Today Is The Day

Chapter 2

TW: Swearing, Mentions of Drugs/Working with Drugs/Absent Parents/Toxic Siblings/Child Abuse/Alcohol Abuse/Pregnancy, Past Mentions of Running Away, Talk of Running Away, Anxiety.

if there are anymore i need to list, please let me know!

^funny pic up top of you need it uwu^

side note: i've figured out a way to show sign language yayyy

It wasn't unusual to wake up and see an adult on the couch, heavily smelling of alcohol and vomit. Especially if that adult was your older brother.

Janus rolled their eyes and sighed, raking their fingers through their unkempt, curly hair. "Fucking move out already." they muttered, rolling themself to the kitchen in the stolen wheelchair their family managed to acquire last time they had a hospital visit.

To say their family was big would be an understatement. Thirteen kids total yet no parent in sight. They had managed themselves throughout the years, the oldest having come up with some kind of make shift drug factory.

While the youngest went bat shit crazy.

Janus, conveniently placed perfectly as the middle child, was constantly pressured to join the others in their little business as he grew older, while also having annoying little shits constantly wanting to ride in their lap or demand they play with them.

Let's just say, they hated every second in that damn house.

Janus made themself a bowl of cereal, enjoying the small time frame of peace they had in the mornings. Leaning back in their chair, they closed their eyes.

They knew staying with their siblings any longer would just cause their already deteriorating mental health to only get worse. The constant pressure by everyone around them never stopping.

They'd just have to suck it up.

Right?

Throwing their bowl in the sink, they made their way back to their room and shut the door. Successfully locking it, they chewed their bottom lip in thought.

Maybe, just maybe, they could find a way out.

Janus got themself ready for the day as the sun began to rise, already hearing the echo of children crying and teens cursing mixed with constant "she's" and "hers" when being referred to.

Sighing, they let their hair fall behind their shoulder, the hat they adored keeping it in place.

If they were going to run away, they'd need some help.

-

Virgil mindlessly flipped through channels on the living room tv when his phone chimed loudly.

Jumping at the sudden noise, he jolted up from his rather comfortable spot on the couch. Realizing it was his phone, he let out a breath and looked at the lit up screen.

Virgil raised an eyebrow before texting back, only taking mere seconds for him to get a response.

Stressfully blowing his bangs out of his face, the teen grabbed a pocket full of snacks and drinks before gently shaking the sleeping child awake.

After getting him dressed, Virgil hopped on his bike, Logan holding onto his jacket as he stood on the pegs that were attached to the back wheel of said bike. His head sleepily resting on the olders back.

It wasn't unusual to go to the park, but when you get a text at six in the morning that reads "URGENT: MEET ME AT THE PARK ASAP", you'd be rushing a bit too.

Finally at their destination, Virgil locked his bike up to a tree and sat at a bench. Logan following close behind as he slowly woke up.

Although, when his eyes met the playground, he seemed to have grown restless.

Changing his position in his spot next to Virgil every few minutes while simultaneously chewing the inside of his cheek and fiddling with his sweater.

Upon seeing this, the darkly dressed boy chuckled. He tapped the younger's shoulder and nodded  towards the playground. "Go ahead, L. I can't keep you here forever."

Grinning with excitement, Logan tumbled out of the bench and ran towards the swings, desperate to see how high he could go all by himself.

Not long after, a teen around his own age hummed from beside Virgil and the bench. "Backstabber." said teen mumbled.

"Snake."

Chuckling, the two shared fond smiles. "So, Janus, why'd you call me here at this ungodly hour of the day? I was just about to go to sleep." Virgil smirked, watching Logan crouch down to the ground to watch something more closely.

Janus, relaxing as the cold air hit them, they themself watching the hyper focused boy stare at seemingly nothing from their angle. "I wanted to discuss something with you. I trust you enough not to tell anyone."

"And what might that be?"

After a moment of silence, Virgil turned his attention at the usually keen teen next to him. "Jay?" he murmured, concern edging his voice.

The teen in question licked their lips, not daring to look at Virgil. "I don't have a plan yet... but we can't keep living like this. Nobody is coming to save us and we both know it. We have to do it ourselves if we want to survive, Virgil. We have to runaway. Permanently."

It seemed like the unasked question would have an easy answer. But, nothing easy ever came to Virgil now did it?

"Are you crazy?! Do you know what would happen if we were caught! Not just by people back at home, but child services will pull us apart! We'll be fucking goners! It's not just us this time Janus, we can't care for a kid on our own."

It wouldn't have been the first time the two decided to runaway. They were only ten at the time, but the abuse had only gotten worse. Virgil's mother was due for labor at any moment while his father was out drunk and angry. He hadn't believed the child she was carrying had been his.

Janus' family had a spike in costumers. With their parents gone doing who knows what, their older siblings had made a living. Unfortunately, they couldn't uphold all of the deals they made, leading to an unhealthy amount of stress that needed to be taken care of.

But, of course, they hadn't even made a foot out of the house.

"I understand your concern, Virgil, but I seriously think we can do it this time. With the right plan, we can find somewhere to go. If you won't do it for yourself, do it for the childhood that kid could have. Give him what you didn't get. Get him out."

Virgil bounced his leg as he thought more about the proposition Janus had offered. There were so many possibilities, more bad than good and that made Virgil's skin crawl with anxiety. "I... but what if-"

"'What if's' will get you no where. Stop thinking about what can happen and start taking risks. Otherwise, you both will die in that house at the hands of a man who is drunk off of his ass. If you ask me, that's a pretty pathetic way to go." Janus spat harshly, glaring at nothing in particular.

The boy on the bench looked back at his brother, watching as he giggled and smiled while putting wood chips at the top of the slide and letting go down before following. He watched as Logan got dirtied up after falling, yet he didn't seemed phased or played scientist with a couple of twigs and some grass.

Like a child should.

The teen bit his lip, longing to see the smile on the youngers face everyday rather than fear or pain.

"I'm in."

And with that, Janus smirked. "Good."