Chapter Text
With his thirtieth birthday one day away, Virgil has since given up on ever finding the love of his life. Oh sure, there had been a boyfriend here or there over the years, but each and every one of his relationships always came to an end. His best friend and coworker at the local public library, Logan, told him that it was estimated that most people in the state of Florida got married at the age of twenty-nine, so Virgil held onto hope that he’d met his special someone before then.
In hindsight, he should have realized that that estimate was for people who weren’t an anxious mess that pushed people away the moment any intimate action was enacted.
That meant that the years of his mid and late twenties passed in a flash of loneliness and disappointment, with no partner or happy ending to show for it. The worst part of it all was probably not the fact he was going to die an old maid, but rather that his nagging, albeit accepting, mother would never let him live it down. Virgil was her only child, and it was a miracle she even had him considering her condition, so he knew that no matter what he’d have her love. That didn’t mean he was free from her constant questioning as to when he was going to bring home a man.
He envied Logan sometimes, he and his boyfriend Patton, another good friend of his, had been together for a little over two years now and were virtually inseparable. Virgil loved the two of them, but sometimes seeing them act like a picture-perfect couple from a marriage poster made him want to go jump out the nearest window and hiss at them until his throat ran dry from dehydration and spite.
Virgil couldn’t do that right now though, because he desperately needed their help on what in the world to do about his situation.
Currently, he sat with his two best, and only, friends at their favorite diner. He and Logan had just closed up the library an hour ago, while Patton worked as an assistant at an Elementary school and got off a few hours ago. The two were again acting disgustingly cute and perfect, causing Virgil to stab a little more forcefully at his food than necessary.
“Are you sure it’s that big of a deal, Virge? I know tons of people who are dating in their thirties, and even older than that!” Patton told him reassuringly, trying to give solace that he wouldn’t take.
“Of course it is! Most of those relationships end up breaking up anyway. I’m literally one day away from being off the market forever and being alone for the rest of my life, I gotta do something!” Virgil shoving his face with comfort food to avoid a public meltdown.
“Hm, well have you thought of other alternatives to romantic love?” Logan asked from across the booth, sipping on a cup of hot tea.
“I’m not gonna do it with random dudes to feel better, Lo.” Virgil deadpanned, his face contorting with a look of disgust.
“No, I mean something like familial love.” He clarified, setting his cup down on the table and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Perhaps you’d feel a different type of fulfillment if you adopted a child.” He said as if it were perfectly normal to suggest and not at all life changing.
“Wait, Logan, hold on-”
“Great idea Logan!” Patton chimed in excitedly, “Oh you’ll love the little ones, Virge, they’re so adorable and funny.”
“Pat, that’s not-”
“Not to mention distracting. You’ll hardly notice your lack of an intimate relationship if you're taking care of a child.” Logan added bluntly, slightly stinging Virgil’s nonexistent ego.
“Would you guys just-”
“Ah! We’re gonna be uncles! I can’t wait until they get here!” Patton rambled, cupping his face as he started to drift off into dreamland, imaging whatever kid the two were trying to push onto him.
Realizing that the couple wasn’t going to stop to give him a turn to speak any time soon, Virgil quickly slammed his hands on the table, softly, to not anger the diner staff, and stood from his seat to gain their attention.
“Who said that I wanted to be a father?” Virgil shouted, slightly louder than he had meant. A few other patients of the diner turned to look at them, but Virgil kept his eyes on his friend and tried to keep his embarrassed blush down to a minimum.
“It’s okay if you don’t want to Virgil, it was a mere suggestion,” Logan said, adjusting himself in his seat.
“Yeah, well it felt more like a decision.” Virgil fell back into his seat, pouting.
“Kiddo, it’s okay if you’re not ready, or if you don’t want to at all. But maybe bringing in a little bundle will add new meaning to your life.” Patton said warmly in his ‘dad’ voice, “If you’d like, I can go with you to the local adoption agency where I volunteer to go play with the kids. Maybe that will help?”
Virgil sat silent for a moment with his arms crossed, staring out the window to watch the cars go by on the city street. Tonight had not gone as he had expected it to, he had simply wanted to complain about his loveless life and chug down bowls of ice cream until midnight with his friends. Yet, now he was faced with a new decision in his life that would drastically alter it. While Virgil didn’t necessarily dislike kids, he just hadn’t ever pictured himself with one. Sure, he used to babysit the neighborhood kids to make extra money when he was in high school, but they were someone else’s and he got to give them back when the day was done. If he were to adopt, they’d be his and his alone. It would be his responsibility to feed them, clothe them, house them, and overall care for them.
Although, when he thought about it, it may be nice to go home to a condo that wasn’t quiet and instead filled with childish laughter. He’d have someone to spoil and treat out to meals, and also the perfect excuse to go see the latest Disney movie without feeling like a weirdo. Perhaps, being a dad would be a good thing.
