Warning, the following chapter contains unhealthy coping mechanisms, non-descriptive sexual content, and non-descriptive flashbacks to rape/non-con
Virgil hummed pleasantly as the warm watcher of the shower surrounded him, removing the conditioner from his hair. After his conversation with Roman the other day Roman hadn't let him brood alone in a field staring at the sky. Instead the two of them would go on random "adventures" around the imagination. They were obviously non-confrontational as Roman wisely decided letting Virgil have a weapon at the moment would be doing no one any favors. Instead of his usual heroic adventures he opted for exploring or finding hidden treasures. Virgil had to admit it was much more fun than lazing around that meadow but by the end of it he always felt exhausted or stinky. Luckily for him, Roman had an amazing shower in his room that he was more than willing to lend to Virgil.
"Virgil!" Roman shouted excitedly, bursting through the bathroom door.
Virgil let out a loud squeal of surprise and fear. He twisted around and hissed at the intruder through the steam covered glass door.
"The hell Roman! Did you want to give me a heart attack?" Virgil growled.
"Heh, sorry, I was just thinking about how to get everyone together to have fun and relax. Do you think we should push for family nights or that I should set up a big romantic date for everyones?" Roman asked, the air around him practically buzzing.
Virgil let out a sigh and ran his fingers through his hair to make sure he got all of the conditioner out. Once he was sure he had he turned off the water and cracked the door to peak out.
"Can I have my towel please?" Virgil asked, temperarolly ignoring Roman's question.
Roman quickly handed Virgil his towel. Once he wiped the majority of the water off his skin he tied the towel around his waist and stepped out into the bathroom.
"Okay, now what exactly are you on about?" Virgil asked, plopping down on the toilet.
"Well everyone has been avoiding talking to each other lately, I thought that maybe we could all get together and have some fun, you know try to cope with things in a healthier way," Roman replied, his voice faltering a bit towards the end like he was thinking about something.
Roman was still struggling with talking about everything that has happened, but more so he seemed to be taking the change in everyone's behavior almost as poorly as Virgil.
Virgil gave a small nod of agreement before speaking, "If it goes well we can all try to sit down and have a conversation about all of this."
"Now my question is if we treat it like a casual family night or if I should plan a big date night?" Roman asked, leaning against the wall.
"In other words, something everyone can walk away from at any time so they'll feel comfortable or something that they'll feel more obligated to see through to the end even if they want to avoid specific conversation," Virgil rephrased, pausing a moment for Roman to agree with his logic. "Well, if it were me I'd know I'd prefer the first option. I think I'd feel a bit deceived if I found out the intentions for something I thought was supposed to be a romantic evening were actually to get me to talk about something difficult."
"Sounds like a plan then. As long as long as you are up for it," Roman said, a grin crossing his face.
"Yeah, yeah, it's a plan. Now, am I going to have to sit here naked any longer or can I get changed?" Virgil asked, raising a playful brow.
"I wouldn't mind seeing either," Roman replied with a teasing wink.
Virgil grabbed a nearby washcloth and threw it at Roman's chest where it bounced off harmlessly. Roman let out a falsely offended gasp.
"Oh how you wound me. Here I am just wanting to see more of my beautiful ebony prince," Roman exclaimed dramatically as he slid down the wall, the back of his hand on his forehead.
"Out before I show you how grose that bruise on my back looks while healing," Virgil scoffed, rolling his eyes.
Roman let out a soft snort as he stood back up.
"As you wish my love, although I must say I would never think of even your injuries as grose, I'd just be relieved to see them healing."
On that note Roman left him alone to get into some normal clothing. Once he was finished the two of them waited around in Roman's room until dinner where Roman set his plan in motion, convincing Logan and Patton to come watch movies. It went well for a time. The group had chosen to put in Wall-E and they were all lounging around on the couch, pardon Virgil who was sitting on the floor by Roman's legs. No one was really talking beyond the occasional comment about the movie but Virgil didn't mind it, he was just glad everyone was hanging out. No matter what was going on, Virgil couldn't deny that Roman was good with his distractions. They were all having a good time, until Roman and Virgil got a bit too playful. It started with Roman accidentally nudging Virgil with his foot which turned into Virgil playfully elbowing his leg. Then there was another tap with the foot and another with the elbow. Their actions were back and forth gradually becoming more and more forceful, despite Logan's attempts to get them to stop roughhousing.
