A Home for Lost Boys

~Two~

{Possible trigger warnings: some possible wound mentions (just Patton checking up on Roman), one bad word (censored like I do)

If I miss something, I apologize and please let me know}

"How are you feeling today, Roman?" Patton set his bag down next to the bed.

"Much better, thank you." Roman yawned. "I think I've slept more soundly here than any other time in my life."

"The Sanctuary tends to have that effect." Patton chuckled. "It's a safe haven, and people can feel that. Do you want to try sitting up today?"

Roman paused, glancing down at the bandages crisscrossing his chest and stomach. "Do you think I'll be able to?"

"Maybe not by yourself at first, but with some help I'm sure you could." Patton reached over to loosen a strip of gauze. "I'll check you over first."

He started undoing the bandages and Roman closed his eyes. He rarely felt this relaxed around someone unfamiliar, so he was going to appreciate it before something else caught his attention and put him on edge again.

Slowly, Roman became aware of that smell again. He gritted his teeth and opened his eyes, looking around without moving his head.

Patton seemed fully focused on his work, but as he reached over to pick up a jar of salve he chuckled.

"Well as long as you're here Virgil, I could use a hand."

This 'Virgil' person approached the bed, and Roman flinched when he saw him.

"Don't touch me!"

Patton raised his eyebrows, and the pale man from the clearing rolled his eyes. "I told you he wouldn't like it, Patton."

"It's alright, Roman. He's just going to help me re-bandage you."

Roman shook his head, trying to shift himself up into a sitting position. Or something that was closer to a sitting position. "I don't want some thing like him anywhere near me."

"Rude. Like I want to touch your mangy a** anyway."

"Virgil." Patton admonished before turning to Roman again. "Okay, if you don't want him helping that's fine."

Roman just glared. Virgil rolled his eyes and wandered off.

"How can you let him stay here? I know you know what he is, he's dangerous!"

"Everyone here is dangerous in some way or another." Patton smiled. "Lets get you sitting up, I can bandage you up better then."

Roman made an incredulous noise. "He's White Court! That's not just any kind of danger!"

"Virgil has lived here for years. We've never had a problem, if we had he wouldn't be here."

"What happens when he needs to feed?"

Patton waved a hand and helped Roman sit up gently. He began to unroll a wad of bandages that had been balled up to store.

"Oh we fixed that situation years before he even showed up. Mam developed a potion that works as a substitute." He picked a few leaves from one of the trees that made up part of the wall next to them. "This should help it heal faster. It's going to go numb for a bit though, it's a really weird experience."

Roman made a face, but nodded. Patton laid the leaves out on the little bedside table and used a surgical knife to score a small set of cuts across each. He pressed one to the wounds on Roman's side and began to wrap the bandages around it.

Something blue swooped through the window, landing out of Roman's immediate line of sight. Patton glanced in its direction and smiled.

"Hello Logan."

"Tell Ali to stop following me around." 

The man who stalked over to the bed was not what Roman was expecting at all. He glowered at Patton, arms crossed.

He looked human, other than the electric blue eyes that looked eerily similar to a snake's.

"You're the only one who gives her a challenge, Logan." Patton laid another leaf on Roman's shoulder. "She's not going to bother you, just let her fly around."

"Do you know how irritating it is to have a fairy following you every time you're shifted? It drives me mad!"

Patton shrugged. "Well I don't know how that is, but Virgil follows me most days and I think it's a bit strange having a White Court tailing me."

"At least you like Virgil." Logan rolled his eyes.

"What do you think of the White Court?" Roman interjected. "You can't be too keen on having an incubus loose."

Logan raised his eyebrows and looked at Patton. "Have you given him the speech yet?"

Patton shook his head. "I was just getting to that."

"The speech?"

"The Sanctuary is open to anyone who needs it. As a permanent home, as a place to stay in times of need, as somewhere to hide in an emergency. You can stay as long as you like, and anyone is welcome." Patton finished wrapping Roman's wounds and began to wind the extra bandages up. "Just as long as you abide by one rule."

"What are those?" Roman asked slowly.

"No fighting."

"That's it?"

Logan snickered. "It's always the same response, isn't it?" 

Patton chuckled. "One rule. No fighting. Physical fighting - everyone gets in verbal spats once in a while. We've been helping mythological and magical beings since before I could talk, I can remember only two times we had to ask someone to leave."

"We've got all sorts of creatures here. Fairies, dryads, a grumpy old centaur-"

Patton pointed to Logan, interrupting him. "A dragon shifter. A few White Court, harpies, there's even a Necromancer. They don't come out of the little hut they've made much, but they're friendly when you get to know them. Who else did I miss?"

"Dilly."

He gasped. "Dilly! We got Dilly as a hatchling, they're not even a year old yet. Cutest wyvern I've ever seen and everyone treats them like their own child."

Roman blinked a few times, taking it all in.

"It's up to you, Roman. Stay if you want, or leave once you can walk. Or whenever. We don't make the choices for you and we won't judge you if you decide one way or another." Patton smiled.

"Could I... could I think about it?"

"Of course! You don't even need to tell us." Patton nodded quickly. "If you decide you want to leave, just start walking. The Sanctuary always knows, it'll let you out."

He began to putter around, cleaning up the supplies he was using. Roman felt a smile slowly crossing his face.

{I have a list of 28 characters written out for this. That's the most pre-planning I've put into characters for a story in FOREVER}