Haunted High School (Thomas Sanders Analogical Fanfiction)

15

Virgil's hands shook by his sides as he approached the school building, somehow seeming taller today, looming over him. He wasn't prepared, he thought to himself as he stopped suddenly on his way to the doors. He wasn't prepared to find out if Logan had gone back to normal or not, to see if he still felt angry, if he was still seeking out revenge.

A nudge at his shoulder drew him from his thoughts, looking over at Patton, who he had walked to school with from his house after staying there all weekend. Patton smiled reassuringly. "It'll be okay, Virge. You can't avoid him forever, and I know you don't really want to."

Virgil sighed, turning back to the school and pausing. "You're right. I'll have to go in sometime... Thanks for letting me stay over again, Pat. I'm really glad to have you here with me through all of this ghost stuff."

"It's no problem," Patton assured him, nodding his head towards the school. "Are you ready to go in? I can walk you to your first class."

"That's okay," Virgil shook his head. "I don't want you to be late. Let's... let's go."

Virgil started walking towards the doors again with Patton at his side, the both of them saying their goodbyes before parting ways to go to their classes. Virgil's hands shook a little less as he thought about what Patton would say to all of his negative worries, and by the time he sat down in his seat, class already beginning, he was barely nervous at all. This was Logan he was thinking of. The ghost who told him the answers to his homework question the day they met, who dressed like their school had assigned uniforms every day when he was alive, the nerdy Logan that he knew could never seriously harm anyone. Whatever happened before wasn't Logan's fault. That was really him.

Virgil was just starting to be able to focus on his actual schoolwork when the air beside of him became cooler, freezing suddenly and slowly looking beside of him. He didn't see anything, but he did feel a hand wrapping itself around his. Virgil let the hand guide his own along, watching as it guided the pencil over his paper, Logan's handwriting asking him to meet him in the bathroom. When he finished writing the hand disappeared from around his, warmth flooding back into him as it seemed Logan had moved away. Virgil shivered despite no longer feeling cold, Logan's touch flashing images in his mind once more, images from nightmares that plagued him throughout that weekend.

Despite his worry that something might still be wrong with Logan Virgil's hand still lifted into the air, waiting patiently until the teacher called on him. After asking if he could go to the bathroom(and complaints from his teacher about how he should have gone before) Virgil made his way out of the classroom, footsteps heading towards the nearest bathroom. He stood quietly in the doorway for a moment, looking around as if he would be able to see Logan.

"Logan?" He called softly, jumping when he heard the sound of the bathroom door close and lock behind him, about to look back towards it when he noticed Logan passing through one of the stall doors, fully visible. "L-Logan-"

"I'm sorry," Logan stepped forward towards Virgil, who had pressed himself against the closed bathroom door. "I'm so sorry, Virgil. I didn't mean for any of that to happen, I swear. I don't... I don't know what happened, I just-I-I couldn't control it and-"

"Logan," Virgil said loudly, catching the other teens attention. He finally stepped away from the door, feeling a lot more calm upon seeing that Logan was back to normal. "Calm down. It's-it's okay. I get it okay, I could feel everything..."

"You could?" Logan questioned, eyes wide and clearly concerned as he looked at Virgil. "I'm so sorry, I never would have agreed to any of this if I knew that... I'm so sorry."

"Stop apologizing," Virgil frowned, stepping forward again and putting a hand on Logan's shoulder. Logan let the hand pass through him, not wanting to be touched.

"I can't," he shook his head, stepping away. "I won't. I scared you, Virgil. You were still scared of me here. And I hurt someone! Someone who was innocent!"

"He wasn't really innocent," Virgil jumped in. "He still treated you like shit."

"That doesn't make what happened right!" Logan yelled back, pacing back and forth. "I shouldn't have hurt him! I don't want to hurt anyone, that's not why I'm trying to figure any of this out. I especially didn't want to hurt you!"

"Logan, just listen to me." Virgil begged, stepping in front of Logan to stop him from pacing. Logan hesitated but kept moving, until Virgil began to lean forward like he was going to fall over. Almost immediately Logan panicked, becoming a little more solid and managing to catch him.

"Finally," Virgil complained, still leaning into him. His arms were wrapped around Logan to attempt to keep him still, continuing to lean heavily against him knowing he wouldn't start pacing again and let him fall. He ignored the way his face was only centimeters away from him, looking into his eyes and starting to talk.

"Logan, I know you couldn't control anything that happened at Roman's. I could feel everything. I know that wasn't really you. You don't want to hurt anybody, I believe that. I... I know I acted scared, and I honestly was at first when you wouldn't let me move or do anything." Virgil admitted, frown still tugging down his lips as he continued on. "But after you left and I could actually think rather than just reacting, I knew that that wasn't you. And yes, I was afraid when I came in here today... but not of you. I'm not scared of you. I was worried that whatever happened to you, whatever came over you might still be effecting you, but obviously it's not. I'm not afraid of you, Logan, so please stop beating yourself up."

Logan stares at him silently for a while, frowning himself as he processed what Virgil said. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, glancing away.

"What if it happens again?" He asked, voice quiet, his worry clear. "What if I... lose control? Hurt someone else?"

"I'll be there, with you." Virgil promised, arms winding tighter around Logan comfortingly. "I mean... I think I helped you last time, anyways. Maybe I'm wrong but... I tried to talk you out of it. You did stop in the end. I'll be there to snap you out of it."

"You did help," Logan mumbled, turning his head back. "I... thank you, Virgil. For helping me through this despite the fact that I... well. You know."

"It's no problem. You're my best friend," Virgil muttered back, face beginning to flush when Logan's nose accidentally brushed against his. For a brief, silent moment he considered what he and Patton had spoken about. How he should tell Logan, that he may not have much time left with him. He thought about it, about leaning forward the incredibly short distance that was left between them, pressing their lips together and confessing his feelings. He drew in a deep, calming breath, shaking like a leaf as he moved a centimeter forward.

"What did Patton and Roman think..?" Logan spoke, disrupting Virgil and making him pull back slowly, standing on his own and taking a step back from Logan. Virgil took a moment to process the question, mind still on what he had been about to do.

Stupid, Virgil berated himself, sighing softly before remembering to answer. "I... I don't know about Roman, but you know Patton. Always the optimistic and understanding one. He's just worried about you."

"Are we still meeting in the library as usual?" Logan asked.

"Me and Patton are. We'll... just have to wait and see what Roman does." He paused, cracking a weak smile at Logan. "I mean, is it really much of a loss if Roman leaves?"

Logan smiled softly at him, shaking his head slightly. "I still don't quite understand what you have against Roman. I admit, he's rather loud and hard to get used to, but he's been very helpful. I'm grateful for his help in all of this." He paused, looking at Virgil sincerely. "Truthfully though, it doesn't matter nearly as much to me if Patton or Roman forgive me as long as you do. You are my best friend as well, Virgil. I am glad to have you by my side."

Virgil felt an odd mixture of pain and warmth spreading through his chest, forcing both feelings away and smiling in response. It was silent for a few more moments before Logan seemed to notice something, straightening up and thrusting his hand towards the door, which unlocked and swung back open as it had been when Virgil entered.

"You should be getting back to class," Logan said, image slowly fading away. "We'll talk more in the library, of course?"

"Of course," Virgil repeated with a nod of his head, turning to head out the door. "I'll see you then."