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When Virgil went to the skatepark with Remy, he had a specific list of rules to follow. Some of them were from Patton like “look both ways before you cross the street”, some were from Roman “be home by 9 PM”, some were from Remus like “always eat at least one bug”, some were from Mr. D like “don’t listen to Remus’ rules”, but some were less “normal”. These were rules that he and Logan had grown up learning and creating for themselves. A few of them were somewhat understandable and anyone could take them into consideration when traveling out and about alone like “be aware of who is around you”. Others, however, were much more difficult to comprehend. Yet, such bizarre ways of life were constantly streaming through Virgil’s mind. “Always have a place to hide in mind”, “always have an escape route”, “always be ready to run”, “never trust anyone”, “carry a weapon with you at all times”, all of these and more were playing in Virgil’s subconscious that bright and happy afternoon at the skatepark with Remy. No one passing by would’ve known it by the boy’s laughter and his seemingly impartial focus on his board and the tricks he was attempting. The only thing that stuck out as odd about the lad was his oversized hoodie that didn’t match the weather at all. Virgil used one of the sleeves to wipe away the sweat that was gathering on his forehead.
“Dang!” Remy chirped from where he was sitting on his board, lazily rolling himself back and forth, “I didn’t realize how late it was getting. We should start to head back, fam.” Virgil shot a glance at his own phone and sighed,
“Yeah, you right.” He made no move to get up, though. Instead, he laid back on his board and joined in Remy’s pointless back and forth motion.
When they finally did get up and move, the sun was starting to set. Virgil breathed through his nose a little more heavily. He’d never been late to curfew but tonight might just be the night it happened. He dropped his board and pushed off, ignoring the glares from the other pedestrians on the sidewalk. Remy cruised along behind him, offering occasional sass to the different offended bystanders. A woman tried to block them, sending Virgil and his board into the street. Remy ran out after him, glaring at the woman,
“Wow, Karen, if we get hit by a car and die, you’re paying! I want gold roses at my funeral! Not yellow! Sparkly gold!” He offered a hand to Virgil who took it but hissed when he went to put weight on his right wrist.
Remy pulled him up when a whistle and the sound of jogging feet caught their attention,
“Ma’am, don’t move!” The woman who had blocked Virgil stopped in confusion and then paled.
An officer moved towards them all. Remy took in the man. He was tall and dark skinned, but he was obviously trying to copy Tony Stark’s facial hair. It didn’t look bad, he decided. He turned to ask Virgil what he thought of it but stopped when he saw the teen’s face. He tried calling his friend’s name and shaking his shoulder, it was no use. Virgil’s mind had taken him far away from reality.
FLASHBACK BEGINS HERE! WARNINGS OF CHILD NEGLECT!
The night that Virgil and Logan had escaped from their tiny one-bedroom apartment was a night he never wanted to relive. It had been a desperate attempt with survival as its motive. They hadn’t had anything to eat in three days. The water from the sink had been all he could give to Logan to keep the baby’s cries somewhat under control. But it wasn’t enough. Virgil knew that now was the time. Their father was asleep and would be until morning. If they could slip out, get food, and come back before morning, then maybe, just maybe, Mamma would come back that morning. At the age of eight, that was the most Virgil’s broken mind could hope for. He pushed the door open and pulled his four-year-old brother out behind him.
Together, the two brothers made their way through the maze of hallways that was their apartment building. It had been so long since Virgil had been out here. He wasn’t sure if Logan had ever seen this space before. He squinted hard at the different numbers and letters. He didn’t know how to read; he was never taught. That didn’t stop him from hunting for food, though. He knew that a lot of people threw away food because his daddy always told him that there were people out there with money who could just throw food away. If he and Logan could find where people threw food away, then they would have enough to eat. He glanced back at Logan, the baby was sucking his space themed pacifier and staring at him with that odd, unfocused gaze that he always had. (Later, Virgil would learn that this gaze was because Logan needed glasses.)
It wasn’t until they got to a big door and Virgil pushed it open that he thought anything he was doing was wrong. An alarm went off, scaring both boys. Virgil snatched Logan’s hand and pulled him behind the large artificial plant that was a few feet down the hallway from the door. Lights flashed and Logan began to cry. They were too young and kept in isolation to understand about fire escapes or the security cameras tracking their every move. They didn’t know any better than what their own little twisted logic told them.
Virgil didn’t know how long they stayed there until footsteps brought him back to reality. The officer who was marching down the hallway looked tired, like he’d worked a long shift and would rather just go to bed. He walked over to the door and looked around it, peering outside before saying something into his radio. Then, to Virgil’s horror, he started to walk directly towards them. A few feet away he saw them, taking in Virgil and Logan’s thin frames, he crouched and smiled at them. His white teeth stood out brilliantly against his dark skin and Virgil thought he’d never seen anyone look happier. Still, he pushed Logan more behind him when the man held out a hand,
“Hello, little ones.” The man greeted them softly, “I am Officer Sam, are you lost?”
