12:20pm

I know I'm not taking requests but I liked this one so-I-yeah

Trigger warning: abuse

Au
—

Roman tried not to glare at his father, but it was almost impossible. Clutching his cheek that the man just slapped his eyes narrowed with fiery hatred. "Don't touch me" Roman growled out lowly, the drunk man tried to attack but Roman pushed him to the ground and left the house for school. Since his mother bailed, it seems his father truly couldn't get over the woman who never treated him right in the first place - which results in him letting it all out onto Roman.

It's a routine at this point. For three years Roman has to avoid his father and defend himself from his onslaught, he's even worse when he's drunk, but that seems to be his natural state of being. Always holding a beer bottle in his hand, clothes stained beyond repair, a whisper of the man he once was. Sometimes Roman could remember his kindness; but the memories are crushed by the phantom feeling of pain his father inflicted onto him.

Due to this, Roman changed. He became more temperamental. He would snap at any small thing that annoyed him, and more times than once he would lash our rather violently at people who far from deserve it. His friends slowly left him, not wanting to be involved with a boy with anger issues so severe he couldn't keep himself contained. Roman didn't care about punishments; give him all the detentions, it didn't affect him. But when he was banned from performing in plays, and attending drama classes, that's when he spiralled and became worse. The one thing he had left of his past self was gone.

He didn't know who he was anymore.

But no one cared; everyone stayed away.

Roman was isolated, excluded, outcasted by everyone. The only time he felt something other than burning rage was when he was hurting people. It came with an ounce of satisfaction, knowing he wasn't alone, knowing other people could also go through his pain. It came to a point where he focused his attacks mainly on one person. He and Roman had been in the same schools since kindergarten, but never interacted before Roman picked a fight on him. Now it's basically become a daily thing.

"Hello, Nerd" the student tensed when he heard the spine-tingling, deep voice of his bully from behind. Slowly turning on his feet, he stared, eye level with the boy dressed in brown and black. Logan straightened, set his jaw and dropped his bag to the side. "What do you want, Roman?"

The boy hummed in amusement, stepping closer until he had Logan pressed up against a wall, out of sight from anyone else. "I want to hurt you"

Logan nodded curtly. He couldn't escape, he knew that, otherwise Roman would just inflict more pain, worse than his usual beatings. Logan didn't cry out for help, or hit back, he just stayed rigid as Roman punched, kicked, and harshly uttered insults filled with venom. After a few minutes, Logan was sprawled on the floor, eyes half open, bleary watching Roman stalk away. The nerd slowly eased himself up and crawled over to his bag, downing a few pain killers with ice cold water.

He stumbled and limped a little as he neared his friend group who were all sitting under a tree, eating their lunch.

"He did a number on you, Lo" Remy piped up, head resting in their boyfriends lap. Said boyfriend narrowed his eyes in a heated glare, Logan knowing his hatred was directed at Roman. "I suppose so. If only he would understand it won't help" Logan sat down on the grass beside Patton who leaned over and gently patted the top of his hand. "Have you talked to him yet?"

Logan brought out his lunch box and sighed. "Easier said than done. He never lets me get a word in"

"Maybe I can try and give him a piece of my mind" Virgil growled, but he knew it was pointless. Logan banned all of his friends from trying to defend him, because one; he knows it'll make Roman worse, and two; he doesn't need more abuse from school than he already does at home. Of course, he doesn't know for sure if Roman is abused, but from his behaviour change three years ago, and how he acts to this day, Logan is pretty confident about his assumption.

"He's not worth it" Remy responded, tilting their head back to grin at Virgil who huffed but begrudgingly agreed, trying to compress his smile when Remy leaned up and pecked his lips. "Do not worry" Logan spoke up after swallowing his sandwich, "I will talk to him tomorrow" He promised. His friends cocked their eyebrows up in suspicion, which made him roll his eyes and focus on his food.

"Good luck" Deceit shrugged, raising from the ground when the bell rang. He helped Patton stand and the two walked hand in hand towards their next lesson after calling their goodbyes. Logan walked off to his class alone, and ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. Luck is something he will definitely need.

The next day, Logan waited in the area Roman usually finds him. His bag was already sitting on the ground, but today, even if adrenaline pumped through his body, he was ready, more than ready to confront Roman about his problems. Six minutes passed before Logan heard the sound of footsteps. Turning his head, he spotted Roman who had hunched shoulders and a piercing glare in his dark eyes. He walked straight up to Logan who kept himself calm and composed.

"Roman, why are you doing this?"

The boy seemed a little shocked that someone spoke to him. "Shut it, Nerd" he snarled in response, preparing himself to start the attack but Logan spoke again. "Tell me, right now. Why does hurting me bring you pleasure? What happened to you, Roman?"

"Nothing! I said shut up-!"

"You are abused at home, aren't you?"

A thick silence fell across the two. The hesitation and horror in Roman's eyes answered Logan's question for him. Then, the horror contorted to rage. Roman recoiled his arm, ready to hit Logan square in his face and hopefully break his nose but in a move that shocked both of them, Logan caught his fist, both boys breathing heavily as they glared at each other.

In that moment, time seemed to have frozen. The two staring at each other with expressions harsh and cold, Logan's hand clenched tightly around Roman's fist that didn't even struggle in his hold, just stayed hanging in the air. Then time started again, and Logan physically stepped back when Roman's parted lips let out a heart-wrenching sob. The teenager collapsed to his knees, buried his face into his hands and sobbed. He heaved, trembled, and wrecked his throat with tears pooling in his hands and dripping down his cheeks onto the dusty mud below.

Logan tensed, not knowing what to do. He ripped Roman down into a crying mess; and he didn't know what to do about it. He wanted to text his friends to come help but Roman spoke, freezing his movements.

"He-he won't leave me alone" Roman admitted, "he won't get over her! She left thr-three years ago and...and...he won't leave me alone" his voice crumpled to a whimper, "it hurts so much. I can't get away. I'm-I'm-" Roman tearily looked up at Logan who kneeled on the ground before him.

"I'm sorry" Roman managed, voice barely above a whisper. Logan nodded and pushed up his glasses. "I know" he murmured, reaching over and patting the top of his hand. "Promise to not hurt anyone again, and I promise to help you"

Roman sniffled and wiped at his face with his sleeve. "I-I-" he breathed in a shaky breath.

"I promise"

—

Thanks for the request

12:59pm