"You still haven't told me what I'm supposed to be doing." Virgil mumbled out as the two walked into school together. Roman sighed as he gripped his school bag tightly. "The deal is that you protect me and care for me and all that jazz with making me happy and stuff... and I'm supposed to help you achieve your greatest desire too. Yet you won't tell me what it is."
"Virgil, you can't... Just don't worry about it." Roman tried to offer the human a smile but it was clear Virgil wasn't dealing with that. "As far as I'm concerned you already helping me. Just by getting me out of the planchette you've already met your part of the deal. You don't have to worry."
"I'm sorry, but I just don't see how that's possible."
"Virgil. Stop... please." Roman frowned as the two of them came to a stop in the middle of the hall. "You can't do anything about my greatest wish. I made that deal specifically knowing there was nothing more that you can do. You making the deal, getting me out of there, and just... letting me do what I can to get to that point... that is how you complete your end of it. You don't need to know what my greatest wish is because there's nothing else you can do."
"I'm confused, Roman."
"I... I'm sor-... No. Don't..." Virgil took Roman's hand instantly cutting the demon off, as Virgil knew Roman always spirals when he goes to apologize. Roman tense the second their hands met and he smiled. "Right... Sor... Sorry."
"It's ok. Ro... I'm just worried is all. Anxious, I guess... This deal has me spiraling. I know you said you're stuck with me until either of us die so I have my whole life to completely but... I'm scared that I never will and then what would happen..."
"Virgil, you already did." Roman's eyes were soft and filled with this seriousness that took the human by surprise. "You already did your part of the deal the second you made it. I swear... all that's left is for me to help you. My greatest wish is something I still have to learn if it's even possible. It might take me centuries to figure out and in the end... It might never happen but... You gave me the chance to try and that's something I didn't have before. So thank you."
"I'm still very curious about it though." Virgil laughed as the two resumed their walk to their lockers. Or well, Roman walking the other to his since he could just magic his stuff to him. "Call me nosey but... I kinda want to know just what you'd desire so much."
"Why? I don't think it would be anything THAT special." Roman chuckled as he leaned against the lockers watching as Virgil opened his own. "In fact, it's probably really stupid."
"I doubt you would want something stupid, Roman."
"Virgil, I've been trapped in a planchette for 500 years. I have hardly any experience of human culture or any knowledge about things you all do. I got excited over my very first sleepover." Virgil froze up at the realization as Roman just smirked. "I didn't get my first hug until my first day of school with was also my first day here mind you. I'm pretty sure my greatest desire is highly stupid but... It doesn't make me want it any less."
"That just makes me want to know all the more, Ro." Virgil teased as he grabbed his notebooks with a smile. "I want to know just what makes you tick, Roman. I want to know all about the elusive Roman Black." Roman's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms a bit in thought. Virgil shut his locker with a quirk of his brow, hugging his books tight to his chest. "I want to get to know you. What better way to understand the man I'm stuck with all my life than to know the very thing he wants more than anything?"
"Well, when you put it like that..." Roman chuckled as he shook his head. "I guess... What I want more than anything... is just to..." Roman's voice cut out as everything thing seemed to freeze up on the demon. Virgil watched the horror fill the other's eyes as the bell rang suddenly and everyone around them filled away till the halls were empty. Roman just stayed there rigid and terrified. "V-Virgil?"
"Roman, what's..." Virgil jumped the second he felt a pair of hands pull him back suddenly.
"Virgil, stay back."
"VIRGIL?!" Roman yelled out hearing the unfamiliar voice. He could feel that aura, that familiar burning magic that made him cower in fear. Virgil tore tried to tear his arms from the other grasp but the guy was just too strong.
"Stop fighting me, Virgil. Just stay back. Trust me on this." Virgil's eyes darted up to meet those heterochromatic ones and he froze up in shock.
"Janus?" Virgil stopped fighting the second the teen smiled at him. Patton's brother? Why was Patton's brother here? Why was he... Wait? He's the one that's constantly drawing those sigils!
"Roman..." Janus pulled him behind him as Roman whined, eyes turning back to red as if out of his control. "Roman!"
"Stay out of this, Virgil." Janus growled as his eyes started to glow silver. "How the fuck did you even get out?"
"Out? Out of..." Virgil groaned as he tried to pull his arm free. It wasn't working. Janus was really strong.
"Don't. Please?" Roman whimpered as his hands slowly went to his hair. "Dark. It's dark. I can't... I can't see."
