Chapter Text
Patton flopped down onto the couch. Logan was working late tonight, so he would be home alone for a short while. He took a deep breath, realizing how tired he was from all the extra customers at the coffee shop lately. He grabbed the remote and began to flick through the channels, stopping when something on the news channel caught his eye.
'Our town Hero the prince and his arch-nemesis Nightmare; A battle of whit!' The headline read.
Patton chuckled to himself as he turned up the volume and his front door opened. Logan was home.
Across town, Vigil was leaned against a brick wall, dressed head to toe in his loud villain costume. Had one leg bent, foot on the wall behind him and his arms crossed, a smirk on his face as he continued the banter session between him and the prince. They were in the town square, and quite a crowd had gathered in front of them, along with some reporters and camera crews. They kept their distance though, which Virgil was thankful for.
Suddenly though something in the crowd caught his attention. He wasn't sure what it was at first, but something wasn't right. Then finally he saw it. A lowlife thief was using the commotion to his advantage and was currently fighting with an old lady over her purse behind the crowd. Virgil contemplated his options. If he did something obvious, it would alert the thief, who would use the crowd to slip away. Though he couldn't exactly sneak over.
Suddenly though the thief violently knocked the old lady onto the ground, and his instincts took over. His eyes turned grey.
Crys and yelps could be heard from the crowd in the panic of seeing his eyes change. Where Virgil had been looking, people parted like the red sea, afraid they would be the target of his propensity. What they revealed, however, made everyone's jaws drop. The old lady was sitting on the ground, clearly in pain and struggling, but obviously aware and not under his propensities influence. She was holding the chain of her purse, while the thief held the other end. The thief in question had dropped to his knees and curled forward into a ball, clutching both hands to his head over his ears, shaking.
Huh, Virgil wasn't even sure he could target someone specifically like that.
"Seriously dude?" Virgil said, tone disappointed, angry, and disbelieving all at once. "What kind of a guy steals from an old lady? You must be so proud of who you see in the mirror every morning"
as if Virgil was one to talk about liking who he saw in the mirror he thought to himself
Everyone was still silent, cameras panning between the thief and the villain/hero. The hero in question was also stunned.
"Uh, hello? Earth to the prince of idiocy?" Vigil said, waving his hand in front of Roman to snap him out of it. The prince shook his head slightly, before looking at the villain.
"Are you gonna help her up or....?" Virgil asked "cuz I mean, I would offer, but I'm pretty sure I'd give her a heart attack"
Roman finally seemed to snap back to reality. "I uh, yeah! Of course!" He said, quickly flying over to the lady.
Virgil rolled his eyes, watching the prince ask a bystander to call an ambulance for her.
Virgil's eyes were still grey, as he called to the prince "hurry and get him under control I can't keep him under forever"
The prince simply nodded, before shooting off into the sky like a rocket. He was back not even a minute later with handcuffs. Once he had them on the thief, he continued to help the old lady as they waited for an ambulance.
Virgil let out an exasperated sigh, tipping his head back to hit the brick behind him. They were having such a fun banter session, why did some asshole have to come and ruin it. He glanced to the street next to him to watch the cars before he saw something else.
This time he didn't even have a chance to think before he reacted.
He raced forward, pushing off the wall to propel himself even faster. Just in time, he wrapped his hands around the toddler's waist, pulling him back onto the sidewalk just as a transport truck shot by.
"Whoa! Careful there little man!" Virgil said as he bent down on a knee, setting the kid in front of him, but still gently holding onto the boy's waist, holding him in place while his eyes scanned over the child to make sure he wasn't injured. He wore a purple shirt with some cartoon on the front. He had Jean's and sneakers on. He also had a bracelet and necklace that were both made of simple purple wood beads of different sizes and shapes. Clearly handmade.
The Villan let out a sigh of relief knowing the kid was fine. "You gotta be more careful, one of those cars could turn you into a pancake and-"
He got cut off by the boy's eyes going wide, the kid reaching up towards his hair. "Purple!" The boy said excitedly.
