Science and beauty

[Chevi]

Septima neatly folded her clothes. By the time she was done Lexus must have undressed too; he had fewer layers to take off. She glanced over her shoulder and saw his bare back, then blushed and looked away. Just because she was a noblewoman didn't mean she was allowed to look either. Lexus tossed her his tunica and she picked it up, slipping it over her head. It was a tad too big, and much coarser than the fabrics she was used to, but at least it didn't smell too bad.

“There’s the clothes. When you’ve put it on, let me know. And you can give me your tunica?” 

Septima turned, feeling less exposed now that she was wearing his tunic, and picked up her own neatly folded layers. She tossed him her long tunica and he turned too. Now they definitely looked comical, him in the long feminine underdress and her in his short tunic. Spetima giggled, then handed him the stola.

"This next." she instructed. While she waited she picked up his belt and tried to secure it around her waist. She was skinny, but so was he, so it did not sag too badly. "How does it feel?"

@Atrice

[Atrice]

He felt that he looked kind of ridiculous, but maybe he didn't? Men wore long tunics too sometimes, but still not quite this style. Septima looked... different in the shorter tunic, although it was longer on her than he, because she was a bit shorter than he was. He smiled shyly at her and she giggled and came over to him with the stola. He tried to put it on the way he'd seen hers on and hoped she'd correct him if it was wrong. His own mother rarely wore it like that, she had hers wrapped around her waist, tied with a belt so the bottom part was a skirt and the upper part could become a shawl or hood if it was cold. Septima's however went over and around her body in a different way. 

Meanwhile Septima had put on the belt and wondered how he felt.

"It's kind of weird." He said and walked a bit, "I definitely see why you think the skirt is annoying. How do I look? You look... different. But not bad." He added with a smile. You could see her legs; a noblewoman would never show off her legs in public like that. Not that they weren't nice legs, they were. But it was unusual to see a girl like her looking like that. The long hair gave her away though, he thought to himself. 

@Chevi

[Chevi]

Septima chuckled again as she watched Lexus struggle with the stola and the palla. She eventually decided to intervene, first arranging the folds of the stola over his body, and then wrapping the palla over his shoulder in a way that made it easier to carry without slipping down all over the place.

"It's kind of weird. I definitely see why you think the skirt is annoying. How do I look? You look... different. But not bad."

"Thank you" Septima blushed, aware now that her legs were bare "You'll want to be careful not to let the palla slip or you'll trip over it... And we are going to have to cover your head." she lifted the edge of the palla, wrapping it over his head as if he was going to a temple. It at least concealed his short hair and features. "What do you think I should do with my hair, though?"

@Atrice

[Atrice]

He smiled sheepishly when she chuckled at him, but he tried his best to get everything right with the clothes. Septima came closer then and he stayed quiet, while she arranged the stola and the palla. And while he stood there he was suddenly aware of how close she was to him - only when he tried to help her up and they both fell, had they been so close. Lexus hadn't been close to an awful lot of girls before, not like this. There was that girl he met at Saturnalia, together with Phaedo, who had tried to kiss him. But he wasn't that fond of her and it didn't feel right. He hadn't been ready. 

Lexus commented on how Septima looked and she blushed and thanked him for saying she didn't look too bad. Then she continued to talk about the clothes he wore and wrapped the palla over his head. 

"Maybe I should grow it longer? Do you think that would look good on me?" He asked with a grin and she wondered what to do with her hair, "I thought about that too. It's very nice but not very boyish. Maybe if we like... put it into a ponytail that's low on the head? I've seen some male slaves with long hair do that." He suggested. Her hair really was very nice, he then thought. Lexus felt a little warm. Maybe it was the clothes? This had turned into a very different day than he thought! 

@Chevi

[Chevi]

Once the dress was properly arranged, and his head was covered by the palla, Lexus could definitely pass for a girl. Not upon closer inspection, obviously, but from a few paces at least. As long as he moved well.