“Fine, we go tomorrow at noon.” Virgil gave in with a deep sigh. A bright and cheery smile then burst onto Patton’s face, while Logan simply gave a knowing grin. “B-but that’s it, I’m just gonna play with the kids!”
Patton laughed kindheartedly and Logan gave him a small humored huff. They both knew Virgil got easily attached, it was part of the reason he chased away every single man that came near him. Because despite all his moaning about wanting a significant other and blaming his crippling old age for why he didn’t have one, it was his actually his own guilt with Matthew that kept him from ever fully committing to another relationship. All he needed was to gain a bit more confidence, and a child may just be what the doctor ordered.
-
The next day found Virgil standing anxiously outside the Stork Agency building alone as he waited for Patton to arrive. They had both agreed to be there at twelve, but Virgil didn’t want to risk arriving late, so he had come thirty minutes early just in case there was an unforeseen increase in traffic, an accident on the road, or anything else that might happen that would cause him to make Patton wait for him. Except now he was just awkwardly waiting outside an adoption agency looking like a complete creep. Virgil wanted to just be swallowed up by the ground and be taken away from this awkward situation, but thankfully Patton had arrived just in time to save him from his inner turmoil.
“Hey, Virge, Happy birthday! Am I late?” He asked as he closed the door to his car and ran over to where he stood on the sidewalk.
“Nah, you’re all good, and thanks,” Virgil said with a shrug and a grin.
Now that they had met up together there, the pair walked together to the front of the agency, Virgil a step behind. The agency’s building itself was small and looked like an older house. The Stork Agency was known in their city for being a place where fosters often went, actual adoption didn’t happen all too often with the children there. According to the stories, most of the children there had all come from harsh backgrounds, whether it be deceased parents or rescue from abusive households. The majority of hopeful parents looking to adopt wanted children from happier backgrounds, or wanted the child from birth, so the Stork Agency wasn’t the most funded adoption agency around, but they made do with government aid.
Patton, bless his heart, was inspired to volunteer here because of the children’s unfortunate situation and had been helping out the owner on his days off for the past year. He and Logan both would hear plenty of stories about the silly shenanigans the children got into there, and even a few stories of the owner getting pranked on. If he remembered correctly, the guy’s name was Dexter and he was in his mid-thirties, running the agency with only a handful of helpers. That kind of life sounded extremely stress-ridden to Virgil, he couldn’t fathom how the guy managed.
Walking up the porch steps to the house, Patton reached into his pocket to pull out his key to let them inside. Doubt and unrest began to flood his nerves. I’m just here to play with the kids, He reminded himself in an attempt to calm himself down, I don’t know if I want to adopt yet, I’m just going to play.
“Knock knock! Guess who’s here?” Patton announced his arrival cheerfully once they walked in.
Virgil closed the door behind them and gingerly took a look around the place. It wasn’t dark, dreary, or full of cobwebs, in fact, the living room was painted a happy yellow color, the furniture was slightly frayed, but not horribly so, and the shelves and walls were decorated with neat little trinkets and paintings. Overall, the house looked rather homey.
The second Patton called out a chorus of cheers sounded from the other room and at least four small children came running in and surrounded them, screaming Patton’s name joyfully. Patton grinned and greeted each one of them at a time and introduced them to Virgil. The children then turned their curious eyes onto Virgil, looking at him with expectant and hopeful eyes. Virgil knew the intent behind them, they all were expecting him to choose one of them to adopt today. If his life were a videogame, he’d unlock an achievement for feeling peer pressured and cornered by small children.
Virgil suddenly felt significantly less comfortable being there, with four bright-eyed and bushy-tailed three to five-year-olds all gazing up at him and circling him almost like miniature vultures, he amazed himself that it had only taken a grand total of forty-eight seconds for him to be trapped by toddlers.
Maybe I’m not actually ready for this.
“Damn it, Remus! Get back here right this instant!” A sudden yell came from the room where the children had come out a minute before, causing Virgil to flinch slightly and look up in confusion and foreboding.
Following that commanding shout, a little brown-haired boy, around perhaps ten years old, came bolting out into the living room, a large smile on his face and a bowl of spaghetti on his head. A tall, older man ran fast on his heels and chased after him into the now crowded space. The boy, Remus apparently, ran and jumped over furniture, leaving drips of tomato sauce in his wake, and found a hiding place right behind Virgil. The man chasing after the kid slowed to a stop once he reached him, finally noticing the stranger in the room.
Now that he was no longer running around Virgil was able to get a good look at the man’s face. It was nice, long, with sharp edges and cheekbones. His eyes were a soft yellowish auburn brown color that reminded him of caramel. His hair was short and neat and a simple light brown, on anyone else it would look plain, but on him it was elegant. There was a patch of different colored skin on the left side of his face, but that seemed to only add to his charm.
Virgil felt like a potato sack in the presence of such a gorgeous looking man.
“Uh, sir?” The beautiful man asked, pulling Virgil out from his distracted thoughts.
“Hm? Oh- yes, sorry!” Virgil spluttered out an apology, dropping his head to stare at his feet, realizing that he had just been ogling this guy for who knows how long.
Damn it, he must think I’m a creep. Stop it, Virgil! you’re thirty years old for goodness sake! Now’s not the time for childish pining. He must hate me now. Well, I just ruined my nonexistent chances.
Virgil’s nervous thoughts scrambled in his mind, turning his words to mush and dropping his self-esteem to negative zero. He knew he looked like a wreck and braced himself for the ridicule that was sure to come. However, he wasn’t met with the sound of disgust or cruel comments that he had been expecting, but rather a light and kind sounding chuckle.
“It’s alright, I’m sorry if we interrupted you, mister…” He trailed off, leaving an opportunity for him to introduce himself.
“Oh, uh, Virgil- Virgil Black.”
“Virgil, huh?” He said thoughtfully. Virgil prepared himself again for ridicule but again didn’t receive any. “What a nice name. I’m Dexter Serpente, owner and head caretaker of Stork.” He held a hand out, removing a rubber yellow glove, and offered it. “Nice to meet you.”
He must have just finished washing some dishes.
“Yeah, uh, likewise,” Virgil said and shook his hand, impressed by how surprisingly firm his hands were.
As they were talking and introducing themselves, Remus, who had taken refuge behind him, had begun to creep out in an attempt to make his escape. Dexter caught on fast to his little scheme, however, and quickly grabbed his shoulder as he tried to run by.
“Ah, ah, ah, not so fast young man.” He tutted and turn to the boy, taking the bowl of spaghetti from his head and set it down on the nearby coffee table so that he could clean out his hair.
“No fair! You took away my crown!” Remus complained, squirming in the adult’s grasp.
“Remus I told you before, being duke of spaghetti does not mean you get to put your lunch in your hair.”
“Yes, it does! Roman gets to have a crown of his own, why can’t I?”
“Because his crown is made of paper.” Dexter sighed, plucking the last noodle off his head. Running his gloved hand through the boy’s hair, Dexter picked up the bowl from the table and then turned to Patton, a look of relief flooding over his face. “Patton, would you mind taking Remus to the bathroom to clean up? I have to make sure the others finish their lunch.”
“Of course!” Patton smiled, leaving Virgil’s side with an encouraging pat on the back before walking over to Remus and leading him away up the flight of creaking stairs to the right of the entryway.
“I’m sorry about all that, would you like to have a seat while I finish up in the kitchen? Or would you rather spend some time with the kids?” Dexter inquired, shooing the smaller children to the room they were in before.
“Oh, no no, I’m not- I mean I am, uh, I’m-” Virgil stuttered wildly, trying to find the words to convey that he had come with the idea of adopting, but wanted to back out after realizing that he wasn’t as ready as he thought he was.
Dexter, on the other hand, appeared to understand him immediately and held up a hand to stop his rambling.
“It’s okay, trust me, a lot of people have second thoughts.” He said kindly with no ill intent, even so, it still stung Virgil.
“I’m sorry.” Virgil apologized, turning his head away in shame.
“Don’t be, fostering is hard work, it’s okay if you need time.”
Oh, he doesn’t know. Virgil realized in his head, Dexter had thought that he had just been looking to foster, not adopt. He relaxed a little knowing that, yet another part of him felt slightly saddened. Does he think I can’t handle adopting?
“You’re welcome to stay as long as you like, visiting hours end at five though. Five of our kids are in school at the moment, but you’ll be able to meet them later if you stay.” The man offered,
“I don’t know...” Virgil said uneasily, shifting back and forth on the balls of his feet and twiddling his thumbs in the pockets of his hoodie. It may not be such a good idea to stay any longer, he’d only be raising the children’s hopes if he did.
Dexter watched him and discerned what he meant, he let out a small breath but still gave him a forgiving smile. Virgil could tell that he had disappointed the man though and that in itself stung.
“I understand,” he asserted, nodding his head, “I have to go finish with lunch, but it was nice meeting you, Mr. Black.” He said with a small wave.
“You too.” Virgil raised his hand to wave back, but the other had already turned and walked away, “Bye…”
Damn it, why am I like this?
Virgil groaned loudly and hung his head in defeat, stepping over to and falling down onto the beige, loveseat couch to the left side of him, shoving his face into his palms. He knew coming here wouldn’t be a good idea, he’s not good parent material and he never will be. The only thing this visit accomplished was raising many people’s hopes only to not come through in the end. Exactly what had Logan and Patton been thinking when they suggested he do something such as this?
I’m gonna die alone, aren’t I? I can’t adopt, I’m not fit to do so. I can’t get a boyfriend either. All of my relationships end in failure. I shouldn’t even try anymore. Nothing will change, I’m gonna be an anxious mess forever. I’m too old for this.
The abrupt sound of rapid footfalls down the stairs quickly yanked Virgil back into the waking world. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed Patton heading down the old oak staircase, appearing to be in a rush, and jumped up to meet him.
“Well, I gotta go, I only managed to get the morning off on such short notice,” Patton told him, taking off a damp apron and pulling on the coat that he had been holding in his arms. Virgil stood off to the side a ways away from him, looking somber. In his flurry of action, Patton caught Virgil’s gaze momentarily and immediately stopped everything he was doing. “What’s wrong, Virge?”
“I don’t think I can do this, Pat.” Virgil confided, hanging his shoulders feebly.
“Sure you can! You love kids, you’re fun to hang out with, and you’re responsible!” Patton said encouragingly, taking a seat on the couch next to him and putting an arm around his shoulders.
“But I’ve never had to deal with a kid for more than one day at a time. The kids here are all looking for someone to be their parent. They’d probably be disappointed if they got me.” He remarked depressingly.
“Virgil,” He said, tone changing, “I know you don’t believe it, but you are so much more than you make yourself out to be. If you truly don’t want to adopt, then that’s fine, but if the only thing holding you back is yourself, then just remember that these kids have been wanting a parent for years. I don’t think they’re very picky.” He told him, patting him on the back and standing back up, “See you later.”
Virgil grunted out a goodbye and listened as his friend walked away and went out the door before he dropped his face into his hands and let out a large exhale. He knew that Patton was right, as usual, but he just couldn’t bring himself to believe in his words. So Virgil conceded to his doubt and anxiety, but before he could spend too long on his train of self-pity, a sudden heavy weight fell into his lap, dangerously close painville. Virgil jolted upright and looked down to see what had just hit him, only to see a mason jar full of dirt and grass, accompanied by the strange boy from earlier.
“Here.” Remus said crawling up and sitting on the arm of the couch, resting his small head in Virgil’s lap next to the jar in what looked to be an uncomfortable position for the boy’s back, “You looked sad so I thought it would cheer you up.”
“Oh, uh, thank you?” Virgil said in puzzlement, not really sure how a jar of dirt was meant to cheer him up.
“Why are you sad? Did a trash goblin eat your family?” The boy asked, eyes twinkling with odd curiosity.
“No, that’s not it.”
“Did your favorite pair of pants catch fire?” He guessed again.
“No.”
“Did an octopus-”
“Remus,” Dexter’s stern voice cut off the boy, “Stop bothering Mr. Black and go finish your lunch before it gets cold.”
“Ugh! Fine snake man.” Remus groaned loudly, slumping off Virgil’s lap and walking away with his head hung back.
The two watched the boy walk off, one in amusement and the other in exasperation. Clearly, Dexter had to deal with this kind of behavior on the daily and had grown dulled to all of his strange oddities.
“Snake man?” Virgil asked with a raised eyebrow.
“It’s a pun of my last name since it means snake.” The other man sighed, putting his, now ungloved, hands in his pants pockets, “You stayed.” He noted.
“I did,” Virgil agreed, not sure why he did, “Ah, he’s really… creative.”
“That is one way to put it.” He huffed, walking over to the armchair across from him and taking a seat.
“You mentioned earlier that there were some kids at school. Why isn’t he with them?”
“Well, Remus is a special case, he’s only allowed on campus three days a week.”
Virgil frowned at that and looked at where the boy had just exited. A kid his age shouldn’t be restricted from learning because of his personality.
“So… how many kids are here?” Virgil continues,
“Eleven currently, there used to be twelve, but Janice found a foster family three months ago.”
“How long have they been here?”
“It’s different for each kid. Our youngest, Stephen, has been here since he was four months old, although a family is looking into him and he may be leaving soon if the process goes well.” He explained, “Then you have Remus and his twin Roman. They’re almost twelve and have been here since they were two.”
“That’s a long time to be in the system.” Virgil breathed, pitying the boys. You never would have guessed that Remus’s life would have been so rough by how happy he always looked, he wondered how it was for the other twin he hadn’t met yet.
“Well not a lot of parents want twins, and as they grow older the chances of being chosen decrease. Then you have Remus to consider.” Dexter said matter-of-factly, his voice laced with sympathy.
He could tell that the guardian didn’t mean any spite towards the boy in his words, but he could also see the slightest hint of pain behind his eyes. Virgil wondered to himself what it must have been like to raise them for so long in an orphanage.
“He’s not so bad.” Virgil murmured hushedly, trying to somehow offer his condolences.
Dexter looked at him for a moment, almost as if he was analyzing him, then looked back off into space with a grin.
“You’d be the first visitor to think so.” He chuckled, Virgil joined him, smiling into his palms. “Where’s your partner, are you going to tell them that you aren’t ready yet?”
The question caught Virgil off guard as he hadn’t been expecting it at all. He guessed that it made sense for most who came here to married couples who couldn’t have children of their own, but the question just shoved the fact that he was still single back into his face.
“No partner to speak of.” Virgil grimaced with a sour face, leaning his elbows onto his knees, closing himself off.
“Really? I’m shocked you haven’t been swept off your feet yet.”
