HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARCEL!~Short Story

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARCEL!~Short Story

MARCELLUS'S BACKSTORY SPOILERS BELOW!!!

The sun glistened on the Sarno River, where ships floated aimlessly while others were anchored at port. People were all about enjoying the sunny morning, not even minding sailors ordering their men to get the nets drawn so they could get to work selling their fresh scores of fish down at the market.

 Further north, crisp hills rolled from a large mountain to the crowded city to the west. The streets were bustling as people shopped, visited relatives, and even children drew on the walls of a big arch with speckles of paint that their guardians let them buy when the merchants came into town only a few days ago.

Although people were walking down one street in the center of the city, heads turned as shouts bounced off the stone walls covered in floral motifs.

"Thief!" 

"Stop him, you fools!"

A man, or more accurately, a teen dressed in a cloak, ran down the busy street, bumping into people as he ran from city guards.

"Sorry!" The teen said this as he jumped through a fountain, splashing water on an older woman who was resting.

“Es stercus!” A man yelled, helping the woman up.

"I said sorry!" The teen yelled over his shoulder; his feet burned from the hot cobblestone marked by the sun.

Need to lose the old dogs.

Looking to his right, he smiled like a lemer and ran towards the narrow alleyway, knowing full well that the guards would not be able to follow him with the bulk of armor they torture themselves with.

  Marcel held his breath as the guards ran past the alleyway, not noticing the hunched figure of the sixteen-year-old boy.

  Letting out a chuckle, he held the bag full of his precious cargo closer to his body, making sure none of it was smashed.

  Looking up at the sun, he knew he should be getting back and quickly climbed the wall of the building next to him with the help of a few boxes and overgrown vines.

  Balancing on the roof, he leapt from house to house, gracefully and practically dancing in the warm sun.

  It only took a few minutes, and knowing the city like the back of his hand made it easier to navigate even while he was on rooftops.

  Finally arriving at his destination, he easily jumped on a balcony and swung to a tree branch hanging by until his feet hit the ground.

  "At last....home." Marcel said, looking at the old torn-down villa built with tan bricks and red pine wooden decorations that hung in the front to ward off evil spirits.

  The closer he got, the more he could hear the sounds of laughter and crying from children. Through short, wide windows, if he narrowed his eyes and focused, he could see heads of hair run past.

 Marcel let out a smirk and opened the front door.

 "Mars!" A small girl squealed and threw herself into his arms, which spined her around.

"Oh, Cassia! It's been forever since I saw you!"

  "You saw me this morning, Mars!" Cassia giggled and hung onto the taller boy.

Marcel grinned. "Did I? Well, you've grown since then!"

  Cassia blushed and stood on her tiptoes. "You really think so?"

  "Well, of course."

  "Is that Marcellus?! Oh, I have a word to pick with you."

  From down the hallway a young woman appeared with black hair all the way down to the floor in a braid and the most stunning blue eyes that seemed to distract people from her dark bags that were under them.

  "Decima! It's good to see you."

"I don't want to hear it, Marcellus." Decima spoke with narrowed eyes, then turned to Cassia.

  "Little Shurb, how about you go play outside with the twins?"

  Cassia wrinkled her small button nose. "But they always want to play Terni lapilli."

  Decima frowned. "What's wrong with Terni lapilli?"

  Cassia crossed her arms. "Nothing; they just always lose the marbles, and it takes us till sundown to find them." She pouted. 

  Marcel got down on his knees and booped her nose. "How about this? You play with your brothers, and I'll get you new marbles tomorrow."

  Cassia's eyes widened. "Shiny ones?" 

Marcel nodded, the small girl's smile being infectious. "They will be as shiny as Sol's chariot."

  Cassia nodded her little head. "Deal!" The small girl ran out of the arched, cracked doorway.

Decima sighed as she rubbed at a stain on her lavender stola.

"Marcellus, what have you done this time?"

Marcel lips pressed together, knowing full well a lecture was coming.

"Please, on Astraeus's stars, do not start pestering me, Decima. 

   "Oh, shall I not, Marcellus? If the sweat on your forehead and the dirt on your feet are any indication, you have been participating in Mercury's sinful tricks." 

   "Don't pretend that his sinful tricks do not keep us from drowning." 