"Maybe I should grow it longer? Do you think that would look good on me?"

"I don't know, how often do you plan on dressing as a girl?" Septima chuckled. "It looks nice either way." she added, and blushed a little. There was still a question of her own hair, a lot harder to solve, but  a good change of topic.

"I thought about that too. It's very nice but not very boyish. Maybe if we like... put it into a ponytail that's low on the head? I've seen some male slaves with long hair do that."

Septima pursed her lips, reaching up and pulling her hair together, off her shoulder and neck, twisting it into a low knot. She glanced around, realizing she didn't have anything to tie it with. She walked over to the vines climbing the pavilion, trying to pick one to use. "Maybe I should wear a scarf on my head, like some of the slaves who work on the fields?..."

@Atrice

[Atrice]

It did feel strange, knowing that he could pass for a girl now. Maybe he should not tell his father about this episode, he was almost sure that Alexius wouldn’t like the thought of his son walking around, looking like a girl. Lexus could understand it, but at the same time, it was interesting. Septima chuckled when he spoke of growing his hair longer and said it looked nice either way.

“I don’t plan on doing it that often I think.” He said with a grin back to her, “Depends of course on how often you plan on dressing like a boy.” If this was going to happen again, that was. He didn’t know if he would see her again, although he thought there was kind of a bond between them now, since they’d swapped clothes in secret and all. Partners in crime of sorts. Lexus wouldn’t mind seeing her again.

He suggested what to do about her hair and she pulled her head together in a low knot on the back of her head and tried looking for something to tie it with.

“Hmm, but we don’t have a scarf right here…” He thought it over, she clearly needed something to hold her hair in place. Oh! “Look in the little purse by the belt. My mother always said to never go out without a bit of thread and a needle, so… I guess that’s an old habit. There should be something in there we can use to hold your hair in place.” He said with a smile, glad that he thought of that idea! He rarely actually used the thread and needle, but his mother had been a seamstress and he trusted her word, still, even now. And she was right. Silently he thanked her.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

“I don’t plan on doing it that often I think. Depends of course on how often you plan on dressing like a boy.” 

Septima chuckled at his answer. It seemed like the two of them made an unusual pair. It had been mostly out of necessity, and a bit on a dare, that he put on her feminin attire so she could put on his. She didn't really think it would last on the long run, but it was exciting for now. If only she could gather her hair up somehow...

“Hmm, but we don’t have a scarf right here… Look in the little purse by the belt. My mother always said to never go out without a bit of thread and a needle, so… I guess that’s an old habit. There should be something in there we can use to hold your hair in place.”

She reached into the purse and found thread. She twisted it to make it stronger, and wrapped it around her fingers before she pulled her hair into a knot again at the base of her neck, and tied it tightly. It held. She shook her head a little, enjoying the feeling of air on her neck, and smiled.

"Your mother is a smart woman." she noted "Do I pass as a boy now?"

@Atrice

[Atrice]

It was nice to just laugh and have fun with someone. It had been a while since Lexus had done that, but Septima was nice and fun to spend time with. And here they were, swapping clothes like that's what you always did with your friends. Were they friends? He hoped they would be. The way she chuckled at his comments was nice. But they had issues to solve too and her hair was way too girly for her to pass as a boy. Of course those eyes and her face in general, but the hair was what they were considering right now. He mentioned that he always had thread and a needle with him, it was an old habit because his mother always said you never knew when you needed it. She was right, it would seem! 

Lexus let Septima look through his simple leather purse and then she found the thread. He watched her twist it, smart as she was, and then she tied her hair back and wondered if she'd pass as a boy now. But she also mentioned his mother, of course.

"She was a very smart woman." He said, the smile fading for a moment, but he didn't feel like talking about her. They were having fun, right? "Maybe you could pass as a boy? We could try, here in the gardens." Lexus said and chuckled, "I'll be your lady and you'll be my trusted slave?"

@Chevi

[Chevi]

"She was a very smart woman."

