The Timeless Prince

12

Princey... he's so much like Roman it's so hard. It's too hard. It's bad enough dealing with Patton and Emile reminding him of his best friends but Princey... Princey was way too much like Roman. His voice, his mannerisms, his personality... god even the way he snapped was like Roman. And Virgil didn't see that often from his soulmate. It was like he was talking to Roman again every time Princey said something... and it broke his heart.

Virgil wasn't stupid. He knew what he was doing was petty. Every time he went off on Princey just so that he got yelled at. Every time he just popped up and enraged the man just so that Princey went off on him. Every time he pushed him past his limits so that Princey said something hurtful. He knew they weren't the same person, but in those moments Virgil didn't care. Princey was the closest person he had to Roman and he needed to hear those things. He needed his Roman to scream at him, to blame him... to hate him.

It was all his fault.

"V-Vir..." Virgil tensed as he heard something shift. His eyes instantly darted to Roman and he frowned seeing the uncomfortable look on the others face. "I... I'm so..." Roman's breath hitched as he fussed a bit and Virgil's chest tightened. Roman wasn't kidding about having nightmares, was he? "Don't... Don't hurt hi..."

"Princey?" Virgil pushed himself up noticing the erratic breathing from the other. "Prince..."

"I can't..." Roman flinched violently scaring Virgil even more, making the dark prince jump from his bed. Roman's hands were clenched around his blanket as he shook, pain written all over his face. "I'm sorry..." Virgil frowned as he got closer, hearing Roman whispering out in his sleep. "I'm sorry."

"Hey there, Princey. Everything's ok." Virgil knelt down beside the sleeping 'side' and smiled softly at him. "It's just a dream." He slowly reached out only to freeze moments before his fingers to brush against Roman's cheek. Even now when the man was clearly having a nightmare, he couldn't do anything. The dark prince sighed as he let his hand drop to Roman's chest that was completely covered by the blanket Roman was holding tightly around himself. "It all going to be ok, Princey. I promise. I..."

"Please don't go." Virgil flinched hearing the immense pain in the other... so much pain... Virgil narrowed his eyes in determination as he branched out with his magic. He felt the energy surround them both and he smiled softly. It wasn't much. He couldn't really do anything while Roman was asleep but he hoped this helped a bit. "Please... don't.. don't leave... me." Virgil felt the energy get stronger pulsing through him as it built up around Roman. "I can't... Don't..."

"Shush there... You're ok." Virgil smiled as he saw Roman start to relax. "Everything is going to be ok. I promise, Roman." Virgil ignored the way his heart skipped just saying that name as he let his power continue to build wrapping the other in a cocoon of calming energy. "You're safe. I won't let anything happen." Virgil let himself fall back seeing the other breathing more stable before returning to his own bed. He felt the exhaustion takeover and he laughed at himself before feeling him slip under. "I guess... I don't really... hate you, do I?"

"ROMAN!" A voice tore through the black making the prince tense up as he looked around. He was stuck in this void he couldn't escape from. "Roman, please!"

"Virgil?!" Roman just stood there as the panic set in. He needed to get out. He needed to get back to him. He needed to save him. "Virgil, where are you?"

"Roman, I... I'm sorry." Images flashed around the lighter prince as he struggled to hold himself up. Images of him and Virgil laughing and smiling until... Until they turned dark. He plunged into battle. Screams echoed around him. He spotted his love standing there with this broken look in his eyes as a dark figure walked up behind him. "Roman?"