#can you imagine him digging his claws into romans sash

[ethospathoslogan]

“It’s a hobby of mine to prove you wrong.” + logince?

anon i hope you don’t mind but i’m going to combine your request with @gotohellstephano ‘s (88: “I let people down, it’s what I do.” / roman centric ) !!

also i know that, after the most recent video, patton said that he would check on roman but play with me in this space

i also messed around with the wording of the prompts just to make it flow better omg

content: hurt/comfort, platonic logince

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If, at a later point, Roman was accused of tearing his sash off and throwing it to the ground (not unlike a petulant child, as some would say), he would never admit to it. Nor would he admit to the tears welling up in his eyes as the bright red fabric, ripped and wrinkled, laid in a heap on the floor of his room.

Curling his hands into fists, he tucked his chin to his chest and sucked in a shuddering breath.

Deceit—Janus—won after all. Got his way, even! He was a good guy, now! On their side! He was always on their side, apparently! Always looking out for Thomas and taking care of him! He was good!

And Roman was...

He swallowed thickly and, looking up, found his reflection in the mirror across from him.

The reflection stared back—twisted from the shadows of his room, reflecting back to him his tangled hair and red-rimmed eyes, his wrinkled attire and hunched shoulders—and smirked.

Roman, barely processing the growl that ripped out of his throat, didn’t even pay attention to what he was doing until he was throwing the mirror to the ground, watching as the damaged and broken remains scattered out across the floor. 

He harshly bit his bottom lip as, slowly, he crushed one of the pieces underneath his boot.

For just a moment, the only sound created was the soft crunching of broken glass.

And then, Roman’s entire body stilled at the unmistakable rush of air behind him.

“Roman, I-” A pause. A long pause. Long enough to make Roman think that perhaps he had left at the sight of the chaos around him. “-What... what is going on?”

Roman refused to turn. “Oh, can’t you tell, Specs?” He sneered, though it wasn’t like Logan could see him. “I’m making room for our new friend!”

“By destroying your realm?”

“It’s artistic intent,” Roman bit. “Not that you would understand.”

Roman didn’t know why he expected otherwise, but Logan’s silence just made the pit in his stomach fall further into guilt.

“Logan, I’m- look, I-”

“No need,” Logan interrupted. “I know you did not... mean to be rude.”

Roman flinched and ducked his head.

“Sorry,” he whispered.

“Roman, it’s-” Logan sighed. Roman could imagine him shaking his head. “-Why don’t you turn around?”

Roman, his throat tighetning, shook his head. 

He didn’t think he could bear seeing Logan’s face right now. Not after everything.

Logan waited another moment. Roman felt like he was drowning in the silence. Finally, though, Logan huffed again and continued, “Well, what exactly are you doing? Even I can tell you’re upset, but-”

Roman scoffed, digging his fingernails into his palms. “Upset?” he repeated. “Oh, you give me too little credit.”

“We both know that feelings are not my area of expertise,” Logan said. “Nevertheless, I know that everything that just transpired bothered you.”

“Oh, which part?” Roman asked. “The part where we let Deceit join our merry band, or the part where I found out that I’m not Thomas’s hero anymore?”

“You’re hurt, and you’re confused,” Logan stated. From behind, Roman heard him walk forward. Glass crunched under his foot with each step and, eventually, they were side to side, their shoulders were nearly touching. “That doesn’t mean you have to do this.”

Roman, keeping his head down, laughed bitterly. “I’m doing what I always do!” His breathing hitched and he shut his eyes tight in hopes that it would soothe the stinging. “Letting people down!”

“Ah,” Logan said quietly. 

The thought that he was confirming Roman’s fears almost broke him.

“Well,” Logan continued, “I am not one for... emotionally-driven statements. I don’t know if I would be the right Side for comforting you or... finding the good in a situation.” A pause. “However, it is a hobby of mine to prove you wrong.”

Roman snorted. “Good luck with that.”

“Oh, luck isn’t needed,” Logan said. “I am fairly confident in myself.”

Roman, deciding to remain silent, shuffled his feet.

“First things first,” Logan said, and Roman could feel Logan staring down at him, “You are our Creativity. Even if Patton was the reason Thomas started making videos in the first place, you are what makes them. No matter how hard any of us try to take the figurative wheel... it comes down to you. And I think it’s safe to say that people are greatly satisfied with what you have done.”

Roman swallowed around the lump in his throat and shrugged.

