The Timeless Prince

37

"So... What did you want to talk about?" Roman muttered softly as he and Virgil slowly walked through the zoo. They were just passing the flamingo's when Roman frowned and froze up. Something told him to stop and he couldn't make himself ignore it. Virgil frowned as he turned back to see Roman staring off at the pink birds with this confused look.

"Ro? Are you ok?"

"Yeah..." Roman shook himself from his thought as he smiled over at the other before quickly joining him. "I just... I saw the flamingos and thought a joke. Can't remember where I heard it though. Anyway, you didn't answer my question. What did you want to talk about?"

"Everything... I guess... in a sense... I don't know." Virgil laughed sadly as he shrugged. "I guess... firstly, I wanted to apologize."

"What for?" Virgil frowned as Roman just stared off into space almost as if he wasn't truly there at the moment. Truth be told he really wasn't. He was fighting with himself as his mind was spiral. Thoughts and flashes filled his mind urging him to hold him... to do something... but Roman knew Virgil had those rules and no matter what that other half of him said, he wasn't going to break them. "You have every right to not want to be around me." Roman twitched slightly as his heart lurched. "Even if it hurts me and you promised you wouldn't do it again."

"What?" Roman frowned as looked back with major confusion notice the fear in Virgil's eyes. 

"What do you mean what?"

"You said... You... wait?" Roman was honestly confused as Virgil brought them both to a stop. "What did you say?"

"Before I asked why you said what?" Virgil nodded gesturing him to continue as Roman just shrugged. "I don't remember saying anything except... What for?" Roman's eyes narrowed as he snapped and laughed. "Oh yeah... sorry. I said you had everything right. My head has been a bit... jumbled today."

"Right." Virgil frowned as Roman just smiled at him like nothing was wrong. "Are you ok Roman?"

"No." Roman's eyes shot wide in shock as he tried to backtrack. "No, wait. I meant no I'm good." Roman shook his head again as he just sighed. "I told you my heads been jumbled. My words aren't coming out right. We aren't here to talk about me, Virge."

"Ro..."

"You wanted to talk." Roman's eyes dulled catching Virgil's attention just as fast as Roman's smile falling did. "So talk. What do you want?"

"I wanted to apologize, Roman." Roman just sighed as Virgil started to tense with anxiety. "What? Why did you do that?"

"Why'd I do what?" Virgil panicked unsure what the hell was going on with Roman. He let himself be open to what the other was feeling and everything crashed around him. He suddenly fell to his knees shocking Roman completely as Virgil actually started to cry. "Virgil?!"

"So much pain... s-s-so m-much pain. Why... Why are you in so much pain?" Virgil hugged himself close as he curled up. Roman dropped to the ground wanting to help him but froze up with his arms outstretched unable to touch him because of the rules. Virgil said he didn't even want to see him. That clearly meant the rules were to be enforced. What happened during the trip was to much and he knew that. He couldn't keep pushing his luck. The fact that Virgil was even here right now was a chance he didn't want to mess up. 

"Virgil? What's wrong? Why are you crying? How can I help you?" Virgil just grabbed Roman's hand making the other go rigid at the pained look in the other. "V-Virgil?"

"I'm so sorry, Roman." Roman's eyes narrowed as Virgil choked as gasped out for air. "You're in so much pain. I don't know why but... I know most of it is my fault. I can feel it. I'm sorry."

"I'm fine, Virgil. I'm more worried about you. You just collapsed on me." Roman tried to pull his hand free only for Virgil to whimper, making his body react by pulling his arm in close to his chest. "Virgil, please. What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing... Just... your pain." Roman's eyes narrowed as Virgil tensed, his face scrunching up in discomfort. "I'm feeling your pain."

"My pain. But I'm telling you I'm f..." Roman blanked for about two seconds worrying Virgil who could feel it like a battle in Roman's heart. The worrying emotion of pain and guilt just eating away at the other. "You hurt me, Virgil." Virgil nodded as Roman's voice sounded dead. "I tried to prove to you that I... but... You just pushed me away."

"I know. I'm sorry. I really am. I just didn't know what else to do." Virgil forced himself to let go as he had to pull himself from Roman's emotions. He couldn't take the way it made the world tilt. Roman just sighed as he smiled down at him like he hadn't just said he was hurting.

"It's ok, Virgil. I understand. You've been through a lot. You said it yourself. I remind you of your late soulmate. Obviously interacting with me would be painful. I just... I hoped you would someday learn to be ok with me but... You only pushed me away." Roman shrugged as he looked away. "I figured, it was better to just let you go than to keep trying. We'd never get anywhere. You don't have to push yourself. I'm ok, really. Yeah, I'm... I'm bummed over losing... a f-friend... but I'll be ok."

"You haven't lost me." Roman frowned in confusion as Virgil slowly pushed himself up to his feet. "You haven't lost me at all, Roman."

"What do you mean? You said you couldn't see me... and for good reason. I'm not just going to hang around and let you suffer because you think it's gonna hurt me or someth..." Virgil pulled Roman in hugging him tightly as he buried his face into Roman's shoulder. He was covered yes. He was wearing his gloves and hoodie. He was covered...

But he couldn't cover his face.

Virgil smiled as he let out a happy sigh feeling that buzz on his skin from where his cheek met Roman's neck. Almost instantly Roman's arms wrapped around him holding him close as if Virgil would just vanish on him. 

Roman... Roman was in a state of shock. You see... That oh so familiar buzz that burned through him the moment Virgil hugged him tightly, snapped something in the man... no... in the prince. Everything that had been swirling and fighting about his mind suddenly made complete sense. Memories played through Roman's mind like a movie reel and he couldn't stop his heart from racing. All those years... all those memories... all those moments. He broke down completely, sobbing like a broken child as he dropped and buried himself into his soulmate. Let's just say Virgil was lucky to have closed himself off from Roman's emotions because those who didn't have that lucky felt the onslaught of pure grief and relief that tumbled through the air.

Both Patton and Remus's heads shot up as the two stared off in the same direction. Patton had to choke back the bile that wanted to rise up from the impact of such strong emotions. Remus just wanted to cry. Sure he wasn't an empath like Patton was... or Emile, who was no doubt just as sick where ever he and Remy had gone off to. Remus was, however, a telepath. And he knew... he knew...

Roman just remembered everything.