Adoption Au: Sanders Sides

When the Mourning Comes

AN: i'm so sorry..this is gonna be sad as hecc i thought it might be a good story..maybe..it's probably not... i'm sorry.
TW: mentions of alcohol poisoning, panic attacks

"Roman," Virgil muttered as he spotted his brother walking through the automatically opening doors. He stood up from the stiff leather chair he was in and ran across the waiting room to where his brother had entered.

"H-Hi Romano."

"Heya Verge." They shared a quick hug, then started walking back to where Virgil was previously sitting. "I'm sorry. I came as soon as I could," Roman apologized as he gently squeezed Virgil's forearm.

"You're fine. They won't even let me in yet." Roman glared over at the reception desk before turning back to his brother. "You don't look too good." Virgil chuckled darkly and collapsed into the chair he had been sitting in before.

"I've been in the hospital for almost 24 hours. What do you expect?"

"Where's Remy?"

"With the kids. He said he wouldn't be able to look at my mother after what she did to me.."

"And you can?" Virgil's shoulders collapsed slightly and his head fell onto his lap. He whispered something with a low voice. So low that Roman couldn't understand a word he was saying. "What?" Virgil lifted his head again and a sad smile was on his lips while silent tears streaked down his cheeks.

"I don't know." He laughed and Roman thought he might be going mad. "I don't know I don't know what the hell I'm doing here or why I even care." He laughed again and threw his head back onto his shoulders.

"Virgil, snap out of it," Roman pleaded as he placed his hand on his brothers shoulder.

"I don't know what I'm even doing here." It was then that Roman noticed Virgil wasn't laughing, he was crying. "I don't know why she didn't love me," he hiccuped and his head fell forward again onto Roman's shoulder. "I don't know what I did to make her hate me."

"Because she was messed up Virgil."

"Does that mean I'm not able to love my kids," he croaked out as he ran his hand under his eyes. "Does being messed up mean that you have to take it out on others because you can't deal with your own problems?" Roman sighed and stroked Virgil's hair. Streaks of faint purple still evident from his teenage years.

"No. Because unlike her," Roman's voice was full of venom and he practically spat out the pronoun that referred to Virgil's mother. "You're strong and you're an amazing person." Virgil shrugged and silent tears slipped down his cheeks.

"Am I a good person though?" Roman turned to face his brother with a shocked expression on his face.

"You're kidding right? You're the second most loving, most kindhearted people I know." Virgil lifted his head and drew his eyebrows together.

"S-Second?" Roman smirked and wiped a tear away from Virgil's face.

"Come on, you know Dad takes first and he's ground me if I said otherwise." Virgil chuckled and this time, it sounded natural and happy.

"You're a grown man scared of being grounded Romano. You've made it so far in life." Roman also chuckled and leaned back in his seat, stretching his long legs in front of himself.

"Wanna know the reason you're here Verge?"

"Because my terrible biological mother is dying of alcohol poisoning?" Roman chuckled and reached his hand out to Virgil's.

"Well I mean, that is a contributing factor. But it's not the main reason." Virgil tilted his head at his older brother and grabbed his warm, soft hand. Roman gave it a light squeeze and smiled. "It's because you're compassionate and care for others. You're forgiving and try to see the best in people, even though you claim to be a pessimist."