Broken Planchette ~ Prinxiety

81

Warning!~ Romulus, slight gore 

"Come along," Logan called as everyone slowly followed along behind him. Everyone but Roman, however, who was just lost over the overwhelming energy he was already reading from the place. Many many magical generations have been nourished by this place. Roman stopped short before even walking into the passage, making everyone freeze up. Virgil frowned, having been walking with him only to see the actual fear in his demon's eyes.

"Hun?" Roman shook his head as he stared up at all the unique runes marking the archway. Witches have their religion and practice that's shared by the people. It's very rare for a family to have their own unique runes, the twins' family being one of them. But for Gypsies, EVERY family is treated as unique and therefore all have their own runes, practices, or in some cases faiths and traditions. Roman could literally feel how powerful and scary this one family is. Not many families of any field of the arcane could genuinely scare Romulus, but... Roman knew this was a family that could kill him if they so chose.

"I... I don't think I should be joining you." Roman choked out as he turned to Logan, who just smiled with understanding. "This place... I can already feel it and we haven't even gotten there yet. Logan-..."

"It's quite alright, Prince." Logan called out making Roman smile a bit at the nickname. Everyone agreed after dinner to just call him prince as Roman was still very much a trigger for Romulus. That didn't do shit about the constant horrible pain Roman was in but it did mean it didn't get worse whenever someone called out to him. "We have no wards against any supernatural... just over the books and over intent."

"Intent?" Logan nodded as the group resumed their descent down the passageway.

"Any and all Ill will against the books. As I've stated it's our only rule." Roman blinked in confusion as he slowly sped up to till he was walking beside Logan instead of in the back with Virgil.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Logan just laughed seeing Roman's eyes tint green. "What if someone came in with the intent to murder?"

"We believed we were taught to defend ourselves. Besides, my family's only job is to protect knowledge and the people who learn it... not ourselves." Logan smiled seeing the absolute horror in Roman's expression. "Someone could come in and say they caught us off guard, could potentially wound us... but if they were there to steal or damage any books they would not have been allowed to enter. If their focus changed to that they would instantly be teleported out or in most cases horrifyingly cursed... we take our job seriously."

"Ok but... If someone walked in with only the intent to murder you'd still be dead... and blood would get on the books." Logan froze up as he took in what was being said. "Say someone decided they REALLY hated you and followed you here. They managed to catch you off guard and stabbed you in the back cutting right through the lower spine paralyzing you. And I do mean... HATE you. They want you to suffer, so they stab your body over 20 times." Roman's voice carried making everyone grimace, especially Patton who looked completely horrified, at the mental image. "Blood with splatter with every thrust of the knife, every time it's pulled back, and any time the knife penetrates the body. The books all around you would take the brunt of it all. It wouldn't be their intention to damage the books, their intention is to murder you, but yet it still gets done. Now your dead, your killer walks free, and all the surrounding books are covered in red."

"I see your point. I will converse with my grandmother about it and see what she has to say. However, if it was already judging permanence based on murderous intent you would not be allowed in." Roman giggled as they all got closer to the end.

"You could have a workaround. As in those of your family can allow permittance. Maybe a special charm. If it acts like a mate mark any demon you bring in wouldn't be able to do shit. Though... Mess with my mark and I will kill you." Logan just laughed with a roll of his eyes.

"You have nothing to worry about, Prince. I would never intend on doing a thing to something as ceremonial as a demon's mate mark." Roman just smiled a bit with a soft huff as he crossed his arms a tad defensively.

"I uh... I'm just really confused." The green in Roman's eyes only grew as he looked back at everyone else spotting Virgil all the way in the back just smiling at him. "Why are you all so understanding?"

"What do you mean?"

"I understand the... technically I'm not FULLY Romulus that... My minds in a constant fluxing state but... the demon in me is still at the forefront. Even when I can calm down and think like before, I still have all those urges and thoughts. I'm still dangerous." Roman's eyes started to tear up as he subconsciously started to slow down making Logan have to as well just to stay in pace. "I didn't understand or even think I deserved it before all this happened and then... You all know without Virgil I could snap and kill you all. That... I wouldn't have any control. HE'S the only control I can manage to have... The ONLY reason I can hold on to my shattered soul as much as I can. Why are you all trying to help me?"

"That doesn't have an easy answer. In all honesty, I will admit to my own confusion over the matter." Roman's eyes narrowed as Logan just shrugged. "When I spotted you I sensed EXACTLY who you were, and your contract with Virgil. Yet Patton who I knew had the same ability wanted nothing more than to befriend you. I do not care about what you are or have done because I was raised not to. Demons are demons and that's all there is to it. But they were raised to hate you, specifically, and yet... Patton just smiled and acted as he always would."

"But why are you all STILL trying-..."

"Because whether or not you believe yourself worthy, you deserve to live a good life. I know exactly who you are, Prince. I know of your past and of what happened to you. I can't speak for the other but... I will not turn a blind eye to someone in need. Especially not a friend." Roman stopped short once again at the bottom of the steps, tears falling down his flashing green eyes, as Logan just gave him a soft smile.

"We're... We're friends?" Logan's smile only grew as Roman just stood there in shock. "You... We... We're friends, Logan?"

"I'd say we are but that is entirely on you to decide." Roman completely crashed as he looked up again to see Patton standing with Logan, a smile on his bubbly face as well.

"We're not just friends kiddo. We're family. Ahona, Right?" Roman giggled at the reference having spent an entire month just saying it back and forth to everyone the moment he had been introduced to Lilo and Stitch.

"We had a rough start, but we have your back, Dude." Janus added as Remus wrapped his arm around him.

"I'm still going to kill you." Remus teased only making Roman laugh more. "But... No one kills my brother but me." Roman's breath left him completely as Remus just smirked at him. "No shitty breaking spell is going to do it either, you got that?"

"We all love you, Hun." Roman whined loudly as Virgil gently brushed his hand over the demon's arm. "You deserve all of it too. Everything you've fought or suffered through... You aren't alone in it anymore. We'll ALL be here to catch you when you stumble."

"I-..." Roman whimpered as he twitched under all the pain. His tears still fell despite the way his eyes went back to red. "I..." Roman forced himself to take a breath as he looked up through the pain. "I love you all too." 

"Let's get that soul fixed huh?" Roman nodded frantically as Logan led the rest of the way to this large ornate pearl and golden door making everyone gawk at it. Logan just rolled his eyes having seen it nearly every day of his childhood and carefully threw it open with a grin. "Welcome to my family's library!"