Fearkeeper: Book 2 (Keeper Trilogy)

4

"Ok, Roman... It's just a joke... how hard can it be?" Roman hugged the book tightly as he slowly made his way to the kitchen to find Patton at the table with a coloring book. He sighed as he sat himself across from Patton placing the book in his lap as Patton hummed to himself. "H-Hey Dad?" Patton smiled as he looked up at him.

"What's up, kiddo?" Roman smiled awkwardly as he glanced away. "Is something wrong? You're a bit tense there."

"N-No... I'm fine. Really. I just uh..." Patton narrowed his eyes as Roman bit his lip. "I have a few questions to ask you."

"Oh, ok... shoot." Roman frowned as his gaze fell to the table.

"Why was six afraid of seven?" Patton's eyes went wide as Roman shrunk into himself a bit.

"I-I don't know... W-Why was s-six afraid of seven?" Roman could hear the shake in Patton's voice as he tensed a bit.

"Because Seven Eight Nine..." Patton smiled as Roman gripped the book so tightly in his lap his knuckles were white. "What do you get when you put a candle in a suit of armor?"

"I don't know, what?" 

"A knight light." Patton just smiled again as he started his coloring again. Roman tensed up as his eyes darted to the book. Patton wasn't laughing. He would only smile and Roman knew as much as Patton loved jokes, the smile was fake. "Why did the storm trooper buy an iPhone?"

"Roman, sweety, I don't really feel like..."

"Because he couldn't find the droid he was looking for." Patton froze up seeing the tears in Roman's eyes that refused to spill. "Aren't any of these good?"

"Well, of course, they're good, Roman. I just haven't been one for jokes since..." Patton's eyes went dark as he sighed as went back to his coloring. "I'm sorry kiddo. I don't mean to be such a party pooper. I just don't..."

"Why was Cinderella a bad soccer player?" Patton frowned as he felt Roman's desperation from across the table. He sighed again as he closed his coloring book to give Roman his full attention. "Because she was always running away from the ball, she kept losing her shoes, and she had a pumpkin for a coach!" Patton's eyes narrowed as Roman frowned and looked away. "Why can't you give Elsa a balloon?" Roman's voice was quiet as he shook a bit. "Because she'll just let it go."

"Roman, is there a reason you're trying so hard." Roman tensed as Patton gave him a soft smile. "This isn't because of..."

"Patton, please. I'm just asking questions." Roman tried to smiled as Patton nodded. "Ok...what else did I want to ask? Oh right. Do you know why people go to Disney?" Patton shook his head as Roman smiled a bit. "I think it's so they can get a little goofy."

Meanwhile, Logan was staring at the card with this look in his eyes. Roman asked for his help. Obviously, he was going to but he didn't really know where to start. He had gotten the other things from Roman's room so that he could figure out some things or at least get a start on it. He was staring at the first card when his eyes went wide... He could use his powers.

Logan bit his lip as he held the card firmly in his hand. He hasn't done this since that day. Sure he's used his powers all the time but he never went back in time once since then. He just couldn't make himself do it. He's felt too guilty to. His mind when to... if he couldn't go back to save Virgil and Cassidy then why should he go back at all. He knew it was because every time he thought about going back to save them he'd get far too emotional where this had nothing to do with that but still. He still felt guilty about it.

" I miss the moments you'd smile with glee and beam as you hummed beside me?" Logan froze up as he read the card again. "Or when you'd sing as you stood below the mistletoe. Or sang as we played in the snow." Logan frowned as he glanced over at the other card. "So what I ask you on my behalf... is to make our dear Patton laugh." Logan quickly pulled out the letter and he narrowed his eyes. "I know you better than you think, Roman." 

"Roman knows F..." Logan glanced off lost in thought as he tried to work through everything. "Whoever it is, is very close to Roman. Close even for them to go this far." That's it. He had to try. Maybe if he tried to just peek into the past. You know, try to see when the card was made. Logan bit his lip before taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. He felt that familiar rush of energy around him as he smiled until the cold hit him. He was shocked out of his concentration the moment he felt the temperature plummet. He dropped the paper and just sat there trying to collect himself. He was still shaking as he rubbed his arms hoping to warm up a bit. His breath came out as a fog and he groaned. "God damn Dark Realm." Logan gripped the card tightly as his mind wind in a spiral. Why was the card in the dark realm?

Logan jumped up to his feet and walked out to find Roman. He tried the sides room but Roman wasn't in there. It's been like an hour since the guy left surely he wasn't still...

"He was all like... Good knight... I stood there waiting for him as he had called me. After a while, I was like 'Yes?' Do you know what he said?" Logan frowned hearing Roman's voice from the kitchen. "He said... 'Oh no, I was saying goodnight. I'm going to sleep.'" The sound of soft laughter filled Logan's ears as he stopped short seeing the sight before him. Roman met his eyes and smiled purposely squinting his eyes. "Hey, Dad?"

"Yeah?" Roman laughed a little as his eyes started to glow a bit pink. 

"I think I need to get my eyes checked." Patton frowned as Roman smirked. "I'm seeing doubles."

"What do you..." Logan put his hand to Patton's shoulder making the other jump a bit before looking back to see him. Patton's eyes went wide as Roman summoned a mirror letting the pink die down as he held it up so he could see himself. 

"Actually, now I'm seeing triples." Patton couldn't hold back the laughter as Roman summoned his mirror, laughing along with the moral side. Logan chuckled a bit to before glancing down at his love. He nudged Patton's shoulder a tad making the other look back up at him before he spoke. 

"Is there an echo in here or is it just me?" Patton sat there completely stunned as Roman burst out laughing.

"Logi... did you just make... a dad joke?" Logan blushed a bit as he looked away and fixed his tie. Patton beamed as he jumped up pulling Logan in as he laughed. "THAT WAS SO GOOD!" Logan melted into the embrace as he glanced over, seeing Roman's smile start to drop. Logan just smiled softly as he mouthed a 'thank you' over to the princely side. Logan pulled away fixing himself up again as he put on a fake pout. 

"I have no idea what you're talking about Patton. I don't make jokes." Logan smirked a bit making Patton laugh some more as Roman got up to leave. "Ro..." Roman froze up shooting a look back as Logan tried to offer a light smile. "Come find me the moment you get another one." Patton frowned in confusion as Roman glanced down at the book in his hands. "I mean it, Ro. I'm going to help you with this." Patton's eyes went wide as Roman smiled softly back at them.

"You mean you got another card?" Roman nodded as the realization hit Patton. Pat laughed to himself a bit before shaking his head. "Now the desperation makes sense."

"Sorry, Dad."

"Don't be, kiddo." Patton beamed as he held Logan's hand tightly. "That was the best laugh, I've had in a long time."