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Sons of Antiquity	By : Grumblebear Category: +M to R > Ronin Warriors Views: 2158 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Ronin Warriors, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
Note:
This is the original, uncensored version of this chapter. It's meant
for those who enjoy a bit (lot) of naughtiness in their reading.
There is some plot though :D And naughtiness! With pretty boys! If
this surprises you, then you didn’t read the damn preface.
You’ve been warned!

Chapter 5

That damn
rooster. Seiji decided he was going to hunt down the owner, buy it
from him, and then wring its neck. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes
as he though out his plan to enact revenge on this newest foe, who
had insisted on announcing the arrival of morning shortly before the
sun had come up. Looking over at his bedmate, he smiled, finding
Touma still fast asleep. “You can sleep through anything, can’t
you?” he muttered groggily. He moved quietly to sit up and
swing his feet off the bed, pausing when another sound caught his
ear. He turned to glance out the window. It was raining, though just
barely. He groaned. The city was too low in elevation for snow to
fall regularly, so when it did rain in winter, it normally produced
only cold, damp, unpleasant days.

A soft tap at the
door made him turn as Tullius walked into the room, carrying a large
pitcher of water. “Ah, your up already,” he said quietly,
finding Seiji sitting on the edge of the bed. “I came to see if
you were awake and wanted anything to eat. The morning meal will be
ready soon.” He offered the pitcher to the younger man. “I
trust you slept well.”

Seiji stretched a
little and reached for the pitcher. “After things calmed down,
yes.” He took a long drink.

Tullius looked
down at the still sleeping Touma. “I haven’t seen him
sleep this peacefully in weeks.” As Seiji followed his gaze, he
added, “I know he’s happy to have you here with him.”

Smiling, Seiji
reached out to brush Touma’s forelock away from his eyes.

The old man
paused a moment, as if unsure how to continue. He looked down at his
hands and said, “I have a confession to make, and I pray you’ll
forgive me. My master had me stand just outside the door last night,
to make sure that Touma was kept under control in case he became too
upset. The master didn’t want his son making his injuries
worse. He also asked me to relay to him any information I might…over
hear about what really happened on Touma’s return trip.”

Seiji’s
expression stiffened a little. “How much did you hear?”

“Everything
sir. At least until it got quiet, I assume when you both fell
asleep.”

They looked at
each other, and Seiji could tell by the old man’s expression
exactly what he had meant by ‘everything’. “So how
much of our conversation did you relay to him?”

“I gave him
all of the information that he requested of me.”

“And what
of the part about Touma and I?”

The old man shook
his head and smiled a little. “He didn’t ask about that,
so I decided I would let you two decide how best to handle it.”

Seiji visibly
relaxed. It wasn’t that he didn’t want Touma’s
father to know about their new relationship, he just wanted to make
sure that he didn’t find out by way of second-hand information.
He shook his head and smiled up at Tullius. “You really are an
excellent servant. Touma is lucky to have you taking care of him.”

The old man bowed
deeply at the comment. “Thank you, sir. Would you like some
food now?”

Seiji nodded and
Tullius moved toward the door, but then paused for a moment. “By
the way, sir. My master wanted me to inform you that several of the
family’s relatives from outside of Rome should begin arriving
today, for the celebrations for the new emperor. They will more than
likely fill the house, so we will need every spare room. My master
asked me to tell you that you are free to stay with Touma as long as
you like, but we will need to move a bed in here for you if you
decide to stay.” He grinned a bit mischievously. “For
propriety’s sake. Besides, Touma’s bed is rather
small. I can’t imagine it would be very comfortable for the two
of you.”

Seiji smirked at
him. “It was a little cramped last night. But for
propriety’s sake I won’t complain.” Then he added,
“And please tell your master that I’ll stay as long as
Touma wants me too.”

Tullius bowed
again as he moved toward the door. “I’ll have a bed
brought in for you then.” And with that he left the room.

Seiji sighed and
looked back down at Touma, who was still fast asleep. With the way
we fought last night it’s a wonder the whole house didn’t
hear us, he thought, leaning over.

“Touma,”
he said softly, trying to rouse his friend. When he received no
response he tried gently shaking him, and when that didn’t
work, he shook him a little harder. He was met with only a grumble as
Touma tossed his head and pulled his covers higher. Seiji chuckled
and leaned down, taking Touma’s face in one hand and turning it
up towards his own. “Lazy,” he said. “Wake up.”
With that he kissed him gently.

As Touma opened
his eyes, he froze briefly, as if having forgotten for a moment what
had happened the night before. But just as quickly it all seemed to
come back to him, and he sighed into the kiss, smiling up at Seiji
when he moved away. “It’s too early,” he protested.
“Lay back down for awhile.”

“Tullius is
brining us the morning meal.”

“I’m
not hungry,” Touma said, pulling his blankets close.

“You should
eat, Touma.”

“I don’t
want to get up,” he whined. “You can have mine.”

Seiji snorted,
and in one swift motion he stood and stepped away from the bed,
successfully pulling all of Touma’s covers with him.

“Seiji!”
Touma cried out, scrambling to hide his nakedness. “What are
you—”

His friend smiled
cunningly. “Now you have to get up.”

“Give those
back!” Touma wailed. “It’s cold!”

“Now whose
fault is that?” Seiji asked, nodding towards the long dark
brazier. A second later, a pillow came flying at him.

“Seiji!”

*****

Just as Tullius
had predicted, and despite the rain that persisted throughout most of
the day, Touma’s relatives began arriving from neighboring
cities shortly after the midday meal. The house was soon abuzz with
all the sounds of the new guests and the staff they had brought with
them. Seiji and Touma looked down from the balcony door as relative
after relative was greeted in the atrium by Touma’s parents.
They knew eventually decorum would force them downstairs to welcome
everyone as well, and neither of them was looking forward to it. They
would both have preferred to stay upstairs and out of sight, but
Touma’s father insisted that they come down for at least the
evening meal.

