“The judge declares”, Idris purred into the cushions at long last, “that you were up to it, and very much so.” Sextus chuckled huskily and stretched out on his lover’s back, deliciously pinning him down with his own weight. Their moves were slower now, satiated and languid, but still – the sparks were aglow, only waiting to be rekindled, as the goose bumps showed that erupted on the Silure’s skin as Sextus traced a finger along an outstretched arm, until their fingers found and entwined. This reaction didn’t escape the Roman. Idris smiled with his eyes half closed. “I’d never thought I’d find myself naked in a woman’s peristyle in broad daylight”, he mused lazily, “with my lover on top of me for good measure.” Again Sextus chuckled. “Don’t tell me you didn’t like it.” A slow, meaningful smile spread across the Silure’s face that was answer enough.

The Roman slid off his lover’s body and stretched out at his side. “Why did you make your break today?” Idris asked after a while. “I take it that you won’t return to Green Acres as long as Aricia is there.” Sextus considered for a moment. “I heard Messalina was back to Pompeii. She’s a close friend of mine, and if anybody’s able to cope with Aricia, it’s Messalina. Aricia won’t dare doing anything as long Messalina’s around, you know. And no, I won’t return to Green Acres until I’m the true Master of the House again. It was as if she’d turned me into a gallus.” Sextus shuddered and Idris held him tight for a moment. “That wasn’t my impression”, the Silure whispered gently, “not at all.” The Roman chuckled and teasingly gnawed at Idris’ ear. “You well know what I mean.” For a while they simply lay side by side, luxuriating in each other’s presence, ever so often exchanging small caresses like fluttering butterflies intoxicated by the sun.

Eventually they disentangled at sat up, skimming though the remains of the earlier meal. “Don’t eat too much”, Sextus smiled as Idris hungrily reached for a fig. “Messalina’s dinners are legend; the slaves regularly bend under the weight of all the delicacies offered.” Idris stopped in mid-bite, a regretful expression in his eyes. “What’s wrong?” Sextus wiped the sweet juice off his lover’s chin with his thumb and licked it clean. The Silure swallowed and put the fig aside. “Sextus, I can’t stay for dinner. I know, I told Messalina I'd stay.” He offered a wry smile. “I didn’t want her to feel bad after she’s so graciously given us time for ourselves.” Sextus looked as dismayed at Idris. “I can’t stay”, Idris repeated with a sigh. “I’m hired to do a job tonight. Well, not strictly a job …” he added as he saw the expression on his lover’s face. “Felix has been invited to a posh party at a friend of his father’s, a thoroughly boring affair. He also thought that a more respectable appearance might gain him new clients, clients with heavier purses, so Hylas and I will accompany him as his slaves.”

The slave-dealer inside Sextus choked on his wine at the very idea. The Silure grinned and amiably slapped his lover’s back several times until the coughing fit was over. “You what?” the Roman finally croaked. Idris shrugged evasively, refilled the cup and offered it to his lover. “It doesn’t matter, does it? Well, there’s more to it. You know that I’m training Hylas, and we figured it’s time for him to practise his skills outside of Felix’s or my apartment. In short, we’re going to snoop around – and since we’re going to be mere slaves, it would be up to Felix to punish us if something goes awry.” Sextus still wasn’t convinced of the merits this approach offered. Idris winked and added “If everything goes wrong big time, I rely on you to buy us back at the slave market.” Sextus slowly turned to face him, his body suddenly on fire; he put the cup aside and without warning pushed Idris back into the cushions with one swift move. The Silure hit the cushions, grinning as he saw the peculiar expression on the Roman’s face as he loomed over him. “What makes you so sure I’d buy you back?” “That look in your eyes just now”, Idris whispered, and his entire body shivered as the Roman lowered his weight down upon him.