Reapers

Chapter 30: Remus isn't That Dumb

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Patton asked nervously, bunching up the end of the blue flower dress he was wearing. He was currently waiting nervously at Roman's apartment, sitting on the couch.

"Remus won't be upset," Roman told him. "And if he does get upset then I'll knock his teeth out."

"Careful, lollipop, he might take that as a challenge," Virgil warned. "And he's a better fighter than you. He has a year of experience on you."

"I should have told him sooner," Patton whined. "I wish I had. What-what about the other reaper he's usually with? Will he..."

Patton didn't need to finish the question for Virgil to understand. "No, he won't try to hurt you," he said. "I told you, the only reaper in this city that you should be wary of is the one with white hair."

"Besides, I don't think Remus would let his boyfriend hurt you," Roman added.

"Wait, boyfriend? They're dating?!"

"Oh, did Virgil not tell you?"

"I forgot," Virgil admitted. "We were talking about a lot of things."

"It's only been a year, how long have they been together?" Patton asked. "Is this reaper good for him? I swear to Life if he hurts Remus-"

"Janus is good!" Virgil promised. "They've been dating for a few months, a little bit before Remus turned into a reaper. Janus wouldn't hurt him."

"Okay good, cause I'm not sure if I would be strong enough to defeat a reaper in a fight all on my own." Patton relaxed onto the couch. "Although I've noticed he fights with a whip, and I would be able to use that to my advantage with my wind. I just hope Remus won't be upset."

"Remus wait-!" a voice behind the door shouted. Patton suddenly tensed up again and stared at the floor.

"Whee!" Remus shouted, running through the door. "What's up fu- oh Patton's here." He froze, Patton curling his hands into fists as he continued to stare at nothing in particular. Roman and Virgil stared at him before looking at each other for a moment as Janus came in.

"It's courteous to knock, knucklehead," Janus hissed. Then he saw Patton and blinked. "Oh, you have... a friend over."

"We should probably go," Remus said, uncharacteristically quiet and reserved now. "Just text us when you want to talk about whatever it is you want to talk to us about-"

"Wait, " Patton gasped out as Remus started heading for the door. Both Remus and Janus froze. "Don't leave. I... I can see you and I um..."

"I know," Remus said suddenly, but softly.

Virgil frowned at him. "You do?"

"I might be new at this reaper stuff still, but I saw how powerful Patton is. I thought I was crazy at first, seeing the slight aura around him that is usually around wind spirits, but deep down I knew I wasn't."

"Wait, what blue aura?" Roman asked.

"You can't see it, only reapers and other spirits can," Virgil explained. "I thought I told you this already?"

"Probably, I probably just forgot it."

"I'm sorry," Patton said, whimpering slightly as tears started to blur his vision. He crossed the veil, but instead of his hair being blue with white clouds, it was gray and cloudy like the sky right before a storm. "I-I wanted to tell you, I was going to at the funeral but-but I got so scared."

"You were at the funeral?!" Roman shouted at Remus. Virgil elbowed and shushed him.

It's okay," Remus told him, sitting down next to him and wrapping him in a hug as Patton cried into his shoulder. "I know, I'm not mad. You're still my friend, and I'm glad we're finally talking again."