Now Virgil definitely hadn’t expected to hear that, especially from someone of Dexter’s league. There was no way the comment had been meant as a flirt, that was out of the question. It must have been a general statement, after all, it was pretty pathetic for a thirty-year-old to still be single and spending his birthday at an adoption agency.
“I mean, there have been a few guys, but you know how relationships go.”
“Only if they’re assholes. Clearly, you deserve better.” He said gesturing his hand up and down at him. “Bet you have to chase them off with sticks,” Dexter smirked, leaning his body against the arm of his chair and crossing his legs in a way that should be forbidden for mortal eyes to see.
“I- I’m not really, I wouldn’t say-”
Then, by a blessing sent from on high above them, a call from one of the kids in the next room came bursting in, stopping Virgil in his tracks before he could make too much of a fool of himself.
“Dee! Remus is putting olives in his nose again!”
In a flash, Dexter’s cool and collected gusto fell away and was replaced with experienced panic as he instantly jumps up from his armchair to the other room.
“Shit! Sorry I’ll be right back.” He called, backed turned and unable to see the melted puddle Virgil had been reduced to.
A fluke. Virgil told himself, holding his hand to his pounding heart. Surely that had been just a fluke, a joke at best. He didn’t mean anything by it.
Even so, Virgil was on the cusp of having a heart attack all because of one small comment. He had just given up on the possibility of any future relationship, he can’t back down just because one guy appears to be half decent and wildly attractive. Besides, they say the stronger the feelings are at the beginning of a relationship, the harder the fall is. Virgil was not about to set himself up for another disappointment. And, most of all, he didn’t want to be a disappointment.
Warning bells and alarms went off in his head to run, leave this place, and never return, but another, smaller, voice told him to stay. He had come here for the kids after all, and even if he wasn’t ready to adopt or foster, he should at least stay until the others returned from school.
Loud giggles and happy screams vibrated through the house from the other room, accompanied by the sound of a very frustrated Dexter. It drew Virgil out of his pessimistic thoughts with curiosity to what the boy had gotten himself into and brought him to follow after where Dexter and everyone had gone. Nothing could have prepared him for the sight he would see at the doorway. Remus sat on the kitchen counter, nose filled to the brim with olives, while Dexter pulled at the small fruit with tweezers. The whole scene looked both disgusting and hilarious, and Virgil had to cover his mouth with his hand to keep from laughing out loud.
It seemed as if this happened quite often because it took less than a minute for Dexter to remove them all and Remus was bouncing off the counter in no time. It also didn’t take long for the boy to notice him standing there and came bounding over.
“Racoon man!” He said happily, jumping into his stomach and almost topping them over with the force he came running at.
Raccoon man? I guess I get a nickname too.
“Sorry you had to see that,” Dexter said walking over, wiping his hands on a rag.
“Nah, it’s alright. We all did things when we were young.” Virgil laughed, patting Remus on the head. “Look, I know there isn’t really a reason for me to stay, but maybe I could hang out here for a bit more? Until the others get here, of course.”
A look of surprise flashed across the other man’s face but was quickly taken over by glee.
“Certainly.” He said, welcoming him further into the room with the kids.
The children didn’t get out of school until three, so Virgil had to wait a few hours to meet the four others, but during that time he got to spend it watching the toddlers play, which made the hours go by in minutes with how quickly exhausting it became. Six toddlers, that meant constant screaming, crying, and tantrums. Virgil was a full-grown, thirty-year-old man, yet these children made him want to crawl into a closet and cry. Dexter, on the other hand, handled everything like a champ and didn’t appear fazed at all. Once more Virgil wondered how on Earth the man managed to do everything alone.
Although they were rambunctious for a long while, they did eventually all quiet down after Dexter put on some mind-numbing children’s program and set out snacks in front of all of them. The only one it didn’t satisfy was Remus, who Dexter instead gave a tablet to play games on. Still, Virgil noticed that he would switch from game to game, quickly becoming bored off all of them before returning to an old one or going to a new one.
When the time finally did arrive for the kids to arrive back from school, Virgil was quickly introduced to them all. Virgil was able to tell instantly who Remus’s brother was the second he walked in as they looked exactly like each other. Obviously, because they’re twins.
Speeding through the introduction, while trying not to look like an inconsiderate ass, Virgil went over Roman and knelt in front of him.
“Sup little dude, what’s your name?” He asked,
“I am Prince Roman Agustus Sanchez of the Stork Household. State your name, peasant.” The boy declared flamboyantly with pride, shocking Virgil with the amount of arrogance of such a small child.
Not only do they look alike, but they also act alike too.
“ Roman ,” Dexter said warningly, giving the boy a hard look.
“What’s your name… mister?” The boy tried again in a bored voice, head hung low. Virgil frowned slightly at this, he didn’t want him to be a little dick, but he also didn’t want him not to lose his passionate spark, so he tried to speak to him on his level.
