Getting it Together

What's in a Name

TW: forcing someone to throw up, lying, yelling, manipulation, 

1st day of vacation

"C'mon Virgil, hurry up!" Damien says anxiously, hurriedly pulling the fourteen-year-old behind him as he tried to run through the woods.

"Where are we going?" Virgil says worriedly, looking down at Sela, who kept pace at his side, occasionally snapping at the flowing fabric of the white sundress he was wearing. "Dad said the berry bushes we on the other fork in the trail."

"We're not going berry picking Virgil, now come on!" Damien rolls his eyes, beginning to sprint when he saw the unattended beach on the other side of the island. "Here, help me get some sticks!"

"What are you doing?" Virgil asks, tilting his head and stopping at the treeline as Damien began to rush around picking up sticks. Sela sat down next to him, licking his palm and letting out a small yap.

"We're gonna spell Roman's last name out with sticks. He's famous." Damien explains tiredly, grabbing another stick.

"Why are you gonna do that?"

"So that someone in a plane might see it and think 'hey, that missing author's last name is spelled on that beach down there'!"

"So?"

"So then they'd rescue us, Virgil!" The nineteen year old snaps, "Now help me!"

"Why would they want to rescue us? Nothing's wrong. And since when is Uncle Roman famous?"

"God damn it, Virgil!" Damien groans, hiding his head in his hands.

Virgil pouts, moving to the sea and pulling off his shoes.

"What are you doing?" Damien asks tiredly.

"I'm going swimming!" Virgil says excitedly, seemingly forgetting the argument as he wades into the water. Sela follows him happily.

"I'm supposed to be watching you, get back over here!" Damien orders.

"You're not that good of a babysitter. I wanna swim, not make some dumb sign." Virgil whines, crossing his arms and staring back at his brother.

Damien throws up his arms, looking at the sky. "God? Anybody, for crying out loud!"

"Come swim with me!" Virgil whines. Damien sighs.

"First Patton takes my yarmulke, and now he takes everyone else's sanity. Fine!" Yanking off his shoes, Damien angrily throws them down on the sand and runs into the water.

Virgil smiles at him, diving under the water and swimming a few feet away before surfacing. "There's shells!"

"Just don't get bit by a shark." Damien sighs, before his eyes light up with an idea. "Do you want to do something fun?"

"What?" Virgil asks, giggling when Sela began to swim out towards him, her head bobbing in the water.

"Let's make a raft!" Damien suggests. "We could paddle it around."

Virgil pauses, looking unsure. "I don't know. We're supposed to be picking berries."

Damien bites back a snarky reply and smiles as brightly as he can. "Dad and Papa are spending time together. They won't even notice we're gone. And with the way you eat, they won't question any missing berries either."

Virgil laughs, diving underwater again and disappearing.

Damien waits until Virgil resurfaces, beginning to play fetch in the water with Sela before he goes back to shore.