Sweet like chocolate

[Sara]

Longinus snorted, "That's true - you're far too valuable to lose, to both of us." His previous body slave before Attis had been the dull sort that he'd needed at the time, but Attis had been a revelation. He had somebody to have fun with as well as provide practical services. It was invaluable to a man as irreverent as Longinus. 

He took Attis' silence at his question to mean he had no practical use for Longinus' opinion and chuckled at it, offering instead. "If Aulus is in you're welcome to go and find his own slaves, maybe one of them has a child?" He offered as they made their way to the door and he waited for Attis to knock for him. Then again, Aulus was far more a stickler for the rules as was his wife, and he wasn't convinced he'd tolerate a slave child in his domus. Before anybody answered he smirked to Attis. "I still find it funny she won't marry you though." 

 

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[Sharpie]

"I don't know why she won't," Attis returned with a shrug, stepping past his master to knock at the door. He wondered sometimes, privately, what would happen if all the slaves in Rome somehow vanished overnight (not run away, just... weren't there in the morning). Three-quarters of Roman patrician would probably end up stuck in their rooms, unable to operate a simple door!

"Maybe she'll think differently after the baby's born? I can hope." The door's spyhole opened. "My master Lucius Cassius Longinus to see your master Aulus Calpurnius Praetextatus."

He'd quiz the other senator's secretary about how he got his master to sign paperwork but secretly suspected that the answer was simply that Calpurnius Praetextatus was a more organised and efficient man than Longinus. He'd been a Consul after all, and Longinus was still dithering about becoming Praetor.

"If she's happy the way things are, who am I to upset that?" he asked, stepping back into his place as the doors swung open.

 

@Sara

[Sara]

"Women." He lamented with a shrug of understanding. Perhaps it was regressive to cast them all in the same light, but they remained a firm enigma to him - high or low born it didn't matter. 

"But are you happy with the way things are?" He asked pointedly with an arched brow, "It's not all about her." He said with a shrug as he strode in through the double doors, down the corridor and into the atrium - richly appointed with bouquets of flowers dotting most surfaces. Either Horatia and her slave girls were very bored, or Aulus and his wife had more friends interested in the birth of his new son than Longinus had thought. He felt almost proud that his gift had been different...although granted a wooden training sword was slightly useless for a newborn. 

 

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[Sharpie]

"Quite," Attis replied with a heartfelt roll of the eyes. And blinked. "I'm not... unhappy with how things are," he confessed. "If she won't, she won't. Her choice - I'd be a bastard if I tried to make her, and I'm not that."

She was happy enough to sleep with him, and usually he'd be happy with that arrangement. Perhaps he kept asking her because she kept saying no... but just because that was the pattern they'd found themselves in didn't mean he didn't respect her 'no'. He mostly asked her these days in good humour, reminding her of the advantages they'd have with even the informal arrangement of a slave marriage. Contubernales was all they could be, really; slaves couldn't enter into any more formal arrangements between themselves.

He fell silent as his master's friend made himself known, approaching in the informality of only a finely-woven tunic, all more formal garments set aside.

"Longinus! You've come to see the newest addition to the house, have you?"

 

@Sara

[Sara]

"You're a great many things." Longinus agreed with a snort and a shake of his head, "But I grant you you're not that." Attis had a good core...just smothered in a hard, snarky shell. One of the many reasons he liked the man and why he'd shipped him across the Empire to Britannia. You needed to be a hardy but honest soul to survive in a place like that, even as the slave of a legate. Humour helped too.

But then the door swung open and he blinked as Aulus' form appeared. He grinned, buoyant and moved to embrace him. "Yes!" He lied, having completely forgotten about Aulus' new addition for a moment, "And to talk business. Attis," He gestured wordlessly at his bodyslave, "Humoured me with a good idea." Well...it had been a sort of joint idea. He wouldn't take all the credit. "Do you have time?" 

 

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[Sharpie]

"Do I have time for you,  Longinus?" Aulus asked. "Always - come into the garden and let's have a proper chat."

