Trials, Traits and Truth

The Truth

A/N: Trigger Warnings: mild negative self thoughts, mention of panic attacks (but none occur),  mention of breathing difficulties (though none occur).

Virgil did something he hadn't done since Friday...

He went somewhere that wasn't his bedroom or the bathroom.

The kitchen smelled so good that it made Virgil's mouth salivate and his stomach grumble, reminding him that it too hadn't been anywhere near food since Friday either. Laughing, he grabbed a couple of what had to be Patton's freshly home-made cookies (all cut into heart shapes, of course) and fetched a glass of water from the sink. 

He felt...lighter?

Crunching on the cookie, he ascended to the physical realm. 

It didn't concern Virgil that reality seemed to replicate his dream, down to the five colours on the graph that Logan hurriedly tried to hide.

"How're you doing there Champ?" Patton was probably the best actor of them all, though none really realised this. He hid his concern and panic underneath his classic Patton charm and smile, looking encouragingly at Virgil.

The others were not so adept at hiding their shock and embarrassment.

"VIRGIL! Hello, excuse me I was not startled." Roman's hand quickly whipped off the hilt of his sword in it's scabbard on his waist.

Logan looked apprehensive. Thomas, scared.

Maybe it was because he had been feeling a little better for the first time in ages.

Maybe it was because he had had his first sleep in eons without battling for every breath. 

Maybe it was due to the fact he hadn't made it to a shower yet and the morning sweat still looked extremely apparent on his skin and clothes.

Virgil started shivering.

Patton was over like a shot, and carefully used his grey cardigan to wrap around the shoulders of the Younger personality like a blanket. Virgil was on his stairs as usual. Logan and Roman were eyeing Thomas wearily...

...expectantly...

It clicked.

"I'm not going to make him have a panic attack." That's not how it works anyway.

"They didn't think that..." Patton started.

"No, no. It's okay Patton. They were preparing for the worst. That is usually what my presence means, after all."

"Please don't clock out again." Thomas managed nervously, clasping his hands together.

Virgil raised an eyebrow.

"Don't worry, I won't."

Thomas visibly relaxed. "Good, because we all lo-"

"If you die, we die right? That's hardly in my interests at all." Virgil finished coldly, eyes narrowed. He was sick of it. "Gimme the graph." 

As he said that, the crisp image from his dream floated to the front of his mind. 

"Nevermind." Virgil muttered, realising he had already memorised the damn thing. He frowned. "I understand. But I swear...this isn't completely my fault..." He was desperate. 

"numbers don't lie."

"...I think something's off with Thomas." 

Roman's eyes narrowed. The air got thick, but, in Virigl's mind, it was only screaming two words: yeah. you. 

Virgil closed his mouth and swallowed hard, then fended off one of Patton's guilt-hugs.

"Fine." He sank down without looking at any of them.

Thomas grabbed Pattons' arm as he moved to follow.

"I think you should give him a little space for now."

~

Virgil tried not to freak out, so he grounded himself by latching onto the issue plaguing him: the voice.

This was not some disembodied voice that usually dogged him - it had sounded slightly different from the start. But those negative thoughts came from him...and as far as he knew he did not have some omnipresent dream power to spy on his counterparts and host. 

Virgil cleared his voice.

"So...who are you anyway?" He had tried to sound confident, to cover up how foolish he felt despite his surety. His heartbeat started to quicken as he gazed around his definitely empty room.

...

...

...

"Very adept, Virgil."

Virgil frowned. They (it?) used his name...

"Of course I used your name. I am Truth."