Love and War || A Sanders Sides AU

Chapter Fourteen

aaaaaaaha guys we're getting so close to the ending there's only 3 more chapters after this holy FUCK

also get ready for MORE ANGST WHOOP WHOOP

WARNINGS: Violence, PTSD, blood, bloody nose, a window gets broken too, anxiety, manipulation, reference to rape/non-con, lying, feeling guilty for rape/non-con, mentions of abuse, feeling guilty for abuse, some kind of Stockholms syndrome with Ro and Pat, swearing, fear of racism/implied racism (I may not have written it well I'm sorry)

As it turned out, Patton storming out of the house that night was not the end of it. He came back that afternoon, insisting he talk to them.

"Just let me explain." he begged at the door.

Roman heard his voice from the living room and fought the urge to join Logan and Virgil, hear Patton out. But he knew he would just let himself be manipulated again.

"There is no explanation good enough." Logan said firmly. "We heard Roman's story. We saw the bruises. You are not welcome, though we have collected your things."

"Roman is lying!" Patton insisted. "He just doesn't want-"

"Shut up." Virgil hissed. "Or I will punch you no matter what Roman wants me to do."

"See?" Patton's voice rose an octave. "He doesn't want you to punch me, so that proves he doesn't hate me!"

"Virgil," Logan said.

There was a beat of silence, and then Virgil came in and slumped into the corner of the sectional, looking guiltily over at Roman.

"I don't hate him," Roman mumbled, pulling his blanket tighter around himself.

"I know."

Logan and Patton stepped outside. Roman heard the door close, and couldn't help but worry about what was being said. A few minutes later, Logan came inside and locked the door before going to the bathroom - but he wasn't fast enough to stop Roman from seeing his glasses bent out of shape, and blood as Logan tried to stem the flow from his nose. Virgil saw it too, and he almost beat Roman to the door.

"Logan, what the fuck happened?" he demanded as they found Logan standing in front of the mirror - a tissue up his nose already soaked in blood - inspecting the bent frames of his glasses.

"Patton was unhappy with our decision," Logan explained simply. "Do we have the tiny screwdriver here or in the kitchen?"

"The kitchen. Hold on." Virgil hurried out, and Roman swallowed back his guilt. If he hadn't said anything, Logan would be fine.

"Are you okay?" he asked, taking a few steps inside. Logan turned to look at him, surprised.

"Ah, Roman. Sorry, I can hardly see anything. I just recognized the giant black smudge to be Virgil." Roman snorted, pressing a hand to his mouth to hide the laugh. "I'll be fine. It just confounds me that Patton has such a violent side to him. Of course, I've seen him angry, I've known him for years, but that just seemed like a strange... dream." he seemed incredibly unsatisfied with knowing this, but Roman nodded.

"I know." he gently reached to touch the swelling on Logan's cheekbone. Logan bent down slightly, reminding Roman how insanely tall he was. "Do you want any bruise cream?"

"Do we have any?" Logan reached to open the first aid drawer.

"It's in my room." Roman's shoulders fell at the idea of returning to his bedroom - where all those things had happened. "Patton got it for me."

"Oh."

"Here's the screwdriver." Virgil arrived, holding the tiny instrument in his hand. "Glasses, Lo?" Logan handed them over, then straightened and leaned against the counter.