I put out his fire

Chapter 25 The Obscure Confession

Nero recovered from a serious illness.The news of his recovery spread like flying pigeons to every corner of Rome.

It was autumn in Rome at this time, and the coldness was beating in the air like an artery.Layers of withered and yellow leaves have fallen on the stone road separated by moss, and the whole of Rome seems to be submerged in yellow leaves.Slaves sweep the leaf-smelling streets, revealing mosaics spliced ​​to the ground.

Rhodes was lying on the banyan tree, which had become his exclusive position.

His hands were wrapped in leather gloves, his black hair was in a mess, his rigid jaw was stained by the shadows of jumping trees, and several streaks of plaster between the trees had been wiped off his clean black clothes.

He was playing with a bunch of dark gadgets, making a series of crisp crashing sounds.

He entrusted his slave girl to buy these trinkets from the pavement.

Nero pushed open the blinds, his eyes were stung by the strong light pouring in, and his eyes narrowed into golden slits.

He recovered fairly well, and his thin face was rosy with vitality.There was a faint depth in his eyes.The small patch of pale freckles became lighter and was about to fade completely.

The bitter taste of the leaves surged under Nero's nose, and Rhode's stubborn black shadow rushed into his eyes like a huge flood.

A ray of sunlight slipped in from between the leaves, folding out a colorful light ridge.

Rhodes looked over with sharp black eyes, grinned a tough smile, and beckoned to Nero.

Half of his bright facial features are covered by black hair, and the tails of his sharp eyebrows are slightly slanted, behind which there are fine ripples of sunlight and light tree shadows.His arm was raised at a resolute angle, like a bow undrawn.

Rhodes has a smell of thorns; it is not this dark and fierce smell that can make his beauty stand out.

The rustling sound of leaves swayed in the distance like crisp bells, and the clear light scattered into the cracks of the trees like golden quicksand.

Nero's vision faltered.He felt that all the arts he had seen were inferior to Rhodes' wave.

"Come here." Rhodes stretched out his hand to him, and spit out soft words from between his hard lips, hitting Nero's apex of love.

Nero was stunned for a while, grabbed his leather gloves, kicked on the window, and jumped onto the tree lightly with his strength.

Rhodes approached him, with a little unshaven stubble on his chin, and a fresh tree color between his eyebrows and eyes.

He squeezed Nero's slender palm, and groped along the gap between his fingers, until finally he touched the calluses on Nero's fingertips.

His hard nails scratched a light itch.Nero is at the age of physical and mental development, and he has just awakened the hazy lust; even a little unintentional touch of Rhodes can make him feel a sticky friendship.

Nero's fingers trembled slightly.

Rhodes pressed his nails on his calluses, and said with a smile, "Sure enough, there are calluses. I heard that everyone who plays the harp has this."

He spread out his palm towards Nero, and there were ten fingernail-sized gadgets on it, presenting a dull dark green color.

"What is this?" Nero's thick eyelashes fluttered twice, and puzzled emotions spread from his childish face.

His Adam's apple has been pushed out, making him like the first blush on a green fruit, with some mature will.

"The armor is made of turtle shell." Rhodes smiled, "If you don't want your nails to wear down to the point of cracking, you'd better wear it."

Nero felt a warm bitterness in his heart.For the time being, those unpredictable desires are ignored; to a certain extent, he feels that the family affection he lacked since he was a child has been somewhat bridged at this time.

Nero's eyes were hot, and he hugged Rhodes' arm, showing a deep dependence.

His slender silkworm trembled twice, and the words overflowed with a hoarse voice: "Rod, why are you so good..."

Rhodes froze for a moment, then laughed.He breathed out intermittently, shaking Nero's fluffy silver hair.

"Okay..." He pulled away his clingy hug, and smiled in a non-serious manner, "Stop being hypocritical!"

At this time, a slave walked quickly to the tree and raised his head to report to Nero: "Master, Lord Otto is visiting."

Rhodes was alert.He put away his leisurely demeanor and glanced at the courtyard with sharp eyes.

His breath was tense in an instant, and a thunderbolt-like ruthless light appeared in his eyes.

Anthony paced up and down the door.He was dressed in creamy white robes, and his bright blond hair gleamed white.Under the top of the banyan tree that blocks the sky, he is like a diseased white spot.

Back then, he hired someone to kill Nero, and finally poisoned himself.

With a dark face, Rhodes helped Nero jump off the tree, his whole body was as tense as if it had been plated with iron and copper.

Anthony walked over with slippery steps, with a smiling face on his face.That overly sweet smile made his face seem to be covered with a layer of greasy frosting, which was about to shake off immediately.

Nero's icy-yellow pupils reflected his gradually approaching figure.

"I'm here to congratulate you." Anthony saluted respectfully, with his head lower than his waist. "The only successor of Rome has recovered from his illness."

Nero glanced at his back that was bent down like an old dog, and blinked his bright eyes twice.The shade of the banyan tree covers his delicate eyelashes, and his gloom is displayed with a kind of softness.

He raised a mischievous smile: "I heard that the first visitor after recovering from illness will take away all the evil spirits who have not yet completed their revenge."

Anthony's back tensed like a bow.He shivered, and straightened up embarrassingly, "You're joking..."

"You don't have to be afraid." Nero smiled at him.He put on a dark smile, and there was a deep shadow under the lying silkworm.He said in a warning tone, "I lied to you."

