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Innocents abroad (Modern day AU)


Chevi

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Princess? She'd heard that before, from some choice ex-boyfriends who demanded her imperious ways, but from a stranger it raised her ire and she glowered for a moment, although it didn't last. He was dragging this out but she was a moth to his flame and unfortunately for herself, was intrigued enough to pick up her pace again and follow him. She didn't like being dictated to, and didn't like not being in charge but...she also enjoyed the path of least resistance, and in this conversation, following him was just that. 

"Singing - contemporary classical, and piano." She also played a bit of cello and guitar, but elected not to mention them because she wasn't nearly as proficient. What she wanted to do with her degree was another question entirely. Most at her school were intent on eking out a living as professional musicians, but there was little money in it. In truth, she chose the course partly out of validation (see? I am good!) and partly out of the fact she was generally apathetic to the rest of her studies. It seemed the easiest option, and what was expected of her, and so she took it. Besides, daddy could boast he had a classically trained musician in the family now. "And I don't know what I want to do...maybe a masters, after this." Delay the inevitable and meet somebody who'd propose on a sunlit beach somewhere. That sounded about right. 

She blinked at the place he had brought her to, casting a glance back up at him and then at the ruins ahead of her. She let out a laugh, a grin stretching her face. "Is...this it? No wonder I'd never heard of it - look, it's junk." She said as she kicked a bit of rock next to her. "At least the Colosseum you can picture it, back in its heyday. This? It just looks...sad." 

 

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"Singing - contemporary classical, and piano. And I don't know what I want to do...maybe a masters, after this." 

Singing. Lucius made a mental note to prod more about that later. If she really was a singer working on a degree, she was probably worth hearing. He could picture her at a piano on some fancy concert stage. Camilla, on the other hand, was not impressed by the Temple at all.

"Is...this it? No wonder I'd never heard of it - look, it's junk. At least the Colosseum you can picture it, back in its heyday. This? It just looks...sad." 

"Rude." Lucius shook his head at her. It really looked like junk. "The Colosseum is easy to picture. It's basically all there. Doesn't require much imagination, does it?"

He walked to the low fence and vaulted over it with ease, landing among the wildflowers on the other side. He made a theatrical gesture at the bricks and columns. "Picture this, Camilla Birch: two thousand years ago this Temple was the prime spot for dating in the great the city of Rome. According to Ovid, who wrote a book about the Art of Love, so the guy must have known something. He probably got exiled for it, but whatever. Over there was a big library, for the intellectual types, and here, the portico of the Danaides, all carved from black rock, because who wouldn't want to make out under the statues of fifty women who murdered their husbands?" he grinned. Sometimes it paid off to be friends with archaeologists. "Before it was a pile of junk, this was the hottest place to date. Says so in the book."

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"Well evidently I'm not a very imaginative person then." She chuckled but did not expect him to vault over the fence and she caught herself reaching out to him, speaking before she had a moment to register; "Stop it! We'll get in trouble! Get back here!" She lived every second of her life by the rules. Besides that one time she had tried weed at the insistence of an ex-boyfriend and proceeded to throw up over her Prada dress. Never again.

She listened to him although looked visibly tense and every few moments glanced around to make sure nobody was watching or coming to arrest them both. She stayed firmly rooted on the other side of the fence. 

She had to admit he had a flourish for story telling and she was a bit enthralled. She snapped herself out of it quickly though, as he finished. "Well...that sounds beautiful." She offered a soft smile, but shook her head, "I didn't think people dated back then," 'Back then' being any time at all in the past, "I thought they were in arranged marriages the lot of them." Not much had changed there then, given the pressure she was under to find a suitable man herself. "Is this where you bring all your own dates then? So you can show off?" She asked, feeling decidedly inferior. 

 

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"Well evidently I'm not a very imaginative person then... Stop it! We'll get in trouble! Get back here!" 

Lucius laughed. There was the rich American girl he had been expecting to meet. She might have been studying abroad instead of being a tourist, but she was still very much nervous about breaking any rules. He stayed planted on the inside of the fence, watching her as he spun the story of the Temple. He could tell his words had an effect on her.

"Well...that sounds beautiful. I didn't think people dated back then. I thought they were in arranged marriages the lot of them."

"Oh, they did. One does not exclude the other. Not according to Ovid anyway." he chuckled, leaning against the fence to look at her.

