Argonian Attraction - Ch. 3
#3 of Argonian Attraction
Adult stuff is coming soon, but not in this story! Enjoy the read. :)
[Chapter 3]
It had been a week since Vesurus had been taken in by Jareq's family. The Argonian's father had completely recovered from his illness after plenty of rest, and now all three of the lizardfolk were up and about for large parts of the day.
At this point in Balmora's history, it was no easy task for a member of a beast race to find work. Prejudice and superstition worked against Argonians and Khajit alike. Though they were among the most intelligent of beast races, few could survive outside of the shackles of slavery, which plagued all races with its permitted blight.
Jareq's mother was the only one of the three who could bring money home. She was fortunate enough to have acquired a job washing linens for other families of the town. The struggling mother could barely bring home enough gold to keep her family fed, and in recent years Jareq's father had lost the strength to hunt for his loved ones. It was a conflict that could never see a solution as long as there were so many mouths to feed. Vesurus's presence only complicated things.
The human felt guilty now for throwing himself upon the struggling Argonians. Even in his time of need, his plight was nothing when compared to the daily life of these helpless people. He had quickly grown past his former impressions of beast races - or at least Argonians. He had little exposure to what he now realized were as much people as any other race, and so much prejudice and biased opinion had surrounded him back in Fort Moonmoth... He knew he had been foolish.
Seeing how much Jareq and his parents struggled to survive in a world he took for granted tore at him in a way he never knew was possible. For all his pride and honor as a guard of the Fort, he now felt himself a pitiful example of a man. He had lived a life he dared now to think he had never deserved. Most non-human races were not accepted at the fort. He had been allowed to join because he was a 'man' of strength and resiliance. Above all else, his race had been his ticket into service as a guard. He was ashamed.
It took little time for Vesurus to do his share of household chores and tasks in town. He was able to lend the strength he had gained from his years of training, to assist with the most difficult physical tasks. Jareq silently admired the human's muscular form as he strived to move a heavy stack of logs or mend a collapsing window... When it came time to go to town, the Argonian always went by his side. Vesurus had an advantage in the shops that Jareq's family treasured as the human's greatest gift. His race... Argonians, it seemed, were often treated to unfair prices and prejudice from shopkeepers of the humanoid races. Jareq was unsettled by the ease with which Vesurus was able to make his purchases, and how much less he was able to pay. Still, the family benefited now.
Every day, Jareq and Vesurus grew a little closer. Each caught themself staring at the other, each turning away and stifling embarrassment. Once, Jareq had questioned the reddening of the human's cheeks - he had never seen blushing before. Vesurus had great difficulty explaining it while simultaneously trying to hide his strange attraction.
There were more awkward nights where one would awake to find the other snuggled in his embrace. Often, the same startling side effect came with such close contact, and while the other slept soundly, the other would turn over and try to stifle the undeniable arousal. Both still felt that such a bonding between species could not happen. Both feared that the other would be offended or mortified by his friend's erection. By some coincidence, neither knew that his counterpart suffered identical symptoms. Many nights, however, the two simply slept soundly and separately, and so for a long time it was never addressed.
When they shared chores, they worked close. When they ate, they sat together... And sometimes, when they went to sleep, one would gaze and smile at his friend for a while before turning over. Both knew that there was something growing between them. Neither knew what to do about it... So they simply stayed politely separate - or at least as best that their connection would allow.
As the months went by, Versurus began to grow lonesome - not for the company, as he had such a wonderful family now, but instead for the adventure he had sought when he joined Fort Moonmoth so long ago. Upon his rejection, his dreams of one day exploring the continent had been shattered and buried so that he might re-assess his life that had been pushed violently in an unexpected direction. Now that he had settled down, there was time to consider his dreams again.
He had moved on from his days on the Fort. For weeks and weeks it haunted him, its shadow looming faintly in the distance. He would stare at the monolithic silhouette longingly for hours on some nights. Jareq was there for him, though. The Argonian stayed by his side for all that time, saying nothing - just sharing the pain the human struggled with. It was a difficult period for Vesurus, but time heals all wounds. He had moved on and now he was ready to live again.
It took a long while before he worked up the courage to talk to his newfound family, to tell them he needed to leave them was a difficult task. Fortunately, his desires were understood, and his new goals were accepted. There was something else he hadn't expected, however. After a week of preparation, after a Kogouti-hide tent had been fashioned, and provisions had been packed... Jareq wanted to join Vesurus on this aimless quest for adventure. He, too, wished to leave Balmora, or so he said. An unspoken truth was simply that neither wanted to leave the other.
The two males had developed a bond not unlike the sort that lovers would share, but it was an unspoken love - a tugging at either's heart that neither would admit. The first night Vesurus knew he couldn't stay any longer, it brought him to tears, the urging desire that consequently required him to leave any of these wonderful people, but most of all... to leave Jareq.
Vesurus had difficulty showing restraint at this possibility. While he wouldn't want his friend to be hurt along the way, he knew that he would be heartbroken without him. It was almost difficult thinking of him as just a friend now. The notion of love occasionally flicked into his mind, but in embarrassment to his own sense of taboo, he denied it to himself.
With many long, long goodbyes, and with many shed tears from all involved, Vesurus and Jareq left the shack - the home - that had been theirs. Vesurus knew the feeling of adventure, but for Jareq, this was a very new experience. The Argonian knew that his mother and father would be alright on their own. His mother would bring home enough income to keep them fed and sheltered - more so with his absence. He prayed silently for their fortune, as they did for his. He took to the path Eastward with Vesurus.
The human took one last gaze at Moonmoth as they passed it. He smiled a little and took hold of Jareq's hand. The Argonian looked at him inquisitively, but only returned the grip firmly. Together, they continued into the Ashlands.
[To be continued]
NEW CHAPTERS CAN BE FOUND...
On my InkBunny account: