#tpu draft two

[powered-universe-official]

Draft 2, Part 1: Virtue; Love Is All I Bring

Virtue learns two important things

Virtue peeks over the top of their laptop as Airael finishes packing up their stuff. He salutes with two fingers and walks out into the snow covered driveway where Gemini is waiting in the car. Michael had left earlier to go out with his moms to see some family, so just they and Bug are left to clean everything up.

Bug stretches a little, and Virtue can hear its spine pop from how quiet the cold garage is. “Hey Virtue, have you heard-” It starts until a light trill comes from its phone. It looks at whatever notification had just come in, smiles, and softly hums part of some song Virtue doesn’t recognize.

There’s a strong flutter of emotion in their chest, and for a moment as they look at Bug, they don’t see the 20 something band leader and friend that stands in front of them, but instead someone who could be their sibling. A sibling who they’re so happy for and proud of. As soon as it appears, as soon as Virtue can taste the feeling, it’s gone.

“Who was that?” They ask, and Bug’s head snaps up to them in mild surprise.

“Uh, that was Malcolm. He’s having a good day today.” It says with a slight grin as it puts its phone back into its pocket.

Virtue tries to reach for someone named Malcolm, but the best that they can come up with is an annoying student from when they were in college. They look at Bug, who looks like it’s trying to hold in laughter, and failing horribly.

“Is he really more of a wallflower than you? Oh my God that’s so- holy shit you don’t know who I’m talking about!” They cackle and double over in giggles. “Oh boy, give me a minute, I can’t- you don’t remember him holy shit.”

“This isn’t as funny as you think. Who’s Malcolm?”

Bug takes a few deep breaths, stands up, and takes another stabilizing breath. “Sorry, uh, Malcolm has been coming to practices since we started playing almost four years ago. He’s come to a lot since you’ve joined and started watching us play. I think it’s funny that you haven’t noticed him since you both do the same thing.”

Virtue raises an eyebrow. “The same thing.” They deadpan, and they can feel their face put on a very disinterested look.

Bug still nods enthusiastically. “Yeah. Don’t talk, and sit not in the corner but near it on a wall and just watch from where the most backs are pointed. Wallflowers, but he’s probably had more practice than you.”

“I still don’t know who he is, you know.” Virtue reminds it. “How do you know him?”

“One moment.” Bug pulls out its phone again, and scrolls for a few seconds before turning it to show a picture of a young teenager.

He has the same pale face and round eyes that Bug has, but no burn scar and his eyes are black instead of green. His hair is curlier than Bug’s, but still inky black with bright orange dying the tips so they frame his face.

“That’s Malcolm. He’s my little brother.”

At those words, something inside of Virtue’s head clicks, and they turn to stare at Bug. “What’s your favorite song right now?”

“Um, I’m not sure?” Bug’s eyebrows furrow slightly as they lean closer.

Virtue sighs and pinches the bridge of their nose as they try and figure out how to be absolutely sure that they’re wrong. “Hum a song that makes you think of Malcolm.”

Bug’s brow goes from being furrowed, to one arching up as they shrug. “If you say so.” They start to hum and ‘bapada’ a tune, and the same strong feelings of familial love rise up from deep in Virtue’s sternum, quickly followed by an intense and concentrated emotion that they haven’t felt in a long time. Panic.

They hit the garage door button, drag Bug into the house by the wrist, and lock the door behind them. They quickly check the hallway, and look at Bug. Its face is confused and concerned for Virtue, and they take as much oxygen into their lungs as they possibly can.

“Bug, what I’m about to tell you, I tell you for your safety.” Virtue whispers. “You have a Power. I’m not one hundred percent sure what it is, but it’s very subtle, and that’s why you haven’t realized it yet.”

The shift in its emotions is fast, and a very real look of terror fills its eyes. “You mean . . . you mean I-I’m a . . .” It trails off as Bug’s eyes focus on the wall behind Virtue.

“You’re an unregistered Power Holder, yes.” Virtue nods. “I’m sorry.”

Bug’s hand grabs at their chest as they slide down the wall onto the floor. “I can’t be, What- what would I even be? You said it was subtle, you could have made it up.” They look at Virtue with pure desperation as their voice starts to break. “You could have.”

Virtue crouches down in front of Bug. “You sang two songs that made you think about your little brother, who you love and are so, so proud of. I know you are, because I felt it. You showed me what you were feeling through singing. I want to be wrong, I do. I’d rather you have killed people than be unregistered, but that’s not the case. I’m sorry.”

