3 Heroes and A Villian

Chapter 6

Ann asked, "Why are we going to the movies?" in a slightly pouting tone.

"Because your coworker was nice enough to give us tickets," Patton replied, sounding almost like he was scolding Ann. 

"Hey, she owed me I stayed after for her, which put a wrench in my plans," Ann protest with a small smile on his face.

Logan looked over at Ann, "What plans? If I'm remembering right the day you stayed late was the day we all got together," he said.

He stayed silent, "Ann, what were your plans?" Roman asked

Ann mumbled, "Fine, I was planning on leaving early, sneaking out the back, and hopefully never contacting any of you ever again," avoiding eye contact the entire time.

"Ann! Why would you do that?" Patton exclaimed clearly shocked.

Ann responded, "I literally fought with all three of you on a regular basis and had a super mega crush on all three of you, talking about those two things were and are still kinda way out of my comfort zone," still not daring to look at them.

Roman said, "Come on, it couldn't have been that bad," Ann could practically taste the cockiness. 

Ann made a face before replying, "There have been some bad things in my life and the anxiety I felt ranks it in the top ten of bad things in my life,"

"You work at a coffee shop, your life is like a slowburn fanfic," Roman protest with a smirk.

That was it, Ann picked up his face and retorted, "First off, I've seen some shit at that coffee shop and secondly I can physical manifest darkness that shows people their worse nightmares, but has a love of turning on me. What about that screams slowburn at you?"

Patton's eyes widened. "Wait? They turn on you?" he asked, concern coating his voice.

Ann realized he had said too much. "Uh......just forget I said anything. Let's just go watch the movie," he mumbled.

Patton began to say, "No, Ann this is some-" 

He was cut off by a man yelling, "Virgil!" and coming towards them.

"I think you may have the wrong person," Logan said to the man.

"Nah, I know those raccoon eyes anywhere. How have you been Verge?" The man replied, waving Logan off.

"Fine," Ann hissed, tensing as the man came closer.

The man smiled, but something was off. "Come on, no need to be like that. It wasn't me who kicked you out," he replied.

"You didn't stop them," Ann replied, venom in his voice.

"I mean they were right. You are kinda of a danger, even for what we do," the man said, the smile never leaving his face.

"Ann, who is this?" Roman asked, drawing the man's attention to them for the first time.

The man answerers, "You can call me Dave," he turns to Ann, "So that's what you go by now,"

"Yeah, it is," Ann replied, moving in front of the others, just a bit.

"So, are you taking a break from your night job, or what?" Dave asked, noting Ann's movement.

Ann answered, "I'm done with it. I don't see the point anymore," glaring at Dave.

"What? Really? I thought you wanted to come back, Verge," Dave replied, his head cocking to the side as if Ann was an interesting insect that he wished to study further.

Ann replied, "No, not anymore, and don't call me that, I'm Ann," his shoulders and voice tense.

"Ann's a girl name and-" he was cut off by Ann punching him in the face.

"Ann is the name of the one person who actually cared about me, and now it's my name. Got it?" he growled.

The smile fell and Dave said, "Whatever you say, but they won't want you back if you keep acting like a spoiled brat,"

"Good, I am never going back, and you can tell them that," Ann replied before leading the others into the theater.

"Ann, what was that about? Why did he call you Virgil? Who was he?" Patton asked, his voice thin with concern.

Ann smiled at him, trying to reassure him. "He's just someone from my past, and I used to be called Virgil, but not anymore, never again," he responded.

Logan asked, "Are you ok?"

"I am now," Ann replied solemnly, looking at the three of them lovingly.