Longinus was one of a handful of people outside the family who merited an invitation into the private part of the house, and there were few spaces as private as the gardens which were kept neat and tidy and provided a quiet green oasis in the middle of a bustling household in a busy city. He spared a mere glance at his friend's body-slave, whose scarred face showed a brief expression of surprise at being offered recognition for something.

Aulus led the way into the part of the garden nearest the tablinum, which was recognised as being 'his' area (Horatia had her favourite spot, too, of course, but that was across from them so they need not infringe on one another if they each needed their own space and wanted to enjoy the sun at the same time).

"So, what can I do for you?" he asked, once they were seated, with Longinus' slave taking up position behind his master's shoulder.

 

@Sara

[Sara]

Longinus grinned and moved to clap his friend on the back as he allowed him entry into the sanctity of the inner part of his home. He heard Attis following behind, as usual and briefly considered asking Aulus if his slaves could spare the time to speak with Attis but thought it could wait. Besides, he was less than sure that Aulus had or would tolerate a pregnant slave and the child's father in his house, let alone one as ballsy as Metella.

"It's an odd one." Longinus said with a chuckle as he sat himself down, "How goes the baths project? I'm considering starting one of my own, a project I mean. I've come into some more money," He chuckled, "And wanted your advice." 

 

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[Sharpie]

"When isn't it an odd request, with you? It shouldn't be too long before they're finished, although these projects never go according to plan - there's always something to delay it, and costs that weren't factored in originally," Aulus said, arching an eyebrow.

There was a pause as a slave came out bearing a tray with a jug of wine, two cups and some nibbles. He poured for both the citizens before retreating, and Aulus reached for a grape.

"So, what sort of project did you have in mind, then? And what advice do you need? Though I warn you, if it's about marrying, I'm not entirely sure I have any advice to give when it comes to things before the wedding." He stretched his legs out comfortably in front of him.

 

@Sara

Edited May 29, 2022 by Sharpie

[Sara]

He grinned and took up the cup of wine. "I hope you've got some festivities planned to toast its opening." He chuckled and then sighed, reaching for a few nuts himself, tossing a few into his mouth. 

"Nothing about marrying," He snorted, "Don't worry. Things with Sergia are...moving slowly but I'm confident I'll convince the brothers Vari." Really he shouldn't have to - he was an excellent catch but after the last disaster with Sestia - his insides gripped at the memory - he was content to move slower. For now, at least. There seemed to be a dearth of eligible women at the moment anyway. 

"I'm thinking about constructing a palaestra. Wanted to know if you'd scouted any sites that might be suitable?" He tossed a few more nuts into his mouth and followed it down with a gulp of wine.

 

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[Sharpie]

"A palaestra?" In some respects, a serious project was out of character for Longinus... but on the other hand, it was completely within character for him, especially something like that - and Aulus knew his irreverent friend was not always thus; he had seen him be utterly, deadly serious, in fact.

"I scouted several sites, any one of which might be suitable, depending on what you want to include and what sort of people you want it to be for." Although, if he knew his friend, this was a very recent plan and he may not really have a concrete idea of what he wanted. Something just for men could be smaller than something that included a women's section too, after all, and wouldn't need to include a separate access for each gender. Though Aulus was aware of smaller leisure facilities that had multiple entrances, and some of the potential sites he had looked at allowed for a similar arrangement.

"Xanthos! Do we still have that list of sites I looked at for my thermae project?"

"Yes, Domine."

It was a few moments later that Aulus' Greek secretary emerged from the tablinum bearing a wax tablet which he presented to his master, who passed it over to his guest.

 

@Sara

[Sara]

Longinus grinned, "I've not got that far." But he tilted his head to the side, considering the question. "But men and women. Separate sections," Naturally, "But enough room for both." He found it somewhat distasteful just how unfit several women he knew were. He wasn't going to explain how he knew they were unfit. He cleared his throat and reached for a sprig of grapes. 

