Virgil’s break
“You need a break.” Logan said. “You haven’t regressed in over two and it shows.”
“How?” Virgil snapped at him from were he was perched on the back of the couch eyes on the kitchen waiting for Thomas to get back from getting his drink. He could see him fine but he still thinks he should have followed him in there.
“You’re grouchy.” Roman muttered tired and annoyed of dealing with Virgil’s attitude for the past few days.
“You’re being dramatic.” Virgil shot at him without looking away from Thomas who was making his way back into the room two drinks in his hands.
“And you don’t even need eyeshadow with how little you’ve slept.” Roman said trying so very hard to not yell.
Thomas said down and wordlessly passed Virgil a drink which Virgil didn’t even notice was in a sippy cup till he took a sip. He sputtered, “What the?”
“What’s wrong bud?” Thomas asked looking at him softly.
“I...I don’t wanna...want a...I mean.” Virgil stuttered looking around at everyone else staring at him. There were too many eyes. Lucky they seemed to pick up on his unease and all sunk out leaving him in Thomas’ care.
“Sit down next to me?” Thomas asked grabbing a blanket.
Virgil slid down next to him on the couch and leaned his head slowly on Thomas’ shoulder. Thomas threw the blanket over both of them and put an arm around Virgil. Virgil started drinking from the sippy again, slipping. “Comfy?”
“Mmm yeah...No! Gotta big gin!” Virgil squirmed and whined.
“Nope it’s little time.” Thomas said firmly.
Virgil teared up, and Thomas rubbed his upper arm and rocked him a little. Virgil sniffed and yawned eyes closing and his thumb drifting towards his mouth. Thomas handed him his little nightmare paci and let him sleep on his shoulder while he got some zz’s as well.
---
Virgil woke up firmly in littlespace around three or four and very upset. He’s crying woke up Thomas who panicked before getting into Caregiver mode and started to address the issue. “Needa protec everybody! Always!”
“You’re allowed to take breaks and time for yourself. We’ll be fine.” Thomas said gently.
“But hurt you last time.” Virgil wiped at his cheeks.
“Last time?...You mean when you tried to duck out?” Thomas ask sadly. He didn’t now Virgil was still holding onto that.
“I gotta not mess up gin.”
Thomas hugged him tightly. “You won’t. We’ll be here to help you.”
“Always?” Virgil whispered.
“Always.” Thomas reassured him.
“Forever?” Virgil asked a little louder.
“Forever and ever.” Thomas said trying not to smile.
“Promise?” Virgil held up a pinkie. Thomas shook it grinning. “Promise.”
Virgil took a shaky breath. “Can We play now?”
“Yeah we can play now.” Thomas said glad the crisis was over at least for the moment.
000
Roman was cuddling a very sick very stubborn Virgil who wanted to go check on Thomas. “But-”
“No Vee. You need to rest.” Roman said sticking the paci back into the little’s mouth. “You overworked yourself again and now you’re sick. You need rest.”
“But I gotta!” Virgil wailed around the pacifier.
Roman sighed. “You sooner you rest the sooner you can get back to watching over everybody.”
Virgil whimpered.
Roman rocked him and kissed his temple. “You aren’t failing little hero.”
“Hero?” Virgil looked up at him trusting his judgement. He was caregiver and they were never wrong. At least in his little mind that was true.
“You save everybody. I think that makes you a hero.” Roman said.
Virgil giggled before coughing. He teared up. “Hurts.”
Roman winced. “I know bud. What about some hot chocolate for your throat?”
Virgil looked at him with wide eyes. “Marmellow?”
“With marshmallows.” Roman dropped his voice to a whisper in case Logan was around. “I’ll even give you the big ones.”
Virgil was scrambling on wobbly legs and tugging Roman to the kitchen as fast as he could. Roman laughed and picked him up to avoid any trips and falls. He set Virgil in a chair and set to work making the hot chocolate, explaining exactly what he was doing much to Virigl’s excitement.
“Aaaand done!” Roman said putting the last marshmallow in.
“DONE!” Virgil clapped bouncing in his seat before coughing some more.
“Easy.” Roman rubbed his back before handing him the child safe mug and a spoon for the marshmallows. He would just try to eat them with his hands otherwise.
After a couple minutes, Roman just talking about random topics as he waited for Virgil to finish. “Done...Think I need more.” Virgil said looking firmly into his empty cup.
“Oh?” Roman asked.
“Yeah my...throat still hurts.” Virgil fake coughed. Roman snorted at the weak attempt to get more hot chocolate.
“You could just ask. No need to try and trick me.” Roman said trying the mug.
“Chocolate plz!” As Roman got up to leave Janus stuck his head in and raised an eyebrow.
Virgil avoided his gaze causing both Roman and Janus to laugh before going back to what they were doing.
“Princey?”
“Yeah tiny nightmare?” Roman asked handing him the second cup.
“Im really a hero?” Virgil asked.
“Really.” Roman said. “Now finish drinking then cuddle and nap.”
Virgil nodded, He did drink a little slower knowing he wouldn’t get another cup but was eager to be picked up and taken to bed for cuddles.
He laid curled up to Roman peacefully asleep with a paci in his mouth and a stuffed black cat under his arms.