*Discontinued* Shifter

43

"Hun?" Roman whispered softly the second they teleported into Logan and Patton's house. He tore his mask off without even a second thought before gently setting Virgil down on the couch and crouching down to stare into his eyes. "Virgil?"

"You're Rez?" Roman tensed slightly before nodding and brushing his finger over Virgil's hands to help ground him. 

"You can shift back if you want to, Love." Virgil's eyes darted to the two others and Roman smiled sadly. "It's ok. It's Pat and Lo." Virgil curled up a bit making Roman jump in to hold his hands so that he couldn't. "It's ok, Hun. It's ok." 

"Well, now I understand why you were so upset over that uh... lack of arrest." Roman growled as he turned to see Logan taking his own mask off. Patton did the same with a sad look in his eyes.

"They tried to kill him and no one was charged. All while you sided with them so yes... I was upset. If I was just a second late... forget it. Virgil, hun... can you look at me?" Virgil flinched before glancing up again seeing Roman smile so filled with relief. "You are ok. You're back with me. You're safe. You're ok." 

"I'm ok?" Roman nodded as he caressed Virgil's cheek, who quickly reached up to hold his hand with an exhausted smile. "I'm ok. I... You..."

"I won't let anything happen to you, Love."

"I didn't mean to." Virgil whimpered as he looked Roman over with guilt clear in his eyes. "I didn't want to hurt you. I didn't. I swear..."

"I'm ok. I knew what was going to happen. I couldn't fight you even if you did." Roman took a deep breath before letting himself rest his head into Virgil's lap. "Why do you think I've been only defensive with you? I couldn't risk hurting you. And then... the whole... The whole passing out on your porch thing..."

"YOU GOT ELECTROCUTED!" Virgil's eyes shot wide as Roman just nodded. "I... I was fighting you because of a job. I had to make sure those guys didn't get caught and you... You spun us around and took the hit."

"I couldn't let you get hurt. I... I was fighting you but making sure you were safe." Virgil's eyes darkened as Roman wrapped his arms around him, tears in his eyes. "When I realized you were Raven... I broke down Virgil. I couldn't take it. I loved you... LOVE you. I love you so much. I refused to believe that the Raven I had in my head was the truth because the Virgil I knew could never be that. I... I forced myself to learn what really happened with my sister. I did everything I had to because I couldn't lose you. I can't lose you, Love. Please... Please forgive me?"

"Roman..." Logan sighed as he glanced over to see how Patton was crying. "Patton, I think we should let them be."

"They can't leave. Their house isn't safe. If Klaus knows about Virgil..."

"We'll have plenty of room." Logan cut in to help Patton to relax, before turning to see Virgil, still in Raven form, giving him a confused look. "We have guest rooms you can use for as long as you need to. You'll both be safe here. I'll go clean one out if you would like."

"I'm not leaving Roman." Virgil quickly called as Roman started to shake. "We only need one room." Logan nodded as he walked off leaving Patton there who smiled.

"It's going to be ok, Kiddo." Virgil tensed as Patton brushed his hair back before placing a reassuring hand on Roman's back seeing how broken they both were. "The one thing you never have to worry about is trying to prove yourself with me. I'm an empath. I knew the kind of person you were even before I knew you as Virgil. And if you're worried about Logan... He's only protective of Roman... He doesn't care about you being a shifter anymore than I do. Don't worry... You'll be ok here. I promise." Patton glanced over at the clock before letting out a breath. "While you two talk it out... I'm going to get lunch started. It'll be a late one due to everything that happened but... I think we'd all need it."

"I'm sorry." Roman whined the second they were both finally alone. "I'm so sorry. Please forgive me?" Virgil slowly started to relax as he let his form shift back to normal only making Roman cry more. "I'm so sorry."

"Why are you sorry..."

"I've hurt you... in the past. I'm the reason you got hurt to the point you couldn't meet me that one day. And then everything with my father... You were only in his crosshairs because I arrested him. If I never did that..."

"Then he would have just tried again with you, Roman." Virgil gently pulled him up so that Roman was looking at him as he smiled. "It wasn't just you that I was protecting. He threatened Chrissy too." Roman's eyes widened as the air shifted angrily around them. "Remus too... He used you all to keep me in line. And in regards to what REZ did... You're a hero, Ro. I'm a mercenary... You got it in your head I had hurt your family. I don't blame you at all."

"But I..."

"You realized you were wrong and changed." Roman flinched lightly as Virgil cut him off with a soft lull. "You changed. You did that because you cared. To be honest Roman... I was going to figure it out anyway. I was pretty much there already."

"You were?" Virgil nodded as Roman picked himself up and sat beside him. "How?"

"It's not uncommon for people to have similar or the same powers but no one has the EXACT set as anyone else. You and Rez had every single power the same." Roman nodded as Virgil chuckled a bit. "And as you said... You did everything you could to make sure I didn't get hurt. Then there was the time you and I basically became partners even going so far as to save that woman together... Your aura is massive and powerful ... that only comes from trauma." Roman's eyes darkened at that but Virgil quickly took his hand and squeezed it. "Then your father mentioned that it wasn't a hero who had arrested him but it was you... meaning you work for the government."

"Virgil, I know how scared you are over the police and all that but I promise I would never..."

"I know, Ro." Virgil smiled softly as he leaned in against him and let Roman hold him against his chest supportively. "I know you wouldn't. I know you love me. I know you. Your father even tried to pull that card and it didn't work."

"I won't let anything happen to you. I love you, Virgil Kaine... shifter or not." Roman laughed as he referenced back to when they first confessed making Virgil roll his eyes fondly.

"I love you, Roman Black... hero or not." Virgil let his eyes slip shut as he relaxed all the more, completely drained from the episode and everything else. "I knew. I knew you were a hero." He chuckled softly as Roman moved a bit so that they were both laying down on the couch together in each other's arms basking in the embrace and togetherness. "I knew. When you followed me into the ally the day we met... I told myself you were a hero. You just wouldn't be so fervent about helping someone if you weren't. I was just too scared to believe you were because I told myself a hero would try to help someone like me."

"Virgil, a hero fell in love with you." Roman reassured as he kissed Virgil's hair softly. "I'll protect you with everything I have."

"We'll protect each other. All long as you want me... I'm never going to let you go." Roman hummed as he felt himself start to drift off, all his worry and panic finally dulling out into overbearing exhaustion, as the sound of Virgil's voice brought him peace.

"Good. You better not let me go." Roman laughed before letting out a soft lulled breath. "Can you sing to me?"

"Sing?" Roman nodded as Virgil glanced up to see the hero already well on his way to sleep. "You want ME to sing? You've never asked that of me before."

"I just want to hear your voice. I've missed you." Roman slurred slightly as his head rolled a tad. Virgil just smiled as he snuggled himself back into Roman's arms and nodded. He softly started to hum a small lullaby as Roman smiled sleepily the second he started to hear it and the two drifted off together happy and relaxed and FINALLY back together again.