As expected, they
were mobbed almost immediately after they emerged from the room.
Everyone was eager to get close to and earn favor with their famous
relative and his equally famous friend. Touma and Seiji took most of
the commotion in stride, every once in awhile exchanging small
chagrined looks as they were bombarded with greetings and questions.
The rest of the late afternoon continued on in much the same manner,
through dinner and into the early evening, when the two finally
begged off from the rest of the evening’s activities, claiming
Touma’s head was hurting. Mercifully, since everyone had
already heard of Touma’s harrowing actions on his return trip,
no one tried to persuade them to stay up longer, and the two hastily
retreated up to the quiet of his room. Exhausted, they quickly fell
asleep, once again in the same bed, the other bed that had been
brought in for Seiji remaining untouched.

The rain didn’t
stop once that night and continued on into the next day. Because of
all the commotion the afternoon before, and because he could tell it
was so draining on his son, Touma’s father allowed the two to
stay hidden away in their room. When a few meddlesome relatives tried
pestering them to come out, he decided to place one of the
household’s larger servants outside of the door, discouraging
anyone from bothering them, and asking for his son to be left alone
in order for him to save his strength for his recovery. Thankfully
they all grudgingly agreed, knowing that once the rain stopped, the
celebrations for the new emperor would begin and they would have
other things to occupy their time.

It was late in
the afternoon, and Touma and Seiji sat just inside the door to the
balcony, watching the rainfall. Touma was leaned back against the
wall, and Seiji lay in front of him, resting his head upon his
friend’s stomach. They lounged in silence, enjoying the lazy
feeling the rain elicited. A light knock at the door caught their
attention, and Seiji, not knowing who was on the other side of the
door, quickly sat up, abandoning their intimate position. They both
turned as Tullius entered the room and walked towards them, a drawn
expression on his face.

“The master
was busy with his guests, and wasn’t able to bring this to
you.” He held out a tightly rolled scroll to Touma. “He
asked that I deliver it to you instead.”

Touma eyed the
scroll warily, and when his eyes spotted the seal of the emperor
binding it, he swallowed hard, feeling the color drain from his face.
He reached up with a shaking hand and took it from the old man.
“Thank you,” he said, finding his throat suddenly dry.
The head servant bowed and quickly excused himself. Touma waited
until he had closed the door behind him, then gazed back down at the
scroll.

“Want me to
open it?” he heard Seiji offer, but Touma shook his head. He
popped the seal and unrolled the letter, reading it quickly.

When he finished,
he let out a heavy sigh, and Seiji pulled the letter from his hands.

“He wants
to see me, about what happened on the road the other day, to ‘thank’
me for my ‘great favor’ to Rome,” Touma said
cynically, staring out at the rain again as Seiji read. He didn’t
need to look at his friend to tell he was fuming. Touma took the
letter back quickly and stood, heading over to the brazier. Without a
word, he bent over and opened it, pushed the letter down into the
coals, and then replaced the cover. He returned to his spot next to
the balcony door, leaving the letter to burn in the brazier. Seiji
watched quietly, and eyed Touma as he sat back down.

“While I
admire your courage, are you sure its a good idea to burn that?”
he asked.

Touma shrugged.
“I don’t want it lying around and fueling your anger.”

“I’m
already angry enough to kill a man, how much angrier can I get?”
Seiji asked, meaning it more as a statement than an actual question.

“That’s
true,” Touma agreed.

“I really
would you know…”

Touma reached out
and pulled him back down, trying to get him to lie back again. “Not
now, Seiji,” he said, just wanting to return to the peace they
had been enjoying before the letter had arrived.

“Touma…”
Seiji said in a warning tone, sitting back up to look his friend in
the eye. “Don’t start that ag—“ but Touma cut
him off.

“No.”
He corrected, holding up his hands. “I’m not pushing you
away. It’s just that…” He paused for a moment,
searching for the most honest words. “Your worth more to me
than revenge. If you did anything to incite him, I might loose you.
And I couldn’t live with that. So for both our sakes, let's
just let things quiet down for awhile, alright?”

Seiji regarded
his friend for a second, and then turned, lying down and resting his
head back against Touma’s stomach. Taking this as a sign of
concession, Touma exhaled in relief.

“It would
probably be a good idea to leave Rome for awhile,” Seiji said
eventually. “The farther we are from him the less likely he is
to want to bother you... I would hope.”

“Where
would we go?” Touma asked.

Seiji paused for
a moment, considering, then said, “My families farm. In
Volaterrae. It’s at least a two days ride from here. That might
be just far enough away for us to stay out of sight and out of mind.

“Your
father would be alright with that?”

“I’ll
have to ask him to make sure, but he hasn’t vacationed there in
years. It’s basically empty except for the field workers and
the house servants. I don’t see why he wouldn’t allow it.
I’ll go ask him tonight.”

And so while
Touma’s household and guests were busy eating dinner, Seiji
stole away to his house. He had arrived to find his own home in the
same state of disarray as Touma’s, with relatives from every
corner of the Empire squeezing into the guest rooms, preparing for
the impending celebrations. He barely managed to find a moment to
pull his father aside to speak privately with him. Seiji’s
father had already known about his son’s friend’s
injuries by way of a letter Touma’s father had sent to him,
explaining that Seiji would be staying with them for awhile to help
with Touma’s recovery. His father had agreed to let them
retreat to the farm estate for as long as they wanted, and with that,
Seiji packed a few things from his room and then returned to Touma’s
house with the good news.

“We’ll
leave as soon as you feel up to the trip,” Seiji said as they
ate the dinner that had been brought up for them.

“Tomorrow
morning, if the rain stops,” came Touma’s quick reply.

Seiji frowned.
“No way. You’re not strong enough yet.”

“I’m
fine! I hardly get lightheaded at all now,” Touma argued.
“Besides. The sooner we get out of this house the sooner I’ll
really start feeling better. We’ll be on horseback, so it wont
be a hard trip.”

