping the blood from his mouth. "I didn't mean...shit!" He moved off Autolycus, sitting beside him. "I'm like so mad here," he said after a few moments, not looking at Autolycus, "but I didn't mean to treat you like that."

"All right," Autolycus said reservedly. He'd wait to see what Nysus did before believing that.

"Look," Nysus sighed, brushing his unruly hair back from his face. "You're right. None of that looks real serious." He motioned to Autolycus' wounds. "I'm guessing that by tomorrow it'll be mostly healed."

"I think it'll take a little longer than that." Autolycus corrected.

"Trust me on this one, okay?" That tone carried a touch of bitterness laced with humor.

Trust? Autolycus almost laughed at that. There was almost nothing to base trust on. Especially not after what just happened. Then impulse struck.

"Tell me your name." He'd hinted around this before, very unsubtly usually. But now, for the first time he asked it outright, despite already knowing the answer he'd get.

"I can't," Nysus replied quietly, looking down at the hay.

"But you want me to trust you."

"That's not about trust, Auto! It's about things you can't understand so just drop it!" he snapped, but he still didn't look at Autolycus.

Far from satisfied, but not wanting to provoke or hurt Nysus, Autolycus let it go. For now. "So Ares gave you a break tonight, huh?" He figured a change of subject would be good, plus he might even learn something else about Nysus.

"Yeah." But Nysus didn't elaborate.

"I haven't seen you in over a week. I guess he keeps you pretty busy."

"It's war." Nysus shrugged.

Great. Usually so talkative, the guy had suddenly decided to turn secretive on him. Autolycus gave up on small talk and spoke his mind. "Do you love him?"

"What?" Now Nysus looked at him, surprise reflected in his expressive features.

"Ares. Are you in love with him? It doesn't really make a difference to me. I'm just curious."

"Auto, I...," he stopped, staring down at Autolycus for a few moments, his expression becoming troubled. "Look, I really don't wanna talk about that right now. I'm trying to deal with something here and it's totally messing with me!"

"I'm sorry." Autolycus backed off. So much for meaningful conversation.

"Don't be. It's not your prob, okay? I gotta deal. But I'll do it later." Then Nysus lay down, stretching out on his side next to Autolycus. "We don't have to be arguing when you're messed up like this."

Autolycus thought about pointing out that he hadn't started the argument in the first place, but that was petty and Nysus' point was valid. They didn't need to argue. Besides, he liked having Nysus beside him. Autolycs didn't want to drive him away, so he nodded in agreement.

"Hurt?" Nysus asked, lightly running his fingers over Autolycus' cheek.

"A little."

Nysus dropped his hand with a sigh, resting it on his shoulder. "Auto, I know you don't think this is anything to worry about, and you're mostly right, but this one here," he motioned to the deep cut in Autolycus' upper arm, "get it taken care of. It could get serious."

"I was going to see a healer anyway," Autolycus admitted.

"Good." Nysus grinned, relief showing in his expression.

Autolycus decided not to comment on that. Nysus was apparently uncomfortable expressing emotion. No need to make a big deal of it when he did. Then Nysus' lips were on his, and his attention focused elsewhere.

Nysus had shown before that he could be just as gentle as he could be rough, and this time the gentleness came through. There was hardly any pressure to the kiss. His tongue flicked out over Autolycus' cut lips again and again, softening them, easing the sting of the wounds.

Autolycus moaned when the tongue finally found its way into his mouth. He reached up to pull Nysus closer -- and couldn't because of the pressure it put on his ribs.

Nysus drew back slightly, frowning at Autolycus' groan of pain. "What's up?"

"I can't do this," Autolycus replied regretfully. "I'm just not up to it."

"Oh. You sure?" Nysus smiled mischievously.

Autolycus gasped as Nysus' hand rubbed against the front of his pants. The kiss, even as gentle as it was, had been enough to make his cock begin to take an interest in things, but this was more than enough to get him instantly hard.

"That's not what I meant," he protested, but he still couldn't help pushing up against the pressure of the hand on him, wincing when his body protested the movement. "Fuck, what doesn't hurt?" he grumbled under his breath.

"This won't." Nysus kissed him again, as softly as before. "Don't move," he whispered against Autolycus' lips. "Just let me do this."

Autolycus felt his pants being swiftly unlaced. Then Nysus' hand slid beneath, grasping his cock, drawing a low moan from him. The touch gentle without being teasing. Light, slow strokes that built up his arousal at a steady pace instead of rushing him towards the end.

"Open your eyes, Auto. I want you looking at me when you come."

