I Know What You’re Going To Say - Chapter 4
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Description: A Beauty and the Beast style Vampire AU. Vampire!Virgil has picked up Logan off the street and is holding him captive under the threat of killing his friends if he tries to escape.
Word Count: 6041
Chapter Warnings: Unsympathetic!Virgil, Angst, Captivity, Threats, Mentions of Police, Implications of abuse, Threats of violence, Anxiety, Hypervigilance, Crying, Doctors/Medical Examination with questionable consent, Food, Mentions of prescription drug abuse, Malnourishment, Unhealthy relationship with food, Yelling, Anger, Ethical Dilemmas, Swearing, Mentions of Drugging/Mind altering effects, Mentions of blood/drawing blood (Let me know if I missed anything!)
---
Virgil snarled as he turned the corner of the empty hallway. Two paper bags hung from his hand as he turned on his heel, cutting the corner short as he stalked his path through the warehouse. His anxiety ached in his chest as the door in front of him flew open against the wall.
He didn’t miss the way the man across the room flinched at the sound of the door slamming into the wall. Though to his credit, he didn't try to scurry out of Virgil’s way as he approached. He simply remained stock still, submissively staring at the ground as Virgil leered down at him.
“Look at me.”
The guy's shoulders tensed, but he tipped his head up to meet Virgil’s gaze without hesitation. Virgil didn’t miss the glimmer of anger that flickered in the man's dark eyes as he lifted his head, but any inclination of rebellion immediately went up in smoke as Virgil bared his teeth down at him.
“I'm going to make this quick.” Virgil hissed as he slid forward, hands curling around the man's collar as he growled down at him. “but whether or not this painful is entirely up to you. Got it?”
Logan flinched at the sound of his growl, nodding a stiff affirmation as Virgil released his collar.
“Why aren’t the police out looking for you?” Virgil’s voice cut through the silence as the man's eyes shot up to him.
Logan’s face suddenly drained of color as he stared up in Virgil in shock. His mouth dropped open as he stuttered out a response. “W-what?”
“Don't play dumb.” Virgil snarled, looming as Logan trembled. “Janus heard your pretty friend say you'd planned for this to happen.”
“I didn't—”
“These answers already aren't working for me.” Virgil curled his shoulders forward as he circled around Logan’s back. The scent of adrenaline filled the air as he disappeared from the man's periphery and Virgil grinned, feeling his canines extend as the man sputtered out a response.
“It's not what you think—”
“Then, explain,” Virgil hissed. His voice dripped with a dispassionate venom as he leaned into Logan’s ear, sending shivers down the man’s spine. “and do it before I lose my patience with you.”
“I didn’t know Roman would actually follow through on what I asked him to do.”
Virgil raised an eyebrow at the tremor in the man's voice. “And what was the pretty boy supposed to do?”
“I was upset—” Logan’s breath hitched in his throat. “—I needed to know Patton would be safe, if something happened to me.”
“Keep going.” Virgil leaned into Logan’s ear from behind him. He rested a hand on Logan’s shoulder, sneering as Logan winced at the contact.
“Please—”
Virgil tightened his grip on Logan’s shoulder, feeling the man curl his shoulders in discomfort as Virgil breath lingered in his ear.
“Okay—” Logan forced out an affirmation as he struggled to contain the panicked breaths rising in his throat. “—Okay. I've been trying to get custody of my brother for almost two years.” He mumbled, relaxing slightly as Virgil dropped his hand from his neck and stepped back, lingering behind him. “I wasn't handling being kept away from him well and Roman helped me.”
“How?”
“He—” Logan sucked in breath, casting a cautious glance over his shoulder. “I wasn't allowed to see my brother, and on the nights when I was weaker, Roman had to talk me through whatever spiral I’d fallen into. Sometimes that meant talking through what would happen to Patton if something happened to me.”
Virgil hummed, circling back around front of Logan. “You asked him to keep it a secret if you went missing to keep your brother safe?”
