#duukey

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“Oooh! I could take your back right now if I wanted to!”

Roman let out a pained groan as Remus’ boot pressed firmly against his back, pinning him to the floor. “Yes yes, I could cut your jacket and skin in two and pull your spine out in one easy tug! I bet I have the perfect place to hang it too! What better way to show how spineless you’ve become, brother dear.” A cackle accompanied this as he leaned forward, only to feel an unnaturally strong gust of wind knock him aside.

“No! I will not allow you to win! I have a sworn duty to protect Thomas from all evil, and that includes you, Duke! I will not fall, I will not crumble. And no matter what, I will never bow to you.” The brothers, who had once sworn to stand together, stood opposing one another. One had his sword raised, ready to charge; the other had a wide, fanged grin as he took in the near cliché setting. How could they have seen eye to eye?

“Now this is a surprise. You have some backbone after all. I’ll allow a second chance to prove your words!”

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Hidden in the Imagination, Roman and Remus sat under the shade of the large birch tree at the foot of the waterfall. They had changed into fresh clothes while their previous outfits hung to dry after the plunge into the waters. Several drinks were mixed and had, and the air was lighter than it might have been otherwise. The road to recovery was a long one, but the twins wanted to make up for lost time now peace had started to take root between them. Tales from the past were shared: childhood escapades, conquests in their own corners of the Imagination, tales of shenanigans with their friends. But as Remus regaled a prank he played on Janus, he noticed how the prince fell silent. The jovial mood had fallen away as Remus tried to ask what was wrong.

“Did he tell you why I went to the Imagination?” Roman’s question was simple, yet it was enough to take Remus by surprise.

“No. Was... Was it bad?” He wasn’t feeling confident when Roman didn’t answer at first. Instead, the prince’s eyes were still on his drink as he tried to take a shaky breath.

“He questioned how horseshit Thomas’ work is.”

If Thomas’ work was being questioned, it was a thinly veiled mockery - how terrible are you at your job, Roman? How can you fail at something you were literally made to do? Oh Roman, poor Roman... How long have you denied that you are just not good enough?

The response hung in the air for a long moment. But then, Remus frantically climbed to his feet, morningstar materalising in his hand.

“Horseshit?? Horseshit?? What the FUCK -”

“Remus, wait -” Roman had to act fast, pulling himself onto his feet despite the tipsiness. “Please... I’ve been the cause of so much shit, don’t -”

“That’s not on you though! That’s just... That’s...” Frustrated by how difficult it was to form words, Remus opted for the safer option of simply frowning at his brother. “Your work - Thomas’ work - isn’t horseshit.”

“But isn’t it?” Oh, how hurt Roman sounded. “Re, Thomas has been struggling for months, and that’s on me. I’m the only one who was helping him and... Well, Petty Little Liar proved he could tell the truth after all.” Discouraged by his own words, Roman took a half-step back. “He said the truth. I wasn’t ready to hear it so... I fled here the moment I heard there was a small problem in my kingdom.”

“Struggling is normal, Ro. That doesn’t make it horseshit.” The morningstar was dropped. Neither twin acknowledged the dull thud of it crashing to the ground. “God... Do I kick his ass?? Do I chop him up and make snake and spider stew??”

“I... Fuck, I don’t know, Re.” This was a mistake. He never should have said this. “I know you love him and you’ve known him a hell of a lot longer than me. It... I don’t know.” A hand brushed through his hair in distress, dislodging the neat waves into a more haphazard look that better suited the turbulent state of mind. “Maybe he’s right. I keep being told my opinions on him aren’t ‘right’ and that I should take the time to know him so... I don’t want to make things difficult between you two. Not when he makes you happy.”

“But he -”

“It doesn’t matter, Re. I keep fucking everything up these days. And I’ll be damned if I ruin something else because of this. Come on. Take this. When we climb up that hill again I want to feel nothing but the thrill of falling back into the waterfall.

Alcohol be his saviour. As the thermos was handed to Remus to allow the Duke to whip up new drinks, Roman silently prayed to every divine being associated with alcohol that they would bless the beverage and allow them both to forget this conversation when they returned home.

“Roro?” A glass was waved under Roman’s nose. “I’ve got your back, okay? I lost you once, and I’m not losing you a second time. I love you too much to go through that again.” Roman took it and made a toast that the pair could merrily down their drinks to.