Decima glared. "They may keep our heads above the tide, but for how much longer? Once the guards catch you, that's it!" She slammed her hand down on the table, and Marcel was surprised her copper wedding band on her finger didn't crack. 

  Marcel's brows furrowed. "Don't you see I am doing what I must? With Octavian gone—" Decima's eyes closed as if in pain at the mention of the name. "—we are all at risk even with our union. If we don't manage to keep up with our debt, then our ruse would have been for nothing, not to mention what Rufus would do." 

  Decima looked away, and Marcel took the older girl by the shoulders, making her look him in the eye. "You are my truest friend... I am doing what is right for all of us. For the children. For you as well." 

  Marcel and Decima stared into each other's eyes for what felt like minutes. They knew everything about the other—what stalked their dreams, what pushed them to keep going—but they never judged, for they completely trusted the other.

  Decima nodded at her friend. "May Juno be with you." 

  Marcel smiled, a little bitterly. "No gods are with me."

  Before Decima could utter a sound, Marcel walked down the hall. "Cerdis is in the children's room, I'm guessing."

  Decima called back, wiping her hands on the front of her stola. "Yes, you know he has been waiting for you." 

Happiness surged through him, suppressing the fear that was slowly creeping into his mind.

Marcel smiled and opened the door to the largest room in the very small, cracked domus where they lay their heads each night.

Candles lit the room where no windows let their light in. Two dark wooden cribs were in the corner, while there was a small bed on the other side of the room, which kept two growing children resting their heads, although there was barely any room for one child, much less two.

  Although right then there was only one child, whose hair was raven and nappy, even under the covers, anyone could see the boy was small—too small. Most considered the boy to be cursed by Asclepius and wanted him put out of his misery, although Marcel knew better.

Marcel sat on the bed, making sure not to startle the sleeping figure.

  Gently, Marcel uncovered the face of the small boy to reveal sunken eyes and paste-like skin that seemed to be coated with sweat; however, there was a small smile that played on the sleeping boy's lips.

  The older boy spoke softly. "Cerdis, it is time to wake; Sol's chariot has already passed."

  Eyes slowly opened, blinking before the little boy grinned from ear to ear; his brightness could put a smile on anyone's face.

  "Mars!" A raspy voice came from Cerdis as he sat up, wrapping his small arms around the older boy.

  Marcel softly kissed the boy on the top of the head. "Ah! Finally, you wake from your slumber." He held the raven-haired boy close. "Are you feeling blessed this morning by the gods?"

Cerdis nodded his head, looking confident. "Yes, because it is my day of birth!"

 Marcel smiled. "Yes, it's not everyday that someone survives five winters."

  Cerdis frowned. "I am still not as tall as Cassia."

  The older boy laughed. "No, but maybe with the help of Juno, you will catch up." He said it, hoping that the bitterness would be kept out of his tone.

Cerdis gave him a toothy grin. "You really think so? I won't only be older than her, but taller as well!"

Ah yes, Cassia does hold her height over Cerdis very often, although it is probably due to the fact that Cerdis was the only one who questioned her when picking games. Hmm. I wonder what Cassia will do when Cerdis comes into manhood. I'm sure Cassia will find something else to hang over the poor boy's head.

Marcel patted Cerdis's head. "Well...I have you a present."

  Cerdis shook with excitement and, with almost lightning speed, reached for Marcel's satchel but with speed was snatched back. "Now, now, Cerdis, I have a few other things in here."

  Cerdis crinkled his nose, although the comment didn't make his smile waver. "I cannot wait any longer! Please Mars! What have you brought me?"

  Without a second thought, Marcel opened the bag, minding the trinkets that were valuable, however small enough that their owners would not even notice they were gone until it was too late.

  Cerdis's eyes widened as Marcel pulled something oval-shaped and quite small into his palm and wrapped it in cloth.

The raven-haired boy smelled the sweet aroma, and his mouth watered. "Is that-?" 

  Marcel uncovered the item to reveal the room-temperature sweet bun, smashed a little on one side, which made the honey sweetness drip over until the cloth was covered with the sticky substance.

"It was no trouble." Marcel once again kissed Cerdis head.

  "A maritozzi!" Cerbis, not minding the stick, grabbed the sweet treat with full hands and took a bite. Marcel tried not to cringe at the mess on the boy's face.

