Here We Go Again...

[Atrice]

March, 75 AD

Things were still strange at home. He did his best to try and connect with young Lexus, his son, but he never had a son before and did not quite know how! Lexus had seemed surprised too at meeting his father, and then his son's mother was suddenly dead and everything was strange. Add to that Alexius' affair with the mistress of the house - an affair he certainly enjoyed and when he was with her, there was nothing he wanted more but to stay with her. Yet he was nothing but a freedman and former gladiator and she was much too used to luxuries to ever marry a man like him. It just wouldn't happen; he did not think it would.

So sometimes he just had to escape the strangeness of Oriana's home and get out and have a drink or two, as usual. So Alexius did that. It was evening and at the tavern he had a good talk with a very handsome young man, but in the end, the youth left with a just as attractive lady and Alexius had halfway considered if they would need a third party to their fun... but then decided to let the young have their fun and experiences alone and thus he wandered out onto the street, half-drunk and with a mind on finding his way home.
First though, maybe just one more tavern and one more drink? Alexius had no idea if it was late or early in the evening, when he approached the next tavern and opened his purse to check if he had more coins. He did. Good, more wine then! 

Just leaving the tavern though was a gang of men, four of them, and they were dragging someone between them. Clearly someone who did not want to come with them! Alexius was not very fond of injustice like that and seeing someone unwilling being manhandled like that, made him want to help. Alexius saw them enter the alley near the tavern and now he definitely thought that something was shady about this. He decided to follow - because there were three things he never turned down. Wine, good looking people and fights... and this might be the latter! And just as he guessed, in the alley the unwilling person was pressed up against the wall by the men and Alexius inhaled a breath. 

"Hey, what are you doing? Let them go!" Alexius called out to the men and two of them approached him, "... or what?" One of them asked with a laugh and Alexius walked closer. They were definitely bad eggs, these! 

"Just do as I said, let them go. I don't want to have to hurt you." Alexius said and they laughed again. One of them pulled a knife. Well, fuck. He didn't bring any knife. Not that he would ever back out of a fight, just because he had no knife. He survived years in the arena, so he could definitely survive this too. Alexius inhaled a breath, bracing himself. Later, he barely remembered who started, but there was a struggle with the two men - while two others held the fifth person by the wall - and Alexius earned himself a fresh wound cut into his arm and a bruise on his cheek, but for some reason, the men had not planned on fighting a bodyguard and former gladiator. They had not planned on sticking around for this long and they didn't want to get caught. The two by the wall decided to call it off, and the four bad guys ran for it. They left the person they dragged among them, in the alley behind them, over there by the wall. 

Alexius brushed his clothes, they were not too dirty despite that he'd landed on the ground with at least one of the men and he took a quick glance at his upper arm where the knife had met his flesh. It was bleeding. The sleeve on his tunica was soaked. Nothing new there... he decided to pay attention to it later. There were more important things here, because the last person still stood over there by the wall in the shade of it, "Hey, are you alright?" He then asked, slowly approaching them.

 

((who the person is, you decide... could be your male or female character or a third party and your character was just a bystander or comes in after the fight... that is up to you))

Edited May 13, 2020 by Atrice

[Chevi]

Felix was not even sure how he caught the men's attention. He had been out and about on his evening off, wandering the streets of Rome, and stopped for a drink. He had met friends and interesting people this way before... but given how this particular evening turned out, he quickly realized just how lucky those previous encounters had been.

It might have been his clothes, clean and neat, marking him as the slave of a wealthy person. It might have been the look he gave to the rowdy group of men as they bumped into the table he was sitting at, or the glare he gave when they felt up one of the women working at the tavern. It might have been that they thought he had more money than he let on. It might have been just sheer bad luck.

He could have held his own against one or even two of them. While he was not a trained soldier, Felix had been in a few brawls in his time. They caught him on his way out - he decided walking away was the wisest option - surrounded them, and shoved him out the door. Everyone else apparently concluded that once things happened outside the threshold of the tavern, it was not their jurisdiction. Felix yelled, but there were no vigiles in sight.

