Virgil wished he could replace his whole IT class with laying side by side with Logan on their laptops and learning to code. Learning is three times as fun when it's paired with kissing your boyfriend, and it's already pretty damn fun. Logan really lights up when he's learning and Virgil loved watching him smile while they went over some extracurricular learning. The class was even less dreadful afterwords. Or perhaps Virgil was just walking on clouds still from Logan's very gentle kisses. Virgil plodded back to his dorm afterward to catch up on his new online class homework for the week so he could get it out of the way.
Roman must have left to practice his pieces again since he wasn't in the dorm when Virgil got back. After being will all three of them at lunch, it was a little lonely in the dorm by himself. Virgil didn't mind the time to focus on his schoolwork, but he must have gotten used to working quietly with Roman across the room already. Either that or there was just a little bond separation melancholy going on. Virgil didn't fully know how all this bullshit worked with Broods. He hadn't made one since D, and Virgil didn't remember much before they met. He knew someone who might though, someone he promised he'd text. Virgil pulled out his phone and texted Emile.
'Hey, you busy? This is V. Ro gave me your number,' Virgil sent.
'Not at the moment. I have an appointment in 20 minutes. Roman mentioned he'd been bothering you to text me. Did you want to set up an appointment?' Emile sent back. Virgil groaned in objection. This was about how he thought it would go.
'No. I'm not interested in opening up that can of worms. Thomas said you could help with disambiguation and I wanted to know if there were any Brood facts I didn't know. Like, for instance, if I just miss my friends or if there's some bond bullshit happening right now.' Virgil sent back.
'There's a little of separation anxiety with the bond, yes. (Perhaps also an instinct to protect being on high alert.) The bond isn't bullhonkey, V, it's a wonderful thing to share with others.' Emile responded.
'Tell that to the last time Deceit and I broke up.' Virgil sent back bitterly.
'I wouldn't know what happened there, friendo. you'd have to tell me.' Emile sent.
'Let. Sleeping. Dogs. Lie. Emile.' Virgil texted with clapping emojis. 'What about emotional disambiguation?'
'As Remington puts it, I'd love it if you spilled the tea. But I can't force you to talk about anything you don't want to.' Emile sent. Remington? Wow, that's an older one. Maybe he was like Virgil and kept his name for the most part. 'The best tip I can give you, without you attending a couples session with your friends, would be that they should do it the same as you.'
'The same? I thought Brood couldn't shield.' Virgil texted curiously.
'Not as thoroughly as you or your Blood, but there's power along the bond. Especially if they have fresh venom. They wouldn't be protected from psychic or emotional attacks like you, but they could go about their day mostly unaware of you, say, harboring centuries of guilt.' Emile sent back. That bitch.
'Exactly how much did Roman tell you?' Virgil texted, feeling annoyed.
'Just because Roman isn't a client doesn't mean I won't keep our vent sessions private.' Emile texted back. Virgil groaned and smacked his head against his desk.
'great, fantastic, magical,,,' Virgil sent, tapping his foot furiously and scowling.
'Do you often use sarcasm to cope with stressful situations?' Emile replied.
'I'm rethinking that double date with Remy now' Virgil responded.
'All right, I'll drop it. Remy is very excited to punch you.' Emile texted back.
'Same. Do you have any hints for Remy's emoji code? I'm this close to cracking it.' Virgil sent back, changing the subject.
'The dancing girl is a mood but also a modifier.' Emile texted.
'I already knew that, Emmy. tell me about the wrench.' Virgil sent with an eye roll emoji.
'It means a problem or some kind of labor, usually.' Emile replied.
'Damn, more metaphors? Maybe I'm not that close to cracking it.' Virgil responded.
'Good luck, V.' Emile sent with a smiling emoji and a waving emoji.
Well, that was a thing that happened. Virgil wasn't making an appointment with Emile unless Pat and Ro really struggled with shielding. Virgil got the distinct feeling that Emile was like a dog with a bone. And Virgil just really didn't want to talk about it. He wasn't a sad business recluse anymore, and that was plenty of progress for now.
