Marriage. Argis had thought long and hard on the subject for many years. He pictured having a happy family, children happy to be with him, begging for stories about dragons and battles. A place to call his own and live in relative peace. More importantly, though, he pictured a wife at his side.
Argis felt his stomach knot when his thane had proposed. All he could do was stare at the man with a dumbfounded expression. He knew that Nikolai had taken a shine to him and probably had the moment he was placed in his employment. The two spent days upon days together doing nearly everything without leaving the other’s side. Argis became a trainer and a mentor, seeing Nikolai’s growing infatuation with him as nothing out of the ordinary. When he had been training he waited on his mentor like a puppy.
Much to his embarrassment, though, Argis hadn’t realized that his thane preferred men until much later. What he had thought was nothing more than the two of them bonding over battle stories and life had been much more to his thane. It was when the two were visiting a tavern that Argis had noticed his thane’s wandering eye. He watched as he sidled up to a man and sweet talked him between drinks. The man had been more than happy with the attention because it didn’t take long before they slipped off to the man’s room
“You’re starting to make me nervous.”
Nikolai’s voice cut through Argis’ thoughts and caused him to blink away his shocked look. His mouth was dry and heart was racing. He met the younger man’s gaze and watched as those hazel eyes seemed to light up. ‘By the eight, he isn’t joking.’ Argis took in a deep breath; there was no way he could deny Nikolai. Yet the idea of wedding a man caused the knot in his stomach to twist.
“If it would please you-”
A wide smile flashed across Nikolai’s face, one mixed with pure joy and relief. “Nothing would please me more,” he replied.
Argis blinked, “But why me?”
“I like you, Argis. I thought it was obvious by this point,” Nikolai chuckled. He leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair. “There is more to it, though. You and I seem to see the world similarly and we’ve been through so much together. As strange as it might sound, you make me feel safe. Not only am I sure that nothing could harm me, but I can be myself around you. There isn’t anyone else I could think of that I want to take this step with.”
Those words coming from a woman would have warmed Argis’ heart and he knew that it should be no different with his thane. Yet something was screaming at him as he looked at Nikolai. This felt strange. He knew of no man pledging himself to another man. While it had become obvious that there were men similar to Nikolai in Tamriel, they just didn’t seem to make themselves known.
“I told you once before that I would do most anything to please you because not only are you my thane but you are my friend,” Argis breathed, pausing for the briefest moment. He could see a flicker of disappointment rise in Nikolai’s eyes in that moment and it hurt him more than the knot in his stomach. “If agreeing to this will bring you joy, then so be it.”
“That settles it! Give me a lead of one day and I shall see you in Riften.”
Argis began to reply but his words were cut off as Nikolai placed a kiss on his forehead. His thoughts raced in every direction as Nikolai disappeared into his room to pack. There was no way he could back out of this.
Now and Forever (1/?)
Argis felt his stomach knot when his thane had proposed. All he could do was stare at the man with a dumbfounded expression. He knew that Nikolai had taken a shine to him and probably had the moment he was placed in his employment. The two spent days upon days together doing nearly everything without leaving the other’s side. Argis became a trainer and a mentor, seeing Nikolai’s growing infatuation with him as nothing out of the ordinary. When he had been training he waited on his mentor like a puppy.
Much to his embarrassment, though, Argis hadn’t realized that his thane preferred men until much later. What he had thought was nothing more than the two of them bonding over battle stories and life had been much more to his thane. It was when the two were visiting a tavern that Argis had noticed his thane’s wandering eye. He watched as he sidled up to a man and sweet talked him between drinks. The man had been more than happy with the attention because it didn’t take long before they slipped off to the man’s room
“You’re starting to make me nervous.”
Nikolai’s voice cut through Argis’ thoughts and caused him to blink away his shocked look. His mouth was dry and heart was racing. He met the younger man’s gaze and watched as those hazel eyes seemed to light up. ‘By the eight, he isn’t joking.’ Argis took in a deep breath; there was no way he could deny Nikolai. Yet the idea of wedding a man caused the knot in his stomach to twist.
“If it would please you-”
A wide smile flashed across Nikolai’s face, one mixed with pure joy and relief. “Nothing would please me more,” he replied.
Argis blinked, “But why me?”
“I like you, Argis. I thought it was obvious by this point,” Nikolai chuckled. He leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair. “There is more to it, though. You and I seem to see the world similarly and we’ve been through so much together. As strange as it might sound, you make me feel safe. Not only am I sure that nothing could harm me, but I can be myself around you. There isn’t anyone else I could think of that I want to take this step with.”
Those words coming from a woman would have warmed Argis’ heart and he knew that it should be no different with his thane. Yet something was screaming at him as he looked at Nikolai. This felt strange. He knew of no man pledging himself to another man. While it had become obvious that there were men similar to Nikolai in Tamriel, they just didn’t seem to make themselves known.
“I told you once before that I would do most anything to please you because not only are you my thane but you are my friend,” Argis breathed, pausing for the briefest moment. He could see a flicker of disappointment rise in Nikolai’s eyes in that moment and it hurt him more than the knot in his stomach. “If agreeing to this will bring you joy, then so be it.”
“That settles it! Give me a lead of one day and I shall see you in Riften.”
Argis began to reply but his words were cut off as Nikolai placed a kiss on his forehead. His thoughts raced in every direction as Nikolai disappeared into his room to pack. There was no way he could back out of this.