Motorcycles and Lies (Anxceit)

Only Love

He took a deep breath, his lungs shuttering with the cold and overuse. He felt a gentle pressure on either of his sides, his brother holding him close as the wind flew by their ears and the sound of cars surrounded them. Virgil smiled lightly at the groundingness the experience always gave him, finally feeling human for the first time that day. He pulled into the street where his house lie and chained the motorcycle to a post. Patton stepping off with unstable feet.

“You okay?” Virgil asked, his brows furrowed in concern.

“Fine,” Patton replied with a gentle smile, “just a little unstable after the ride and I don’t feel great.”

Virgil nodded and headed inside through the back exit, climbing a few staircases that led from the ground to their apartment. He slowly opened the door and slipped to his room, sticking to the shadows of the suddenly powerless home. Virgil made a mental note to look into that and set his bags on the floor by his bed, leaning against the wall beside it.

“So why did I find you in the bathroom skipping?” Patton said, his tone both accusatory and understanding, knowing why could either go from ‘because I didn’t feel like it’ and ‘anxiety was too high.’

Virgil didn’t reply, he just took the hoodie Janus had given to him out of the bag and showing it to Patton with an unreadable expression. 

“You bought a new hoodie? I’m not mad bu-”

“Janus gave it to me,” he explained. Patton went quiet and nodded, mulling over what to say.

“Did you say you appreciated it?” 

Virgil shook his head.

“Get him something in return?”

Another headshake.

“Well, okay, it’s not that bad. I’m sure he picked up on our situation and didn’t expect anything in return,” Patton offered as reassurement.

“That doesn’t mean I should take it, though. I’ve never seen this hoodie before and I’ve looked at a lot of the hoodies they sell.”

“Virge, Janus is your friend. I doubt he needs something in return, or he’ll abandon you or something. Give him a nice note or something?” Patton crouched beside Virgil, who was now curled up with his knees to his chin. 

There was a pause of silence, neither knowing what to say until Patton perked up, “What id your gift is a date?”

Virgil opened his mouth to protest, but Patton kept talking, “That’d make a great gift! He is so obviously into you and maybe this is his way of showing it? Did he have gifts for anyone else?”

Virgil shook his head and opened and closed his mouth a few times, “I mean, I guess it can’t hurt to try?” He fidgeted with his fingers, trying to decide what he could do for the date. He didn’t have the money to get a meal for Janus and that seemed to be the cheapest option that wasn’t just laying outside. 

When he made up his mind about how he’d get the money and gave Patton a self-assured smile, trying to not worry his brother. “I’m gonna go for a ride and pick a spot for us to eat, okay? I might be out a while.”

“Why not your normal spot?” Patton pondered as he watched Virgil get up and head to the door.

“He’s already been there, and, besides, this will be our spot, not just mine that I brought him into.” Patton nodded, satisfied with the answer.

Virgil left once more, hoping on his bike with just his new jacket on his back, having replaced it just before leaving, having left his old one on his bed. He drove, watching as the trees, roads, and grasses passed by him. He drove up any path he could, and if all seemed promising, would walk the rest of the way he couldn't drive. 

But nothing seemed right. There wasn't enough view of the sky, it was too rocky, the water rushed too loudly, and Virgil was getting impatient. It was nearing midnight and Virgil still had to get the money. The weekend was only in a few days and that seemed like the ideal time to set the date, but he would have to ask earlier than that. 

He drove through a path, taking note of the snapdragons that littered the path. There was a narrow path ahead, so he jumped off the bike and locked it to a tree, pocketing the key in his jacket pocket. He hugged the oversized sleeves close to his body, the chill in the air getting colder. He observed the opening, finally pleased with the location. He reached into his pocket and fished for his phone but soon realized it wasn’t there. He tried to recall when he last used it and concluded it was back at the house. Virgil sighed and ruffled his hair, trying to make sure he knew where the place was by memory before going back down the hill to his motorcycle. 

The sound of crickets and cicadas buzzed around him, the rest of the world dead silent. Virgil quickened his pace to his bike, goosebumps rising on his arms and not just from fear. His heart rate sped up and the leaves crushing beneath him became louder and soon did not line up with his own footsteps. Virgil broke out into a sprint but his waist was grabbed, forcing him to look back at a pair of eyes he had seen before.

A/N 

Ayo, finally passed 50 google doc pages and I’m excited! This is the farthest one of my stories has ever got (published or unpublished) and I’m kind of proud of myself :)