“I am Virgil Black, Lord of the Bushnell Library,” Virgil said, with a wide, and slightly sarcastic, bow. Roman perked up at this, no longer looking so glum.
“A lord is lower than a prince, you know that right?” Roman asked him, eyebrow raised.
“Well, I’m not anything special,” Virgil uttered, ignoring the usual sting that always came with how he spoke about himself.
It’s not like I am all that great anyway.
“Okay, enough hanging out in the doorway, how about we all head out to the backyard.” Deceit clapped loudly, shooing the children out down the back hall. The children all filed out, running and shoving, while the twins walked together behind the rest.
Over the course of the day, and even just watching them right now, Virgil noticed that the two didn’t fit in well with the rest of them. Remus got along well with the toddlers because he himself acted like one, but there was still something about him that kept him away from others. Roman, on the other hand, he barely knew, but he could see the stubborn pride the boy had and how he preferred to stick close to his brother. Considering their circumstances of being raised here since such a young age, it was likely they felt like they had no one else but each other.
“They’re good kids.” Virgil commented, watching the two brothers leave.
“I know, all too well.” Dexter agreed, watching them as well. Virgil couldn't help but notice how much of a father he looked like to them rather than a legal guardian, but before he could say anything else, his phone buzzed in his pants. Virgil pulled it out and sighed, realizing that he had the closing shift at the library today. “I guess you have to be going then?”
“Yeah, work. It was, uh, nice to meet you, Mr. Serpente.”
“Dexter,” He corrected, extending a hand forth with a smile, “It was a pleasure.”
Virgil shook his hand, again amazed by how his grip could be so firm, yet so gentle at the same time. Waving goodbye to him, Virgil walked out the door and down the steps. It was strange, he had known them for only a day, yet Virgil felt like he’d miss them, both the twins and Dexter.
An idea then popped into his head as he walked down the concrete path and he quickly turned around and headed back into the house and through to the backyard where Dexter sat on the grass, watching the kids play, his head snapping up at him as he appeared beside him.
“Actually, you wouldn’t mind if I stopped by next week, would you?”
Dexter’s grin grew wider, and Virgil had to beat away at his feelings with a mental stick to not melt at how adorable it was.
“No, not at all.”
-
One nice thing about working at the public library was that he didn’t have to wake up at six to head to some crappy minimum wage job, instead, he got to wake up at seven to go to a decent, slightly above minimum wage, job. It wasn’t all bad though, he got to read basically any book he wanted to on his breaks or play games on the computers, although that was more of a secret exploit. Plus, with the rise of technology, the internet, and ebooks, Virgil didn’t actually have to deal with that many people than in comparison to his shitty retail and fast food job from back when he was in college. What was even better was the fact that the library closed at eight every day, which meant he never had to work an overnight shift. Although, it did get boring while he was actually on the job.
Presently, Virgil was tasked with restocking the shelves with the returned books. It was dull and boring, but listening to his typical emo bands through his earbuds help it not be so dreadful. The emo subculture may have died out when he was in high school, but Virgil was too far gone to ever make a change. His wardrobe was so full of black that it was literally impossible for him to wear anything else, except for a few purple items here and there. The library also didn’t require uniforms, although it did have a dress code, so he got to look like a depressing ball of angst as much as he wanted.
A few hours passed by the time he put the last book back into place and returned the cart to the staff room. His task now complete, Virgil looked for something else to do so that he would at least look like a good employee. Megan was currently reading to the children, so that section was taken care of; the computers were being overseen by Jack; Luke and Rosario were on the floor helping visitors; and Logan was handling the front desk, where a line was beginning to form. Quickly, Virgil headed over to one of the tellers and opened up a second line to ease both Logan’s load and the customer's frustration.
“Thank you, Virgil,” Logan said gratefully, checking out the third book from the massive pile he had been handed.
“No prob, bob,” Virgil said back, taking the book from the customer's stretched out hand.
Virgil continued to work alongside Logan until his break arrived and he switched spots with Lillian. Logan took his break along with him and they headed back to the staff room to grab their lunches. Ripping off the lid from his Tupperware Virgil put his container of noodles in the microwave and warmed up last night’s dinner. Logan, on the other hand, had a perfect lunch prepared with all the necessary dietary nutrients the average man needed to stay healthy, at least according to him.
The microwave shouted loudly to announce that his food was now heated and warmed. Virgil opened up the plastic door and took out his food, grabbed his chopsticks, and sat down to eat. It was a simple meal, but it was enough. The two friends sat and ate in silence for a period of time and Virgil was content with leaving it like that, but Logan for some reason decided to change it.
“So, how have your endeavors been with the childcare agency?” He asked, nibbling on a piece of steamed zucchini.
“Good, we’re throwing a goodbye party for little Stephen. His new family just finalized the necessary documents to adopt him.” Virgil answered passively.
“Oh? Good for him.”
“Yeah…”
In truth, it wasn’t much of a party since Stephen was only one and a half and couldn't remember anything. The other children at the house were all going to gift him with hand made cards and then they’d all have a cake bought from the store, which Virgil offered to pick up since both Patton and Dexter would be too busy with decorations and watching the kids.