He put up a fight, but a fist to his stomach knocked the air out of his lungs long enough to be dragged into an alley. Panic laced the edges of his vision: what were they going to do? Beat him up? Kill him? Sell him?...

"Hey, what are you doing? Let them go!"

Felix tried to glance up, but they shoved him back again, his head bouncing painfully off the brick wall behind him. His vision blurred. Did the guards show up?... No, it sounded like one man.

"Just do as I said, let them go. I don't want to have to hurt you." 

One foolish man.

There was a fight. At first, two men held him and two others peeled off. Felix struggled again, his head still swimming, and someone punched him in the jaw and in the stomach again. He almost threw up. He felt angry at himself: if he did this poorly in a brawl, how could he be expected to protect Aulus or Horatia of they needed protection? His size was usually enough to make people think twice. Had it been a bluff all along?

And then suddenly, it was all over. The men ran away, and Felix slumped against the wall, rubbing his chin and his eyes. Slowly, his vision cleared. 

"Hey, are you alright?" 

Felix looked up, finally getting a look at his mysterious helper. He seemed a few years older than him, and definitely more rugged, like he did not even take notice of the blood trickling down his arm. He had no slave tablet. Felix nodded, standing up straight.

"I am alright. Thank you, dominus. You might have saved my life..." he looked down at the red stain on the other man's tunic. "You're hurt." 

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Alexius had not even known if it was a man or a woman he was helping out and it did not matter to him. He was no official guard of Rome, no vigile, but he had his skills and he really did hate seeing injustice – and if four men against one was not injustice, then he knew nothing. But he thought he knew and after a few drinks and on his way to the next, why not fight a little? He did enjoy it. Especially when it was his own choice. Really he could have walked away, but what sort of a man would he be if he did?

So he fought. And he ended up making the bad guys run off, but it seemed they had managed to beat up the poor person by the wall at least a little bit. Now that the others were gone and he was approaching the beaten up one, he saw it was a man and he was now slumping against the wall, rubbing his chin and eyes. Fuck. He should have been faster with the other two!

The stranger stood up straight and said he was alright, thanking Alexius, calling him Dominus and then pointing out he was hurt. Alexius glanced at his arm and tunica briefly.

“It’s nothing out of the ordinary. Well sort of.” Alexius said with a grin. It did hurt, but it didn’t seem too deep and it would heal, like his other wounds and scars had done it. It was actually worse with the now blood-soaked tunica, that would have to be washed and hopefully the blood would come entirely off.

“You don’t seem entirely alright.” He added, now that he was much closer to the other, ignoring the thanks so far, it really wasn’t needed he thought, “Why on Earth did they pick on you? It didn’t seem fair to me!” Alexius said thoughtfully, looking the other over. Not too bad looking, actually. Not at all. Which made the fight even less fair, in his eyes! The other was wearing fine enough clothes, but he also wore a tablet around his neck. So the other men were beating up a slave that wasn’t even theirs. How stupid could you be?

But he gave the other another smile anyway, “I’m Alexius, by the way. No need to call me Dominus. I suppose we should find a medicus… unless you know anything about stitching up a wound.”

@Chevi

[Chevi]

“It’s nothing out of the ordinary. Well sort of.” 

The man's tone was light, as if he had not just fought two men and chased another two away. Was he one of the guards, or a praetorian off duty or something? Felix took another look, but he really couldn't tell. Plus the blood was distracting. He winced in empathy as he looked at the wound.

“You don’t seem entirely alright. Why on Earth did they pick on you? It didn’t seem fair to me!” 

"It wasn't" Felix noted stoically, touching the back of his head. It wasn't bleeding. He seemed to be mostly unhurt, although his stomach hurt and his jaw was probably developing a bruise. "I think they were just looking for an easy target. Must have looked at them the wrong way." He definitely did.

