Strong (Sander Sides Highschool AU)

Chapter 10

TW: mention of abuse, mention of drugs, panic attack, bullying

                   Chapter 10

For the rest of the lunch period Virgil and Roman shared stories about their experiences with it and Roman gave tips to him to help with recovery.
"Wow, how could your mom not notice? Did you not have family dinners together? And how could she not notice the weight you were rapidly losing?" Roman asked in awe.
"Heheh, yeah she's I guess not the best parent..I guess. I'm sorry this is making her sound really bad. She was nice..sometimes.." He started playing with the strings on his hoodie again and biting on them a bit.
"How come you had to move in with your dad?" Ro leaned back on the grass and looked at the sky. It was bright but he loved the sun on his skin.
"I-uh-please don't make me answer that.." Virgil rubbed his arm and gripped it while biting his lip and looking off.
"That's alright. I bet she did something like drugs or something." Roman laughed and put his hands behind his head.
"Nah," Virgil laughed with him and laid back next to him. "God, it'd be way worse if there were drugs."
They heard the bell ring from the inside of the school and started packing up their stuff.
"Ugh, great time for Logan to lecture me and Patton on science or whatever." Roman groaned and rolled his eyes.
"Isn't it chemistry?" Virgil asked putting his bag on his back.
"I don't know, do we~" Roman flirted and Virgil felt a slight bit of blush creep across his face before shaking it off.
"S-shut up, princy." Virgil rubbed his face trying to get the blush off but ultimately failing because that's not how that works.
"Oh! How's your practicing going with the role?" Roman said as they started walking up to their classes.
"I haven't even gotten it chill. And I honestly have no idea what I'm doing."
"Oh, you could come over to my place if you need help practicing!" Roman smiled brightly.
Patton and Logan met up with the two boys in the hall.
"You're place? Like together? Alone? Practicing?" Virgil put his hood over his head feeling his face get hot and ran off. "I have to go!"
"Well that was weird. Wonder if that was a yes or a no?" Roman tapped his chin.
"Uhhh, okay then, is he okay RoRo?" Patton tilted his head as they walked to chemistry.
"He is acting unusual , Roman what did you do to him?" Logan said as they walked through the door and set down his books on his desk.
"Ex-cuseee me, Mr. McSpecs! I've done nothing wrong! In fact he even hugged me today!" Roman stuck out his tongue at him and Logan rolled his eyes looking down at a book.
"Awwww that's so sweet!" Patton looked at Roman with puppy eyes and a big smile.
"Patton, I feel the need to point out that you are being," Logan pulls out a vocab card and holds it up. "Cute af?"
Roman bursted out laughing and Patton giggled a bit and smiled at Lo.
"Hehe, you're silly, Lo." Patton poked Logans chest and then got out his notebooks for class.
Meanwhile, Virgil was in class with his hood still on and his face slammed on the desk. Janus took his seat next to him and looked over at him.
"What happened?" Janus poked Virgils head to see if he was still alive.
"Well someone asked me to come over to their house for homework stuff." Virgil kept his head on the desk.
"Oh, god, I hate those creeps they're so gross. I'll have Remus beat them up for you if you'd like." Janus took Vee's hood off.
"What? Oh gosh, no, it was someone I know. And it was for the whole acting thing, ya know," He picked his head up. "I don't know why it got to me so much, just did."
"Ooooo~ sounds like someones gotta crush!~ Oop, oop!" Janus teased, putting a hand over his mouth.
"Oh, god, dear hell no! Not him! God he can be so annoying, but sweet. And he calls me names, which is cute. And oh. My god! He's always invading my personal space!"
"Sounds like you hate him and like him? I'm like super confused." Janus threw his hands up in confusion.
"Janus! V-," the teacher looked down at her clipboard of names. "Virgin! Do you two have something you'd like to share with the class?"
The whole class started laughing at Virgils name and Janus shot them all a glare. Virgil looked down and put his hood back on.
"Emo Virgin!" Someone shouted from across the room. The teacher just rolled her eyes and turned to the board. Hearing those words made Virgil panic and he started shaking.
"Shut up, asshole!" Janus yelled at the person. Virgil ran out of the room and took off. He didn't know where he was just running. Janus raced after him and watch as he ran into the bathroom. Virgil fell to the ground finding it harder and harder to breathe and see. All he could see were the faces of those boys from his old school. And everything that happened before this year. It all started racing back to him and he grabbed his hair. He felt someone place their hands on his shoulders and looked up to see Janus.
