Infames

X

Gaizaz was moving at once. His legs propelled him forwards, dashing out into the street as his jaw stiffened, his teeth grinding together. He used his size to cut through the busy throngs of plebs, his heart pounding with every step. The actor's head was beginning to muddle among the crowds, so he quickened his pace, stepping over baskets and pushing past vendors and pedestrians alike.

Every sound had been reduced to a dull hum in his ears. How could he have been so blind?

He knew the answer, of course. His goals had narrowed his vision, he was well aware. He had not had the time to consider each and every detail of the world around him, and now it had cost him all the money he had. Gaizaz supposed he had always somewhat known about the young man's true intentions with him. The dream, for a start, and now the moment of clarity that had come upon him as soon as his back was turned. None of that mattered now, as he squeezed past a group of women selling their hand-woven tapestries.

Up ahead he caught sight of Murinus, but just then the actor happened to glance over his shoulder. Upon seeing the mercenary heading towards him, his eyes doubled in size and he broke into a sprint, slipping through the gaps in the crowds. Gaizaz groaned and pursued.

Murinus wove through the rabble with ease, his lithe form hurrying past shoppers and stalls alike. He moved like a nereid gracing across the crests of waves with gentle haste, far more suited to the urban jungle than his provincial chaser. Just when Gaizaz thought they were coming to a dead end, Murinus vaulted over a low cart filled with fish, the pungent smell briefly overwhelming the mercenary, who begrudgingly took the long way around.

The actor took a sharp turn and dove down a narrow street, his feet barely touching the ground. Gaizaz followed quickly after. This area was sparser than the main road, with more room to manoeuvre, and Murinus bolted down the road in an instant, taking another turn into a side street. The mercenary grumbled, but he maintained his speed. There was more to running than being fast.

The chase led them down various backstreets, and Gaizaz had closed a significant amount of distance between them, but the young man was still just out of reach. Then, Murinus jerked sideways and vanished into another street. When Gaizaz turned the corner, there was nothing but low-hanging washing lines with fresh laundry between the buildings, flapping in the breeze as the actor had already began to make his way through them. The mercenary snarled and pushed through, ripping wet clothes and sheets away from his eyes as he ducked his head. Just as he emerged on the other side, he watched as Murinus faltered before launching himself back into a sprint, but he was not as fast as before. Gaizaz had no time to think. He chased after.

Murinus dove down an alleyway up ahead, but he was not getting away this time, Gaizaz was sure. He had begun to understand these streets, and what the young man had in speed, the mercenary had in stamina. Gaizaz turned off one street earlier.

Having used a burst of energy to propel himself down it, he arrived at the other end of the road in a shady backstreet, then turned and found the exit of the alley the actor had disappeared into. He pressed his back against the wall. He waited.

The sound of sandals hitting the flagstones and heaving panting alerted him. Gaizaz leapt forwards, hands reaching out and grabbing the linen tunica. Murinus yelped as he was shoved into the nearest wall, eyes wide with surprise; with fear. The mercenary pressed in close, using the breadth of his body to ensnare the young man, who thrashed against him. Gaizaz growled furiously, then pinned the actor's wrists to the tuff bricks with his large, calloused hands.

"I should have known." His voice was low and heavy with lividity. "Taking the money back to your pimp?"

Murinus's breath came in ragged gasps, his energy fleeting. He said nothing.

"I showed you kindness, and this is how you repay me?" Gaizaz bellowed, beyond enmity at this point.

Finally, the actor looked at him with those dark eyes, red with exhaustion. There was no light in them now. Murinus tilted his head closer, then spat, directly onto the other man's face. Gaizaz bared his teeth, digging his cheek into his shoulder to wipe it off, then gripped tighter, holding the other man with increasing force. If he could have driven him any further into the wall, he would have.

"You're lucky I don't break your hands, thief."

Murinus scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I'm not the thief here–"

"Watch your tongue," Gaizaz warned, his expression dangerous. Their faces were merely inches apart, hot breath mingling between them. The actor laughed bitterly.

"From the moment you entered the theatre, I knew it was you. There aren't many men in Rome that fit your description, you know." He sneered, looking the mercenary up and down with sheer disgust. "How could you steal from us like that?"

"You should be asking your leno that question," Gaizaz snapped back. "Do you have any idea how much money he's hoarding?"

Murinus went quiet for a moment, just staring blankly. Suddenly, he began to thrash around again, and the taller man pressed closer, keeping him trapped. The actor's pelvis jerked forwards, crashing roughly against Gaizaz's. At this the mercenary felt a spark ignite in his abdomen, sending a sudden wave of heat throughout his body, and it took all the self-control he had to not push back; to not grind their hips together.

"Stop!" he roared instead, keeping the young man pinned. "Just give me the money and get out of here."

Murinus let out a low grumble.

"It's on my belt," he conceded, entirely displeased.

Gaizaz gingerly let go of one wrist and reached down, quickly untying his money pouch from said belt before taking a step back, letting go of the young man entirely with a light shove. Murinus exhaled and slumped against the wall, rubbing his forearms. He glanced down, then back up at Gaizaz.

"You didn't take all of it." It was more of a question than a statement.

The mercenary pursed his lips, as he looked to the little bag that he had given to the man earlier. "I paid you, didn't I? I'm not the sort to go back on his word."

Gaizaz hesitated, then tore his eyes away from the actor and towards the ground. "I don't ever want to see you again, understood?"

Murinus chuckled harshly. "Whatever, místhie."

The mercenary gritted his teeth, then turned his back on the young man as he trudged away, mind reeling from the encounter as he navigated through the streets back to his lodging. Betrayal did not even begin to cover how he felt. Surprisingly, however, there was less anger, now that he had walked away from it. If anything, it had been replaced with pity. He knew realistically that he would never understand Murinus's situation: he had fortunately never been in that position, after all. It did not mean that the lies hurt any less. To Gaizaz the obvious solution was that this relationship, if it could be called that, had to end. So, he ended it.

But the worst part was that he was not sure if he had even meant it.

Shaking his head, he pushed the thoughts aside. He could not afford anymore distractions.

There had been the name of a buyer on that list; the next piece of his puzzle. Gaizaz wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, then secured the money pouch back onto his belt. He was not certain where to start with this next suspect, but asking around had helped him to this position in the first place, so he supposed there was no harm in trying again.

Rome may have been great, but Gaizaz's determination was greater.