It would still be light out for a few hours, but Virgil could invite Patton over early. He wasn't sure if they were available right away, but if they wanted to draw together tonight, they probably wanted to hang out, anyway. Virgil shot Patton a text and turned back to his computer to read some fiction.
Virgil only read a chapter when Patton sent a few celebration emojis and some arrows pointing up. They came knocking on Virgil's door a few minutes later, and it sounded a little like they were dancing in the hall behind the door. Virgil got up from the computer desk to let Patton in, feeling very amused and endeared.
"Virge!" Patton chirped and leaped into hug Virgil in a manner that could only be described as aggressive friendship. Virgil was surprised by the sudden hug attack and backed out of the doorway with Patton still clinging tight. "I missed you so much!" Patton nestled into Virgil's chest.
"I missed you too, Pat. Can I close the door?" Virgil asked, bewildered and bemused by Patton's clinginess. It had been hours, not days.
"Sure," Patton tittered, not letting Virgil go. Virgil rolled his eyes and used one arm to lift Patton and turned to close the door. "To the bed!" Patton cheered. Virgil chuckled and picked up Patton and carefully maneuvered the both of them into Virgil's loft. And it was a feat of angling and gravity alteration since Patton refused to let go. Patton wasn't afraid to use their strength for aggressive friendship.
"You want to learn how to use the telepathy and stuff or do something else until the sun sets?" Virgil asked, wrapping his arms around Patton, who finally let go slightly to readjust themselves to sit more comfortably on the loft.
"Teach me the brain magic!" Patton cheered.
"I'm glad you're enthusiastic, but it's better at first if you're calm," Virgil said with a little chuckle. Patton seemed to try to settle down by making an impassive face, but their cheeks puffed up a little with the effort and it made Virgil break out laughing.
"Virge," Patton whined and stuck out their lower lip.
"Sorry, sorry," Virgil said, still chuckling. Virgil took a deep breath and focused.
"How do you do that?" Patton asked curiously.
"Ages of practice, so I tortured my boyfriend less. Take a deep breath, hold it, and let it out slow and try not to focus on a specific emotion," Virgil supplied. Patton took a few tries but did settle down.
"I did it!" Patton said excitedly. "Whoops," Virgil broke out laughing again.
"You're just a bundle of emotions in a meat suit, huh," Virgil said.
"Gross, Virge," Patton grimaced and stuck out their tongue. Virgil and Patton both took a breath together and settled back down.
"Alright, this stuff is all about projection. I just want you to start by thinking about a shape and get it firmly in your head," Virgil instructed.
"Okay," Patton said with determination, squeezing their eyes shut.
"Don't try so hard, or you'll hurt yourself, hon," Virgil warned. Patton's face loosened.
"Now what?" Patton asked.
"You've got it solidly? I want you to mentally push it at me. Visualize it flying to me if it helps. Hit me in the head with your shape," Virgil said. Patton's mouth shifted around like they were mulling something over. "It's okay if it takes a while. Once you do it the first time, It'll open the path and be so much easier after that," Patton stiffed and loosened, almost going through a face journey in Virgil's arms. "Keep breathing normally, Pat," Virgil chided when Patton started breathing shallowly.
"This hurts my head," Patton groaned, opening their eyes and pouting at Virgil.
"Then you are trying too hard. Just picture yourself throwing something at me and it hitting me in the head or something. It doesn't have to be complex, it just has to connect," Virgil said softly.
"I don't want to imagine that!" Patton whined and chewed on their lip.
"It can be a pillow or shooting a water gun or something. I just need you to connect with me at a distance," Virgil explained consolingly, ruffling their hair a bit.
"Distances suck," Patton pouted again, pushing out their bottom lip and wobbling it dramatically.
"You're literally in my arms, Patton, the distance is mental. You just need to feel yourself, your object and me, and make me and the object connect. It's much easier than the other methods," Virgil offered, feeling a little exasperated but keeping even. He knew it was hard at first, but Patton was being a little melodramatic about it.
