Soul Bound

Chapter Eight: The Best Laid Plans

Virgil had been avoiding Thomas and Joan all week. He didn't want to, but he did. He couldn't face them, not after what he said to Janus.

Certainly not after finding out he'd be leaving them forever anyway.

He was in his room when the window suddenly opened. His heart leaped into his throat and he was ready to attack until he saw who the intruders were.

"Joan? Thomas?"

"Surprise, motherfucker," Joan greeted as the two of them climbed into his room.

"What's going on, Virge?" Thomas asked. "Talk to me."

"No, nothing's going on," Virgil replied, turning his back and sitting on his bed, facing the wall. "Just get out, I don't wanna talk to you."

He didn't like that he had to say it. Yet he said it anyway. This was for their own good, he just didn't know how to tell them that.

"No." Thomas climbed onto Virgil's bed and sat in front of him. "You don't get to do that."

Virgil blinked in surprise. He looked away from Thomas, suddenly on the verge of tears.

"You don't get to avoid me and Joan for days, and lock yourself up in your room, and yell at Janus over something they didn't do, and then get away with it! Now what is going on? You're worrying me, man!"

A single tear finally escaped, quickly followed by a second. He quietly snuffled, wiping his face with the ends of his sleeves.

"I can't."

"Hey." Thomas took Virgil's face in his hands, forcing him to make eye contact. "Talk to me."

Virgil began openly weeping. "I'm sorry!" he gasped. "I - I don't- w-wanna go! But he-he's making- me! I don't wanna- leave you!"

"You're moving?" Joan asked, finally speaking up.

"I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't- wanna."

"Shh, it's okay," Thomas said soothingly. "You'll be okay. I promise."

Virgil awoke to an incessant poking feeling on his shoulder.

It didn't take him long to figure out it was because he was being poked.

"Virgil," Remy murmured. "Wake up, buddy."

Virgil groaned tiredly, not wanting to go back to school. He wasn't ready to face the day, he wanted to sleep the day away.

Of course, the universe was never particularly inclined to giving him what he wanted.

"Come on, we have school."

"As if I didn't know that," Virgil finally replied.

"Oh my god, he lives."

Virgil scoffed as he forced himself to sit up. He stretched his arms over his head until he felt his shirt rise above his belly button.

"Wait, dude, do you have a six pack?" Remy suddenly asked, poking Virgil's stomach and making him flinch.

"It's barely a two pack, much less a six pack," he quipped, wrapping his arms around himself.

"O-M-G, are you ticklish?"

"Fuck off."

Emile walked into the room, bright and cheery as ever. "Virgil! You're awake!"

"Unfortunately," Virgil said, yawning and rubbing his eyes.