For Eternity II: Clandestine Preceding (Vampire! 2p! Italy x Reader)

Extra #7 - Romulus and Rema Together

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Rema stepped forward at her father's command. Lucretius presented her to the other male with a smile and a hand on her back. The young girl kept her gaze on the ground so she wouldn't be disrespectful to Romulus since he was of higher status than her. Germanicus didn't seemed content with how the meeting was going. He noticed that Romulus didn't care, or at least he didn't look like he did, about his sister's youthful appearance. Lucretius nudged his daughter forward more.

        "Romulus Vargas, this is my youngest daughter, Rema. Rema, this is Senator Vargas. He's the youngest member among us, but her banters and argues just as well as any of us older men," he said with a laugh.

Rema nodded, keeping her gaze focused on the ground still. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Senator Vargas," she greeted.

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Priscus," Romulus responded, finding her very beautiful but not expressing it.

        "Don't be so awkward you two! Shake hands!"

        The two extended their hands at the same time, and they shook hands gingerly. Lucretius smiled and placed a hand on his son's shoulder.

        "Romulus, would you excuse the two of us for a moment? Maybe keep my daughter company while I speak to my son in private?"

        The dark auburn haired male raised an eyebrow at this. "Very well."

        "Great. We'll be back shortly."

        Lucretius And Germanicus walked off, the elder whispering to the young as they did so. Romulus and Rema stood awkwardly with one another and shifted their weights from one foot to the other. A thick silence fell between them as the building was now only inhabited by them and perhaps a few other people in another section. Rema looked around, trying to still not look at him. Romulus felt sort of offended by this. Was he not attractive to her? Did she think that looking at him would cause her some sort of harm? The answers to those questions were no and yes respectively.

        She found him very handsome from what she saw. She honestly wouldn't have minded if he was one of her suitors. Then again, she really only cared if he treated her kindly. The looks would be a bonus to her. As for looking at him directly in the eyes, she was fearful of what would happen. She had seen women struck by their husbands or fathers for looking them in the eyes. This was never in her own home though. It was in the streets and in other families' homes that she witnessed these horrid actions. She knew her father would never hit her, and her brother definitely wouldn't either. She just needed to make sure her future husband wouldn't.

"So, how old are you?"

She slightly jumped from him suddenly speaking. "Fifteen," she answered.

"I'm twenty. Do you have any siblings other than your brother?"

"Yes. Two older sisters. Do you have any?"

"No. I'm an only child."

"Was it lonely growing up?"

"I suppose... I mean, I had a few cows and pigs to keep me company..."

"You had those animals?"

"I grew up on a farm, so naturally I did."

"I've never been that close to an animal before."

"Mhm... You've lived in the city your entire life then, haven't you?"

        "Yes. I've never left."