Lucrèce stayed in bed for as long as he could. As long as anyone would let him. Hidden under the covers and his eyes closed just so he could pretend he was anywhere but where he really was. In the quiet of the slave quarters, with everyone else gone, he at least felt he had the freedom to imagine that he was home. Curled up in his own bed. One of his own dogs laying at his feet. His own books lined up on the bookshelves beside his own bedframe. And he had just woken up, before opening his eyes, letting the sunshine waft over him from the open windows. There were no expectations of him, just his own thoughts and interests all neatly organized into his own space. His own. He missed his own everything, including the safety and security he had once held close to his chest.
It wasn't long enough, though. Eventually, one of the others, the quieter one who had helped Lucrèce get ready the day before, came back into the room. He had a shirt and a pair of pants on, moving to sit down by the side.
"You have to get up," he said softly, one hand moving to rest on Lucrèce's shoulder. "I know it's… it's hard, adjusting, but we're all willing to help. It's too long, though, we have duties to attend to during the day. You… no one ever gets enough sleep, but you get used to it."
Lucrèce shrugged away from the hand on his shoulder. He just shut his eyes tighter in response, his face screwing up like he was about to cry, so he buried it into the pillow. He didn’t think he would ever get used to it. It seemed impossible. Too big of an obstacle to climb than it had right to be. “I’m not adjusting, I’m…” Lucrèce stopped mid-sentence, not even certain how to finish his own thought. “It hurts like hell.”
"It does, for the first few times," The other said softly. "Hell, it hurts every time, depending on who it is. We just have to hope the nice ones show up for a full night. It's not all… this, you know. There are a few who just want someone to talk to." The man put his hand back in his lap, looking at Lucrèce for a moment.
"I… it's easier, if you accept it," the man said, voice soft. "There's no… there's really nothing else we can do."
Lucrèce sighed heavily through his nose. He hadn’t meant physically in that moment, although it did hurt that way too. Laying still, unmoving, it felt like his entire being ached. His pride particularly, broken into pieces and scattered. “I’ll be up in a little bit,” he murmured. That was a lie. “I just need a few…I need a couple more minutes alone.”
"Are you sure?" The man moved to stand. "I can manage to get you a bit more time, but… Not long. We… we can't let the master get upset. He wants you up and working." The man moved to leave, though.
"Please. We'll both get in trouble if you aren't."
Lucrèce finally rolled over onto his other side to face the man, lips pursed, and anger building. “The master.” He spat out the word. “I don’t give a shit what he thinks.” And yet, he was already letting his bare feet gingerly hit the ground. His shoulders caved in on himself, like he was too tired to sit up straight, or he was too burnt out care. “Tell me. What kind of work are we supposed to be doing?”
The man looked around, eyes widening some as Lucrèce referred to Alcides with such disdain.
"And, it's- it's dangerous to talk like that. The master encourages snitching…" He moved to offer his hand to Lucrèce after a moment's hesitation to help him sit up.
"We usually do housework," the man explained. "But it all depends on what the master wants of you."
Lucrèce frowned again, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “I see.” Just as hesitant as the other man, he accepted the hand and used it to pull himself up. It didn’t help as much as he’d liked it to. The effort still hurt like hell. He could hardly stand on his own legs without them shaking embarrassingly. He winced, holding onto the man’s hand tighter to keep from falling over. The pain, the bruises on his gut, it was all too much.
The man didn't put his arm around Lucrèce to help him keep up as Rafael and Alcides had. Instead, they kept a secure grip on Lucrèce's hand, his other coming up to rest on his arm.
"I can help you today," He said softly. "But… I most likely won't be able to tomorrow. Do you want to go clean up first..?"
There wouldn’t be a tomorrow, Lucrèce decided, not one that the other man was thinking of. He’d have to find a way out today, but considering Leander would be of no help, the task would be immensely more difficult.
He nodded in return to the man’s question. He did want to clean himself up first. Even just laying still he couldn’t put it out of his mind that he was laying in his own filth.
The man nodded, moving to walk towards the door. He took it slow, helping Lucrèce. He'd need it, after the night with Alcides.
"The baths are this way…" He kept his eyes forward, falling silent again as they came out of the rooms. Being silent was the best way to keep out of trouble, after all. It kept one from accidentally saying the wrong thing and losing a tongue.
Lucrèce followed along in silence. He didn’t feel much like talking anyway, so the break from talking was warmly welcomed. He didn’t remember any details from the night with Alcides, the entire thing had become a blur. Pure discomfort, pain and emotions, almost indistinguishable from the fight with his brother. He couldn’t remember the details from that either, just that he hated him for not keeping him safe like he said he would. Maybe he hated Leander even more than he hated Alcides.
The other man moved with Lucrèce to the baths he can come to clean the day before.
"Do you… want to clean up on your own?" He offered, finally speaking up. He looked to Lucrèce, still holding his hand to keep him upright for the time being. He looked around once, knowing that even if they seemed alone they most likely weren't.
