Adding Shadows

Carry On My Wayward Son

Roman sat up after coughing his throat out, he checked his alarm clock to find it was only three AM. He quietly kicked his legs off the side of his bed and stood up silently.

Okay, so I definitely got sick after going to Virgil's house. Fun.

He crept to his bedroom door and opened it as careful as possible. Tiptoeing out, Roman left the house to the back yard for fresh air.

The cold night air filled his lungs and felt amazing on his sore throat. The exhale burned but the inhale was soothing. Roman looked up at the star covered night sky.

Roman and Virgil didn't live very far from each other, surprisingly, and they had gotten each other a walky-talky so they could speak to each other.

Roman had brought his out, and pressed the mic button, knowing it was wishful thinking the other boy was awake at all.

"Virgil? Do you copy? Over." Roman whispered quietly before setting down the device gently, waiting a solid thirty seconds before a response.

"Ro? You there? Over." Virgil's voice came through staticky. Roman grinned and picked it up again.

"I'm here. Why are you awake? Over." Roman questioned, thinking it was rather strange for the young boy to be up at the time, at least Roman had an excuse.

The sound changed to static, proving Virgil had already pressed the button to speak, and there were slight noises of breathing accompanied by a long pause. Finally "I..  I couldn't sleep. Over."

Roman bit his lip a little "Can I see you? Uh, over." Roman asked, releasing the talk button before getting thrown into a fit of coughs. He cleared his throat the best he could, trying to silence his coughs as Virgil's voice came through.

"Yeah. But I can't sneak out. The farthest I can go is my backyard. Over."

Roman thought "I'll meet you, then. See you soon, my dark and stormy knight. Over and out."

Virgil's voice came through confused and slightly worried "O.. okay, see you, Princey. Over and out?"

Roman proceeded to climb over the back gate and began walking down the street, not worrying about hiding seeing as no one else was awake.

Roman had to walk a couple blocks before he reached Virgil's house, walky talky still in hand. He opened their side gate quietly and snuck into the green, darkened backyard.

"Ro?" Virgil voice was soft, and Roman walked towards it, though he couldn't see the figure very well. "Hi, Princey."

Virgil stepped out into the lighter area of the yard so he could be seen, the moonlight made his skin look pale white, but his under eyes were darker then Roman had ever seen them.

"Are you alright?" Roman asked, glancing down quickly at his under eyes. Virgil blushed a little and shrugged "Are you sleeping?"

Virgil shook his head, "No, not really.." Virgil walked to a bench with padding and sat down, looking up at the sky, avoiding Roman's eyes.

"Not at all?" Roman paused, sitting beside the other child "How come?" He asked softly, turning his head away to cough into his arm.

Virgil looked at him worriedly "Are you okay?" He stage whispered to Roman, who nodded, urging Virgil to answer his question "Night terrors.."

Roman furrowed his brow "Wh..what of?" He asked carefully. Virgil swallowed, looking up at the stars.

"My parents'.. death.."

"Virgil.. you don't have to tell me but.. what happened? ...To your parents?"

"It's a long story." The ten year old shook a little, Roman's face fell and he moved closer, their sides pressed together. Roman nodded for Virgil to continue.

"When I was four.. I woke up to screaming. It was so loud, but our house was in a secluded area so no one heard." He breathed in "I ran downstairs, and there was a man. He was so bony and small. I thought for sure dad could take him, but he had already.."

He trailed off, shaking a little and squeezed his eyes closed. Roman took Virgil's hand gently, Roman traces circles on the back of Virgil's hand with his thumb soothingly.

Virgil took a deep, shaky, breath. "The moment I stepped into the room I watched as the knife lifted off my dads neck and his body hit the floor. He had already tried to strangle him.. but it hadn't worked, so he just.." he choked.

"You don't have to keep going." Roman spoke softly. Virgil shook his head.

"I watched him grab my mom next.." Virgil continued "She was skinny and small.. she was out fast, but I watched her last breath leave her, and her eyes grew bloodshot.. and then he came after me.. I ran to my room, but he.. he left after choking me for a moment. He said.. he said he'd be back.."

In that moment Virgil broke down into suffocating, heartbreaking tears. Roman engulfed the smaller boy into a tight hug. Virgil accepted the hug quickly this time, silently sobbing into his shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay. I've got you now, it'll be okay." Roman reassured, rubbing Virgil's back gently, the way his mom did when Roman was sad.

"H..how do you know? H-he said he'd be b-back for m-me!" Virgil panicked into Roman's shoulder. Roman pulled away from Virgil, holding him at arms length.

"Virgil, you'll be fine. I won't let him hurt you, Mr Sanders won't let him hurt you, Mr Peels won't let him hurt you, and even Mr John, Logan, won't let him hurt you. You're safe. Promise."

Virgil searched Roman's eyes with doubt, he seemed to be looking for something in Roman, but when he couldn't find it he smiled a little.

"Thank you, Princey." Virgil muttered softly. They both dropped their hands to their laps.

"You called though, is something wrong?" Virgil asked, looking up at the sky again. Roman shook his head.

"I just feel a little sick is all, and I couldn't sleep so I wanted to talk. That's it." Roman assured. Virgil nodded.

"Okay."

"I should go home now."

"Okay."

"But I'll come back in the morning."

"Okay."

"Good night."

Before Virgil could answer Roman leaned over and planted a soft kiss on Virgil's cheek. He then proceeded to walk away, a slight blush tinting his cheeks, unseen in the darkness of the yard.

"Good night, Roman.." Virgil replied softly as he watched Roman leave, blood filling his cheeks.