Bug falls into Virtue’s shoulder, and starts to sob. “I can’t be, I can’t- it’s not fair. It’s not fucking fair.” It repeats over and over again as its grip on Virtue’s jacket becomes tight and unmoving. It cries until it has no more tears, and shakes until it has no more energy to move.

Virtue rubs its back in small circles. “Are you ready to go home?”

Bug barely nods, and lets Virtue drag them up and lead them out to the car. Snow starts to fall down around them as they turn the engine, and drive off to deal with it elsewhere.

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[powered-universe-official]

Draft 2, Part 1: Virtue; All Signs Point to Lauderdale

A celebration of graduation

Virtue stands in the corner of the backyard, slowly nursing whatever was in the cup that Michael had handed to them. The party is small, only a few friends and family from each of the band members. Well, except Gemini, she flat out refused to invite any of her eleven siblings or her parents, and said something about her cousin being unreachable.

Airael is talking to some of his friends in the other corner, Michael is laughing with his moms, and Bug is somewhere inside raiding the snacks. Virtue watches them all have fun and celebrate their graduation from college from a distance, not knowing most of the people there.

It had been a few years since they had finished their college experience, and there had been no party to celebrate their graduation. It’s a strange feeling, being here, seeing this. They feel like a stranger watching through a window.

“You look depressed and lonely.” Gemini sidles up next to Virtue with a strange grin on her face. She has a cup in her hand, half full of something that smells sweet. “What’s up?”

Virtue sighs, and leans back until their shoulders hit the wooden fence. “Nothing, really. I graduated a while ago, with a degree I never use, and I am only here because I work with you, Airael, and Bug. So…” They shrug and look at their mostly full cup.

Gemini hums, takes a sip of her drink, and lets her eyes wander around the backyard. “You know, it’s funny. I’m the sixth child of twelve, I have two loving parents, they never really ignored any of their kids, but. I dunno, I always felt closer with my cousin, who’s younger than me, and lives in New York as far as I know.” She takes another sip. “That’s to say, even if you feel semi-translucent and like a secondary character, you’re the protagonist to somebody.”

“Wow, waxing poetic much?” Virtue teases her. They feel a small smile creep onto their face as Gemini gasps and gives them a scathing look.

“Excuse you! I only wax poetic for my beloved and handsome Airael!”

“I don’t think making out counts, Gem.”

Virtue and Gemini stare at each other, their eyes slowly growing in size until they both descend into laughter.

Gemini reaches up and pats Virtue’s shoulder. “This is why we like you, you’re both organized and fun to be around.”

Virtue watches as she skips off and heads inside, passing Bug who has about three different bowls full of different foods. He looks at everyone talking, and walks over to Virtue.

“You know, people usually have more fun when they don’t sit in the corner and drink…whatever you’re drinking, what even is that?” He looks judgmentally at Virtue’s cup while eating out of a bowl full of some kind of trail mix and popcorn. 

“It’s the unsweetened tea.” Virtue takes a long sip while staring at Bug, who is more interested in his snacks.

“Gross.”

“You don’t have coffee.”

“That’s a you problem.”

Bug shuffles around his bowls and digs into his jacket until he pulls out an envelope. “And this is for you.”

Virtue takes it, and sees their name in Michael’s loopy handwriting on the front. They open it, and take out a card. On the front is a clipboard, and when they open it, it’s full of four different messages. One from each of the band members. 

They can see Gemini’s small and messy scrawl in one of the corners, Airael’s careful and straight lettering all across the center. Michael’s is across from Gemini’s, and at the bottom is Bug’s familiar cursive. Virtue looks up, tears threatening to make themselves known, and smiles.

“This is for me?”

Bug nods. “We wouldn’t have been able to actually do something with this band without you. Because of you, we have a mostly functioning social media presence, we’ve been able to have like, five gigs with lots of success. We have merch, dude!” Bug gestures wildly with the one arm that isn’t holding food. “We never thought we would actually go somewhere with this, and it finally seems possible, because of you!”

Virtue blinks back tears. “Oh.” Their fingers grip the card, and they hold it close to their chest. “Well, thank you. That’s probably the nicest thing someone has ever done for me. I think.”

Bug bumps his shoulder against Virtue’s. “Well, start expecting this shit, the four of us like to make sure people know we like them.” He winks. “Now, I’m off to get some of that whatever you have. Tschüssie!” He gets a mouthful of trail mix and popcorn, and saunters off to find the tank of unsweetened tea.