Logan swallowed nervously and nodded. “The police would alert my father, and if he managed to get Patton back, we wouldn’t have another chance until he turned eighteen.” Logan released a breath as his captor stood in front of him, leaning against one of the crates as he pondered the new information. “Still, it was an agreement Roman made under duress. Given the circumstances, I couldn’t be sure he'd follow through.”
Virgil huffed, crossing his arms as he eyed the man in front of him. “Is there anything else you’d like to share?”
“If Roman sticks to our plan, he'll call my job and resign for me if he doesn’t hear from me in three days.” Logan's eyes darkened as he bowed his head to Virgil. “This should only benefit you. No one’s coming for me and it's unlikely that you’ll be caught.”
Virgil chewed his lip as Logan sank back on his ankles. He hesitated, staring at the despondent look on Logan's face as the fluorescent light flickered above them. Silence hung between them for a moment before Virgil decided he was satisfied. He snagged one of the paper bags off the crate behind him and carefully dropped it in front of Logan.
“Eat,” Virgil mumbled, pulling his phone out of his pocket as he turned back to his crate. “I don't need Emile thinking I'm neglecting you.”
“E-Emile?”
Virgil hesitated at the tremor in the man's voice. He turned his head over his shoulder and his eyes traced down the man kneeling in front of him. The man trembled, dropping his head to his chest as he avoided Virgil’s gaze.
“Relax,” Virgil watched Logan carefully as his eyes flitted up to him. “He's a doctor.”
“A d-doctor?”
Virgil blinked as the man stuttered, watching a glistening streak run down the man's face. “Hey—”
“What are you going to do to me?” The man's voice cracked as the words poured from his lips and the light glistened on his face as tears suddenly streaked down his face.
“Nothing.” Virgil managed to squeeze out. He watched in shock as Logan pursed his lips, nodding stiffly as he edged back into the wall.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked. I—”
“Emile is only going to check your health. You’re going to be fi—” Virgil’s wide-eyed statement ended abruptly as a knock interrupted his thought.
“Virgil?”
“Come over here, Em.” Virgil sighed, reluctantly turning away from the man in front of him.
“Hey, Virge. I—” The man in the tan sweater vest stopped short of the full distance as he caught sight of Logan. “Oh.”
“Don't freak, Em.” Virgil held a hand out to him, gesturing subtly at Logan. “You’re not going help anyone by getting upset.”
Emile's body tensed as he glared at Virgil. His eyes flitted down to Logan curled against the wall before turning to Virgil with a disapproving glance as he adjusted his glasses. “He does not appear to be doing well, Virgil.”
“We hit a bump in our communication, Em. That's all.” Virgil reassured him, skin prickling on the back of his neck as he heard Logan look up behind him. He slowly turned his head back to the man trembling on his knees before him, locking his eyes on the man as he slowly knelt down to eye level. “I was just reassuring our guest that you are here to perform a simple physical exam. Nothing invasive today.”
“Nor any other day, Virgil.” Emile growled from behind him.
Virgil could almost feel the waves of anger rolling off him as Virgil reached up at the wet streaks on the man's face. Gently, he wiped away the tears from Logan's face. The man winced, but didn't pull away, allowing Virgil to wipe the wetness from his face. “Whatever you might think of me, I'm not a liar. Cooperate and no one will hurt you. I promise.”
“Virgil, may I have a word?” Emile’s carefully tempered voice sounded like it might shatter under the pressure of the emotions he was clearly holding back.
“Do your exam and then we can talk, Emile.” Virgil stated dryly as he stood and turned back to Emile.
“Fine. Then leave,” Emile growled bitterly after a moment of staring at him. He quickly stepped past Virgil toward Logan, glaring over his shoulder at Virgil as he took a step toward the exit. “and expect to get an earful when I come out for you.”