“I’m Alexius, by the way. No need to call me Dominus. I suppose we should find a medicus… unless you know anything about stitching up a wound.”

"Felix." he nodded. Not dominus, then. Maybe a soldier. Felix undid the piece of cloth he wore tied around his neck to avoid the chafing of the slave tablet "May I?..." he looked at the wound. "I know some about wounds, but a medicus will definitely do a better job. Do you know one nearby?"

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Why did everyone think that a wound was such a big deal? Alexius could not really relate and honestly he was more worried about the victim here. Wondering why those bullies would try and beat him up, he seemed nice enough so far to Alexius. The other said it was not fair and that they were just looking for an easy target… and found him, “Some people.” He said, rolling his eyes at the stranger’s story.

But then Alexius decided he ought to introduce himself and then spoke about finding  medicus. The other said his name too. Felix. Had his old friend Marcus not had a friend by the same name? But that was ages ago. More than a decade, and this Felix appeared younger.

“Good to meet you Felix… despite the circumstances, I hope.” Alexius said, while the other kept looking at him and then undid a piece of cloth he had around his neck by the slave tablet. Oh, he would bandage Alexius.

“You may.” He said with a smile and held out his arm a little bit. Alright, so it did hurt. But he couldn’t focus on that now, “I don’t know any right here, but there must be some… maybe someone in the tavern knows? Unless you don’t want to go in again. The amphitheatre is not so far away, there must be a medicus or something there?” He suggested, the arena surely had someone. Or maybe Felix didn’t live too far away? Alexius had a bit of way to the Aventine where he lived.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

“Good to meet you Felix… despite the circumstances, I hope.” 

Felix smiled a little and nodded. Honestly, it was lucky for him that someone like Alexius was around, and cared enough at all to save a slave from being beaten up. It was the least he could do to be grateful, and try to help with the wound.

“You may. I don’t know any right here, but there must be some… maybe someone in the tavern knows? Unless you don’t want to go in again. The amphitheatre is not so far away, there must be a medicus or something there?”

Felix took a closer look at the wound. It was a clean cut, not too deep, but long, and it bled profusely. He carefully wrapped the cloth around it, the way he'd learned following Aulus around into danger, and tied it, securing it well enough to stop the bleeding and keep the wound closed, but not too tight.

"We could go straight to one of the ludi." he suggested after a moment "It's late now, any medicus would be done with the day's work. And from what I know, they are good with wounds like this." he nodded towards the shadow of the Amphiteater close by "May I accompany you, dom... um. Alexius? It's the least I can do."

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Felix nodded and smiled handsomely at Alexius, when he said it was good to meet him. And of course he allowed the other to take a closer look at his arm and give him a temporary bandage. It was the least Felix could do, after Alexius saved him from a worse round of a beating. Not that he expected any payment or anything, he liked a good challenge like a fight… but it was still good that Felix knew what to do. Alexius pulled the sleeve up and Felix looked at the cut and wrapped the cloth around it. Alexius tensed up a bit while the other did it, but really, it was no big deal. Just a cut.

Meanwhile Alexius had mused about where to go to find a medicus and Felix suggested going to one of the ludii, because they would have a medicus that had the time now. Alexius smiled when Felix just said they must be good with wounds like this.

“They are.” He just confirmed and Felix wanted to accompany him.

“Of course you may, a little bit of company is always welcome. And if they ask any questions, it’s good to be two.” Alexius added and looked at the bandage, “It looks like you’ve tried this before, Felix.”

@Chevi

[Chevi]

The man agreed with the idea that they should go looking for a medicus at the nearby ludi. Felix wanted to accompany him to make sure he got the help he needed - it was the least he could do after the man saved his life. 

“Of course you may, a little bit of company is always welcome. And if they ask any questions, it’s good to be two. It looks like you’ve tried this before, Felix.”

Felix smirked as he fell into step next to the man; he had an instinct to walk half a step behind him.