Dexter had told him when they first met two months ago that Stephen was only four months old when he had arrived, so he had been there for about a year. It was a long time to be without parents any parents, but also no time at all in comparison to some of the others, especially the twins, who have been there for over ten years. Stephen was truly lucky to be getting out so soon and at such a young age.
The conversation ended there, as did their meals. Logan headed back first, while Virgil remained at the table for a few minutes more, wanting to enjoy his break as long as he could. When he finally did return to work, it was filled with that same dull drone as it always was that lasted for hours until his shift ended. But thankfully, he didn’t have the closing shift today.
Virgil went as fast as he could from the library to the grocery store to pick up the cake he had ordered a day in advance. It was a simple confetti cake with strawberry frosting that read ‘Congratulations, Stephen!’ Cake acquired, Virgil drove straight for the little run-down house to help out with the party.
For the past eight weeks, Virgil went to the Stork house at least twice a week, oftentimes just to hang out with the kids. Apparently, they weren’t allowed out of the house except under supervision by standard order of the government agency that managed them, and since Dexter was often too busy to take them out beyond the backyard, Virgil figured that they would at least want someone to hang out with every once in a while.
As it turned out, Dexter only had one employee, an elderly woman named Alice who managed most of the financial and legal documents that Dexter didn’t have time to look over and take care of. According to Patton, the agency only received the bare minimum to take care of the kids and pay basic bills, Dexter didn’t make enough to hire any extra hands. He had been getting by from the help of Patton and two other volunteers who all came by on separate days throughout the week. That led to another incentive for Virgil to come for visits, not for any special reason or treatment towards the man, but just because he felt Dexter deserved to rest every once in a while.
Arriving at the house, Virgil pulled over to the curb and quickly checked his reflection in the mirror, but only because it was a special occasion, not because of who he would be seeing. Quickly fixing his hair and eyeshadow, making sure he didn’t put on too much, Virgil hopped out of his car, switched out of his work coat and into his patchwork hoodie, and headed for the front door, cake in hand.
Walking up to the door, he rang the doorbell and called out to be let in, “Patton? Dexter?”
Following his call, the sound of several small footsteps could be heard from behind the door and soon it was opened to reveal two of the younger kids, Christine and Mark, ages seven and five respectively.
“Virgil!” They cheered when they saw him, running up and wrapping their arms around his waist. Virgil laughed and gave them a one-armed hug back.
“Hey Christine, Mark, have you guys seen Dexter?” He questioned, following them inside, closing the door behind them.
“He’s standing right here.” Dexter’s voice came ahead of him. Virgil looked up and noticed that Dexter was standing in the mouth of the hallway watching him, dressed in one of his usual button-up shirts and black slacks. Virgil then wished he had worn something a bit nicer than ripped jeans.
“Dexter! I-I didn’t see you there.” Virgil said, standing up from his hug with the kids, “I brought the cake.”
“Wonderful, let’s set it up in the kitchen.” Dexter smiled, taking the cake from his hands and leading the way to the kitchen down the hall. Virgil followed close after, bringing Christine and Mark with him, but sent them on their way to the back room where he could see some of the other children were.
“How’s everything been going?” Virgil asked, leaning against the doorframe.
“With the party or just in general?” Dexter asked, setting the cake on the kitchen counter next to a large bowl full of popcorn, and another filled with chips.
“Uhm, both I guess,” He shrugged, stuffing his hands in his hoodie pockets.
Dexter watched him through the corner of his eye before replying, “Everything is almost ready, the kids are spread out making their cards. I invited Stephen’s new parents to come to join us, so they’ll be here in a little while.” Rummaging through one of the cabinet doors, he pulled out a packet of small paper plates and plastic forks, and placed them on the counter, “Would you mind setting the table?”
“Yeah, of course,”
“Oh, and Virgil?” Dexter spoke again, stopping Virgil in his steps, “I like your outfit today.” Dexter winked, grabbing the two bowls of junk food and walking out of the kitchen to the backroom.
A ship could have been led through the darkest night with how brightly Virgil flushed at his comment. His knees nearly gave out beneath him and Virgil swore that he was on the brink of passing out from embarrassment.
He’s just joking, it doesn’t mean anything.
It wasn’t the first time Dexter had told him something like that, and he secretly wished it wouldn’t be the last. Despite it all being just a silly joke, Virgil hadn’t been complimented like that in a long time, not since Matthew.
Virgil quickly shook that thought out of his head and recollected himself before grabbing the plates and utensils, heading to the connected dining area to set the table.
The way the floorplan of the house was set up, the kitchen dining area, and the backroom were all connected without a door in an L-shape. This meant that Virgil was able to see Dexter as he worked. He did his best to keep his eyes on his task and not let them stray, but his eyes would often betray him and drift towards the caretaker, who sat with seven kids surrounding him, trying to keep them calm and entertained as they worked on their cards. Virgil couldn’t help the smile that crossed his face at how domestic it all looked.
