All Roads Lead to Rome

Panic and Disorder

After Rome was braced against the wall, legs weak from pleasure, Antares stood. He slid a hand through Rome's hair and nuzzled his neck.

"We should send her something." he murmured. Rome turned his head towards Antares. Asked the question again with his eyes. Antares avoided it and nipped his skin. "What do you think?"
Rome let his head fall back against the wall.

"We should." he agreed pushing the concern back. "Let's move this to my desk and actually use that computer."

Antares moved and let Rome brush by him, guilt riding him. Rome settled back behind the desk and subconsciously relaxed. A place where he could control what was happening, Antares knew. The throne had been the same. Antares hated making him worry but the risk was too great.

"She strikes me as a rose kind of woman," Romulus said thoughtfully, scrolling through a florist's website. Antares shook his head, leaning over his shoulder.

"The way she dances? Nothing that common. Something unusual. Something unique that she'll know is from both of us."

"A compromise?" Romulus suggested, glancing up. "An unusual rose arrangement?"

"I could see that. A rose dipped in gold, one in silver." Antares smiled, tapping the screen. Romulus sat back with a considering look.

"And a bright blue for the center. Three of them. To symbolize us." Romulus made the order, smiled a moment before writing out the message on the card. Antares straightened. "I'll have that on a repeat every morning."

Antares laughed, the sound of it brightening the entire room as their mutual mood lifted. "That's going to drive her nuts." Romulus grinned himself. Yes, it would.

"The two of you finally found that third you've been talking about." A jovial voice preceded the clatter of hooves as another pair entered the room. Antares' smile faded and his hands dropped down onto Romulus' shoulders protectively. Romulus leaned back into them reassuringly as he greeted them with an easy smile. Pan was already in party mode and bounded over to their personal bar. The satyr hummed happily as he went through their stock, his tail swishing lazily behind him.

"Dionysos, Pan. It is good to see you. I wasn't sure you would show up, given the chaos that Olympus is still in. Pan, the top shelf is blood. The rest is fair game. How's Artemis, Dionysos?" Romulus asked.

The dark haired youthful man grew serious at the mention of his favored sister.

"She's recovering. She took a hard blow that she won't recover easily from. She hasn't left the forest since Landon and Hera took the throne. They've given her duties to another until she is ready to return."
"Who?"

Dionysos grimaced. "Apollo. Him and I haven't ever gotten along, due to that stick he keeps up his ass, so I'm to go back to my days of wandering."

"It gives you more time to tend your vineyards. Which is a good thing, given how well Remus' club and All Roads has been doing. We could use the inventory."

"You want a drink, Romulus?" Pan's husky voice came from behind the bar and Antares' hands tightened slightly.

"He's fine," Antares said with a smile. Dionysos' eyes twinkled with amusement as he looked over his shoulder at Pan. Always the provocateur.

"Can we talk privately, Pan?" Antares asked, walking over to the bar.

"This was your idea, amore," Romulus reminded him, rising to his feet. He recognized that gleam in Antares' eyes.

"Just a talk. That's all."

"Sure. We can talk. We need to go over what kind of crowd you have anyway. Backstage?"