"Is this where you bring all your own dates then? So you can show off?" 

"Only the foreigners. I think the Italians are on to me." he grinned, and extended a hand to her over the fence "Come on. The view is worth it from the other side, I promise."

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Camilla scoffed and folded her arms defensively across her chest as he extended his hand. "Not a chance, I don't want to get arrested, I've watched Locked Up Abroad." And her family would absolutely kill her. 

"And just to clarify," She added with a mocking smile, "This," She released a hand and gestured between them, "Is not a date. So don't add it to your list. Besides," She said as she folded her arm back over her chest, "You still haven't answered either of my questions about what you want to do with your degree or what you do in your internship. Maybe I'll consider coming over if you tell me." dangle a bait, see if he bites

 

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"Not a chance, I don't want to get arrested, I've watched Locked Up Abroad." 

"What?" he blinked, the reference clearly lost on him. It was clear she was not about to clamber over the fence. Not yet anyway. Lucius had made this trip a couple of times and no one ever cared enough to question him. There was really nothing around the temple that could have been stolen or ruined at this point anyway.

"And just to clarify. This. Is not a date. So don't add it to your list. Besides. You still haven't answered either of my questions about what you want to do with your degree or what you do in your internship. Maybe I'll consider coming over if you tell me."

"I'll tell you if you come over here." Lucius countered, grinning. Two could play that game. "And I never said this was a date. Don't get ahead of yourself princess." he clicked his tongue. "But I am willing to give more answers. On this side of the fence."

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Ugh! He was insufferable. Really, totally, unapologetically insufferable. He was also utterly captivating and she hated it. She'd never - weed incident aside - done anything remotely as exciting this. How sad was that? That the highlight of her rule-breaking career was clambering over a low fence in a deserted archeological site. That thought alone made her finally release her hand and accept him - hiking her dress over her thighs so she could ungracefully climb over.

When she was settled, she brushed herself down and recoiled from his hand. "Happy?" she cast a nervous glance around - the place was deserted save for a couple of tourists in the far right corner. She felt her heart beat against her ribs and hurriedly asked; "Tell me now?" 

 

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She caved. He knew she would. People who lived their lives strictly by the rules always caved sooner or later when there was someone else to encourage them to be a little wild. The low fence was about as wild as Camilla was going to get for a long time, but Lucius still took it as a success. He helped her over, holding her hand as she landed on his side.

"Happy?"

"Extremely."

"Tell me now?" 

"Tell you what?" Lucius blinked, the chuckled at her, walking among the flowers around the temple, trusting her to follow. "Oh, the degree. Right. Honestly, I have no idea. Family rule is, gotta go to college, so I did. But I'm more interested in activism. You know, hands on stuff."

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She let out a groan of frustration as he walked. She felt safer by the fence - it being close by gave her the opportunity to hop back over at a moments notice. But, like every good follower did, she sighed and moved to walk with him. Didn't stop her cast nervous glances back every few moments though. 

"Activism?" Her interest was piqued. Her father had warned her for years 'not to get involved in that nonsense'. "What sort of activism?" She hugged her Chanel bag closer to her side. She considered herself left wing in the way that all young people, who wanted to fit in - particularly in Europe - considered themselves left wing. She liked equal rights, but was hardly going to go marching for it. She wanted publicly funded healthcare but also relished her private doctors and hospitals. She thought it so sad that people worked in sweat shops to make their clothes, but still found herself with a wardrobe fit to bursting. 

 

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"Activism? What sort of activism?" 

She sounded interested. Either it was her thing too, which was a possibility; she looked just naive enough to be into that, and not just for the resume. Or she had never been anywhere near it, and she was curious. Both were equally likely.

"Whatever needs help at the moment" Lucius shrugged "Some protests, some marches, a bunch of volunteer work. Distributing food, tutoring, workshops, whatever. There are a bunch of hills out there to die on. Never chained myself to a tree or anything. Just like to help out where it's needed."

That was really all there was to it. He walked on until they were on the other side of the Temple. This side faced the Circus, but from its vantage point high on the Palatine, the view was pretty spectacular. Beyond the slopes of the hill and the wide stretch of the Circus where were the other hills, the Tiber to the side, and the Rose Gardens just opposite, in colorful bloom. 

