(Trigger warning: Abuse)

Virgil's p.o.v.

Run.

Faster.

He's close behind you.

Monday

I'd pissed off my dad about the whole detention thing.

Needless to say, I got a bloody nose and a black eye. Not that it matters. I've gotten worse from him.

My mom was screaming at him, begging him to leave me alone. Which only got him angier, and moved his attention to her. He began closing in on her.

I grabbed him by the collar and flung him backwards, causing him to hit the wall.

"You little shit. You're going to be so bruised up even your makeup won't be able to hide it."

He moved towards me. I sprinted for the door and ran out, the door wide open behind me. I thought he wouldn't chase after me. He usually doesn't, because he has a nice reputation in the neighborhood.

Unfortunately for me, he chased after me this time. To make it worse, he works out. So though I'm young and scrawny, he's buff and fast. He was already catching up to me.

I yelled at myself.

He was about to grab my hoodie and drag me back home, when a miracle happened.

He tripped on the sidewalk. He fell hard on his face. I could hear him grunt in pain and rage. I didn't stop running, didn't look behind me. I just turned the block, my shoes hitting hard against the pavement.

My instinct has always been to run. As I ran down road after road, eventually losing a sense of where I even was.

The adrenaline was pulsing through my veins. I knew he wasn't chasing me anymore. He was long gone. But I just kept on running.

--

After a while, my adrenaline slowly left my system, and I grew exhausted. I was in the middle of some fancy neighborhood I'd never seen before. People were looking at me in my baggy clothes, wondering what a peasant like me is doing in their kingdom.

There was a familiar face among them.

Roman.

I slowed to a stop ten to twenty feet away from him. My legs felt like jello from all the running I'd been doing. We just stared at each other for a moment. I felt like I was going to collapse.

Roman ran over to me and, with perfect timing, he caught me just as my legs gave out.

"My my, Princey. We have got to stop meeting like this." I said, my voice rough.

"I'll say. What on earth happened to you? Your nose is bleeding and you have a black eye!"

I had almost forgotten about the minor beating I got from dad.

"Gee, I hadn't noticed."

"Let me help you."

I shook my head.

"I'm fine."

"You look like you just escaped death!"

It sure feels like it.

"It's not that bad."

"Let me help you." He repeated. He wasn't giving up that easily.

I just stared at him.

"Remus is at Deceit's house, so you don't have to worry about him being home."

"Fine." I sighed.

"Thank you."

He lifted me up bridal style into his house which was, conveniently, right next to us. He managed to open the front door.

"Ma, where's the first aid kit?".

" Why? Ro, what happen-oh!"

Roman's mom walked down the stairs to see me holding my bloody nose.

"Oh my goodness! I'll get it right away. Set him down at the table."

She ran back up the stairs as Roman walked into the dining room, gently placing me on a chair.

I could feel my anxiety attack start up. My breathing got faster and I began shaking. Roman saw my distress, as he placed his hand on mine, feeling me shaking.

"Virgil, you're ok now. Whatever happened, you'll be safe here."

I shook my head. "I have to go home eventually..."

He just stared at me, processing what I'd said. My hearing started getting worse. It sounded like everything was underwater. I started muttering to myself, though even I don't know about what. I felt like I was suffocating. My eyes closed and then everything went black.

----

Roman's p.o.v.

"I have to go home eventually..." He said, his voice shaking like crazy.

I just stared at him. He said his life sucked, could it be this bad? It had to be, cause he was in my house with a bloody nose.

He started muttering things to himself.

"Help mom..run..close..Roman...save me....I can't breathe..."

My eyes widened at the mention of my name. Did he know what he was saying? And what does he mean 'save me?'

His eyes closed as he fell off the chair with a loud thud, curling into a ball on the floor. He was shaking, holding his head.

"NONONONONONONONONONONO!!"

Tears pricked the back of my eyes. I hated seeing him in so much pain.

"What's going on down there?" Mom called from upstairs, worried.

I didn't respond. I lifted Virgil and hugged him, holding him close to me. I could feel him shake, and it pained me so. I was watching him break. I had to do something.

I began to sing to him.

"When the world gets to

heavy put it on my back

I'll be your levy.

