Love and War || A Sanders Sides AU

Chapter Thirteen

heueueueueueueue you think this is over? YOU THINK THIS IS OVER? THINK AGAIN. WE'VE GOT FIVE CHAPTERS TO GO AND THIS IS ONE OF THEM.

WARNINGS: reference to rape, reference to abuse, mentioned rape and abuse, the aftermath of rape and abuse, blaming oneself for rape and abuse, mentions of acephobia, mentions of self-harm, slight descriptions of injuries, self-deprecation, self-doubt, threats of violence(Virgil gets angery), food mentions, swearing

doesn't that all look wonderful! ^-^

"So, we need to talk," Virgil said softly as they all sat at the table, supposedly eating breakfast. Roman said nothing, just stared down into his cereal. "Will you please listen, Roman?"

"Yeah." Roman lifted his head slightly, surprised. Virgil wasn't demanding answers. He wasn't making Roman talk. That had not been what Roman expected.

"We should have been paying more attention." Logan said, voice slow and soft, just as calming as always. But the words themselves made Roman scowl. "This relationship isn't made up of sections, and we allowed it to become that way. We didn't notice that a wall was being built between us and you, and that caused you pain."

"Things have been crazy this year, but that's no excuse." Virgil agreed. "We shouldn't have just accepted that you were, well, closer to Patton than us. We should have tried to keep it as equal as possible, and we should have noticed-"

"Stop." Roman put down his spoon, shaking his head. They both looked at him, guilt evident on their faces. "It's not your guys' fault, okay? Things were really busy - crazy busy. But it's not just your fault you didn't know."

"Roman-"

"Just..." Roman sat up a bit straighter, running a hand through his hair. "Even if you were looking, what was there to see? The fact that I wasn't consistently into cuddling with you? Uh, spoiler alert, I never have been. And that's just the way I am. There was no way for you to find out without me doing something to let you."

"But that's just it." Virgil insisted. "We all know you need space, especially when we're relaxing or sleeping, but Patton never gave it to you. We just assumed you let him, even though we never heard you say it."

"That..." Roman scowled. "That's not your fault." it kinda was, but he wasn't going to say that. "Who would think Patton could hurt anyone?"

"Okay," Logan conceded, adjusting his glasses with a frown. "He... he was like a completely different person last night. I could see him attempting to cover it up with his usual behavior, but..."

"Exactly." Roman sighed and looked back down at the table, shaking his head. "I mean, I hardly believed he was doing what he was doing - for months. It was only recently that I-"

"Months?" Virgil snapped, eyes widening. Roman winced. Ah, shoot. "Roman, how long...?"

"I... I don't know." Roman scowled, trying to sift the past years' memories through his head. "When did you and Logan go to Los Angeles?"

"Since April?" Virgil's voice radiated disbelief and anger. Roman winced.

"Well, not... not exactly. He, uhm... he just..."

"Roman, Virgil." Logan breathed out slowly. "It's alright. We will work this out, so calm down."

"Sure," Virgil muttered. "Calm. Easy."

"That's just when it started," Roman said softly, wringing his hands under the table. "It wasn't like... as bad as last night... until recently."

"Is he the reason you left?" Logan asked. "He was the one to harm you and you went to Remy?"