Seiji regarded
him wearily for a moment, and Touma set his expression in a way that
Seiji would know he wasn’t going to back down. “Fine,”
he finally agreed. “Tell your father tonight then.”

Touma’s
father predictably voiced the same concerns that Seiji had, but
eventually gave in to his son, resigned to let him go so long as he
was in his friend’s care. They packed that evening, and when
they awoke to clear skies the next morning, they crept quietly
downstairs well before the sun rose, bid farewell to Touma’s
parents who had risen early to see them off, then headed out on
horseback into the frigid morning, making straight for the city gates
and the countryside beyond. Even at such an early hour, they stayed
well hidden beneath their capes, with the neutral side facing out.
They wanted to be as careful as possible not to be recognized, so
that no one besides their family would know where they were headed.

They made their
way easily out of the city and into the surrounding hills just before
daybreak, but as the sun rose higher they were soon joined by so many
travelers on the road all heading the opposite direction towards Rome
that they were forced to keep under their cloaks to save their
anonymity. At some times the road became so congested that it slowed
their progress significantly, since they were traveling against the
crowds, and both worried about being able to reach their destination
in under two days. But as the day wore on and they got further from
the city, the crowds began to thin out a bit, and they were able to
make up for some lost time.

When the sun
began sinking in the west, Touma suggested that they continue on
through the night, but Seiji was adamant about finding a place to
stop and rest for a while. With all the other travelers heading to
Rome, finding an inn with available rooms seemed almost impossible,
but they were fortunate enough to procure the last room at the second
inn they inquired at. The room was small, unheated and only had one
bed with a thin blanket, but they slept soundly, holding each other
close for warmth. The next morning, after a meager breakfast from the
inn’s tavern, they started out again on their way north. The
roads were much less congested now, and they were able to keep up a
good pace as they rode along. The day started out clear and crisp,
with a brilliant cloudless blue sky above and a sharp chill in the
air. They could even see the ocean far off to the west from time to
time, between breaks in the landscape.

At midday, Seiji
suggested stopping for something to eat, but Touma insisted that they
keep going. His head was beginning to hurt again, mostly from the
long ride, and he wanted to get to the villa as soon as possible in
case the pain began to grow worse. He didn’t tell Seiji about
his concerns though. He didn’t want to worry his friend, and
they would be at the end of their journey soon enough. By the time
they reached the crossroads that would take them to Volaterrae, his
lightheadedness had returned, and Touma sighed gratefully as they
made the turn that would take them into the small town. The wind had
picked up significantly, and thick clouds had filled the sky above
them. It looked as if it would snow, and there was no doubt that it
was cold enough to. The sky was quickly darkening and they were both
shivering beneath their heavy outer garments as they came to the
small road leading into the orchards and vineyards that surrounded
Seiji’s family’s villa.

As they traveled
up towards the main house, several workers coming in from the fields
for the day joined them and, recognizing their master’s son,
rushed to greet the two young men. Most carried large baskets full of
olives, and a few smaller baskets of late season grapes. Seiji
greeted them all warmly and accepted a small stalk of grapes offered
to him by one of the younger workers. Touma smiled under his hood.
Seiji’s family was known as well as his own for treating their
servants and slaves well, and because of that, enjoyed their loyalty
and devotion. Flanked by the workers, they finally reached the main
house and wearily slid from their horses.

As soon as
Touma’s feet hit the ground, the familiar feeling of dizziness
washed over him again, and he had to concentrate to keep his balance.
Seiji called out to let the servants in the house know they had
arrived, and after a moment, an older, very surprised man with
thinning gray hair appeared at the door, followed by a wide eyed
young man who rushed forward to take the reins of their horses.

“Master
Seiji!” the older man proclaimed a bit nervously. “Welcome,
sir!”

“Thank you,
Aeneas,” Seiji said, handing his reins to the youth.

“We…
we weren’t expecting you, sir,” the old man said
nervously.

Seiji held up a
hand reassuringly. “I know. I didn’t have time to send
word before we left.”

“Most of
the house staff has left for your father’s house in Rome to
help with their guests.”

“How many
are left?” Seiji asked.

“Just
myself and the boy,” replied Aeneas, gesturing at the young man
now taking Touma’s reins.

“That will
be enough for just the two of us,” Seiji said, turning to his
friend.

Having lost the
only thing he could hold onto for balance, Touma now faltered a bit,
taking a step forward.

“Touma!”
Seiji said, quickly stepping to his friend’s side to steady
him. He slipped an arm behind him and asked quietly “Are you
alright?”

“I’m
fine. Just a little dizzy.”

“Does your
head hurt?”

“Yeah,”
Touma admitted weakly as Seiji lead him through the doorway and into
a richly furnished anteroom, then turned back to the older servant
who had followed them, watching attentively.

“The
archer’s room. Have you prepared it for the season yet?”
Seiji asked.

“Yes sir,”
the servant replied. “We hung all the heavy drapes in the house
to keep the frost out and laid down all the rugs. Your father insists
on keeping the house prepared for your family at all times.”

Seiji nodded and
headed farther into the house, his arm firmly supporting Touma. As
they walked, Touma looked around them as much as he could. Since they
hadn’t been expected, the villa was sparsely lit and mostly
filled with shadows. But from what he could see, he could tell that,
while not the grandest vacation home he had ever seen, it was richly
furnished and decorated with brilliant murals, and soft, deep rugs
cushioned the floors beneath his feet. Large, elaborate oil lamp
stands stood dark in the corners of the rooms they passed through,
and Touma could only imagine how inviting the place would be once it
was fully lit and warmed.

They passed
through an archway and back out into the cold, walking along a small
colonnade towards the sleeping rooms in the back of the house. From
the dim light of the torches that lined the walls Touma could see the
beautifully manicured trees and flowers that lined the courtyard
within, and he caught his passing reflection in a small pond as they
walked by. At the opposite end of the colonnade, he could see two
doors, one on either side of another large archway, through which he
could only see darkness. Seiji stopped at the door to the right of
the archway and waited for the older servant to open it and light
their way inside with the small oil lamp he carried. Once inside, it
was too dark to see everything clearly, and with his head still
aching and spinning, Touma was more interested in finding a place to
rest. As the servant walked over to light a lamp hanging from a tall
stand in one corner, Seiji lead Touma to a large bed at the other end
of the room.

