(Author's note: I'm going to try posting shorter chapters so I can update this more often without overwhelming myself. That means we'll take longer to reach the end, but hopefully I'll be able to update more often than I have been.)
Virgil's POV
(Warning for: violent threat, dismissive talk about possibly dying, disassociation, kind of suicidal talk?, and anxiety)
When I blinked my eyes back open, Roman was pacing frantically beside me. Remus sat on the bed across the room from me, biting his nails as he watched his brother. "-but I thought Virgil had a good relationship with his mother!" Roman shouted, gesturing angrily with his arms as he paced. "He does... kind of... it's complicated. She spoils him rotten when he's doing what she wants, but... she's not exactly the kind of person anyone can say no to. Even people she... cares about?" Remus explained hesitantly. "Huh?" I groaned, struggling to sit up. Roman stopped his pacing instantly.
"Virgil!" He cheered, turning to face me with a sigh of relief. "You passed out after talking to your Mom." Remus explained. I winced at the memory, and gripped my head. "Yeah..." I muttered, sitting up and rubbing my face. I gasped suddenly, startled when Roman pulled me into a hug. "You're going to be okay... I don't know what she said to you, but you're going to be okay." He assured me, rubbing my back in an attempt to comfort me. It took everything in my power not to cry.
"Uh... thanks..." I muttered, not sure how else to respond. I could feel myself shaking still, despite how unbothered I managed to sound. "It's... Nothing I can't handle... but... I think I need to talk to my friends..." I added. "Alright, I can get Janus and Remy for you. Should I get Patton, Emile, and Logan as well?" Roman offered. "Uh..." I hesitated, looking to Remus with a questioning expression. Remus nodded, and I looked away to glare at the ground in thought. I wasn't sure I felt safe talking to the others about something so... vulnerable... I wasn't ready to trust them yet.
"I mean, I'm hoping that they're your friends as well, but I understand if you only want your friends from the Isle and myself." Roman added. "Or... Just my friends from the Isle..." I corrected reluctantly, causing Remus to look nervous. "I want to help you too, if that's alright." Roman insisted, causing me to look at him in confusion. "What? You're my boyfriend, and I want to help you if I can." Roman reasoned with a knowing smile. "Also I'm the Prince of Auradon and all and while I do trust you, just to be safe I do want to make sure you're not going to go back to stealing the wand again." He quickly rambled.
Right. Roman knows about the wand... but why isn't he just trusting me blindly? I mean, that's a good thing, I'm glad he isn't... but the love potion makes him trust me too, doesn't it? I thought, looking sceptically at Remus. "We aren't stealing the wand." Remus stated firmly, but he was speaking directly to me in a firm tone, not to Roman. I looked to the note in his hands, and I sighed. Makes sense that Remus would have found it... I wouldn't be surprised if he told Roman...
"No, we aren't." I agreed, and Remus sighed in relief again. I felt guilty, for thinking I could handle talking to my Mom, for everything I put the others through, for being manipulated by her this entire time... Maybe Remus isn't the naive one after all.
"I still want to help you, but... If you don't feel comfortable talking to me about it, I'll understand." Roman assured me. "I'll think about it." I decided. Roman nodded in understanding, and left to get the others.
"Virgil, so help me, if you don't let him help you, I'll pull your teeth out in your sleep." Remus threatened. "Well, I guess I'm not getting much sleep tonight anyways... Well, I might after Midnight, Heh..." I chuckled. Remus glared at me, then picked up one of his pillows and chucked it at me. "Ah!" I reacted, blocking my head with my hands.
"Fuck you. You're not allowed to die." Remus huffed before crossing his arms. "I don't know what to tell you, Re. We can't free my Mom, and Roman and I already kissed, so, there isn't a cure." I mumbled, laying back on my bed and staring up at the ceiling. "Aren't you a fricken Demi God? You should be able to over power her magic." Remus argued. We sat in silence for awhile after that, until he threw another pillow at me. This time I didn't react.