You are taking me apart

Like bad glue

On a get well card."

His screaming continued as I sang. My voice grew shaky, as seeing him so hurt was making me break too.

"It was always you falling for me

Now there's always time

Calling for me.

I'm the light

Blinking at the end of the road

Blink back to let me know..."

I paused for a moment. His shaking had become less violent, and he had stopped screaming. He was still muttering under his breath.

"Roman..save me..please..!"

I continued.

"I'm a fly that's trapped

In a web but I'm thinking that

My spider's dead.

Lonely, lonely little life.

I could kid myself

In thinking that I'm fine.

It was always you falling for me

Now there's always time

Calling for me.

I'm the light

Blinking at the end of the road

Blink back to let me know

That I'm skin and bone

Just a king and a rusty throne.

Oh the castle's under seige

But the sign outside

Says leave me alone.

It was always you falling for me

Now there's always time

Calling for me.

I'm the light

Blinking at the end of the road

Blink back to let me know.

Blink back to let me know...."

His shaking had ceased, and his breathing returned to normal. He relaxed out of the position he was in, but he hugged me instead of letting go.

"Virgil?"

...

"...You've got quite the voice, Princey."

I smiled, tears flooding down my face. I wasn't even sad, I was just so happy and relieved to hear him back to his normal self.

He quickly pulled away from me, and looked up at me.

"Sorry Princey. I know, it's a disappointment I didn't die."

"Don't talk like that."

Virgil looked at me.

"Why not? I know what you're thinking."

"Virgil, that's not-"

"Where's Remus? And Deceit?"

He looked around, calling out to Remus and Deceit. Who weren't even home.

"Hey, you can come out now. The joke's over. Hilarious, I know."

"Ok, Virgil that's enou-"

"Was your mom in on this too? Oh, like mother like-"

"VIRGIL!"

He looked at me, his eyes wide. He was afraid. Shit, I shouldn't have yelled. He probably gets that enough at home.

"Virgil, I'm sorry for yelling.... I just can't listen to yourself do this."

He scoffs. "Do what?"

"Assume the worst of not only everyone else, but most importantly..you."

"It's how my folks see me, it's how everyone in that damned school sees me, so what makes them wrong? If so many people think I'm weird, then it must be true."

"But you're wrong."

"You're lying."

"No, Virgil. I'm not. You are amazing. I love your purple hair and how your bangs fall in front of your face. I love the way you talk and walk. Your smirk is something I'll never get enough of, and your eyes..if your bangs weren't hiding them all the time, I would be hypnotized. Lost in your eyes forever..."

He was silent. I looked away. After just telling him everything I felt, I couldn't bear to look him in the eyes.

"What are you saying?"

I looked at him.

"I'm saying...I really like you Virgil."

It was silent. Neither of us said anything. Finally, my mom came down with the first aid kit.

"Gosh, this thing was buried in the bottom of the closet. Now, I heard yelling. Are you two ok? Are you ok.."

"Virgil."

"Virgil, I'm sorry. Are you ok? I'm Liliana."

He smiled ever so slightly, nodding.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Nice to meet you, Liliana."

"Who did this to you?"

He was taken aback at her bluntness.

"I'm sorry?"

"Who did this to you? I'll do my best to see that they get reported."

He looked down for a moment.

Tell her. You don't deserve any of this. Just tell her who it really was!

"It was just some stranger on my block. Didn't get a good look at his face. Sorry."

Mom shook her head.

"Now don't you go apologizing. This wasn't your fault," She turned to me. "Roman, help him wash up, I'm going to go report this at the office."

"Why don't you just use your phone, Ma?"

"They won't listen on the phone. They never listen! Well this time they will."

She went down the hall, her shoes already on. She grabbed her car keys and opened the door.

"I'll be back in a bit, I promise!"

She said and shut the door.

I opened the first aid kit and took out some disinfectant and anything I thought I needed. I began to clean up the blood off his face, and with that, his makeup came off too. The same bruises I saw from this morning were clear as day. I said nothing as I cleaned the small cut on his nose.

"I know, they're eye sores. But hey, anything to distract from the actual disaster."

He motions to himself. I shake my head.

"If you talk like that about yourself one more time, I swear.."