Seiji reached up
to unfasten and remove his cloak then pulled the heavier outer
garments from his shoulders. Touma sighed happily as he was laid down
into the soft mattress, the scent of perfumed linens filling his head
as he breathed. He felt Seiji gently remove his boots and then heard
him asking for the servant to bring in a brazier, a bowl of cold
water and a cloth.

As the old man
left to fetch the requested items, Touma looked up at his friend.
“Sorry I’m being such a burden,” he said, smiling
weakly.

Seiji walked over
to take a chair from against the wall and pull it close to the bed.
As he sat, he said, “It’s alright. I rather enjoy taking
care of you.”

Touma snorted
playfully. “You sound like a woman. Are you turning into one?”

Seiji narrowed
his eyes and leaned down close. “Would you like me to?”
he asked in his best seductive voice, then licked his lips comically.

Bursting into
laughter, Touma grabbed his head. “Ow, ow, ow! Seiji, don’t
make me laugh. It hurts!”

Seiji chuckled
and leaned down to rest his forehead lightly against Touma’s.
“Sorry.” He raised a hand to his friend’s face,
cupping his cheek softly as he turned his own head to close the gap
between them, taking Touma’s lips gently with his own. Closing
their eyes and settling against each other, they enjoyed the kiss for
a long while, until they heard the door to the room open. As Seiji
pulled away, Touma saw the two servants walk in, one carrying a large
ornate brazier, the other carrying a bowl with a cloth draped over
the edge. The brazier was set in the middle of the room and lit, and
the bowl was placed on the table next to the bed. After the two
servants had excused themselves, Seiji reached into the bowl and took
out the cloth, wrung the excess water from it and placed it gently on
the slowly fading bruise that still marred the side of Touma’s
forehead.

“This will
help ease the pain a bit. Go ahead and sleep. I’ll show you
around tomorrow,” he said.

Touma nodded and
let his eyes slide shut, already the cold from the cloth relieving
the ache in his head. Within a few minutes he was fast asleep. He
didn’t know how much later it was when he felt the bed move
slightly, pulling him from his sleep. He opened his eyes to watch as
Seiji climbed in next to him, pulling the blankets and a thick fur up
to cover them. Seiji wrapped an arm possessively across his friend’s
chest and then settled his head on the pillow, pressing his face to
the side of Touma’s neck. With a contented sigh from both of
them, they drifted off to sleep together.

*****

“Gone?”
Ryo blinked. “Where did they go?” He stood with both Shuu
and Shin in the atrium of Touma’s house, with Tullius standing
before them. The three of them had decided to join in the citywide
festivities that day, and had stopped by Seiji’s house first to
ask him to join them, only to be informed by a servant that Seiji was
at Touma’s house, and had now arrived at Touma’s house
only to be told that neither of their friends were there either.

Tullius spoke in
a hushed voice. “They left for Volaterrae two days ago. I’m
sorry they didn’t send word before they left to let you know
where they were headed, but they were in a hurry. They asked me to
inform you if you came by looking for them. But…” he
hesitated, looking uneasy. “I have to ask that you not mention
to anyone else where they have gone. They requested that only you
three be informed of their whereabouts.”

“Why would
they do that?” Shin mused aloud.

“Did
something happen? I heard about Touma’s incident in the
mountains on his return home. Does it have something to do with
that?” Ryo asked.

Tullius bowed
apologetically, his eyes troubled. “Not directly. But I’m
afraid I’m not at liberty to tell you anymore than what I
already have. You’ll have to speak with them about it. I’m
sorry.”

“It’s
alright,” Ryo said understandingly. “Thank you for
telling us where they went.” The three excused themselves and
headed back out to the street.

Shuu looked at
Ryo expectantly. “What do you want to do?”

Ryo paused for a
moment, his eyes distant, betraying his concern. “I want to
know what happened, so I’m going to Volaterrae. You two are
welcome to come with me if you don’t mind missing the
celebration.”

Shin nodded and
said, “I’ll come with you.”

Shuu looked torn
for a moment, but then sighed and nodded as well. “I’m
going to miss so many parties, but I’ll come as well,” he
grumbled. “Why would they leave town now? Especially since the
new emperor is a friend of Touma’s. Wouldn’t he want to
stay for the celebration? I don’t get it…” he
trailed off.

“Something
must have happened. Couldn’t you tell by the way Tullius spoke
to us? Those two wouldn’t have left without letting us know
unless there was a good reason.” Ryo said. He glanced up at the
sky. “It’s still early. Lets all go pack and then meet at
the northern-most gate.” After a moment’s pause, he
added, “Make sure your not recognized. If we’re
recognized there’s a chance that someone will find out where
were headed.”

The other two
nodded and they parted ways, each heading toward their own homes to
prepare for their journey.

*****

Touma awoke late
the next afternoon, the light that streamed in from the open window
beside his bed illuminating the room. He grumbled sleepily and turned
away, squeezing his eyes in an attempt to block out the light. It
didn’t work however, and soon he found himself staring at the
colorful paintings that decorated the walls of the room. On one wall
was a scene of an archer and his dogs walking through a forest, on
another were deer drinking serenely from a river. The walls that
weren’t covered in murals were painted a rich red with gold
trim along the ceilings and floors.

“What do
you think?” he heard from the window. He turned to find Seiji
sitting in the sunlight, looking at him expectantly.

“It’s
amazing,” Touma replied, glancing around appreciatively.

“I thought
you might like it. It was too dark to show you last night.” He
stood and looked out the window. “Come look. It snowed during
the night.”

Touma rose
without any pain or dizziness and sighed thankfully. He walked to the
window and looked out, drawing in a quick breath. Outside was a
tremendous garden, completely covered in white, and the sunlight
reflected off the snow with an almost blinding radiance.

