All's fair in love and war [M]

[Sara]

His smile made her heart flutter.

"Good morning." She grinned and moved her hand up to run through the tangle of dark hair on his head. She never wanted to leave this bed. She'd happily stay here forever, if she could help it with Marius ferrying drinks and food through until she finally wasted away of lethargy or old age. This was perfect. But the clattering from others awake in the house foretold that it wouldn't last and she reluctantly shifted onto her side so she could peer at him properly. 

"Wake up." She shook his side deciding that poking him in the ribs wouldn't be especially romantic, "What are we going to do?" she said, insistent. Ovinia had always been a planner by nature and by being in free-fall, even one as delightful as this, she was naturally on edge. 

 

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[Chevi]

Lucius hummed, happy and content in the warmth as Ovinia ran her fingers through his hair. What a way to wake up. He was ready to drift off to sleep, or maybe do some more kissing, but Ovinia seemed wide awake now, and shaking him.

"Wake up. What are we going to do?"

Lucius opened his eyes, blinking at her. The question was... vague. "Well... I'm gonna kiss you" he declared, and he did so. It still felt like the best thing in the world. He would never get bored of it. "And we should... probably eat breakfast?"

@Sara

[Sara]

She scoffed at his declaration but it was soon smothered in a kiss. She fought it, unmoving, for all of half a second before she sank into the sensation. The same flutter rippled across her chest and she instinctively rose a hand to his jaw. She didn't know where she'd learned any of this - he was the first man to kiss her properly, as described in the poets she'd secretly read when she should have been sleeping, but her body seemed to know what to do.

She gave him a slight smile before his second hit of sarcasm grew too much and she did manage an audible scoff, rolling her eyes. "I mean," She hissed almost comically, lowering her voice and cupping her jaw in her palm, "What are we going to do? The servants would have heard the...argument," She cleared her throat - not her finest moment, "And they'll think we..." She cleared her throat, "If they see us like this." 

 

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[Chevi]

Lucius sighed, rolling onto his back. He knew what she was asking, and he had no good answers. Or answers of any kind. The servants probably did hear the argument, because they had been pretty damn loud. He lifted his eyes to Ovinia's. She seemed a little freaked out.

"Well, the servants probably already think we are." he quirked an eyebrow. "You have been sleeping in my bed for a month. I don't think any of them cares."

@Sara

[Sara]

She looked moderately horrified for a moment and knelt up to lean over him; glaring down, her hair falling close to his face. "But we haven't been doing anything!" she hissed - as if it mattered at all, as if she still had any real need to keep up the propriety. But she wanted to - it was why she'd asked him for patience and time. Her virtue had been something so guarded, so intrinsic to her sense of self worth that she couldn't let go of it. Not yet, not even for him. 

"I don't want them to think I'm some...slutty slave girl." She scoffed, repeating words she'd heard her father use once or twice. It sounded odd, coming from her, and she sat back on her heels, still looking at him with a narrowed, focused gaze. "You are not being very helpful, domine." 

 

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[Chevi]

"But we haven't been doing anything!"

"Not helpful" Lucius stared up at her. She was clearly in his bed, they had kissed, they wanted each other, and everyone in the household and the city believed they were lovers. And now she was basically on top of him. Proving the opposite of her point.

"I don't want them to think I'm some...slutty slave girl."

He managed to bite back an amused chuckle. Ovinia, slutty. As if.

"You are not being very helpful, domine." 

"I... am just not sure how I can help." He sat up, because apparently now this was a sitting up kind of conversation. "Do you... not... want to do this anymore?"

[Sara]

"Of course I do!" She blinked and moved back to back space for him a little as he sat himself up. Her eagerness was almost embarrassment and she rolled her shoulders back, trying to act imperious - as if she wasn't sat in bed with a man she'd just kissed. As if she wasn't his slave. 