“Thank you, Em.” Virgil whispered gratefully as he took a step towards the door, bowing his head. “I’ll be just outside the—”
“Wait.” Logan’s weak protest pulled Virgil's attention from Emile as he looked up to see the human staring intently at him. “We made a deal. You said if I did what you wanted, you'd tell me about Patton.”
Virgil stalled, lost at the sight of pleading in Logan’s eyes. He bit his lip as Emile turned back to him with a serious expression, but he ignored his friend. Instead, he kept his gaze trained on the man staring up at him. “Allow Emile to complete his exam without issue and I will give you news of your brother.”
Logan whimpered as Virgil turned on his heel toward the door, pulling his phone out of his pocket as he went.
“Don't go far, Virgil.” Emile’s deadpan voice stopped him in his tracks. “I still want a word after this.”
Virgil glanced over his shoulder at the barely concealed tension in Emile’s eyes. “I'll be outside when you’re done, Em. Just come find me.”
---
Emile stared after Virgil in disbelief as he staggered out of room before quietly turning to the man cowering beneath him. He frowned, feeling an ache in his chest as the man dipped his head submissively away from him.
Taking his time, Emile lowered himself to the ground, sitting a few feet away from the stranger. He could feel the man's eyes following his movement bit he pretended not to notice, pulling out his notebook from his bag. Careful not to make any sudden movements, he pulled out a pen and jotted down a few cursory notes.
“Okay. Let's start easy, kiddo. I'll make this—"
A sharp intake of breath stopped his words in his tracks. Emile glanced up, heart sinking as the man's chin immediately dropped to his chest. He watched as the man tucked his shaking hands out of sight, still avoiding Emile’s eyes.
“Is something bothering you?”
“I'm fine.”
Emile frowned. The guy’s response came a little too quickly for his comfort. “Are you sure?”
“I'll do whatever you ask. I swear.”
“That’s not what I asked.” Emile whispered gently, staring as the man's eyes filled with desperation.
“I'm sorry. I can do better—"
“Don’t be. You're doing just fine.” Emile waved him off gently. “I'm not going to hold anything you do against you. Though, I would prefer to know what is causing your discomfort, so I may avoid doing so in the future.”
Logan eyed him suspiciously not quite sure what to make of the man sitting in front of him. After a long minute, he dipped his head with a quiet whisper. “I just want to cooperate with you.”
“Telling me what's bothering you helps me do my job. I can assure that you are being cooperative by doing so.” Emile let out a sad sigh at the desperate look in the man's eyes. “Whatever Virgil promised you, you'll still get it if you tell me what's bothering you. I'll make sure of it.”
The man looked at him skeptically and Emile didn’t miss the quick flick of the man's eyes to the door Virgil had left through before he answered. “I'd prefer not to be referred to as kiddo, if it's not a hassle.”
“Not at all.” Emile smiled gently at the kid as some of the tension seemed to leave his shoulders. “Is there a name you’d prefer for me call you?”
“Logan.”
“It's nice to meet you, Logan.” Emile whispered gently. “I wish our meeting were under different circumstances, but—"
Emile faltered as Logan looked up at him for the first time. Behind the disheveled hair, he could see the distant look in the kid’s eyes and something about his expression gave Emile pause. After a long moment of staring, he realized that Logan seemed to be waiting on him for direction and he dipped his head to his notepad briefly before turning back up to the kid.
“Is there anything else you’d like me to know before we begin?”
Logan seemed to hesitate for a moment. His eyes seemed to tip up cautiously as if gauging the truthfulness of Emile’s statement before dropping his eyes to the ground. “M-my neck is tender. I'd prefer to minimize contact there, if possible.”
“Oh. Sure thing, kid—Logan.” Emile stuttered uncertainly as he sat up. Still keeping his distance, he leaned to get a better look. “I—uh, don’t see any puncture marks. Just some faint bruises. Did you hurt yourself?”
“Sort of.” Logan evaded, raising a hand to brush along his throat.
