To Break A Curse

2.4

"So... How do you feel?" Roman groaned as he stared himself over in the mirror. Logan stood there cane in hand as Roman shook his head. "That good huh?"

"I'm a performer. I've been on stage. I know what it's like..." Roman's eyes flashed a light grey as this clear look of anxiety filled his face. "So why do I feel like I'm about to get eaten alive?"

"Because this is not a performance. You aren't acting out a part." Roman gulped as Logan helped him with his tie, hoping to help his nerves too. "Roman, whether you believe it to be true or not, you are going to make an amazing chief."

"I just don't know." Logan frowned as he saw just how anxious the man really was. "I've only been here now for 10 years. Was the last 3 really enough to teach me everything I needed? You said Virgil was being trained his entire life... Virgil wasn't three. He was..." Roman froze as his eyes turned a hazel blue. "He was... He... wha-..."

"He was 19." Roman frowned as Logan finished for him. "Virgil was 19."

"Uh... Yeah. Yeah, 19." Logan's eyes darkened as Roman just gazed off in thought. "Hey, Lo. Have I... Have I been forgetting a lot recently?" Logan's frown only grew as this look of fear-filled Roman's eyes. "I feel like more and more is slipping and... I don't want to forget but..."

"No." Logan quickly made Roman look back over at him as he smiled. "I haven't been noticing anything at all."

"Really? I just forgot how old he..."

"Everyone forgets someone's age, Roman. It's nothing to worry about. Patton would always forget even his own." Roman laughed softly as rolled his eyes. 

"Ok. Ok. You're right. Besides... Not being able to my thoughts on just how old he was doesn't mean I'm forgetting him. I'm not forgetting him." Logan frowned as Roman glanced back at the mirror. "I won't ever forget him."

"You haven't yet, have you?"

"Nope! I still remember my Stormcloud and I always will." Roman beamed as he looked himself over again. "I look like a monkey in a suit. Why am I wearing a suit again?"

"Because it's formalwear and you love wearing suits. Or at least you did..." Roman's smile fell again as Logan froze up realizing he messed up.

"I did? I don't... I don't remember that." Roman stepped back away from the mirror and sighed as he tried to sift through his memories. "If I liked wearing them... why don't I anymore?"

"I don't know." Logan was struggling. He knew lying to the man was bad but... Roman honestly could not stand the idea that he was forgetting anything let alone Virgil. It was hard. When Remus had said Roman's memory was the worst out of the gods... he didn't think it was this bad. 10 years and already Roman's memories were slowly slipping. It was honestly heartbreaking to see.

"I feel like something happened. Like... Something bad and it made me feel off in a suit but... I just can't remember what. Forget it. It must not be anything important." Roman turned away from the mirror and groaned in anxiety as he spotted the clock. "Shit, it's time."

"I'd say about so." Roman's face paled with nerves as Logan laughed softly. "You're going to be fine, Roman. Its nothing huge. You just go out, put your hand on the rock, say a few words, and get slashed with water."

"Oh great, I'm going to get embarrassed." Roman teased softly as started for the door. "Logan? Do you think Virgil would be proud of me?" Logan stopped short as Roman's voice shook. "I mean... will everything I've done and with how far I've come here... Do you think he's proud?"

"Why wouldn't he?" Roman's eyes darkened as his gaze fell to the floor. "Do you think he's proud?"

"I don't know." Logan's eyes darkened as he watched Roman clench his fists. "I don't know, Logan. I want him to be. I want him to be there with Patton telling everyone about me and of how happy he is of me. I just... I don't know. I feel like there something, I'm not doing right. I feel like I'm breaking another promise but... I haven't even made one. I feel like somethings wrong and I'm letting him down somehow but... I just don't know how. So... I thought maybe you would?"

"Roman, I can assure you, Virgil is very proud of you." Roman frowned as he deflated a bit at the response. "Roman..."

"Are you sure? I really feel like something is wrong. I don't know what or why but... something is wrong." Logan shook his head as he tapped Roman's arm lightly with his cane. "Am I just being paranoid?"

"No. It's ok, Roman. I understand." Roman wiped his tears away as he shook. "You're afraid. It's ok."

"No it's not. I don't know why I feel like this. How the fuck am I supposed to lead this ENTIRE island is I can't even figure out why I feel so off?!" Logan's face fell as Roman met his eyes with a very desperate expression. "I don't know what to do."

"Lucky for you...  I do." Logan took his arm and opened the door to reveal the large room filled with people waiting for him and Roman paled. "You go out there. You finish the ceremony, and you become chief. You'll do this because I know you can, Roman. These three years you've pushed so hard to learn everything you could. You've established a relationship with everyone here. To them you already are their chief... You just need the title to confirm it."

"But..."

"You want to know what Virgil would think?" Roman nodded as Logan smiled over at him. "He would be so very happy. He'd be proud of you for getting to this point. He'd be so happy over knowing how much these people love and trust you as their own. And he'd be over the moon with relief... over not having to be chief himself because that would far to much responsibility and pressure." Roman giggled softly as Logan squeezed his hand. "He'd be very proud of you. He'd believe in you... just as each and every one of us do..." Logan poked Roman gently with a smile as Roman nodded softly. "You just have to believe in yourself. Got it?"

"Yes, Sir." Logan smirked as Roman took a deep calming breath.

"Good, now let's go."