December 14th - 7:36pm

                                                                                                           Roman headed down the hallway with his arms held behind his back, absentmindedly humming alone to a tune while in search for some food. Half an hour ago, Amelia walked into their room to see if they wanted anything to eat, but Virgil still wanted to be alone, so he didn't reply, instead he stayed cuddled up to Roman, face hidden in his neck. It prompted the taller to reply with a short 'no thank you', even if both boys were really starved.

Which was why Roman was searching through the kitchen for something to snack on - in the distance he could hear the rest of the family in what he assumed was the dining room, all having dinner. He wished he could be there, too, but that would mean he would have to leave Virgil alone, which was the last thing he would ever want to do.

"Oh, it's you" he paused at the sudden unfamiliar voice. Straightening up, he looked over his shoulder to see Abigail standing in the doorway - Roman instantly noticed how pristine she looked, every strand of her long brown hair tucked securely into a high pony tail, and her clothes didn't have a wrinkle in sight.

"Greetings, Abigail" he smiled politely, "I was just looking for some food" he explained, scratching the back of his neck lightly. She nodded her head, giving Roman a once over with a slight disapproving look. He frowned, but before he could question her, her long arm stretched out towards the oven.

"My sister made some food for you and Virgil" she spoke, her tone of voice proving she didn't want to be friendly. He nodded and heated up the food, Abigail pouring herself more wine. He stood there awkwardly, grabbing two glasses so he could fill them with some soda, much to Virgil's request.

"It was rude for you two to not show up for dinner" Abigail quipped from the doorway, Roman tensing a little as she did. He didn't want to become mad at this woman, because she was a member of Virgil's family, but he knew if she carried on like this he wouldn't be able to stop himself from firing right back at her.

Maybe he should count to ten and try not to punch her on nine.

"I apologise" he replied back curtly, "but Virgil didn't feel like coming, he was in pain" He explained as briefly as he possibly could, just wanting her to leave. She licked her lips lightly, watching Roman open the oven to take out the two plates of food without oven gloves. She tutted disapprovingly when he placed the plates on the counter quickly, shaking his hands violently in the air as he tried to diminish the burning pain.

"Ow, ow, Mierda" he hissed, rushing over to the sink, blasting on the cold tap. Abigail rolled her eyes, ready to walk back to the dining room when she halted her movements, clenching her jaw. All she could hear were the quiet noises of pain from the man, and part of her couldn't bare it.

She was really about to help this idiot.

Turning around sharply, she left her wine on the counter and turned off the cold tap. Before he could question her she switched on the hot water, brushing his fingers under the warmth. "It will help" was all she said, her hand still wrapped around his wrists, keeping his hands there until she could feel him relax, eyes softening as they glanced up at her. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all.

"I would have expected Virgil to date someone...smarter" she commented, letting go so she could dry her hands on the tea towel. This time Roman chuckled, turning off the taps once the pain had finally ceased. He turned to face her, shrugging lightly as he examined his fingers. "You distracted it - it wasn't my fault!" He defended, crossing the kitchen to stack the plates on one arm, the other hand holding the two glasses.

Abigail watched with a risen eyebrow, one hundred percent sure he would drop something, but when he gracefully left the room without so much as a wobble, she tilted her head in slight approval. He wasn't as useless as she first assumed. Grabbing her wine, her high heels clicked against the wooden floor, from the corner of her eye she watched the man sway his hips gently while walking up the stairs, humming along to a tune.

She didn't know what it was, but something about this man intrigued her.

"Virgil, I need you to open the door!" Roman called sweetly, his attention quickly caught when a door down the hall silently pushed open, and a brown eye stared directly at Roman. He tilted his head, wanting to go to see who it was. He assumed it was a child, because of the height, but they could always be crouching down. He did find it a little scary, though.

Suddenly, the wooden door opened and Virgil was scooping a plate of food from Roman's arm, scoffing down the food with his fingers. Roman watched in silence until an amused laugh pushed it's way past his lips. Virgil blushed a little, but sent him a glare nonetheless, walking to his bed so he could sit and eat. Roman followed, placing the drinks and his food on his bedside table.

"I'll be right back" he voiced, seeing Virgil nod as he licked his fingers. With a smile and a head shake, Roman left the room, leaving the door partly open as his legs took him down the hallway. The further he went, the more dark it became, as the light above him wasn't turned on, and the switch was by the staircase. He pushed on, pausing outside of the door that was only opened a jar. Inside, he could see a flash light in the corner, illuminating a book. It was placed on the floor, a child that seemed to be ten years old reading from it.

