Work Text:
Spend my whole life in a moment with you/
Just a glimpse of a future/
that's not meant to happen/
but for thirty seconds I'd like to imagine
Virgil was already regretting staying out so late, but he hadn't seen Patton and Logan in so long and in the sugary smelling warmth of their apartment he had been able to dismiss his anxiety about walking home from the bus stop after dark. Unfortunately now that he was actually doing that his anxiety was back with a vengeance. It wasn't helped by having to walk past a statistically improbable number of dark alleys.
As he's passing alley three of five he glances down it on instinct. There's a shape on the ground just covered by the shadows. A suspiciously person-like shape. Against his better judgment, Virgil takes a few cautious steps into the alley, and... yep that's a person. Virgil is turning to leave when his eye catches on a patch of red on the person's shirt. Oh shit, that's blood isn't it?
He crouches down; to do what, he's not sure, but it seems right. He touches their shoulder, trying to see if they're awake, if they're alive- no don't think about that! That's how you give yourself a panic attack Virgil! They jolt a little at the contact, and their eyes meet Virgil's. He has just enough time to register how distant they are before he's swept away in a tide of images.
This person introducing himself in a coffee shop that Virgil recognizes as one he's passed but never gone into. His name is Roman.
Locking eyes with Roman from the audience during a big musical number, and Roman smiling a soft smile for him alone.
A picnic in a field of wildflowers, bone deep contentment.
Curling up on the couch with Roman for a Silver Age Disney marathon.
Resting his chin on Roman's shoulder while he makes breakfast.
Playing video games while he waits for Roman to come home, and getting a lapfull of him for his trouble.
Roman telling a joke that makes him laugh until his stomach hurts, head thrown back, cackling to the ceiling.
A thousand flashes of a million moments of everyday intimacy.
He comes back to the alley all at once, feeling like the ground is slipping out from underneath him. This is his soulmate. His soulmate- Roman- was stabbed, why was he stabbed who would have wanted to stab him oh fuck he got stabbed he needs help shitshitshitshit!
Virgil fumbles in his pocket for his phone.
Dials 911 with shaking hands.
Talks to the operator.
Then the EMTs.
Then the nurses and doctors at the hospital.
Sits in the waiting room while Roman is in surgery.
Slowly starts to piece himself back together. The doctor comes to talk to him.
"We were unable to save him. I'm sorry for your loss."
Virgil breaks.