"I am no soldier, but I spent some time in military camps." he admitted "How about you? I wasn't... didn't quite see the fight, but you did make four men run away. Are you a soldier?"

@Atrice

[Atrice]

It was nice to have company and it was actually the best after a fight. This one didn’t know it yet though, but tonight Alexius so far had drinks, he had a fight and now he had handsome company. One thing very often led to the next in his life, didn’t it! Although he didn’t know if Felix would swing that way, but one could always hope. Once he’d been stitched up, or whatever the medicus chose to do.

He commented on how Felix appeared to have taken care of a wound before and Felix smirked, walking half a step behind him – typical slave behavior, he thought to himself. Felix said he had spent time in military camps and then of course wondered where Alexius’ skills came from.

“I never got that far, becoming a soldier, I mean. I spent almost ten years of my life as a gladiator… then I was freed. Now I work as a bodyguard for a wealthy mistress.” He explained, “It sounds like you’ve seen a bit of the world then. Judging by your clothes, I’d say you belong to someone fancy. Maybe a Senator? Not that it matters.” Alexius added and smiled at Felix, “You don’t have to walk behind me, by the way. I’m not your master.”

@Chevi

[Chevi]

“I never got that far, becoming a soldier, I mean. I spent almost ten years of my life as a gladiator… then I was freed. Now I work as a bodyguard for a wealthy mistress.”

Felix's eyes widened a little in surprise. He had been a gladiator? In the arena? That explained the fighting, and why he was not much bothered by his injury. Felix had not met a gladiator, or a former gladiator before. People called all kinds of stories about them.

Alexius was a free man now, but he had been a slave. Felix wondered what that felt like.

“It sounds like you’ve seen a bit of the world then. Judging by your clothes, I’d say you belong to someone fancy. Maybe a Senator? Not that it matters.”

"Senator." Felix nodded. He did not add Aulus' name. As much as the man seemed friendly, even saved him from a beating, telling people who his master was was a double edged sword in Rome. Besides, he could read the slave tablet if he got close enough. He didn't think of Aulus as fancy, but he was definitely  wealthy master.

“You don’t have to walk behind me, by the way. I’m not your master.”

Felix walked faster for a few steps, and caught up to Alexius, walking beside him.

"You know a ludus we could go to? I don't think your wound is deep, but it should be stitched up anyway." he noted "Otherwise it will open up again. But you probably know that."

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Had he been allowed to grow up where he was born, he would have become a warrior – but not like the Roman soldiers. Now he was here however, he had learned to fight otherwise. Since Felix asked, he had no problems with telling it like it was and noticed how Felix’ eyes widened at the confession, but he said nothing to it. Alexius just kept talking then – it was clear where his son had his trait from – and wondered whom Felix belonged to.

The other confirmed his owner was a Senator and then Alexius pointed out how he didn’t have to walk behind Alexius. Felix easily caught up, he had long legs too – almost his height, Alexius noted – and wondered where they could go.

“There’s a few ludii. I think the Magnus is the closest one.” Which was the ludus Thessala belonged to, he thought to himself with a smile. But she wasn’t the reason he was going today.

“Have you ever been in a ludus? I imagine you have seen fights in the arena.” Almost all Romans had, he imagined, but he wasn’t sure if Felix had ever seen him. It was more than ten years ago since he fought, after all.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

“There’s a few ludii. I think the Magnus is the closest one.”

Felix nodded. He knew where the Ludus Magnus was; true to its name it was hard to miss once once reached the vicinity of the Amphitheater. He hoped that a great establishment like that would have a medicus or two willing to help.

“Have you ever been in a ludus? I imagine you have seen fights in the arena.” 

"A few" Felix admitted. He had accompanied Aulus on occasion, but his master was not obsessed with the games like some other senators were, and only took Felix along when he needed him. "I couldn't say I'm an expert. I have never been inside a ludus." They walked down the street and approached the building of the Ludus Magnus; Felix let Alexius take the lead in knocking, and telling them what he wanted. If he was a former gladiator, maybe he know some people personally. 