So that’s
what was beyond that archway I saw last night, he mused.

“Get
dressed,” Seiji said with a gentle nudge. “You slept
almost all day. I’m starving and dinner will be ready soon.”

They spent the
rest of the afternoon exploring the estate and, as evening crept
closer, settled down to a relaxing dinner. After eating their fill,
Touma insisted on using the last of the day’s sunlight to play
in the snow, and soon they were both soaked to the bone and
shivering, the remnants of snowballs melting on their clothes and in
their hair. As they were shaking the last of the flakes from their
heavy wraps, the younger servant appeared and informed them that the
bath was heated and ready. The two wasted no time and eagerly rushed
to the villa’s bath wing.

Seiji paused
outside momentarily to speak with the servant while Touma headed
inside. He was glad to find the first room, used for undressing,
already warm. There was no brazier however. Fires lit in small
passages directly beneath the rooms provided the heat and Touma
relished the warmth of the floors on his bare feet. He quickly
discarded his wet clothing and picked up one of two cloth wraps that
had been laid out for them, secured it around his waist and passed
through another door and into the bath chamber. He paused at the
entrance to look around the opulent room. It was octagon shaped,
about ten feet wide, with high, mosaic covered walls that stretched
up for several feet before joining together to form a dome at the
top. The bath was sunken into the floor in the middle of the room,
with a wide ledge that ran along its perimeter. The ledge was
furnished with soft mats and several large cushions, and a few oil
lamps had been placed along it as well, to provide light. A large
window whose shutters were opened slightly was set into the wall
opposite the door, allowing some of the steam to escape so that the
room didn’t become too hot.

Touma walked down
the stairs leading into the pool. The water was hot, but not
unbearably so. As he sunk to his shoulders against the side of the
bath he found a small ledge built into the side of the pool beneath
the water, and he sat down, gazing up at the high ceiling. This was a
room meant not only for bathing but also for relaxing, and he leaned
back and sighed happily, savoring the feel of the warm water as it
seeped in to melt the chill from his muscles. A chuckle caught his
attention as his friend entered the room.

“Best room
in the house,” he said as he stepped down into the water,
cringing a bit at the heat.

Touma nodded as
Seiji settled into the water across from him. “I agree,”
he said contentedly. “How long are we going to stay here?”

Seiji shrugged.
“As long as you want, or as long as we have to in order to keep
you safe.” His expression clouded for just a second, then
cleared again. “There isn’t much to do around here I’m
afraid. But there is a theater in town, and a large taverna. And the
hills around here are perfect for riding. There is a huge inland
cliff not far from here. If you climb to the top on a perfectly clear
day and look off to the east you can see all the way to Pisae and the
ocean.”

They carried on
the conversation, discussing how they would spend their time at the
villa and what nearby cities they might travel to, for almost an
hour, until Touma finally interrupted by looking up at the window and
asking, “Do you mind if I open that a bit more? It’s
getting hot in here.”

Seiji waved his
hand toward the window in agreement and Touma waded over to the far
side of the pool. The air was so full of steam it was almost
suffocating. He stepped onto the submerged ledge and reached up to
adjust the shutter. As he stretched, he was aware of the wet cloth
around his waist pulling up slightly, and he began to reach back to
pull it down. But then he smiled to himself and stayed his hand.
There wasn’t any harm in being a little brazen. He could feel
Seiji’s eyes on him as he stepped back into the water and
returned to the opposite side of the pool, the steam curling off of
the water in slow arcs as he moved.

Reaching his
spot, he pulled himself out of the pool and sat up on the ledge,
allowing his legs to remain hanging in the water. He sighed as the
air began to cool and become less oppressive. Leaning back against a
large cushion, he looked across to his friend still submerged in the
warm waters. Seiji had the strangest look on his face. His eyes were
dark and narrowed slightly, but the corner of his mouth was crooked
up in an uncanny smile. Touma felt his pulse jump slightly at the
intensity in the look and he shifted his eyes away quickly, his gaze
wandering to the flame of one of the oil lamps burning across the
pool. He tried to think of something to say to break the silence that
had settled in the room, but couldn’t think of anything.

Luckily, his
friend spoke first. “Your shameless,” came Seiji’s
teasing voice, echoing slightly in the tall room, then the sound of
water splashing as he stood. Touma looked up as Seiji moved across
the pool toward him. He swallowed his nerves and offered a small,
devious smile as his friend paused in front of him for a moment.
Still lounging back against the cushion, Touma felt strangely exposed
under his intense gaze. Seiji hesitated only a second, then moved
forward again suddenly, pushing Touma’s legs apart and stepping
in between them. He leaned down, draping himself over Touma, and
brought their lips together eagerly.

It happened so
fast that Touma faltered for a moment, but recovered quickly as he
felt strong arms wrap around him, pulling him closer. Savoring the
soft breath and warm lips of the man above him, he pressed up into
the kiss, parting his lips and allowing Seiji’s tongue to slide
against his own. He reached up with one hand to run his fingers along
Seiji’s neck and up into his hair, his other hand gripping his
friend’s forearm tightly. He felt an arm pull out from under
him, and then a hand wandering down the length of his arm, up his
side and across his chest. Seiji shifted slightly above him, then
pulled his lips away, slowly kissing a line down Touma’s neck
and along the ridge of his collarbone.

Gentle fingers
found one of his nipples and circled it a few times before the warm
mouth took it. Touma bit his lip and allowed a moan to escape as
Seiji pulled it between his lips and sucked gently. His fingers still
twisted in the blond hair, Touma arched his back upward and said in a
shaking voice, “How did you learn all of this?” He felt
Seiji’s lips smile against his skin, then a gentle nip that
made him suck in a sharp breath.

“Just
because I never participated in those after dinner parties doesn’t
mean I didn’t watch and learn,” came the smooth reply as
Seiji slid back up his body to settle above him face to face once
again.

