Don't Leave Me | Analogical

8. Man Up

POV: Logan

"I'm just going down to the library." I called as I grabbed my house keys and pulled on my jacket.

"When will you be back?" Virgil appeared out of the kitchen, holding a butter knife in his hand. He had clearly been in the middle of making himself some lunch. I smiled at that, glad he was eating when he was supposed to.

"Definitely before dinner." I replied and unlocked the front door, glancing back at Virgil. "I won't be too long."

"Alright." Virgil shrugged and watched as I headed out the door. "I'll order something for when you get back." He called after me and I nodded as I shut the door behind me.

I smiled and walked down the street, thinking about the list of things I needed to get done today. It had been a week since the last time I went to the library and that was simply unacceptable by my standards.

Once I was inside the warm building, I didn't waste any time browsing my favourite shelves. I quite enjoyed myself as I strolled down the aisles, running a finger over the spines of the old books. As I walked round a corner, I certainly did not expect what I saw.

Dee was leaning against the wall casually, one hand holding a book that looked vaguely familiar— I think it was a play. I immediately stopped in my tracks at the sight of him, getting ready to retreat back into the aisle I had come from. Unfortunately, that was the exact moment when he looked up.

"Well if it isn't mister know-it-all." Dee smirked as he snapped the book shut and strolled over to me. "Is my boyfriend somewhere around here too?"

"Virgil is not with me." I quickly replied. "And he most certainly is not your boyfriend." My jaw clenched at the memory of Virgil's old poems.

"Oh of course he isn't." Dee rolled his eyes and inspected his nails. "He's your boyfriend now."

"I can assure you, our relationship is purely platonic." I insisted, glaring at him and not moving from my spot. He was almost my height, meaning we were basically eye level.

"Ugh, don't lie to me, Logan." Dee glared back, the smirk gone from his face. "I can see the way you look at him. You clearly like him."

"Even if we were hypothetically dating— which we are not, might I reiterate— at least he'd be happier than he ever was with you." I said, my words almost devoid of emotion as I suppressed my irritation. "He is safer with me and I sincerely hope it stays that way."

Dee tensed a bit at my words but then quickly covered it up by a smirk. "You're just worried he'll leave you." He said simply.

"No I am not. He can leave if he so desires."

"So you don't care if he leaves?"

"Of course I care!" I snapped, slightly harsher than I intended. I quickly composed myself. "I mean... I do enjoy his company and I would prefer him to stay with me. However if he wishes to move out, I am in no position to try and stop him."

Dee paused and looked at me with realisation as a smug smile graced his features. "You are worried that he'll leave you, aren't you? My, my, I should have known. You really do love him."

I suddenly got the courage to step closer, our faces inches apart as I maintained eye contact. "All I'm saying, is that you should keep away from him." I said firmly. "Leave him alone."

Dee stared right back, his gaze equally as intense. "Or maybe you should just keep your nose out of other people's business, because you might regret it." He hissed back threateningly. "Virgil needs to learn to man up instead of having others like you talking on his behalf. It's a pity I never got to teach him that. Maybe he'd be in a better situation now."

"How dare—"

"In fact, you know what?" He cut me off as he got an idea. "If Virgil can come up to me on his own and tell me to leave him alone, I will do just that. How about that?"

"That is hardly fair." I scoffed, adjusting my glasses. "Virgil clearly—"

"Too late, I've made up my mind." Dee shrugged and stepped back. "Either Virge grows a pair of balls, or I'm just going to continue with my regular activities." He smirked and walked off before I could reply.

I stood there dumbfounded for a few minutes before finally shaking my head and going to check out my books. That could have gone worse but it could have also gone much better.

I thought about what Dee had said. Did I like Virgil in that way? I cared about his well-being and I wanted him to be happy, but isn't that friendship?

I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I was shocked when I suddenly found myself arriving back at our apartment. I opened the door and walked inside without a word.

"Logan?" Virgil stopped me in my tracks to my bedroom.

"Yes?" I turned around.

"Can we... talk?" He shuffled his feet nervously and my stomach dropped. "At dinner, I mean."

"Of course." I replied plainly, trying to hide my own nervousness.

"Cool." He mumbled and walked back into his room.

I entered my own bedroom and closed the door, dumping my bag beside the desk and laying down on the bed. What could he want to talk about? Did he want to leave? Is that what was finally happening? Did Dee predict it?

Despite my best efforts, I felt tears prick my eyes at the thought. I rolled over and buried my face in a pillow, becoming more and more convinced with each passing second that Virgil wanted to move out. That he wanted to leave me.

I didn't want that. I didn't want him to leave. I didn't want to be alone again. I didn't want to be abandoned for the third time in my life.

But it was inevitable. It always was and I should have seen it coming. I shouldn't have let myself get so attached to him in such a short period of time. He didn't want me.

No one ever did.