"I swear to everything holy, if you do that again I am going to steal your freaking bunny slipper," Virgil threatened.
"I'm so scared," Roman replied with a smirk, tapping him ever so slightly with his foot just to provoke him.
Virgil ripped off the bunny slipper and captured Roman's foot in his hands, slowly dragging a teasingly light finger over the sensitive bottom. Roman tried to muffle the sounds coming out of his mouth as his foot reflexively curled and flexed.
"Virgil!" Roman whined.
"Roman!" Virgil mimicked over exaggerating Roman's tone.
"I will attack you if you don't stop," Roman warned.
Virgil raised a brow as if to challenge him as he continued to tickle Roman's foot. Roman leaned down over the couch and grabbed Virgil, dragging him up on top of himself, while he was still fazed he rolled them both over so he was on top of Virgil.
"You asked for it," Roman practically growled as he began attacking Virgil's vulnerable sides with his fingers.
Virgil let out a high pitched squeal as he tried to jerk away from the ticklish sensation. He found himself unable to move far with Roman sitting on him, effectively pinning him in place.
"Nooo! Stop it!" Virgil squeaked through his laughter.
"Never," Roman replied with a bright smile, not giving up on his attack.
"Ro-Rom-man!" Virgil complained, barely able to make any words.
Roman let out a hum as he increased the intensity of his tickles making Virgil practically scream, thrashing around more violently, barely able to breath through his laughter causing tears to form in the corner of his eyes and roll down his face.
"St-stop I- I can't… No… Stop… Ro! Hurts... Stop it!" Virgil gasped out.
Roman didn't look quite satisfied with his revenge yet but slowed his fingers a little. Virgil still writhed beneath him, laughing and crying at the same time.
"Stop…"
It wasn't Virgil who said that. It was so quiet and with the loud sounds Virgil was making he doubted Roman heard it but Virgil was quick to react. He grabbed Roman's wrists forcefully making him stop. Roman blinked at him for a second but when he saw the serious look on Virgil's face he quickly backed off.
"I'll let you off easy this time," Roman said, trying to keep his tone cheery despite not knowing why Virgil suddenly reacted the way he did.
"That was getting off easy?" Virgil questioned, giving a small smile to signal to Roman he himself was fine.
He then focused his attention on the individual he had heard earlier. Patton sat beside them, his face pale and sickly as he looked at the two of them. His eyes looked a little distant and his nails were digging into the skin of his other arm.
"H-hey Patton, are you feeling okay?" Virgil asked hesitantly, scooting a little closer.
Patton was already tense but it got worse with Virgil's actions.
"I… Yeah, of course I am kiddo. I just think I should probably go to my room… I mean hey look the movie is over," Patton said quickly.
The movie was in it's final scene but it still had a good few minutes before the credits. Despite this, before Virgil got the chance to tell him to wait, Patton sank out. The room went silent, staring at where Patton formerly sat.
"Guess, we should have gone with the date option," Roman laughed nervously after a while in an attempt to ease the tension.
"I take it this was some plan of yours to rectify the current miscommunication of our relationship?" Logan assumed, leaning back against the couch and temporarily removing his glasses to rub his eyes.
"We just wanted everyone to be together and comfortable so we could try to talk about everything that has happened," Virgil replied with a defeated sigh. "I know things can't go exactly back to normal but I don't want everything to be weird between us either."
Logan looked over, his ever-calm expression softening.
"One of these days we'll all be able to have this talk. I have faith that everything will heal with time, even if there are scars. You've made great progress healing in the past but it takes time and a willingness to heal," Logan replied, glancing up the stairs towards the hall of bedrooms. "Until that chance comes focus on yourself a little. Both of you are still physically healing and need plenty of rest."
"Right as always, Starlight. Are you going to be staying with Logan tonight, Virgil?" Roman asked.
Virgil nodded, he had been going to each of their rooms every other night since there were only two of them and he didn't want to feel like even more of a burden to the two of them.