Raising his fist, he knocked on the wood, startling the child who quickly turned off the light, sitting in complete silence in the corner.

"Hey, I..I won't hurt you" Roman spoke gently, not really knowing what else to say. He's never had a child scared by him. Stepping into the room, he flicked on the light, spotting a girl - it was Mia. She clutched the flash light to her chest, a large hoodie that was way to hug for her pooled around her body, covering her legs that were pressed to her chest. He smiled gently, leaving the door open in case she wanted to leave.

"Hey, again" he chuckled, kneeling on the floor across the room for her. "You're Mia, right? I'm Roman. What are you reading?" The girl didn't reply, instead she chewed her lip, pulling her arms through the sleeves of the hoodie, completely encased by the item of clothing. Roman cooed, thinking she was adorable.

"Shy, huh?" He smiled, "I was shy too...when I was a child" he clarified, leaning on the bed frame that resided next to him. "Not many people believe me when I tell them" he added with a light chuckle, returning to silence as his eyes focused back on the girl. She seemed to ease a little in his presence, shuffling over to the book. Gently, she placed a book mark inside, closing it so she could show him the cover.

He gasped, reading over the title. Where the Wild Things Are

"I've read that book!" He exclaimed in excitement, beaming. Mia smiled back, holding the book to her chest lightly, a light blush rising on her chubby cheeks. Roman scooted closer, wanting to desperately earn the trust of this little girl. "Is is your favourite book?" He questioned, watching her nod slightly, her legs shifting so they crossed over each other.

Deciding to sit in the same position, Roman glanced around the room, regrettably he didn't see what the plaque said on the door, so he doesn't know who's room this is. Maybe he could ask?

"Why are you in here?" He wondered, waiting patiently for a response, if he were to get one. Mia shrugged her shoulders, the book now resting in her lap, small fingers gliding over the front cover. She really didn't like big crowds, so after she finished eating her mother let her go read. In the basement, Riley and Sebastian were making a lot of noise while all she wanted to do was read in silence. Henry was there, too, but he sat on his bed, colouring in.

So, she decided to come up here. She would've gone into her parents room, but through the walls she could make out the voices of Roman and Virgil, so she came in here, the only room in the house that was completely silent. Every other room was able to hear the loud chatter from the adults.

"Why were you in the dark?" Roman tried, as he was very curious. Mia looked up, chewing her lip. She didn't really know who this man was, and both her parents drilled into her that strangers equaled danger, but he was close with her uncle, so maybe he wasn't so bad?

"I didn't..." she began, voice soft. "I didn't want to draw attention to...myself" she managed, staring at the carpeted ground as she did. It felt nice to talk to someone, especially as it wasn't either of her parents. Looking up at him, she felt happiness bubble inside of her when he was still smiling, showing no signs that he was annoyed because of how shy she was. She often annoyed her father, which only made it worse really, but she did try. She wanted to make him proud.

Maybe this man could help. This man named...Roman. She remembered with a grin.

"I heard you come up the stairs" she carried on, surprising Roman a little, but he wasn't complaining. She opened and shut her mouth a few times, eyes trailing back to the floor where the rested for awhile. She didn't really know how to word her next question, nor did she really have the guts to ask it.

"Roman, what are you doing-?" Virgil stopped in the doorway, eyes landing on Mia who shuffled back, reaching for her book again so she had something to hold onto. Roman turned his head, sending his boyfriend a smile, but he was too focused on Mia, this being the first time in ten years he's actually seen her...properly. And she's grown quite a bit. Obviously.

"Sup..." he murmured awkwardly. Mia only hid her smile, cuddling her hoodie closer to her body as she watched Roman stand up and waltz over to Virgil, pecking his lips softly. "Your foods getting cold" Virgil came in to tell him, glancing at Mia after he whispered something into his ear. With a small wave, he left the room, leaving Virgil to nervously stand by the door, eyes slowly lifting up to meet Mia's.

"Do you, uh, want...to be left alone?" He questioned, arms crossed over his chest. Mia did before, but after enjoying Roman's company so much, she wanted to be with him again, and Virgil. Her other uncles and aunts were different, they weren't as quiet, or awkward, and she liked that she wasn't the only one who wasn't nervous.

Standing up, she plucked up the courage to walk over to him, reaching up to hold Virgil's hand when his arms slowly uncurled away from his chest.

"Can I stay with you?" She asked in a quiet voice, her other hand holding both the torch and the book. Virgil eased a little, sending her a small smile. He was told Mia was the shyest child in the house, so to have her come up to him, after they've barely talked, and want to hang out made his happiness increase by tenfold.

