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Remy was in a storm, and not just any storm, these clouds were deep violet in color, the warm air around him crackled with electricity. His normally shy, timid friend, Virgil, was shockingly the one responsible for this chaos, and Remy was at a loss for what to do. Virgil was holding an ancient metal box engraved with runes, a black heart at its center. The Box Of Souls. The box was an extremely powerful object. It had the ability to bring back the souls of the dead, but it required a trade. A soul for a soul. However, if the subject’s body was too badly damaged, multiple souls of the living were required to successfully complete the ritual and bring them back.
Virgil would have to siphon souls from innocent people in order to bring his love back. He had already begun the ritual, and thunder crashed around them as soul fragments slowly collected inside the box. Normally Virgil was a kind and gentle person, incapable of hurting anyone… but tragedy had broken him.
Virgil was stricken with grief over his boyfriend’s death. His boyfriend, Janus, had been born with magic too, but the people in his village were cruel, they had no tolerance for anyone born with magical abilities. They had tortured and killed him, savagely ripped him to pieces, and Virgil wasn't there to protect him. The guilt was eating away at him, he should have been there. He couldn't move on, he just couldn't.
In his grief-clouded mind, he had turned to dark magic. Wisps of shadow had exploded out of him and came back bearing the box, knowing it could answer his prayers. It could soothe his desperation and pulverize the ache in his chest. It wasn’t just about the innocent lives he was going to take, which was bad enough, but Remy couldn’t stand the thought of Virgil going dark. Once your magic went dark, it was dark forever, and it destroys you slowly from the inside out. Remy’s stomach churned with nausea at the image of Virgil, heart dark and hard as coal, a shell of his former self. He would be an empty vessel, his immortality would leave him trapped; swallowed by misery forever, his soul never allowed to rest. The very idea of it all made Remy’s heart ache. He needed to stop him before it was too late.
“Virgil, I’m serious! You have to stop this!” Remy’s voice is panicked, his arms reaching out towards Virgil hesitantly. Virgil was trembling, his eyes wild in a way Remy had never seen before. Remy dared to take a step closer, immediately freezing as Virgil barred his teeth and hissed, his eyes glowing intensely, the color matching the clouds overhead. “Stay back Rem, I mean it. You don’t get to do that anymore. You lost that right the moment you reported me to The Council!” Remy flinched, face hardening. “It was for your own good, I had no choice.” He replied coldly. “Why can’t you just let me have this, Remy? Don’t you want me to be happy?” Virgil shouted. Remy’s mouth fell agape, he couldn’t believe this. Virgil seriously didn’t understand the severity of what he was about to do? “You’ll be killing people, Virgil!,” He shouted. “I can’t lose you to the darkness.” Virgil scowled at Remy’s words. “That’s not for you to decide. You’re supposed to be my best friend, you’re supposed to care about what I want. I have a chance to get him back, and you just want me to throw it away!?” Virgil yells back.
“I do care about you Virgil, and I want you to be happy, but not like this… not like this.” The way Remy said it so softly only angered Virgil more, he had no right to pretend he gave a damn about him after calling The Council. The Council of Magical Misuse was created with the intention of preventing the use of powerful dark magic. They could have taken his magic; they were ungodly powerful, they could have done anything they wanted.
"You… you never had a problem with it before, you said my magic was a gift! You told me to embrace it." Virgil said angrily. "That was before I fully understood what dark magic does to people! I would have warned you about it before, but I didn't know, I swear!" Remy pleaded.
"Too little too late, Remington." Virgil snarled, watching as Remy flinched at the use of his full name. Virgil knew how much he hated it. Remy's shoulders slumped, a defeated look in his eyes.
“Look… I understand why you think this is the best solution right now, but it’s not. I don’t want you to be responsible for the suffering of innocent people. It will break you, your soul will be shattered beyond repair.” Remy hated the hot, angry tears dripping down his face as he said it. Why wouldn’t he just listen? “My soul is already beyond repair, Rem. I don’t care what happens to me anymore, I just want him back.”
