The Paws-some Anthology (Book 1 1/2)

8. Allergic Reaction

"You ok there, Padre?" Roman asked as Patton sneezed yet again. Patton just groaned as he took the water Roman passed him with a very tired smile. "You don't look too good."

"I'm ok, Kiddo. It's just my allergies." Roman hesitated with this look in his eyes as Patton practically downed his drink. "I've been taking my meds but it's helping this time."

"You... Your allergies?" Patton frowned as he finally looked up to see the look Roman had before crashing.

"Oh, Kiddo, you know you and Nyxie don't set them off."

"No." Roman gave a very anxious laugh, his eyes sparking with fear as he hesitantly took a step back. "No, Pat... All we know for sure is that we haven't caused too much trouble before. No one could completely confirm if our cat forms were hypoallergenic."

"Roman-..."

"It's fine. I'm sure it's nothing." 

"Roman, wait-..." Roman quickly waved Patton off as he grabbed his own cup from the table and started for the kitchen. 

"Whatever it is though, I hope you feel better soon." Roman slipped into the kitchen, his smile falling instantly as he just leaned against the counter. "Please, don't be because of us."

Roman kept his distance the rest of the night. Keeping himself busy with tasks and jobs he still had to do. He managed to finish the room Logan and Patton wanted him to build so it was just a matter of filling it up with things. He had to move things around to create Logan's new office before even starting up on the new room, so he did manage to distract himself for a long while. That was until Roman the sound of someone clearing their throat caught his attention and he turned to see Virgil there leaning against the door.

"Is there a reason you've been stuck in this room for hours?" Roman's eyes darkened as he held up the small soft blue pillow he had in his hands. "Roman-..."

"I know it can't go in the bed yet but I thought I could make it all look aesthetically pleasing around the room until it can actually be used." Roman mumbled as he started to rearrange this group of pillows and stuffed animals around the bay window. "I couldn't figure out if it should be a soft pastel powder blue with silver and white, or more of a grey lavender with the white and more a light slate color for contrast. Logan does adore contrast."

"Yes, but Patton is going to be the one most in here and he has trouble emotionally dealing with darker tones. I would go with the silver and white." Roman nodded with a smile as he snapped making all the colors shift in the room to fit the theme. Virgil sighed as he sat down in the rocking chair with this look in his eyes, as he watched his fiance fold a bunch of blankets to look pretty on the shelves. "You never answered my question."

"What question?"

"Roman." Roman jerked making this stuffed giraffe fall off the shelf before just deflating as he looked back to see Virgil's worried gaze. "Why have you been stuck in here for hours? We still have over a month before those two planned on really starting to set up."

"You know how I am, Virgil. I can't just sit idle-..."

"I can feel your anxiety, Roman. I know you're scared of something." Roman groaned as he tried to wave Virgil off. "Roman, plea-..."

"Patton's not feeling well. I've just been trying to keep busy that's all. Now..." Roman smiled as he turned around to hold up two different paintings. One was of a waterfall with rainbows and clouds and the other was of a field with many different colorful flowers. "Which one would look best over the-..."

"The waterfall, now stop trying to change the subject, Roman. I'm worried about you." Roman's eyes flashed as he slowly let the paintings fall to his side. "You've been locked up in here. I hadn't seen you once all day. And I can tell by your hands shaking, you're holding back a shift."