There was a hint of anger at the corner of Anthony's mouth, and it was as fleeting as water vapor evaporating.He smiled and said, "I'm sorry I broke the rules and didn't say hello to you in advance."

He took two steps closer to Nero, his bright red lips were as red as blood.Under the flamboyant blond hair was his habitually flattering smiling face.

"It is said that the emperor will soon go to Gaul to fight in person." His shrewd eyes trembled. "You have both blood and age, and you are the only successor in Rome. Maybe he will take you there..."

Nero was silent.At this moment, a swaying ray of sunlight shot into his eyes, aggravating the original color of his eyes, and the sharp light in his pupils appeared at this moment, quite ferocious.

Anthony slavishly said, "I will inform you in advance, I hope you can make preparations."

Nero's eyelashes disappeared in the shadow of the tree in an instant.He paused for a while, and his words were also dull: "It seems that your news is better than mine. As an ordinary knight, you can get this news, which shows your ability."

Anthony squeezed out a loyal expression, lowered his eyebrows and bowed his back in a self-deprecating manner to him.

"I am a capable person!" Anthony said, "When you step on the throne of the emperor in the future, I am willing to assist you with all my heart and soul!"

The flowing light and shadow swayed across Nero's face, making his expression unclear.

He straightened his back, and rubbed his tightly pressed lips a few times like a thin blade: "Okay."

Anthony cracked a puppet-like smile, "May the laurel wreath be worn in your hair as soon as possible!"

After he finished flattering, he retreated as sticky as a slippery snake.

Rhodes held Nero's shoulders so that he was facing him.He had uncontrollable impatience, his iron-like fingers pinched deeply into Nero's flesh, and a few locks of clean hair half covered his fiery brows.

Nero felt a deep, dull pain in his shoulder.But he showed no discomfort.

Rhodes' face was full of sharpness.He warned urgently: "He is the lover who has an affair with the queen! That's why he got such well-informed news!"

Nero stared into his black eyes, and some passion came to his brow, "I know." He said softly.

Rhodes clamped his shoulders tightly, with no intensity.With his back to the light, his facial features are handsome but hidden, and there is a sense of indistinguishable beauty at this time.

"Don't trust him!" he warned.

Nero nodded obediently, and said peacefully, "I will."

Rhodes let go of his shoulders.At this time, he saw the sudden blood stains on his nails, his expression tightened, and he quickly tore off Nero's neckline.

Nero's shoulders are bare｜exposed, and his collarbone protrudes like a crossbar, which has begun to take shape.

On his white and thin skin, as if gouged out by a knife, there was a bloody mouth in the shape of Rhodes' nails.

Rhodes was silent for a while, with a vague apology in his eyes.His black eyes were too deep, and there was an imperceptible gleam at this moment.

Unruly, he tried to apologize: "I don't actually want to..."

"It's okay." Nero tilted his face, his pure eyes swept over the wound on his shoulder indifferently.

He dipped his fingertips in the blood from the wound, held up his fingers, and showed Rhodes the blood.Between his brows and eyes, there was still a trace of shyness that had not faded away.

"I like you..." He paused slightly here, "...I like you to do this."

A trace of doubt flashed across Rhodes' calm black pupils.

……

Anthony's news is really well-informed.

Within a few days, Claudius ordered that Nero be given the position of commander and go to Gaul with him.

It is the routine practice of every Roman emperor to take his successor to quell the war.

For Nero, this was an opportunity to build military merit.

Only by making outstanding military exploits can he be tamed by generals and veterans after ascending to the throne.

Rhodes remembered that this opportunity did not fall to Nero in his previous life, so that he had no military achievements when he ascended the throne, and was despised by some nobles and even commoners.

The house slaves were diligently packing their bags.They packed the newly purchased swords and halberds into boxes, folded piles of sturdy leather armor, and stacked the arc-shaped Roman shields into two piles.The slave girl is dancing with needlework, reinforcing the stitches of military boots.The cook dried the bread and dried the boiled beef to make jerky for the dry food on the road to Nero.

Their master is leaving tomorrow.

Rhodes returned from training.

He was sweating from the heat, and anxiously took off the leather gloves used to hold the sword, and the soft sweat wetted his handsome brows.

The slave brought Rhodes a glass of wine with ice, but he refused.

"I only drink cheap beer." He was hot and fidgety.

Nero walked over quietly.He was wearing a light robe, and there was a trail of dust when the robe touched the ground.This added a layer of burden to his light steps.

"As I said, you have every right to order my slaves." Nero said seriously.

Rhodes saw his heavy robes, and his sweaty eyes were like silver powder.He was so hot that he threw away the gloves he had taken off.

"It's time for you to choose a leather armor that fits you well." He brushed back his sticky black hair, revealing his smooth forehead.

Nero looked at him, his slender lips moved slightly: "I still want to go out."

"When?"

"Now," Nero added, "with you."

On the side of Rhodes' stony and resolute figure, he didn't even think about taking a sip of water.He walked towards the door without hesitation, and the soft tendons twisted around his straight ankle due to force.

"Let's go then." He said bluntly with his back to Nero.

Nero smiled silently.

He picked up the leather glove discarded by Rhodes and put it on his hand.It was wet inside, and there was still the residual warmth of Rhodes.