Servus Est In Horto (Grumio x Caecilius)

Chapter One- Coquus

Caecilius was angry. He and Metella had just gotten in another fight. She wanted to move out of Pompeii to a bigger city while Caecilius wanted to stay where they were. He didn't know why that woman even wanted to move. They had a comfortable life, big house, and they were well respected within the community. She had nothing more to want. 

The banker groaned and walked down the kitchen, hoping to get a bite to eat. Eating always seemed to calm him down, especially when it was cooked by Grumio, the slave cook. Caecilius had always found Grumio a little... calidarius... Especially when you could see his muscles clearly through the thin toga he wore which only accentuated his gruffy features. Sometimes Caecilius which he could be choked by those calloused hands. 

He had to hide these thoughts, however, for if Metella ever found out, he would be in a substantial amount of trouble. As Caecilius paced through the atrium, the echoes of their argument still resonated in his mind. The familiar scent of cooking wafted through the air, drawing him closer to the kitchen where Grumio was busy preparing a meal. The flickering light from the hearth cast shadows on the walls, creating an ambiance that seemed to momentarily soothe Caecilius's troubled mind.

Grumio looked up from his culinary activities, noticing the tension in Caecilius's demeanor. "Master, you look like you've had a rough day," he remarked, wiping his hands on his apron.

Caecilius sighed heavily, taking a seat on a wooden stool by the kitchen table. "Metella and I can't see eye to eye on anything these days," he confessed, his frustration evident.

The flickering light of the hearth danced in Caecilius's eyes as he glanced up at Grumio. There was an undeniable connection, a magnetic pull between them that neither could ignore. Grumio, sensing the unspoken tension, decided to play his cards a bit more boldly.

As Grumio leaned in, placing a hand on the table for support, he locked eyes with Caecilius, a sly smile playing on his lips. "Master, sometimes life needs a bit of excitement, don't you think?" he murmured, his voice dropping to a husky whisper.

Caecilius felt his heart race, his gaze captivated by Grumio's intense stare. The air in the kitchen seemed charged with a newfound energy, and the aroma of the meal became secondary to the palpable chemistry between them. "What do you mean, Grumio?" Caecilius asked, his voice betraying a hint of vulnerability.

Grumio's fingers traced the edge of the table, a subtle yet deliberate gesture. "Metella is pulling for change but maybe you need change as well. Except, you need a different kind," he suggested, his eyes never leaving Caecilius's.

Caecilius swallowed hard, his mind racing with conflicting emotions. The forbidden nature of his thoughts warred with the undeniable attraction he felt towards Grumio. "Grumio, we can't... we shouldn't..." Caecilius stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.

But Grumio, ever the provocateur, closed the distance between them. He leaned in, his lips mere inches from Caecilius's ear. "Master, sometimes it's okay to indulge in desire. Life is too short to resist temptation," he whispered, his warm breath sending shivers down Caecilius's spine.

"What in the name of third declension nouns have you started" Caecilius breathed...