Three

The lighting from outside reflected some light into the school's hallway. Roman could have sworn he saw half of her face was rotten, the way a human body resembled after decomposing.

"Your parents here to pick you up?" Roman asked, forcing himself to not panic. "Take my hand. I'll bring you downstairs."

Again no reply.

Roman could feel Dean feeling frantic; he had no doubt that his boyfriend was on his way over to the school. On instinct, he took steps back from her then. Her smile remained, as if she took great pleasure in this.

Without hesitation, Roman spun on his heels and continued walking down the hall, relying on his memory of the directions to make his way back to the office. When he went the male bathroom, he found the girl standing in his path.

Fuck.

What was going on?

A loud, piercing scream escaped her lips then making Roman's head throb badly. He felt his veins pulling before feeling worn out, the way one would after an exhausting day.

Darkness overcame him then in an instant.

"I think he's coming about," a voice was saying. "Roman?"

What… where…

Roman groaned, rubbing his temple. Felt as if someone had swung a sledgehammer to it.

"Take it easy, Roman. You're at the nurse's office."

His mind was slowly trying to piece information together, everything now in disarray. Nurse's office…

If you forget everything else, always remember I love you.

"Dean," Roman mumbled.

"I'm right here, Roman," a gravel voice replied.

Roman felt his hand squeezed, his soul recognising the touch. His eyes slowly peeled opened and he found his boyfriend's concerned face looming over his. "What's wrong?"

"One of the teachers found you passed out at the corridor about two feet away from the principal's office." Dean rubbed his forehead and hair tenderly. "I was already on my way to the school when I got the call. You alright?"

"My head hurts."

Dean pressed a soft kiss on his forehead. "Maybe you might want to… you know… chant."

Right.

"I'll distract them," his boyfriend murmured before turning around and asking the nurse about a bruise he had gotten from his last fight.

Roman remembered what Leakee had taught him, reciting the healing words. Gradually, the pain disappeared.

Blinking his eyes a few times, he slowly tried to sit up before the nurse panicked, trying to get him to lie down again. "You should be resting," she instructed.

"I want to go back home and rest," Roman requested. "Besides, I'll be fine. Dean is here."

Dean rubbed his back soothingly. "You sure?"

"Yeah." Roman nodded at the nurse. "I'll sign the indemnity form."

The nurse was obviously doubtful but she passed him the form nonetheless before leaving the room for a while.

"What happened, Roman?" Dean asked. "You saw the beast or something?"

"Not here, babe. At home."

Dean's blue eyes lingered on him for a while; probably wrestling with his inner thoughts. "Alright."

While the kettle was boiling water, Dean saw to the task of helping Roman change despite his feeble protests. "You rest here first," he suggested to his boyfriend, covering his legs with the comforter. "I'll bring the tea shortly."

Dean quickly fixed him a cup and brought it to the room, putting it beside his darling.

"Not that I don't appreciate it," Roman said, "but I'm okay now."

"I love taking care of you, alright?"

"Shouldn't it be the other way?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "So, what happened? Really?"

"Dean, strange things have been happening to me," his boyfriend revealed, pulling the comforter higher. "Stranger than our usual."

The auburn haired man found himself bracing for whatever was to come. "How strange?"

"Dean, I keep seeing that goat in front of the forest. I know you can't see it but it's there. I swear. And when I was at the post office on Saturday, I found an old man gazing at me as if he could read me or something. He was at our doorstep yesterday-"

"What?!" Dean screeched.

"-and he kept repeating about the red moon. He asked me to beware. Then today after class, there was this little girl… well, she's not human, that's for sure."

"Not human like a demon-"

"I'm pretty sure she's dead." Roman's shoulders were hunched. "My family's stressing over this red moon thing to the point he got someone to come visit me. He's a Samoan sorcerer. We've been encouraged to break our connection temporarily till this red moon thing is sorted out. But I don't know, Dean. I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why would they think breaking it would be good?"

"Because it'll make it harder for you to find me. It's for my safety apparently."

"Then shouldn't we do it, Roman?"

"No."

Dean knew the reason why Roman flat out declined. "It's for your safety. I don't know what will happen when that red moon comes out. It's better to take precaution."

"But what if nothing happens?"

"We don't know that for sure, Roman. We have nothing to work with aside from what people say."

Roman looked like he wanted to protest but he kept quiet.

"Now let's talk about this goat and the old man. Was that all the man said to you?"

"Yeah. I tried to close the door but he stopped me and when I did succeed, the doorbell kept ringing. And…" Roman threw the comforter aside. "Dean, maybe this red moon business is more serious than we thought but I'm not sure how I feel about leaving your side."

"It's just temporary, Roman. If all these things are happening, maybe it's better if we heed their advice."

The rest of the week had been uneventful to say the least.

Dean had spent almost all of it training until Drake announced on Thursday that he was postponing the fight on Saturday because he had to be out of town for urgent matters.

So Dean spent his time taking over chores while Roman worked.

But that wasn't all his darling had been doing.

While vacuuming their bedroom on Saturday, Dean had discovered that his boyfriend had several books on myths and legends that he had borrowed from the local library underneath the bed.

