Boys at the Baths

[Atrice]

Claudia Corinthia was definitely not forgettable and not just because of her strong personality, at least to Marcus. But perhaps his mindset was a bit different than Tiberius’, because despite how they were friends and both related to the Imperial family in some way… Marcus’ life was just more free, kind of, than Tiberius’ life was it. He did as he pleased. There were barely anyone who could tell him to not do that. His mother had remarried and Tusca barely tried to be a father to Marcus. Lucius was far away. Marcus was basically a grown-up himself, so it was his life to live. And boy did he do his best to try and do that!

 So he smiled when Tiberius said he would invite Corinthia too, although he wasn’t sure she’d come. She would certainly add some spice to the mix of young people, he thought to himself. He just nodded then, when Tiberius said he’d send a slave to her house. Silence fell a bit, they’d reach the river soon and find something to eat and he looked forwards to it. Perhaps a drink too. Then suddenly Tiberius sprung a new question on him.

 Marcus gave him a look, “If I were looking for a wife? I’m nowhere near ready to do that though!” He said with a laugh, “I don’t know… someone pretty and with a good family, of course. But also someone I think is fun. Imagine marrying a girl who’d just bore you to death!” He chuckled, “So yeah, that… pretty, fun, good family. Oh, and I think if I should marry, I’d like to be the girl’s first husband. I can’t imagine being the second one.” Marcus was just talking and it then occurred to him, that there had to be a reason why Tiberius asked. It didn't occur though, that Tiberius could be asking for anyone but himself, “Why, you’re not considering marriage so soon, are you? Or is that girl Horatia Sosia getting under your skin, after you only met her once?”

@Sarah

[Sarah]

Corinthia would add spice to the mix; oh yes. She added spice to just about any situation, which could be a good or a bad thing depending on those around her. She could be enchanting and delightful, but she knew her mind and what she wanted. Like a lot of Imperial women really. He grinned internally.

But what would Marcus look for? Pretty, good family, but also fun. That was an interesting qualifier. And not previously married. That was less expected. Funny that. A woman who'd had a previous child was proven fertile. But then they were both young enough that older women didn't necessarily appeal to them. Or at least one of them. Tiberius had had a crush on Marcus's sister when he was younger.

Marcus's playfully barbed question drew laughter from the the young Imperial. "Me? No!" He protested, perhaps a little too quickly. "I'm pondering who I should marry you off to." He retorted. "So lets see; pretty, young, well bred, fun, and rich of course. You don't want much do you?" He teased with a grin. But he squirrelled Marcus's preferences away in his mind in case he one day stumbled across a young lady who fit them.

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Imagine being a girl's second husband. Second-best choice, not first choice. No, Marcus could not imagine himself like that, he'd rather marry someone and let her know, that he was the only husband she'd ever need. Maybe it was his youthful mind thinking like that, but that's just how it was like. He wondered however why Tiberius asked about such things now, maybe Tiberius was already looking to marry after all? But Tiberius laughed and protested, then said he wondered whom he should marry Marcus to. This time it was Marcus' time to laugh, but Tiberius went on, listing Marcus' demands.

"I guess not. But I don't want it now. There's much to do until I marry." Marcus then said, "Like... I'm still young. And there's an entire world out there, right? Just for us." He smiled, looking at his friends, "I think you need to get out more. I will definitely drag you to the next party I go to." There was something he wanted to ask Tiberius, but he wasn't sure how to do it. It was rather personal and private, after all, but they were friends... and if they couldn't talk about this, what did that mean? So they just had to.

"How experienced are you with the ladies anyway?" He then asked, hoping Tiberius would guess exactly what he was asking. If Tiberius had ever been with one, or not. It would explain a lot of things, if he hadn't.

@Sarah

[Sarah]

"We are still young, and the world is out there for us." Tiberius agreed. And it was true. As young men of the Empire's upper class, the world was their oyster. And Romans loved oysters. Perhaps he was being overly serious, but all his life he'd been trained for a serious life with many responsibilities, and with the purge and the loss of his older brothers to the rule of Rome, there hadn't been a lot of time to just be a child and play. He came of course from a family bred for political responsibility, so it was no doubt a combination of nature and nurture.

He grinned when Marcus declared that he needed to get out more, and didn't deny it. His life had been so structured, and he'd been so determined to do what needed to be done and learned what he needed to learn to be a good Imperial that he was only now really starting to realise that there was more to life than politics. "I'd like that, I really would." He said, when Marcus declared that he'd drag Tiberius with him to the next party. It would be something to look forward to. If rumour was to be believed, his friend knew how to enjoy the rest of life.

How experienced are you with the ladies anyway?

"Ah," Tiberius coughed. "I can greet most of the Senatorial wives by name, and seat them according to rank." Because that sort of thing was important. "And invite their daughters to parties." Which he would do. But he was pretty sure that wasn't what Marcus was asking. The young Imperial's cheeks shaded pink. "But that's about it, really." He admitted in a quiet tone, shaded with embarassment. There were young men who boasted of their 'conquests' like deflowering some young girl and leaving her was something to be proud of, but Tiberius didn't understand that attitude. He was something of a late bloomer, and having grown up in a household of strong women, he respected them.

He took a deep breath. "Why do you ask?" He said, glancing at Marcus.

