Motorcycles and Lies (Anxceit)

Family

    Virgil drove home, the past twelve hours’ worth of emotions finally catching up to him. He stayed on the main roads, unwilling to be in a more private area despite the tears flowing from his eyes. He turned into an alleyway, the houses along the road looking old and dilapidated, something he knew all too well. Virgil parked the motorcycle beside a porch littered with broken outdoor furniture and glass. He chained it to a bent fence post with a padlock before heading into the door attached to the porch. 

    Virgil pushed the door open, willing it not to squeak, though, it did not comply. He scanned the area, in front of him was a dirtied kitchen with trash and dust. He looked to his left when seeing no one in the kitchen to the living room where a TV was playing the local news. Janus’s attack was being reported so Virgil tried to block it out and see if his mother was sleeping in her chair. Seeing she was, he crept forward into the house, closing the door behind him with speed rivaling a snail’s. He pressed on, staring down at the floor boards to avoid certain ones with uneven edges that tended to make noise. 

    “Virgil!” he froze, unsure of what to do. He tried to continue up to the base of the stairs. However, he was stopped by someone grabbing the hood of his black hoodie. He grabbed at the front, trying to get rid of the choking feeling around his neck. Virgil’s hood was dropped, him falling to the ground with a harsh ‘thump!’ Pain shot through his tailbone as he scambled away from his mother.

    “What are you doing out so late?!” she yelled, shoving her phone in his face, the time on the home screen read ‘9:30 pm,’ well within his curfew that had been set a few years ago.

    “Mom, it's nin-” he was cut off by an angry screech of, “Don’t talk back to your mother!”

    He bit back a retort, knowing exactly how the conversation would go if he pressed it. He stood up carefully, not wanting to upset his mother, who was clearly on something. His mother relaxed and waddled back to the living room, “Get me a beer and go to your room.”

    Virgil shook with emotion and conflict, not wanting to get the beer but feared the punishment. He’s always been fitter and larger than his mother, but she was the one with the power to kick him out. He walked quietly to the kitchen and then to the refrigerator, tugging hard to finally let him in. Virgil grabbed one of the beers, his bangs falling over his eyes as he crouched down to get one. He didn’t push the bang back, feeling more reserved than usual. He went back to the living room, placed the beer in his mother’s outstretched hand, and then left for the stairs. 

    Virgil hurried up, checked a bedroom on one of the upstairs, and then went to the other side when he saw it was empty. He poked his head into his own bedroom and saw his brother passed out on his bed, hugging the stuffed dog he always carried around the house for comfort. Virgil awed at the sight, but Patton was in his room, that can’t be a good sign. 

    “Pat?” He said softly, sitting on the edge of his bed by Patton’s waist. A small noise came from the twin as he opened his eyes slowly to look up at Virgil. “Can I lay with you?”

    Patton nodded and made room for Virgil, not leaving his sleepy stage of awakening. Virgil laid down and pulled the blankets over himself, which Patton already was under. “Do you want to talk about it?”

    Patton shook his head, “Where were you?” 

    Virgil chuckled and picked at his nails. “Just seeing a friend. You know, the one I told you about?” Patton moved closer and nodded into Virgil’s arm, the warm air that was previously trapped under the blanket being uprooted from Virgil lifted it. 

    “Cold?” Virgil teased, moving closer to ensure the other wouldn’t feel the chill for long. Patton didn’t respond, just pressed himself further to Virgil to cement himself into the warmth of Virgil’s hoodie. Virgil sighed and finally let himself relax, the feeling of protecting his brother making him feel better. He knew that he took the brunt of their mom’s words instead of Patton, and he would have it no other way. He rested his chin on Patton’s wavy curls, curls that matched his when his hair wasn’t straightened, and drifted off to sleep.

A/N
Sorry for the short chapter, it was just for world building and character introduction so I hope you enjoyed!