Roman was probably trying to see if he could find anything on red moons and stuff. But he came up with nothing apparently; there were no bookmarks or dog eared pages.

Dean flipped to the index and found nothing remotely near to the so called prophecy that Mark had been spouting.

"I'm home!" Roman announced from the living room. "There was a long queue at the mini mart."

Placing the books back beneath the bed, Dean headed out to the kitchen where Roman was unloading on the counter some bread, milk, eggs and cold cuts. "So we're having sandwich?" Dean gave him a kiss on his cheek.

"Oh yeah. Turkey sandwich with chips."

"Or you can just sandwich me on the bed…"

"There's that too." Roman opened the fridge to put the eggs in the tray. "So how have you been feeling?"

Dean shrugged. "Nothing different."

There was a knock on the door. Dean went to open it and found a burly Polynesian man standing outside. "Dean."

How did this guy know him? "Yeah. How-"

"Roman?" the man called out. "Time's running out. You've only got three weeks left."

Dean gave the man a look. "You're the sorcerer?"

"Yes. I offered Roman a chance to break his connection with you temporarily. Your transition to being this… it's the only way to keep Roman safe from you."

"We're not breaking anything," Roman objected, coming from behind Dean.

"Roman, we've been through this," Dean slowly said, the wheels in his head moving, "As much as I hate it, we must. I'd never forgive myself if anything happens to you. Please."

"What does that mean? You want me to leave you?"

"Just for a while. I'm not sure what's going on myself but if the violence I had inflicted on you in New York was a good indication as any, then you have to go."

"But I didn't leave you in New York! Why should I leave you now?"

"Because now it's seemingly following the prophecy." Dean could tell that Roman wasn't entirely convinced and was clutching at straws now. He was holding on to Dean tight no matter what. With a heavy heart, he added, "I know it hurts but you must."

The two men locked eyes for a while. "W-when?" Roman asked, his attention now on Joe.

"Well, they're on their way over hoping to convince you," Joe revealed.

"So it's an intervention?"

"It's called care, Roman."

"I'm going to go change."

Dean grabbed Roman's hand when his boyfriend turned around. "It's just temporary, Roman."

"I know," Roman replied quietly.

Did he? Dean had a bad feeling about the whole thing. His boyfriend could be a hothead too despite how gentle and warm he was. "The day before my birthday, I'm going to need you to get out of Bloomville. Don't tell me where you're going."

"I cannot believe that this is how we'll end…"

"The disconnection is not a permanent thing, Roman. Something tells me that this needs to happen."

"Then let me stand with you-"

Dean took a deep breath. "Roman, I'll be hurting you. Remember New York? It'd be worse than that. I'd rather you be alive than have to have you be killed by my own hands. Standing with me isn't going to help that."

His family gathered outside their home, their faces looking sombre.

Roman and Dean stood in front of their families - or what little they had - as witnesses to the whole thing.

The blue eyed man looked calm, thoughtful.

"So I'm going to need something personal from both of you," Joe said.

Dean was the first one. He reached into his pocket and took out a two toned black striped titanium ring band in it. The promise ring he had given him on his eighteenth birthday.

"You're giving that?!" Roman gaped. Of all the things…

"What's wrong with this?" Dean wanted to know.

"It's a sign of my promise. That's what's wrong."

"Roman…"

"No, Dean. Give something else."

"Actually," Joe intervened. "He's right in giving this."

Roman frowned. He watched with a torn heart when Dean handed the sorcerer the ring. Something about this whole thing seemed off-

"Roman, do you have anything you wish to give? Perhaps, your ring too?" Joe suggested.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Roman snapped.

"Roman!" Uncle Afa chided him.

His boyfriend was looking at him with a quizzical look before his face slowly dawned on the Samoan man's inner thoughts. Of course. Dean could feel him. "Roman…" Dean said slowly. "Please. I'm not joking. I was told about this even from Mark. I told you about the dreams-"

Roman had been backing away while Dean was talking. This was not the way to handle it. He had loved Dean for so long and now he had to give him up temporarily...

Not wasting time, he swung his fist on the ground making the earth rumble and all of them falling down. One last look at his boyfriend, Roman ran as fast as he could into the woods.

"Roman!" he heard Dean yell.

He had no idea how he managed to find the main road through the woods but somehow he had.

Break off their connection? That mark was the only way he'd be able to communicate with Dean non verbally; his boyfriend would be able to feel him. Taking that away was a recipe for disaster. And that was no reasoning with any of the people back there.

Including Dean.

Where was he supposed to go now?

Taking out his phone, he scrolled down the contacts list when he received a text message from Finn Balor, his ex classmate and one of their allies in the second battle in Lakeview: Free to meet up?

Dean knew that running after Roman to remove the ring forcibly from him would be wrong. It felt like he'd be crossing the lines.

"You okay, Dean?" Jey helped him up. "Man, he's strong. I can see why they wanted Leakee's blood."

"That's my worry," Dean confided. "To be honest, I'm not even sure what will happen to me when that moon turns red. I just wanted him safe in case."