The quick, look Logan shot towards where Virgil left from was all the answer Emile needed to guess what had caused the kid's injury. A pit of anger boiled in his stomach at the indication, but he plastered a sweet smile on his face, taking a deep breath. He was beyond anger, but he’d be damned if he was going to contribute to this poor kid's misery.
“Would you like to eat while we continue?”
“What?” Logan’s eyes clouded with confusion as Emile gestured to the bag of food on the floor next to him.
“I assume that’s something Virgil brought you to eat.” Emile smiled reassuringly. “The first part of the process is just me asking you questions about your health history, so it's perfectly okay if you want to eat during that time.”
Logan hesitated. “I can wait.”
“Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend it. Fast food tacos tend to become less appetizing with each minute that passes. You really should eat them before they get soggy.” Emile smiled apologetically as the kid still hesitated, torn with indecision. “It is, of course, your choice still, but that is my recommendation.”
“Okay.” Logan whispered as he hesitantly reached for the paper bag.
“Great,” Emile beamed as he slowly jumped to his feet, patting the crate beside him. “Why don’t you come sit up here and eat while I ask you some questions?”
“Sure.” Logan replied cautiously, rising to his feet as he moved to sit where Emile had indicated. He was still reserved as he moved, but Emile could see he seemed to be accepting that he wasn’t in any immediate danger.
Emile smiled, backing away a few feet as Logan sat down on the crate and pulled out an individually wrapped taco from his bag. Emile frowned at the pungent smell of grease, but Logan seemed undisturbed, quickly picking at the taco until it was gone.
“So, Logan.” Emile continued, eyeing the man curiously as his attention seemed distracted. “Do you smoke?”
“No.”
“Good.” Emile watched the kid swallow his food before moving on. “How about drinking?”
“Never."
“You were never curious?” Emile whispered with curiosity as the man shrugged.
“Not particularly.” Logan stated dryly, not looking up at him. “I prefer not to inhibit my brain's functions.”
“Alright. That's good, Logan.” Emile blinked, relaxing slightly as the kid started to open up. “though I still have to ask if you've used recreational drugs?”
The kid froze at that question, staring at the taco in his hand. He seemed to deflate, dropping his food to his lap as he mumbled out a response. “Define recreational.”
“Illegal drugs or prescription medications that didn’t belong to you.” Emile watched the kid carefully as his nervousness started to show. “There’s no wrong answers. I can’t exactly turn you over to the police, Logan. These questions are purely for your safety.”
Logan looked up at him cautiously and swallowed, nodding subtly. “Then, yes. I have used drugs in the past.”
“What did you take?”
“Adderall.”
Emile frowned as the kid tensed, staring at the ground. “I take it you were not using it to regulate ADHD.”
“No, I got it from a friend.” Logan's hands trembled as he avoided Emile’s eyes. “I used it to help me study when I was in school and later to focus when I interned for my father at his firm."
“You must have been very stressed to have turned to drugs to keep up with your workload,” Emile prompted as Logan turned back to his food. He frowned as the kid nodded quietly. “but you stopped?”
“I've used it a few times since, but for the most part I stopped.” Logan crumpled the wrapper in his hand, tossing it into the paper bag.
Emile bit his lip at the monotone in Logan’s voice. He could feel the kid growing distant as they talked. “Did you ever talk to your father about your stress?”
Logan huffed as a bitter smile curled on his lips. “He would not have appreciated hearing of my weakness.”
“It’s not a weakness to ask for help.” Emile replied automatically, but the kid simply shrugged, unconcerned. “What about your mother?”
“She was too far gone on her own cocktail of drugs to be concerned with my problems.”
Emile’s chest ached as the kid set aside the empty paper bag and stared at his lap. “Have you ever spoken to a therapist about this?”
“That hardly seems like it would matter now.” Logan mumbled, casting a cautious glance up at Emile. “But no. My parents didn't believe in that kind of medicine.”
“And you?”
“The evidence is compelling.” Logan pulled his legs up to sit cross-legged on the crate underneath him. “I’d like to believe it could have helped.”