  But it was quite easy, with the happiness shining through. "Mmm." 

 "I see you are quite enjoying my present."

Cerdis showed his dimples through his smile, licking his fingers. "Thank you, Mars!"

Marcel smiled in a moment of weakness, asking the gods to bless his little brother with many more winters.

How would the ROS reassure an mc who's feeling insecure, thinking the ROS find her ugly while pregnant bc she is pregnant

💛 Marcel 

Marcel couldn't sit still while you felt this way. Marcel would be a mother hen, always attentive to you (almost unbearably so), so him not being able to instantly make you feel better would lay heavy on him. Although he would try his best with comforting words,

"You're the most beautiful person in the world," and "Aphrodite weeps that she can't be half as stunning as you." 

🧡 Margaret 

Oh, she would feel so guilty. She hated seeing you in pain. With tears in her eyes, she would pull you close. "Don't say that! You're amazing!" At rapid speed, she would tell you how much she adored you in every way and how lucky she was. 

❤️ Owen

Owen would scoff and pull you close to him. "Ye are bonnie lass/lad/duck. Anyone can see it, and I'm lucky that you took a chance on me." Owen would whisper kind words in your ear, his rough voice calm. "How about I show you how much I can't get enough of you?" 

💙 Rosemary 

Rosemary calmly looked at you. "How can you say that about yourself?" She made you turn around to face the mirror. "Look at you. You are carrying our whole future. There is nothing more beautiful than that." 

🩵 Tai

He would probably try to look at this from a more logical standpoint. Your body is going through changes and hormones, so of course, you feel a little out of place. Tai isn't the best with words, but he will do whatever he can to make you feel loved. Tai would have massages, candle dinners, and bubble baths. Anything and everything to make the process easier.

💚 Zane

Zane would be so awkward and confused. The blonde isn't the best with kind and gentle words, so he would feel out of his element. How could you not see how stunning you looked carrying your and his little spawn? He could barely keep his hands off you. Zane would come off as mean, but he is straight to the point. 

"Are you an idiot? Don't you see how sexy you look right now?" 

I hope you don't mind NSFW ask now. If not, feel free to just ignore this one.

After MC and their RO had some long and intense sex, MC sits up and goes "great warm up, now let's do it for real" to tease them, but if the RO doesn't notice mc was just teasing at first, how would the ROs react?

💛 Marcel

Marcel would be surprised and sit up to look at the MC, wanting to see the sincerity in the MC's eyes, which was hard in the darkened room.

"Again, my love?" Marcel shook his head, his body aching for rest. "While I admire your stamina, I am quite tired. How about I run a relaxing bath for us to enjoy together?"

Marcel would try to coax the MC into a more relaxing activity while still being able to spend time with them. Even though they can't go another round, it doesn't mean they want the night to end.

🧡 Margaret

Margaret's eyes would widen in surprise. "You can go… again? How? Is it normal for me to be so tired?" Margaret is very new to relationships, especially the sexual aspect, so she would not even question that the MC wants to go again. Although she knew her body needed rest so with an apologetic smile, she would ask if they could save it for tomorrow. 

❤️ Owen

"Are you part rabbit?" Owen asked, looking at MC with a suspicious look. 

While Owen was a little put out that he didn't completely wear the MC out, he would be turned on that the MC had a very high sex drive. 

"Give me a few minutes, and we will get right back to it." He kissed the MC, pushing the hair out of their eyes and kissing their forehead. 

"You're going to be the death of me," Owen said, kissing MC's forehead. MC was able to feel the chuckle vibrating through his chest, and he didn't sound that upset about it. 

💙 Rosemary

Rosemary would raise an eyebrow, her body melting into the bed as she pulled MC close. 

She would be the most suspicious; she was very good at her job, and for MC not to drift off to sleep was a miracle in his writing. 

"I can get behind you being so jazzed; I think I am done for the night, Dollface/Angelface/Handsome." 

Rosemary purred in the MC's ear. "But if you want to do all the work, I wouldn't mind watching." 

🩵 Tai

Tai, like always, felt the need to sleep, which called him like a siren, and for once he was able to feel his eyes close. The exhaustion of letting go now that you were with him and his mind went blank. 

