Baited~ Book 2

42

"Well, I see you've both made up?" Virgil smiled as he tangled his fingers through his love's hair, looking up to see Logan smiling down at them. After the night before the two hadn't left each others side. In fact, most of the time, they had just been cuddling on the couch in each others arms. Roman had fallen asleep all curled up into him as if Virgil was protecting him from something... in all honesty, he probably was. "I'm glad. He may not have shown it but... while you were away Roman was breaking..." Logan's eyes darkened as he sat down on the couch across from the two. "quite literally, I'm afraid. If it wasn't for Remus... I don't know what would have happened to him."

"I never should have left." Logan only smiled as he shook his head. 

"If you never left anything would have ever changed. It was you're leaving that sparked the sudden turn in events. Therefore despite the trauma it caused him... I am grateful for your actions." Virgil's eyes narrowed in confusion as Logan glanced down at his brother, who was currently nuzzling Virgil in his sleep. "It's because you left that he finally opened up about his curse. I'm just sorry you had to come back to this." Logan leaned back against the couch groaning as his hair fell over his eyes. You could tell he was exhausted. You could tell he hadn't been caring for himself at all. He had bruised and dark eyes from his lack of sleep and constant rubbing. His face was pale and sunken and his eyes held no luster at all. "After everything you've lived through... another war can't be good."

"Speaking of that..." Virgil frowned as he glanced down at his love with an obviously guilty look. "I feel I must apologize."

"What do you mean?" Virgil tensed as he looked away only to laugh at himself. "Virgil?"

"You know me by now, right? You know my thought process and how I act. If it's for people I love, I'd through myself straight into hell." Logan's eyes went wide as Virgil held Roman tighter. "You know... The war... the terms... I would've have turned myself in no questions asked if it saved you and your kingdom... his kingdom."

"Virgil..."

"But I can't." Logan faltered a bit as Virgil held on to Roman with a sort of protective desperation. "I would give myself over if it did anything but... Roman needs me." Logan smiled as Virgil let out a shaky breath. "He needs me, Logan. I made a promise to never leave him again and this time I intend on keeping it."

"This time?" Virgil's eyes snapped up as Logan smiled sadly over at him. "I caught that. You don't have to tell me but... I am here if you'd like to talk. Personal experience has taught me that one should not keep things bottled up."

"Thanks but..."

"V-Virg..." The room went silent as Roman fussed slightly in Virgil's arms. Logan sighed as he slowly got up and nodded to Virgil's whose full focus was now on Roman. Roman tensed as he shook slightly, his breathing starting to go erratic. "V-Virgil... help."

"Roman?" Virgil placed a soft hand on his forehead, frowning at how hot Roman was. "It's ok, Love. I'm right..."

"It's dark." Virgil's eyes flashed as Roman whimpered, burying his head into Virgil's chest as he started to choke up. "It's too dark... too dark. I can't see. I can't..."

"Thomas?" Roman whimpered again as his mind sent him tumbling. He was standing there starring into the pitch black as the chain cut his... no Virgil's wrists. Virgil struggled against them as he screamed out. "THOMAS!" He knew he had to get out. He had to. Thomas wasn't doing well. He was very sick. He made a promise. He told Thomas he wouldn't leave him alone. He said he wouldn't let him die alone but here he was trapped in the basement. "THOMAS?!" He screamed desperate to break free just so he could be there for his brother. "Thom... I'm sorry." He broke down crying as he lost all strength to stand. The chains were the only thing supporting him but that alone caused him pain as it pulled at his wrists tightly. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, Thomas."

"There's no point in apologizing, Virgil." Virgil jumped at the light burst to life above him, blinding him as his mother's voice lulled before him. "Thomas is already dead."

"NO!" Virgil struggled to break free only to reel back as the sound of a sharp slap brought his attention to the stinging in his cheek. Tears pricked at his eyes as he froze up on the spot. 

"It's your fault, he's dead. You and your... cursed nature. If you had never been born Thomas never would have been sick. You made him sick." Virgil couldn't stop the tears that fell from his eyes as he only nodded letting his mother beat him senseless with her words. "My son is dead because of you." She didn't do anything. She didn't cut him like she usually would. She just stood there crying until she had no more words to say. Then she left. She left him hanging there with the knowledge that the only person who ever loved and cared for him was now dead. He would never see him ever again. He would never hear his laugh or his bad jokes. But worst of all, was the knowledge that he had broken his promise. Thomas died and Virgil hadn't been there to see him off.

Roman woke up with a start clinging to the man he loved while his mind adjusted back to reality. He snapped... quiet literally snapped under the immense guilt he had felt in his dream. He wanted to scream but he just cried. He felt Virgil hold him firmly as Roman pressed himself as far as he could go into the man as his body wracked with tears.

"Roman?" Virgil's voice was soft, so much different than the desperate and pain-filled tone he had in his dream. "Are you ok?"

"No... No, I'm not." Virgil frowned as Roman just laid there struggling to breathe as he bit his lip harshly. "I love you, Virgil. I'm so... so sorry you had to go through all that."

"Go through what?" Roman's eyes shined even brighter catching Virgil by surprise as his anxiety began to burn through him. "Roman, what exactly happened?"

"It... It likes to show me memories... o-of yours." Virgil nodded having remembered the whole scene before Janus in the bathroom. "This time... This time it showed me the day your brother died." Hot air burst through the room making Roman shiver at the sudden changes in temperature. Virgil's eyes were blown wide in shock and fear as Roman cuddled into him for support. "Your mother... she was so heartless. A-And your father..."

"You know?" Roman frowned as Virgil's voice shook. "I... I never thought... I didn't want you to know about them... about what they did."

"Virgil, I love you. I know who you were in the past. I've... seen quite a few things you've done." Virgil tense in pure fear as Roman just laid there. "I don't care. Your different now. You've proven you've changed. Nothing they show me will ever change how I feel it just... sucks to see you in so much pain."

"I'm sorry you've had to see that." Roman smiled softly as he let his eyes slip shut feeling completely safe in Virgil's arms.

"I'm sorry you had to live that."