Virtue looks at the card, reading over all the words and messages made for them, and thinks that maybe, just maybe, this is what they were meant for.

-

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[powered-universe-official]

Draft 2, Part 1: Virtue; Hollow Moons

Virtue gets a text.

I won’t be at practice today. Sick.

Virtue reads Gemini’s text once, then twice, then a third time. They check that yes, she did send that directly to them and not to the band’s group chat, where everyone would be able to see that she wouldn’t be there. A mixture of worry and concern circles around Virtue’s heart, trying to wiggle inside and make room inside its chambers. 

Virtue grabs their keys, swings a jacket onto their arms, and only barely remembers to lock the door behind them as they leave.

It’s funny to Virtue how they prefer their car to be silent when driving considering they currently manage a band. The silence isn’t intrusive or awkward, but a welcome reprieve from all the noise that they live around. When working with Bardic Inspiration, at home where the neighbor’s raucous laughter filters through the thin apartment walls, and every park or hole-in-the-wall shop they go to has people filling the corners. It’s all noise.

Here, on the drive to Gemini’s small apartment she shares with Airael, it’s quiet. The silence fills the car, and centers all of their thoughts, giving them much more ease to go through most situations and figure out reactions and plans. 

It gives them time to think over everything, and start to make various different plans. If Airael is out for any reason, contacting him if the severity of the situation is that bad, or getting Gemini things if she’s just sick. A branching out decision tree over one text. Mabe Virtue is getting paranoid over the band. That wouldn’t be the worst evolution, they think. BI can be chaotic to their own detriment. 

They park their car in the parking lot in front of the complex, and their footfalls are silent on the metal staircase that leads them up to Gemini and Airael’s apartment. The loudest thing in the hallway is the knocking of Virtue’s knuckles on worn wood.

At least, it is until the sound of something crashing to the floor rings out from inside the apartment. Virtue waits one second, two seconds, three seconds, four seconds after the sound fills their ears and causes them to flinch. Five seconds, six seconds, seven seconds and the lock clicks out of place and the door swings open to reveal Gemini.

She’s visibly disheveled, with her hair sticking up in every conceivable direction, and her body is visibly more slouched and caved in than Virtue has ever seen. Her eyes are wild as they scan Virtue up and down, and Virtue watches as she starts to visibly pale.

“Hi, I promise I’m fine, no need to come inside, I should be better in a few days, goodbye!” Gemini says quickly, grinning widely as she starts to close the door. Virtue moves enough to put their foot in the doorframe, and ignores the spark of pain as the door pins it. 

Virtue looks at Gemini with a steady gaze. “I need you to tell me what I need to get for you.” They say. “Let me help you.”

Gemini’s eyes widen minutely, and a heavy moment passes between them before her body tenses, and she runs further into the apartment. Virtue pushes the door back open with their foot, and walks inside. 

They push the door closed behind them, and look at the apartment. Multiple things are on the floor, some shattered, some not. The single couch is flipped on its side, and some of the pillows have tears in them. The fluff floats in the air and litters the ground, intermingling with pottery shards. 

Virtue looks at the mess all over the ground, and sighs. They flip the couch upright, and start to scour the apartment for a broom.

The sound of porcelain scraping against the worn floor is the only sound in the unnaturally silent apartment as Virtue sweeps up the broken shards. They make sure none have punctured the garbage bag that the pieces were put into, and double check everything is where it needs to be. As they pick up some of the fallen figurines, the sound of something clacking on the floor comes from behind them.

Virtue turns around to see a very large wolf with blond fur and dark green eyes staring at them. Its ears are pointing back, and when it sees that Virtue has noticed it, it tenses up. 

The pieces of today float around Virtue’s head as they carefully watch the wolf, slowly slotting together into a blurry picture. Gemini’s strange behavior swirls around, and clicks to bring it to a full image.

Virtue looks the wolf over one final time, and sits down on the newly cleaned floor. They pat the floor next to them, and attempt to give a disarming smile.

“Come sit, Gemini.” They say. “I just want to tell you some things.”

Gemini, the wolf, takes one wary step, then another, and eventually pads over to where Virtue is sitting. She looms over Virtue, and looks them over for a few slow seconds before laying down with her head firmly in Virtue’s lap.

Virtue’s fingers quickly find a rhythm moving through Gemini’s clean and unmatted fur. “I want you to know, I won’t tell anyone.” They start. “No matter if you end up being a villain or not, I’ve heard stories about people who are unregistered. I won’t put you through that.”