"What's the other methods?" Patton asked curiously, dropping the ridiculous pout for curiosity.
"Astral projecting or me forcefully opening it, which would hurt like hell," Virgil said. "I can't teach you how to project, and I'm not willing to force it open. Hit me in the head with a snowball or something. A ball of kisses. A tiny dragon. It doesn't matter as long as you feel the shape firmly in your head to connect yourself to it,"
'Unicorns!' Patton thought loudly.
'Pat, I flubbed my lines! Why are you shouting about unicorns?' Roman thought back loudly.
"I think you pushed too hard, Pat. If you project that hard Deceit and Roman can hear you too," Virgil said with a chuckle. "You opened the connection though. All you have to do now is just try to project the thought you're focusing on a little less,"
'Sorry, I'm just teaching them, and they were very enthusiastic as usual,' Virgil thought to Roman.
'Yeesh, it scared the shit out of me,' Roman thought back.
'Daffodils?' Patton thought at Virgil, much quieter this time.
'Are lovely flowers,' Virgil thought at Patton. Patton screeched in excitement and wriggled excitedly in Virgil's arms. 'I'm not sure if he heard you, but why don't you apologize to D for the sudden thought of unicorns?' Patton laughed and looked up and to the side. A classic thinking face. It was adorable.
"No response," Patton said. Virgil hugged them close.
"He's probably just out of range. You'll have to text him first for him to reach out to you," Virgil said.
"How come I didn't have to connect with Roman or D for them to hear me?" Patton asked.
"It's kind of hard to explain, but it's basically because I'm the conduit. If I was somehow incapacitated, it'd stop working. You're thinking through me to him. I just won't hear unless you want me to," Virgil explained and stroked Patton's hair.
"Wow," Patton's eyes sparkled. "Wait! Hair!" Patton shouted and raised up an arm suddenly, smacking Virgil in the face. Patton looked concerned and Virgil rolled his eyes, shaking his head with a half-smirk.
"What about hair, Patton?" Virgil asked testily.
"You made Roman's red, right? I want to make mine pastel rainbow! It'd be too hard to do myself and my hair would get fried," Patton supplied.
"I think I would need a reference picture," Virgil said, a little confused. "You know it feels wrong, right?"
"I know, and it's a small price to pay for cool hair," Patton said firmly, with a little nod. They reached into their pocket and pulled out their phone. "Like this," They said, showing a photo to Virgil on their phone. It was dyed vertically across the hair, a side-swept style that was a few inches longer than Patton's short loose curls.
"Did you eat enough for me to grow your hair? Deceit says it makes him ravenous," Virgil asked, raising his eyebrow.
"You can grow my hair!?" Patton shouted with wide eyes. Virgil flinched back at the volume and Patton looked apologetic.
"Maybe?" Virgil supplied, shrugging. "If I picture that specifically, it might make your hair grow and I don't want to take the chance of you passing out,"
"Let me eat some pizza!" Patton said excitedly, sitting up and climbing down the ladder. They pulled the leftovers from lunch out of Roman's fridge with a little shimmy. Virgil chuckled at Patton looking eager as they extracted a piece from the box. "Even if it doesn't grow, I got more pizza, so it's a win-win," Patton smiled slyly.
"I can't argue with that logic," Virgil chuckled and sat back on his loft, watching Patton eat cold pizza a little faster than was probably safe. "Pat, it would be the worst turning story in history if I had to Blood you because you choked to death on pizza," Virgil chided. Patton slowed down and turned to Virgil, looking a little pale. "Just slow down," Virgil rolled his eyes and motioned with his hand. Patton nodded and ate at a more reasonable pace.
Patton pulled out a sports drink from Roman's fridge while putting away the rest of the pizza leftovers. They climbed onto the bunk and sat expectantly in Virgil's lap with a bright expectant grin. Virgil sighed and placed his hand on Patton's head, raking his fingers through Patton's hair, trying to replicate the photo. Patton writhed uncomfortably in his arms and made a very sickened face.
'Holy shit, what the fuck is that?' Roman thought at Virgil as the last threads separated from his fingers.