Remy opens his mouth to speak once more before closing it again as he realizes Virgil is sobbing. His knuckles had turned white from how tightly he was gripping the box, Remy could see the torn look on Virgil’s face. He was at war with the darkness, and he appeared to be losing. “I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT HIM REMY, I JUST CAN’T!” Virgil cried.
Suddenly, the wind picked up and a green glow flickered to life behind Virgil. Remy gasped, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. It was Janus, or rather, his soul, judging by how he was nearly transparent. Enough soul energy must have accumulated, allowing him to be summoned. The ritual was nearly complete. His form became more solid the longer he stood there. And then he spoke.
"Oh my little lightning bug, I'm so sorry."
Janus's voice was soft, and at that moment Remy realized the storm had dissipated, everything coming to a halt. The air around them went very, very still. Virgil's eyes were wide as saucers, and as he turned around to see Janus behind him, he dropped the box, falling to his knees. "Jan?" Virgil's voice was so small. He was so unbelievably vulnerable, if this was just his mind toying with him, he wasn't sure he could survive that.
"It's me, Virge, it's me," Janus affirmed. Virgil began sobbing all over again. Janus lowered himself in front of Virgil. Wishing to comfort him, he brushed a hand through his hair and Virgil let out a whimper at the contact, immediately pressing into it. His heart shattered for his lightning bug, always so fragile. Janus had always been the one to keep him from going over the edge.
Janus could tell that just the three days he'd been gone were weighing heavily on Virgil. He had dark purple bruising around his eyes, looking like he hadn't slept in three days (which was likely the case). He'd always been skinny, but he looked unnaturally thin now. The collar of his shirt was soaked with tears, his eyes red-rimmed from crying and chronic lack of sleep.
Virgil was gasping between the sobs violently wracking his frame. He felt like he was being torn in two. Janus was right there but he knew he wouldn't stay. Once he disappeared, he could never touch him again, the thought making him cry harder, which he hadn't known was possible. He heard Janus saying something, but he was panicking so much that his words weren't getting through to him.
Virgil felt Janus take his hand and press it against his chest, trying to get Virgil to mimic his breathing. Virgil took a few shaky breaths, and slowly the ringing in his ears faded, leaving Janus's soothing voice. "In for 4, hold for 7, out for 8, there we go. You're doing so good, V."
Janus pulled him in for a hug and Virgil sagged in his hold, almost going limp. He wailed and clung to Janus's shirt. Janus rubbed his back and whispered soothing words. He hated seeing Virgil cry. "I'm sorry…" Virgil whispered. Janus's eyebrows furrowed. "Sorry for what, my love?" Virgil took a deep breath before weakly gesturing around them. Janus held him tighter. "It's okay Virgil, it's okay. I'm sorry I can't stay, I want to more than anything in the universe, but I can't allow this. You can't give yourself to the darkness for me, I don't want that."
Virgil's eyes were so dim, trembling in Janus's arms as silent tears rolled down his face. Strange. He could have sworn there were no tears left. "But-," Virgil begins to protest, before Janus cuts him off, pressing his finger to his lips. "It's okay love, I know it's a lot right now, it's never going to be easy, but please don't let this consume you. I want you to grieve in a healthy, productive way. Then, once you're ready, I want you to move on and eventually find someone else. I want you to be happy. I don't want to be some dark magic experiment gone wrong." Janus said.
Virgil's cheeks burned with shame, refusing to make eye contact with Janus. He hadn't really thought about what Janus would have wanted, too obsessed with having him back to consider that he might not want to come back. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking- I miss you so much." Virgil sniffled. Janus pressed a kiss to Virgil's forehead, rubbing his back soothingly. "I know, lightning bug, I know, I miss you too. But you and I both know this is wrong, even if it came from a place of love." Janus replied.