“Sometimes, simply talking about your feelings makes it easier to handle them.” Emile smiled reassuringly as he took a step forward, resting a hand gently on Logan’s shoulder. “We don't have to push any further on that. Shall we just continue on?”
Logan tipped his head up nervously, biting his lower lip as he nodded.
---
The rest of Emile's exam went smoothly. With a bit of coaxing, he was able to convince Logan to allow him to check his breathing and heart rate without causing the kid any significant distress. His reflexes were good and he didn't appear sick. Even the bruising on his neck seemed minimal as far as the damage that was actually done. In fact, the kid seemed to be in overall good health save for one other detail Emile had noticed.
“We’re almost there, Logan. I only have one more question for you.” Emile stated seriously as he stopped in front of the kid.
“Okay.” Logan’s voice was tired and he’d given up any pretense of being evasive at this point.
“Please forgive my prying questions. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t relevant to the issue at hand.” Emile sighed as Logan looked up at him with a suddenly guarded expression. “Judging from what I was able to feel when I used my stethoscope, I believe it is safe to assume that you are significantly underweight.”
Logan swallowed nervously and nodded. “I don't disagree with that statement."
“Alright.” Emile tipped his head to him and gestured to the empty fast-food bag next to Logan. “Clearly, your appetite is not the issue, so I have to ask. Did you have some food insecurity issues where you were living before?”
“No,” Logan chewed his lip at the skeptical look in Emile’s eyes and he dropped his gaze to the ground. “Access to food was never the problem. I just prefer to have extra cash on hand in case something goes wrong.”
Emile’s lip twitched into a frown as he stared sympathetically at Logan. Every word that passed the kid’s lips only seemed to sink his heart deeper into his chest. “Is Virgil bringing you enough food now?”
“What he brings me is more than sufficient for my caloric needs,” Logan responded quietly, quickly adding on before Emile could interrogate him further. “and I'm eating far more than I would on my own.”
Emile held his breath for a moment before letting out a long sigh of resignation. “Okay."
“Okay?” Logan glanced up, clearly skeptical at being let off that easy.
“Yes. If nothing else, I'm going to discuss the quality of the food he's bringing you, but I'm glad to hear you’re eating.” Emile's exasperation faded to a gentle smile. “I'm going to go speak to Virgil and I won't probably see you for a day or two. Is there anything you’d like me to bring you when I return?”
Logan looked taken aback by his offer, but he shook his head. “I don’t need anything.”
Emile let out a breath at the kid's automatic response. “Perhaps not, but surely there's something you want. I imagine you get bored during the day when you’re alone.”
Logan blinked, still hesitating at the offer as Emile smiled reassuringly at him. “Um, books would be nice.”
“Anything in particular?”
“Honestly, I'd read the dictionary at this point.”
“I'll bring a variety then.” Emile chuckled as Logan let a small smile spread across his face for the first time since they'd met. He stood up off the crate he was leaning on and paused, looking at the kid earnestly as he turned to leave. “It was nice to meet you, Logan. Again, I wish it were under better circumstances, but I’m glad to have had the opportunity all the same.”
Logan was silent for a moment, but as Emile turned towards the door the kid's whisper stopped him.
“I don’t understand why you’re helping him.”
Emile glanced over his shoulder at the crestfallen look on Logan’s face before turning back. “I know you’re scared, and you want a simple answer to why this is happening, but the truth is there isn't one. We're all just trying to survive here.”
He could almost feel the kid's disappointment as he stepped toward the exit and he smiled weakly back at him.
“You’re going to be okay, Logan. I promise.”
---
Emile gritted his teeth as turned out of the room. He turned to see Virgil leaning against the wall down the hall, flashing a glare at him that could cut glass. He could see Virgil’s shoulders slump as he approached.
“Please, Em. Not you too.”
“I agreed to help you,” Emile snapped. “not to enable you to brutalize that poor kid.”
