WARNING: mentions of blood and vomit, along with mentions of potential victims and similar subjects.

Hopefully I don't do bad ahh

Roman quickly caught up Remus after leaving the others to decide what they'd do, his twin only sparing him a brief glance before trudging onwards.

"Is there anything you can tell me about what we're up against? Did you give the Tenebris any weaknesses?" Roman asked after a few minutes of silence, his hand still keeping a white knuckled grip on the hilt of his sword as they walked.

Remus seemed to easily follow some unseen path, since he'd suddenly stop and turn at moments that seemed entirely random, but Roman trusted his twin knew were he was going.

They eventually found the trap door -left open by what they could assume was Janus- and were making their way down the dark almost dizzying spiral staircase.

Remus hummed softly after a few minutes, and Roman quickly glanced over at him.
"I feel like I did," remus said, his tone almost thoughtful -it was too cold to be thoughtful though. "I can't remember much from back when I made it and set it lose, I wasn't in the most pleasant state of mind."

"You're never in a pleasant state of mind," Roman said, although his tone was fond, "but I'm assuming you mean not even pleasant for you."

"Yeah, I'll admit it was a bit much for even me," Remus said as he sent his brother a crooked smile, although there wasn't much mirth in it, "I tried to get it back at some point, but I underestimated it and it got away. I had assumed it had lost itself in the darkness, it's rather easy to get lost in the dark if you don't know your way, but I guess it was just lurking about."

"And what about this 'Unknown' person?" Roman asked, "you said you didn't know much about him -why is that?"

"Ah, well Dee-Dee didn't like him very much," Remus said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "I think they used to know each other, but Dee never let him near Virgie or me, always kept us from the darker areas were even we'd get lost -no matter how tempting they looked." He explained, a mischievous glint flickering in his eye for only a second before it disappeared again. "I think I've seen glimpses of him before, but with my mind you never know what's actually there or just a figment." He added with a laugh.

"Did De-Janus ever talk about him? Tell you why they didn't get along?"

"Hmm, not really, Virgil didn't need much convincing to stay away and Dee-Dee always knew the best ways to get me distracted, the little snake, always avoiding topics." He said, his tone was fond though, "using my own mind against me."

"Im sure he-"

"Quiet." Remus suddenly interrupted, is posture going stiff -although Roman could barely see him in the almost blinding darkness. They must have reached the bottom of the stairs at some point, since they were on flat ground now, but Roman couldn't remember when...

They stood there silently, and Roman was about to speak before he heard a faint scraping sound.

A hand grabbed his wrist and he was suddenly being dragged away by Remus, who pulled him down the hallway they had entered at some point -why hadn't he noticed?

His mind barely registered the dark stains painting the walls and the heavy metallic scent in the air, he barely had time to process what exactly was in the halls before he was dragged into a room, his twin silently closing the door behind them.

"Say a word and we're dead." Remus whispered into Romans ear from his place suddenly next to him, making Roman jump slightly.

His heart was pounding in his chest as he stood there, staring at the door expectantly, as if his mind was daring the universe to open it. He was almost worried his heart was pounding too loud, but Remus didn't mention it so it must have just been in Romans head.
He unsheathed his sword though, his movements slow and quiet as he readied himself into a stance that would allow him to either attack or defend with simple a second to shift.

The walls creaked and the floors groaned as they stood there, the silence almost deafening, until it was broken by a dull scraping sound again, and Romans grip on the hilt of his sword tightened.

They stood there as still as stone for several minutes, but the scraping never came back and the air remained stagnant and just as heavy as before.

"Alright," Remus began, "we should be able to go back out now." He said.

"Was that the Tenebris?" Roman asked as he lowered his sword and relaxed from his stance.

"Unless the Unknown has any other little helpers running about, or slithering, or-"

"Okay I get it," Roman said, cutting his brother off before he could get too distracted. "It sounds bigger than I can remember."

"It feeds off of pain Roman, psychological and physical, I bet it's gotten bigger from today alone, imagine how much bigger it's gotten from its victims." His twin said as he opened the door and lead him out into the hallway.

"Victims?"

"Unless this is the result of a party gone wrong then I'd assume victims." Remus said as he gestured to the state of the hallway, and Roman felt bile rise up in his throat.

"...and you're sure you can't remember any weaknesses for this thing?" Roman asked as they began to walk down the hall again.

"No but if I do you'll be the first to know." Remus said, "now let's go find Dee-Dee before it comes back."

They continued they way down the hallway, and Roman had resorted to pulling his shirt up over his mouth and nose to try to filter the stench as they walked.

They eventually found a room with what Roman could only assume was fresh blood and a chair, but there wasn't anyone to be found so they continued on, while Roman tried to ignore his brothers musing on how the blood was probably from Virgil or Janus or both of them, the memories of Virgil's injuries and the idea of what state Janus could be in making him want to throw up. He did note the rather cold almost dead tone of his brothers voice though, and some part of him knew that his brother was going to snap at some point -he wasn't sure if he wanted to be there when he did.

"...I'm sure he's fine." Roman said after several minutes, trying to comfort his brother.

"I'm sure he's not." Remus said.

"Don't think like that-"

"Not any other way to think, Roman. What are you expecting to find? Dee all dressed up and having tea with Unknown and the Tenebris? No, I'm expecting the worst and I'm ready the bash some heads in the moment I see Dee-Dee."

Roman stayed quiet after that, letting himself stew in his own thoughts as he followed his brother around.

He suddenly heard a noise behind them and both him and Remus froze. Footsteps, more than one set walking behind them. To light to be the Tenebris, but it could be Unknown...

"In here," Remus hissed before pulling Roman back down the hall a little and into a small closet they'd just passed.

It was a bit cramped with the both of them in there, but they were able to fit and close the door with little difficulty.

Roman found himself holding his breath as they waiting in almost silence -the only sound being the footsteps as they grew louder and closer...

And wait...

Were those voices?

"Wait, Remus, I think that's-"

"I don't feel like being eaten, so zip it." Remus hissed as he pushed a hand up to cover Roman's mouth.

Roman flared at him before shoving his hand away, "no you don't understand, I think that's-" He cut himself off as the footsteps suddenly stopped. Right in front of the closet.

He suddenly doubted if he'd heard correctly -but no, it had to be them right?

Before he could even move or speak, the doorknob was being twisted, and Roman braced himself as the door was suddenly whipped open, closing his eyes.

Except

Nothing happened...?

"...Roman?"

Roman looked up at the voice and couldn't help relaxing as he saw the two people staring back at him.

"Oh thank goodness." He breathed softly before stepping out of the closet, "you don't know how terrifying that was."

"I'd have to disagree, it was very terrifying for us as well."

"Oh right, well, sorry then."

Hopefully yalls liked this? If not then I'm sorry ;-; I am a small smooth stinky brain.  I tried to keep it short since I have a tendency to usually write long chapters and I didn't want to take up a bunch of space and plot and such, you could consider this to be filler?? Maybe?? Idk.
Hopefully it wasn't too bad tho? Maybe? Hopefully? Idk
Anyways
For this I'll be tagging HarmoniousCrystal 
I think they'd do really well! But they don't have to if they don't want to!! No pressure!!