The three of them parted ways into their rooms. Meanwhile Patton sat, waiting inside the bottom shelf of the upstairs linen closet. He held his head trying to calm his racing thoughts and the negative voices degrading him. He tried to focus less on himself and more on the house waiting for it to fall silent before slowly counting the minutes until he knew for sure no one would be leaving their rooms. Once he was sure he waited a bit longer and emerged from the closet into the dark halls. He glanced down the stairs towards the couch and rubbed at his already sore shoulders. His head was screeching with loud thoughts he knew were going to keep him awake. He needed something to silence his head and exhausted his body. He had an idea, a certain activity he had been for this exact purpose lately, but he knew it wasn't good for himself in the long run. He bit his lower lip and looked over at Roman's door. He was also aware of the fact he had been going far too frequently, Roman was bound to get suspicious, but he also knew he wouldn't be sleeping tonight without it, especially not alone.
Patton let out a sigh snapping his fingers to change his clothing into something he would wear to bed, just to pretend he had been trying to sleep. He purposely chose an oversized, stretched out red T-shirt with tiny shorts that he knew the princely side enjoyed seeing him in, it'd make his job easier. Roman didn't notice things as easily as Logan, but Patton still had to put on a good act if he wanted to get what he wanted without actually having to talk about the full truth as to why he needed it.
He strode over to Roman's door and knocked. Patton looked up at the handsome, taller man who opened the door. Roman was currently shirtless and his typically neat hair was ruffled around messily.
"Pat? What is it I can do for you, my beautiful heart?" Roman asked, a kind smile on his face.
"I thought that maybe," Patton leaned forward againsts Roman, his rear sticking out behind him suggestively. "You could," His fingers grazed over the sensitive area of Roman's throat, moving up to his jaw. "Spend the night with me again?"
Patton enjoyed the flustered expression on the regal man's face. He could feel Roman's body heating up as he began to willingly fall victim to Patton's seduction.
"Are you sure this is what you want, Love? Is everything okay? You've been rather needy lately," Roman hummed worriedly, not wanting anything unless he was sure this was really what Patton wanted and needed.
"Please, don't make me beg, Roman," Patton whined, standing on his tiptoes so he could mouth at Roman's throat while his fingers ran down his toned chest.
Roman let out a soft rumbling sound that made Patton shiver. He knew Roman was struggling at this point to keep up a reasonable conversation. It wasn't Roman's fault, it was a side effect of being Thomas's romantic side, he got more caught up in passion than the others and Patton was purposely hitting every mark to make Roman lose it.
"Would you at least like to top this time? I can't imagine your back or hips are appreciating us doing this quite so frequently," Roman said.
Patton shook his head as he wrapped his arms around Roman's shoulders and brought their faces centimeters apart, his leg "accidentally" rubbing against the hardening lump in Roman's pants.
"I want you to make me forget everything but your name," Patton replied before closing the distance between them and kissing Roman.
The prince let out a surprised but ultimately pleased sound as he kissed Patton back. Roman's hands went down to cup Patton's rear, pushing up slightly to invite Patton to jump up and wrap his legs around Roman's waist. Once Patton did exactly that, without breaking the kiss, Roman closed the door and snapped the room soundproof. He then walked them both over to the bed, gently laying his lover down in the soft pillows. Roman sat over top of him, lovingly cupping his face with one hand while the other removed Patton's glasses and set them on the bedside nightstand.
"If that is really what you want, my angel, then you wish is my command."
Roman was true to his words. At least for a while. Roman was strong and passionate, pushing Patton over his limits until he was a moaning, screaming mess, clawing at Roman's pillows for support. He did make Patton forget everything for a while, but only until the high wore off. Roman was exhausted and Patton wasn't much better, but he still knew it wasn't enough. There was no way he'd pass out and achieve a dreamless slumber right now. He couldn't help but feel guilty, he felt like he was using Roman and he hadn't even achieved everything he had been trying to gain from it. He knew Roman would be mad at him if he knew the truth of why he was doing this. He hated the idea of doing anything to his lovers that they didn't actually enjoy. Patton didn't like what he was doing. He needed it, but he didn't like it. Sure it felt good physically but that was it. To him sex should be something fun, loving, gentle, not something wildly passionate that makes him forget everything going on around him. Patton was losing himself, everyone must be so disappointed in him, he's been messing everything up for everyone. He knew Roman wasn't stupid, there was no way he wasn't suspicous by now. It was likely the reason Roman hadn't been leaving any marks in places Patton couldn't easily cover them up. Patton knew Roman probably wanted to tell Logan about what was going on but was too conflicted over betraying the trust Patton had given by coming to him. It was probably causing Roman a lot of stress, Patton knew he'd feel stressed in that situation. He was also messing things up with Virgil, he knew he was hurting him, but he just couldn't face him. He was hurting everyone he loved like this.