“Brutalize—” Virgil growled defensively. “—I haven’t touched him.”
Emile snarled. Instinctively, his canines extended as his eyes glowed a dull red. “Do you expect me to believe he bruised his own neck?”
“Oh—Yeah, okay.” Virgil held up a finger up as he made himself small in front of Emile. “That—that was an accident.”
“You don’t choke someone out on accident, Virgil.” Emile hissed as he loomed over Virgil.
“He fucking snarled at Janus and I lost my temper.” Virgil’s voice cracked as he dipped his head, shadows darkening around his eyes. “I haven't fed in weeks, Em. I can't help how protective I get around Janus, but I know now that I should’ve been more careful and kept my distance but I didn't. It won't happen again.”
Emile’s expression faltered slightly as he stared down at Virgil. “Virge—”
“I don't want to fucking hurt him, Em.” Virgil muttered as he slid down the wall. “I don’t fucking want any of this, but the world just fucking loves to screw me over.”
“Virgil,” Emile whispered. “He is terrified of you.”
“Yeah, I scared the shit out of him. The last thing I need is for my problems to blow back on you and Janus because I couldn’t keep control of that bastard.” Virgil hissed. “That doesn’t mean I'm enjoying any of this.”
Emile paused hesitantly, shaking his head in disappointment. “Virge—"
“It’s not fair. You and Janus are both so happy to get up on your soapbox and lecture me about how shitty I am but you don't get it.” Virgil yelled. His eyes glistened in the light as he held back tears. “You never have to worry about going without because you can always your husband. Janus can just drag any guy he likes home, feed on them and they can go home none the wiser. Do you remember what happened to the last guy I fed off of?”
“Virgil, you don't get to hurt him just because you’re hurting.” Emile chided him lightly. “You already took him away from his life. He doesn’t deserve to be your punching bag on top of that.”
"I only wanted to scare him, Em. I swear I didn't mean for him to get hurt.” Virgil muttered. “I just can't have him trying to escape. I’d never forgive myself if you or Janus got hurt because of my problems.”
“Terrorizing him emotionally is still hurting him, Virgil.”
Virgil sighed as he stood up and staggered over to the dark window, leaning against the frame. “I know.”
“—and you need to bring him real food. He can't subsist forever on that junk you’re bringing him now.”
“I know. I will.”
“—and I want to see him regularly.”
“Em, please don’t get attached. You know what's going to happen when I finally feed off of him.” Virgil sighed. “He's either going to turn into another zombie thrall to my every whim or he's going to lose his mind entirely. Such is the nature of my stupid fucking curse.”
“Perhaps there's another way.” Emile whispered quietly.
“Well, damn Em.” Virgil muttered, running his fingers through his dark hair. “I'm all ears for another fucking solution.”
“The donated blood—”
“I can't keep doing that.” Virgil sighed. “Every unit of blood I steal is another person that could be going home to their family. That’s the whole point of me bringing this guy here, Em. This way I'm only stealing one person away from their life.”
“I know, but—”
“Not to mention, he is the person that put Janus and I in this situation to begin with.” Virgil pointed back to the room where Logan was being held. “He's not exactly blameless in all this mess."
“I can draw his blood.” Emile sputtered out without thinking.
“What?” Virgil looked up at his friend curiously as he shifted his feet nervously in front of him.
“If I draw his blood, your curse will not affect him.” Emile stated plainly, trying to sound firm as he crossed his arms. “He can keep his awareness and you still get to feed.”
Virgil sighed, stepping off the wall to stand closer to Emile. He dropped his voice, speaking empathetically to his friend. “Do you really think he wants to be aware that he's never going to see his brother again?”
Emile was quiet, staring back at him with resistance in his eyes.
“Seriously, the guy's in a shit situation. The least I can do take away his pain.” Virgil reasoned softly, feeling his breath catch in his throat. “I hate enthralling people but it's blissful. He won’t feel a thing.”
“He should have a choice.” Emile sighed.