Gemini exhales, and moves to be closer to Virtue, who continues to pet her head. “Second thing, would you like me to stay?”

Gemini chuffs this time, and lifts her head up to give a gentle lick to Virtue’s face. Virtue finds that they have to concentrate less on making their smile look unalarming. “Okay, we’ll just sit here until you either change back, or you want me to leave.”

Gemini puts her head back down, gives Virtue a grateful look, and the warm silence wraps around them in a blanket of contentment.

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[powered-universe-official]

Draft 2, Part 1: Virtue; House a Habit

The Powered Universe: The Second Draft

An interview between two people, who don’t know the true meaning of what they started.

A TV is on in the middle of a semi-clean living room, showing the local news reporter in front of a destroyed building. “As you can see.” She gestures behind her to piles of rubble and plumes of smoke. “Dangerous Washington villain, the Disparaged Baron, has destroyed the Renton City Bank. Local A-Tier hero, Brass Dagger, has successfully put the Baron behind bars. We actually have him here with us right now. Dagger, what can you say about this event?”

The camera pans over to show a hero dressed in a metallic colored suit, the image of a dagger detailed in black on the chest. Brass Dagger leans into the microphone, a smirk on his face. “Well, you see, I couldn’t let such evil and cruel acts continue, not when it could hurt such a wonderful community such as Renton, Washington. Defeating the Disparaged Baron was actually fairly easy once you figure out that she isn’t very good at being high up in the air.”

The news program cuts to footage of a fight, showing Brass Dagger holding a villain dressed similarly to a renaissance duelist, presumably the Disparaged Baron. There’s yelling between the two of them when suddenly Brass Dagger throws her high into the air, and the sounds of frightened screams are faintly heard. The TV then switches back to the interviewer and Brass Dagger.

The news continues playing as a door clicks open in the background, and two people walk into the room. The first one wears simple jeans and a t-shirt, with black hair that falls over one of their dark eyes and settles just above their shoulders. The other one has a long and worn jacket that falls to their calves and the sleeves seemingly torn off. Fluffy black and purple hair frames their face, the left half of which is discolored from some kind of burn.

The one with the burn scar closes the door behind it, and notices the sound of the local news playing. 

“Ah shit, I bet Michael forgot to turn the TV off again.” It mutters, heavy boots thudding against the floor as they move to turn off the TV. It sighs again, and waves to the various seats in the living room. “You can sit wherever, I’m gonna go get some water for us.”

The other person looks around the room as it leaves the living room, and decides to sit down on the folding chair that is out next to the couch. They look around, taking in the semi-bare walls and mismatching furniture. The one with the burn returns, holding two glasses of water. It hands the other person a glass, and sits down on the couch.

“This has to be the strangest job interview I’ve ever had.” They laugh, sipping at the glass. “Is this how you interview every potential band manager?”

“I . . . you’re actually the first one we’re interviewing.” It laughs awkwardly and runs its hand through its hair. “Everyone really liked your resume, so really what I’m trying to do is figure out if you’d be able to help us keep everything organized. And if you’re good at an instrument, possibly be an occasional player, if you’d want.”

They hum a little, taking another sip of water. “You’re a college cover band that started to get attention and none of you know how to handle it, right?”

“That’s right.”

“And none of you have any organizational skills, or at least none that would help you take care of a band.”

“We also don’t have the time, all of us are finishing our last year right now.”

“Hm.” They put the glass on the floor. “So do you have any questions for me in particular?”

It leans forwards, its glass held at the tips of its fingers. “One big one, would you be able to spend a large amount of time interacting with the band? None of us want a manager who doesn’t know us, or won’t be able to talk to us or understand what we as a band want. You become the manager, you are a part of the band.” 

They smile. “Of course, I wouldn’t do it any other way.”

It stands up, holding out a hand. “Well then, I’m Bug, lead singer and frontman of Bardic Inspiration. Nice to formally meet you.”

They take Bug’s hand, standing up as well. “I’m Virtue, future manager of the same band. Nice to meet you too.”

-

Next

[powered-universe-official]

Draft 2, Part 1: Virtue; Devil’s Point

The band has their first concert

Maybe if this was a normal band, the night wouldn’t be going the way it is right now, with Virtue trying their best to hold back the growing number of people from the band. But this isn’t a normal band. This is a band made of twenty-somethings finishing up their various majors who just so happened to have started a band that’s growing in success. So this is how it’s going.