“Secondly, perhaps related to my first point,” Logan continued, “Is that you keep creating. Even though we have had our... discussions about your creating process, and how I can sometimes be too... critical of what you give me, you never cease. Even if you aren’t confident in what you make, even after hearing all of our critiques, you keep coming back with more ideas.” He released a deep breath. “It is... not a perserverence many could maintain and, quite honestly, Roman? It is admirable.”

“Well, I try,” he murmured.

“Thirdly,” Logan said, “Though sometimes I find it... worrisome, I have to commend your loyalty to Thomas. Or, in fact, your loyalty to whatever you have pledged yourself to. Yes, I can get... frustrated with how intensely you commit yourself to ideas and dreams and people, but it would be a lie if I said that it was not impressive. Despite what you might think right now, you have shown a dedication to working with us, to working with Thomas, that cannot be ignored.”

“Yeah, well-” Roman shrugged and rubbed his eyes “-You might want to change that one.”

“And why is that?”

“Well, I tried to do the best for Thomas by making him go to that stu-... to the wedding. Because, you know, we can’t side with Deceit! But then, guess what? We can! And we do! And I’m the one working against him because, well, he’s the bad guy! But, whoops, turns out he isn’t! And we should’ve listened to him all along, apparently! So now I’m the one who made Thomas give-” His voice cracked and, after a moment’s reprieve, he forced himself forward “-Give up the callback. And, oh, here’s the real kicker! Deceit? His name is Janus! And you know what I did when he told us that?”

Logan sighed. “I have a guess.”

“I laughed, Logan!” Roman shook his head. “I laughed.” 

“And how do you feel about that?”

“Honestly?” Roman let out a watery laugh. “Terrible.”

“And, fortunately, that leads to my final point,” Logan said. “Roman, you make mistakes... but you’re learning. Though at times you falter, and you do things that can... hurt others, you try to be better. And... I can see how hard you are trying. So I think, on this subject, I am the one most qualified to say that... your willingness to learn? To grow? Is not a quality that should be disregarded.”

Roman, no matter how tightly he squeezed his eyes shut, could not stop the tears from falling, nor could he still his shaking shoulders.

“I don’t know what I’m doing anymore,” he managed out, his words trembling almost as much as he was.

Logan rested a hand on his shoulder. “I know things are changing,” he said, “And change can be troubling, but...” He sighed. “I feel very confident when I say that things will be okay. That you will be okay.”

“How will things be okay?” Roman sucked in a deep breath that clawed at his lungs. “He doesn’t trust me anymore, Logan!”

“Falsehood.” Logan squeezed his shoulder. “Take it from me, Thomas has not given up on you.”

Roman, unable to find his words, placed his hand over Logan’s.

“Despite our differences,” Logan continued, “You are my friend. I am not going to let you fall victim to these cognitive distortions.”

“Thank you,” he whispered, squeezing Logan’s hand. “I- I mean it, Logan. Thank you.”

And, finally, Roman looked up at Logan to find him smiling down at him.

“It is the least I could do, I was merely listing facts,” he said. “But... you’re welcome.”

Roman, rubbing his eyes, smiled as well.

“Now-” And Logan bent down, retrieving the discarded sash “-I believe this is yours, yes? I’m sure that, if you can’t mend this, one of else could help.” He then kicked lightly at a piece of the broken mirror. “And we will find you a replacement mirror.”

“Oh, uh,” Roman, blushing, stammered, “It’s- it’s okay. I broke it myself, you know? So it’s kinda my problem to-”

“Nonsense,” Logan interrupted. “Helping each other is what we do.”

Roman’s heart cinched and he held the sash close to his chest. His voice faltered before, finally, all he found himself able to say was, “Thank you. Again.”

“Would you like me to help clean?”

“Oh, I can actually just-” Roman snapped and the shattered glass disappeared.

Logan raised an eyebrow. “How... convenient.”

Roman smiled. “It comes in handy.”

“I’m sure it does,” Logan said, “But if that is all- unles you want me to stay, that is?”

Roman, swallowing thickly, looked around his room and shrugged. “You know,” he said, “I think... I think I’d like some alone time but...” He sighed and smiled tiredly at Logan. “I do really mean it, Logan. Thank you. You... you really helped me. I still feel... bad, but...” 

“You have me if you need to talk,” Logan finished as Roman trailed off.

Roman nodded. “Yeah,” he said quietly. 

As Logan was making his exit, his hand on Roman’s doorknob, Roman piped up, saying, “And, I know I’ve said it a thousand times but... thanks.”

Logan smiled at him over his shoulder. “Like I said, it’s what we do.”

As Logan let Roman’s door close softly behind him, Roman realized that, even if things still didn’t feel good, they didn’t seem as terrible, either.