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Felix was a man of few words, wasn’t he? He agreed about the Ludus Magnus, silently, and when Alexius was more curious, the other said that he had seen a few fights in the arena. Alexius thought that might be all Felix would say, but then he confessed that he’d never been in a ludus before. Alexius smiled at him.

“Well you have the perfect guide then. It’s hard to leave so many years on the sands behind you… I still watch the games too and visit the ludii to see them train.” And spar with a certain gladiatrix, he thought to himself, but no need to mention that to Felix. It didn’t take too long before they had arrived at the Magnus and Alexius knocked at the door, hoping they’d be accepted in at this hour.

At least he was known here. He watched them train and he’d been here to spar with Thessala; they knew him. Soon a guard showed up by the door and seemed surprised to see Alexius here so late, but he shortly explained his business – he’d been in a fight and needed a medicus and this was the closest one.

“Well we’ll see if he has the time.” The guard huffed, but let them come inside, “I’ll fetch him. You can wait down there.” The guard point down a hallway to a medical room no doubt and Alexius led the way through the dark corridor on the way, “I suppose there’s not much to see in the evening. You should come when they’re training. Maybe with me, if you’d like.” He looked over his shoulder at Felix, curious about what he would say to such an idea.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

“Well you have the perfect guide then. It’s hard to leave so many years on the sands behind you… I still watch the games too and visit the ludii to see them train.” 

It was interesting to hear that Alexius, even though he had left the arena behind, returned quite often, and knew his way around. Felix never really thought about what he would do if he was freed; in his mind, he imagined working for Aulus as a free man, basically doing the same things he was doing already. Or most of the same, anyway.

The knocked and were let in, heading to a small room while the guard went to fetch the medicus.

“I suppose there’s not much to see in the evening. You should come when they’re training. Maybe with me, if you’d like.”

"That would be a sight" Felix smirked. Whether he meant Alexius sparring, or him standing by, he left it up to him. 

@Atrice

[Chevi]

Theo was already half asleep when the guard knocked on his door. At first he thought one of his patients had taken a turn for the worse, but it soon turned out that was not the case at all: according to the guard, he had outside patients.

At this hour?

Blinking like an owl, Theo walked downstairs to the room where the guests were directed, carrying a lamp.

"Alexius, rigth?" he recognized the man who stopped by quite often to spar; even as an ex-gladiator, he was the talk of the Ludus. The other man was a slave. Did Alexius get himself a body slave? "What seems to be the problem?"

@Atrice

[Atrice]

He was never really able to rest as a freedman – after spending so many years as a surviving and in the end famous gladiator, life took a different turn. He never felt good with being a lanista, he was not made for that. He did not fit in, in Germania. He had a wife, but their marriage turned into a tragedy, so he no longer had a wife. Life as a bodyguard was fine, but he knew he could not stay with his mistress and lover forever and then what? Alexius longed to settle down. But it didn’t seem like that was in the cards for him at all.

Felix said nothing to his story though and then they entered the ludus and walked towards the medical quarters of the ludus. He suggested Felix could come and see the gladiators train together with Alexius someday and the other mentioned that would be a sight. He grinned, “It really is, trust me.”

At last they reached the right area and waited patiently, but very soon the medicus of the ludus showed up. Theodorus, he thought the name was, a freedman too as far as he’d heard. And Theodorus knew him too.

“You got it right.” Alexius said with a smile, “This is the problem…” He showed his upper left arm to the medicus, “I got into a bit of a fight and well, one of them had a knife… I think it needs a few stitches. Felix here stopped the bleeding with the bandage.” He explained, giving the only slave present a smile, while casually introducing Felix to Theodorus too. He saw no need however, to mention that he saved Felix from those bullies, “Should I sit somewhere, maybe?”

@Chevi

[Chevi]

A medicus appeared, someone with a Greek name and a Greek accent. He seemed friendly, even pulled out of his early evening sleep. 