"So, singing, huh. Do you do it for fun too, ot is it just for the master's degree?" he asked with a smile, sitting down on the remains of the brick wall, danging his legs.

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Camilla chuckled, tossing her hair back over her shoulder imperiously; "A noble cause to be sure," She rolled her eyes sarcastically at the words because she felt overwhelmingly inadequate by comparison, "The most I've ever done is a gofundme. And some petitions." She added the latter in the hope that she sounded a little more present in his world than she was. No need to mention that she signed the petitions with a false name so they wouldn't be tied to her and ruin any potential, future chances. "Do you just...pick a cause out of a hat then, each week, and decide to fight for it?"

As they walked she couldn't help the feeling of unease and drew to a stop on the other side of the Temple as he took in the view. She herself took in the view back to the fence, making sure she was within running distance should she need to get out of here quickly. 

"Obviously for fun," She chuckled, "You'll wish you have seen me at Karaoke but," She poked his arm with a finger, "We're not there yet, Princess.

 

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 "A noble cause to be sure. The most I've ever done is a gofundme. And some petitions. Do you just...pick a cause out of a hat then, each week, and decide to fight for it?"

"Hey, every bit helps." Lucius grinned. He could tell she was still anxious that they might get caught. She kept looking at the fence  as if someone was going to come to arrest them any minute. "And no I don't have a hat. I should though..."

He was more interested in the singing now. Before this day was over he was going to hear her sing. It was a challenge.

"Obviously for fun. You'll wish you have seen me at Karaoke but. We're not there yet, Princess." 

"Now I need to know how to get there." He grinned, patting the sun warmed bricks. "Take a seat, no one's gonna arrest us. I promise."

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Camilla kept her thoughts to herself, readying her arguments for later on his activities. He seemed determined to learn about her singing and she was more than happy to talk about herself for now. But if he thought he was getting away without a prod on his activism and a question over his internship, he was very wrong. She was just biding her time. 

"Alas, you'll never get there." She said with a small smirk and kept standing. She might have traipsed in here after him (and regretted it) but she wasn't going to push her luck by sitting on an ancient ruin. Instead she folded her arms across her chest and gave him a small smirk. "I only sing for my tutors, course mates, friends and family. You are none of them so alas, you're just going to have to imagine it." The thought that he'd think about her thrilled her a tiny bit, but she kept her thoughts hidden. 

"Now...about this internship...?" 

 

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She did not sit down. She was either too anxious, or just resisting out of spite. Her loss. Lucius loved the view from the temple, whether she turned around to look or not.

"Alas, you'll never get there. I only sing for my tutors, course mates, friends and family. You are none of them so alas, you're just going to have to imagine it." 

"Well, that's gonna be an interesting career..." he smirked, folding his hands behimd his head. A professional singer who did not sing in public?

"Now...about this internship...?" 

"You see where this is going right?" Lucius tilted his head. "You sing. I talk. It's only fair. But you really need to take in this view first."

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She made a mocking, loathing face at him and mumbled; "And who said I wanted a career? I hear they're overrated." Working yourself to death for a few thousand dollars a year didn't sound like fun to her. Nor did it sound like the best use of her talents or energies. She saw how her mother had thrived - at least in her youthful, naive mind - with her volunteer work and her hobbies. She wanted that; time to do as she pleased, when she desired it. She could keep up the singing, but only for her own interests - no pressure, no expectation. How blissful! 

She rolled her eyes, evidently irritated but she finally relented and turned around to sit on the wall next to him (not without a final glance over her shoulder at the fence though). The view really was beautiful. "I'm not singing, but I am sat. So tell me." She said as her eyes swept over the beauty of the ruins and the landscape ad the city beneath them. And then she did what any self-respecting young woman did; she pulled out her phone to take a photo; one for Instagram. 

 

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She finally did sit, but not before glancing back at the fence. Lucius had chosen a good spot with expertise; once sat, they could barely be seen from the fence, only if one came very close and looked carefully. No one usually bothered that much with the Temple. And the scenery was worth it. Even Camilla had to admit that, and she did in a way, taking out her phone to take pictures.

"See? Much better than the orange tree."

"I'm not singing, but I am sat. So tell me." 

"That's not how this deal works" Lucius chuckled. "Why are you so curious about the internship anyway? It's just something to pass the time. And some spending money."

It wasn't. but she didn't need to know. Not without working for it.