And how it started? Well, Virtue got them a booking to play at a local restaurant, just something to start getting their name out away from the college-centric circles. The owner seemed to be more than happy to help them out, absolutely ecstatic in fact. 

Nothing happened when they started setting up everything, and nothing happened still when they had started, even though half of Bug’s face was covered in medical bandaging. Just people enjoying their dinners, and each other's company, and every once in a while clapping once a song finished. No, things started to happen when Bug pulled them aside, looked Virtue straight in the eye, and asked “You play violin, right?”

“Uh, yeah, why?” Virtue glanced over to Michael, who was pulling something up on his phone. “You don’t have a violin with you.”

“About that.” Bug moved and took something from behind Gemini’s drum set, and revealed a violin case. “Ta-da.”

Virtue stared at the case, then turned back to Bug and glared at him. “I’m not going to play without music.”

“I found it!” Michael grinned and moved to stand next to Virtue. He showed them the screen of his phone, which had the sheet music for a song whose title was conveniently hidden.

“Please?” Virtue glanced at Bug, who’s only visible eye was gleaming with hope. “Just one song?”

“Just one?”

Bug nodded eagerly, and Virtue sighed. They grabbed the case, clicked it open, and took out the violin and bow. “I have no time to practice?”

“Eh.” Bug shrugged. “Most of us haven’t practiced this one that much. It’s more of a ‘let’s see how this goes’ sorta thing.”

Virtue sighed again. “Okay, okay yeah. Give me a few minutes to warm up, but I’ll do it.”

Bug and Michael silently cheered, pumping their fists in the air, with Bug doing a little wiggle and jump in there too. “Okay, you do that, we’ll play another two songs and then you get to come up.” Bug told Virtue as its grin got wider and wider. 

Virtue watched the pair skip back to the stage, and left to the back to warm up.

It was early evening by then, just before the dinner rush started to pile in. As Virtue warmed up their fingers and tuned the violin (never before have they been so glad they kept up playing after high school), the door leading back inside let some of the whispers of the music playing inside out. Virtue, feeling confidence start to swell up inside them, stretched and walked back in.

There were more people sitting down now than there before. Looking at the small stage the band was set up on, they saw that there was another music stand with Michael’s phone on it, lit up with sheet music on it. The last chord played out, there was a small amount of applause, and they went up to the stand.

“This is our amazing band manager Virtue.” Bug gestured to them once the applause faded away. “They’re gonna help us with this next song.”

Virtue heard light tapping on the drumset behind them, giving the tempo. They took a deep breath, looking at Michael who started the song with them, and nodded.

It started somewhat slowly, with a riff from Michael, then Virtue joined in over top. Gemini added some light percussion, and the sensation of waiting for the ball to drop filled the room.

“Go!” Gemini yelled, and the tempo increased, the energy was set alight, and Virtue played.

The moment Bug started singing, any sense of self or time that Virtue once had was lost within the swell of all the sounds going on around them. They could barely register them reading the music on Michael’s phone, occasionally switching to the next page. They don’t remember what the lyrics to the song were, only hearing Bug’s voice as he sang them out.

Well, that wasn’t true. They remember the last lyrics.

“What do you do when the Devil offers you a drink?” Virtue remembers looking at Bug, who was looking at the crowd with eyes that glowed with fascination. A pause. “Well you buy the next round.”

One last riff from Michael, and the silence that permeated the restaurant was heavy.

“More!” Called someone from the back.

“Yeah, give us more!”

Virtue looked at the band, who stood there confused. Then, growing in the crowd, a chant. “More, more, more, more, more!” Louder and louder until it was nearly deafening. 

Bug shook a little, put on a smile, and took the mic. “Thank you all for your time.”  It said. The chanting didn’t stop. “It means a lot to us. Now we gotta head out.”

The chanting stopped, and as the band was putting everything away, it seemed normal. At least, until they had finished packing up Gemini’s drum set it did. 

“I think we’re ready to head out.” Gemini cracked her neck and stretched. “That was a success.”

“Definitely was.” Airael hummed. “I had fun.

“Agreeing to all of your points.” Bug said. “But Michael has a coding project due in two days so we really need to leave.”

“Could you do just one more?”

Everyone jumped and turned to see a young man standing there. “One more, please?”

“Sorry, no.” Virtue cut in before anyone could say anything. “They finished a while ago.”

