Disclaimer I do not own Static Shock or any of its wonderful characters. I am simply borrowing them for my plot.

Summary Richie has plans to go to college across the country, but what does Virgil think of this plan?

Rated T for some light cursing and very much implied sexual activity.

A/N: This was written on a whim. I had an image in my head of Virgil crying like this and it was so adorable and so heartbreaking that I couldn't help but write about it. Also, I just wanted write something about Richie being from California.

Please review after you read this. Thank you!

Virgil was not the type of person to admit when he was in love.

Or admit if he loved anyone at all, for that matter. Thinking about it, Virgil realized there were not many times that he told someone those three little words. There was so much behind those words, and he did not want to say it to just anyone.

But Richie was far from being 'just anyone.'

Virgil and Richie had been friends since fifth grade, right after his mother died. Looking back on it, Virgil probably would not have made it through her death had it not been for Richie. The blond was his confidante, his go-to guy, and his best friend. Ever since they became friends, they had been through everything together. Puberty, the awkward preteen stages, becoming superheroes, getting a license, graduating high school, and all the highs and lows—they had been through it all together.

Now Richie was leaving.

The genius had been accepted to college on the west coast. Being originally from California, Richie saw this as the perfect opportunity to get out of New York. Alas, though, it left Virgil absolutely devastated, because he was absolutely certain that he would never see his best friend again. Sure, he would come home for breaks, but Virgil wanted to see his best friend all the time, not just during Christmas.

The thought of becoming estranged absolutely killed Virgil.

Then there was another thought to cross Virgil's mind: Why was Richie leaving at all? Sure, he had said he wanted to go back to where he grew up, but what about Virgil? Did their friendship really mean so little to him that he would just leave like that?

It was a ridiculous though, of course. Virgil knew better than that; he knew that Richie valued their friendship. He knew he was a hard person to get along with, and the fact that Richie had stayed by his side so long proved that he valued their friendship.

Still, though, Virgil could not help the feeling of being abandoned by his best friend. A feeling he knew all too well. He had felt the same emotions when his mother died; like she had abandoned him. He of course knew better than that now, but he could not shake the feeling this time, with Richie.

In twelve hours, Richie was going to the airport to catch a flight to California. In twelve hours, Virgil would be stuck in Dakota, going to Dakota University, while his best friend was on the other side of the country.

While the man he loved was on the other side of the country.

He did not know when he figured out, but he did know his love for Richie was an emotion that he had been playing around with for weeks. It was before he found our Richie was leaving, for sure, but the feelings only intensified because of that discovery.

There had to be something Virgil could do to convince Richie to stay in Dakota. He did not want to seem like an ass, but he also refused to lose his best friend to The Golden State.

Yeah, Virgil really did feel like he was being abandoned.

This was not okay, and something really needed to be done about it, and quickly. He only had eleven hours left.

Grabbing his Shock Vox, Virgil pressed the button and said, "Richie? You there, man?"

After a minute, Virgil got his response. "I'm here, bro. I'm doing some last minute packing, though. What's up?"

Virgil felt his heart sink. "Can you meet me at the gas station?"

"Virgil… I'm—"

"I know. You're packing. Please? I promise this will take an hour at most. Then you can go home and keep packing." Virgil took in a deep breath. The next thing he said was a little hushed, but he was sure Richie had heard it. "I just… really need to tell you something before you leave… It needs to be face-to-face."

"Alright, V, I'll meet you at the gas station in fifteen minutes."

"See you then," Virgil said. He tossed his walkie-talkie to the side and bolted it out the door.

Virgil had managed to run the entire way to the gas station. Much to his surprise, he was not out of breath. It was probably a combination of being so fit from superheroing and adrenaline.

Also, much to Virgil's surprise, Richie was already there. He must have driven. It would explain his car outside. Why had Virgil not thought of that?

"You wanted to see me, Virgil?" Richie said, appearing from the shadows of the gas station.

The voice startled Virgil and he looked up. He would have joked about Richie being in the shadows, but he was set on what he wanted to say. These words were not ones he said often, if ever, and he wanted them to be sincere.

"Yeah," Virgil said, making his way to the couch and sitting down. He scooted a little toward Richie when the blond sat down as well. "There are some things I wanted to tell you.

"Well, not 'things.' Just one thing… but it's a pretty big thing. So I guess it could account for multiple little things. Well, no, I guess it's just one really big thing that I want to tell you."