It was the same feeling he had with Roman's family. There were also a few shy kids there, and whenever they would trust Virgil, it would leave him feeling...happy. But, because Mia was his niece, it just made it feel more meaningful.

Virgil nodded as a response, and the two walked down the hallway hand in hand, both of them spotting Roman sitting criss-cross on the bed, using a fork to shove food into his mouth. Both he and Virgil were very hungry, and Amelia was a brilliant chief.

He lit up upon seeing Mia, grinning brightly at the girl who shuffled over to a chair in the corner, her book resting on her lap again. Content, she began reading while listening to Roman and Virgil's conversation in the background. They mostly talked about random things, a lot of the time reverting back to America, and Roman wondering what his family were currently doing.

Once the two finished eating, they left their plates on the desk, flopping back onto the bed. It was silent, and Mia finally looked up, noticing both boys had retreated to playing on their phones, occasionally tilting the screen so the other could see, eliciting a laugh from them. Mia enjoyed watching the small exchanges, it reminded her of how her parents acted sometimes when her dad wasn't preoccupied by his work.

Speaking of, she couldn't hear the adults talking downstairs anymore, so she assumed they would be looking for her soon. At least, her mum would be. Sliding off the chair, she padded over to the window, peering through the curtains and to the back garden. It was glistening white with the snow that fell from the clouds at a speedy pace. It looked to be thick, and definitely a lot taller than it was throughout the day. From this alone, she knew school would be off tomorrow, and probably the rest of the week if this carries on.

Setting her feet flat against the floor, she closed the curtains she opened partly before so she could look out. The two boys were still distracted, so she hurried back to the chair, scooping up the book and torch. She was starting to feel tired, her lips parting wide to let out a yawn. She wanted to go to sleep, but she was sure Riley and Sebastian were still messing around in the basement, so in her sleepy state she left her belongings at the bottom of the bed and clambered onto the mattress, situating herself between the two boys who watched with soft smiles.

Snuggling under the blanket, her arms instinctively wrapped around something she could cuddle, this being Virgil's arm. He blushed a little, freezing completely while glancing at Roman for help. He only shrugged with a teasing grin, rolling onto his side with his phone still in his hands. Virgil tried to hit him, but Mia shifted closer to Virgil, which prompted the man to just relax against the mattress, putting his phone to the side so he could curl Mia against his body.

Roman watched with a happy twinkle in his eyes, moving his body closer so he could wrap his arms around Virgil, efficiently trapping Mia between them, in turn making her feel safe, which helped her doze off to sleep. Above her head, Roman leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to Virgil's forehead. The boy flushed, ducking his head down to avoid Roman's gaze which would only embarrass him further. He heard the gentle chuckle that Roman let out, the noise making him smile, because he loved Roman so much, and anything he did would leave him feel warm inside.

Closing his eyes, Virgil focused on Roman's hand that stroked the skin under his shirt lightly, it brought him an overwhelming amount of security, one that helped him fall into slumber. Roman watched the two for a short while, a soft smile resting on his lips as he did, finding the whole scene absolutely adorable. Time passed by quite quickly, Roman listening to the even breathing from the two next to him while he played random games on his phone.

His attention was brought to the door when it was slowly pushed open, and someone he recognised to be William's wife - Elizabeth peered round the door, visibly relaxing when she spotted Mia on the bed. She smiled, quietly walking into the room. "Hey, Roman.." she whispered, walking around to Virgil's side, gently rubbing Mia's shoulder that wasn't covered by the blanket. Roman smiled back, propping himself up with one arm.

"Greetings, Elizabeth. I'm sorry we didn't tell you of Mia's whereabouts" He apologised quietly, sitting up so Mia could be taken away if Elizabeth wanted to put her downstairs, which Roman was sure she did.

She waved he hand dismissively, leaning down to kiss Mia's forehead. "No, no, it's okay" she reassured, sitting beside Roman who took in her outfit. She wore a beautiful dress that reached down to her ankles, thin fabric wrapped around her arms to her wrist. Roman favoured the colour, if he remembered correctly it was cerulean blue. Her hair curled around her shoulders, a few strands hanging above her eyes. Out of everyone in this house, her hair was the most fairest brown.

Roman had the lightest shade, though, being more close to blond. His eyes were certainly the brightest, too.

"Did you enjoy dinner?" She broke the silence, upon walking in she noticed the licked clean plates on the desk. Roman nodded enthusiastically, agreeing with her that it was probably the best meal that they've had in awhile. After the short conversation Roman checked the time on his phone, 9:27pm glaring right back up at him.