Virgil gave a small smile, tipping his head down gently so the boy could touch his fluffy bangs.
"Yep, it's my favourite colour"
"Me too!" The boy replied, a huge smile on his face.
Virgil couldn't help the smile on his face. "Oh yeah? Well, you must be one cool dude then!" Virgil replied before lifting a hand to the side of his mouth as if he was about to tell a secret but kept his voice just as loud. "Unlike all those losers who like red, right?"
The boy giggled at that, and Virgil smiled again, standing up. He looked up to see a woman standing a few feet in front of him, though definitely apart from the crowd. He looked back down at the boy.
"Alright you better get back to your mom before she faints," he said with a smirk, making a shoo-ing motion with his hands.
His breath hitched and he froze when he felt the boy crash into legs, hugging them. Virgil smiled gently and ruffled the boy's hair.
The kid let him go and took a couple of steps backward.
"Bye purple!" That boy said with a smile, waving his hand in that silly wave toddlers do.
"Stay safe little man," Virgil said with a smirk, doing his too finger salute, relishing in the little giggle the boy gave and he waddled/ran back to his mom.
"T-thank y-you" she stuttered, picking up the boy in her arms.
"Uh, yeah, no... no problem" Virgil replied, suddenly feeling very awkward. He wasn't meant to be the one being thanked for anything, was he?
The woman just kept staring at him though. Virgil felt like her eyes were boring a hole right through him. Guess he was lucky she didn't have the propensity for laser vision right? Small victories. She stood as if she was waiting for something to happen. For Virgil to demand money or, lash out or, maybe change his mind and push them both into the road.
So instead, Virgil just gave an awkward wave and turned to realize the entire crowd, including the prince, and all the cameras had been watching him. In the panic, he had almost completely forgotten about everything else around him.
There was an awkward and tense moment of silence before the sound of an ambulance and a police car pulled up behind the crowd. Virgil felt his muscles tense, ready to run at the first hint that the prince thought more then that thief would be getting a drive in the police vehicle tonight.
Luckily everyone's attention was now on the old lady and the thief.
Suddenly Roman appeared beside him. Causing Virgil to flinch.
"Chill panic at the everywhere" roman said with a slight smirk. Seeing roman wasn't going to attack Virgil let himself relax slightly.
"Gotta say, this is not how I saw today going" Roman commented as he watched the medics helping the old lady into a stretcher.
"That makes two of us" Virgil chuckled.
Once the two vehicles drove off, the crowd and cameras' attention was immediately back on the two teens.
"Well, I'm going to have to go follow up with the police about the thief. " Roman began, starting to hover slightly "given what just happened, I feel justified saying I think you've earned a pass this time around"
"Can't argue with that" Virgil replied, smirking. "I'd visit the lady in hospital to make sure she's alright but again, the whole heart attack issue"
"I'll check in on her, don't you worry your little black heart" roman replied "I'm sure I'll find some way to get the info to you" he glanced at Virgil with a knowing look.
"Anyways, I'm off, until you strike again nightmare!" The prince said.
"Always when you least expect it!"
"Wouldn't expect any less from you" he called as he flew off.
Suddenly Virgil felt very awkward under the gaze of the crowd.
"Well...." he began, trying to seem confident "unless anyone else is up for a little banter session, I think I'll have to be off"
With that, he clicked a smoke bomb behind his back, getting quickly plunged into the haze. He took off, weaving through alleyways until he was sure he wasn't followed, quickly changing. He glanced at his watch, remembering Patton and Logan had invited him for supper.
It was about a 5-minute walk to Patton and Logan's house. The sun was just starting to set now, and there was a slight breeze. The city was surprisingly calm. Virgil's mind, on the other hand, was anything but. His thoughts were racing. He didn't regret anything he had done today for a second, but what was going to happen now? The news was going to be a buzz, articles everywhere. Was the old lady going to be alright? Would roman get in trouble for giving him a pass? His thoughts drifted to the little boy he had saved, and how his face lit up at the sight of Virgil's purple hair. The villain couldn't help but smile at that. Before he could think any more though he arrived at his destination.