“Fine. Then, give him one.” Virgil raised an eyebrow as Emile looked up at him. “If you want to commit to a lifetime of drawing that guy's blood, be my guest—”
“Okay.”
“But—” Virgil held up a finger to Emile as his expression turned stern. “—You will give him both options. I won't have you prolonging his suffering because of your own guilt. Got it?”
“Very well, Virgil. You have a deal.” Emile nodded, dipping his head in thought. “However, that decision will have to wait. He's not able to give blood yet.”
“Emile—” Virgil groaned.
“You asked for my professional opinion.” Emile interrupted him. “The kid's weight is too low. There could be complications if we draw blood now."
“Are you serious?” Virgil’s heart sank as Emile nodded reluctantly. “How long, Em?”
“Once he's been on a stable diet for a few weeks, we can attempt to take a small amount.” Emile stated plainly. “If he tolerates that well, we can consider taking more at that point.”
“Weeks…” Virgil breathed, feeling panic rise in his throat. I can’t wait weeks. It already hurts so much. I-I'll lose my—”
“Relax, Virgil. We'll find a way to get you by until then.” Emile put a hand on Virgil’s chest as his breath became unsteady. “I haven't fed off of Elliot in a while. I'm certain he'd be more than willing to let me draw his blood for you.”
Virgil leaned up, blinking in shock at Emile. “You’re really just going offer your husband’s blood like it’s nothing?”
“I'm not going to let you starve, kid,” Emile smiled as Virgil curled his arms around him. “and Elliot wouldn’t want one of his favorite students suffering anyway.”
“Thank you, Em.”
“I expect you to treat that kid in there better from here on out.”
“I will.” Virgil pulled away slightly, not quite letting go as he looked down at Emile apologetically. “I promise I’ll make him comfortable. I'm sorry, Em.”
“Don’t apologize. Just make it right. I'll be quick, okay?” Emile smiled sadly at the gratitude in Virgil’s eyes. “Probably can be back within an hour or two.”
“Thank you.” Virgil’s dark hair fell away from his eyes as he poured his gratitude out to Emile. “God, Em. Seriously, I can't thank you enough —Please, I’m so sorry—”
“Hey, now.” Emile curled his arms around Virgil as the makeup under his eyes ran down his face. “It's okay—”
“Please, don’t hate me.” Virgil cried as Emile clung to him tightly. “I don’t want to be this person, Em.”
“Never, Virgil.” Emile whispered as tears brimmed in his eyes. “I know you’re just trying to survive. There’s no easy answer here.”
Virgil nodded, gradually releasing Emile from his grip as he forced himself to find some level of composure. “Thank you—”
“Hush, now. You don’t have to thank me.” Emile smiled as he pulled away. “You’re going to be okay. Please, just go give that kid whatever you promised him. I'll be back before you know it. Okay?”
“Okay.” Virgil breathed, feeling lighter as he nodded at Emile. “Okay, I will.”
“Good.” Emile smiled as he turned to go. “I'll be back as soon as I can.”
---
Logan winced as the door opened behind him. His heart jumped in his chest as he shot upright, realizing he was still sitting on the crate as the footsteps approached. It was too late for him to move back to the ground so he bowed his head, hoping that would be enough to appease the man.
He shivered as his captor circled his left side to face him, sending a prickling anticipation down his body as the man eyed him up and down. Logan took a breath, tensing as the man let out a long sigh and shoved his hands into the pockets of his purple sweatshirt.
“You seem to make a strong first impression.” The man drew out his words slowly, still eyeing him carefully. “I don't think I've ever seen Emile that mad. I never thought I'd see the day where he actually yelled at me.”
Logan swallowed, feeling sick with fear as the man stared at him. “I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to upset him—”
“Hey, relax.” The man looked up, holding up a hand to stop panicked rambling. He paused, his expression guarded as Logan lifted his head. “Emile was right to be upset.”
