Bad Rumors

23

"If it started because of Remus..." Roman's eyes narrowed as he looked over to see Adam giving him a very sad look. They were all in the fort with Roman in between the two of them. "... why don't you talk to him?"

"I've tried." Roman smiled sadly as he hugged his knees to his chest. "Every time I do, I snap instantly. I hate when my pride takes over but I can't help it. It's... an automatic thing when I feel so... down."

"You're sensitive." Roman tensed as his eyes darted to Alex who flinched a bit. "I... I didn't... I don't mean it as a-a bad th-thing."

"No. You're right. I am." Roman laughed as he rolled his eyes. "I am very sensitive. Even more so than Patton, I think. That goofball is emotional but... he's strong. I'm not."

"Roman..."

"I'm not. It's ok. You don't have to try and make me feel better." Both the boys seemed to crash as Roman smiled through the tears forming. "Remus... He always tried to make me happier by doing all these... stupid things. There was one time I got really scared. I don't remember why but I do remember Remus deciding he was going to steal some cash and take me out for ice cream." Adams eyes went wide as Roman chuckled a bit. "He almost got himself beat up which made me even more scared but... he just laughed and held out the man wallet. We had ice cream and a decent meal that night. He even bought me a stuffed dragon."

"You stole?" Roman shook his head as he laid his arm over his knees a bit more relaxed now. "But you just..."

"I never did a thing. I was far to scared. Remus on the other hand did everything." Adams eyes shined as even Alex started to smile. "I would never condone thievery but... I do know what it's like to have to live off of what you can take from others. We lived on the street just as you too did. Remus made it his mission to get anything he could to make me happy."

"Can you tell us more?"

"I mean... If you.. If you want?" They both nodded and Roman couldn't held but relax more into the pillows surrounding him. He let his knees fall until he was sitting criss-cross and laughed. "Well, alright then." Roman beamed as he slipped into a more storyteller mindset. The boys both giggled and shifted till they were sitting on their knees happily listening to Roman's tales. 

As one could imagine Roman was dramatic about his retellings. His hands were moving about with every word he spoke. The boys were enraptured with every tale. It seemed that the fort was no longer a place for tears but a land of awe and amazement for everyone, especially the prince himself.

"And then he jumped off the roof using the rope as a swing to take him to where I was. He full on kicked the man in the back sending him flying into a building as he just laughed. 'No one touches my brother.' I'll never forget that. 'No one touches my brother.' He was always so protective of me." Roman's eyes shined with a light neither boy had really seen from Roman before. "You remind me so much of him Adam."

"I... I do?" Roman nodded as his smile only got wider.

"You both have your spunk. You both are energetic and quick to put someone in their place if you have to. And..." Roman's eyes fell a bit as he glanced over at Alex. "You're very protective of your brother. That's what caught my eye that first day." Adam's eyes widened a bit as Roman dazed off. "You were so adamant about getting your brother food. I can't tell you how many times Remus had done that for me. When I saw that all I could think of was him and... I couldn't just ignore that."

"Do..." Alex chocked a bit with nerves as Roman smiled over at him. "Do I... Do... Do I remind you of anyone?" Roman's face fell instantly as he teared up a bit making Alex frown. "R-Roman?"

"Sorry. I just uh... Yeah. You do. But I'm not entirely sure if it's a good thing or not." Alex's frown grew as Roman shrugged. "I mean. You at least don't have my issues. You don't have to worry about everything I do. But... I just... I feel bad that you still seem so much like me."

"Wait." Alex paused for a bit trying to work through what was said before looking over to see his brother crying too, him with a smile though unlike Roman. "I remind you of yourself."

"Yeah, you do. At least the younger me. The real me anyway." Alex giggled softly as he fiddled with his fingers. "What?" Roman was confused. He had expected them to be upset. After all, who would ever want to be compared to the monster prince. Roman thought they would have yelled at him or... just something. Yet. They were smiling. Alex was giggling. Adam was crying. Roman didn't understand it at all.

"I... I'm a... You said I'm like you." Roman nodded slowly, his confusion growing as Alex giggled again. "You said... s-said... You... I'm like the prince."

"I thought you wouldn't like that." Alex faltered as Roman glanced between the two boys. "Being compared to me...I can assure you, you are NOTHING like me when my pride takes over. That's not what I meant but... I just... I just thought. I... Uh... Shit, I'm stuttering." The boys both laughed as Alex slowly shifted closer. "A-Am I that... that... I-I don't even know. Why am I stuttering? I'm a... I'm... I'm supp... I'm a prince. I'm supposed to be anyway."

"It's ok, Roman." Roman froze up as Alex gently placed a hand on his arm. "I stutter too. Anx said it's normal. It doesn't mean anything bad. He says it can just be... be a... a-an emotional response." Roman sighed as he nodded.

"I know." Roman laughed at himself as he smirked softly. "I used to stutter all the time. Well, that isn't true. I only stuttered when I spoke. When I was younger I was pretty much a mute. Selectively of course." Alex's eye literally lit up as Roman rolled his eyes playfully. "I was completely different then to what I am now. Then again back then I wasn't passion. I wasn't Thomas's creativity... I was his awe. His childlike wonder. The sparkle in his eyes when he'd see a butterfly fly by him. That was me." There was a knock on the door making Roman jump as he grabbed a blanket and hid himself. The boys burst into laughter as Roman shh'ed them teasingly and rehid himself hearing the door open.

"Lunch is... Roman?" Virgil frowned in confusion seeing the obvious ball of blanket shifting around as the boys just laughed. "Roman, what are you doing?"

"Roman's not here at the moment. Please leave a message after the beep." Virgil choked back a laugh as he face palmed. "Beep." The boys' laughter only got louder as Roman giggled himself. Virgil's eyes narrowed challengingly as he gestured to the boys to listen to him.

"Oh, well then... I guess I'll just have to come back later when he is here. Come on, boys. Lunch is ready." Virgil smirked deviously as he nodded making the boys light up before they both jumped onto the prince eliciting a very girlish squeal.

"NO FAIR!" Roman yelled as he laughed falling victim to the boys tickling him. "You... Y-You played... Ah. Stop it!" Roman giggled as he flailed about suddenly sitting up and making the boys fall on their butts. "No fair, Virgil." Roman pouted playfully as Virgil just laughed. 

"All's fair in love and tickle fights. GET HIM!" Once again Roman was squealing as they, all three, jumped in tickling him like mad. Virgil just laughed as he took in the sound. This Roman... This Roman is someone he can learn to get along with.

This Roman is someone he might even learn to like.