But for once, he found that he was fighting to keep his eyes open, ignoring his muscles. 

"You want to go again?" Tai would look MC over, he supposed it was possible. You weren't exactly human, but to still have that energy was mind-blowing to him. 

Depending on how the MC acts, will determine how he will respond. 

Shy! MC 

Tai gives them a bewildered look before his eyes soften, and he kisses them. "You are full of surprises. How about tomorrow after some well-deserved rest." 

Flirty! MC 

Tai's eyes narrowed as he looked the MC over. "You aren't tired? How- You know what… I'm not going to even ask." Tai just pulled the MC closer. "You have worn me out. Now go to sleep so I can catch up on some well-deserved sleep. I need all the rest to put up with you." Tai whispered in your ear, there was no bite behind his comment. 

💚 Zane

LOL. I honestly find this unlikely, just because Zane prides himself on his stamina in the bedroom.

Zane's eyes widened in pure disbelief before another look crossed their faces.

Determination.

Zane wasn't going to admit that he was exhausted. There was no way in the six hells that MC was going to have more stamina than him.

With as much energy as Zane could muster, he pinned MC to the bed.

"I'm just getting started."

He would take it as a challenge, push through for another round, and then wake up late.

Now that you mentioned that the RO's have reactions to MC dating one of them... What would they think of MC dating Owen? Especially an MC that is always nice and of a sunny disposition.

I appreciate the ask! Omg, the thought of Sunny!MC × Owen is just too cute for me!!! 🥺

💛 Marcel

Marcel would be so happy for Owen. Owen is one of his dear friends, so for him to find love is heartwarming to Marcel. 

I could see Marcel watching MC, who, as always, has a sunny disposition on their face, being followed by Owen and just smiling to himself. 

🧡 Margaret

Happy but confused, MC and Owen are so different, so how do they make it work? 

But as soon as Margaret sees Owen with MC, she can tell something is different about him, and it is a good difference that she just can't help but grin. 

💙 Rosemary

Not surprised. I mean, Owen and Rosemary are close, so she would imagine that Owen would need someone to balance him out. 

She would make some sly comments about MC's sunny attitude being good for the bedroom. Who doesn't like optimism? But deep down, behind the teasing, she would be glad that Owen has found someone to fall in love with again and wishes him all the happiness. 

🩵 Tai

Tai would just shrug; it wasn't any of his business; however, he would be a little concerned about the consequences this union could have when dealing with the demonic court and their jobs as a whole. 

There are rules in place for a reason, and while Tai would never admit this out loud, he would be devastated if something happened to Owen and MC due to some feelings that were left unchecked. 

💚 Zane

As of right now? Zane couldn't care less about MC's relationship. Well, that's not true; he could use MC and Owen's feelings for each other against one another to reach his goals. 

But if/when MC forms some kind of friendship with Zane, he might make a comment like...

"You two are like strawberries and cheese. You guys shouldn't mix, but you do...." 

Had some inspiration from the ask "If your okay with spicy asks, How do you think the RO's would react to the MC giving them bedroom eyes from across a room, maybe at a meeting/ party?"

I wanted to expand a little more on Marcel's reaction, so here you go!

NSFW ⚠️ 🔞

Marcel feels his eyes on him and turns to find you looking at him with that look. That look made him completely forget about the conversation he was having with the person in front of him. 

How could he focus when you were looking at him like that?

With a smile, he politely exited and went over to you, kissing you ever so softly.

"Is there something you need?" Marcel asked, his voice light even if his eyes were full of lust. The lust in his eyes darkened when you gave him a coy smile.

"No, can't I just look at my boyfriend?" You asked too innocently, and Marcel fought the urge to take you into his arms. 

Marcel cursed a little in old Latin and softly held your hand, helping you stand. 

"I…desire you," Marcel whispered in your ear, making you gasp. The silent question was in his eyes, and you answered by pulling him up the stairs into your bedroom.

All Marcel could think about was being with you. To feel you against him. As soon as you entered your bedroom, he surged forward and kissed you deeply and sincerely. You could feel his tongue in your mouth and whispered promises of love on his breath. 

Marcel lowered you onto the bed and climbed on top of you gently. He wanted to make sure you were comfortable.

"Marcel." You whispered against his mouth, eyes closed, as you enjoyed the sensations. 

