Under the Roses

23 - Marked, With One Eye

ROME

Rome shoved his way through the endless crowd, trying to drown out the incessant noise of chattering and laughing by keeping his eyes dead set on what was in front of him. He had his wings tucked tight to his body, but it seemed like people kept going out of their way to bump into them. He glared at whoever dared touch him.

He shouldn't even have been surprised to see the manor all decked out in gold and glitter. What more could he expect from the twins?

Rome didn't bother to look for Thomas. He was much less considerate and much less pleasant to be around. Wherever Theresa was, Thomas was bound to be near, anyway.

And there she was, lounging with her girls in a large, elaborate chair that fit three of them. Two more were draped across the arms, and still more sat on the floor, legs stretched out and tangled amongst skirts.

"Look who's come to join the party!" Theresa called, holding up a hand in greeting. All nearby faces turned to peer up at him in curiosity. "You're appropriately dressed."

It was sarcasm, of course. Rome wore his work clothes, but he'd covered them with a large gray coat that he couldn't remember ever purchasing or receiving, which meant Ambrose had probably put it in his closet for him. He hadn't even bothered to comb his hair, but it wasn't as if there was much to do with it.

"Annie, mind fetching Thomas? This is a delightful reunion," Theresa said to the woman sitting to her left, who obliged, getting up to do so. Theresa waved at the now-vacant spot on the arm of the chair. "Have a seat."

Rome regarded it suspiciously but sat.

"Enjoying yourself?" Theresa slipped a half-filled glass out of the hand of the woman sitting on her other side and lifted it to drink.

"I'm not here to enjoy myself," said Rome. "I also don't know if it's possible with so many people in one room."

"What did you expect?" Theresa said, sipping carefully. "You should liven up. Might as well have some fun at it while you're here."

Rome narrowed his eyes at her. "I don't think we have the same idea of 'fun.'"

"I'm just saying. You need to get out more. Or stay in if you want, but at least tell me where you're staying so I can come to visit you."

"Why in all the worlds would you want to come to visit me?" Rome frowned, genuinely taken aback. "Fates above, I wouldn't want you to visit. I'm fine by myself." And with his fire, though he had yet to determine whether or not his fire qualified as an actual companion or not.

She shrugged. "Must get lonely. I'm just saying, there are plenty of people willing to look past all of...this." She gestured vaguely at him.

Rome narrowed his eyes again. "There is nothing about me that needs to be 'looked past.' I'm not interested, so please stop trying to set me up with people."

"Just trying to be a good sister," Theresa said lightly, drinking from her glass again.

"You can start by telling me what you know about Austin Pleasance," said Rome. As in, the information he had actually come for.

"Austin Pleasance, hm?" she said, lifting an eyebrow. "What about him? I like him."

"He studies here?"

"Yeah," she said. "Thomas knows him better—Oh, look who finally decided to rejoin us."

"Who, me or him?" said Thomas, approaching. He made to hug Rome, but Rome just gave him an annoyed look, and he halted his advances. "Rome, you don't look very happy to see me! How disappointing."