Virgil nodded guiltily, refusing to let go of Janus's shirt. Janus let them stay like that for some time, before pulling back, removing Virgil's hands from around him. Virgil whined at the loss of contact, but Janus shushed him again. "I know love, I know, but I really can't stay. You need to put them back." Virgil glanced at the box next to him, hugging his arms around his middle.
Virgil went to pick it up, but Janus could see the hesitation. Virgil began trembling, and Janus softened further, he couldn't help it. They never got to say goodbye, after all. He grabbed Virgil's hand, lacing their fingers together. "Would you feel better if you could give me one last kiss, lightning bug?" Janus asked, squeezing Virgil's hand. Virgil nodded desperately, leaning forward and pressing their lips together. He wanted to make it count. Janus let out a small sound at the unexpected intensity of the kiss, his free hand cupping Virgil's face. But after a moment, the kiss gentled, turning soft and syrupy.
A few moments passed before Janus pulled back, pressing their foreheads together. "Alright, V, it's time," Janus said gently. Virgil's lip quivered, but he let go of Janus's hand and went to retrieve the box. Janus could see Virgil's breathing become erratic, and he beckoned for him to bring the box over. Virgil's eyebrows furrowed for a moment, but he returned with the box without question.
"I know how hard this is for you, so how about we hug while we wait for the souls to return? Would that be okay, love?" Janus asked. Virgil took a deep breath and nodded. Virgil opened the box back up and immediately, Janus's form began to fade a bit. Janus wrapped his arms around Virgil, and Virgil clung to him hard. Janus frowned when Virgil didn't say anything. "Virgil, darling, I need you to promise you'll let me go, and you won't do something like this again. I need you to promise not to hurt yourself when I'm gone." Janus insisted, soft but stern.
Virgil took a deep breath before responding. "Okay, I promise Jan. I promise." Virgil answered. Janus sighed in relief, smiling softly as Virgil played with his hair. They only had a short time before the souls keeping him solid were returned to their rightful places.
They stayed like that for a few minutes, just holding each other in silence. Janus began to feel his physical form fading, making Virgil panic again. "I don't want you to go!" Virgil cried. "I know V, but it's okay. You'll still have Remy, right? I'm sure he'll take good care of you." Janus said, glancing to the side, acknowledging Remy for the first time since showing up. Virgil's eyes widened, he had forgotten Remy was even there. He had some apologizing to do when this was over.
Virgil glanced over at Remy now too, giving him a sheepish half-smile. Remy seemed to understand, offering a little nod. Janus was almost gone now, Virgil could no longer feel him. He was crying again, with unwavering love in his eyes, Janus knew his memory would always be alive inside Virgil, he would never truly be gone.
"I love you, my little lightning bug," Janus whispered. "I- I love you too!" Virgil gasped through his tears as Janus's form flickered before he vanished as the last remaining soul fragments left the box.
Virgil hadn't even realized he had moved when suddenly, Remy was kneeling in front of him, then his arms were around him. They stayed like that in comfortable silence, Remy giving him time to breathe. After a moment, Virgil pulled back, wiping his face with his sleeve. He looked completely exhausted, but he did seem… lighter somewhat. Remy smiled softly, standing up and offering his hand for Virgil to take.
Virgil accepted the offer, letting Remy pull him to his feet, swaying a bit before Remy placed an arm around him. "I-," Virgil started, before Remy shook his head. "It's okay Virge, we can talk about it later. For now, let's get you home. I think a warm bath and a nap are in order. Virgil nodded, exhaustion weighing down his limbs now that his adrenaline was crashing.
Virgil took one last look at the clearing behind them, realizing the box was missing. He smiled softly when he realized Remy had likely turned it over to The Council, who most certainly placed it somewhere it could never be reached again, with dark magic or otherwise.
He had a long way to go, but if Remy was willing to stick by him after all that, Virgil was sure everything would be okay. Janus would always be in his heart, but Virgil was determined to keep his promise.
He wasn't okay, knew he wouldn't be for a long time, but eventually, he would be. All he needed was time and Remy on his side. Luckily for Virgil, he had both.
End