“Hey, Virge?” Patton called behind him, walking in from the hallway.
“Yeah?” Virgil responded walking over to him, noticing how Dexter’s eyes seemed to follow him and tried to play it off as if he didn’t.
“Everything is ready, but no one knows where Remus is. Could you check in the boys’ room?” Patton asked cradling little Stephen in his arms, patting his back as the child drank from a bottle.
“Sure thing,” Virgil nodded, giving two thumbs up as he pushed passed him and headed up the stairs to the boys’ room. Honestly, he was happy to get out of that room and be given a chance to calm his heartbeat.
Seriously, it’s pointless, I shouldn’t even think about him that way. It won’t lead anywhere.
Walking up the short staircase, Virgil went to the first door on the right where the twins and two other boys all shared a room. It was small and cramped, containing two sets of bunk beds and two dressers, leaving very little room for anything else. It only took a quick look to spot Remus sitting in the corner behind one of the beds. As he crept closer, the sight of him cutting shapes out of pieces of paper came into view.
“Hey, Remus. You okay?” The young boy shrugged his shoulders, cutting out the shape of an octopus, “Do you want to talk about it?”
The boy didn’t answer for a moment but ceased in his paper cutting, then answered, “I don’t wanna go to the party.”
“Why’s that?”
“I don’t want to scare Stephen’s new parents away,” Remus confessed crossing his arms over his knees and tucking into himself.
“You think they’d be afraid of you?” He asked in a mix of confusion and saddened shock.
“They all are. It’s why Roman and I haven’t been adopted, I chase them all away.” He cried, eyes tearing up.
Within the time that he had been there, Virgil had never seen the boy look anything but happy, with a rare bout of childish rage, it looked unnatural for him to be so sad. Virgil had wondered if the boy had been affected by his situation, but he hadn’t realized it had hurt him so deeply to the point of believing he was the reason he and Roman hadn’t been adopted.
Gently, Virgil sat down next to the boy and pulled him into a loose side hug, leaving him room to push him away if he wanted. Remus quickly leaned into him and tucked his head into Virgil’s shoulder, staining it with snot and tears, not that he minded.
“That’s just because they don’t know you, Remus. It’s easy to judge someone, but harder to know them. Someone will come along, you’ll see.” Virgil promise, running a hand through his messy hair.
Remus looked up at him and wiped his eyes, sniffing, “You really think so?”
“I do, I like you, and someone else will too.” Virgil smiled, standing them both up, “Now, come on, let’s give baby Stephen a happy goodbye.”
“Okay! Do you think he’ll like my card?” Remus asked, showing him the card he had been working on. It read ‘Hapy New Perents Day’ with little pictures of octopuses, dolphins, and unicorns. The spelling concerned him though, he wished that the school would let him go for more than just three days a week. But perhaps he could bring books to Remus from the library to help him.
“I’m sure he will,” Virgil told him, taking his hand and leading him out and down the stairs.
For now, the spelling won’t matter, Stephen is only one year old after all.
The party had begun downstairs and the new parents were in the backroom sitting on the couch with their new son in their arms. The children each took turns handing the couple the cards since Stephen couldn’t read them, and Remus quickly ran from his side to go join them.
“It seems like Remus has grown pretty attached to you,” Dexter noted walking up to him. “He really likes you.”
“He’s a sweet kid when you look past his eccentricities, he’ll make a family happy one day,” Virgil responded, watching as said boy began poking at the air around Roman, not actually touching him, but irritating his brother nonetheless.
“You truly believe that?” Dexter asked, voice becoming earnest.
“Don’t you?” Virgil shot back, wondering why he would ask such a thing.
“It’s not that I don’t, it’s just,” He paused, looking into his eyes as if he were searching for something in them, “You continue to surprise me, Virgil Black.”
Virgil blushed again, suddenly realizing just how close they were, and took a step away, clearing his throat. Dexter did the same and let the conversation drop. The air became awkward around them, and yet, it felt nice to stand next to him.
“Thank you,” Virgil whispered, wondering if he was even heard.
“Of course,” Dexter responded, and then left to greet the parents along with Patton. Virgil watched him from a distance, thinking that’s where he belonged.
Over the course of his life, he had been the downfall of so many relationships, went through so much heartache, until he eventually gave up hope of ever finding someone to love who would love him back. Yet, despite all that pain and regret, he found himself again wishing for another chance, but unwilling to risk another fracture to his broken heart. Each time he came here he left wanting to never come back so he could move on and not keep feeding his ridiculous fantasy, but he always came back for two major reasons. The twins, Roman and Remus, who had been without parents their entire lives, who he’s grown attached to; and also the owner of the house and caretaker of the twins, who threatened to squeeze his way into Virgil’s guarded heart every time he saw him.
Virgil had really driven himself into a corner this time and wasn’t sure if he’d be able to get out of it intact.