Marcel shuddered at the plea and pinned your hands above your head, ever so slowly rolling his hips into your own, making you arch your back in pleasure. Marcel wanted you to feel how desperate he was for you; your moans of pleasure only added to the fire.

Marcel's mouth moved to your ear, whispering in a tender tone. "Open your eyes, love. I want you to look into them." 

Your eyes snapped open when you felt his mouth on your earlobe, biting in a teasing manner, making you arch your back just a little. 

"Good. I'm going to leave you a reminder." Marcel smiled at you, kissing the tip of your nose. His breath against your skin was silent permission that you could only smile at. 

"I would love nothing more." You whispered. 

Marcel's eyes lit up before his mouth was moving against your jawline and down your neck, his mouth making a trail to every curve or sensitive skin that he had traveled over so many times before. 

"Please…more," you pleaded, breathless. 

Marcel's only response was a passionate kiss as his right hand traced your chest, traveling downward between your legs. 

"You're excited," Marcel whispered, amusement in his tone. 

All you could do was groan in response while Marcel's lips went back to your neck before his hands were taking off your clothes and, in a flash, his own. 

Marcel's hands wandered, making you beg for some sort of release until Marcel's mouth started going south, kissing the inside of your thigh. 

Before you could even utter some sort of plea, his mouth was on you. 

Marcel knew your body inside and out. You couldn't help but grip his hair, making Marcel moan. The vibrations against your body made you tremble as the pleasure started to build up. 

Your lover didn't stop. His attention was all on you until he felt your steady increase. Knowing you were so close, he sat back a little, making you curse as his mouth left your body until he replaced his mouth with his hand instead. 

The motion caused you to plummet over the edge until you were lying down on the number of blankets and pillows, looking up at the ceiling as Marcel tenderly took care of you, basking in the afterglow of the cool wash rag and his teasing kisses. 

"You should look at me like that more often," Marcel said, kissing your forehead as you felt your eyes close. 

How do ROs react if MC sensed that ROs have feelings for MC and says this "If your feelings are sincere, show me with a kiss"?

P.S. The MC has no intention of taking initiative.

Deep Crushing Stage: 

💛 Marcel

This would make Marcel's day. He knew you weren't going to take initiative with your feelings, but he would never want to overstep. So now that you were giving him permission to act on the feeling that had been brewing for quite a while, he wouldn't hesitate. Not when he has been dying to kiss you. So without a second throught, he pulled you close. The kiss would be certain and sincere, putting all his feelings into one blissful action. 

🧡 Margaret 

Margaret would try to stutter out a response but would fail, instead growing redder as she tried to think of something to say. She knew her feelings were sincere. They had to be! She had never felt this way about anyone before! So, with a few cautious steps, she would get closer to you before your lips touched, a shock going through her. 

❤️ Owen

Owen would stop whatever he was doing, his face going serious. He didn't like the unknown, and that's why he kept his distance from the tension growing between you and him because feelings could get messy. But he wanted this. He wanted you. And here you were putting your feelings on the table and asking if he felt the same. It was the sign that he was hoping for. 

"Glory, lass/duck/lad." 

If you were in private, he wouldn't hesitate to bring your lips to yours. However, if you were in public, he wouldn't feel comfortable with public display of affection, so he would drag you somewhere private instead to show you how sincere he is. 

💙 Rosemary 

Rosemary's eyes flicked to yours, looking so intensely at you. Rosemary is good at reading people, so she would try to sense any form of lying. She had feelings for you. And she knew that you had feelings for her. It would scared her. But something deep inside her would crack as she brought your lips to her own. 

Please don't let this be like the last time. 

🩵 Tai

Tai's brain would have stopped working. Lol. His face would be blank as he stared at you for what felt like forever. The only indication that he hadn't stopped breathing was the rose color coating his cheeks. When the anxiety started to make you apologize for even asking, Tai would pull you close, his brain finally catching up with him as he kissed you softly.

💚 Zane 

Pffff. This is complicated. It would depend on what relationship stage you are in with him. Zane is very paranoid and doesn't like to show his cards, especially if those cards are his emotions. If Zane is certain of your feelings and his own, then he will kiss you deep and hard, making you lose your breath. If he has anything other than complete certainty, then he will be a mix of anger and confusion.