Reapers

Chapter 23: Talking to a Friend of a Friend is So Awkward!

Virgil tapped his foot nervously, his arms crossed as he watched Roman work from the corner. He had his phone out and occasionally checked for any phantoms, but he's pretty much destroyed them all. Plus Sal was still around for some reason, probably wanted to talk to Roman some more after his work.

Roman kept sending him worrying glances, but because he was in his reaper form no one else could see him. After about thirty minutes, Virgil decided to leave and hunt down Sal.

Sal was at the food court, eating a pretzel as she played a game on her phone. Virgil didn't bother to cross the veil as he went up to her, he just needed to ask another favor from her.

"Sal, do you think you can watch Roman for a little bit? I have something to do," he asked.

"Hmm, only on one condition," she said. "What's his sexuality?"

"You're aromantic and asexual, why do you want to know?" Virgil crossed his arms as he stared at her suspiciously.

"Nunnah business. Of course I'm not asking you to out him if he doesn't want people to know, I'm just curious."

Virgil thought about the rainbow flag on Roman's wall and the skirt he wore. "Yeah... pretty sure he's gay. At the very least he's not straight, but you'll have to ask him yourself."

"Nice. 'Kay! Go do whatever it is you wanna do!" Sal crumbled the empty paper bag that held her pretzel, standing up. "Just tell me when you're back!"

Virgil nodded with a small smile. "Thanks, I owe ya."

Sal watched as he turned around and left, leaving her sight in only two seconds. She sighed sadly, "You know you really don't, big bro."

Virgil jumped from rooftop to rooftop, glad he remembered the address. Soon he entered a neighborhood of apartments, all only two stories high. They were different from the giant complex that Roman lives in, they were more like rental homes attached together.

He hesitated for a moment before crossing the veil and knocking on the door of one of them. There was a car in the driveway so someone had to be home.

Virgil jumped when he heard barking, wondering for a split second if he should leave. Dogs were always so loud, and can be dangerous.

The dog quieted down and he heard someone cooing slightly before the door unlocked. The door opened and Patton was standing on the other side.

"Oh!" He blinked in surprise. "Hi, what ah, whatcha doing here?"

Virgil tried to give him a friendly smile but he was distracted as the german shepherd started sniffing him, giving a small bark. He gave it a pet on the head, scratching behind the ears slightly.

"I uh... figured that we should probably talk. If I'm going to be around Roman more, I don't want you to be scared," Virgil explained, hating how awkward he felt. Gods this was torture, but the faster he gets it over with the better.

"Oh, o-okay. Why don't you come in?" Patton nervously stepped aside, and opened the door wider. "Sprinkles, come on."

The dog turned around and came back inside, circling around again to watch as Virgil came in.

"They're... pretty cute. Do they know any commands?"

Patton giggled slightly, trying to break the tension. "He knows them, but he doesn't always respond. He's a bit of a rebel."

"Ah, I see." Virgil looked around. The kitchen was by the door, on the counter there was a cookie jar. There was a small note written on it, in delicate handwriting it says "Only one a day, Patton" followed by a response in a messier handwriting "Aw... :("