When In Rome #ONC 2020 [COMPLETED]

9. In Vino Veritas - In wine lies the truth

As soon as Zach opened the door, the warm aroma of freshly baked bread laced with the savory punch of grilled meat greeted him. His stomach answered the call with a low rumble, and in his mouth, he could almost taste the aromas. Following the scent brought Zach to the end of the alcoves. The three chaise lounges were brought jointly around the low square table, filled with a pitcher for wine, several cups, ceramic plates of figs, grapes, pears, plums, dates, cherries, and peaches sprawled out around it. On a separate table, the sweet grilled meats, glancing in their honey-coated skins, formed the center of the feast.

"You're back," Liv rejoiced, walking in with a plate in each hand. She placed the bow filled with flatbread down, a slice of stuffed pork sausage rolling onto the table. Before she could catch it, Zach had snapped it up, stuffing the spiced meat in his mouth, "this is delicious! Did you make all of this?"

"I had a little help," Liv chuckled.

"Zach! Good to see you," Rachel entered the room before Zach could begin to question the identity of the helper. Balancing a sweet-wine cake in one hand, the blonde leaned on his shoulder to greet him in the Italian manner. "Damn, have you been working out, Zach?" she asked, squeezing his sore arms. 

"Cutting firewood can be considered a work-out, I guess," he remarked shyly, glancing back to Liv, who was already walking towards the front door. 

"Oh, I invited Amar and his friend to join us. It wouldn't be much of a banquet with just us three, right?" Rachel mused. 

"Who is his friend?"

"Lorenzo," Liv cheered across the atrium as a tall, raven-haired adonis kissed her on both cheeks. Amar stood beside them, waiting patiently before handing Liv a large basket filled to the brim with meat and cheeses of all shapes and sizes. The delighted smile that appeared on Liv's face the moment she spotted the basket shone brighter than the sun, and Zach felt a pinch of jealousy when he spotted the adonis's hand laying lazily on Liv's shoulder as the trio walked towards him. 

"This is such a coincidence," Rachel mentioned to Amar, pulling towards a lounge. "We just met your friend in the Porticus of Livia this afternoon."

"I must apologize for my phrasing. Mr. Moretti insisted on accompanying me." Amar explained. The room fell eerily silent as all turned to Lorenzo with a questioning gaze. 

"Stop calling me Mr. Moretti, Amar. It makes me feel nearly as old as my uncle." Lorenzo laughed.

Zach could feel the hairs on his neck, standing up, "are you Mr. Moretti's nephew?"

"Yes, you must be Zachariah." Lorenzo shook his hand firmly, his green eyes sizing up the man in the cream toga before him. "I always thought Americans were a lot bigger."

Zach wanted to reply with something witty. A snarky remark that would put this adonis back in his place, but all he could muster was a crooked smile while he swallowed his pride. Liv handed everyone a cup of dark-colored wine, starting the banquet with a prayer in the name of Bacchus. The wine was as potent as the tension in the air, but the edge was taken off by the nutty bread, savory sausage, and abundance of sweet delights. With each sip, stories of the past were told more vividly, and by the time the second pitcher was broad in, everyone had made themselves comfortable on the lounges.

The second wine was a gold-colored mulsum, very soft and rich and beautiful, making the frescos on the walls dance more wildly, wich each sip you took. Suddenly, Lorenzo pulled something from behind his lounge. The wooden block with two curved arms, holding seven strings firmly in place. "What is this?"

"That's a cithara. I thought a Roman would know that." Zach snorted, taking another swig from his wine. 

Lorenzo's eyes narrowed as he huffed back, "only an ancient Roman would play this."

Chugging down the remainder of his wine Zach stumbled past the table to snatch the cithara out of Lorenzo's hands. Strumming his fingers across the taught strings, he struck a mellow tune. Entrancing everyone in the room, the melody flowed with a glissando into a bright and warm timbre. "Where did you learn that?" Liv gasped in awe.

"I played harp when I was little. The technique is very similar." Zach explained as he continued to glide towards the center of the strings, allowing the music to echo throughout the room, ignoring the condescending huff of the adonis staring him down. For just a moment, just music played center stage until a booming voice sang slurringly over the melody. 

"E oltre a ciò era quella che meglio sapeva sonare il cembalo e cantare L'acqua corre la borrana," twirling around the room, Lorenzo ushered Liv to join him in his drunken dance, "e menare la ridda e il ballonchio!" 

Before long, Rachel had joined the dance as well, and even Amar was clapping along from his lounge. Zach wove the melody through it all, trying not to note the way Lorenzo's hands brushed against Liv's waist or the way his eyes followed every move of her body. He waited for Liv to say something, but she does not. Something in Zach snapped, and he threw the cithara down onto the furs. The realization hit him like a slap across the face when all eyes turned instantly towards him. "It is late," Zach stumbled.

For what felt like forever, it stayed silent until Liv finally picked up on his hint. "Yes, we best call it a night." 

Goodbyes were said quickly, and after Liv closed the door, she turned to face Zach, moonlight sparkling in her eyes. "How should I thank my god of music for this wonderful evening?" Her voice had the lilt he knew so well - her words soft with the cheeky smile that already played on her face. With her chaste kiss came electric tingles, the desire to play. "Catch me if you can," she whispered before disappearing into the darkness behind the column row. 

Zach breathed a sigh of relief. He shouldn't be jealous; he had nothing to worry about. It didn't matter if he didn't trust that adonis, because he trusted Liv. He only needed to trust her.

Under cover of darkness, Zach came into the bedroom. The burning candles revealed Liv sprawled out underneath the covers of the bed. "Found you," he chuckled.

"Well, that wasn't so hard, now was it?" Liv smirked, sitting up in the middle of the bed. Zach paused and stared at her breathlessly. Her clothes scattered on the floor, and she crawled up to him as he stood at the edge of the bed. Lowering down, he tried to kiss her.

"No. Not yet." She teased, pulling his tunic over his head and pushing him hard onto the bed. Zach sunk into the mattress as Liv gracefully fell beside him, pushing him back before he could sit up.

"Olivia-" her lips cut him off with a kiss, while his hands weave into her ginger locks. She pulled back, gently grabbing his hands and placing them above his head. "No touching," she whispered into his ear.

Zach sulked, "That's not fair." Another kiss shuts his sulking. It was slow, almost careful, as her kisses moved from his lips to his jawline, neck down to his collarbone. Liv wanted to enjoy the process, but more importantly, she wanted Zach to enjoy it. Placing feather-light kisses across his chest, she caught the way his breath hitched, and his hands struggled to stay down.

"Olivia," Zach moaned. Liv could hear the desperation in his voice; it took all his willpower not to touch her right now. She sat up, straddling him while she gently placed his hands on her hips. Brushing his tousled hair back, she leaned down and whispered in his ear, "your turn."

Total word count: 12.901

A/N: The first cracks are showing in the relationship. Honestly, I don't get why getting into a relationship is often the end of a story when maintaining a relationship is often so much harder, and interesting, in my opinion. 

What do you guys think? Do you like to read about people who are in a relationship or people who are getting into a relationship?