Bad Rumors

47

"What?" Virgil sat there in a shocked quiet as Roman's tears started to slip down his cheeks. "What do you mean that's the problem?"

"V-V-Virg-g..."

"Roman, damn it, please?!" Roman jumped as Virgil's voice cracked. The anxious side sighed as he curled away and forced his voice to come out in a nearly audible whisper. "Please tell me? Tell me what happened. Tell me what you felt... Tell me how to help you. Because damn it..." Virgil hid his head in his hands as he started to choke on his words. "I need to fix this. I need you with me. I... I can't keep going on knowing I hurt you so much."

"It's not y-you, V-Virgil. I-Its me." Virgil groaned as he threw his hands down only to freeze seeing the pain in Roman's eyes. "I-Its me."

"What do you mean?" Roman hugged the weighted blanket tighter around himself as he tried to take in a shaky breath.

'I let myself get too comfortable with you.' Virgil's eyes set with a serious expression as Roman shrugged. 'I got too close. I... I was terrified I would mess it up. The rumors got in my head.'

"Those rumors are shit."

"No th-there not. Th-There based on facts bec-cause o-of m-my pride." Virgil reached out and took Roman's hand making the other jerk back to look at him in confusion.

"Those rumors are shit." Virgil repeated much softer only bringing more tears to Roman's eyes. 

"It doesn't matter... when I believe them." Virgil's face fell as Roman smiled sadly. "A-And I c-convinced myself that... that ever-ryone else d-did to. I mean... Who wants to be with a monster prince? Who would trust someone like me? Who would care about someone with my pride?" Roman's eyes were filled with so much self-loathing it broke Virgil into pieces. "Who could love someone like me?" Virgil felt his throat close on him as he felt his entire body tense up on him. He squeezed Roman's hand tightly making the other frown in concern only to freeze like ice as Virgil launched himself into him sobbing. "V-Virgil..."

"I would." Virgil crashed, his arms wrapped tightly around the other's neck as Roman stared off at nothing in a complete daze. "Damn it, Roman. I would. I would be with someone like you. I would trust someone like you. I would care for you. Fucking hell... Roman, I would love you." Roman's arms hesitantly moved to embrace the other, who was shaking against him. "I would ok? I would... and I do."

"No... No... you don't." Virgil only held him tighter as Roman's voice came out hoarse. "I was f-flirting a-and you... y-you b-blamed my pride."

"I was scared." Roman blinked as Virgil curled up further into him as if terrified someone would push him away. "I was scared. I love you so much and just... I didn't want you to be lying or... I-I just couldn't take it if it wasn't real." Roman didn't know what to think. To be honest he had wondered if he had ever actually woken up. Had he been the one actually sleeping... dreaming? Was he even really here at the mind palace or was the whole thing with Virgil a fallacy? "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"I don't understand. You can't..." Roman struggled to push Virgil away giving him this dazed yet clearly lost look. Virgil just sat there in complete distress as Roman pulled away completely, hands up in defense as he shook his head. "You can't. I'm... My pride... The shit I-I've d-done... s-s-sai-id... N-No... No-no one c-can."

"Roman..."

"No one can love someone like me! It isn't possible." Roman whined as he gripped his hair in his hands like a vice. "I'm the prideful m-monstrous p-prince."

"Last I checked your name was Roman Sanders." Roman jerked at Virgil's tone as the other slowly crawled closer pressing his side against Roman who was still just sitting in a fetal position. "Thomas's Creativity... Romance... His dreams. None of that means monster at all."

"P-Prid-de..." Roman whined out childishly as Virgil shook his head. 

"A little birdy once told me Pride was self-preservation. A way to feel better about yourself amongst all the bad thoughts... that's not monstrous." Roman slowly peeked out from over his hands to see Virgil's smile. "All anyone really needs is just... a little bit of help."

"I asked for help."

"And I let you down." Roman crashed, hands falling completely away from his face, as Virgil gently put his hand to Roman's leg. "I let YOU down, Roman. I hurt you. Everything that happened... It's on me. So... I guess what I'm asking is... for you give me another chance? Because I really want to be there for you. I love you, Roman. I really do."

"But... But I... I snapped and... M-Mel." Virgil shook his head seeing how the crakes in Roman's armor were slowly growing.

"Everyone has bad days... or can't work through something alone. Everyone relapses, Roman. You were suffering and your pride took over. That is in no way your fault. You needed help and I wasn't there to help you."

"You don't... d-don't h-hate me?" 

"Roman, I love you." Roman grumbled as he grimaced over his own confusion just trying to work through it all.

"Makes no sense." Virgil chuckled as he gently nudged the other till they were looking at each other again.

"It doesn't make sense because you think yourself unlovable. That's something I can relate to." Roman growled instantly making Virgil smile as his hands went back to Roman's. "I'm not going to try and force you to see that I do love you. I know it means nothing. I just couldn't take it anymore, Roman. It hurts to know I caused so much pain when I all want to do is help you. You mean everything to me." Roman actually started to smile a bit as he glanced down at their intertwined hands. "I want to get back to being your partner again, Ro. I want to get back to being your friend. Not having you in my life, I couldn't take it for even a second. The pain... the guilt... it made me sick. My heart..." Roman's eyes shot wide as his hand went to his chest in shock.

"Heart?" Virgil nodded as Roman's voice shook. All that pain he felt... the heartbreak... the agony... the sadness... all of it? It was Virgil's? Virgil was in that much pain... because he wasn't there? Because he felt... guilt? Roman's walls came crashing down like a sandcastle in a storm. Everything he's felt all just exploded in him as he pulled Virgil in and kissed him with tears in his eyes. The two melted into each other as they both practically sobbed into the kiss, tears of regret and relief mixing together into a cacophony of emotions. 

Roman's fingers intertwined with the other's hair as their emotions flurried about the both of them, making it impossible for either to not feel exactly what each other was feeling. Virgil dug the pads of his fingers into Roman's faded red hoodie as Roman pressed the smaller into him, just desperate to be together... to stay together... to never let go.

"I love you, Roman." Virgil whispered as they finally broke apart. He could see the tears streaming down his love's eyes as he smiled and gently brushed them away. "Please come back to me?"

"I'm never leaving again." Roman melted as he leaned completely into the other, his head in Virgil's chest. "I..." Roman's grip on the other tightened as he grimaced under the anxiety Virgil could feel. "I love you too. Please believe me. I love you... for real. Not... Not my pride or..."

"It ok." Virgil gently nudged the other's face up so they could stare into each other's eyes. "I believe you." Roman's face filled with relief as he pressed himself further into the other, holding Virgil's face in his hands as he pressed their heads together.

"I love you so much, Stormcloud." Roman smiled softly his eyes shining with emotion as he brushed Virgil's hair back with a content sigh. "Guess they made the right choice in making us, partners." Virgil laughed as Roman blessed at the sound. "My life without you... it's nothing."

"Then it's a good thing we won't ever have to go through it again." Virgil responded, placing a hand over Roman's as he leaned into the touch. "I'm not letting you go either, Princey. You're stuck with me."

"Good." Roman hummed as he brought Virgil closer for one more kiss. "That's all that matters to me."

AN~This ending was shit but like... at this point I really didn't know how to end it other than them talking and stuff so... Sorry. Lolz.