Galaxy (GIVEN UP)

Chapter 23

Virgil dragged himself out of the engine room. He blew a breath up through his fringe and threw it out of his face. Roman sat up straighter, like he'd been electrocuted.

"Are we ready to go?" He asked. Virgil leaned back on his hands and shook his head.

"Nearly." He said. "I just need to cut somethin' down to size and attach it and then we're free. Speakin' of which," he ran a hand through his hair, "ya seen my cuttin' tool?"

"You mean your Lightsaber?" Roman asked. Virgil shook his head again.

"Don't call it'that." He said with a hint of venom. Roman leaned away slightly.

"Why?"

Virgil shrugged and jumped up. "Just don't like it." He said. "Makes it sound like it's from the..." He took a breath. "The Jedi."

"What've you got against the Jedi?" Roman asked. A muscle in Virgil's jaw worked and he looked like he was about to snap or yell or something. He closed his eyes and took a breath.

"I just don't like them." He said slowly. He curled and uncurled his hands, fingers like claws and fists clenched. "Just don't like them." He repeated.

"Um, I think I saw the... cutting tool in one of the storage rooms." Roman said, standing up. "Down there." He nodded his head down the corridor. Virgil nodded once and turned to go.

Roman bunched his cuff up in his hand and took a breath. "Hey, um," he called after Virgil, "Remus. He didn't... he didn't die." Now he had Virgil's full attention. He took another breath and closed his eyes. "The Dark Side." He said slowly. "It, um, it took him. And he turned and now, if people ask me about him, I tell them he's dead. Because death is-"

"Kinder than the Dark Side, yeah." Virgil said. He scratched the back of his neck. "I get the feelin'."

Roman took in Virgil carefully. Hunched shoulders, closed off, anxious. "You lost someone too?" He asked softly. Virgil nodded, not meeting his eyes. "Someone... close to you?"

"Yeah." Virgil said. It was more of a breathy half-sob than a word. "Yeah, real- Really close."

Janus looked down at Virgil and grinned. "What're you looking at?" He asked, looking back at his book. Virgil wound the corner of Janus' jacket around his thumb.

"Just the most beautiful thin' in the galaxy." He said, grinning as Janus flushed slightly. Janus laughed.

"Thought we promised not to lie to each other." He said playfully. Virgil sat up a little.

"Yeah." He pressed a quick kiss to Janus' lips. "We did. But I ain't lyin'."

Janus scoffed. "Are too." He pushed Virgil away playfully. Virgil laughed.

"Am not!"

Janus laughed. "Fine." He jutted his chin out. "We'll just agree to disagree. Now come back, I want hugs!" He held out his free hand. Virgil laughed and crawled back to Janus' side.

"So needy." He joked quietly. Janus elbowed him. "Needy Jedi." Virgil continued. He kissed Janus' cheek. "Now'that's somethin' ya don't see every day."

"Yeah, cause we don't exist." Janus said. "And I'm not needy." He narrowed his eyes as Virgil laughed. "I simply require physical contact to properly access the Light Side of the Force."

"Hmm..." Virgil turned Janus' face towards him. "I'm hearin' needy."

"I am not!" Janus insisted.

Virgil raised an eyebrow. "Prove it." He challenged quietly. Janus kissed him softly. Virgil grinned into the kiss and cupped Janus' face. There was the flutter of a book being dropped and then Janus' hand in his hair. Virgil sighed and shuffled closer. Janus grinned, so they were barely kissing, and pulled back.

Virgil pouted over-dramatically. "Hey." He whined. "What happened to my kiss?"

Janus laughed and cupped Virgil's face. He pressed a light kiss to Virgil's nose, making the other laugh too. "Now, who's needy?" Janus asked, grinning.

I AM OLD! LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT HOW OLD I AM! I AM OF THE AGE!!!
I also appear to be on crack. Oh well
Bye,
Blaize