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Camilla held up a single finger, demanding silence from Lucius as she tapped out her caption; 'views and chats' with a series of carefully curated emojis. When she was satisfied with her post - and the filter she'd applied - she hit post. It only took a minute or two for the buzzing of her phone to start as  the hearts and fire emojis started to arrive in response. Satisfied, she smirked back at him. "Still think the orange tree would have had more reach. But I'll go back tomorrow.

She merely shrugged and glanced back out over the view. It really was beautiful, she had to admit he had taste and the best secret spots. Maybe she could capitalise on this... "I'm curious because you're being evasive." She considered him. "But if you really want to be Mr Mystery about it, fine by me. I'm not singing for you. But I have another proposition..." She chuckled, "Show me somewhere else where I can get a picture nobody else has, and I'll stop asking about it?" 

 

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Well, she was not kidding about Instagram. Lucius liked looking at things in front of him, and was not that taken by filters and captions. But she obviously knew what she was doing (or her following did), because the phone started beeping right away. This was a scene not often posted.

"I'm curious because you're being evasive. But if you really want to be Mr Mystery about it, fine by me. I'm not singing for you. But I have another proposition... Show me somewhere else where I can get a picture nobody else has, and I'll stop asking about it?" 

Lucius tilted his head, considering the request. The singing was too good to give up, but she seemed adamant about not doing it.

"I'll take it. For now." he nodded finally, standing up and holding out a hand. "It's getting hot out here anyway. How about some time travel? And while we get there, you can tell me about this career you don't want to have. What's the goal? Settle down in Italy?"

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Camilla took his hand and allowed herself to be pulled up from their little perch. "It depends. I don't want to travel back to the renaissance and be burned as a witch for having an iPhone." She gave him as self-satisfied smile and released his hand, winding it across her middle instead. 

"No..." she wrinkled her nose at his question, but was willing to be open about it. She didn't see any shame in her life choices and didn't much care what a perfect stranger thought of her plans - or at least, she thought she didn't care. "Go back to the states, do the masters," She gave him a sardonic smile, "Find a nice boy. There's this guy, a friend of one of my brothers, currently in..." She frowned, trying to remember, "Some sort of banking I think, on Wall Street or wherever. They think he might have a shot for Congress next year. Anyway," She continued as they walked, "He asked for my number when I was at home for Christmas so...we'll see." 

She gave him a querying look; "Why the interest?" 

 

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"It depends. I don't want to travel back to the renaissance and be burned as a witch for having an iPhone." 

"Too bad. This place was lit in the Renaissance." Lucius grinned, then his smile fell in a deadpan. "Sometimes literally."

He turned and lead the way, back across the fence and down the winding side path of the Palatine. He asked her about the career she might want to have.

"Go back to the states, do the masters. Find a nice boy. There's this guy, a friend of one of my brothers, currently in... Some sort of banking I think, on Wall Street or wherever. They think he might have a shot for Congress next year. Anyway... He asked for my number when I was at home for Christmas so...we'll see. Why the interest?" 

Lucius quirked an eyebrow at her as they walked. Find a nice boy? Really?

"You sure you don't want to go back to the middle ages?" he smirked, shaking his head. "Dunno, you just seemed so intent on knocking me for being a lazy tourist. I would have pegged you for the ambitious type with the five year plan."

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She hopped over the fence and felt relief wash through her that they hadn't been caught. But relief turned to familiar annoyance as he questioned her choices. God above, he really thought he was so much better than everybody else didn't he? Arrogant jerk. She glared at him - although for reasons she couldn't quite explain - still followed him down the hill. She did want to wipe that condescending smirk off of his face though. 

"I have a five year plan." She countered with annoyance evident in her voice; "It's just not one you would choose but so what? Doesn't mean it's wrong. And," she glared at him and couldn't stop herself, deciding to go on the offensive this time, "If you must know - my five year plan is; years one-two, finish this degree, meet up with Jacob back in New York and see if we date, if we do then great. Year three, masters programme, year four leave college - I'll be twenty three, so perfect time to get engaged somewhere nice and hot. Year five, get married and start a volunteering programme for kids with music and support Jacob on his congressional campaign, or re-election campaign if we wins." She had flushed cheeks and annoyance rolled off her like sweat. "Happy?" 

Poor Dylan didn't feature much in her plans, but that was because she knew he'd never want her. Not like she wanted him, at least. 

