To Break A Curse

41

"You didn't have to do that you, you know?" Virgil mumbled under his breath as the two exited the store. The younger had been eyeing the exgod the entire time since that scene with Ash. He couldn't really get it out of his head. 

"Do what?" Virgil frowned as Roman just smiled at him in confusion. "Pay for your knives? Virgil, I really don't mind it. You don't have any money on you and from all my years here... I've got quite a bit. I don't ever really have a reason to spend it so..."

"No... I didn't mean that... but you really shouldn't spend so much on me." Roman paused noticing how anxious Virgil look. His eyes softened in concern as Virgil just sighed. "I meant... You didn't have to threaten Ash just to buy these."

"I didn't..."

"Roman, I was there. I heard you." Roman's face paled as Virgil hugged himself slightly. "I appreciate it. I do but... You don't have to do things like that for me." 

"Virge..." Roman froze, hand outstretched as if to touch him, and groaned as he pulled his hand back in with a slight shiver. "I'm sorry if I upset you. I didn't mean it to sound threatening. I merely wanted to get you your knives. They're your weapon. I'm sorry."

"Roman, are you ok?" Virgil's eyes narrowed as he watched Roman shiver. He still looked sick. His skin was pale and his eyes looked dazed. Virgil could see how the man slouched just slightly, bearly even noticeable if he hadn't been paying such close attention. "You don't look to well."

"Oh, thanks." Roman laughed as he tried to ignore everything only to freeze up with ice in his veins just at the mere touch on his arm. Virgil's eyes went wide seeing how Roman practically lost all his air. 

"Roman? What's wrong?" Roman shivered as he pulled away and shook his head.

"I'm fine. Can we just forget it please?"

"No!" Roman frowned as Virgil moved before him. "We are not just going to ignore this. Roman, You're sick."

"I'm not sick."

"Excuse me. Did you look in the mirror this morning?" Virgil glared over at him protectively as his eyes started to glow blue. "You're sick, Roman. You've been sick since yesterday."

"I'M NOT SICK!" Roman yelled out shocking everyone around them as he quickly tried to reign himself in. "I'm not sick." He repeated softer as he stared at the floor. "Trust me, Virgil. I'm not sick. I'm fine. I'm just..."

"We're going back to the hotel."

"What, why?" Virgil growled as he grabbed Roman's arm and started to drag him off. Roman was desperately trying not to melt into the touch. "Virgil, why?"

"You were just swaying on your feet, Roman." Roman's eyes went wide as Virgil's grip tightened. "I'm not about to have you pass out... even if you won't tell me what's wrong."

"I told you, I'm fine... KALLIE!" ROman yelled out as the two entered the lobby. Virgil only rolled his eyes as Roman tried to call out for help. "Kallie tell him to stop. I'm fine. VIRGIL, KNOCK IT OFF!"

"Can you please just listen to me FOR ONCE?!" Roman stopped dead in his tracks as Virgil spun around with tears in his eyes. "You're not well, Roman. I don't know why or what the hell is going on with you... but I can see that you are sick and it's scaring me. I care about you. W-We're friends." Roman winced unable to hide the pain he got from that word and Virgil just crashed. "Ro..."

"I'm tired, Virgil." Roman's voice came out soft and broken, barely able to be heard. It was clear he wasn't well at all. "Can we just go lay down?"

"Of course, Ro." Roman gave a weak smile as Virgil led him the rest of the way. Roman didn't know how to explain anything to Virgil. He wasn't sick. He wasn't. As a god, he'd never been able to get sick. How was he supposed to tell the man who was so scared of him not that long ago that he loved him... and that as a god of romance and love, not being able to touch him and be with him was physically taxing. He was getting touch starved... and it was showing. It won't kill him, being as touch starved as he was, but it was exhausting. It hurt and made him feel sick. "Ro?"

"I'm ok, Virgil." Roman barely whispered as the door to his room was opened. He just quietly made his way over to his bed before crashing. He couldn't keep the mask up anymore. He started shivering like crazy as he gripped his pillow tight. 

"Oh, Roman." Roman squeezed his eyes tightly as curled up trying to ignore the fact that Virgi; was still in the room. "Do you need anything?"

"You..." Roman whispered to himself hoping the pillow muffled it. Virgil just sighed as he sat down beside the shaking god and smiled. 

"What do you need me to do?" Roman's eyes lazily met his with a look of confusion and Virgil laughed. "You said you needed me. So... What do I need to do?"

"No. I... I don't... Virgil, just go." Roman winced as his chest tightened. He felt nauseous. "I'm fine. I'm..." Roman couldn't stop the breathy sigh that escaped him as Virgil trailed his fingers through the other's hair. "I'm... I... I'm ok. I don't... I don't want to push you."

"Push me?" Roman's eyes slipped shut as he weakly took Virgil's arm in his. Virgil frowned as he watched the man literally fall asleep holding on to him. "Ro? What would you possibly be pushing me on?"

"What's going on with you?" Virgil sighed as he slowly started to move his hand away only to stop noticing how Roman winced again. "Ro?"

"I'm sorry. I'm... I'm sorry but... please don't go." Roman muttered as his eyes fluttered. It was like he was trying to wake up... trying to open his eyes but sleep just kept dragging him under. "Please... please don't... don't go."

"Roman?" Virgil laid himself down comfortably so that Roman could still hold him without either one getting hurt. "Roman talk to me. What is going on with you? Why are you so sick?"

"'m not." Roman panted slightly as he pulled Virgil's arm in closer. "'m not sick. Not sick... promise." Virgil's eyes narrowed as he swiftly removed his arm from Roman's. The reaction was instant. Roman whimpered as he curled up shaking. "No... no, Virgil. I... I can't... I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Roman tried to reach out in his sleepy state hoping to touch him but Virgil just moved away in confusion. "Please, don't... It hurt. Virgil, it hurts. I'm sorry. I just... I..." Roman started to go lax falling deeper asleep with tears in his eyes. Virgil was just stunned. He knew Roman was in pain. He could feel it every time they touched but he didn't understand why or how to help. It hurt him to see the man he loved like that. He just wanted to make it all better. Roman's fingers twitched as Virgil's wrapped around them. Roman sighed happily as he smiled in his sleep catching Virgil's attention.

"Wait..." Virgil let go again only to frown at the whimper Roman gave. "Is it touch? Is that what's wrong?" Virgil scootched closer, wrapping his arm around the man who pushed himself further into Virgil as if trying to melt into the embrace. "I knew you were touchy-feely from all that last night but... I didn't think that was what was actually wrong." Virgil could feel how the man slowly stopped shaking and he couldn't hold back the tears in his eyes. "If you needed to be held, Roman... you could have just told me."

"I didn't want to push you." Virgil's eyes snapped up as Roman cuddled into him. "I'm sorry, Virge. I don't mean to be so clingy. I don't..."

"Shh... Just go back to sleep. You can't even open your eyes, can you?" Roman smiled softly as Virgil brushed his hair back. "It's ok, Roman. Just promise me you won't hide something like this again. If you need something... tell me." Virgil felt the man relax into him as he just sighed and let himself relax as well. "Please just tell me." Virgil's eyes slipped shut as the two just laid there together. "I love you... and you not even awake anymore to hear it."