Septima heard the hint of sadness in Lexus' voice, and the look in her eyes softened. Oh. She must have been a good woman, and a good mother, to Lexus. She felt awkward for unwittingly dragging up something painful. Lexus, however, soon regained his smile, and returned to their topic of conversation.

"Maybe you could pass as a boy? We could try, here in the gardens. I'll be your lady and you'll be my trusted slave?"

Septima blinked, taken aback by the boldness of the suggestion. Dressing up in each other's clothes was one thing, but the idea that she, a daughter of nobility, would pretend to be a stranger's slave... if her grandfather ever heard about it, there would be hell to pay. She knew it was a bad idea, even if Lexus did not mean anything by it. It was also a practical idea, given that young women did not have many legit reasons to walk around with young men otherwise.

"Let's try." she nodded slowly "Just... down the path and back?"

It would be alright if they did not stray too far. There were few people in the gardens this time of the day, and the side-paths were mostly deserted. A walk would be a good test of their new outfits, as long as they did not go too far...

@Atrice

[Atrice]

His mother had been a very smart woman indeed and he missed her more than words could describe… she had been the only certain thing in his young life and now she was gone. Good thing he found his father before she died though, so at least he had some kind of a parent, even if they hadn’t been married or anything. But no matter how much he missed his mother, he didn’t want to talk about her right now, because he was actually having a good time with Septima. Even if he was now wearing her clothes and she his!

 He said that maybe Septima could pass as a boy and suggested they took a walk here in the gardens. She seemed surprised by his suggestion, but after a few moments, she nodded and agreed to try.

 “Yes… let’s start with that.” Lexus said, “… although you’re missing the collar. Maybe you’re a servant and not a slave.” He added with a smile, not feeling so shy yet. Then he walked to one of the doorways of the pavilion and looked over his shoulder at Septima. There were a few steps down and he hoped he wouldn’t ruin her dress on the way down. Then he took the few steps into the sunshine. So far, they appeared to be alone right here.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

“Yes… let’s start with that… although you’re missing the collar. Maybe you’re a servant and not a slave.” 

"Yes. That... that works." Septima admitted, fully aware that there was not much of a difference between servant and slave in terms of how dead she would be if anyone in her family found out. Lexus led the way, walking out of the pavilion into the sunshine, and she followed half a step behind.

"Keep your head bowed" she whispered, her heart hammering in her chest in excitement. Was she really walking around in public dressed as a boy? "Hold your palla a little higher... And take smaller steps!"

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Lexus knew that some didn't think there was a huge difference between being a slave and servant, but he would disagree if asked. His parents had both been slaves and were no longer. If they were serving anyone right now as 'servants' they would still be free to live their own lives. Slaves couldn't do that. On top of that, Lexus had more than once worked as a servant at fancy dinner parties with fancy people and he was paid and could go home. Slaves could not do that. To him, it wasn't the same at all to be a slave and a servant. To be free or not free. It meant something. And Septima agreed to just be his servant rather than his slave. Soon they left the pavilion, Septima walking half a step behind him.

He wasn't entirely sure anyone would think she was a boy. She had some very feminine features. Not to mention her... curves... although they were hidden a bit by the the tunica, which was a tad bit long and big for her. She corrected his pretense, said he had to keep his head bowed and hold the palla higher and take smaller steps. Lexus tried.

"Gods, it's difficult, isn't it? Do you take small steps on purpose?" He asked then. She was shorter than he and had shorter legs, but... did all women walk like this? He never took the time to consider it before. 

"Why keep the head bowed though? Is that also something you do?" He was forgetting the reason for this, that it was to test and see if it would work and he should not be recognized as a male wearing a woman's clothes. That could also be why she asked him to do these things, but Lexus could easily imagine this was how women acted. And he had a ton of questions.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

To his credit, Lexus tried to follow her instructions. It was easier for her to make comments, since she was walking behind him, keeping an eye on how he was doing with the task of passing as a woman. He put his head down and tried to take smaller steps, but he was still quite far away from the easy flow of the movements of a true Roman girl. 

