The Thirteen

Pairing: Lucius+Titus

Beta:Callie Avalon

Notes: Just s ficlet that takes scene during the episode 11 of the first season, "The Spoil".

The Thirteen

Mere citizens, like those watching the fight, could never understand. They really couldn’t. What did they know about loyalty? Companionship? Nothing.

Lucius Vorenus knew better. Better than anyone actually; after all he was the captain of the thirteenth legion. And in that very moment he was watching one of his soldiers being spanked, beaten in the arena by some bastard gladiators who knew nothing about honor. The blond could feel tears prickling at the corner of his eyes as he watched the scene develop out there. And, to add to all that feeling, it wasn’t some soldier: it was Titus Pullo. His friend, brother in arms.

His lover in soul. Now, don’t get Lucius wrong. He never slept with the brunette, or fucked him for that matter; but Titus was the person that shared the same passion and beliefs he once had. That now he discovered was still there. Something truly happened in their relationship when they first participated in that mission to recover Caesar’s standard years ago. A bond that no one could understand or destroy.

If he was truthful to himself, he missed the man. Their conversations, his support of whatever he had in mind or whatever problem he was going through. No one could understand him better when he was going through a crisis with his wife, Niobe. It seemed Titus was there for all occasions, with his sarcastic humor or his depraved manners.

He wasn’t thinking when he sent Titus away, after he killed one servant. Days after he did that, with a cool head, he could think about the situation and understand the brunette’s reasons. If someone stole his wife’s heart, he would kill without mercy as well. And how he regretted his actions now, watching the situation his brother in arms was in.

“Thirteen! Thirteen!”

Lucius looked up at the arena as he heard that shout coming from Titus’s lips. He heart clenched in his chest. All around him he could hear the applause and screams from the audience as the brunette killed one gladiator after another, barely standing, without any force left. His eyes narrowed, the tears now running free down his cheeks as a very tall man entered the arena and started beating Titus.

Enough was enough. In three strides he was inside the arena. In two movements he was armed. The monster looked at him and smirked, feeling like the winner of that battle. Not in a million years would Lucius Vorenus let that happen.

The first blow almost made him fall. He got up from his knees and cut the monster’s arm, hearing the applause from the audience. Idiots. The second blow made him kiss the floor. He rolled to the right, at the same time the other’s sword came in his direction. He raised his arms, blocking the attack, suffering from the impact. The third blow was on his stomach, making his insides wrench. The fourth blow put him on his knees. Without thinking, moving with his instincts, he cut the man’s leg out. The crowd went wild. He got up, spitting blood and walked to the other, grabbing the iron bat from his hands. Lucius snarled as he plunged the bat on the other’s shoulder, all the way. The scream didn’t reach his ears; his cold blue eyes watched as the tall man fell on the ground, bleeding like a pig.

The blond wiped off the blood from his mouth, walking to the brunette lying still on the arena. He pulled him up, supporting his weight and started walking away from there.

“Pullo! Pullo!”

The crowd went crazy and was now applauding them. Fools. Lucius walked out the arena, the soldiers of Caesar opening the path to them, not daring to stop the blond man, and the cold fury still swimming in his eyes.

Lucius couldn’t tell how long he walked, until he reached the nearest hospital. As soon as he entered the place, the doctor took him and the unconscious brunette to one of the beds, laying him there.

“I’ll be right back sir. I’ll go get my medical supplies.”

The captain of the thirteenth legion nodded. As soon as he was alone with Titus, he got on his knees next to the bed, grabbing the other’s hand. His voice sounded low in the large room.

“Now, brother, don’t you dare to do this again with me, do you hear me? Or I’ll go to Hades’ frontier and torture you myself.”

The blond let all the pain and fear wash through his heart as he got up and kissed the brunette, right on his partially open lips. He sighed, feeling his body tingle from that single act, as he knew it always would. He got up, straightening his clothes, which were stained in blood.

“See you soon, brother.”

He passed by the doctor, who entered again in the room, leaving Titus alone. Lucius knew he would suffer severe punishment from Caesar, as soon as the dictator knew what happened. But strange enough, he couldn’t care less. The thirteenth legion’s bond was more important.

The thirteen would live forever.

The End