"ROMAN!" Virgil finally ripped his arm free as he ran back over not even stopping for a second when Roman growled defensively the second Virgil touched him. "It's ok. It's me. It's ok."
"V-Virgil?" The demon's dazed eyes darted about not able to latch onto anything making Virgil frown as this need to protect him burned through him. "I can't see anything. It's just black. It's too familiar. Too familiar. I don't like it." Virgil pulled him in ignoring how tense the demon was, who in his state of fear and shock didn't hug him back. "I'm... I'm scared."
"It's ok. I've got you."
"Virgil, I know you won't believe me but you need to get away from..." Janus froze up the second Virgil glared angrily at him. "Virgil, please? He's dangerous. You don't know. You don't understand."
"What did you do to him?" Janus faltered, this look of confusion flashing in his glowing eyes. "I'm not stupid. You're the only other person here. What did you do? Why can't he see?"
"Virgil?" Roman whined as he weekly gripped onto the other's hoodie. "I'm not... I'm still here right. This... This is still real. I'm not... It's too dark. Nothing but black... It's too familiar." Virgil's eyes widened as he shifted to pull the planchette from under Roman's shirt forcing the other's hands to hold it. "What?"
"You're still here. See?" Virgil held Roman's hand tightly in his, who in turn held the planchette with shock filled eyes. "You aren't stuck in there. You're still wearing it. You're still here."
"Virgil..." Janus frowned before quickly shaking his hand and flinching his wrist forcing them to separate and making Roman's body completely freeze. The fear that filled the demon's eyes were so apparent that not even Janus could ignore it. Though he did his best to try. "How did you get out?"
"Witch." Roman muttered under his breath as his entire body went cold. "You're a witch... and I am dead."
"Romulus!" Roman's eyes jerked up as Janus growled under his breath. "Answer my question before I send you straight back to hell where you belon-... SHIT!" Janus ended up on the ground, spells breaking as Remus stood there behind him with this pissed off look in his eyes and foam mace in his hand. Janus groaned in pain as he looked back at him in shock only to freeze seeing the sigils carved into the mace.
"No one kills my brother but me. Understand, witch?"
"ROMAN!" Virgil was over to the demon in second, letting the other collapse into his arms. "Roman?" Roman frowned as he shakily looked up at the human, a small smile reaching his lips but... not quite to his eyes. "It's ok, Ro. Just breathe. Remember? Breathing helps."
"I can see. It's... It's not dark anymore." Roman choked out as he leaned his head against Virgil's chest.
"What the fuck?!" Janus yelled as he stumbled to his feet. "YOU'RE A HUNTER! Why attack me?"
"You're a witch." Remus called out nonchalantly as his eyes slowly made their way over to see Roman clinging to Virgil tightly, before frowning in concern. "And I told you... No one has the right to kill him but me. And I wasn't about to let you exercise him either, not when I need to keep an eye on him."
"THAT'S... Are you mental?"
"Yes, but that's beside the point. Virgil, get you and Ro to class and hurry up. Jan and I need to have a chat." Janus growled eyes flashing as Remus simply held his mace up, a blank look on his face. "Now Virgil. The last thing Ro needs and an attack in the hallway."
"Right." Virgil carefully helped Roman up to his feet who just stared at the two others with this lost look in his eyes. "Come on Roman. We need to go."
"But... But, I don't understand. Remus?"
"Just go!" The hunter yelled out as Roman stumbled and nodded, quickly following Virgil off who wasted no more time in getting them out of there. Janus was pissed.
"What the hell is wrong with you? You're a damn hunter. Do you not know who the fuck that was?!"
"The Great Demon Prince of Insanity Romulus. Yes, I know exactly who that is." Janus paled as Remus just stared at him devoid of any and all expression. "My family was one of the unfortunate people stupid enough to make a deal with the bloody beast."
"Of you know why are you helping him?" The witch hissed as Remus just shrugged.
"I've already told you... I'm the only one that get's the right to kill my brother, plain and simple. I'm not about to let a damn witch get their hands on Roman." Janus's eyes narrowed as Remus sighed and started to walk away. "That's your only warning witch. Try again and I'll show you just what a Black is able to do. Leave Roman alone. Oh..." Remus paused for a second his mace falling from his shoulder as he glared off at nothing refusing to turn around. "If I hear you call him Romulus again, I will not hesitate to drown you in holy water. Just because it won't affect you like a demon... doesn't mean it still won't kill you. His name is Roman. Learn it..."