^ Notice the steady decline in quality as more expressions are added. The marks on his face appear to be like scars, but they're not.
It had been five hours and Roman was so sick of this. Cassius followed Patton everywhere. He was like a dog. When Cassius went to go get his puzzle was the only opening Roman was given in five hours.
"This is ridiculous." He mumbled to himself, watching as Cassius fiddled with a pair of Chinese handcuffs.
"Right?!" Cassius said, turning to him. Roman jumped, not realizing he had been heard. "Like, why are they called Chinese handcuffs? What makes them Chinese specifically? Why can't they be Spanish handcuffs? Or Indian handcuffs?"
"I bet Logan could tell you all about that." Patton commented, looking wistful. "He could talk for hours about little things like that."
"You make it sound like he's dead." Cassius snorted.
"Well, he's dead to me." Patton huffed, crossing his arms. "Who does he think he is?"
"Come to think of it, didn't the same thing happen with Deceit?" Cassius hummed, finally managing to escape the handcuffs. "He learned of the true nature of your relationship, and exposed you, if memory serves."
Patton frowned. "I...guess it did, huh? I never realized." Patton murmured. "Well whatever, they both got what they deserved."
"I mean, they got more than they deserved." Cassius shrugged. "You beat the shit out of both of them, right? What we did just makes you petty."
"I personally don't think I did enough." Patton growled. "They stabbed me in the back. Treason is punishable by death, yes?"
"Is it really treason when you technically betrayed them first?" Cassius tilted his head, blinking innocently. "Because the only reason they acted out was 'cause they learned you weren't being honest to them."
"You're taking their side!" Patton roared, glaring at him.
"Whatever do you mean?" Cassius batted his eyelashes. "I'm simply putting myself in their shoes."
Roman watched Patton cautiously, hoping he wouldn't get upset and take his frustration out on Roman. Was he scared? Of course not! He was a prince!
"You're going to be in their shoes if you don't watch your fucking mouth." Patton growled. Cassius rose a brow.
"Really now? You're going to assault me, the one providing you with food and shelter, and then what? Run back to the others?" Cassius smirked.
"I--"
"Don't forget your situation, Morality." Cassius walked over to Patton, tossing his Chinese handcuffs over his shoulder. Patton tensed, averting his eyes. "I don't need you like you need me, I could very well toss you back to the others like a piece of meat to a pack of wolves."
"...A-And how well would that work for you?" Patton asked, forcing himself to look Cassius in the eye. "Remember the incident from sixteen years ago? You were placed in the gray, if I remember correctly. How was solitary confinement?"
"You act as if you played a large part in that." Cassius retorted through gritted teeth. "That was all Deceit's doing, you played such a minuscule part in that."
"I could crush you under my heal." Patton growled. "You stupid, useless--"
Patton was cut off by a punch to the face. Roman's eyes widened as he watched Patton stagger back.
"I warned you, didn't I?" Cassius asked, voice flat and expression blank. "What did I say would happen if you called me that again?"
Patton's eyes widened. "N-No! I'm sorry! I just got upset--!"
"I warned you." Cassius repeated, an emptiness in his eyes that shook Roman to his very core.
"Please! I-I didn't mean it! You can't throw me back to the others! Please!" Patton begged, absolute terror being the only emotion he was exuding. "I'll do anything! Just don't kick me out!"
Cassius paused at that. "Check the duke's memories now."
"No! Don't do that! That's a very bad idea!" Roman blurt out. "Are you sure I have it? Maybe Roman has what you're looking for instead?"
"Roman only has half of Romulus' memories." Patton said, walking over to Roman. "I checked about two year ago when he fell asleep during movie night."
What the fuck, Patton?
Roman gulped. So they were looking for Romulus' memories, then?
Before Roman could protest, Patton had grabbed the sides of Roman's head. Roman's entire life flashed through his eyes, it made him feel like he was about to die.
When his memories finally caught up to the present day, he felt all the blood drain out of his face.
Patton was looking at him in a mixture of anger and disbelief.
"You're not Remus."
---
Remus instantly knew something was wrong when his heart felt like it would burst out of his chest. Roman was absolutely terrified, which usually wasn't a good sign.
The bowl he had been holding fell out of his hands and shattered on the floor with a loud crash. Virgil and Logan instantly rushed over to him.
Logan was asking him all sorts of questions, but he couldn't hear any of them. The only thing on his mind was Roman. What happened? Is he injured? Did Cassius and Patton do something to him?
"E-Empathy link...!" He stammered out, looking wildly between Virgil and Logan. Virgil's eyes widened and he went incredibly pale. "We have to go get him! Something's gone terribly wrong--!"
He quickly rushed out of the kitchen, making a beeline for the dark side of the mind palace.
"Remus--! Wait--!" Logan called, running after him. "We can't just walk in there!"
"Try and stop me. I fucking dare you." Remus growled.
"I'm concerned for Roman as well, but we shouldn't go in there without a plan! If you just give me some time--"
"Oh, because your plans have worked so well before." Remus spat. "Yes, let's leave the plan making to the side that was stupid enough to fall in love with a psychopath."
Logan physically recoiled, going white as a sheet. Remus heard a sharp intake of breath from Virgil.
Before Remus could regret his comment more than he already did, he continued his march to save Roman.
He understood why no one made to stop him that time.
A/N:
A summary of this chapter:
● Patton and Cassius fight
● Roman gets found out (oh no!)
● Remus is an angry boi
