Bad Rumors

43

Roman carefully set the bowl of oatmeal down on the nightstand, before putting himself back into bed. He had cooked the oatmeal himself, adding honey, cinnamon, and vanilla to it in the hopes he could rouse Virgil from his sleep if only to eat a little. Roman took a deep breath before pulling Virgil back into his lap this time sitting him up against him to help hold him up, while the younger nestled into his neck. 

He knew it wasn't going to be easy. Logan has tried many times since they've gotten there but the most he could get him to do was take a single sip of water. Roman hated seeing his love so sick. It's been days since he came back. He hasn't left Virgil's side once.

"V-Virg-gil?" Roman whispered softly as he cringed at his own voice. He sighed as he shifted their weight just enough so that Virgil was sitting more comfortably in his lap, roman's arm wrapped around his waist. He let himself slip into that familiar feeling of confidence as he focused on his need to help his love. "Virgil?" Roman ran his fingers through the man's hair with tears in his eyes as he used his other hand to fidget lightly with Virgil's fingers. "Come on, Emo nightmare. You got to wake up for me. Please?"

"It's ok, Virge." Roman hummed softly as he tried desperately to coax the smaller awake. "I've got you. I know you're sick and you just want to sleep but... Please wake up?" A soft huff sounded and Roman's eyes lit up. "Hey. Hey, I heard that." Roman smiled as that confident feeling wrapped around him. He knew it was his pride but he needed it... otherwise, he'd never be able to talk. "Stormcloud..." He sang softly as he gently brushed his finger over Virgil's cheek earning a very tired groan and grimace. "I know you can h-here m-me." Roman winced at the stutter but didn't let it stop him. "Please, wake up. It doesn't have to be for long. Just so you can eat."

"V-Virg-g..." A louder more annoyed grown sounded from the bundle of nerves in his lap and Roman nearly cried right there. Virgil fussed pushing himself further into Roman's arms as Roman moved to wrap his arms around him. "Virgil, you have to get up."

"I brought some food." Roman frowned feeling as that pain in his chest subtle got worse, as if the more awake Virgil was the more pain they both were in. "It's ok. Virgil, I've got you. You don't have to be up for long. Just to eat something. Please..."

"Go away." Roman's breath lapsed as Virgil grumbled in his sleep only to making the prince laugh despite the pain in him overhearing those words. 

"I can't exactly do that with you in my lap, Mi noche eterna." Virgil's face scrunched up as Roman hummed again lightly, a soft tune that made the air seem softer. "I can understand if you're still mad at me, but I need you to eat something. Please?"

"No." Virgil hissed as he curled up more. "Hurts..." He slurred as he shivered making Roman sigh in understanding, after all, he felt it too. 

"I know, mi flor misteriosa. I know..." Roman's eyes darkened as he continued to trail his fingers through Virgil's hair. His grip on his pride was slipping as his thoughts filled with the fear of failure. If he can't get Virgil to eat or drink then his love will die. He can't fail. He can't... He has to save his love. He just... "P-P-Plea-ase, V-Virgil." He spoke so softly that it hardly came to sound as all that anxiety finally tugged him under and he lost all sense of confidence that he has. He was terrified. He couldn't lose Virgil. Not like this. Not again... "P-P-Ple-ease, wake u-up?" Virgil's eyes fluttered a bit as Roman suddenly moved to be able to see him properly. 

"Virgil?" Virgil groaned in response as his eyes continued to flutter and twitch. Roman's heart swam as he started to cry. "H-Hey. Th-That's it. Th-There you g-g-go. You g-go... Uh... got it." 

"R-Ro?" Roman beamed as he nodded, not that Virgil could really see it much but he didn't care. "Ro? I..."

"Shh... It's o-ok. D-D-D... Do-... Don't w-worry a-about it. J-Just relax o-ok? Here." Roman moved slightly to reach over the nightstand, making Virgil grunt over the movement, still not completely awake. "I made o-oatm-meal." 

"What?" Virgil hissed out in his daze as Roman just laughed putting the bowl in Virgil's lap, what was still cradled in his own lap leaning against his chest. He put the smallest amount he could on the spoon carefully whipping the access on the side of the bowl before using his free hand to lightly brush against Virgil's cheek earning a hum.

"Can you eat a small bit for me?" Virgil's eyes fluttered again as he smiled, still highly dazed off his mind and probably thinking he was dreaming.

"Anything for you." Virgil lulled making Roman blush a bit before he carefully brought the spoon to Virgil's lips.

"Here, m-m-mi d-dulce." Virgil smiled as he let his lips part ever so slightly to accept the small bit of oatmeal with a hum. "There you go." Roman waited for a few seconds just to make sure Virgil didn't accidentally fall back to sleep while eating, before going to get a little more. "Here som-me m-more, Mi a-amor."

"Amor?" Roman's face paled as Virgil giggled softly. "That... That means love." Roman didn't say anything that time he just brushed the spoon against Virgil's lips who then ate what was given with a smile. That went on for a while with Roman making sure to coax Virgil back awake every once in a while. When the bowl was more than half done, Virgil leaned against Roman's chest more with a very content sigh making the prince blush badly.

"A-Are y-you done?" Virgil nodded as nuzzled into Roman's neck.

"'m sleepy, Roro." Roman's heart practically skipped a beat as he placed the bowl back on the nightstand and wrapped his arms around his love closely.

"That's o-ok. You c-can sleep-p n-now. You did s-so g-g-good, Virgil. I-I'm p-proud of you." Virgil hummed happily as Roman literally cuddled up into him. "We c-c-can eat-t m-more lat-ter. Mayb-be you c-can drink s-som-me t-to."

"You... happy?" Roman smiled as he nodded noticing how Virgil was already drifting off as he relaxed in his arms completely.

"As long as you get better... I'll be as happy as I can be."