'Um, sorry, Pat wanted their hair dyed. I didn't realize you'd be able to feel it,' Virgil apologized.
'Ugh, I feel like I got digested by an eel or something. Never do that without warning me again,' Roman thought at him, rather uncharitably.
'Fair. Sorry again,' Virgil thought sheepishly back at him.
"Okay, so Roman felt that so I think it's only fair to not do it again today, so I hope you like it. But it grew your hair," Virgil said, still feeling sheepish.
"Ugh, that really is awful," Patton groaned. "My hair grew, though?" Patton asked hopefully and pulled out their phone. They checked their hair in the selfie camera and squealed in delight, though sounding a little tired. They opened the sports drink and chugged half of it after a second of admiring their hair. Then opened back up the camera and flipped the hair around some more, playing with the strands.
"Glad you like it," Virgil said jovially. "Do you want to work on shielding so we can maybe disturb Roman's rehearsal less?"
"Okay. Roman said it was something about separating the emotions, though, and it all feels muddled to me," Patton said, sounding less than optimistic. Virgil dropped his shield, and Patton's face settled into a soft smile.
"We can work on that. Roman's feeling determined. So you can just look up something that makes you sad. I'll do something that makes me happy. Anything you feel other than sad is me or Roman. And you just need to know what isn't you instead of knowing who's feeling what," Virgil offered.
"Why can't I look up happy things?" Patton pouted.
"Because happy and determined are like warm colors, so you need to be on the cool colors spectrum of the rainbow. You can do melancholy or scared if you like. It's easier to separate if it's opposite enough," Virgil explained. "We don't have to do this now,"
"No, I feel bad about bothering Roman twice…" Patton grumbled and trailed off.
"That's the spirit! Focus on that feeling. I'll just be proud of you," Virgil said with a smile. Patton was confused for a moment, but their face returned to dower and they raised their hand to their chest and seemed to consider something with their eyes closed. It was a little frustrating there was no way to guide Patton further without the basics. Virgil tried to keep his concern at bay and focus on being cheery while Patton carefully parsed out what feeling meant what. Virgil had to switch from proud to hopeful, his anxiety opposing him too much in his head.
"I think something changed that wasn't me?" Patton said, sounding confused.
"That was me. That's good. Are you getting it?" Virgil asked, his hopefulness being bolstered.
"I think so," Patton mumbled.
"Can you visualize your emotional energy as separate from the others?" Virgil guided them. Patton nodded and scrunched up their face again.
"Visualize a shield around yourself and your energy and force it like you forced out a unicorn," Virgil said, trying to guide them as Emile recommended. And then Virgil was rammed into the wall by an invisible force. He exhaled in surprise and looked around quickly for a moment.
"Holy shit, Pat," Virgil mumbled, pressed against the wall while Patton was balled up and concentrating.
"Hey, don't cuss, Mister- Why'd you stop holding me?" Patton opened their eyes and looked in confusion at Virgil. "Why are you sitting weird like that?"
"I think you've got a gift," Virgil said, in awe, slacking as the force receded back into Patton. The confusion slowly morphed in to shock on their face.
"What?!" Patton cried in excitement after they realized what Virgil meant. "What is it? What did I do?"
"You've got a shield. Like a literal one. You projected like a force field out of you," Virgil said, hugging Patton gently and rocking slightly with excitement.
"I thought you had to give me venom or whatever for that?" Patton said, bouncing excitedly in Virgil's arms.
"Well, you still have fresh venom in you and you're extremely blessed, I suppose. That was faster than Deceit even got his gift," Virgil offered, not entirely sure himself of how it happened.
"Well shoot, now how am I supposed to block off my emotions?" Patton asked, suddenly sobered.
"Um. This might have been another one of those 'you're thinking too hard' things. And you need to do it passively instead of actively, maybe?" Virgil offered, still feeling thrown for a loop about the whole shield thing. He really only knew how to use his gift. He's heard of shield gifts before, but never how it's different to put up a mental shield instead of a physical one.
