When You're Broken On The Ground

Chapter 50

Trigger Warnings: swearing, stripper heels (it's Remus), hospitals, injuries, blood

Word Count: 1142

"Thomas I blame all this on you," Roman grumbles, sinking lower into the couch.

"I was being honest!" Thomas insists.

"Already fuckos!" Remus yells, bursting into the room, wearing the poofy white dress. "It's the same dress, but with stripper heels!" He hikes up the skirt to show off eight inch neon green glittery stiletto heels with a black tentacle pattern.

"Yasssssss," Remy says, clapping. "That's the one babes."

"It fits you perfectly!" Thomas gushes.

"It looks nice on you Remus," Logan allows. "Are you going to be able to walk in those heels?"

"I could run in these if I had to," Remus giggles. "Roro?"

Roman huffs. "I still think the green and black dress was a better fit, but I do like those heels."

"Hmm, I like that dress too," Remus muses, tapping his chin in thought. "Sexy teach, you got any ideas?"

"See if they can replace the pearls and lace with black and green," Logan suggests after a moment. "That way you still get the white but you also get the black and green."

Remus' eyes glitter like stars are inside of them. "That's going to freak out everyone in the audience," he whispers in awe.

~~~

Roman's deciding what to do for dinner when his husband calls him. "Virgil my love! What-"

"Hospital, get Remus. It's Janus."

Roman can feel the ground sway underneath him, the cold washing over him, world tilting on its side. "Are- you are alright love?" Roman asks, grabbing the counter to hold him steady.

"Me?" Virgil laughs, desperation and panic screaming through his voice. "I'm- I'm fine, just- get Remus. Now." He hangs up, leaving Roman clueless and shaking. He calls his twin, fingers hitting the wrong button fourth times before he finally hits it. "Remus?"

"You got 'em!"

"Remus... Virgil called me. You- we need, we need to go to the hospital."

"Is Vee?" the quiet panic in his voice nearly makes Roman sob, because he doesn't know, he doesn't know at all.

"I- I don't know, he just called and- oh god Remus he said Janus' name..."

Silence over the line, then "I'll met you there."

"Right." They hang up and Roman pockets his phone, slipping some shoes on before grabbing his keys and heading to his car. The drive is done in a blink of an eye, Roman locking it absentmindedly before he jogs into the hospital, seeing his brother already at the desk.

"I'm looking for someone, Janus Líar. He came in with Virgil Shadow-Prince, if that helps," Remus says to the person behind the desk.

"Hang on, let me look," they say, clicking the mouse and scanning the computer screen. "Ah yes, Janus Líar. Room 458, family only." They eye Remus dubiously.

"Hi," Roman interjects, "I'm Roman Shadow-Prince, this is my twin, Remus. I'm married to Virgil, so can you let us in?"

"ID." Roman pulls out his wallet, grateful he remembered it, and pulls out his ID. "Alright you can go through. Level 6, room 458, remember."

Remus and Roman rush to the elevator banks, bursting with barely constrained panic. One elevator opens and they run into it, punching in the number and waiting impatiently for it to move. As soon as the doors open they're almost running down the hall, counting the numbers until they skid to a stop at the door. The twins exchange looks before Roman carefully grabs the handle and turns it, door clicking open. Remus walks through, Roman following behind and closing the door.

On a hospital bed is Janus, IV in and machines beeping around him, unconscious. Virgil sits next to him in one of those highly uncomfortable chairs, holding Janus' hand with tears in his eyes.

"Janus..." Remus haltingly walks towards his fiancé, stopping at his side. Roman can see the tears in his eyes, the faint tremors in Remus' lips and mustache. His twin's hand slowly rises to touch Janus' open hand, gently lacing their fingers together.

Roman moves carefully to stand next to his husband, wrapping an arm around Virgil's shoulders as he looks down at Janus. He has bandages wrapped around his shoulder, the shoulder he was shot in, his forehead, and a brace around his leg, the one he was shot in. "What happened?" he asks quietly, pushing aside the chills running up and down his body, the sting of tears pricking at his eyes.

"I- we were just talking, in the kitchen, about stuff, when he reached up for something on a top shelf and he just, froze. And-" Virgil pauses, voice thick with tears, "and then he crumpled to the ground. He- he hit the counter with his forehead before I could react, I'm sorry, I'm so-"

"Shhh, shhh it's alright darling," Roman reassures, crouching down to be more at his husband's level, wrapping his arms around his back and hugging him close. "It's okay, it's okay, you didn't know."

Virgil's sobs are the only sound besides the machines are a while, Remus perching on the hospital bed as he keeps watching Janus. When Virgil's sobs quiet down, Roman picks him up and sits on the chair, placing Virgil on his lap. "What do the doctors say?" Remus asks, voice raspy.

"They - they think he overexerted himself," Virgil replies thickly. "He shouldn't have reached so far, it strained his shoulder and leg."

"And his head?"

"He hit it on the counter. They think there's no concussion, but it made a cut so they bandaged it up." Virgil pauses, then whispers, "There was so much blood..."

Roman shivers, holding Virgil closer.

~~~

Patton was much the same as Virgil when he saw what happened, sitting by his side with tears running down his face, Logan next to him. Remy and Emile arrived soon after them, taking a chair by Janus' feet and watching. Thomas was the last to arrive, the one farthest away from the hospital. He took a chair on Remus' side, holding Remus' other hand as he joins their watch.

A doctor comes in the inform that visiting hours are ending soon. Remus gives her one look and she sighs, letting them stay the rest of the night as long as they didn't cause trouble.

They stayed the whole night, sleeping in the chairs, Janus' heartbeat and the steady drip of the IV lulling them into an uneasy sleep.

It's around dawn, the sun's rays finding their way in between the blinds, when Remus wakes up, Janus' grip on his hand tightening. He looks at Janus' face hopefully, gazing at the face of the man who's been with him as a friend, as a bestie, as a boyfriend, for almost every minute of his life. Those beautiful eyes flicker open, and Janus looks up at him. "Hello darling."