"Maybe...maybe," She tapped her chin, eyes narrowed in deep concentration, "Maybe we act...aloof with one another. I know Marius mutters about us being friends, about how you let me get away with murder." She grinned at him slyly, "Maybe we stop...lying in the gardens together in the day?" and save that for the night...

Why she cared so much for the appearance of their...whatever this was, she didn't know. Some patrician, prissy behaviours were evidently hard to shake.

 

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[Chevi]

"Of course I do!" 

Well, that was a relief. Lucius was still at a loss about what exactly she wanted him to do, but at least she did not think... they were a mistake. As long as that held up, they would figure out the rest.

"Maybe...maybe. Maybe we act...aloof with one another. I know Marius mutters about us being friends, about how you let me get away with murder. Maybe we stop...lying in the gardens together in the day?"

Lucius blinked, and then cracked a grin at her, thoroughly amused.

"Let me get this straight... You have been demanding your own room, making me exercise, bossing the servants around, pilfering furniture, snarking at the guests, yelling at me for everyone to hear, generally being a pain in my side for months... and now you want us to act aloof?"

[Sara]

"The room and the furniture weren't even being used!" She protested, utterly missing the point and scowling at him. "And my exercises have helped, even if you're too stubborn to admit it." It escaped her notice that they were also bickering like an old married couple, even now. She would admit fault, however, for the yelling and the guests though. That was her bad. 

She folded her arms over her chest and gave him a challenging look that signalled she would not back down. "You like to boss me around anyway," She tossed her hair - something she did when she was annoyed, "It shouldn't be a problem." 

 

TAG: @Chevi

 

 

[Chevi]

"The room and the furniture weren't even being used! And my exercises have helped, even if you're too stubborn to admit it." 

"Not the point" Lucius noted, still chuckling. It was amusing, this whole conversation, but as per usual, Ovinia was not willing to let it go until she was right. But the exercises had helped.

"You like to boss me around anyway. It shouldn't be a problem." 

Lucius laughed.

"Every time I try to boss you around, you make a point of not doing what I tell you" he pointed out. "I feel like the surest way of letting the household know something is up is if you suddenly start obeying me..."

[Sara]

"That's not true." She mumbled defensively, eyes narrowed. "I made those curtains for the tablinum, didn't I?" which were crooked but she had been proud of them nonetheless. "And..." She swallowed. For a woman who was supposed to be a slave she actually contributed very, very little around the house. She occasionally served at meals and helped in the kitchens but after nearly slicing her own thumb off and after the...incident at her domus, the girls were wary about giving  her a knife. She swept and dusted and sewed but none of it was hard work. Or particularly necessary. 

"So we what?" She said with an arched brow. "Just...do nothing and let your servants gossip about me?" 

 

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[Chevi]

"That's not true. I made those curtains for the tablinum, didn't I?" 

"And they are lovely" Lucius smiled softer, reaching up to run his fingers through a strand of her hair. She had really tried. Did not achieve much, in terms of housework, but at least she did try.

"So we what? Just...do nothing and let your servants gossip about me?" 

"Or we do something and let the servants gossip?" he ventured, but it was clearly a joke. Lucius sighed, deciding to take things more seriously. "I'm sorry. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable. So... Let's start here. What exactly would you want the others to think? Or... not think?"

[Sara]

She wasn't convinced by his compliment but she'd let it slide. He'd likely be even less enthused by the pallium she was stitching for him next. Unconsciously she moved her cheek to touch his palm as he stroked her hair and let out a soft sigh. 

"Tsk," She chuckled at his comment, warming back up again. Her moods were seldom serious, she was very rarely actually annoyed so it was relatively easy to slip out of them. "I said I needed time." She reminded him with an an arched brow and then sighed, biting on her lip, trying to figure out what she wanted. "I...don't want them to think I'm just a..." She wrinkled her nose, "Just like all the other slave girls that...lie with their masters. I don't want them to think I am lying with you, because I'm not." She glanced at him, "But...then...we need guests to think you are and...ugh..." She purposefully tumbled forward until her head was resting on his shoulder and she let out a grumble and a groan of protest, "I wish my life was simple." 

