Bad moon on the rise

[Sara]

Longinus grinned, "Outrageous objects? I don't know what you mean, Attis." His newest piece had been procured during his little holiday with Attis in Greece; a large, obviously fake, theatrical mask. It was gaudy and tasteless, but he liked it because it reminded him of the face his previous mother in law used to pull whenever Longinus would stumble in late to their pre-appointed family dinners.

"Do you really think she, they," Given it wasn't really Sergia's decision - not properly anyway - "Won't know I have money?" He frowned. He knew he should shave more regularly than he did, and keep his hair in a closer crop but...he had been a leagate thrice over, and judging by his home decor, coterie of British slaves and Titus' sarcastic comments that he never shut up about it, people knew. Being a legate came with enormous wealth, and it wasn't he had much family to keep and spend it on. 

 

TAG: @Sharpie

[Sharpie]

"You asked for suggestions, domine, I offered some. You never said they had to be good suggestions." Attis shrugged, and shifted his position a little. "To be honest, I don't know what ladies like - you'd get a much better idea if you ask Metella. She's been in Rome for long enough that she can't be called a barbarian any more - her Latin's better than mine." Even if she still had an accent, that was just another one of those things about her that Attis found adorable.

"You've probably got better ideas than I do, anyway." Though, perhaps not, considering that Longinus felt that a British shield, spears and sword were suitable decoration for the atrium. Perhaps they might be, on their own - but they weren't on their own; there was a collection of all sorts of things and the over-sized theatrical mask from Greece was just the latest in a random and eclectic collection.

Longinus' slaves probably didn't help, what with Metella (a barbarian), Attis (with his scar) and various other Dacian and British slaves. Vitus was about the least eclectic, being a secretary and from Greece (at least, Attis thought he was, he'd never actually outright said where he was from originally).

@Sara

[Sara]

"How old is Metella again?" He frowned, trying to dredge memories back. She'd only been a scrap of a girl when they'd picked her up and Longinus had found her red hair, quick wit and work ethic amusing enough to add her to his personal collection of British treasures. That must have been well over a decade ago though. Gods. Had it really been that long?!

"I appreciate the faith you have in me," He chuckled, "Although it's probably misplaced." He pulled a face and then rolled his eyes, "My marriage wasn't exactly a success story, if you remember your previous domina...and well, Sestia was not a personal triumph either." He didn't really know how to interact with women of his own class. They were so different to him, had such different concerns and ambitions and life experiences. That's why Sestia had been different and why the loss of her stung him so much; he finally felt like he'd found his match. Sighing and pushing his hair from his face, he jumped to his feet. He knew when he got in these dark spaces there was only one real way to resolve it. 

"Fancy joining me on a run?" It wasn't really a question that Attis could refuse, but he'd still ask out of pretence. 

 

TAG: @Sharpie

[Sharpie]

Attis didn't have all that much faith in his master's tastes - witness some of the truly peculiar things he had on display in his house - but it wasn't at all politic to admit it, so he said nothing further on that subject.

"Metella? She's, what, twenty-three, twenty-four, something like that now. And perfectly civilised - she's got good taste, too." She must have, really, to keep turning Attis down, though she had enough poor taste to not mind sleeping with him when it suited them both, and when their master didn't want Attis in his bed.

"A run? You'd be safer going for a run in the wilds of Britannia than the streets of Rome at this time of night, domine. Though as it's a trip of several weeks to get to the wilds of Britannia from here, the streets of Rome will have to do." Attis did not like physical exertion all that much, but his master seemed to crave it. "Wouldn't you rather I stayed home and had a nice clean tunic laid of out for you, and oil for a massage?"

Well, it never hurt to try!

 

@Sara

[Sara]

Longinus rolled his eyes, "I'm not an idiot - I'm not going to go barrelling around the Suburra - I'll head out across the Tiber." He preferred longer runs anyway, when he was in this sort of restless, jittery, knife-edge mood. It helped him clarify his thoughts and give  him some space.

Chuckling at Attis he quirked his eyebrow and let the silence hang for a moment before he slapped his thighs and pushed himself to stand; "Excellent idea, my friend," He said mockingly, but  then relented; "But fine - I don't want to drag you half-dead around the city, wake up Celsus will you?" The big, brawny Dacian that he'd swapped with Titus was excellent for sparring but lacking in cardiovascular fitness. He grumbled whenever Longinus took him out for a run, but always came back with a big grin on his rosy, sweaty face. 

 

TAG: @Sharpie

[Sharpie]

"When did you ever hear me say you're an idiot, O my Master?" Attis asked, straightening up and finding that his left foot had gone to sleep because he'd been squatting for too long. He might think Longinus was an idiot, but he wasn't fool enough to come right out and say so - saying that would lead to being sent out to the villa with the steward given explicit instructions to put him to work in the fields. Or being sold to Sulpicius Rufus. Or any of a dozen other things.

Better the Dacian than the Attis, in Attis' opinion. He took a moment to stretch, and took two steps towards the door into the house, to find the dog following him, and paused. "No - you stay here. See if your daddy want you to wash his face, maybe?"

 

@Sara

[Sara]

He made a 'you little shit' smile at Attis and chuckled; "Forgive me," He held a hand over his heart, "I clearly misinterpreted your concern for my welfare for what I thought was a critique from my body slave." Since his little trip to Titus', Attis' remarks had been in shorter supply, but he still had a few classics every now and again and as Longinus' own mood had improved, so too had his appreciation for them. 

"Don't be heartless!" He called loudly to Attis as Ragum went to follow his body slave, "He loves you - you're his father really! I'm going to change." The best shoes for running were his sandals from the legions and he moved back through the domus - now creaking awake at  the volume of his conversation with Attis - to find them and splash some water on his face as Attis went to find Celsus and rouse him. 

 

TAG: @Sharpie

[Sharpie]

"I wouldn't dream of criticising you," Attis returned. Just look what had happened the last time he'd tried that kind of thing, and gone overboard with it.

"You'll wake everyone up!" he added. "Including Cassia," he continued - Longinus might not care about disturbing his slaves but he might not want to wake his daughter. Or his mother.

He sighed, shaking his head at his master's retreating back, and went to find Celsus, impervious to the Dacian's muttering as he fumbled for his tunic and sandals. Better he drag his bodyguard around the darkened streets of Rome than Attis, who was by no means a morning person and despised stupid pointless exercise - he got enough of a workout just doing his usual work.

 

@Sara - end or timeskip, I think!