"Gods, it's difficult, isn't it? Do you take small steps on purpose?" 

"I guess I learned to do that a long time ago. Easier with the dress. But also, women tell you to do that so that you don't move like a plebeian woman."

"Why keep the head bowed though? Is that also something you do?"

"To hide your face" Septima chuckled, peering up at him "Alright, your turn. Do I look like a boy?" she asked, walking past him a few steps, squaring her shoulders and trying to walk in a masculine way. She was clearly failing.

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Lexus tried his very best indeed, to follow her instructions. And he could go through with it, to a certain extent. That was not the issue. It was what he was learning now - he had to walk with smaller steps and keep his head bowed. And why was that again? He didn't understand why you had to do these things, it didn't make sense. He asked her about it and she said she learned it, that it was easier with the dress. He could see that. Then she added that she had to walk like that to not appear like a plebian woman. He gave her a look, seriously? He never considered that noble ladies walked differently than common people. Then he wondered why you'd keep your head bowed and she said it was to hide his face. Oh, his face. Right. He smiled a bit shyly.

"Of course." He said to her and then she wanted to know if she looked like a boy. She strutted in front of him and he had to chuckle at the sight. It wasn't nice, it really wasn't, but honestly...

"I think more adjustments must be done." He said to her with a smile, "You overdo it. You just need to... uhm..." He thought it through and then it dawned him, "Just stop doing the things you told me to do. Walk with a straight back... keep your head high... take natural steps, instead of short ones. That's how I do, I guess. Move in a way that feels... what to call it... uhm... comfortable?" Although even with that, he somehow doubted anyone would mistake her for a boy. She was way too feminine. Just look at her legs and feet. And her hair. And her cheekbones. Which he was clearly doing right now. He blinked and bowed his head, pretending to try to appear feminine.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

Lexus gave her a look when she mentioned that noble ladies moved differently from plebeian women. It was a fact of life she'd never questioned, but as a plebeian - she assumed he was - it might have come off insensitive. Even if it was true. She tried to look a bit more humble, although she soon found it did not fit well with her trying to pass as a man. Or a boy.

"I think more adjustments must be done. You overdo it. You just need to... uhm... Just stop doing the things you told me to do. Walk with a straight back... keep your head high... take natural steps, instead of short ones. That's how I do, I guess. Move in a way that feels... what to call it... uhm... comfortable?"

Septima tried to do as he said. She tried to walk comfortably, like there was nothing restraining her - dress, rank, or the public eye. It was a freeing thought, walking as one may please. "Do men always feel like this?" she asked, walking around Lexus to take her place behind him. She was supposed to be his servant, after all. They walked down the path and turned the corner around some bushes.

@Atrice

[Atrice]

It was amusing to see Septima try to act like a boy. Was that how women thought men moved? Was this what they thought men looked like? Well Lexus definitely did not agree with her idea of it, so he tried to correct her and tell her that you had to be comfortable. Septima paid attention and then she began walking and it already seemed more natural. She just had to be relaxed. She wasn’t some fancy Senator, she was just a servant boy right now. She asked if men felt like that always.

“Comfortable?” He asked, “Or what do you mean? I guess we just… are. I don’t give it a lot of thought. I don’t think men do. I didn’t know women had to be so careful with how they move.” Lexus said and they continued walking, Lexus trying to keep his head bowed and take smaller steps and Septima trying to walk more freely. They turned around a corner and almost walked into a man dressed not much differently than what Lexus usually worked. He seemed to be some kind of worker and he gave them a weird look. Lexus froze and stared at his feet. This was something they had not planned!

@Chevi

[Chevi]

Septima tried to imagine walking as if no one was watching her an judging her for it. Was this how men felt when they walked around? Sure, the toga probably made things more complicated, but even important men did not wear that all the time. She found that she liked the feeling of sunlight and fresh air on her legs.