“You got it right. This is the problem… I got into a bit of a fight and well, one of them had a knife… I think it needs a few stitches. Felix here stopped the bleeding with the bandage.”

The medicus glanced up, nodding to Felix. He was not the kind of person that ignored slaves on principle, but also, there was a glint of appreciation on his eyes, for the bandage. Felix knew enough to tell that bleeding as he had been Alexius would have had trouble making it all the way to the Ludus on his own.

“Should I sit somewhere, maybe?”

Theodorus showed Alexius where to sit. Felix stepped up next to him, partly to show support, partly because he had nothing better to do, and partly because he was curious to see what the medicus would do. Theodorus on his part lit another lamp, and pushed it into Felix's hand. "Hold this."

After some examination, Theo nodded. "A clean cut, and not very deep. A few stitches should do. Would you like to drink something for the pain?"

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Theodorus seemed good enough, Alexius deemed, while the medicus took a closer look at the wound underneath the bandage. Alexius casually introduced Felix and made him appear heroic, for stopping the bleeding and he noticed the short look the medicus sent his new… companion?

Soon enough they’d found a place for Alexius to sit and Felix was put to work too. He sat still while Theodorus looked at the cut, gazing around the chamber to distract himself and his eyes fell on Felix again. Gods he really was a fine man, was he not? Then the medicus spoke up again and confirmed that Alexius would need stitches. He smiled at the suggestion of a drink.

“Who would I be, if I said no to a drink… and especially a drink for the pain.” Alexius said, “Not that I haven’t tried it before, the stitches I mean. But a drink is always welcome.” He added and forced himself to stay quiet again, so that the others might get a chance to say something. There was probably already old scar-tissue on his arm, he could barely remember. He survived many years in the arena, but not without injuries of course. Sometimes that’s what happened and sometimes that’s what the crowd wanted. A little blood before the injured gladiator would take the win after all.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

Theodorus busied himself with getting ready for stitching. He chuckled when Alexius said yes enthusiastically to the drink.

“Who would I be, if I said no to a drink… and especially a drink for the pain. Not that I haven’t tried it before, the stitches I mean. But a drink is always welcome.” 

"Go for it then" Theo looked over his shoulder, nodding to Felix and then towards the table in te corner with a pitcher of wine. Felix set the lamp down and poured a cup of wine; it was dark and had a strong scent. It was not watered down, but there might have been some herbs or spices in it.

"Drink like a barbarian. You know how this goes." Theo said cheerfully, taking a seat next to Alexius. Felix handed the cup to the ex-gladiator, and picked up the lamp again to get better light for the medicus' work. The chair Alexius was sitting in had arms for him to rest his elbows and hands on. "Alright, ready? I'll make it quick. Felix can hold your shoulder if you need help staying still. I'd rather not jab you in the arm."

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Alexius gladly took the cup from Felix and nodded at Theodorus' suggestion how to drink, "I know." He replied and downed the whole cup in two good gulps. As if he hadn't had enough to drink tonight already, but he knew he'd need it for those stitches. What would Oriana say once he was home again... that he got into a fight and went to get  cut stitched up? She probably wouldn't be happy. But at least Felix wasn't worse off and Alexius would be fine. He believed he would.

"Please don't." He said to Theodorus stating he'd rather not jab him in the arm and then he looked at Felix, handing him the empty cup, "You can refill this and then hold my shoulder... don't be afraid." He said to Felix then, giving him an encouraging smile, although maybe it was just as much for himself as for Felix. He'd been cut worse than this before and stitched up before, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt having a needle poking through your flesh in a wound that was already hurting. But he trusted that this particular medicus had tried it a ton of times before. Still though, another drink and a little bit of closeness would not be too bad.

@Chevi

Edited March 24, 2020 by Atrice

[Chevi]

Felix had had wounds stitched before, a few times, and it was never a pleasant experience. Then again, he was no soldier and gladiator; men who fought for a living probably were a lot more used to minor pain like that. And a medicus at a ludus surely knew how to do a good job of it, without causing extra pain with bad jabs.

