Mater made me.

[Brian]

His stepmother had nagged him endlessly. Berating him for not taking the time to connect to more experienced Senators, or meet with Caesar or the princes. Anything! Gaius would have preferred to do anything else. All he wanted was to drink, fuck and enjoy all the treats that life gave him. His one redeeming quality was that he was an excellent soldier, and that he had produced children. Her nagging eventually succeeded in him going out with the intention of meeting fellow Senators in order to boost his career. She had threatened to reach out to Senators on his behalf and likely would if he did not act. It was bad enough for her to pressure him into remarrying again. He had done his duty. Married and the Gods decided that she would get peace from him through death. Now? He would enjoy his Mistress, lovers, and other people who his stepmother did not like. 

Gaius did agree to go to the Circus Maximus and socialise. Perhaps he would see a lovely man's wife and seduce her? It all depended. He approached and sat down, exhaled slowly and rolled his eyes heavenward in irritation. Further way, he could have sworn he saw a familiar face and it was Aulus Calpurnius Praetextatus. If Gaius remembered correctly he had a ravishingly attractive sister as a Vestal. Going to waste! 

It was almost as though he heard his mother and stepmother's voices in his head to both nag him. 

Gaius grunted and rolled his eyes. He smiled wide and raised his hand in a warm greeting. "Ave good Praetextatus! Would you like to sit with me and talk a moment?" He offered. Briefly there was a person who walked in front of him so he was able to frown. The last thing he wanted to do was listen to a boring fellow, and then smiled again in a warm greeting. 

 

@Sharpie

[Sharpie]

Aulus had long preferred the chariot races to the gladiatorial games, so was rather looking forward to today. The races weren't going to start for a while, so he didn't feel too guilty about excusing himself from his family when he heard his name called; it was always good to socialise, renew old acquaintances and forge new links. Who knew what relationships might be useful in the future, after all?

"Fabius Maximus," he replied warmly, extending his hand. "How do you find yourself these days?"

He was not altogether convinced of the other man - he had a wife and a mistress under the same roof, and Aulus had heard one or two rumours (probably slaves' gossip and therefore not at all to be trusted) that the other was somewhat under the thumb of one or more of the women in his life. He had also started out later than most on his political career, but Aulus was not inclined to blame him too much for that; the civil war and its aftermath had thrown a lot of careers, and a lot of lives, into confusions.

He sat down in the offered space. His wife and children had seats further along the row, and Aulus would join them in a while - Titus was looking after his sister most assiduously, and seemed very determined to save Aulus a space next to him.

"I have to say that I am glad the Circus is much as ever," he said, returning his attention to Gaius Fabius. "Do you come here often?"

 

@Brian

[Brian]

Pffffffffffffffffft.

Gaius wanted to go back to the legions. The lack of fortune of choosing the wrong side had reduced the amount of prowess and connections. It was not entirely undeserved considering that he would have preferred to sleep than to spend time in any meeting of the Senate. His step-mother's frequent hinting, nagging and urges continued to try to push him to do better.

"Blessed with the vigour of the Gods, and yourself?" He asked, in an ever-so-humble manner. Normally his mother would have accompanied him or his sister, or his half-brother who would come along. He noticed the family, and it was the perfect way for him to avoid the conversation if he wished for it to end. The Games were more to his taste. The Racing was entertaining yet Gaius preferred the sight of the blood and injuries. Even though they were a common enough event in the races. 

"Ah, nah," He answered with a shrug and settled down. "I prefer the games myself. Boy! Wine!" Gaius called out and sipped some wine. "Oh fuck, would you like some?" Gaius asked. There was a chance he may have spend a little too much time in the legions. 

@Sharpie

[Sharpie]

"I find I am not as young as I used to be, although I cannot complain," Aulus replied. It was not as though he was expected to put in a full day's march any more - even were he given command of a legion somewhere, as Legate he would have the privilege of being able to ride.

He took the goblet the slave offered him.

"There is as much chance of blood in the races as in the amphitheatre," he observed, ignoring the coarse language. He'd heard enough of it in the legions - and it wasn't as though the women of Rome were exactly delicate young blooms. His wife could swear with the best of them, although she preferred to deliver a withering glare than a barrage of barrack-room language. Though more than one slave had caught the rough edge of her tongue on occasion.

 

@Brian

[Brian]

Gaius absolutely had to agree concerning Aulus' age. His stepmother would be blessed to think he had enough tact not to mention it right away. 

He scoffed at the mention of fewer opportunities for bloodshed in the races. Gaius had seen plenty of charioteers use their whip on each other or use underhanded methods to see each other harmed. Anything in order to win. "If there isn't a lot of blood they aren't doing it right." Gaius answered. He took a large mouthful of wine before he swallowed the liquid. He hated these sorts of connections made like this. Gaius preferred the connections made through warfare, or at least through military life. The city of Rome only brought out his negative traits. He should mention the invitation that his mother routinely pressured him to extend to other noble families of Rome.Gaius could just imagine her unapproving look while he wasted time. 

"My step-mother also offers her greetings," Gaius said. His step-mother was known as a social butterfly although it was difficult to say how Aulus or his family viewed her. "And no doubt wants to catch up with you and yours sometime." He added with the hint of a dismissive sigh. How much Aulus Calpurnius Praetextatus and Julia Babila knew each other was up to debate. 

@Sharpie

[Sharpie]

"Ah, the esteemed Julia Babila," Aulus said, neutrally - he had no real opinion of the woman one way or another. He sipped his wine, more restrained than Gaius mostly from habit (it would not have done to have been a drunkard during his propraetorship, after all).

"I understand that you have taken up your quaestorship recently," he said - he could be wrong, but that was what he had heard, at least. If the rumours were true, and he was quaestor, that would give him oversight of the Games, something that should please him.

@Brian