 

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[Chevi]

Lucius sighed too, wrapping his arm around Ovinia as she fell against him. She didn't know what she wanted, and neither did he, honestly. He was happy to enjoy the here and now, but his position in this was a lot easier (and less shameful) than hers.

"Well... inside the domus, you can tell the truth if you want. I trust all the servants, it's why they are here. They might make jokes, but they seem to like you. Tell them you just warm my bed, or tell them you have made a vow, or just... tell them the truth. Up to you. I'll back you up."

The servants already knew she was sleeping in there, so whatever they thought, the reality could not be worse than that.

"As or guests..." he sighed "You know I don't like doing that to you. But that part's going to take longer to figure out."

[Sara]

"Mhmmmm." She mumbled in agreement into his neck, but it was noncommittal. He was not being as helpful as he thought he was, but she still appreciated the gesture. 

"I know," She said and sighed, pulling back her face a fraction so she couldn't talk without it being muffled against his skin, "Just don't bring any more tacky little women around to court." she could handle the banter and the jokes his male guests often made at her expense, even if they made her skin prickle and she shed a few silent tears in a storeroom afterwards. She knew Lucius wouldn't let them touch her. Seeing...flirtation was different though, and it made jealousy rear it's ugly head. 

She buried her face in his neck again and grumbled. "I should have let them pick me for vesta," She wrapped an arm around his neck, "They wanted to when I was a girl. Would have made this all much easier." 

 

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[Chevi]

"I know. Just don't bring any more tacky little women around to court." 

"I did not bring her around" Lucius noted, but he held her close anyway, enjoying the warmth.

"I should have let them pick me for vesta. They wanted to when I was a girl. Would have made this all much easier." 

"This?" he arched an eyebrow, glancing down at her "If it did this with a Vestal, easy would not be the consequence." Sure, she was a virgin, but at least not the sacred kind.

[Sara]

She laughed, grinning against his skin before she pulled back and gave him a look, "I don't know," She tilted her head to the side, studying him, "My wrath is probably equal to that of the city of Rome if you cross me." He'd seen her angry and upset, but she confident she hadn't seen half of it yet though. 

"Buuut," She said with a sly grin, "I'm not feeling particularly wrathful today." She leaned down to press a soft kiss to his lips, arm winding around his neck. It was slow and indulgent and not like the heat of last night. It didn't stop the butterflies from fluttering in her stomach though. She'd never get used to that feeling, she was sure of it. "And we have a few more hours until you have to be at the barracks, don't we?" 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

"I don't know. My wrath is probably equal to that of the city of Rome if you cross me." 

"I am starting to get that feeling" Lucius grinned at her. He had seen her angry before, but he never, ever wanted to see her truly furious.

"Buuut... I'm not feeling particularly wrathful today."

He smiled into the kiss she gave him. He loved the mere thought that she would initiate it; he enjoyed kissing her, and even more the feeling that she enjoyed it too. There was... so much more to show her.

"And we have a few more hours until you have to be at the barracks, don't we?" 

"We do." he smiled against her lips, his hands running down her sides and finding her hips, pulling her closer. He kissed her deeper, immersed in the sensation. He muttered, amused, once they broke for air again. "You... would make a terrible Vestal."

[Sara]

She made a noise, somewhere between protest and pleasure as he pulled her closer, hands on her hips. She felt a sensation she never had before, somewhere deep down in her stomach and her breath caught as he pulled back. His smile didn't help the feeling to diminish and she felt herself flush.

She moved her arms up to loop round his neck, grinning against his lips. "But you could worship me if I was one." She arched a brow and brushed her nose against his. "I feel like I co-" 

"Ahem." 

She scrambled back and blinked to the door to see Marius standing there, looking more bored than surprised. 

 

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[Chevi]

A month later

It was Saturnalia. The gods help everyone.

