The Pompeiian Horse

19. TOUCHSTONE

TRIGGER WARNING:

A snitch gets beaten up. Remember he might look young, but for all purposes he's an adult.

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JULY

"I'm telling you. He was the only one, aside from the mercenaries and me, who knew about it." Janus had not been happy to discover Ehren was in Pompo's villa.

"But he's your blood. What would be the purpose of something like that? I barely know him. He never requested my services before or after your arrival," Ehren argued. "There must be another explanation."

"What if it's not about you, but about me?"

"I don't understand."

"He's always had a thing for me since we were little. Always groping me, always telling me how pretty I was."

"Are you serious?" Ehren's expression was one of pure disbelief.

Janus touched Ehren's face. "Why would I make up such a thing? Do you really think I would want my cousin to be the enemy in this story?"

"No. Of course not."

"Then help me figure this out. I rather find some other place to stay than being here, and I'm about to say to Orcus with the physician's instructions."

Ehren snickered. "We just need to exercise you for a couple more days, and you'll be fit to ride and everything else. We will leave then." He took the hand Janus had over his cheek and kissed the palm. "Slaves hear things. I might find a way to get some information out of them. I have a sneaky trick or two." He winked.

"Heh, heh. One mercenary said something similar."

"You, Romans, tend to be straightforward, but there's a lot of intrigues and bad blood underneath that façade of propriety. The conquered always need an extra something to deal with you." Ehren waggled his eyebrows.

"Hmm. And what's that 'extra something' you use with me?" Janus traced a finger over Ehren's full lower lip. Ehren closed his eyes and parted his mouth encouragingly. Janus pushed himself from the pillows and replaced the finger with his own lips. Both hands moved to Ehren's shoulders, bringing their chests closer.

By the time they broke their kiss, Janus had forgotten about conspiracies and the need to flee from his cousin's domain. He just wanted to stay in Ehren's arms and not worry about anything else ever again.

Ehren looked at him with his wonderful eyes, big and shiny. "I haven't had the chance to properly thank you for the Arena."

"I protect what I love. There's no need for gratitude." Janus smiled. "Lovers don't thank each other for something rightfully deserved."

"That doesn't mean I can't be grateful." Ehren smiled back.

"I have a couple ideas for a properly filthy thank you then."

"And I will happily oblige."

"Master?" A young slave girl stood by the room's threshold, pulling the curtain a little apart. "You have visitors."

Strange. Janus did not have any acquaintances in Pompeii. It probably was some business associates of Pompo looking for his favor. "Who?" Janus asked.

"Three boys from The Zoo, master."

Janus glanced at Ehren. "It must be for you then."

"Sorry, master. They asked to see the Centurion," she said hesitantly.

"That's odd," Ehren said. He turned back to Janus. "You want me to talk to them."

"No. Let's see what they want. Bring them in. What's your name, girl?"