"We can look out for him."

"Roman doesn't want to be found and quite frankly, Jey, he'd resent me more for removing that ring from him than me taking his blood."

"So what now?"

"Now I'll wait out here till the red moon. Let's see if Mark comes."

"So you're embracing the transition if it happens?"

"If I want to take on both of them, then yes. I have to."

"I'm sorry for what happened to you," Finn said, passing him a cup of coffee as he sat beside Roman on the couch. "I had no idea things would end up like this."

"Me neither," Roman agreed softly. "I want to be mad at all of them. I guess I am in a way. But seeing Dean give that ring… I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I know he wants to keep me safe but I expected him to be fighting-"

"That red moon is serious business. According to what my granddad used to say, it's a sign of a foreboding. Do you still want to continue with the plan? Seems risky."

"I do. I don't care if people have a hundred things to say. It's Dean. How bad can he be?" All he could hear in his head was what Dean kept repeating: New York. But he had been triggered by that anarchy symbol pendant then.

What could be his trigger now?

You, a voice inside him said.

"Listen," Finn tried to dissuade him, "I know you love him but this is crazy, Roman."

Roman shook his head vehemently. "I can't give up on him even though he has given up on himself… on us."

"So you'd die for him? Don't you think that that's extreme? Look, Dean would never ask you to turn away without a good reason. I mean anyone in love wouldn't. Maybe you should just listen to him for once. Try to live without him for a while…"

"We've been together for so long…" I never considered life without him… well only once when I was with Tom...

Finn gave him the guest room to sleep in. He switched on the radio, lying down on the floral print sheet covered bed and stared at the ceiling.

Tell me how am supposed to live without you
Now that I've been lovin' you so long
How am I supposed to live without you
How am I supposed to carry on
When all that I've been livin 'for is gone
I didn't come here for cryin'
Didn't come here to breakdown
It's just a dream of mine is coming to an end

No.

No.

No.

Roman wasn't ready for it to end yet.

Dean poured himself another glass of whiskey as he watched the tv screen blankly before his eyes gazed at the clock.

Ten.

Where was Roman? he thought with a yawn, lying down and closing his eyes. He had switched off his phone or the battery had died. I just want him to come home...

Kisses were rained on his face as hands were on him, touching his abs waking him up.

Roman.

Roman was here, showing him how much he loved him…

Dean started to kiss him back passionately, wanting him to know that he loved him too.

Clothes were slowly discarded, their bare bodies pressed together. Dean closed his eyes in bliss as Roman peppered kisses on his neck before moving down slowly down to swollen length which he took into his mouth expertly.

A soft moan escaped his lips.

His boyfriend obviously knew how to please him; knew where to touch him and play with him… Dean was crumbling with Roman's tongue swirls.

The pressure at his aroused member stopped, something drilling into him then.

His lips were claimed again in a tender kiss and then a whisper in his ear: "I love you."

Dean was lost in a haze of love that Roman had made… it was their space and only theirs alone.

When he finally got that ecstasy he had been seeking, Dean pulled him down for a long kiss.

"I'll never leave you, baby," his boyfriend huskily said into his ear.

When he woke up at eleven fifty five, Roman was beside him, sleeping with an arm around his waist protectively.

Dean had left earlier to grab some breakfast from McDonald's leaving Roman alone at home. At least that was what the note on the refrigerator said. That'd give him plenty of time to drink coffee and freshen up.

Last night, he made the decision to stay. Good or bad, he was not going anywhere. His whole family and Dean can come up with their own theories but Roman's feet were rooted. Those vows meant a lot to him and he'd see it through.

"Meow."

Roman almost dropped his coffee mug at the sight of a black cat in front of him, sitting on the kitchen's window sill.

What the… gosh, the things happening to him...

"Meow."

"Hey buddy," Roman said, offering his hand towards the feline. "How'd you get in here?"

The cat sniffed his hand before butting its head against it. The English teacher's heart melted then, petting it softly. The black cat purred then.

"I didn't know we had pets," Dean said, coming into the kitchen.

Immediately the cat hissed at his boyfriend before jumping out the window.

"Okay. Rude."

Roman frowned at the direction of the window. "It seemed to like me."

"Clearly not me." Dean placed their breakfast items on the small dining table. "I got you hotcakes."

"Thanks."

"We're not going to talk about yesterday?"

"I did what I had to do."

"Huh. How are we going to explain the cracks?"

Roman shrugged. He wanted to talk about other things; things like him staying. "That's all you want to talk about?"

"No. I just… Roman, you know that I love you."

"Yeah. I do. I also know that I'm not a coward so I'm not hiding from you, Dean. I said my place was beside you and I mean it."

"That cat didn't like me."

Roman wondered what that had to do with them. "Dean, it was probably frightened by your sudden appearance."

"Or maybe it saw something in me that you can't see."

"Now you're being paranoid."

"Am I?" Dean jabbed a straw through his cardboard cup. "We'll see in two weeks and six days, won't we?"

A/N Thank you for your kind reviews, favorites and follows. :-)