“Pervert,”
Touma teased as they brought their mouths together. He could feel
himself already hard beneath the wet cloth still wrapped around his
waist. Even though their chests were pressed together tightly, it
seemed Seiji was still holding his hips up, as if hesitant to let
himself fall completely against Touma. He’s holding back,
he thought. Slowly, Touma lowered his hands, running them across
Seiji’s shoulders and down the muscles of his back to his
waist. Slipping his fingers beneath the wet fabric of his friend’s
wrap, he reached further, kneading and pressing down, encouraging
Seiji to lower his hips. With a slight shudder, Seiji finally pressed
fully against him, eliciting gasps from both of them as each felt his
length brush against the other’s through the fabric.

The kiss was
pensive now, both of them enjoying the sensations of their intimate
contact. With hands that trembled slightly, Touma reached for the
edge of Seiji’s wrap, loosening it, and then pulling it away
completely.

With a shiver,
Seiji pulled up and looked down at Touma. “Are you sure this is
alright? I mean… your head…” He reached up to
gently touch the side of Touma’s forehead where the bruise had
almost completely faded.

Touma nodded.
“Yeah. I’m fine now.”

“Good,”
Seiji said, smiling down at him.

Suddenly shy from
his friend’s concern, Touma looked away at the window. “Are
you cold? We can get back in the water if you want.”

Seiji shook his
head. “No. Lets stay like this.” He reached down to run
his hand lightly across Touma’s stomach and then lower to
loosen and remove the cloth at his waist. “I want to watch
you.”

Touma’s
breath caught in his throat at the touch, then released again in a
breathy moan as he felt Seiji’s fingers graze the underside of
his length, reach down to gently stroke his testicles, then slide
back up to wrap around him. His eyes closed and he heard himself gasp
when a thumb brushed under the head and across the slit, and he could
feel the wetness that had gathered there as Seiji spread it around
the tip.

He felt a soft
exhale of breath on his face and looked up to find Seiji watching
him. “You’re beautiful when you’re loosing
yourself,” the blond said with a cocky smile.

Touma blushed
furiously and tried to hide it with his own smug grin. “Don’t
mock me.”

“It’s
the truth,” Seiji said simply, reaching for a nearby oil lamp.
Placing it within arms reach, he opened the tiny hatch on top and
reached into it. Touma watched as he withdrew a finger, now covered
in olive oil. He rubbed his fingers together slowly, coating them
each in turn. Touma sucked in a small breath when Seiji looked back
down at him and reached between his legs again. Probing him gently,
Seiji spread the oil in a circle around his entrance before slowly
inserting first one finger, then a second. Touma had to resist the
urge to tense, but as the long fingers worked within him, he found
himself enjoying the sensation and relaxing into the touch. A third
finger worked its way in, and when Touma winced slightly, Seiji
lowered his face to kiss him again slowly, languidly, encouraging him
to relax completely. They remained this way for a while, and Touma
was grateful for all the time Seiji was taking to prepare him.

Finally, he
withdrew his hand. “Move back,” he said, and Touma sat up
a little and sank further into the cushions as Seiji pulled himself
out of the water. Kneeling on the soft mats, he positioned himself in
between Touma’s legs, spreading him wide. As he wrapped an arm
around Touma’s waist, their eyes locked together. “Don’t
hold on to anything except me,” Seiji said in a deep voice, and
then pushed forward slowly. Again Touma fought back the urge to
tense. Slowly, very slowly, Seiji pressed into him, low groans
escaping from deep within his throat. The sounds sent shivers up
Touma’s spine, and despite the pain, he found himself pushing
his hips forward, and finally Seiji settled deep inside him. They
paused for a moment, their heavy breathing echoing through the room.
Seiji dipped his head and kissed Touma’s shoulder lightly.

“Ready?”
he asked, and Touma answered him with a smile and a little shift of
his hips.

Seiji rocked
against him slowly at first, carefully pulling out and then pressing
back in again, but eventually the sensations become too overwhelming
and they increased the cadence of their movements, small pants and
gasps turning into cries and moans as their pleasure heightened. As
Seiji drove in deeper and harder, pinning him back against the
cushions, Touma bucked when he brushed unexpectedly against a spot
that sent ripples of pleasure low into his groin.

“Seiji…”
he whispered roughly. “There…”

“I know,”
came the breathless reply and Seiji wrapped both arms around his
waist, deepening the angle of his thrusts. Touma cried out, grasping
desperately at his shoulders and back. Suddenly, Seiji slowed, pulled
out almost completely, then slammed forward again with a twist of his
hips, pulling Touma against him forcefully. He remained like that for
a moment, unmoving, sunk hard inside the other’s body, staring
down with lust filled eyes. Touma’s breath came in great gasps
as he lay there, his body strung tight as a bow. He was trembling
slightly. With a shudder, Seiji rolled his hips, stirring the length
of his erection inside of Touma, brushing that spot again. Touma’s
head snapped back, his eyes wide, and he arched his body, matching
the movements with shallow lunges of his own hips.

He felt fingers
circle his length again, and then Seiji leaned forward with a loud
moan to crush their lips together as he ground against Touma, sending
tiny, pulsing thrusts deep into him, stroking that amazing spot.
Their bodies snapped taut as they both peaked suddenly, swallowing
the sounds of each other’s pleasure into their mouths,
desperately writhing against each other until the last ripples of
their orgasms faded.

They lay there
for a while catching their breath, Seiji’s face pressed into
Touma’s shoulder. As Touma stared blissfully up at the ceiling,
Seiji turned his face into his neck and said, “Once we’ve
dried off and rested awhile, I want you to do that to me.”