Patton took a breath to calm himself. He couldn't let himself be consumed by the negative voices again, that would just make things worse. Roman had already fallen asleep so he could move around relatively easily without having to worry about waking him up. He decided to take a short walk around the house and make some tea, to get his mind off of everything and maybe convince himself to fall asleep.
Patton carefully slipped out of bed, throwing on his shirt and glasses before quietly making his way out the door, his legs wobbling a bit as he tried to walk. Outside Roman's room soft moonlight filled the silent hall allowing Patton to see the vague outlines of all of the doors, including his own. Patton felt his blood run cold as his eyes fixated on the wooden entrance decorated with happy little stickers of puppies and kittens.
The door opened behind him while he was changing, he thought it was Virgil.
Patton pressed himself against the opposite wall as the door to his room. His stomach was beginning to squeeze painfully.
Forceful hands pushed him into a chair, rope binding him into place. A mirror reflection of himself grinned down at him, his left eye glowing yellow for a brief moment.
Patton clung to the collar of his shirt, it was too painful, he couldn't breath, he was being strangled.
He screamed through his gag, pleading with them to leave Virgil alone, pleading with Virgil to realize it wasn't him.
Patton was struggling to stay quite as tears streamed down his face. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the door.
Virgil is screaming and crying. He's in pain, whimpering out a quiet chant, begging Patton to stop, but Patton wasn't the one hurting him. He couldn't do anything to save his sweet kitten from their abuse.
He needed to get up and walk away. He needed to walk away and stop these memories. He didn't want to remember. He didn't want to rewatch his failures.
No, no, no. Stop it, please. Patton couldn't stand it anymore. Virgil was only being hurt because of him. It was his fault. Virgil couldn't even see him.
Patton wanted the memory to stop but the more he tried to suppress it the more vivid the details became. He could see everything again, hear everything again.
"I'm yours, Master. I'm your slutty little kitty. I belong to you and only you."
Patton began to dry heave as those words echoed in his head. He could clearly see Virgil's horrified face again as he realized what Patton had seen and heard. He wanted it to stop. He needed it to stop. He needed to think of what Logan would tell Virgil in this situation.
Virgil muffled screams seemed so loud in his ears. Deceit's head was turned to the side to look directly at Patton, a cruel, proud smirk on his lips.
In for four, hold for seven, out for eight. It's not that hard, he just needed to focus. He repeated the process until he began to feel dizzy and light headed. At least his mind had been cleared of the memory, he didn't think he could stand one more second of having to watch his biggest failure. Virgil needed him and he couldn't do anything, he let Virgil get hurt and taken back to his abusive childhood home. Now he could hardly talk to Virgil without being wracked with guilt, he loved him and he let him get hurt.
Patton clung to his sides as he shakily pushed himself up onto his feet. Virgil, he needed to see Virgil. He sank down and rose back up in Logan's room by the bed. Both Logan and Virgil were sleeping peacefully, Logan on his back like always while Virgil was curled onto his side facing Logan but not actually touching him. Virgil's face was calm, relaxed, his messy fringe combined with darkness of the room hid his eyes from Patton.
Patton held himself, staying as silent as he could to avoid waking up Virgil and scaring him with his presence. He didn't want to cause a scene he just needed a few seconds to collect himself. Seeing Virgil looking so peaceful helped remind him Virgil was home now, no one was hurting him or was ever going to hurt him again.
Patton gave a sad smile as he let out a breath. He should leave and actually get that tea.
"Goodnight Kitten," Patton whispered under his breath as he sank out of the room.
Once Patton was gone Virgil clung tighter to his pillows and let out a shaky breath, tears begging to burn at his partially open eyes.
"Goodnight Patton," Virgil whispered into his pillow.