He hadn't even realized he'd closed them. He looked up at Nysus, groaning as the hand stroking him began to increase the pace. Propped up on one elbow, Nysus watched him intently, pupils dilated with arousal, pale face flushed...he was getting off on it just as much as Autolycus.

Autolycus wanted to move. He wanted to thrust up into the hand gripping him, pull Nysus down and kiss him until they both came -- but he couldn't do any of it without it hurting, and this felt too good to interrupt like that. He kept his eyes on Nysus, soft moans escaping him almost continuously now. And then the hand tightened around him and that was all he needed. Somehow he managed to keep his eyes open, biting down on his lip as he came.

"Better?" Nysus asked a minute or so later, a self-satisfied smile on his face as he relaced Autolycus' pants.

Autolycus just grunted in response. Now he was truly exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to go to sleep -- although the sight of Nysus licking the come off his hand certainly made his cock want to try for another round. But he couldn't. He was just too tired. His eyes were already drifting shut....

The crowing of a nearby rooster woke Autolycus. It took him a few moments to remember what had happened, but when he did he quickly sat up and took stock of his injuries.

Surprisingly, things didn't look so bad now. He was pretty banged up, true, but his ribs weren't nearly as sore as he remembered them being. It felt like he'd only bruised them. The rest of his injuries were also looking better than he'd expected. A couple of the deep ones would still need tending to, but not much. He decided he wouldn't need to visit a healer after all. This would heal itself up in a few days. He'd be fine. Nysus had been right about that. Speaking of which....

Autolycus looked around for any sign of Nysus but wasn't surprised to find that he'd pulled another of those disappearing acts he seemed so good at. He'd barely left any trace of his presence. Same as always.

Autolycus sighed in frustration as he began pulling his shirt on. Things were far from settled between them. That argument hadn't been resolved; it'd just been put on hold because he hadn't been in any shape to deal with it, but somehow, Autolycus still intended to get some answers out of him.
 
 

Part 6

Why did these places always look so depressing? Even Ares' temples had more decoration than this. Okay, so maybe the point here had more to do with functionality than the image being presented, but a few statues or something to liven the place up wouldn't hurt.

Autolycus sighed in resignation. All right. So maybe the aesthetics of the place weren't really what bothered him. It was the fact that he had to be here at all. He'd always avoided these places, figuring he could take care of things better himself. This time he'd been wrong.

"Hey!" he snapped at the acolyte, yanking his arm away. "Do you guys take a special class in painful examination techniques or something?"

The white-robed man shook his head in exasperation. "It's your own fault. You should've come to us earlier."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Autolycus frowned, stopping in the process of putting his shirt back on.

"It means that this is serious, and you'd do well to stay here and let us see to it."

"Yeah? What d'you mean 'see to it'?" Autolycus asked suspiciously.

"We'll try to get the infection under control. There's some herbs and poultices that might work. But if they don't, then we'll have to cut--"

"Forget it!" Autolycus refused to consider that option.

"There could be no alternative," the acolyte pointed out.

"Let me make it really clear: you come near me with anything resembling a sword, and I'll show you a use for it the gods never intended!"

The man sighed in annoyance. "We'll try treating it first."

Autolycus just nodded in response.

"Stay here," the acolyte ordered. "That has to be drained so I need to go fetch the proper tools."

"Whatever. Let's just get on with it."

Grumbling about difficult patients, he disappeared into a side room, leaving Autolycus alone. Sitting on the altar, Autolycus looked around the temple just to have something to do. Anything to keep his mind occupied so he wouldn't realize just how much this scared him.

He didn't like being in Asclepius' temples. They reminded him too much of his own mortality. Especially when he was wounded like this. It just started getting to him, making him nervous and short-tempered. He needed to get this over with and get out of here as soon as possible.

"You didn't do what I said, did you?"

Autolycus looked up at the temple entrance, not too surprised to see the figure standing there. In his black leather and jewelry, Nysus looked so out of place there, and he appeared about as uncomfortable as Autolycus felt. He seemed to be waiting for Autolycus to say something, but when that didn't happen, he walked further into the temple.

As he approached, Autolycus remained silent. He definitely had something to say to Nysus, but first he wanted to see what Nysus intended to do.

"I told you to take care of that," Nysus said as he reached the altar. He looked to Autolycus for a response, but again there was none. Autolycus just watched him, keeping his face expressionless as he waited.