Logan was just taking the stew off the burner when there was a knock at the door.
"Virgil!" Patton cheered as he opened the door.
"Hey Pat," Virgil said with a smile as he stepped in, finding himself very quickly wrapped in a hug.
They got situated in comfortable silence and a bit of small talk. Logan served each of them a bowl of stew before they all sat down on the couches to eat while they planned to watch a movie, but were currently listening to the news, that was talking about Nightmare and his heroic acts of course.
"We were watching you on the news" Patton started conversationally. Virgil groaned.
"Oh god today was such a weird day"
"I can understand why, though your actions don't shock Patton and I, they certainly shocked everyone else it seems"
"Which hurts" Virgil started "I mean, yes I'm a supervillain, I get that, but I've never actually seriously, or even mildly hurt anybody . Yet people seriously think I'd be fine watching a toddler become one with the tire of a transport truck?"
"Well, looking at the news people seem to be thinking quite the opposite now" Patton commented. Virgil looked at the TV. The headline read "Nightmare: Villan or Hero"
Virgil rolled his eyes. "Hero, yeah right"
Suddenly the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," Logan said as he stood up.
"What do you mean?" Patton asked.
"Calling me a hero" Virgil replied "that's never gonna happen. Me? A hero? As if."
"I mean I'd say what you did today was pretty heroic virge" Patton replied.
"I mean I guess, but there isn't much that's heroic about robbing a bank"
"Except for the fact you donated all the money to those in need?" A new voice came. Virgil snapped his head to see Roman standing there in casual clothing, logan behind him.
"Wait you did?" Patton exclaimed in shock.
"Not that anyone would know that, thanks to my PR team and me" Roman said, looking at the floor guiltily.
"Yeah..." Virgil commented idly, sipping his stew. "I donated almost all the money to the adoption agency in town"
"The same one that helped Roman?" Patton asked with a gasp. Both boys just nodded.
"Was that the donation you claimed to make a few weeks back Roman?"
"Yes. I really didn't want to, we knew it had been Nightmare. But after a screaming match with my parents and my PR team after they cut to commercial I just caved and claimed it was me. Not that that makes it okay"
"It doesn't matter now Roman," Virgil said. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"I came to drop off a few files I copied from the mayor's office I thought might help in Logan's studies. My phone is also dead so I came to tell him to pass a message along to you but since your here, he told me to just come in and tell you."
"What's up?" Virgil asked.
"The old lady in the hospital, she's in critical condition, but she's stable. She broke her hip when she fell, and the shock sent her into a stroke."
"W-what?" Virgil stammered, he should have acted quicker, he-
"She's awake and aware though, and she's expected to make it out fairly unscathed." Roman continued and Virgil breathed a huge sigh of relief.
"Oh thank god"
"You saved her life, Virgil"
There was a tense moment of silence that hung in the air.
"W-what?" Virgil finally managed to say.
"I didn't even notice anything was happening, let alone that someone had fallen. If she hadn't gotten to the hospital around the time she did, she wouldn't have made it"
Another moment of silence.
"You stepping in and stopping the thief not only saved her purse from getting stolen but saved her life from being stolen as well"
"I-" Virgil replied, before stopping. He wasn't sure what to say about that.
"I'm not sure how she knew but...." Roman started again. "But she told me to give you this before I even had time to argue that I didn't know you or whatever"
With that, Roman reached into his pocket and pulled out something, stepping forward and handing it to Virgil. Virgil opened his hand to reveal a.... ring? It was a simple silver band with a purple gemstone. Simple, yet beautiful all the same.
Virgil just looked at Roman with wide eyes.
"This is where the story gets kinda crazy" He continued, before glancing at a chair across the living room and glancing back to the others as if asking for permission, who nodded.
"That's her husband's wedding ring. The thief was specifically after it. She was too afraid to leave it home, worrying he would break-in, so she carried it in her purse with her, which is why she put up such a fight for him to not get it. Her husband passed a few years ago. The thief is associated with some gang that her son, before he was killed, had gotten involved with. That ring your holding is worth over 25 thousand dollars, and it belonged to a Royal in England"
Virgil's jaw dropped.