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Tiberius confirmed what Marcus just said – that they were young, the world was there for them… and in his mind, that meant it was there to be enjoyed the best they could. He didn’t have much else to do anyway, but enjoying life. Until he could properly begin his course of honor, he had nothing else to do but have fun. And with Tiberius, it was always nice. He smiled at his friend, who said he’d really like to go to the next party Marcus went to. Marcus clapped his back, “Then that’s how it’s going to be my friend.” He said and then he’d dared to venture into a more private matter. Wondering how experienced Tiberius was with the ladies.

 Oh it was so sweet, when Tiberius replied. He hadn’t quite expected that sort of reply and while a part of him almost wanted to laugh, he didn’t. How pleasant it might be, this topic was actually a bit too personal to laugh about. Especially in Tiberius’ case, since he knew how to greet the ladies and invite their daughters to parties. But that was all? Seriously? He could tell by Tiberius’ tone that he wasn’t exactly proud of his so-called experiences.

 “I ask because… I’m just curious about how far you’d come.” Not as far as Marcus, that much was obvious, “Have you kissed a girl before? One you’re not related to?” You could kiss your mother’s cheek or that of your sister. If it was your step-sister, you could take it a whole lot further – he had, with Caecina, although not all the way, for her sake – but that was something else. He wondered how Tiberius’ first experience should be. There was of course that famous prostitute known as Vibia, but he hadn’t seen or met her before. Maybe that girl Tiberius was fond of? If she was fond of Tiberius too, she might be persuaded into doing things with him.

@Sarah

[Sarah]

It wasn't a subject that Tiberius particularly wanted to discuss, but if not with Marcus then who? Titus possibly, but his step-brother, however close, had far more important things on his mind. It wasn't something that had really occupied his mind much; learning geography, tactics and rhetoric in order to serve the Empire had all clearly been more important, to judge by his tutors instruction, and Quintus'. Some might have said that it was his father's duty to ensure that he acquired the relevant experience, but which one? The two who were dead, or the one who had been ruling the Empire?

"I kissed a slave girl a few times." He said quietly. "But she didn't seem too happy about it the last time, and I saw her crying later, so I let her be." He shrugged. "I didn't want her if she didn't want me." He looked over at Marcus, wondering what he made of that. Plenty of Roman men forced themselves on their slaves, but Tiberius didn't see any point or need, at least not yet. He hoped he never would.

"What about you, Marcus?" He asked, casting his friend a keen glance and trying to turn the tables. "How fare have you 'come'?" Probably all the way, from the way he spoke, but Tiberius wondered whether it wasn't all bravado. He certainly didn't want to find out he was the butt of some elaborate joke; he didn't think he could forgive Marcus that.

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Marcus was at first pleased to hear that at least Tiberius had kissed a girl before, even if it was a slave... but then he was surprised to hear that the girl had been crying about it. It made sense to not approach her again, and why on Earth should you want someone who didn't want you in return and who even cried about it? Not that Marcus hadn't slept with slaves, but it was his right really and they had not seemed to upset about it. In fact it seemed they liked it, or they pretended to. They hadn't cried. They hadn't looked at him in fear the next time he saw them.

"I'm sorry that she cried about it. I can't see why any girl should cry after being kissed by you, handsome as you are. Almost as handsome as me." He joked. But really, Tiberius was definitely not the most unattractive young man in Rome and he even had quite the family and family history... why should you not want his attention as a woman? But then Tiberius asked the question back to Marcus.

"I'm not inexperienced, exactly. I've kissed girls... and done more. Much more." He said, "I think it would do you well, to also... get further than just a kiss with a slavegirl." Marcus winked, "I've heard good things about several of the girls at the Domus Venus. Maybe we should go sometime?" They could share a girl, if Tiberius would be up for that. Because honestly Marcus wasn't sure he could afford one for himself, that's why he had to make do with slaves and easily tempted young ladies, when he had the chance. And he'd love to try out the Domus Venus, see if it really was worth all of the gossip.

@Sarah

Edited February 23, 2022 by Atrice

[Sarah]

Almost as handsome as me.

Tiberius smiled a little at Marcus, knowing that his friend was teasing him to cheer him up. He didn't know why the slave girl had cried, and since she'd avoided him he hadn't bothered to try to find out. Perhaps some saw that as spineless, that a true man would pursue her and demand an explanation, but what would that gain? She clearly didn't want him, and he had no insecurity that he needed to prove his dominion over her. "I don't know why she didn't want to kiss me, but there'll be others who will, right?" Oh, if only he knew what the near future would bring.

"Much more, eh?" He echoed his friend. Tiberius suspected that might have been the case, but it could also have all been bravado, until Marcus confirmed at least some of his suspicions. Well, why not? He probably should have too, at his age. But he found Marcus's suggestion somewhat daunting. They could just... hire some prostitutes? At the same time it was eminently sensible, if gaining experience was the aim. A prostitute would know what to do and be able to show him, and he'd also heard the name the Domus Venus before. Yes, if he wanted to... gain some experience, that was the logical thing to do. If. Hmm.

"I've heard of the Domus Venus." He allowed. But the idea of walking in there and just... paying for sex, gave him pause. "Let me think about it, hmm?" He said. If there was one thing that people noted about Tiberius - and which quite possibly some found annoying - was that he rarely rushed into things, he thought them through. He wasn't an impulsive sort. Usually. Still, he wasn't quite at the point where he'd decided this was something he had to learn now. Perhaps that would change.

"Tell me more about what you think we should do for the party."

(OOC: Shall we finish this one off?)

@Atrice