"Answer me, asshole." Remus ordered. "Why are you so upset?" I asked, causing him to make an offended sound. "Because one of my best friends might die, and he's acting like he doesn't give a flying shit about it." Remus complained. "I'm disassociating." I dismissed, half heartedly lifting my hand to wave my finger around. "But you're going to be okay, right? You can beat her, we can beat her. We're good guys now, and they always win, right?" Remus insisted, causing me to sigh and shrug my shoulders. "I don't know, Remus." I groaned, covering my face with my hands.
"Maybe it will be better when I'm-" I began, interrupted when the door opened.
"What happened!?!" Remy demanded, storming into the room. Patton followed behind him, so I pulled the blanket that I assumed belonged to Janus over my head. Speaking of, Janus came in behind them, and Roman was the last one to enter. "His Mom cursed him." Remus muttered. I could still feel him glaring at me despite not being able to see him.
"I thought you weren't talking to your Mom anymore." Remy replied. "He was trying to get closure." Roman explained. "He could have asked us first." Janus muttered in annoyance. "Remus didn't stop me." I informed them. "Would you have changed your mind if I tried?" Remus countered. I didn't answer him. My mind was too overwhelmed. It was taking up a lot of my focus just trying to fend off another panic attack. Passing out again would help no one.
"Okay, okay, that's enough of that. Look, I know you four are a team, but that doesn't mean you can dictate everything the others in your group do. You're all your own people. Virgil wanted closure, and he has every right to seek that out. It's not his fault his mother had a back up plan." Roman lectured. "Wait... What's going on?" Patton asked, feeling confused.
"I mean, I guess we might as well catch them up... Maybe catch Emile and Logie up too..." Remus murmured. "Too many people." I muttered tiredly. "We can do it after this... Best not to overwhelm Virgil." Janus conceded. "We'll explain later, alright Pat?" Remy assured Patton softly. "Okay." Patton agreed, his tone nervous but trusting. "For now, we need to make a plan to save Virgil. We have until Midnight, we should be able to think of something, right?" Remy continued.
I could hear his footsteps march across the floor. I lifted my head out of the blanket, watching as Remy took a leadership stance in front of the group. Remus nodded confidently, and handed Remy the curse. Remy thanked him, then turned to me. "Hey, you'll be fine." He assured me. "We aren't letting her take you that easily." He added. Yeah, she at least has to play fairly if she wants to kill you." Janus agreed. "Wow, thanks for the support Jan." I replied sarcastically, rolling my eyes as I sat up and wrapped the blanket around me. "Happy to help." Janus mused, pretending to check his nails despite wearing gloves.
Remy read over the curse while we bickered, and I could hear him muttering to himself in frustration. "There's no cure. Not unless we free her." I told him. "We aren't doing that." Remy stated. "I know." I agreed, tossing the blanket aside and standing up. "Where are you going?" Janus questioned. "You three go ahead and do your planning, I don't think I'll be very helpful being a pessimist and all." I dismissed. "Virgil?" Roman asked, taking my hand in his and giving me a worried look.
I hesitated, studying Roman as my mind reeled with worries. "I'll be fine... I just need to think..." I assured him, subconsciously resting my head on his arm. "But you can come with me if you want, I guess..." I murmured. Roman nodded, smiling softly as he ran a hand through my hair. The simple gesture somehow did a lot to calm my nerves. My thoughts became fuzzy as I closed my eyes, letting out a soft purr. "Aww! He's like a little kitty cat!" Patton cooed. I quickly lifted my head up, glaring towards Patton as I let out a hiss. "Aww!" Patton only continued to gush, causing me to sigh in defeat. Roman let out a strong laugh, causing me to grumble as my grip on his hand tightened. "Let's go..." I muttered before grabbing my bag and leaving Janus and Remus's dorm. Roman nodded, following behind me.