"That purple gem isn't amythest, apparently it was one of the first purple diamonds ever found, which are I guess a super rare kind of diamond? Anyway, her husband had already passed away, and her son must have owed someone money, and knew how much the ring was worth so he was trying to steal it. The thief who attacked her today was the one who killed her son, he found out how much it was worth and wanted to take it for himself."
Virgil didn't know what to say.
"Anyway, she said it's been a family heirloom for generations, but other then her son, she didn't have any kids"
"So then why do I have it!?! Virgil blurted out in a slight panic, overwhelmed at what was happening.
Roman looked at him with a smile. "She told me she thinks it will be much safer with you than with her"
Virgil.exe has stopped working.
"Well, that has to be both the sweetest and saddest thing I've ever heard," Patton said. He was teary-eyed.
"I agree, that is a very touching tale. How kind of her to entrust it to you, Virgil" Logan agreed
"Kind!?!" Virgil erupted, "I can think of a lot of much better adjectives! Like crazy, stupid, insane, idiotic?! I- I mean" He sputtered, trying to collect his thoughts.
"She- She had you right in front of her!" Virgil gestured wildly at Roman, almost spilling the soup in his own lap, which Patton thankfully caught and put on the table next to him.
"Why didn't she entrust you with it!?! You're the hero! That would have been the smart thing to do! I mean- I don't understand- I- I'm not- I mean-" he shook his head slightly.
"Breath kiddo," Patton said quietly, rubbing his back. Virgil took a breath.
"Why didn't she give it to a hero instead?" Virgil asked more calmly.
"She did," Roman said with a smile, soft yet genuine.
Virgil blushed furiously, looking down at the ring in his hand.
"That's not even the most surprising thing that happened," Roman said after a few more moments of silence.
"Excuse me?"
"Well after I left Miss Oakley's room, which was the old ladies' name by the way. There was somebody waiting for me in the waiting room, and I could just tell you what happened but...."
He trailed off as he pulled out his phone, scrolling through things.
"Turns out someone recorded what happened, so why don't you just watch?" He said, handing his phone to Virgil.
Virgil hesitantly took the phone and looked down. Had he been drinking something, he would have choked at what he saw. Patton and Logan were able to tell what was happening from the audio.
The video showed Roman walking out of the room. When suddenly the kid he had saved earlier walked up to the prince!
"Esscuze Mr?" The toddler asked as best he could.
Roman smiled and crouched down. "Hey there, how's it going?"
Suddenly the boy reached into his pocket and pulled out a bracelet that looked just like his own, made of many purple beads. He extended it in his hand towards Roman.
"Will yoo give dis to Mr purple? Pease?"
Roman just smiled. Gently taking the bracelet from the kid's hand. "You want me to give this to the guy with purple hair you met earlier today?"
The kid's eyes lit up that Roman understood what he wanted. He nodded.
"Yes, I make fwendship bwacelet for him!" The kid exclaimed excitedly. Throwing his arms into the air and bobbing up onto his toes, also falling over.
Roman chuckled. "Okay, I'll do my best to find someone who can get It to him, I promise"
The kid seemed to think for a moment before he clearly had the idea of the century
"Ask santah claus!" The kid exclaimed.
Roman gave a startled laugh, before quickly composing himself.
"You, my good man are a genius," he said, still a huge amused smile on his face.
Roman glanced up at the mother silently, asking to make sure this was okay. She just nodded and smiled.
"Well then I've got some phone calls to make if I'm gonna get in touch with Santa, so I should get going," Roman said with a smile as he stood up.
"Stay safe okay kid?" Roman asked with a smile.
The toddler gave him a weird look.
"Yoo mean cool kid! Like Mr purple said!" The kid corrected him with a smile.
Roman laughed. "Of course! Excuse me, how dare I? Stay safe cool kid!"
To this, the toddler gave him a big smile, before waving and running off.
