Originally posted August 3, 2007.

Author: celandineb
Theme/kink: AU
Warnings: pretty mild; see under the cut
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~2900
Compliant to: er, nothing really, given the nature of the AU



Title: Rumors
Pairing: Severus/Remus
Warnings: infidelity (sort of) and hints at a scar fetish
Summary: In imperial Rome, rumor can alter much. Remus tries to persuade Severus to support the extension of citizenship.
Notes: Romans of good family had three or four names: praenomen, nomen gentile, cognomen, and (sometimes) agnomen. In doing a bit of research for the names, I discovered that although "Lucius" is a praenomen, the other familiar names are all cognomens; therefore to be consistent, everyone here is referred to by his cognomen or agnomen, which were often used as nicknames. *coughs* Anyway. The general political situation was more or less as described at about the end of the second century, but I'm certainly not claiming total historical accuracy.

Rumors

Severus was still relaxed from the skilled ministrations of the bath slave when he went to the Forum, intending to walk about, exchange the latest political rumors, perhaps make an offering at one of the temple shrines; Apollo was always a useful god to have on one's side.

The news from the northern borders was gloomy as usual – another barbarian tribe threatening – but Severus was not concerned for himself. His patron, Lucius Cornelius Sulla Mallus, had few interests in Gaul, since most of his estates were either in Africa or in Italy itself, plus a mine in Near Spain. Severus was lucky to have secured a position as client to a man of such distinguished family, so that he had no worries about his support.

After a time, he went to his favorite tavern, in an alley just off the Forum itself, and ordered wine. The Senate was meeting and so he would likely not see Mallus today. Perhaps in the evening he would be summoned to discuss the events of the day.

"Excuse me. Are you Spurius Asinius Severus?"

The voice was unfamiliar, and Severus merely nodded without looking at the speaker. He was used to having men ask him for his help in getting them to meet Mallus and ask him for favors, and it didn't do to be overly friendly.

"I believe your patron and mine are cousins then." The man had stepped up to the counter beside Severus. He appeared an unlikely person to rate patronage from one of the Cornelii; although the material of his toga had been fine once, it was now well-worn, and on the whole he gave off a shabby air.

"Marcellus Furius Remus, client of Titus Cornelius Nigellus Sirius." The man, Remus, bowed his head slightly.

That explained it. Severus knew who Sirius was; scion of an old and respected family indeed, and yes, cousin to Severus's own patron, but unlike the latter, Sirius was not yet the head of his own household. Sirius' father retained the role of paterfamilias in that branch of the clan, whereas Mallus had inherited several years ago and was his own master.

Severus inclined his head in return. "Why are you looking for me?"

"I've heard that you're acquainted with some of our most important political figures, and their philosophies of rule. I wished to discuss with you the emperor's idea of extending citizenship."

"It shouldn't happen," snapped Severus. "Open the rank of citizen to all and sundry, and people will cease to value it. He's only suggesting it to increase tax revenues."

Remus blinked at his vehemence, then had the effrontery to say, "I would have thought you would be in favor of the proposal, given your own circumstances."

Severus scowled. He was not himself a Roman citizen, that was true; it was only Mallus' patronage that enabled him to maintain the social position he presently held, but that was beside the point. It was the principle of the thing that mattered.

"Why should I favor it?" he rasped, and picked up his wine cup to take a drink. "Already there are far too many citizens on the dole, crowding the streets and the Forum and the public baths. Extend citizenship further, and all that will happen is that greater and greater numbers will flock to the city, expecting that to bring them a living. Deluded fools."

"Is that your own idea, or do you merely parrot your master?" Remus asked.

"I am quite capable of having my own thoughts, but yes, that is Mallus' position," said Severus through gritted teeth. "And I hardly see what interest it is of yours. If your Sirius is fool enough to wish to overturn the order of society that sustains his accustomed lifestyle, he will greatly regret it in the end, and I would imagine you would as well."

The other man stood his ground. "Have you no interest in being able to speak your own mind, regardless of Mallus' wishes, if you should disagree sometime? Not to be at his beck and call? You are aware that rumor names you his catamite, not merely his client?"

Severus' face went hot, but he schooled his expression to impassivity and hoped that the dim light inside the tavern would prevent Remus from noticing his flush. "Idle tongues will always spread malicious gossip," he hissed, "and I have heard more than enough of it from you." He slammed down his not quite empty cup and stalked out, leaving Remus staring after him.

Not three days later, however, he encountered Remus again at the same tavern. The wretched man must have been waiting for him.

"I've been thinking," Remus said without further preamble, "that from the way you reacted, you probably are."

"Are what?" Severus asked, before he recalled the last thing Remus had said on the earlier occasion.

"His catamite. It doesn't bother me," said Remus calmly. "I'm in very much the same position myself, except that my lover doesn't hold as much power as yours."

