#virgl

Roman was pacing in his room fuming. Why were they like this? First they wanted the quiet now they wanted him to talk? Mean!

“I didn’t realize how quiet things would feel without his incessant chatter. It’s nice.”

Mean!

“Yeah. I can finally hear myself think.”

Mean!

“Some quiet is good sometimes.”

Mean!

“Roman’s being an ass and ignoring us.”

Why so mean? He thought as he sat down tears running down his face. He shook his head. Stupid! He shouldn’t be upset about this! He couldn’t let something so small get to him!

The silence was deafening. It was ringing in his head, slowly the void was filled with their words. They like you quiet. No they don’t. Yes they do. No. Yes. No! YES!

“SHUT UP!” He yelled.

You should shouldn’t you? Just shut up? A voice whispered to him. Just shut up.

“No..No!” Roman said out loud. Anything to fill the silence. Why did his voice sound so small?

Shut up shut up shut up! It’s nice!

“No...I…” Roman was breathing quickly. “I shouldn’t have to..”

Shut up!

“I didn’t realize how quiet things would feel without his incessant chatter. It’s nice.”

Shut up!

“Yeah. I can finally hear myself think.”

Shut up!

“Some quiet is good sometimes.”

Shut up!

“Roman’s being an ass and ignoring us.”

SHUT! UP!

He punched the wall. He stood breathing heavily as he watched blood trickle out of his split knuckles. Blood soaking into the crack in the wall. He slowly pulled his fist back to his body. The pain breaking through the haze in his head.

He sat down on his bed cradling his injured hand to his chest. A small sob escaped his lips. He clamped his mouth shut. He was not going to cry over this!

Knock at his door broke through his thoughts. It was Patton. “Are you ok?”

He didn’t say anything.

“Look I know that you're mad but it’s not a big deal!” He said.

Not a big deal???

Why should whatever they did that hurt him ever be a big deal…

“Are you still small?” Patton asked.

Roman didn’t reply. “I’m coming in.” He said before trying to open the door. Roman felt a surge of satisfaction knowing that he couldn’t get in through the locked down.

Then he felt a bit guilty he wasn’t supposed to lock the door when he was small….But was he small? He was and he wasn’t at the same time. It was confusing.

He shook his head to clear it. He heard a soft metal clicking sound.

“Almost got it.” Virgil said.

Of course Virgil would try to pick the lock! No respect for his privacy or anything! He shoved a chair under the door handle. AH! Good luck opening it now!

They tried to open the door and the chair stopped them. Perfect!

“Roman! Open up!”

“What if he’s passed out?”

“We just heard him move something in front of the door.”

“Well how do we open it?”

“Break it down!”

“Patton we aren’t going to break it down!...We’re going to remove the door handle and see what’s blocking the door.”

“Oh for the love of..”Roman muttered under his breath. “COULD YOU JUST GO ENJOY THE QUIET AND LEAVE ME ALONE?” He yelled.

It was quiet so long on the other side of the door he thought that they had left.

It would be best if they left.

CRASH!

Remus peeked his head in the hole in his door. “Done pouting?”

Roman shoved his head out. “Did you have to break my door?”

“Well you weren’t coming out.” Janus said.

Roman peeked out. The others were gone. “Did they get you?”

“No.” Janus said. Roman couldn’t tell if that was a lie or not. “So what’s wrong?”

Roman hesitated. He couldn’t lie to Janus. Literally. “They prefer the quiet over me. So I’m giving it to them.”

“Self sacrifice. How quint.” Janus said drily.

“Awww. Do people not like what you have to say? That must suck!” Remus said.

Roman paused, “How do you deal with it?”

Remus raised an eyebrow, “Oh I don’t care!”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I do what I do anyway!” He shrugged. “I don’t need attention like you do.”

Roman sputtered. “I don’t need attention!”

They just looked at him.

He didn’t...he just didn’t like the silence.

Virgil Sanders, "Tears"

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