"Please don't. You can refill this and then hold my shoulder... don't be afraid."

Felix refilled the cup and handed it to Alexius. Theodorus took the second lamp and placed it on the table so that he had enough light to see, leaving Felix's hands free. Felix hesitated for a moment, before he put his hands on Alexius' shoulder. He would have to keep him steady, making sure his squirming didn't mess up the stitching. Felix shifted his hands, securing the shoulder to the best of his ability. Theodorus nodded, and got to work.

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Alexius took a good gulp from his new cup of wine and sent Felix a friendly look, while the medicus prepared for stitching the cut. It took a moment for Felix to come closer and actually put his hands on Alexius' shoulder to hold him steady. Alexius knew it was best to not look at what was going on, so he met Felix' handsome eyes instead of looking at Theodorus.

He winced and growled a "Fuck!" when the needle poked through his skin and reached for his cup again once it was through for the first time.

"How many... stitches will it be? You think?" He asked Theodorus, however without looking at him. He knew that if he looked, the pain might be worse. And it did hurt. And it was years ago since he was last stitched up like this, but he knew the feeling. Alexius emptied the cup and set it down again before the medicus continued his work.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

First time or a hundredth, getting one's skin and flesh stitched up was never a pleasant experience. Alexius cursed and drained his cup, and Felix put weight onto his shoulder, holding his arm steady. Even for a man with iron will, the body often reacted to pain on its own instinctive ways.

"How many... stitches will it be? You think?" 

"Four or five should do it" Theodorus hummed, pulling the thread through "Keep steady, I'm working as fast as I can."

He really did. While the experience was far from pleasant, the medicus managed to seal the wound with four stitches well enough. Felix held his position, is hands resting on Alexius' shoulder. It was a strange place he'd not imagined his evening would go.

"Very well" Theo noted eventually, sitting back and admiring the stitched-up wound "There we go. I'll bandage it for you. Keep it clean, and you might want to come back in a day or two. Unless there is another medicus that can take care of it for you."

@Atrice

[Atrice]

It was certainly not pleasant at all, to be stitched up like this – but having a good lot of wine and an attractive companion helped a bit. And Theodorus was not the worst medicus ever, he thought, he seemed very nice actually. Some of them were more brutal and cared less about the pain, but Theodorus seemed genuine and very professional, he thought.

Four or five stitches… Alexius nodded and kept watching Felix, who appeared quite strong as he held on to Alexius’ shoulder with some weight too. He inhaled a few deep breaths while Theodorus worked, trying to not wince whenever the needle pierced the skin or thread was pulled through, and he managed as well as he could and at least did not pass out at all. At last, Theodorus pulled away and claimed it done.

“I’m sure my employer will be able to find a medicus. Else I’ll come back.” Alexius said and looked at the stitched up cut on his arm before Theodorus would bandage it. Well, it had been a few years since he had a wound that actually needed stitches, so this would be a new scar to add. He did have them, but mostly on the right arm and his torso had a few both on the front, back and sides. And his legs of course. He did not survive the arena without blood at all.

He looked at Felix then, gave him a little smile, “Not that I mind you being this close, but I think you can let go now…”

@Chevi

[Chevi]

Theodorus was obviously proud of his work. It was not bad stitching, for someone just pulled out of bed. Felix the slave did a good job holding the arm in place, and the would would heal nicely in a few days. Theo bandaged the wound.

"Well, you can be on your way, then. Stay safe out there." he nodded with a smirk before he got starting on cleaning up the table. Alexius looked up at Felix.

“Not that I mind you being this close, but I think you can let go now…”

Felix blushed a bit, and released Alexius' shoulder, stepping back. "My apologies." He did not mean to manhandle a former gladiator. It was usually a bad idea.

"Are you good to go home?" he ventured, once they had left the Ludus. The last thing he wanted was for the alcohol and blood loss to catch up to Alexius before he got home.

@Atrice