“Comfortable? Or what do you mean? I guess we just… are. I don’t give it a lot of thought. I don’t think men do. I didn’t know women had to be so careful with how they move.”

"That seems a bit unfair, doesn't it?" Septima mused as she walked at his elbow. Why did only women have to consider how they moved? She had so many more interesting things to consider on any given day.

They turned a corner, and a man walked past them. Lexus froze, and Septima almost bumped into him. The man kept walking, and she tried to turn to at least partially hide behind Lexus' back. They must have looked strange, especially because Lexus was taller than her. The man gave them some suspicious glances, but kept going. Septima let out a breath she had been holding when he turned the corner.

"Uh... do you think he...?"

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Septima seemed to be doing well with pretending to be a boy now; moving freely really did wonders for her and he scolded himself for not thinking about how women had to move around. It was so different for them and he never thought about it before. Something really should be done about that, it really wasn’t fair to the women and it wasn’t fair that he never gave it a lot of thought before.

Of course Septima also thought it seemed unfair and he nodded at her words, “It does seem very unfair.” Lexus agreed with her and it was then they turned a corner and almost bumped into a man there. He froze, Lexus that is. He didn’t know what to do. He was a guy, wearing a dress and women’s clothing in general right now and that man… gods he hoped it would not be noticed! He stared at his feet and Septima almost bumped into him. When the man had stayed a moment or two, staring at them, he kept walking and Septima spoke up.

“I… I don’t know. I don’t think so, he didn’t say anything.” He said and looked up at her, “Should we go and swap clothes again? Or do you want to walk longer?” The further away they got from the pavilion, the further they had to walk to get back there. And hope there weren’t anyone else there. He doubted they’d be arrested for this experiment, but they would be scolded and they would be victims of gossip. And gossip in Rome could be mean.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

“I… I don’t know. I don’t think so, he didn’t say anything.”

Septima looked hesitantly in the direction where the man had disappeared, worried that he might appear again any minute, yelling or maybe followed by others. No such thing happened, but she still felt shaky as it dawned on her how much trouble she would be in if anyone found out about this little walk.

“Should we go and swap clothes again? Or do you want to walk longer?”

"Um..." Septima was suddenly torn between the adventure and her shyness. "Maybe... circle back that was?" she pointed in the opposite direction. They could walk in a loop and head back to the pavilion without venturing too far, or walking into the main pathways of the gardens. They would need to swap back soon, but it felt like a mistake to go running back to the pavilion right now, especially with the man potentially still around.

As they walked on, Septima tried to distract herself from her worries by admiring the gardens. Wasn't the entire point of this exercise to allow her to move more freely while observing nature?

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Was this a stupid idea after all? It hadn’t seemed so bad at first and it really was an interesting experiment, but now they had actually been seen, Lexus was a tad bit more worried. He was curious and open-minded by nature, but this was maybe taking it a step too far? Septima looked worried too and he suggested going back again, but she wasn’t ready for that yet, it seemed. Well, he couldn’t let a girl be braver than he, could he? His father would tell him that, he thought to himself.

“Alright, let us do that.” He said and they walked on, Septima still half a step behind him. It was really difficult to walk in clothes like these. Think, that Senators actually wanted to wear those long tunicas and togas and all! So difficult! You couldn’t work in that and you couldn’t really run or escape anything. That was difficult enough in itself and then to be a woman and have to consider every step you made…

“How are you feeling? Is everything alright with you?” He asked her, trying to make some conversation so he wouldn’t think so much about it. And well, he did hope she was alright with this whole thing. At least she could run if she had to. Lexus would have problems with that.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

Lexus agreed to take a loop around and started walking, with Septima following half a step behind. He was not that much taller than her, but she could still stay behind him if anyone else showed up.

They walked on at a slow pace, mostly because Lexus was having trouble with the dress, and Septima kept getting distracted by plants and insects. She suddenly noticed a large, glittering dragonfly and she stopped, crouching down carefully to take a closer look.