In reality, Virgil supposed they were lost, as he looked around he realized that all the doors looked the same, there was nothing to tell him where their prison was. He couldn’t even remember the number on their door. With this realization, the young boy also began to tear up. The officer didn’t look surprised but his smile turned more sympathetic.
“Hey, it is okay,” he said, his thick accent making it hard for Virgil to understand him completely, “I am here to help you. Can you tell me your parent’s phone number?” Virgil shook his head,
“I don’t know it.” He said in a small voice. His breath began to pick up and his tears increased as he began to sob, “I’m sorry! I was just…we were trying to…to find…we were just h-hungry.” The officer suddenly looked much more interested,
“Hungry?” He asked before sitting down on the ground and reaching into his pocket, “Well, you are lucky then.” His smile returned as he drew out two granola bars, “I have some snacks.” He held them out to the boys before seeming to realize that they weren’t going to approach him. Slowly, he set them down on the floor and slid them a few inches across the carpet before moving back himself. He could see Virgil’s mental torment as he looked back and forth between Officer Sam and the meager rations.
Virgil was struggling between every single survival instinct in his body. He didn’t know if he could trust this man, but his stomach clenched from want of nourishment. Everything in him was in a huge conflicting battle between giving into this seemingly innocent act of kindness and relying on a lifetime of learned behavior that told him not to trust anyone. Ultimately, it was Logan’s quiet whimper that made the decision for him. With cautious movements, he edged forward enough to snatch the bars before scuttling back. He didn’t take his eyes off the man as he tore one of the bars open and pushed it into Logan’s hands. The officer’s smile faltered,
“Hey, I was just going to get some ice cream, you want some?” The boys stared at him. He sighed and tried a different approach, “Hey, are you boys okay? Is someone hurting you?” Virgil’s eyes widened.
“No!” The answer came too fast and with too much enthusiasm. Sam shook his head slightly. “Well, let me at least walk you home, then.” He stood and began to walk down the hallway, glancing back. Virgil and Logan were staring at him like he was some sort of alien from another planet. He smiled again, gesturing them to follow. The boys moved slowly, hugging the wall.
They moved down the hallway in slow silence. Sam kept his eye on the children, unsure if they would continue to follow him for much longer. Suddenly, a door flung open with a bang and a man in his bathrobe with bloodshot eyes and a huge sagging belly came stumbling out. Virgil screamed. The man’s head turned towards the noise, and he paled at the sight of the officer,
“Officer!” He stuttered, “Thank you so much for finding my boys. I woke up and they were just…gone.” His words were slurred together. Sam looked him up and down and spoke something into his radio.
The rest of that evening was a blur. Flashing lights, more people than Virgil could recall ever seeing in the same place, and the intense terror that never quite left him. His whole world was brought down around him, and his life was twisted into a strange new sort of hell. He mostly remembers just clinging to Logan, crying, and trying to keep them together.
FLASHBACK ENDS
When Virgil snapped back to reality, he was aware of someone trying to pull his hands away from his head. He was sure he heard someone trying to talk to him but the screaming that filled the air around him prevented him from doing so. He wished it would stop. The world around him seemed so far away. His throat hurt so badly, like he’d been screaming…oh. The screaming was coming from him. Drool was coming out of his gaping mouth as he tried to get a grip on himself. Remy was clinging to one of his wrists while he was speaking frantically on the phone. Officer Sam was on his other side and the woman who’d tried to block him earlier seemed ready to call an exorcist. Virgil squeezed his eyes shut and tried to calm down. He lost track of time and finally managed to stop screaming when the sound of frantic steps that he would recognize anywhere caused his eyes to pop open.
When Patton saw his boy in a heap on the floor with an officer next to him, he moved before he realized what he was doing. Virgil was pulled into a hug that could only be described as fierce. Virgil couldn’t remember what happened after that. He just stayed close to Patton, hiding from the rest of the world.
The rest of his day was spent in silence. Patton watched him in growing concern. Virgil shut down completely, he stared blankly at the wall, sucking on a cough drop. The teen was pretty unresponsive to all attempts from the entire family. The day ended with Logan curled up close to his brother, trying to offer what little comfort he could. Virgil absently ran his fingers through his little brother’s hair. Night began to creep closer, and fatigue began to pull at Virgil’s very bones. He silently excused himself and disappeared upstairs.
Roman watched the boy go, shooting a look towards Patton. The fatherly figure bit his lip and swiped at a tear, blinking hard. The eldest Prince resolved to keep a close eye on his eldest nephew. He would intervene if he needed to. As fate would have it, that intervention would come sooner than he wanted. The next morning, it was evident that Virgil hadn’t gotten much if any sleep. Throughout the day, there wasn’t much change in Virgil’s behavior from the day before. He didn’t eat much, didn’t say anything, and shied away from touch. They tried in vain to get the boy to open up, even Remy had no clue what had set the teen off. Remus spent a good two hours stalking the boy around the house and even Mr. D seemed deeply unsettled by the whole thing.
