Title: Solace

Fandom: Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

Genre: Angst/Romance

Pairing: Brutus/Antony

Summary: Written before I knew Antony is a jerk. Caesar's dearest friends mourn his friends offstage.

"Antonius..." Brutus murmured, wiping Caesar's blood from his hands. "Speak plainly for me."

"On what, my...my friend?" Antony leant against the doorframe. The word felt strange on his tongue; after all, Caesar was dead at Brutus' hand.

"What I have done. Wouldst thou damn me?" Brutus turned to him, eyes full of fear.

"For thy loyalty to thy country?" Antony tried to rationalize it that way, but he was not sure if it could be truth.

"For the murder of Caesar! I hast spilt his blood!"

Antony stepped, hesitantly, over to him. He placed his hands on Brutus' shoulders. "If I could hate thee, then I would. I knowst not thy true reason to slay our friend, but I surmise that, should your claim'd reason be truth, thou knowst Caesar better than I. Thou art moved not to rage and anger eas'ly, Marcus Brutus; truly thou wert deeply moved by his own actions."

The conspirator laughed mirthlessly. "'Twas not Caesar that did move me. 'Twas Cassius, the dog that he hath proved to be. I committed murder for no more than the slipp'ry words he graved upon my heart! Julius died for no crime committed, only for a fear of such a crime!" Brutus' face and voice were twisted with pain and regret; his eyes would have made a Harpy weep. "I know, Antonius, that thy heart shalt turn from me, and I'll bear no greater shame than that, gentle, sweet Antony. Rather I die here, should thy passion dictate it so. Thy love hath died! Would that Caesar liveth still, and I a servile bondsman, as his kingship would provide; yea, that life I did destroy in Caesar should be thrusted hard upon me! 'Twould be less hurt than this!"

"Brutus...I wish to hate thee, and would, should Venus 'llow her veil pierced by Mars' vengeful lance. Alas for Rome that he remaineth so restrained by her!" Antony caressed Brutus' face. "Come, speak no more of death and condemnation. Solace me, Brutus, in other ways."

And so he did.

~end~

Author's Note: Inspired by, of all things, Antony running around naked on the feast of Lupercal.