“Yes.” Lucrèce wrapped his arms around his torso, lightly, so he didn’t agitate his wounds. He didn’t move to start undressing. He’d left Alcides naked, he knew, but somehow he woke up dressed. A simple shirt and pants. That must have been part of the blur he couldn’t put his finger on. “Please, yes, I want to be alone.”
"I'll be just done the hall, then," The man said softly. He moved away from Lucrèce's side once he was sure the other could stand on his own, one hand rubbing slightly at his own arm. He was a jumpy, flighty man, always glancing around. He took a few steps back before turning, walking away to wait.
Lucrèce waited for the other man to be gone before he started undressing. He did so slowly, and when he was done, took several small, ginger steps into the water.
He washed himself as slowly as he had pulled off his shirt, willing his mind to go blank so he didn’t have to think of anything painful. After several minutes he was finished, then drying himself off, and redressing into his old clothing.
No one came at any point while Lucrèce was dressing, thankfully. The other man ran his fingers through his hair as he waited, just down the hall with his back to the bathroom. It reached down his back, resting against his shoulders. He didn't turn back as Lucrèce took his time, resting one shoulder against the wall.
"Are do done?" He called back, hesitant to be so loud.
“Yes, I’m done,” Lucrèce answered as he limped up to join him at the entrance of the bathroom. He leaned against the other side of the wall, across from the other man. His breath laboring like it had taken almost all his energy just to wash up and walk across the room. He wasn’t sure how he was supposed to do the house work, or any type of work for that matter, Alcides expected him to.
The man looked over, pushing off the wall to move to Lucrèce's side.
"Need some help?" He offered, voice quiet. He held his hand out to the man, looking around again. They needed to get going, to get to work, before someone reported to Alcides and they got in trouble. The man had no intention of going back to that cage again, and figured Lucrèce didn't want to so soon either.
Lucrèce looked at the man’s hand for a handful of moments before he accepted it. He held onto it tightly, and then even tighter as he shifted his weight from the wall more towards the man. “What should I call you?” He’d wondered about it before, the names of all the other slaves, but it hadn’t seemed necessary to know until now.
"I… I'm Daren," the man said softly. He moved to put his other hand on Lucrèce's arm again, helping him stay upright without forcing him to completely rely on the Daren. He looked down the hall, waiting for a moment before starting to walk. They had to go, before they got in trouble.
"We're going to be working in the house today, master doesn't want us going outside…" for obvious reason, of course.
“I’m Lucrèce,” he returned after they started walking again. With some luck, he was able to walk mostly on his own, simply using Daren’s hand for balance. He nodded, a flicker of hope rising in his chest. They wouldn’t be going outside today, but they could in the future? Maybe there would be a chance to escape.
“The man that bought me yesterday. How often does he come here?”
Daren nodded as Lucrèce introduced himself. Going outside wasn't near as escapeable as Lucrèce seemed to think it was, but he would learn that in time.
"He comes… often," Daren admitted. "He's one of the regulars. Many come and go, but he's one that we can rely on to show up often enough. He is… quite the lover, though you would already know that. I was surprised you caught his eye."
Lucrèce resisted the urge to shudder at the answer he got, so he settled to just purse his lips uncomfortably. “I see. So…I assume you’ve been with him.” Another grimace. No wonder Leander had said he couldn’t tell anyone. His father would certainly try his best to put an end to the stream of inheritance money going towards Leander’s purse, and his other brother… he wasn’t sure what Laurent would do if he knew. “I was surprised too.”
"Most have." Daren smiled, just slightly, though. He could have his own favorite customers, after all. Falling in love was forbidden, though, whether with customers or with each other. "There are many that will surprise you with just how they are."
“Oh.” Lucrèce didn’t notice Daren’s smile. He had mostly retreated back into his own head again, looking away to mull over yet even more new things about his brother. The way he was, things he was involved in he hadn’t ever let show at home. “I don’t know about that… I think they’re all awful.”
(Omgg a forbidden romance between Leander and Daren? I’d love to see it)
(Yesss)
Daren was quick to wipe the smile from his face, of course. No one could know. They could have favorites, but they were to be the highest bidders. He looked over, letting out a small breath.
"They aren't, once you get to know them. Some are… rougher, yes, but… there are plenty who are good enough to us."
Lucrèce scoffed, his nose wrinkling with disgust. It was bad enough to his family had already been involved with such a thing long before he even was forced to be a part of it. “How can we get to know them when all they want is something to get off?” He couldn’t believe, even as much as he wanted to, that some of the men he saw in the smoke saturated room just wanted someone to talk to.
"Well… some really do just want to talk. There are others who treat it more like a date night, and even most of them will give some form of aftercare. Very few just come to satisfy themselves…" Daren shrugged faintly.
"You'll see, in time."