As time dragged, the situation only got worse. The bags under Virgil’s eyes became noticeable through his makeup and he began to spook at the slightest noise. It was like watching the makings of a horror film. The boy was constantly beginning to nod off before he would jerk himself awake; pale and terrified of what lay in the land of slumber. This continued for another day and a half before Roman had enough. There was a line between giving someone their space and sitting by and watching them hurt themselves. He wasn’t 100% sure he was doing this in the right way but if he didn’t intervein now, he had no clue what to do. He felt somewhat guilty as he stirred the glass of water, making sure that the sleeping pill was dissolved all the way. He sighed and picked up his own glass before wandering out into the living room.
Virgil was seated on the sofa with his legs curled up under him. A book lay open on his lap but Roman wasn’t certain if he was even trying to read it. He sat down next to him, taking the book and setting it on the coffee table. He placed the water in Virgil’s hand, taking in the expression and sighing,
“Look, you’ve hardly eaten all day. Drink the whole glass and I’ll get Patton to stop nagging you for the rest of the day.” Virgil seemed to consider the deal before gulping down the water quickly and making a face. Roman breathed a sigh and sipped his own water. Virgil set the glass down and picked up the book again. Roman pulled out his phone and began to scroll through it.
Within the next few minutes, Roman kept a close eye on the teen and it was soon evident that the medication was beginning to take effect. Virgil let the book slip off his lap and turned terrified eyes on his uncle. Betrayal was the only way to describe the expression. Tears welled up in the teen’s eyes as he spoke for the first time in days,
“Why?” The screaming had left Virgil’s voice scratchy and broken, “I can’t, no, I-I…” Roman’s heart shattered as he reached for the teen, pulling him in despite his nephews shaking hands trying to push back,
“Hush,” he whispered, “it’s alright. It’s okay, I’ve got you.” He bundled the boy against him, like he was ten years younger. With a grunt he rose, holding the boy in his arms like he was nothing more than a toddler. He swayed gently for a moment, adjusting his hold before moving to the stairs and beginning to ascend them carefully.
By the time Roman had made it down to the double doors that marked the entrance to his master suite, Virgil had let his head rest fully on his uncle’s shoulder, still sniffling softly. The room was quiet and warm, Roman’s usual mess cleared away. He moved to the bed easily, setting the boy down and crawling into the bed next to him. He tucked the boy close, watching as Virgil fought sleep. He carefully stroked the boy’s cheek and pressed a kiss to his hair,
“Let it happen, Virgil, I’m not leaving you.” Virgil’s tears began anew.
“I can’t…” he whispered, “Every time I do I see…I see him again.” Roman felt his own eyes beginning to fill,
“He’s not here.” He muttered, “I’m not letting him back into your life. I will protect you always.” Virgil succumbed to sleep, the medication doing its job.
This pattern wasn’t one that Roman wanted to continue but there wasn’t much else he could do. He stayed with Virgil while he slept. The teen was out for nearly 18 hours and woke up hungry. The next few days were a struggle to maintain a healthy pattern. Roman watched as Virgil continued to be jumpy the next few days and pointedly refused to leave the house at all. They tried just about everything to try and cheer the boy up, but it wasn’t much use. A door that had long been closed was suddenly forced open and shutting it again was out of the question, not that anyone knew that. Not until a few days later when the doorbell rang.
Remus was, unfortunately, the first one to the door and he pulled it open without stopping before he thrust his head towards the newcomer. He froze when he saw the blue uniform. His eyes were wide, and a smile traced his lips and he lunged forward,
“Thank you for your service of willingly throwing your life into the potential back of a vehicle where you could be driven off somewhere and shot in the back of the head!” He shook the man’s hand rapidly before rushing past him and launching himself headfirst into the fountain. The officer stood in shock before another set of footsteps caught his attention.
“Excuse my little brother, he’s not altogether here sometimes.” Roman said as he approached the door. His eyes took in the uniform before he strode closer, “Can I help you?” The officer removed his hat and gave the whitest apologetic smile Roman had ever seen.
“I am Officer Sam, I was hoping to speak to the guardian of Virgil and Logan Storm.” Roman nodded slightly,
“That would be me.” He said with a slight smile. Sam smiled again,
“I always wondered what happened to those boys after that night.” Roman shifted,
“That night?” He asked carefully. Officer Sam seemed to realize that Roman didn’t know half of, if any of the story he was so intensely part of. He gestured off behind him,
“I think it would be good for you and I to take a walk. We can talk a little bit.”
When Roman returned to the mansion a few hours later, he was shaken to his core. As he said goodbye to Sam, he wasn’t sure what to think or how to feel. With a thudding heart, he entered the living room to see Virgil laying on the sofa, fast asleep. He’d been able to doze off after the incident with Roman. Now, however, he was blissfully unaware when his uncle collapsed to his knees in front of him and wept quietly. How was he supposed to fix this? How was he supposed to take someone so broken and put them back together? What was he meant to do? How could he keep someone safe from a threat that he couldn’t see? Ghosts from the past. That’s what Virgil was up against and Roman was severely under armed to battle such demons.