“How are you feeling? Is everything alright with you?”

"Hm?" Septima looked up, only to see Lexus had walked quite a few paces on before he noticed she wasn't following. "Look!" she whispered, trying to point at the dragonfly without moving her arm too much.

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Lexus wasn't concentrating so much on their surroundings as he was on his own situation. The dress. It irritated him and he wondered if girls felt so irritated by it too. Septima must, he thought... since she agreed to swap clothes with him and she was clearly doing great in the boy's clothes. It was kind of a pity that she had to walk behind him and be his servant, because then he could not look at her. Lexus didn't always get such chances to look at barely dressed women. Of course Septima was not 'barely dressed', she was just wearing his clothes, but you could see her legs more and her shapes were different too, in the tunica. Like a very short dress.

It was good to think about something else. So he wondered how she was doing and noticed only now that Septima wasn't right behind him. She was crouching down to look at a dragonfly and probably did not realize that the tunica slid even further up her thighs in that position. She, however, was all focused on the dragonfly. But he couldn't very well call out to her, because he didn't have a very feminine voice. He walked back to her instead.

"Mmm... it's very nice. But... you're supposed to be my servant. Do they fall behind like that?" He asked her, he didn't want to scold her, but this was serious business to him... and should be to her... "And uhm... the tunica it's... exposing a lot." Not everything, but more than before. His father would have been thrilled. Lexus was more just... worried. And tried to not focus on the bare skin showing.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

The dragonfly was beautiful. Septima marveled in the shimmer of the body, and the translucent wings, and the graceful movements as it hovered. It was small like a jewel, and just as perfect, but somehow, inexplicably, alive. Lexus returned to her, but apparently he did not have the same awe for the little creature.

"Mmm... it's very nice. But... you're supposed to be my servant. Do they fall behind like that?"

"No, they don't" Septima blushed. Servants were not supposed to dally and stay behind to admire insects. But this was also the whole point of the experiment: to let her to things as a servant boy that she could not do as a noble girl. Like, crouch.

"And uhm... the tunica it's... exposing a lot." 

Septima looked down and blushed even deeper, quickly standing up and smoothing down the tunic to her knees.

"Uh... um... I'd... I'd say we found a flaw in this plan?..."

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Lexus could probably have admired the dragonfly, if it wasn’t because he was dressed in Septima’s clothes and Septima in his and he knew that a lady like her had to at least try and look out for herself, even when she swapped clothes with a boy. But she seemed very focused on the dragonfly and her tunica had slid up her thighs and besides, a servant would not fall behind like that. Even Lexus knew that.

She blushed, but he didn’t mean to scold her. So he told her about the tunica next and she definitely blushed now and quickly stood.

“Maybe you’ll need a pair of breeches? Just to… you know… not be too improper, even if you’re wearing boy’s clothes.” Lexus suggested cleverly, almost surprised at his own great idea. But maybe they should stop this now.

“I think we should go and change back. Maybe… next time it will go better.” He said, looking at her and then feeling almost shy, “If you want there to be a next time, of course.”

@Chevi

[Chevi]

Septima wondered how she could have forgotten so quickly that she was a girl dressed in a man's tunic, showing off her legs for the world to see. She blushed, and the dragonfly flitted away.

“Maybe you’ll need a pair of breeches? Just to… you know… not be too improper, even if you’re wearing boy’s clothes.” 

"Like soldiers?" Septima ventured. That was not a bad idea. For another day, that is.

“I think we should go and change back. Maybe… next time it will go better. If you want there to be a next time, of course.”

Septima nodded, turning onto a path that led back to the pavilion. She felt a little defeated, and still warm in the face, but Lexus was right, the game had gone on long enough.

Did she want there to be a next time? Did she want to do this again? Did she want to do this again with him?...

"Maybe next time we could both be dressed as men?" she ventured, glancing up at him "It could be less conspicuous maybe..."

@Atrice