Touma’s
eyes widened and he angled his face to try to look at him. “You
mean…”

For their people,
sex was viewed more often as an act of asserting ones role in society
rather than an act of love. While the members of the upper class were
free to love who and how they wanted, there were still stigmas that
were attached to some practices, especially when it came to
affections between men. A man only remained respectable in the eyes
of society if he assumed the dominant role and didn’t allow any
compromise of his masculinity. A man taking the submissive role was
viewed as an act of degradation, and one risked public humiliation
and worse if it became known that he had willingly allowed it to
happen. Both partners had to take care that their private lives
remained private. But Touma had no reason to worry about any of this.
He trusted Seiji not to disclose anything to anyone about their
relationship. It was one of the reasons he had decided to give
himself to his friend. But the fact that Seiji would be willing, and
actually ask Touma to take him meant that they would be…
“Equals,” he finished.

Seiji nodded
against his neck. “That way no one can ever judge us
separately.”

Touma was touched
deeper than he knew how to express. He wrapped his arms tightly
around his lover and pressed his face into the golden hair.

“Lets rest
like this for a bit,” came Seiji’s soft voice. “I
want to stay inside of you awhile longer.”

*****

They slept very
little during the night. Once they had returned to the bedchamber,
Touma had eagerly followed through with Seiji’s request. As the
sun began to rise, they were both admittedly rather sore, and had
taken another warm bath to soothe the ache from their bodies.
Retreating back to their bed, they had closed the shutters of the
windows to block out the sun and curled up together under the warm
blankets. They were still sleeping at mid afternoon when the older of
the two servants tapped lightly on the door.

Seiji woke with a
start and sat up as the old man poked his head into the room, looking
guilty for having to wake them. Seeing the young man up, he spoke
quietly. “Master Seiji, your friends from Rome, the ones you
asked me to send word to… They are here.”

“Already?”
Seiji asked incredulously.

“I haven’t
even have time to send the letter yet, sir. They must have come here
on their own.”

“That
didn’t take long,” Seiji muttered to himself. He glanced
down at Touma, who was still sleeping with his back to him. So
much for our time alone, he thought dolefully. He nodded at the
servant. “Let them in, make them comfortable. I’ll be out
shortly.”

As the servant
turned and closed the door behind him, Seiji stood and began dressing
in the semi darkness of the room. He would let Touma sleep for now.
But as he was pulling on his heavy outer tunic, he heard the whisper
of blankets moving, and turned to find Touma sitting up in the bed,
staring distantly at the closed window, his face made visible by the
small streams of light that sneaked in around the edges of the
shutters. “They will want to know why we left so suddenly,”
he said.

Seiji stopped
what he was doing and walked over to the side of the bed. “I
thought you were still asleep,” he said, sitting down.

“I’ll
have to tell them. I wasn’t expecting them to come so soon. I
hadn’t even thought of how I was going to explain it yet.”

Seiji could hear
the panic in his voice. He placed a firm hand on Touma’s leg.
“Its alright. No matter what, they will understand.” When
Touma didn’t respond, he asked, “Do you want me to tell
them?” His friend didn’t answer, and Seiji could see he
was torn between confronting them himself or remaining hidden.

“I don’t
want to see them right now,” Touma said finally in a voice that
was barely a whisper.

Seiji nodded.
“Don’t worry about it. You don’t have to. I’ll
take care of them for now.” With that he stood and leaned down,
placing a gentle kiss on the top of Touma’s head. “Don’t
forget, we’re all your closest friends. No one will think less
of you for what happened.”

“I know,”
came the soft reply. “I just don’t want to get them
involved.”

Seiji nodded. He
knew how defensive of each other his friends could be. “Sooner
or later they will be though. I’ll stall them to give you some
time.” And with that he headed out the door, closing it quietly
behind him, and walked to the front of the house. Already he could
hear Shuu’s booming voice echoing out from the halls. He found
them in the large anteroom next to the atrium. He was almost knocked
down by the younger servant as the boy came rushing out the door with
an empty tray in his hands. He apologized profusely to Seiji, and was
met with a reassuring smile. Seiji asked him if they had enough food
in the house to feed everyone that night, and was assured that they
did. After asking the boy to make sure dinner was prepared for all
five of them that evening, he headed into the anteroom.

“There he
is!” announced Shuu as Seiji walked through the door. “What’s
with you two? Leaving Rome all of a sudden and making us miss all the
excitement.”

“At least
say hello first,” Shin scolded.

Seiji smirked.
“Hello Shuu. Ryo. Shin.” He nodded with a warm smile at
each in turn. Ryo and Shin rose to greet him with a friendly embrace,
but Shuu remained sulking on his couch.

“We were
worried,” Ryo said stepping back. “We went looking for
you to join us during the celebrations, but Tullius told us you came
here. He wouldn’t say why though. It’s not like either of
you to just take off like that.”

Shin nodded. “So
we decided to follow you. We thought it was odd for you to leave so
suddenly, especially since Touma and Gaius are close. We figured he
would have wanted to help celebrate with his friend.”

Seiji opened his
mouth to speak, but was cut off when a voice from the door behind him
said, “That man is no longer my friend.”

They all turned
to find Touma standing in the doorway, dressed but looking weary, his
hair still a bit tousled from sleep. Seiji searched his face for the
apprehension that had been there earlier, but found only a look of
resolution, and a hint of sadness.

“What
happened?” Ryo asked with concern.

Touma paused a
moment, staring at the ground, then looked up with brave eyes and
said, “His feelings for me changed. He was no longer satisfied
with just my friendship. Instead of simply telling me, he chose the
wrong way and tried to use force.” The intensity in his eyes
conveyed the gravity of his simple explanation, and understanding
seemed to immediately sink into the other three. “Luckily, his
attendants came with news of Tiberius and stole him away before he
could do what he wanted. I had to return to Rome on my own. He sent
word asking to see me, but I burned the letter. Seiji suggested that
it might be a good idea to get out of the city and away from him for
awhile, so here we are.”

Everyone was
silent for a moment, until Seiji spoke up. “We didn’t
mean to leave without telling you. We just wanted to get away quickly
and with as few people knowing about it as possible. My servant was
going to send word to you today actually.”

“That son
of a bitch!” Shuu yelled suddenly, jumping up. “He just
thinks he can do anything to anyone, and he’s only just become
emp--”

Touma held up his
hands. “Its alright Shuu. He didn’t actually get to do
anything.”

