SKIN LIKE STONE [2]

3

The lack of blood was overtaking Roman.
Every breath felt like sandpaper, and the corners of his eyes were dark.
"Remember the last time you were like this?"
Damon sat down in front of his weary brother.
"What's today Damon? Will it be childhood memories filled with love? The pain of being cut open?"
Roman breathily chuckled.
"Not quite."

"You useless good for nothing-"
Eight year old Roman screamed out as his fathers foot flew into his ribs again.
"I ask you for one simple thing and you fail to do it!"
His father raged hitting him harder.
"I'm sorry Papa!"
Roman cried, his blue eyes seeping with tears.
"Sorry doesn't cut it!"
Giuseppe screamed stomping on his son.
"Stop it! Stop it!"
Damon rushed into the room.
Roman was pressed against the wall, their father standing over him.
Giuseppe turned to Damon angrily, the boy's both thought the worst as they held their breaths.
"Please don't hurt him Papa."
Roman cried hugging his knees as Giuseppe turned away from Damon.
The man spit at his youngest son then stumbled out of the room without a second glance.
"Roman, oh my god Ro."
Damon was instantly by his side looking him over.
"I'll see for a doctor as soon as-"
"No I'm okay."
"Roman-"
"I promise Damon I'm okay."
Roman wiped his tears, careful of the bruises forming.
Damon sighed brushing his brother's small curls out of his face.
Damon softly wiped the stray tears away from his baby brother's face.
Damon so desperately wanted to go find his father and beat him as he had Roman.
"What happened Roman?"
Roman peered up at Damon, their identical blue eyes meeting each other's.
"He was gonna hurt Stefan."
Roman told his brother softly, Damon's hands still resting on his shoulders.
"What?"
"Stefan accidentally let one of the horses out. Papa came into our room and he was screaming and he asked which of us did it."
"And you said it was you?"
Damon rose an eyebrow as Roman pursed his lips and nodded.
"I didn't want Papa to hurt Stefan."
Damon felt rage burning in his stomach when he heard that.
Giuseppe should be teaching the twins, not beating them.
"That man Roman-"
Damon took a breath trying to calm his anger.
"That is not your father. That is Giuseppe."

"My image was shattered after that."
Roman grinned.
"He should have never put his hands on any of us."
Damon said icily, the topic of his father making the anger from all those years ago resurface.
All three brothers knew Damon was more of a parent to the twins then anyone.
Hell Roman saw Katherine Pierce as more of a mom then Lillian Salvatore.
"Oh but he did, I wish I could've been there to watch Stefan tear him apart."
Roman meant it from his heart when he said he wished he could've seen the light leave his fathers eyes.
"He deserved it."
Damon agreed with a short nod.
"Damon,"
Alaric walked into the cellar hesitantly, both Salvatore's looking to him quickly.
"Elena's upstairs, she needs you."
Damon sighed glancing at Roman.
The twin smirked back as Damon got up and left.
"Hello Ric."
Roman smirked.
"Did you ever think about me?"
Ric asked narrowing his eyes.
"When you left for Klaus?"
The teacher spit the name like it burned him.
"You should've asked me to stay-"
"How could I? You were raging, I lost your trust! You wouldn't have even stayed if I asked you, would you?"
Ric's outburst of anger made Roman force a chuckle, ignoring whatever he felt in his chest.
"I guess you'll never know lover boy."
Roman smirked as Alaric glared storming out of the cellar.
Roman was left alone to brood, his body aching and his throat dry.
Roman wondered if it's how the Mikaelson siblings felt inside their coffins.
With that thought an eerily quiet chuckle escaped Roman as his eyes forced themselves shut with exhaustion.