"Well, now all I feel is excitement," Patton said, sounding pretty cheery despite the disappointment.
"I can try to be sad when Roman finds out and assuredly gets jealous," Virgil offered facetiously.
"Oh, no! He's gonna be so upset!" Patton frowned. Then Patton must have realized the three moods were separate again and tried another time. Virgil braced himself for hitting the wall again, but it didn't come. Which is great, since Virgil really didn't want to have to explain to the college why there was a person-sized hole in his wall. Patton exhaled and looked around. Virgil didn't feel Patton at all anymore. It was like they were completely disconnected.
"Um, I think you have a mental shield better than mine, Pat, because I can't even find a strand of you," Virgil said, a little baffled. Patton bounced around again, cheering and whooping. Even choking a little and coughing they got so excited. "Pat, breathe!" Virgil said, holding them upright.
"I did it so fast!" Patton said after catching their breath.
"I guess you have a skill with shielding. Maybe that's why you got a gift for it?" Virgil supposed.
"Nuh-uh, it's because I want to protect my friends. I'm sure of it," Patton said, beaming.
"Well, it's not like I could ask Hecate, so I'll defer to your judgment," Virgil shrugged and leaned back against the wall with Patton in his arms.
"You sounded like Logan for a moment," Patton giggled.
"So how does shielding yourself protect your friends?" Virgil asked curiously, interested in Patton's reasoning. "And don't say human shield or I will go berserk," Virgil added angrily.
"Maybe if I can project it through the bond thing? I'd have to figure out the difference between you and Ro and you're both just so extra," Patton stuttered.
"Patton, there's no way you're not at least as extra as me," Virgil rolled his eyes.
"I didn't say I wasn't!" Patton laughed. Virgil could feel them bubble back up in his chest again. Patton sighed wearily. They must not be able to hold the shield long.
"Glass houses, Patton," Virgil warned playfully, pulling Patton up into a tighter embrace and rubbing his cheek against the top of their head.
'You two are an emotional roller-coaster and I give up trying to rehearse anymore!' Roman thought loudly. 'See you in a few minutes,' He added mentally in frustration.
"Uh… not it," Virgil said, the concern heavy in his voice.
"I don't want to break his heart!" Patton whined.
"I want to break it just as much as you!" Virgil objected.
"You're the alpha-thing!" Patton stated.
"Come on, we just started dating, I won't be able to get the words out," Virgil groaned. "I'm already scared enough he'll change his mind!"
"I'm not lying to him," Patton pouted.
"Is a lie of omission really that bad?" Virgil pleaded.
"Lying is wrong!" Patton crossed their arms and shook their head.
"Well, I think that means you're voting to tell him the truth," Virgil supplied. Patton made a shocked scoff and looked away. Patton never pulled out of his arms, though.
"Fine, but you're gonna hold him and put out calming vibes while I do it," Patton said grumpily.
"I will have to do a lot more than put out calming vibes," Virgil rolled his eyes.
"You'll make out with him if you have to!" Patton said angrily.
"That's kind of… manipulative, isn't it? More than just helping him to keep calm?" Virgil asked, feeling kind of weird about the suggestion.
"You're right, I'm sorry," Patton mumbled. "I just don't want him to hate me,"
"I don't think he'll hate you, Pat," Virgil offered in solace. "We'll find out soon, though, I can feel him nearby," Virgil added, his voice heavy with concern. Patton stiffened and swallowed. Roman came through the door a few tense minutes later.
"Okay, now you two are feeling all weird and conflicted, what's the with emotional madness and how do I stop it?" Roman asked, walking over to his desk and pulling the camera out of his bag. He hooked it up to his laptop and looked over to them when neither answered. "Hello?" Roman asked, waving his hand at them.
"We're having unshielded cuddles time if you want to join us, pal," Patton offered hopefully.
"You're both acting weird," Roman said, raising his eyebrow, walking over to climb up with them.
"We're both a little worried about your reaction," Virgil supplied. Roman climbed up and Patton scooted out of Virgil's lap to let Roman take their place.