Severus had been aware of that. As soon as he had left after their previous encounter, he had inquired as to what gossip had to say about Remus – always wise to learn what one could, and he had hitherto neglected to pay due attention to either the Nigellus branch of the Cornelii or to the minor Furii – and discovered that it was even more lurid than the tales that circulated about himself.

One man had insisted that he had heard that Sirius was sufficiently perverse as to have had his lover engage in unnatural acts with animals for his own entertainment. Severus discounted such exaggerated stories, but he wondered what Remus' true motives were in seeking him out. Surely he didn't expect his own patron to achieve any political position of note, not with such scandalous rumor attached to him... perhaps he wished to change allegiances? The quickest way to learn was to ask.

"What do you want of me?" Severus asked finally. It seemed best to find out; then he could deal with the fellow and bring an end to it.

Remus gave him a bright stare. "I would like to persuade you to reconsider your ideas about Roman citizenship, and convince you to persuade Lucius likewise. As well as that, however," he hurried on as Severus opened his mouth to reject the idea out of hand, "I would –" Remus glanced about and lowered his voice, "I would quite like to have you fuck me."

Severus nearly choked on his wine. "What?" he managed to ask once he had stopped coughing. This was scarcely the sort of place in which such propositions were regularly made. There were far too many ears to overhear, and tongues to carry tales. The baths were more discreet, or one could always send a slave with a message.

"I want to know if you're as talented as rumor would suggest. Everyone knows that before Mallus took you up, you were under the protection of someone else: old Albus." Remus' eyes gleamed oddly yellow in the dim light. "I know him, too. The best of men; for him to have been exiled so is a disgrace to us all."

Hearing Albus' name brought back a flood of memories, the clearest of which made Severus want to weep for what he had once had. Canus Claudius Melissus Albus... He lost track of what Remus was saying, and almost whimpered when Remus touched his wrist.

"I have my own rooms. We could go there," Remus offered. Severus found himself nodding and following Remus home without being entirely certain why he'd agreed.

"They say in the Forum that it is you who are the tongue behind your present master's speeches." Remus reclined on one of the couches in the room, looking up at Severus. He waved a lazy hand. "Please, sit down."

Severus took the couch opposite, arranging his garments carefully around him. "Do they?"

"You must know they do. Is it true, that's the real question."

It was, but it was scarcely politic to say so. Old Albus had taught him all the skills of rhetoric: how to set up a line of reasoning, how to choose points that would sway his audience, how to undercut his opponents without appearing to do so. There were few better than he, and Severus knew it, but it was knowledge wasted. He had no voice in the Senate, nor even the voice of a plebeian citizen. All he could do was to turn his skill to his master's use, and accept the rewards that master chose to give him.

"Well?" Remus was staring at him. "Mallus used to be a nonentity, as much as one of the Cornelii could be, yet since your association with him, he's been dazzling Rome with his speeches. You can't possibly deny that there must be some connection."

Severus contented himself with a swift sharp shake of his head. Asked so directly, he refused to lie, but he need give no details.

"And to succeed in composing such effective speeches, you must discuss all manner of political issues with Mallus as well as others, must you not? If you have that opportunity, perhaps you could persuade him to change his mind on certain matters."

"Such as the question of citizenship? Why would I want to change his mind on that? I agree with him about it, and am happy to put my words in his service for that cause."

Remus blinked at him. "So you said before, that you were against the emperor's proposal, and yet you were taught by Albus. I don't understand. He firmly supports the extension of citizenship to all."

"You may, perhaps, have noticed that Albus is no longer my patron. That connection ended well before his exile. I assure you, I chose to give my loyalty and service to Mallus of my own free will. I fully support what he is doing, and what he stands for: the old ways, for which time has proved their worth." Severus glared defiantly.

Remus sighed and seemed about to speak again, but instead he sat up and moved to Severus' couch. Severus tensed as the other man pressed close to him.

"I find your ideas mistaken," said Remus, "but there's something compelling about your passion for them." He lifted his hand to Severus' cheek, stroking one fingertip along the line of Severus' jaw. "If you accept Mallus' ideas, if you take them into yourself, tell me. Is there room for any other thoughts, other ambitions or desires there? Or perhaps," Remus' smile was far from innocent, "you would appreciate the chance to put yourself into someone else, as I suggested earlier?"

Severus could smell the fragrance of the oils on Remus' skin, the ointments used only in the finest bath houses, rich and expensive, and he swallowed. Remus' clothes might be shabby, but perhaps that was only because he did not care about such things. His rooms were well-appointed, private...

"You may take me if you like." Remus tugged at the folds of his toga. "Neither Sirius nor Mallus ever need know."

Without his conscious wish, Severus realized, his cock had grown hard, and Remus must have guessed it would happen, for he put his hand unhesitatingly over the bulge at Severus' groin.

"Don't you want to?" he whispered. "They say more of you than that you write Mallus' speeches for him and do his bidding. The bath attendants say that you might rival Priapus himself."