"Virgil, breathe with me. In through your nose, out through your mouth." Janus took a few breaths and Virgil did the same. After a few minutes he was calmer and Janus sat down next to him instead of in front of him.
"You wanna talk about what happened?" Janus looked over at the anxious emo who was still using some breathing techniques.
"N-no, I'm fine thank you." Virgil ran his hands through his hair and taking deep breaths.
"Alright. Do you wanna go back to class?"
"Not yet, gimme a sec. I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault, you had a panic attack. Those are almost impossible to control." Janus fixed his hat and took a breath.
"Ok." Virgil got up and walked to the sink and splashed some water in his face while Janus got him some towels.
"Some of these kids in this school..they're horrible. But we manage." Janus handed him the towels.
"Who's we?" Virgil asked wiping his face off.
"Me, Remus, Roman, Logan, Patton, and a few other kids." Janus counted on his fingers.
"But Romans so, you know, extra and popular. He doesn't seem to care what anyone thinks."
"Doesn't mean people don't hate him. The gay theater nerd who's loud and always singing in the halls. Yeah, no one would pick on him." Janus said sarcastically and Virgil laughed a bit.
"I guess you're right but what about Patton and Logan? I mean Pattons like super kind and stuff and Logans super smart. I understand Remus, he seems like an asshole crackhead."
"Patton may be sweet but to some people he's too sweet. He's also gullible and easy to manipulate. Logan may be book smart but he has zero street smarts and isn't really good with people his age." Janus leaned against a wall. "And Remus isn't an asshole, he's just a dumbass."
"Oh."
"And obviously me, I look like a fucking snake thanks to this scar. And you I guess because of you're name? And you're emo. Clearly emotionally vulnerable and probably easy to pushover. Don't worry, we got your back."
"Gee, how could you tell I'm emo." Virgil smirked sarcastically and Janus smiled.
"Finally, someone who speaks my language. Sarcasm. Also we should really head back to class I have a feeling the teach-" Janus was cut off but a yell of the school security guard.
"Hey! Get your asses outta the bathroom! You two ran outta class, you're getting detention and you're teacher is calling your parents right now!" He yelled at them and pulled them out of the bathroom.
"Oh no, I care so much." Janus threw his hands in the air and rolled his eyes and Virgil snickered at his comment.
"Detention tomorrow too! Wanna another one, troublemaker," He yelled at Janus and then looked at Virgil. "And you! You're in thin ice!"
Virgil jumped back a bit when the security guard raised his finger at him.
"Oh, leave him alone, Brickly." Janus stood up for him and took Virgil by the wrist and walked back to class with him.
"Yeah, you better get back to class." Brickly shouted at them as they walked off.
"Don't worry about him, he's just mad because he's not a real cop." Janus laughed and let go of his wrist.
"Eh, cops suck anyways." Virgil put his hands in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders.
"Honestly though," Janus put his hand on the door nob. "You ok to go in?"
"Mn, sure. I think I'll be ok." Virgil took a deep breath as Janus opened the door. The teacher stopped and stared at them angrily and the class partially in shock.
"Well it's nice of you two to join us!" She shouted and the class went silent.
"Oh shut up, Susan. You're just mad you're underpaid and you just got divorced. And I don't blame your husband either, you're kind of a bitch." Janus rolled his eyes and crossed his arms and Virgil went wide eyed. Some people in the class started snickering and the teacher got angrier.
"Get out of my classroom, snake freak! And go to the principal's office right now!" She yelled and Virgil felt his body go into shock and shake.
"Thank god! Bye, Virge if anyone messes with you," he turns to the class. "I won't hesitate to send Remus after them."
"Bye, Jan." Virgil took his seat in the back and started shaking his leg.
"You wanna tell the class why you decided to run out, young man?" The teacher barked at him which made him shake more and stop breathing.
"P-panic a-attack!" He yelled out and was shaking like crazy.
"Whatever, let's get on with todays lesson." She turned back around and started teaching. Virgil took a deep breath. He was still shaking but it was less than it was before.

AN: Sympathetic Janus UwU