The video ended
"Yeah Roman," Virgil said quietly with a small sniff. "He's a cool kid, get it right" he handed Roman his phone back, wiping his eye in his sleeve and hoping no one noticed the action.
Virgil looked up to see Roman in front of him, though he took his phone back, he then put a purple beaded bracelet into Virgil's open hand, right on top of the ring.
Virgil quickly wiped his eye again.
"Oh my gosh that's the cutest and sweetest thing I've ever seen ever, I mean, other then logan but he doesn't count. That was so sweet!" Patton rambled and gushed, squealing a bit. Logan didn't say anything but was a flustered mess on the chair next to them.
Roman and Virgil just laughed.
"I gotta admit I'm kinda jealous," Roman said with a smirk as he sat back down in his chair. "I don't have as many young fans as you might expect, and I have certainly never gotten the honour of receiving a friendship bracelet that was handcrafted just for me from one of them."
Virgil was now a red tomato. "Oh shut up" he muttered, but roman continued like he hadn't heard him.
"I didn't even get a hug from him like you did! What's up with that huh? I want my own friendship bracelets and hugs!"
"Sorry princey" Virgil smirked, still red. "Your fans aren't cool kids like he is"
The Prince sputtered an offended tone before all 4 of them laughed.
Once the room fell silent again, Virgil spoke up.
"R-Roman I, I don't think I can take these...."
"What? Of course, you can!" Roman replied but Virgil shook his head.
"No, I'm... I'm not actually a good guy or a hero, I... I don't deserve these and I'm certainly not a good role model for that little guy." He said before jokingly adding "I mean, as cool as he was"
"So you want me to take those back. You want me to track down the kid, give it back to him, look him in the eye, and tell him that despite how cool he is, you refused to be his friend?"
"What no I-"
"And you want me to go back to the hospital, see a lady that is still in ICU, and tell her that she's still gonna have to worry about that ring after all because you don't want it?"
"N-no it's not that I don't want it its-!"
"Virgil," Logan said flatly, causing Virgil to turn to him. "Why won't you take them? I think they are very sweet and a heart filled gestures"
"What if they are giving me these things because they think someone like me expects something in return for what I did? The kid's mom looked like she was waiting for me to ask for her wallet!"
"That ain't the way she looked at me in that video now is it?" Roman countered
"Do you really think a toddler is going to think about something like that? And miss Oakley has been risking her life to protect that ring. Do you think she would just give it up if she thought she had to pay you? Wouldn't she just give you money? Why are you so resilient to take these nice gestures?" Logan asked
"Because I don't deserve them!"
"You saved both their lives today Virgil" Roman countered.
"Yeah, Is everyone forgetting I also robbed a bank?!"
"That was when you were mad at me, and then you donated it all to charity. You might be villain, sure, but your not a monster"
"Exactly! I'm still a villain!"
"Sure" Roman nodded "but now your also a hero"
"...What?...."
"A hero who saved 2 people today"
"Why are you saying all this, aren't we still supposed to be enemies and all?"
"Kiddo" Patton interrupted, "They are thank yous for what you did today, even if you don't think you deserve them, you do." He said calmly, rubbing Virgil's back slightly.
"I agree" Logan concurred.
Virgil just nodded.
After a moment of silence, Roman stood up. "Anyway, I didn't mean to intrude on whatever you guys were doing, I'll head out and get out of your way for the night" he tried to sound happy, but the dejected disappointment and sadness was obvious in his voice. He began to walk to the front door. Logan, Patton and Virgil all exchanged glances before Patton nudged Virgil with his arm.
"Hey Roman" Virgil called before Roman got out of the room. Roman turned around with a surprised and curious expression on his face.
"There is still some stew on the stove, we were just about to start watching a movie. You should pull up a chair"
Roman's face and eyes lit up. "I'd love to!"
During the movie, Virgil had slipped the ring and bracelet onto his hand. They were both worth just as much to him, and he would protect them no matter what.
And if Nightmare seemed to have new accessories the next time he made an appearance, the media definitely took note.