The Bloody Crown ||Sanders Sides

12. Sadness and Suspicions

*giggles* No one will be expecting anything I plan to happen. This book is going to take a very dark turn soon, so enjoy any fluff while it lasts.

I'll give you a little hint that's not going to make any sense until it gets to the moment it happens.

'Mama, mama, no more mama'

TW: swearing, crying, talk of murder, hickies,

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"Are you alright, Remus?" Logan asked, glancing over to where Remus was staring at a tiny fire in the lab. "You seem to be off today."

"I don't know," Remus whispered. "I just don't know anymore."

When Logan saw the tears in his eyes he hugged Remus. Remus latched onto him, crying quietly.

"Maybe we should take a break for today?" Logan suggested softly, rubbing Remus' back.

"Y-yes please..." Logan led Remus out of the lab and back to the couch, sitting him down on it and walking to the kitchen. "W-what are you doing?"

"I'm going to make you hot chocolate," Logan said softly. "It looks like you could use some right now."

Logan quickly finished the hot chocolate and brought it to Remus, who was staring at nothing with a broken expression.

"I thought I'd feel better by now," he whispered. "I thought... I thought the pain would fade by now. It's been awhile now... why hasn't it left?"

"Remus, you can't just expect the pain to leave," Logan said gently. "It's okay to feel like this. You lost your home, and worse, you lost your twin. Your father died. Remus it's okay to be upset at all of this."

"I just want revenge," Remus said. "I want whoever killed him dead."

"Wait- your father was murdered?" Logan asked.

"Roman wanted it kept secret until we found the murderer, but I don't know how that's going," Remus said with a sigh. "Whoever did it got past Paranoia and into the room, skirting his throat in his sleep. Paranoia was there all night, so no one knows how it happened. No one has ever gotten past him before."

"It's the question of whether Paranoia did it," Logan said quietly.

"Roman didn't seem to think so, but then again, even if he had there'd be nothing we could do." Remus sighed. "Paranoia is impossible to kill."

"Does he have any weaknesses?" Logan asked.

"No," Remus stated. "He kills anything he cares about, and no one can stop him. There's nothing stopping him from killing everyone."

"How does someone do that to themselves?" Logan looked confused. "I've never heard of anyone doing that without something driving it."

"Honestly, I've got no clue," Remus said. "He's kind of a mystery to everyone. I think the only one who even knows even a tiny bit about him is Roman."

"We're getting off track," Logan said. "You still need to address your feelings, Remus. It's not going to help if you don't."

"I don't know..." Remus trailed off. "I just wish things could've gone differently. I don't understand how it all went so wrong."

"It's okay to not understand," Logan murmured. "What's important is that you're alive. You're still here. You're safe here."

"Are any of us really safe though?" Remus asked. "Roman's the cruelest king this kingdom has ever had, and Paranoia kills who he wants when he wants. Just within the last week five people died from Paranoia and several died because Roman kept snapping. Neither of them are stable."

"Let's not worry about that," Logan said softly. "We can't change that. I get that you want to, but there's nothing we can do. Let's focus on the good things we have."

"I never thought you'd be such a softy," Remus remarked. There was a small smile on his face that made Logan feel happier.

"Well, I never expected to enjoy someone's company," Logan stated. "People weren't something I thought would be helpful, but you seem to be the outlier to that."

"I'm glad."

Remus and Logan stared at each other in comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's presence. Time seemed to skip by while they just sat there.

~

"Roman," Virgil whined, looking in the mirror. "Why so many hickies?"

"So everyone knows you're mine," Roman purred, wrapping his arms around Virgil.

"I think you're the only one crazy enough to want me," Virgil said with a laugh.

"Even so," Roman said. "Can I not show you my love and affection?"

"No ones stopping you..." Virgil trailed off with a sigh. "What if everyone finds out?"

"I don't think anyone's going to object," Roman stated.

"Not... not about us, Ro." Virgil bit his lip nervously. "What if they find out what happened?"

"I don't know," Roman said quietly.

"They're going to be angry. They'll come after you, Roman."

"But I have you."

"But what if I'm not enough to protect you?" Virgil asked. "Roman I don't know how to protect someone from all sides at once. If people find out I'll be your only ally. We'll be forced to leave."

"Then let's make sure they don't find out."

"Roman people are already suspicious," Virgil snapped. "I'm not sure we have many options left."

"Then can we just enjoy whatever time we have?" Roman asked quietly. "I just got you... I don't want to lose you."

"Alright, Ro." Virgil tried to ignore the twitch in his hand, the yelling in his head. It was getting harder to control the more he fell in love with Roman.

Virgil let himself be led back to the bed and pulled into it, Roman cuddling into him. He relaxed into Roman, pushing aside the thoughts that wanted to overtake him.

939 words.