"Or what, Princey?"

I moved his bangs out of his face. I saw his eyes. Dark dark brown eyes stared timidly yet challengingly at me. Afraid to even face me, yet at the same time, almost daring me to look away.

I put my hand on his cheek, not breaking eye contact.

"Princey, e-even this is a little l-low. You don't need to pretend-"

I couldn't take it anymore. I moved his face inches from mine.

And I kissed him.

----

Virgil's p.o.v.

He was mocking me. I was sure of it. At least, I thought I was.

"Princey, e-even this is a little l-low. You don't need to pretend-"

And then his soft lips brushes against my chapped ones. He was being delicate, expecting me to break away. Which I did.

I looked at him.

"What the hell was that??"

He was silent. I sighed, breathless.

"God, do that again."

I cupped his face in my hands and began kissing him again. This time with more passion and fire.

The pain of all the bruises and cuts was nothing compared to the passion I felt from Roman.

After a while, we stopped. Catching our breath we looked at each other. I smiled and began to laugh. He looked at me, puzzled.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, nothing. It's just I'd never in a million years thought I'd be off kissing one of the most popular guys in school."

He smiled at me.

"Anything can happen in Sherwood, Ohio."

"I guess so."

He smiled and wrapped me in his arms. We stayed like that for a bit. Cuddling in the middle of the floor. Until Roman finally spoke.

"Virgil.."

"Yeah?"

"Why did you lie to my mom?"

I sighed. Knew he'd ask this question eventually.

"My dad is the only one in my family with a job. And besides. He puts up such a good act. Even you'd be surprised that he did this."

He doesn't respond. I simply sigh.

"You know what's funny?"

"What?" He looks at me.

"We only just met today and we've already gotten detention together and now we've even kissed each other."

He chuckled. "Yeah. Usually in the past it's taken longer than this, but I feel like with you, I can't wait."

I smirked. "God, you're so cheesy."

"I like to try my best." He grins.

I shake my head, looking up at him.

"You know, you're practically perfect in every way."

He gasps, smiling. "I knew you liked Disney! Who doesn't like Disney?"

I smiled. "No, but seriously. I mean it. Now don't expect me to go into a ton of detail and make this romantic like you did. I don't think I can even begin to describe you."

He smiled like a dork at my comment.

I'd never have thought that this whole thing with me and Princey would've gotten here so fast. All the same, I'm glad it did. I don't think I could've gone any longer without being in his arms. He said he liked me. Well, I don't like him.

I love him.

Yeah, yeah, I know that's cheesy. Leave me alone.

----

Roman's p.o.v.

Virgil ended up staying the night. I convinced my mom to let him, since he was in shock or whatever.

He got to sleep in my room.

As I brushed my teeth at eleven at night (usually the time where I hit the hay) I looked over at Virgil.

He was turned away, his back facing me.

I rinsed out my mouth and turned off the lights, climbing into bed beside him. I thought he was asleep, but he immediately turned over and cuddled close to me. I smirked and held him close.

"Princey.." He said, exhausted.

"Yes, love?"

"Sing me a song.."

"Virge, it's eleven-"

"Please."

I smiled and sighed. I guess he won. Damn him and his cuteness.

"I suppose. Since you said please."

He nuzzled his head into my chest as I thought of a song.

"I could stay awake

Just to hear your breathing

Watch you smile

while you are sleeping

While you're far away and dreaming

I could spend my life

In this sweet surrender

I could stay lost in this moment

Forever

Every moment spent with you

Is a moment I treasure

Don't wanna close my eyes

I don't wanna fall asleep

'Cause I'd miss you, baby

And I don't wanna miss a thing

'Cause even when I dream of you

The sweetest dream will never do

I'd still miss you, baby

And I don't wanna miss a thing."

I decided to stop singing. I could tell Virgil was already asleep. I kissed his hurt eye, and continued to just hold him close.

I don't know what to think of this. On the one hand, I really really like Virgil. But at the same time, what will Deceit and Remus say?

I know exactly what they'd say. They'd tell me to dump Virgil or I'd become the laughing stock of the school. As much as I adore Virgil, can I live with that?

God, I'm an idiot!!