The offer was tempting. Albus had permitted it, occasionally, but Mallus never did, taking Severus as he wished, whenever he wished. If Severus wanted to fuck someone, Mallus said, he was welcome to go to the prostitutes' quarter, but to him Severus would always be submissive. Being offered a chance to do this to someone whose status was more or less the same as his own was an alluring thought, and as Remus palmed him through the fabric, Severus jerked his hips to get more.

"Yes," he hissed. "Yes, I want to take you."

In an instant Remus' mouth was on his, kissing him greedily, rubbing up against him like a bitch in heat. Severus returned the heated kisses with ever-increasing desire and rolled them both over to pin Remus underneath him.

Where was... there, he saw the small jar that must hold the ointment he needed, on the floor near the head of the couch. He reached for it. Yanking his toga away, heedless of the fine cloth, he watched Remus doing the same, both of them overwhelmed by a lust that he'd never expected to feel again.

Remus' body was scarred, but not with the familiar scars of a whip; they looked more as if he had been clawed or bitten. Severus touched one, curiously, and Remus winced. "I'm sorry," Severus said, the mood broken for a moment. "I didn't intend..."

"No, they don't hurt any more." Remus took a breath. "My family traveled across southern Gaul when I was a child. One night I wandered off and a wolf attacked me. I nearly died."

"Oh." Severus stroked along the scars again, feeling the variations – some smooth, some knotted and puckered. One scar bisected Remus' left nipple. As Severus' fingers brushed over it, Remus gasped, thrusting his hips up. Severus bent, laving the pink flesh with his tongue, until Remus was squirming and panting, his cock pushing against Severus' thigh.

"Son of Venus, don't tease so," he said hoarsely. He raised one leg, grasping his knee to hold it there. "Just take me."

Severus unstoppered the jar, sniffing at the contents before he dipped his fingers into the slick ointment. It was cool on his prick at first, but warmed quickly. When he began to apply it to Remus' tight arsehole, the other man whimpered, moving to get Severus' fingers deeper inside.

"Don't get enough from Sirius?" Severus murmured as he obliged, before recalling that he'd heard that Remus' patron was out of the city at present.

"He's been sent... off to Africa... by his father. Family estate there... near Carthage. Won't be back... several months." Remus moaned. "Oh – just there – !"

Seeing Remus twist underneath him, Severus caught his breath. Not handsome, Remus, but so responsive... he wondered why Sirius hadn't taken Remus along. Perhaps his father had forbidden it?

He pulled his hand away, replacing it with the head of his prick, and shivered as he began to press into the tight slick channel. A whore would let him do this, yes, but it was different with an equal. Remus' eyes were bright and he reached for Severus' hand, pulling it to his cock.

Severus let Remus set whatever stroke he liked there, concentrating instead on the feel of Remus' arse clenching around him each time he thrust. It was a counterfeit of the passion he'd once had, he knew that, but the echo of that emotion had faded less with time than he had thought.

Under his hand Remus bucked and quivered. Severus relinquished his cock and began to caress his bollocks instead, fondling the loose skin, brushing across the lightly furred space behind. Remus moaned as Severus shifted the angle of his stroke; Severus could see him rubbing himself faster, harder.

"Yes – that's right – oh, fuck, fuck," Remus babbled, writhing against Severus' hand and prick. "Don't stop, don't, Severus!"

"Won't," promised Severus, allowing himself to pound more vigorously into the willing body beneath him. Sweat beaded at his temples and trickled down his chest, tickling. Remus' face was flushed, his head thrown back – surely he must be on the point of orgasm?

He was. The grunt he gave as he came was nearly a howl, his arsehole tightening around Severus till it was almost painful. Semen spurted, splashing his chest, the couch, even onto the floor, the sharp musky scent filling Severus' nostrils.

Severus couldn't stop; he moved, gasping, almost choking in his effort, Remus' leg curling around his buttocks, pulling him closer, his bollocks slapping – with a last groan he felt himself reach the pinnacle of sensation, his whole body seeming to melt as he spent with a rush deep inside Remus' body.

He managed to avoid collapsing altogether, catching himself to sink to the couch behind Remus, still conjoined. With a certain hesitation, he put an arm around the other man.

"Mm." Remus turned his head as far as he could. "Rumor was correct. Mallus may be your patron here in Rome, but Priapus must be the god who watches over you."

Snorting, Severus said, "Scarcely."

"Nevertheless." Remus smiled, those peculiar amber-colored eyes gleaming. "It would be my pleasure to have another such afternoon, soon. I would like to exchange stories of old Albus – if you're willing, of course. And perhaps I can persuade you to reconsider your ideas about citizenship. I would very much like to try?"

If Remus thought he could change Severus' mind, he would find he was mistaken... but the reverse might well be true. And if Severus could, through him, eventually bring the black sheep Sirius back into the family fold – well, Mallus' gratitude might extend quite far indeed. Even to make the attempt would be worthwhile.

"Agreed." Severus shifted, his softened cock slipping wetly out of Remus' arse. "But let us keep lady Rumor from learning too much, too soon."