He took the list with a nod to Xanthos and perused it leisurely. Some sites he discounted immediately by virtue of the fact they were miles from his domus and - selfishly - he wanted easy access to whatever facilities he inevitably built. He quirked a brow as he read about a site; "This one - a few blocks of insulae above the Circus..." He tossed another few grapes in his mouth, "Why'd you discount that one?" It would be easy access, and he'd long thought the regions to the south of the city were due the investment that others had. 

"And go on then," He chuckled as he set down the list on his knee, "Gloat about your new boy as well." 

 

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[Sharpie]

"Which one?" Aulus leaned over to see the description. "Oh, that one. It's a good spot, except for the water supply, or lack of one. And as water is rather important for a bath complex, I would have had to build a whole new aqueduct; the Aqua Appia doesn't have enough flow at that point and is in the wrong place. But if you don't need a water supply, or don't mind scouting for a good source and building a new aqueduct, it's a perfect place for a leisure facility."

He took a sprig of grapes himself and leaned back. "That might be a future project, actually; Rome could use another water supply or two, after all."

That eyebrow went back up as Longinus set the tablet down.

"I don't gloat, do I? But I never thought I'd become a father again - and, well, he's a healthy boy. We are very much indebted to your girl for her service." He glanced up at the slave standing behind Longinus,. He was obviously not the girl in question, but another slave in the same house; they undoubtedly knew each other - especially as Longinus didn't have the legion of slaves that some patricians did.

"I am sure you'll be married with a son of your own before you know it, Longinus," he added, bringing his gaze back down to his friend's face.

 

@Sara

[Sara]

Longinus' brow quirked and he sat back in the chair, grumbling to himself. An aqueduct was no mean feat and would likely add at least a year to the building time which would, otherwise, hopefully be fairly minimal as unlike the future Calpurnian Baths the actual landscaping and construction wouldn't be anywhere near as complex. In his layman's opinion. 

"Do you have a good architect and engineer?" He queried as he sipped his wine. "I can pick their brains if you'll allow me to share their time, see if the flow is high enough for what I need." Which would be nothing as substantial as a whole bathing complex. 

He chuckled at Aulus. No, his friend didn't gloat - not even when he had something to gloat about like his Consulship or his seemingly perfect family. He nodded. "Horatia wrote, and I passed it on. Attis," He glanced up at his body salve, "Will make sure to do so as well. She's expecting his child soon enough." His lips quirked, amused, "But I don't expect your lady wife to play midwife, don't worry." Waving a hand to dismiss any notion of his own marriage (a topic of conversation he'd rather avoid) he grinned. "How are your older two adjusting? Titus must be what...fourteen? Fifteen by now?" 

 

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[Sharpie]

"Of course I do," Aulus said. "You don't think I'd start on my own project if I didn't, do you? The architect lost the bid for Octavius Flavius' new amphitheatre so was available for me to hire. I could get you the name of Octavius' architect if you wanted, too - always a good idea to have a couple of quotes, after all. And you might be able to get away with branching off from the Aqua Appia, although I'm no expert at all on the subject  - I can certainly let my hydrologist know he could have another project to move to, and I'm sure he's got the time to at least give you a preliminary idea of what's needed."

He nodded, setting his winecup down after taking a sip. "Horatia did tell me she would write. I understand she sent a gift or two as well." By all accounts, the baby would be as well attended as they had planned for Horatia to be - quite a feat, for a slave. Or a total role reversal between the girl and the consul's wife, whichever way you looked at it.

"They are old enough not to be jealous over the attention, I think. And yes, Titus is fifteen now. He'll be moving out to stretch his wings before we know it, as any young man should do, and Calpurnia... Well, she has time, before we need to find her a husband."

He was hopeful that his daughter and Tiberius Claudius Sabucius would get along - the prince was a serious, studious type and Aulus thought he would be good for his sensitive, creative daughter. If they didn't, well, it would be no great loss. There were plenty of other young men in Rome, after all.

 

@Sara