 

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He must have hit a nerve there, because Camilla suddenly looked both flustered and indignant. Lucius watched her curiously as she worked her way up to an explanation.

"I have a five year plan. It's just not one you would choose but so what? Doesn't mean it's wrong."

"Uh-huh" Lucius noted eloquently, but she was already on a roll without any more prodding.

"If you must know - my five year plan is; years one-two, finish this degree, meet up with Jacob back in New York and see if we date, if we do then great. Year three, masters programme, year four leave college - I'll be twenty three, so perfect time to get engaged somewhere nice and hot. Year five, get married and start a volunteering programme for kids with music and support Jacob on his congressional campaign, or re-election campaign if we wins. Happy?"

Whoa.

Lucius blinked, trying to guess if she was joking. She didn't laugh. She was not joking.

Intense much?

"Kinda? I mean, I'm a bit confused on a few points there. When you say, get engaged to someone nice and hot, is that Jacob, or is nice and hot a whole different category? And does nice and hot entail a political career as a given? Or is that just a Jacob thing." he chuckled, as they made their way to the bottom of the Palatine, and talked towards the end of the Circus. "Also, why go to college at all if you don't intend to finish it?"

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She looked at him furiously. Of course he'd demean her, she really didn't expect anything less. Confusion clouded her face and she shook her head, "Of course I'm going to finish college? That's years now to four?" She shook her head, muttering a few curse words under her breath as they walked. Every few steps she kicked the stones under her feet with the edge of her sandal, hoping they'd catch him in the leg. 

"And I said get engaged somewhere nice and hot; as in, a beach. Mexico, to be precise, if you want me to tell you my girlhood fantasies." She smirked at h I'm and then folded her arms across her chest defensively, shrugging; "And Jacob is nice. He seemed into me - and him being a politician is good. It's good to have somebody with ambition as a life partner, wouldn't you say?" She turned around to her side and stopped walking, facing him with a challenging glare. "So go on, big man, what's your plan? Or do you not have one? Just want to bum around Italy on your parents cards and snipe at young women?" She effected an innocent expression  but internally seethed. 

 

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"Of course I'm going to finish college? That's years now to four? And I said get engaged somewhere nice and hot; as in, a beach. Mexico, to be precise, if you want me to tell you my girlhood fantasies."

Okay, so she might have been ranting so fast that he had misheard a few things. In his defense, 'nice and hot' was easy to misinterpret when one was already talking about shopping for a husband. Named Jacob. Out of all things. Jacob, the politician. Lucius already felt like putting himself out of his misery, and he didn't even have to plan a life with the guy.

"And Jacob is nice. He seemed into me - and him being a politician is good. It's good to have somebody with ambition as a life partner, wouldn't you say?"

"It depends. Is he conservative?" he deadpanned, as Camilla stopped kicking rocks to round on him. He was definitely taller, but she looked ready to fight.

"So go on, big man, what's your plan? Or do you not have one? Just want to bum around Italy on your parents cards and snipe at young women?" 

"For a while, yes. And then probably find an NGO I can work for. It will probably take dead Dad to his grave, but they have my brother to manage the family business anyway, while I am off, doing actual useful things. But Italy is definitely nice. In the meantime."

The entrance at the edge of the Circus was small enough to miss. All it was was a small stone building with an iron gate locking the entrance, and a very bored looking guard lounging in the shade. Lucius started walking again, heading in that direction. Since there was no sight and the gate was locked, most tourists walked straight on by.

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Camilla rolled her shoulders with a glare, but knew exactly what his reaction would be and so tried to downplay it; "Economically conservative, he's socially pretty liberal though." Still a Republican though, and loved his guns. The latter she found distasteful, more than anything else in his views. 

She scoffed, loudly at his plans and rolled her eyes. "Gosh it must be nice to live in your world, hmm?" She tilted her head and studied him - utterly unaware of the irony of her judgement given she lived just as charmed life as him. But at least she was honest about it. "Leaving your brother to pick up the pieces? Screw your dad?" She tutted, but nonetheless followed him, the bulk of her anger and annoyance having dissipated. "And may I ask what marketable skills you have to offer to your NGOs?" She queried as they walked in a sing song voice, "There's a million and one rich kids that want to stick it to the man and do some good in the world, why on earth would they hire you?" 

 

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