"V—"

"Though, I suppose if you want to see it as more than one thing…"

"Virg—"

"…then that would be alright, too…"

"Virgil!"

Virgil blinked and looked at Richie in shock. "What?"

"You're rambling," he said and then sighed. "Virgil, what did you bring me here to tell me? I really need—"

Virgil cut Richie off with a kiss. It was a passionate kiss that most certainly said 'I love you.' Richie was frozen from shock for the duration of it and relaxed just a little bit only when Virgil finally pulled away. The flush in Virgil's cheeks made Richie's stomach flip.

"What was…?"

"Richie, please don't go to California…" Virgil began.

Richie furrowed his eyebrows, slight irritation crossing his features. "Virgil, my flight is in ten hours. I've been offered a full ride to this place. I thought you were okay with me going? Why would I not—"

Virgil was looking anywhere but Richie's eyes. He could not bring himself to look at his friend because he was starting to cry and did not want Richie to see it. The only other time Virgil cried was when there were strong emotions about his mother going around. His mother was the only person Virgil cried about.

Now there was Richie.

"I love you," Virgil said, choked by the tears.

Richie felt his heart drop along with his jaw. He looked up at Virgil who was now looking at him. Sure enough, tears were streaming uncontrollably down Virgil's face. Richie closed his mouth, wishing he could pick his heart up from his stomach. Virgil was a level of vulnerable that even Richie had never seen.

"Richie, please don't leave," Virgil said through the tears and gasps of air. "I—I ne—eed y—you, Richie. Please… don't leave me…"

Virgil's crying became stronger and louder and his body shook violently, creating small surges of static electricity. The violent shaking vibrated against Richie, as they were right next to each other due to the earlier kiss. It also meant that he was occasionally shocked by a small wattage of electricity. Richie had never seen Virgil cry like this. Not even when he broke down because he realized his mother was never coming back.

Then all of a sudden Stanford did not seem so important. Perhaps he had been a fool to think he could go to school without Virgil. The man sobbing in front him was his best friend. There was no one else in the world that mattered too Richie as much as this man did.

Apparently Virgil felt the same way about him.

"Richie, p—please stay with me!" Virgil started again, his voice still cracking and shaking from the heavy sobbing. He continued to form small electric bolts that hit Richie in the thigh where he had been shot. Virgil drew his legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around them—he was trying to stop shocking Richie. He also hoped it would stop his body from shaking. No such luck and he continued to cry.

"I—I'll miss you…"

Richie got up on his knees and pulled Virgil's body into a warm embrace, resting his chin on Virgil's dreads. He held Virgil close until he heard his partner stop crying. Thankfully, it did not take long, save for the occasional small whimpers.

Richie had made his decision.

Perhaps it would piss off his parents, but Virgil was more important. He was way more important than some Ivy League university and a full ride.

"I'm not going," Richie said, gently stroking Virgil's hair to soothe him.

"Virgil, I was so stupid to think you would actually be okay with me going to school in California." He paused, half scoffing, half laughing to himself. He had been so gung-ho about going to Stanford and back to California that he had not stopped to think of the magnitude of his actions. California was his old life; Virgil was his present and hopefully his future. "Fuck, I'm stupid to think that I would have been okay with that." Richie got back in a sitting position on the couch and lifted Virgil's tear-stained face gently. "Virgil, I am so sorry. I never meant to hurt you.

"I love you, too," Richie said softly, warmed by the smiled that formed across Virgil's lips. That was the trick to pulling his heart up from his stomach.

They tried the kiss again, initiated by Richie. This time it was a lot slower and more sensuous. Richie had his hands tangled up in Virgil's dreads and Virgil wrapped his arms around Richie's back. This kiss was the definition of fireworks; it put any movie star kiss to shame; and, it certainly gave Disney a run for its money.

Virgil and Richie spent the rest of the night at the gas station together, despite the number of phone calls from Richie's parents that went ignored. They spent the night in self-discovery and sharing feelings neither of them would think to share with anyone else. By the end of the night, they were more than just best friends—they were also lovers and partners: physically, mentally, and emotionally.

The next morning, Richie told his parents he decided to not go to Stanford. Just as he figured, it pissed them off. Not that he understood why; they were not even paying for it. They sounded irritated when they asked him why he was not going.

It was a simple answer that had so much meaning. "Virgil."