“I know, I know. But I just, you guys were so good. Just one more song?”

Another person appears. “Yeah, one more?”

More people stepped up to Virtue, asking for another song. They gestured to the band members behind them to leave, knowing the back door was behind them. 

Noticing that the band was leaving, the group tried to push past Virtue, but they held their ground. They weren’t going to let anyone pass, at least not for another few minutes.

And that’s where they are now, holding back a slowly growing group of people who decided that, for whatever reason, they needed more Bardic Inspiration. 

“Hey! All of you!”

The group of people turn around to the voice of the restaurant owner. “Get back to your seats or you’re all banned!”

That seemed to snap them all out of their stupor. Faster than they had appeared, they left back to enjoy their evening.

“Sorry about that.” The owner apologizes to Virtue. “You all did very good.”

Virtue takes a deep breath. “It’s fine.” They assure. “You don’t control your patrons.

The owner hums. “Well, in any case, you lot go home and enjoy a nice long sleep alright?”

“Yeah.” Virtue smiles. “No problem.”

-

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[powered-universe-official]

Draft 1, Part 2: Virtue; bathroom community

Virtue finds Malcolm.

Over the next few weeks, Virtue spent any possible free moment to see if they could find Malcolm. If the band was just practicing a few songs, they were scanning the whole garage for a hint of orange hair, or if Bug was leaving, they watched its car leave to see if Malcolm was possibly, hopefully, in the back seat.

Every time, without fail, in the moments they weren’t paying attention, someone would yell “bye Malcolm!” as the door clicked shut, and they were needed again. It was frustrating, it was aggravating, and for some reason it bothered Virtue to absolutely no end. Maybe because they prided themselves on being so observant, that not seeing someone who apparently was around a lot was a failing of that in some way. Or because Malcolm seemed to be doing it on purpose, if Bug’s constant snickering had anything to say about it.

Regardless, it’s annoying the hell out of Virtue. What started as them wanting to just meet their band member’s sibling has now turned into a personal goal that if they can’t accomplish it,  they have failed. At what? Virtue doesn’t know yet, but they know it’s a failure of something.

“Bye Malcolm! Make sure to bring food next time you decide to hang around right after school!” Bug yells to the door that just clicked shut, and the irritation rises through Virtue’s core. Again, they just missed him.

“Hey V, can you make sure he closed the door all the way?” Michael asks as he checks over his guitar. “You know how the latch is on that one.”

Sighing, Virtue nods and walks over to the garage door. They tug on it, and it falls open easily, making a slip of paper flutter slowly to the ground. After latching the door shut soundly (it’s still cold out, after all), they pick it up and unfold it.

Get good and just find me already, I’m getting bored :p - malcolm

The paper crumples in Virtue’s hand as they slowly turn around and see Bug’s wide and borderline malicious grin. So that’s how it is, then. 

Game on.

-

It has been two weeks, and Virtue is no closer to finding Malcolm than they had been on day one. And it’s getting beyond frustrating, it’s beyond aggravating. It’s absolutely maddening, and they’re about at their fucking limit.

Doors shut and the band choruses a “bye Malcolm!” over and over and over again, and they haven’t seen the little shit once. How does he do it? What is he doing? It’s like he’s a fleeting shadow of a person.

A thought creeps into Virtue’s head, and settles itself deep. Their eyes scan the garage, focusing on the dark corners, and find nothing. He’s not here. He never is in their line of sight…

They spin around on their heels and see a small young teen leaning in the corner. His hair curls tightly to his scalp, dark black that cuts into faded orange, which frames dark eyes that look at them without an ounce of amusement. He’s clearly related to Bug with how they have the same face, his is just untouched from burn scars and holding onto the vestiges of baby fat.

Even so, Malcolm couldn’t look more different to his older sibling. Bug is covered in tattoos and art, and is looking into piercings. Not to mention the chaotically and carefully crafted look and aesthetic of some kind of grunge punk anti-hero. Malcolm, on the other hand, has a hoodie and soft jeans and slip on shoes and big headphones wrapped around his neck. 

He steps away from the corner, and walks towards the door that leads outside. Virtue follows, and when the door clicks shut behind them Malcolm shoves a piece of paper to their chest.

Virtue looks at him as he retreats back against a wall and watches. They carefully look at the paper, and unfold it slowly.

You never look behind you when you need to, especially when you’re actively looking to achieve something. Good job finding me.

Virtue looks up to say something, and Malcolm is gone.

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