"I can't react until you tell me whatever the big deal is," Roman rolled his eyes, and Virgil wrapped his arms around Roman. Patton leaned up against them both nervously and smiled weakly to Roman. Roman just raised his eyebrow at them.
"I've got a shield," Patton said quietly.
"Like Virgil's?" Roman asked for clarification.
"No, it's my own," Patton explained.
"I thought humans couldn't shield like vampires can," Roman said.
"Emile says you can, though it's not exactly the same," Virgil supplied. "But Patton's talking about something different,"
"What? But that would- I mean… Oh," Roman sounded confused and upset.
"I'm so sorry, kiddo," Patton said remorsefully. "Do you need me to leave?" Patton asked mournfully.
"No. No! I- It's fine, Pat. It's not like you got any say in it. I'm not mad at you," Roman said, feeling stiff in Virgil's arms. Patton exhaled in relief and Virgil continued to stare at Roman in his arms. "I'm not mad at you either, you drama queen," Roman said, sounding a little sour but not angry. "Have you two been pulling a Virgil and freaking out over my reaction this whole time?" Roman relaxed in Virgil's arms and even smiled.
"Hey," Virgil objected. But it was fair. "Maybe," Virgil admitted quietly.
"You two are idiots, I'm not going to hate you because I'm jealous. What kind of man do you take me for?" Roman explained, sounding a little affronted.
"I guess I did pull a Virgil," Patton mumbled.
"Hey," Virgil objected again. "I don't like my name being used as an adjective," Roman reached up and ruffled Virgil's hair.
"Then stop acting like one. I love the new hair, Pat," Roman said and ran his fingers through Patton's new colorful locks. "Is it longer?"
"Yes, Virge can grow hair, too. It takes a lot out of you, though, oof," Patton said, sounding more upbeat than before.
"Does that mean you can grow out your hair if you want to wear it longer?" Roman asked.
"Yeah, I used to wear it very long in the past. I've mostly kept it shorter this century, though. My hair doesn't grow otherwise," Virgil answered, still feeling a little unnerved, and his voice was somewhat shaken sounding still. Roman gave Virgil a lopsided smile and sat up to kiss Virgil on the lips.
"Quit worrying about it. Pat's lucky, but I'll have my time to shine," Roman said gently. Patton's heart jumped next to Virgil.
"Thanks. You know I can't help it," Virgil mumbled.
"If I could help it we'd all have cool powers and you wouldn't be a sad-sack anymore," Roman said playfully. Virgil pouted a little.
"Virge isn't a sad-sack," Patton pouted with Virgil.
"You're right, Virge is a sad-sedan. This bad boy can fit so many centuries of sorrow," Roman said, patting Virgil on the head.
"Oh, my Hecate. You did not," Virgil laughed boisterously.
"If my darling must speak the language of memes, then it is a language I must learn," Roman said cheerfully. "Whatever an immortal vampire is doing being a meme lord, I will never understand,"
"He was probably bored and lonely, like every other meme lord," Patton said with a little smirk.
"Darling, I think you just got roasted by Patton of all people," Roman said and kissed Virgil's cheek. Virgil groaned and flushed slightly.
"I've been hiding for centuries, you'd think I'd be less transparent by now," Virgil lamented. Patton patted Virgil's shoulder affectionately. "What do you say I order some real nutrients for you two and then we can head out to sketch that sculpture when the sun's set?"
"We have plenty of pizza," Patton objected.
"And you grew 2 inches of hair and are surely replete of essential vitamins that cheese pizza most certainly does not have," Virgil reminded them.
"Oh, I heard about this place that has killer bhudda bowls with seared salmon, let's get that. It's supposed to be, like, enough nutrition for the entire day," Roman suggested. "There's a guy in the practice hall who orders that before locking himself in a room until they kick him out. He says they're delicious, and he doesn't feel the need to eat for hours after," Roman said with piqued interest. Patton sighed and nodded.
"That does sound nutritious," Patton conceded. Virgil smirked and pulled out his phone to go order them.