"O-kay," Nysus drew the word out, uncertainty creeping into his tone. "Lemme see this." He turned his attention to the infected wound in Autolycus' upper arm. After examining it visually for a few moments, he sighed in frustration. "Why'd you let it get this far, Auto? You're not gonna lose your arm, but that's only 'cause you're lucky." Nysus' fingers brushed over the wound and Autolycus jerked away, hissing at the burning sensation that touch momentarily provoked.

"Looks like it'll be okay -- if you look after it right," Nysus announced.

"Did you really think I wouldn't find out? Or did you even care?" Autolycus asked, having decided that if he didn't bring it up, it would never be mentioned.

"What?" Nysus met his gaze, frowning in confusion.

"How long has it been since we hid out in that stable?"

"'Bout a week, I guess. But you know that, so why ask me?"

"A week. And I hear they're still finding parts of the Captain's body around that castle!"

"Oh." Understanding showed in Nysus' expression.

"Oh? That's it?"

"Yeah. What's the problem?" Nysus looked at him questioningly.

"You killed him! I told you I didn't want that!"

"He beat the crap outta you, Auto! He got what he deserved!" Nysus said defensively.

"I don't believe you! You just don't get it, do you?"

Nysus crossed his arms, looking at Autolycus seriously. "I kill, Autolycus. I don't exactly got a huge conscience problem. Thought you knew that."

"I'm not stupid," Autolycus said with suppressed anger. "You work for Ares and you obviously like it, so yeah, I guessed what you did for him involved killing. I don't care. What you do in your job is your business. But that's just for your job. When you start killing because of me -- that's personal. See the difference?"

"And that's what's got you freaked here?"

"No. See, I asked you not to kill that guy and you went ahead and did it anyway! That's what I've really got a problem with!"

Nysus was starting to look troubled. "But...this is like, the way I am. You know? I think you're just gonna have to deal with it."

Looking away for a few moments, Autolycus thought it over and came to a decision. Really, he'd decided on it days ago. It'd just taken this conversation to make him realize it. "No. I won't."

"You -- what?" Nysus frowned again.

"Nysus, I like you. We're good together and I'd love to keep seeing you...but I can't. Not if you're just going to run around doing this kind of thing."

"I don't get it."

"I know. That's the problem. If you can't see what's wrong with what you did then you'll just keep doing stuff like it. And if that's how things are gonna be, then it's over."

"Over?" Nysus whispered, eyes widening in shock. "You can't -- I...we need each other."

"I don't think so. It's just an obsession. It's all about sex and I can get over that. So can you if you try."

"No...Auto, you don't understand, I...I'm...," His voice trailed off as he looked down at the floor, his already pale face turning even whiter. He appeared to be struggling with something, and it was taking a lot out of him.

A noise from the other room distracted Autolycus. He looked over at the side doorway. It sounded like the acolyte was returning. Maybe after his arm was fixed up, he and Nysus could have a long talk. He really didn't want to end this relationship. There had to be a way to work this out. He turned his attention back to Nysus, wanting to ask him to stay until they could find some time to have a serious talk -- but he wasn't there anymore.

Nysus was walking back towards the entrance. He moved fast, obviously wanting to get out of there. He was out the door before Autolycus could call him back.

"Damn it!" Autolycus hissed. That was not how he'd wanted things to end. Yeah, he'd had to let Nysus know what was wrong, but if they left it like this then it really would be over.

"Were you talking to someone?"

The acolyte was back. Walking over to the altar, the man set down a number of items, from sharp implements to strange looking herbs. Autolycus quickly shifted his gaze elsewhere. He didn't want to know what some of those tools were for, although he had little doubt he'd soon find out.

"Just myself," he replied, deciding not to mention Nysus' visit. "Can we get this over with?"

"Wait a minute." The acolyte seemed a bit puzzled as he looked at Autolycus' wound again. "Interesting. Maybe it was the angle of the torch light before."

"What?"

"This looks better than I'd originally thought. Well, it wouldn't be the first time the light's played tricks in here. I've been asking for better lighting for months, but no one listens." The man sighed as he picked up one of the sharp metal implements. "I'll still have to open it. But with proper treatment, you should be well in a few days."

That was no surprise to Autolycus. He'd suspected the acolyte had made a misjudgment the first time. Still, he needed to get out of here as fast as he could, and not just because he was uncomfortable in the temple.

One thing he'd learned from previous relationships -- the ones that'd lasted longer than a day anyway -- was that if someone walked out like that, you either went after them or lost them for good. So he'd go after Nysus just as soon as he made sure this wound was taken care of. What happened after that, well, he'd just have to hope for the best.