Logan tensed, watching as the man chewed his lip. His black hair fell over his eyes casting shadows on his pale face. For the first time, Logan could make out the black streaks marked his face as the man stared him down.
“You’re stuck here. There’s no getting around that,” The man let out a long breath. “but you've been cooperative. So, I'm not inclined to make you miserable.”
Logan dropped his head, drawing on the last of his bravery to speak up. “M-my brother. Is he—”
“He's fine.” His captor paused as Logan let out a choked breath. He watched Logan, sounding hesitant as he continued. “The kid made it to your pretty friend. Safe and sound. Janus is going to watch them for a few days and make sure nothing else goes sideways with your father.”
Logan nodded, bringing his fist to his lips as he struggled to conceal his relief. He sucked in a sharp breath as he forced his voice to be steady. “Thank you. Do—”
The man raised an eyebrow as Logan glanced up at him, immediately swallowed back his question as he made eye contact.
“What?”
“Do I get any more details?” Logan shivered as the man's intense stare turned to him and he dropped his gaze. “If there’s a cost, I'll pay it—"
“No.”
Logan sucked in a breath, disappointed at the man’s quick response, but he continued to dip his head submissively. “Okay.”
“No. That's not—I meant there's no cost.”
Logan froze, cautiously tipped his head up. The man was running a hand through his dark hair, staring down at him. The man’s demeanor had changed from before but Logan couldn’t quite place the man’s emotions.
“I'm not going to fucking punish you for actually giving a shit about your little brother.”
Logan stared blankly at his captor, unsure how to process the man’s sudden change. He dipped his head as the man's shoulders slumped and he turned back to him.
“Last I heard, your friend had put the kid to bed.” Virgil offered hesitantly. “That’s all I know for now, but when Janus returns, you can ask him whatever you like. Good enough?”
“There’s no cost?” Logan asked quietly. He barely dared to lift his head, not wanting to give the man a reason to change his mind.
“No cost.” The man confirmed once again, drawing a relieved breath from Logan as he continued. “I—I can't let you go, but if you continue to cooperate, I'll guarantee the kid's safety. Janus will check on him periodically and give you updates for as long as you ask.”
“If I cooperate, Patton will be safe from my father?” Logan asked cautiously, considering his words.
“He couldn’t be any safer with Janus around,” Virgil nodded. “and from what I gather, Janus is already defensive of the kid. Your father will be lucky if he doesn’t find himself dead in a ditch if he tries anything.”
“Good.” Logan muttered bitterly. He glanced up, refusing to be ashamed as the man raised an eyebrow at his reaction. Fortunately, he didn’t seem inclined to press further. Logan let out a long breath, feeling the weight of his captor’s offer as he resigned himself to his fate. “My only concern is Patton’s safety. If you keep your word, I won't resist you, but—” Logan hesitated as he timidly negotiated with his kidnapper. “—but I would like proof that Patton is safe.”
“Done." Virgil reached over and grabbed the other paper bag he’d brought in earlier. He tossed it to Logan who glanced down at it, frozen with shock at the man' agreement. “That’s a change of clothes if you want them. You can change while I figure out a better place for you to sleep.”
Logan's fingers curled around the paper bag and he nodded, responding automatically. “Thank you, sir.”
“Don’t call me that.” The man groaned as Logan flinched at the command, softening his approach. “Please.”
Confused, Logan looked up at the man's sudden concession. He blinked, taking in the strange look of anxiety in the man’s eyes as he stared back at him.
“You can call me Virgil.”
Logan nodded stiffly, tipping his eyes away at the man's agitation.
“—or don’t. I don't care.” Virgil muttered. “Just please, nothing else. Okay?”
Virgil waited for Logan to nod his affirmation before turning to the door. He paused, thinking for a moment before straightening up. “Good. Um—stay here, I guess. I’ll be back for you when I figure something out.”
He didn’t wait for Logan’s confirmation before turning to the door, locking it behind him as he left Logan staring after him, struggling to process what had just occurred.
---
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