A Home for Lost Boys

~Eleven~

{Possible trigger warnings: some swearing, Pietos hanging around again (they mean well I swear they're just pretty much a cryptid), some fistfighting

If I miss something, I apologize and please let me know}

In an attempt to prolong the inevitable, Roman took to hiding himself away from the main parts of the Sanctuary. He spent hours wandering the more overgrown paths, meeting local cryptid-like creatures.

He also made a new friend. Because he was out of the sunlight, Pietos often elected to join him. The Necromancer was interesting, and Roman quickly found he enjoyed learning about the elusive species.

Necromancers were sort of a b*st*rd breed, as it were. They weren't born in the normal way. Pietos had explained how it worked, but it still didn't really make sense to Roman.

He knew now that Necromancers were usually neither male nor female (though there were some who felt more comfortable when gendered), and that they formed a companion mere hours after they were formed. He also had learned that Nemo liking him said a lot about Pietos, because a companion rarely left their maker.

Roman stopped at the Necromancer's hut, crouching and letting Nemo run down his arm.

"You are... nice." Pietos said slowly, looking at their hands. "Thank you."

"Y'know, everyone here likes you." Roman told him with a smile. "I don't think I've ever heard a bad word about you."

Pietos blinked at him, looking quietly surprised. Or, as surprised as their face would let them look.

"Thank you." They said again after a moment. "You're good... the other one is not."

Roman, about to turn away, froze. "The... other one?" 

"The one who smells like you... but bad...."

"JJ." He muttered through gritted teeth. 

"He tries to be nice. I can tell he is not."

"Yeah, he's not. Good call on that one... has he been around here?" Roman frowned.

Pietos shrugged. "A few times."

Sh*t. Roman watched as Pietos went back into their hut. He frowned for a moment, then spun around and began to jog back to the more populated parts of the Sanctuary.

"Hey, I need to blow off steam." Virgil stopped him. "Follow me."

"What?"

"Just follow, Garrat."

Roman frowned, but backtracked with the White Court.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see." Virgil shrugged.

Roman stopped, crossing his arms. "Virgil, I'm not in the mood to deal with this sh*t. I'm pissed off again and I don't want to deal with you if you're just going to be annoying-"

"What's pissing you off?"

"You don't care."

Virgil raised his eyebrows. "That's never stopped you before."

Roman just glared at him, and after a minute the White Court rolled his eyes.

"There's a place we can fight for real and I figured you'd need a place like that right now."

Okay, yeah. Roman was immediately interested in that. Virgil shot him a knowing smirk and turned, following the path.

They walked in silence after that, until Roman began to hear what sounded like the sounds of punches connecting in the distance. He could feel the nervous energy that had been pent up in his chest since the day he got here bubbling, roaring to be let out.

The first person he saw (which surprised him a little) was Logan. The dragonshifter dropped under a solid right from a dryad and kicked her feet out from under her.

"He's quick on his feet, so keep that in mind." Virgil commented quietly.

"What is this?" Roman looked around. "This is allowed?"

"O'course it's allowed, I set it up." A familiar voice commented. Roman turned.

Pops smiled at him. "I told Mar when we started getting more people that we'd need a way for them to take out their frustrations. Rules are simple, it's a plain fistfight. No powers, no natural enhancements if you can help it-"

"So Remy's not allowed." Virgil grinned.

"Remy's not allowed unless he fights you or me." Pops corrected. "Because we can take him. Clean fight, no underhanded tricks. Just plain and simple fighting."

"Sounds good to me." Roman nodded. "Who can I go against first?"

Pops shifted as a little blue dragon landed on his shoulder. He looked up at Logan, who casually licked at one of his claws, and chuckled.

"Logan, you up for another fight so quickly?"

Logan churred loudly and tucked his head under his wing.

"I suppose that's a no." Pops shook his head and scratched the side of the dragonshifter's chest with his finger. Logan churred again.

"I'll fight him."

Emile smiled, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I figure I'm a good warm-up."

"You've proven yourself to be more than a warm-up." Virgil was rubbing his jaw when Roman glanced at him. "You were sloppy when you were younger, but you're pretty good at it now."

"Wow, thanks Virge!"

~~~ Forty Minutes Later ~~~

Roman and Emile fought two rounds, both dishing out their fair share of bruises. They each won once, so Roman had to give it to Emile for being so tactical.

"You ready to go yet, Scales?" He asked Logan, looking over to where the dragonshifter was now sprawled across a rock that had a patch of sunlight breaking through the canopy on it. Logan lifted his head slowly, then got to his feet and shook his whole body.

Roman smirked as the shifter turned back to his human form and cracked his neck. "Show me what you got."

Logan tilted his head a tiny bit and stepped up into a traditional boxing stance.

Pops counted it down and suddenly Roman was on his back on the ground.

"Ooow."

He sat up, staring at Logan.

"Told you he was quick." Virgil called from the side of the little ring of flattened grass that they were using. 

"Shut up." Roman clambered to his feet and dropped into a ready position again. "Second round."

Logan grunted and nodded to Pops, who counted down again. Roman started the fight with a quick step backwards.

It didn't help. He ended up on the ground again, seconds later.

"Ow! That one hurt worse."

"Well, yes. Being thrown on your back like that twice in the span of two minutes usually doesn't feel too good." Logan shrugged.

"How are you doing that?" Roman asked as he got to his feet again. "I feel like I can barely see you moving."

"Here, I'll show you. Virgil, c'mere."

Virgil groaned, hauling himself to his feet. "Why am I always the demonstration?"

"Because you're small and you can take a little beating." Logan shrugged. "I'll only do it twice."