"I'm feeling quite tired, I think I should go to sleep" Roman excused himself, standing up to grab his toothbrush.

"It is getting late" Elizabeth agreed, standing up and straightening out her dress. "Would you like me to take Mia away?" She questioned, Roman stood in the doorway, glancing at the girl with a smile and a light shrug. "It is up to you" he replied, watching her nod slowly and stare at her child for a few moments.

She tapped her sides, turning around to face Roman. "I think...I'll leave her here" she stated, slowly moving across the room, "she isn't the best around new people, I'm surprised she even agreed to sleeping in the same bed" she chuckled softly, glancing at her over her shoulder affectionately.

"William says shyness is a stupid trait to have" Elizabeth went into saying as the two slowly walked down the hallway. "While, personally, I think it's one of the best. Sometimes, people with confidence can come off too strong, or quite rude..." she paused, eyes widening slightly as she turned her head towards Roman. "I'm not saying you're rude, I-I just...I hope you understand what I mean" she apologised profusely, making Roman laugh heartily.

"It's perfectly alright! I completely understand what you meant" he reassured quickly, Elizabeth nodding with an apologetic smile. "Anyway, like I was saying, when you're shy you're timid around new people, and your trust is more hard to come by, making you less vulnerable to some...horrific people out there" She shuddered at the mere thought, sending Roman a small smile when he rubbed her shoulder comfortingly.

"You know how some men are out there...not to say I haven't come across men that were ruffled up by women in the past" she sighed, turning to face Roman once they reached the ground floor. "A horrible world we live in" she remarked, straightening her posture a little when their conversation was coming to an end.

"Well, thank you for taking care of Mia, I'll go tell William" with a few more smiles shared between the two, they split of to different parts of the house. While passing down the hallway, Roman glanced into one of the rooms, spotting the dining room. The long table was still littered with plates - Amelia, Olivia and Camila were clearing the mess while chatting quietly. Putting his items in his back pockets, he stepped into the room, knocking on the door gently to catch their attention.

"Roman!" Camila grinned, waving him over. He shot her a grin back, waltzing into the room with his hands clasped behind his back. "Greetings, you three beautiful ladies" he remarked, eliciting laughter from them all. "Oh Roman, are you sure you're gay?" Olivia smirked, stacking a few plates on top of the other. "Actually, I'm bisexual" he winked, "but not many people know that - so hush" he giggled, picking up the wine glasses that were left behind.

"Wow, really?" Camila spoke up, "You have a choice, and you still choose men?" Everyone in the room laughed, and all Roman could do was shrug. "What can I say? I was captivated the moment I saw your nephew" He leaned on a chair as he spoke, what he said earning an eyebrow raise from Olivia who leaned on the chair directly opposite.

"Who asked who?" She wondered, both Amelia and Camila going silent so they could hear his response, both equally curious. Roman chuckled, eyes staring at the table as he replied to her question. "I..well...Would you like to hear the long version?" Once he received nods from each, he bit his lip, curling the small stem of glass attached to the wine glasses between his fingers so he could pick up a bunch at a time.

"He had arrived to America a week ago" he began, "and...it was the fifteenth of February, my sister called me that afternoon explaining she had brought someone in from the streets. I was ready to tell her that was a horrible idea, but she told me he was near death, and had no other choice" his voice dropped the happy, upbeat tone it held before, now falling into a more serious level as he retold the story.

"I came over as soon as I could, and like I said, captivated the moment I saw him..." the thought made him smile lightly, the first time he met Virgil. He was passed out on his sisters couch, his heart beat dangerously slow. "We took him to the hospital, and I payed for the expenses, he had no where to go so I allowed him to stay with me. That was eight years ago" Roman brightened up again, "only one month later did we begin to date - I was the one to ask - and at that point we were already so close he didn't feel the need to get his own place. We fell in love, and the rest is history" he ended his story with a grin, taking the glasses he held to the kitchen.

Although, he did pause in the doorway.

"He doesn't blame you for what happened - I'm glad my sister found him when she did"

He wanted to add more to console the three who were now all frowning at the realisation of what Virgil went though, but he didn't really know what. So, with a silent nod, he carried on his way to the kitchen.

"My poor boy..." Amelia murmured, quickly using her shoulder to wipe her eye, hastily bringing what she was carrying to the kitchen along with Roman. Camila looked up at Olivia who didn't move, gripping the cutlery in her hands so tightly her knuckles turned white.

She was mad. Mad at herself. Mad for ever letting her brother leave. Her younger brother nearly died because of them...

She was a terrible sister.