Sanders Sides Oneshots

Better- Prinxiety

Requested by @mehppppppp for the heartache. Angst prompt #16: "All he ever did was use you, why can't you see that?" Prinxiety with toxic Anxceit. I was really excited to write this one so here we go!

EDIT: So I think the end got deleted somehow? Which is bizarre but let me rewrite the ending and fix it.

EDIT #2: Trigger warning for abuse with abusive Deceit and victim Virgil. Sorry I didn't think to put this the first time.

The room was completely silent except for the sound of heaving gasps and tears hitting solid surfaces. Virgil had learned his lesson. If he went to Patton, there would be more tears. Logan would only give lectures. Remus was useless. And that left Roman. Roman didn't ask questions. He just cleaned the wounds. It was a cut-and-dry arrangement, which Virgil loved.

Roman hated the unspoken agreement. He so desperately wanted to ask questions. Virgil would come to him late at night with bruises and cuts over his body, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood. Warm, salty tears streaking down his face, he would stumble into the room and sit on Roman's desk. Roman would get his first aid kit and help him. And just like that, he left. No words exchanged.

Well, that would end. Roman couldn't take it anymore. He had to know what was going on. No one was allowed to hurt his Virgil. Seeing those cuts hurt, but what really hit him was a broken look in his eyes. He had given up whatever fight he was in. He was a passive player in his story. No more. If Virgil couldn't speak for himself, Roman would do it. This would end today.

It had been almost a week since Virgil had appeared late at night. This was good. Deceit was maybe finally regaining control of himself, Virgil thought. He loves me, he just... loses it sometimes. It's my fault. Roman was happy about the development. While this meant that Virgil would no longer be around him, it meant he wasn't getting hurt. It meant that his situation had improved and maybe... it would be safe to ask him.

"Hey, storm cloud." Roman found Virgil sitting in the common area instead of hiding away in his room. "I'm surprised no one else is around."

Virgil looked around. "I guess they had stuff to do."

"So, I wanted to talk to you. About when you come to see me." Roman spoke slowly as he sat down next to Virgil, noting how his posture stiffened dramatically.

"I... um, I thought... sorry, it's just..." Virgil took a moment to compose himself. "I thought we had this sort of...agreement... that we wouldn't talk about it."

"Well, you seem to be doing better now, so I thought it was safe. No judgment here!" Roman raised his hands in surrender and compromised. "Just... I'm worried."

Virgil wouldn't meet Roman's gaze and he bit the end of his nail. "Well, um, I think everyone knows I've been seeing Dee for a while now." Roman nodded, though he couldn't say he was too happy about it. Something always seemed slightly off with the snake. Virgil let it sink in, wincing when he saw Roman's eyes grow wide and his fists clenched.

"Are... you telling me..." Roman's voice was shaking with repressed anger. He had never felt such concentrated loathing for a person in all of his life. He could practically see the red blurring at the edge of his vision. "That he did this to you?"

"Roman, just drop it okay?" Virgil stood up and backed away, mentally pounding his fist into his forehead. He shouldn't have said anything. He'd ruined it all. Again.

"How are you still with him? He's... he's a monster!" Roman stood up as well, gesturing wildly as he tended to do. Just the thought of that demon laying a finger on his Virgil made his blood boil.

Virgil grew defensive at this. "Hey, you said no judgment! Lower your voice, someone's going to hear you!" He looked up the hallway. He wasn't afraid of the others, he was fairly certain they were about to connect the dots anyway. He was worried that a yellow-colored trait would come sauntering down the halls, not pleased by what he saw.

"Let them hear! By God, Virgil, can you even hear what you're saying?!" Roman was getting exasperated now. Why in the hell was he defending him? He just couldn't understand. He couldn't understand what made Deceit better than him.

At this point, they were attracting a crowd. Patton had come out of his room, bringing Logan from his. Remus stood to the side and even he seemed concerned. Virgil would have kept arguing but he saw Deceit staring directly at him. Virgil closed his eyes and fled in the opposite direction, running up the stairs into his room.

He closed the door behind him and sat on the ground, trying to calm his wracking puffs of air. The door opened slowly after a moment, and Virgil begged silently that it was Roman. Roman, who apologized. Who cared. Who would be gentle with him. He felt the fingers wrap around his neck and he knew his wish hadn't been granted.

"What were you talking about with Roman, love?" Deceit's voice was quiet and menacing as his hand cupped one side of Virgil's neck.

__ __

Roman paced the room, muttering to himself. In hindsight, he had handled the situation completely wrong. He was supposed to have done this differently. And now, he couldn't take it back. There were so many things he wanted to say.

There was a soft knocking at the door and when Roman opened the door, he was knocked back by Virgil stumbling into him. He was in the worst shape Roman had ever seen. The cut on his face and the bruises on his arms and cheeks made Roman's heart ache. He pulled him inside, closing the door behind him and laid him gently on the bed, silently crying when he saw Virgil flinch.

"I didn't know where else to go..." Virgil's voice was raw and quiet like each syllable took untold amounts of energy. "I'm sorry..."

"No, Virge, don't apologize." Roman pulled off Virgil's shirt and wrapped his ribs with bandages. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let you go back to him. It's okay. I'm here now. And I'm not letting you leave again."

Virgil smiled deliriously. "My prince..." he muttered to himself before passing out from exhaustion and pain.

Roman softly kissed his forehead and whispered. "Only if you'll have me, love."

But now wasn't the time, he told himself. For now, he had to help Virgil. That was all that mattered. Virgil...

__ __

Hope you enjoyed. The original ending got deleted, so I had to rewrite it. It's not bad because I didn't like how I wrote that one, so here you go! Hope you don't mind the changes, it's still mostly the same. Take it easy guys gals and non-binary pals! Peace out.