Lucius had been living in quiet bliss for the past month, and nobody could fault him. Ovinia still shared his bed and many kisses, although nothing much happened beyond that. He was happy to wait. The haousehold servants got used to the new normal with alarming speed, and no one seemed to mind much that Ovinia was sharing his bed, as long as she did not take it as an excuse to boss them around.

But now she would.

Saturnalia was a festival for everyone, but especially slaves. Roles were reversed for the duration of it. Which meant, that the moment the first day of Saturnalia dawned, Ovinia was in charge. The servants celebrated in their own way, some in the house and some away, so the brunt of the reversal was going to fall on Lucius alone.

He had woken up earlier than her today, and since no one was on duty in the house, went to scavenge for his own breakfast in the kitchen. He piled food on a tray, and returned to the bedroom, where Ovinia was just stirring. "Good morning."

@Sara

 

[Sara]

Ovinia moaned into the pillow at the light steaming through the window, willing it away. The sound of somebody speaking to her, likewise, didn't help. 

"Mhmm." She grumbled, pushing her head further into the pillow in protest before realising he wasn't going to go away and leave her to sleep. She was usually a morning person - up well before the crack of dawn - but wine last night had been...a  bad idea. Well, a bad idea for her head this morning, it had been perfectly pleasurable at the time. 

She pushed herself up and squinted at him, before tossing her hair out of her eyes and over her shoulder. "Good-" She yawned, covering it with her palm before giving him a lazy, sleepy grin, "Morning." She flitted her eyes down to the tray and her grin widened. "All for me? You shouldn't have." 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

Ovinia was not quite awake yet. Lucius smiled, setting the tray down on the table next to the bed. She smiled, and he smiled too; she was beautiful in the mornings, before she tried to make herself look more... presentable.

"Morning. All for me? You shouldn't have." 

"Well, it is Saturnalia." he noted, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Which means, for this week, you are the domina. It only seemed decent to bring you your breakfast." He grinned, taking a grape from the plate. "And some of mine."

@Sara

[Sara]

As he sat down on the edge of the bed, she moved a hand, pouting, to try and tug him back into bed. The pout was swiftly replaced by a smile though as she chuckled. "You don't have to call me that. I don't call you domine after all. Unless I'm annoyed." She rolled her eyes. That was a sure fire way to judge whether she was mocking him or not. 

"Are you working today?" She glanced to him as she picked at the grapes herself, taking a bunch before retreating back into the covers, making herself a little nest. "Or are you going to pamper me all day?" 

 

TAG: @Chevi

[Chevi]

"You don't have to call me that. I don't call you domine after all. Unless I'm annoyed." 

"As you wish, domina" he grinned at her, settling back on the bed. He doubted he could keep that up all day, but he was not done poking fun yet.

"Are you working today? Or are you going to pamper me all day?" 

"Well, that is up to you, isn't it?" he smirked, popping another grape into his mouth. "In all fairness, I have made the schedules yesterday for the patrols. Saturnalia is always all hands on deck, but..." he shrugged, lifting his right hand. If he ran into action again with his arm like that, he would die. Or worse, she would kill him. "If something goes down, they know where to find me."

@Sara

[Sara]

She took his right hand in hers after he raised it and gave him a small, genuine smile. The range of motion seemed better but the arm wasn't fully functional. She maintained the exercises had and continued to help though. 

"I want to lounge," She grinned and munched a few more grapes, continuing when she was finished, "In bed. And then I want to..." She narrowed her eyes trying to figure out what she did want to do. She couldn't go out to the gardens or her other favourite haunts in the city; it might be Saturnalia but she wouldn't put it past her old acquaintances not to respect her week of relative freedoms if she saw them out in a public place. She tried to push down the knot of sadness. She pursed her lips, thinking. "And then I want to lounge in your baths," She gave him an impish grin, "And pamper myself. And then I want you to hire a musician for dinner." 

 

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