“But he
tried! And he might still try again!”

“I know.
That’s why were staying here for a while. Hopefully he will be
too busy for the next few months to bother me way out here. No one
besides our fathers, Tullius, and you three know where we are, and I
know none of you will give us away. So as long as we stay here he
wouldn’t even know where to look.”

“But aren’t
you angry?” Shuu asked, his anger turning to confusion.

“I was,
but…” he glanced up at Seiji. “I have a lot of
support. And I know that because he is the emperor now, and he
can do whatever he wants, any retribution would only cause
those around me more harm in the end. The best thing right now is to
just stay away from him and hope he gets bored with me.”

Shuu sighed. “I
was looking forward to those parties…”

Touma smiled
remorsefully. “I’m sorry, Shuu. You’re missing them
to come out here.”

“Idiot!”
Shuu yelled. “Who would want to go to any parties in that
bastard’s honor?! I’m glad I didn’t go now! I could
never enjoy myself knowing what he tried to do. Besides, we can have
a much better time out here together, the five of us!” He
grinned, trying to lighten the mood.

Ryo looked
relieved. “How long were you planning on staying here?”
he asked.

Seiji shrugged.
“Until we feel its safe to return home.”

“We’ll
stay with you!” Shin declared excitedly.

The other two
turned to look at him, then each other, then back to Seiji and Touma.
“Is that alright?” Ryo asked.

Touma and Seiji
exchanged the smallest of glances and smiled. “Of course you
can stay,” Seiji said. “But we only have two servants for
the time being, so you’ll have to behave,” he teased.

“Hey…”
Shuu said, leaning forward and peering at Touma, who raised his
eyebrows questioningly and shirked a bit under the scrutinizing
stare. “You have a bite mark on your neck.”

Touma quickly
slapped a hand to the side of his neck as Seiji shot a look at the
spot in question. A heated blush rose to both their faces. Ryo and
Shin stared in disbelief at the two of them.

“You…”
Shuu pointed, his eyes wide. “You… brought women?”
he asked excitedly. The others groaned at him, Seiji dropping his
head into his hand, Touma and Ryo shaking their heads, and Shin
trying to but failing miserably at suppressing a giggle.

“What?”
Shuu asked loudly, glancing from face to face. “What?”

Shin leaned over
and said quietly, “They did that to each other, you bonehead.”

Shuu’s jaw
dropped as he began to understand. “Oh… Oh!!
You…but… then…” he stammered. “All
this time…”

“No, no,
no,” Touma waved his hands. “Not all this time. Only
recently.” He glanced up at Seiji with a hapless little smile.

“Unbelievable,”
Shuu said, scratching his head. Then he shrugged. “Guess we can
tease you two for real now, huh?”

The death looks
he received told him otherwise.

The five of them
remained living in the villa for the next 3 months. They spent their
time practicing new routines and tricks, all the while discussing the
idea of a tour of the empire. They spent long days riding through the
hills, hunting, and swimming in the lakes once the weather began to
turn warmer. Inevitably, their presence in the town was no longer a
secret, and they began to attend performances in the local theater
and would even spend some evenings drinking in the taverna. They even
took a week to travel to the nearby port city of Pisae. With all of
their notoriety, Seiji worried that they were becoming too careless
in their efforts to stay out of the public eye, but Touma insisted it
was all right. He secretly suspected that Touma felt guilty for
causing all of them to stay away from their families and Rome for his
sake, so he never protested anything the others wanted to do, and
discouraged Seiji from doing so as well.

At the end of the
third month, a week after they had returned from Pisae, a messenger
arrived. Seiji went out to receive him while the others waited
inside. At second glance the man appeared to be a soldier, not a
messenger. He wore the short white tunic of his station, but very
little armor besides his chain and leather woven belt and a thick
thigh-length cloak. Tucked under his arm was a rounded helmet, and
slung onto one side of his horse was a large, oval shaped shield. It
was the lack of armor the man wore and the shield that struck a
nervous cord in Seiji. As the man climbed from his horse, Seiji
angled his head to get a better look at the image on the curved
shield. His jaw clenched tightly when he saw it. A black scorpion.
This man was a member of the Praetorian Guard, the emperor’s
own personal bodyguard unit.

Without
exchanging any pleasantries, the soldier handed him a sealed letter
and stood quietly while he unrolled and read it. When Seiji finished
and looked back up at him, the Guard brought his heals together, and
without a word, mounted his horse and left.

Seiji remained
standing there a moment, his mind racing. Finally forcing his nerves
to calm, he turned and walked back inside.

As soon as he was
through the door, Shin spoke up. “What did he say?”

Seiji handed the
letter to Touma silently.

“That was a
member of the Guard. Why the hell would one of them be
delivering a message?” Shuu wondered.

“He wasn’t
just the messenger. He was part of the message,” Seiji said
solemnly, watching Touma as he read. “We’ve been asked to
perform at the emperor’s last inaugural party. The Guard acting
as a messenger was to show us that we can’t ignore this
request. We have no choice this time. We have to return to Rome.”

Continued in Chapter 6

Can I just
say… I love my reviewers!! I’m sorry I make you all wait
so long between updates. I don’t do it on purpose, I swear!
Only 2 months this time! On the plus side, the longer I take between
updates, the longer the chapters seem to turn out, so its not all
bad! Truth be told, it was the adult scene that slowed me up mostly.
I’d never written one before, so I fretted over it continuously
until I just made myself sit down and write it. Took me the better
part of a whole night, but I got it done! I also hacked up the
preface a bit; added a story summary, cut down on some of the various
other stuff. I think it was scaring people off the way it was before.
And from now on my profile page will also be kept up with info on the
progression of future chapters while I'm in between updates.

And again,
thank you to those of you who have read this far and are continuing
to read. Please, please, PLEASE lemme know what you think. I love
reviews! They make me giggle like an idiot. And who couldn’t
use more idiotic giggles?
- 7
- 8
- 9
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Sons of Antiquity